Hello dearies,

I am so sorry that it took me so long to upload the last bonus chapter - but I do hope I can make up for the wait, as the chapter ended up being over 18.000 words long. Some small pieces of smut and quite a little bit of fluff. ;)

I would also like to truly apologize for not replying to all the lovely reviews you guys gave the last chapter, I am really, really sorry about that, and I hope you will forgive me, but the last weeks have been incredibly straining, and I didn't really get around to anything.

A big thank you also to everyone who nominated and voted for Dungeons and for me in the Klaroline Awards on tumblr - I ended up in second place on both categories, which is a great honour! Thank you!

Lastly - I will be hitting the Complete button after uploading, so this is really it. Thank you so very, very much to all of you who have accompanied me with Dungeons and Sanctuaries. You have given me courage and so much happiness with your lovely reviews, and by reading the stories at all. It was simply beyond anything I ever thought possible.

THANK YOU!

Much love to all of you!

Sybille

BONUS CHAPTER III

MEMORIES OF LOVE AND BEAUTY

The the engine's steady hum made her slowly doze off. Klaus had been asleep for the last hour, his face peaceful and relaxed, and as usual, Caroline couldn't help but inconspicuously peek at his features about once every minute. It wasn't often that she had the opportunity to do so – normally, it was the other way around, as Klaus didn't seem to need as much sleep as she did – so she silently enjoyed the few moments she could steal to just take in his lovely face without any disturbances. She remembered how he had said that despite their upcoming hunt for the boy and a method to kill the two warlocks, they would always make time to be happy, to escape and to forget about everything but each other. At first, she had assumed he had just said that to placate her, but over the last couple of months, she had found that he had kept his word. He went out of his way to accommodate their alone time, however keen he was on advancing the research. When they had returned from Bouvet, he had first arranged to purchase Valhalla and then hired a small crew to sail her to Honolulu where she would be anchoring for the time being. They had taken the plane to Hawaii and spent two heavenly weeks in their new house on Oahu, and not once during those days had he said a word about what lay ahead of them, even though there were those brief moments she had caught him staring out at the ocean with a tense, pensive expression. And yet he had not called anyone to inquire about progress or discuss what they were going to do next. Instead, they had discovered Oahu together, made day trips to some of the other islands and enjoyed the house Caroline had instantly loved. It was bright, airy, built in Polynesian style with a lot of bamboo, dark woods and full of palm trees and other plants. She had taken to cooking, something she had virtually never done before, and the fact that Klaus had actually eaten the… interesting results had shown her the true depth of his bravery. After that… well, he had come up with new restaurant suggestions about thrice a day, making them both burst into laughter every time. Oh, it had been paradise!

Their next trip had taken them back to New Orleans for Kol and Davina's wedding. Caroline suppressed a happy sigh at the memory.

"So, is the future Mrs. Mikaelson ready for the yoke of marriage?" Caroline squealed at the sight of Davina who had just hurried down the stairs to greet them. Despite a little blush, the witch was nonetheless grinning.

"Of course, but… oh God, I'm so glad that you're finally here! I have the first dress fitting today and Silv is out of town, I have no idea what shoes go best with it, how to wear my hair… help!" Giggling, the women hugged each other warmly, and Caroline held Davina away at arm's length to get a good look at her. The brunette was absolutely radiant, and although it had been the witch who was mainly responsible for Kol's growing up, there were changes to be found in her, too. A lightness that hadn't been there before, and a new confidence she was oozing from every pore that couldn't be solely attributed to the fact that she was now the most powerful witch on the planet, though still in formation. Caroline felt very much reminded of herself, of the way being with Klaus had altered her for the better. Well, the neurotic, insecure teenager did still make the occasional appearance, but all in all, she felt a serenity and a sense of self-assurance that she had never expected of herself. It had all been hidden somewhere inside her, of course, but he had been the one to encourage her to find it, and Caroline assumed it was just the same with Davina and Kol.

The witch was now turning towards Klaus, a shyness on her face Caroline found very endearing. "Klaus, I… thank you for agreeing to give me away. It means very much to me. And to Kol, not that he would ever admit to it."

"It will be my absolute pleasure, sister," Klaus smiled and took her hand to bow over it, making Caroline swoon the way she always did when any of the Mikaelson brothers got into I-learned-my-manners-when-they-were-first-invented mode. "Where is that obnoxious little brother of mine, if I may ask?"

Giving a light shrug, Davina raised a brow and broke into another grin. "Try Remy's. Ever since the werewolves have come to see reason, things have been relatively calm, but Kol likes to make a daily appearance in public. Although if you ask me, I think it's more about escaping the eternal wedding talk. Oh, and Elijah and Silv should hopefully be back tonight."

"Where did they go?" Klaus asked, frowning. Apparently, Elijah hadn't let him in on his travel plans.

"Mexico, but they didn't say where exactly. It was a very spontaneous trip, they left yesterday morning after Elijah received a phone call. Probably something about the warlocks."

"Did you make any progress with that?"

The witch inclined her head. "Not overly much. I have contacted Ralph in the Eternal Realm – you know that once you have managed to contact someone for the first time, it is easier to locate them again – and asked him to attempt to find out where Lau is. He and Henrik have set out a few days ago, and we have agreed that I shall give them a couple of weeks before calling on them again. As you are aware, there is no blood between Ralph and Lau which is why they will have to do it the old-fashioned way – travel and ask around. Let's just hope he didn't end up in Padma, although something tells me he did not. Incidentally, I have also spoken to Vicq Samedi and told him the whole story, asking him to do some research on how to end the warlocks. He did agree to help and said that unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of the Old Witches seem to have gone directly to Padma, so they cannot be questioned, but he had a few ideas on who else to speak to."

Caroline had observed how her husband's features had briefly softened at the mention of his little brother, and she had to smile at the thought of just another Mikaelson sibling playing Indiana Jones, even if it was in the Eternal Realm of the Dead this time. The enthusiasm for any kind of quest or adventure seemed to run in the family, both Ralph's and Esther's side of it. Klaus turned towards her and pulled her into his arms, covering her lips with his and burying his hands in her hair for a delicious moment. When he released her, she clung to him for an instant longer, making him kiss her hair and close his eyes. "I will go and find Kol. We might be a while, but I do believe you ladies have enough planning to do to keep yourselves busy."

"You're escaping too, aren't you?" Caroline accused him with a malicious grin.

His face a picture of innocence and mock outrage, Klaus put his hands on his hips and shook his head. "How could you ever believe me to be that much of a coward?"

"Oh, good, then you can join us for the fitting, help us with the flowers, the accessories, the menu… oh, and the choice of fonts!"

Neither of them had seen him so much as move, but the rush of wind and the ghostly chuckle that came out of thin air told them he was gone. Giggling, they hugged each other once again, and Caroline took Davina's arm, steering her towards the kitchen. "Okay, now tell me what you have in mind, and let's get to work! At what time is your fitting?"

A couple of weeks later, everything was ready. As the wedding was to be a small and intimate family affair, preparations had been relatively simple, something that Caroline secretly regretted. Elena and Rebekah had arrived with the Salvatores a day after Silv had returned from Mexico, and ever since then, there had been no other topic than the wedding. They knew it was driving the men insane, but all of the women shared the sneaking suspicion that they were wildly exaggerating their annoyance. More than once, Caroline had caught both Klaus and Damon smiling indulgently at all the fuss when they thought no one was watching, and Kol would have crawled over broken glass to make Davina happy. For the sheer fun of it, Rebekah had asked her future sister-in-law to demand that he wear a red tux, just to see how far he would go to please his girl. The four women were beyond stunned and burst into hysterical laughter when he had just muttered "Fine," and stalked off to join his chuckling brothers in the study.

He was of course not wearing a red tux today. All of the men donned black suits, and Caroline had had a hard time not tearing the fabric off Klaus and assaulting him the instant he had emerged from their room. God, he was always so breathtaking in a tux! Well, even more so when he took it off, but still… she remembered how she had seen him in formal wear for the first time, at his family's ball what seemed a lifetime ago. She would rather have died than admit to it, but Big Bad Hybrid Klaus, the scourge of Mystic Falls, had made her knees go weak for a split second when she had laid eyes on him. God, how hard she had fought all evening to ignore his dazzling looks… and his bewitching scent… Shaking off her daze at her husband's appearance, she began to organize the departures. Kol would be first to leave the house, together with Elijah, Damon, Stefan, Rebekah and Elena. Later, the bride would make her way to the small, family-run plantation about twenty miles southeast of the city that had been chosen as the wedding venue, accompanied by Klaus and her bridesmaids, Caroline and Silv. The latter acted as maid of honour. There had been a very particular connection between the women from the beginning, due to their similar roots as members of two of the ancient lines of witchcraft, and they had grown considerably closer ever since they had come to spend so much time together after everyone else had left New Orleans to travel the world. Davina had begun to consider Silv the older sister and mentor she had never had and so desperately wanted, and there were moments when Caroline wondered whether Silv saw a little bit of a daughter in the young witch.

She felt Klaus' eyes on her now as Davina descended the stairs, resplendent in her wedding gown and all but bursting with joy. Caroline knew he was asking himself whether she actually felt deprived of a big, lavish ceremony with family and friends, given their very private wedding on Aitutaki, and if she regretted the way they had tied the knot. How utterly silly! Yes, she loved parties and preparations and organizing festivities, but she wouldn't have changed a dot about her own nuptials. Without taking her eyes off Davina, she whispered, "It was perfect, Niklaus. It was all I could ever have asked for."

"Reading my mind now, are we?"

"I know you."

"That you do."

There was no more time to continue their conversation. Davina had arrived at the foot of the stairs, and Klaus stepped up to offer her his arm, giving her the very rare, heartwarming smile he reserved for those he considered his family. "You look beautiful, sister. One can only hope my insufferable little brother will a) not faint at your sight and b) know that he does most definitely not deserve you."

And Klaus was right. Davina looked incredible. The women had spent hours in her room this morning, and it had been so much fun getting her ready. Champagne had been flowing freely, and even Davina had taken a few sips to calm her fluttering nerves. But now she no longer seemed nervous at all. She was glowing with happiness and anticipation, contagiously so. Her dress was simple floor-length ivory satin, off the shoulder with long sleeves made of Belgian embroidery. When Caroline had first seen her in it, her eyes had positively moistened. She couldn't imagine any woman in history who looked more like a Disney fairy tale princess and less than a witch. Davina's long, shiny mahogany curls were loosely falling over her shoulders, and her face was alight with emotion. Caroline just couldn't help it – she cast a quick look at Klaus. Despite everything they were and had gone through, and the fact that she was certain Klaus would never seriously consider anyone else, she could still feel those little moments of jealousy, of insecurity, and it reassured her immensely to see him completely at ease, polite and warm, but not smitten with the bride. Yes, I get it, I'm an idiot!

Silv came down the stairs behind Davina now, carrying the bouquet that consisted of cream coloured and very pale pink roses, handing it to the younger woman with a bright smile. Both she and Caroline were wearing matching floor-length halterneck gowns of anthracite silk, sleeveless with girdling waists. Klaus' earlier reaction at the sight of his wife had been to bring his lips to her ear and whisper, "You will never stop stunning me into speechlessness, will you, my intoxicating girl?" And how can you still give me the freaking butterflies, my incredibly hot husband?

They were just preparing to leave when Klaus suddenly halted and turned towards the bride. "I believe you are lacking something." The three women looked at him in astonishment when he produced a small etui, handing it to Davina. Caroline had to suppress a smile at the witch's dumbfounded expression when she opened the little box. "You could say this is a family heirloom," he explained as he took the necklace and swiftly fastened it around Davina's neck. "I will not go into any particulars of its provenance, but it has been with us for very many centuries, and it is my belief that now is the time for it to see the light of day again. Consider it a small wedding gift."

The witch touched the collier, consisting of a number of pavé set diamonds, spiraling around each other in rings of different sizes, looking like some sort of mysterious pagan symbol, all set within one large circle of even more diamonds. It was a gem fit for a new bride – and for a witch. Davina's eyes began to show a suspicious shimmer when she looked up at Klaus.

"Thank you… brother. I don't really know what to say, this is… so beautiful, and I…"

"…will stop sniffling right now, because I will be extremely upset should you even remotely compromise the work of art I turned your face into," Silv cut in jokingly, beaming at Davina. "Come on, little sister, let's get you into the car."

Nodding and dabbing at her eyes, Davina whispered, "Thank you, Klaus."

"My pleasure. Shall we?"

While Silv busied herself trying to get Davina, the dress and the Rembrandt of makeups into the limo without any major accidents, Klaus took Caroline's hand. "Listen, my love, I do hope this finds your approval. I should probably have given it to you, like so many jewels we have collected over the years, but… for some reason I never felt inclined to. I believe it has something to do with not wanting to taint you with any items from my past. Everything I give you, I want to be something new, something unblemished. Something to make our history, our own memories. So I hope you will forgive me, especially in view of the fact that it was actually Kol who stole that collier back in the fifteen hundreds, much to Elijah's disapproval, I must add. And he always had a particular fondness for it, so I believe it is a fitting wedding gift for his bride."

She looked at him incredulously. "You don't seriously believe that I am upset about you giving a wedding present to my new sister? Come on, Niklaus, you should really know better. Apart from that, I've always told you that no gem in the world could ever be remotely as precious to me as you are. You have given me your heart, your love, not to mention that amazing body of yours, and incidentally, a house on Oahu plus a couple of unspeakably beautiful blue diamonds." Moving into his arms, she chuckled and pulled him close, resting her cheek against his. "That was a very, very sweet wedding gift, my love."

"I am known to be the sweet and fluffy type, am I not?" he snickered, making her scoff. Giving her a loving smile, he pressed a soft kiss to the delicate skin under her earlobe. "Let us go."

Caroline and Silv had just walked down the makeshift aisle in the plantation's beautiful park and taken their places opposite Kol and Elijah, smiling at Rebekah, Elena, Stefan, Damon and Remy, when Davina stepped out of the weathered building on Klaus' arm. Kol's eyes seemed to bulge out of the sockets and his jaw dropped, making the women grin with delight at seeing the youngest Mikaelson brother truly loose his I'm-too-cool-for-my-own-good attitude. He all but drank in the sight of his soon-to-be-wife, and Caroline saw him mouth something that looked suspiciously like 'My God'. Elijah smiled and patted Kol's shoulder reassuringly, muttering to his younger sibling how three glasses of Scotch had apparently been too weak a dosis to calm his nerves.

She felt an incredible rush of pride at the sight of her Klaus walking up the aisle towards the large, moss-covered oak tree they were gathered under, the bride on his arm, giving Caroline a quick wink and a dimpled smile. She couldn't exactly pinpoint the reason why, but the role suited him somehow. Elijah would always be the calm, distinguished elder of the family, but Klaus had grown so much over the last couple of years, and she had the feeling that one day, he might even become something of a patriarch. Maybe he already was, to an extent, and it made her so happy for him. He had always wanted to be this – the loved and respected center of a family. Okay, he also wanted to be the feared master of the universe, but as long as he limited that ambition to those who did not qualify as family or friends, Caroline was perfectly fine with it. After all, Big Bad Hybrid Klaus was still a major hottie.

Upon reaching Kol, Klaus took Davina's hand and with a formal kiss to her cheek, placed it into Kol's. Gazing intently at his brother, he said, "I still have a few daggers handy, Kol, and I am not above using them if you ever think about not treating my new sister exactly the way she deserves." The groom wasn't even listening, it would seem, judging by the way he didn't take his gaze off Davina and just grumbled "Uh-huh." Klaus rolled his eyes but couldn't help a grin when he took his place next to Elijah.

The minister who had been compelled to officiate the wedding, no questions asked, no memories kept, cleared his throat and began to speak. Davina and Kol were simply staring at each other, oblivious to everything that was going on around them. When the minister cleared his throat again and softly reminded them that they might want to be remotely present for the upcoming part, he was actually smiling. Caroline felt a big lump in her throat and the butterflies go crazy when Klaus' eyes found hers during the vows… and his hand inconspicuously covered his heart. She stared back at him, placing a hand over her own heart and feeling her eyes fill with tears. God, she was a sentimental wimp! All that crying! And? So what, Caroline Mikaelson? It's a wedding, for crying out loud! You're supposed to be sentimental!

'I adore you,' she mouthed, her eyes shining when she returned her husband's gaze, 'always and forever.'

His face turned serious and all of a sudden, she saw his eyes close and his hand move to his Signum. He seemed to be concentrating very hard on something. And a few seconds later, she understood what it was.

She felt his fingers on her neck!

It was all she could do not to gasp and stumble backwards. How was this possible? He was standing a good twelve feet away! It was definitely not a hallucination, she felt him touching her! Her mouth dropped open, and she stared at her husband with an expression of complete bewilderment. Very slowly, his eyes opened, focusing on her nonplussed face. With a tender smile, he nodded, 'Later,' before returning his attention to the minister.

The rest of the ceremony went by in a blur, filled with thoughts and questions about what had just happened, but the moment Kol was asked to kiss his bride, Caroline's mind focused on the newlyweds again, and she smiled broadly at the passionate kiss that made the men chuckle and the women sigh. Not that any of them could complain about a lack of passion in their own relationships, but this was just something to swoon over.

Later that night, when celebrations at Remy's were in full swing, Caroline finally managed to grab Klaus and pull him outside. She had been burning to ask him about what had happened earlier, and she had tried a couple of times, but there had been no opportunity without anyone overhearing. The instant the door had closed behind them, Klaus pushed her against it, his hands to both sides of her head.

"Admit it, Caroline, you are just wearing this to embarrass me in front of everyone," he muttered hoarsely. When she opened her mouth to protest, he grabbed her hand and guided it to his crotch, making her gasp at feeling his iron-hard cock beneath the thin fabric of his trousers. "Do you seriously believe this has gone unnoticed?" he chuckled as he slipped one strap off her shoulder. "Gods, have I ever told you how incredibly tempting even your shoulders are?" Before she could say a word, his lips were on her, breathing open-mouthed kisses onto her skin, all the way to her neck and back to her shoulder. Caroline sagged against the door, not bothering to stop the small moans from escaping. She almost didn't notice how her own hands were frantically pulling at his shirt, desperate to feel the warmth and the silken smoothness of his skin. Her head sank back when she finally ran her fingers over his shoulder blades, along his spine and down to the hem of his pants. With one swift move, her hands were inside his trousers, cupping his butt and squeezing hard, pulling him against her with all her might. His groan was loud and urgent, igniting a desire so desperate inside her that it felt like they hadn't made love in weeks. It was crazy, as usual, but who cared?

Without a warning, he pulled her away from the door, scooping her up and flashing off. A few seconds later, they were in an even shabbier alley, full of crates, rotting barrels and other undefinable junk. Klaus smashed her into a fire escape, at the same time undoing his zipper. "Hold on to the ladder," he commanded in a hiss, and Caroline grabbed a bar high above her head while his hands were on her thighs, shimmying up her dress… and finding her naked underneath. He inhaled sharply before his eyes burned into hers. "How do you want me, Caroline? Tell me fast."

Biting her lip, she took the challenge. "I want you hard. Loud. Fuck me, and fuck me so that everyone can hear."

His eyes turned almost black with desire. "As you wish."

She was already hot and wet when his cock filled her to the hilt. "And talk to me," she hissed, and her words turned into a moan as he grabbed her, his hands on the back of her knees, bending her legs to both sides of her, pressing her into the fire escape and opening her up so wide for him. His eyes were glued to their joint bodies, and seeing him watch his hard length glide in and out of her almost drove her mad.

"You want me to talk?" His words were blurred by the loud moans he wasn't able to suppress. "To tell how it makes me want to scream with pleasure when I feel you all wet and burning with heat around me? How nothing in the world can make me unravel like fucking you senseless? How I enjoy seeing you completely at my mercy, sensing you shiver every time I slam into you like… this?"

Caroline cried out when he filled her once more, feeling the crazy desire to have him throw her into the dirty crates, tear her dress apart and just fuckfuckfuck the hell out of her. "More," she demanded, her voice breaking, "give me more! God, how I need you!" She had barely finished the sentence when she was brutally pulled from the ladder. The next thing she knew was that he had shoved her onto a barrel, her feet on the ground, her torso on the wooden cask. Trying to catch her breath, she expected him to continue his oh-so-welcome assault, but when he pushed her dress over her hips, she suddenly felt his mouth on her backside. Oooh! His hands were everywhere, and so was his devilish tongue.

"So. Delicious," Klaus groaned between licks, and Caroline couldn't help but shamelessly move her butt to feel him on each and every inch of her skin… and… her folds… her… oh, it was… he was… A desperate sound of protest escaped her when his mouth was suddenly gone, but it died in her throat at feeling him at her entrance. Leaning against her, he was running the tip of his cock over her clit, again and again, until she was no more than a whimpering mess. "Beg me," he demanded, two words that seemed to come from somewhere deep inside. "Beg me, my Caroline."

She knew he loved to hear her beg, just as she adored it when he did. He was beyond sexy when he begged… was it the same feeling for him, hearing her? Making a sensuous move against his cock, she heard him give a throaty, dark moan. "Please, Niklaus. Don't stop! I want you so badly, it's killing me… please!"

"Please what?" his silken voice sounded close to her ear, and Caroline shuddered at the divine friction of his cock against her throbbing sex.

"Oh, will you just fuck me already?" she exclaimed impatiently, close to despair. "I need you inside me again this instant, or I'll go mad!"

"And we would not want that, would we?" They groaned in unison when he slid into her, very slowly, until she surrounded him completely. For one moment, they were perfectly still, savouring each other, before his voice invaded her senses again. "You might want to hold on, my wonderfully brazen love," he whispered, and it was all Caroline could do to obey his command before he truly turned into Big Bad Hybrid Klaus. His cock filled her, left her, filled her, and she took him in with everything she had. They were so attuned to one another, their rhythm all but perfect, and even in a dirty, dark little alley like this one, and with all the brutal rawness of their mating, there was something pure about it. It was a hot, fast ride through their own personal paradise, and neither of them wanted it to end. They both felt the other holding back, desperately trying to prolong their stay in heaven.

"Caroline," Klaus' voice was barely audible through his sensual moans, "I need you to come with me, and I cannot wait much longer."

"Yes," she whispered, "yes! Take me with you!"

With a primal growl, he began to increase his speed, the sound of flesh against flesh echoing from the alley walls. Caroline was beginning to see stars behind her eyes when his expert fingers were at her sex, effortlessly gliding over her clit and making her slump against the barrel. She felt her walls tighten around him, and she knew she was ready. Beyond ready.

"Now… oh Gods, now," he cried out, his voice almost unrecognizable. "Please!"

His final thrust was their undoing. When he pounded into her, his hands moved to her thighs, pushing her legs further apart and trapping her against the barrel. She could no longer move, and her orgasm all but erupted around him, making her collapse on the wooden cask with his name on her lips, feeling him shudder through his own release and bursting with emotion at the sound of his dark growl.

"My beautiful woman… mine. Mine. Mine."

The second he returned to a basic level of coherency, he pulled her from the barrel and against his granite chest, encircling her with his arms and covering her face with gentle, soft kisses. With a sigh that was simple, unadulterated bliss, she wrapped herself around him and closed her eyes at his tender ministrations. They stood in the middle of the alley, arms around each other, and gave themselves over to each other's love.

It wasn't until much later that Klaus began to chuckle. Pulling back, he cradled her face in his hands and looked her in the eyes. "You know, my sweet little one, I do love you with all my heart, not to mention my soul, and I do so reverently and respectfully, but Gods, how I adore it when you behave like a dockside hussy!"

They broke into laughter, and Caroline gave him a tender kiss. "I'll make a point of doing that more often."

"That would relieve you of having to buy me any birthday presents ever again," he snickered, giving her butt a light pinch. "Much as I hate to say it, but I believe we will need to head back, even though I would love nothing more than to take you home and spend a few more hours in your… rather dirty arms."

With a shriek, Caroline looked down at herself. Her arms were indeed full of dark smears – probably the fire escape – her dress was crumpled and she seemed to have lost a shoe. "Gah! Where's my shoe? And I can't possibly return to Remy's like this, and…"

"Please refrain from panicking, esteemed passengers, as we have lifeboats enough for everyone," Klaus grinned. He ducked to retrieve her shoe that had mysteriously made its way to the top of the barrel. Huh? Then he pressed a loving kiss to her temple. "Wait here, I will be right back." There was a gust of wind, and he was gone. Shaking her head, Caroline gazed at her dress. There was nothing to be done about it, not right now, but she had to at least try to rub the dirt off her arms. Failing miserably, she gave a frustrated sigh just as Klaus returned, holding something out to her. It was a damp towel, moistened with warm water.

"Have I told you yet today that you are perfect?" she smiled, taking the cloth and dabbing at her arms.

"Oh please," he muttered, embarrassed, and took the towel from her hand. "Here, let me."

Very gently, he tended to her arms, never failing to breathe featherlight kisses on each spot he had cleaned. Caroline closed her eyes and shook her head. "I have really run out of words to tell you just how much I love you, Niklaus." When there was silence, she opened her eyes to see a shadow cross his face. "What is it?" she asked, puzzled.

Forcing a smile, he answered, "Nothing."

"Niklaus."

He ran a hand through his hair and cupped her cheek. "Your love has become so much of a basic necessity for me, Caroline. Whilst this is not news, there are still moments when I cannot fathom how radically my life has changed because of you, thanks to you, and how desperately I wish never to return to the loneliness that has haunted me for so long."

"You won't have to," she whispered, shaken by how he, too, still had doubts from time to time. "You are no longer alone. There is one person to whom you mean everything and who could never live without you anymore. Someone to whom your opinions matter the very most and who can't wait to hear them, whatever the topic and however, ahm, radical your views may be at times. Someone who goes to sleep every night unable to understand how she could have been lucky enough to get to keep you forever. At least I hope I will. Look at me, Niklaus. I am here, at your side. Your lonely times are over for good, and they will never return. Never."

Resting his forehead against hers, he closed his eyes. "By the Gods, I love you, Caroline. I do not think you have any idea of the true extent of my feelings for you."

"Why don't you take me home and show me?" Then she remembered something. "After you explain to me why I was able to feel your touch while you were standing on the opposite side of the aisle."

Klaus offered her his arm and waited until she had smoothed her dress as much as humanly possible. They walked out of the alley and down a dusky street, and she heard Klaus take a deep breath. "Well, my darling, it would seem that our warlock with the Four Faces was right after all. I do have some limited amount of magic. I mentioned it to Davina upon our arrival in New Orleans, and she has given me some very simple excercises in order to awaken this dormant capability. It is what the young witches and warlocks practice when they are initiated – making small objects fly, light candles and the like. One of the excercises is about making someone else feel your hands without actually touching them, comparable to what the Voodoo cult does with these little puppets. And that is what I did to you today, my Caroline."

She was silent for a very long while. "When were you planning on telling me about this, Niklaus?" she demanded, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice. He had shared this secret with Davina, but not with her?

"I am telling you now. And will you please not look at me like that? This has nothing to do with keeping secrets from you. I wanted to explore the possibilities before I told anyone. And I did not want you to know in case I failed."

"Listen, Superman, I don't care if there is something you can't do. Quite frankly, I wouldn't mind if you were a little less accomplished. But what I do care about is that you kept something this important from me, and apparently, it wouldn't have bothered you if Davina had seen you fail."

Klaus rolled his eyes, and his tone was a little sharper now. "She is not the woman I love, Caroline, so you are right, it would not have bothered me. I would, however, never want you to see me fail, in anything."

Caroline halted and pushed her hands into her hips as she glared at him, her eyes alight with fury. "You can't be serious! I'm your wife, dammit, and I'm supposed to share everything with you – your victories and your defeats! What do you want me to see in you? Some uber-perfect superhero?"

He ran a hand through his tousled hair and breathed deeply. She could see how the fight went out of him, and however mad she was, she just couldn't stop her heart from going out to him when he looked like this… all vulnerable and out of his depth. His eyes met hers, and he raised his hands in defeat. "I am sorry, my love. I am. But do show me one man who does not want to be exactly that in the eyes of the woman he worships."

And right there he sinks your battleship, Caroline Mikaelson!

"And do show me one woman who would think less of the man she adores just because he can't make a feather fly," she muttered, shaking her head in exasperation. "You are just impossible, Niklaus Mikaelson. And please stop the wounded-puppy look, or I will start crying." She was glad to hear him give a quiet chuckle and sighed. "So you do have magic."

Nodding, he took one hesitant step towards her. "As I said, it is very limited, but it is there."

"Show me again," she demanded, gesturing towards his hands. He moved away from her, bringing a few feet of distance between them, and closed his eyes, a look of deep concentration settling on his beautiful face. Very slowly, his hand rose, and he ran his knuckles across his own cheek. Caroline's breath stopped when she felt it. His hand was brushing her face, very gently and tenderly, mirroring his movements a few steps further down the pavement. It felt… magical. She couldn't think of another word as she closed her own eyes, focusing on nothing but the incredible sensation on her skin. They stood like this for a long time, until she felt his thumb trace her lower lip, stirring her senses and making her give a subdued moan.

"Niklaus," she whispered, completely mesmerized, "don't you see? Everything is possible. Everything. For you and me."

In the very next instant, she was in his arms, for real this time, and he held her close, his cheek against her hair. "I do not need everything. I only need you to be at my side, to love me, to take care of me. To let me love you. Nothing else."

Ugh. Melt. Yes, butterflies, I know you guys have ADHD!

"Take me home. I want to love you, Niklaus. Slowly and deeply. For hours."

She heard his breath hitch and felt him almost crush her to him. "I apologize, my Caroline, for not having told you. Do you not think I rather deserve a punishment than hours with you in heaven?"

"You do. But when has life ever been fair?"

That had been four days ago, and now they were on their way to Paris, to try and find Louis Van Tale. Paris! Klaus had vowed that despite the business at hand, they would take their time to explore the city. He had told her so many incredible stories about the French capital, and with such an unmistakeable excitement in his voice and eyes that Caroline's heart had been overflowing with her love for adventurous Klaus who had such a talent for painting everything in the most vivid colours. Elijah had told her once that those were the moments when his younger brother most resembled the man he had been during his human days, and she could barely contain her excitement at seeing more of that man once they discovered Paris together.

She had been watching The Avengers on the entertainment system earlier, still incredulous at how uncannily Tom Hiddleston's Loki looked like Lau Van Tale. For a split second, she had wondered whether the actor was actually related to the warlock. Now wouldn't that be hilarious? When she had leaned over her backrest and asked that question of Silv and Elijah who were seated in the row behind them, Silv had giggled approvingly and the men had rolled their eyes with a certain air of despair. "What do they all see in that Hiddleston fellow?" Elijah had demanded of Klaus who had just shrugged and raised his hands. "Well, he does look like Lau, and if memory serves, Lau had to virtually fight off the ladies during his lifetime. With one exception, that is. Must be something about the cheekbones. Or the hair." He had turned to Caroline with a boyish, dimpled grin. "Do you want me to grow my hair, then?" She knew he had expected her to give an appalled squeal, but she had just smiled beatifically and said, "Quite honestly, yes. I'd love to see you with long hair!" Elijah had all but spilled his drink over his faultlessly tailored trousers at the sight of Klaus' dumbstruck expression – which had lasted for all of two seconds. "As always, your wish is my command, my lovely lady!" he had chuckled and returned to his book without any further comment.

And she knew that neither of them would yield… not until his hair had reached at least shoulder-length. I bet he looks beyond hot with long hair. God, I will have to make him wear a pirate shirt, get Caligula, and he will look like one of those guys on the romance novel covers! Fabio Mikaelson!

It took them another five hours and three more Hiddleston-free movies to land at Charles de Gaulle Airport, which Caroline found somewhat disappointing. It was a very nondescript, aged building. What was interesting was its circular shape, but other than that, she had expected something different. Klaus explained that had they travelled on Air France, they would have arrived in a somewhat more modern terminal, but as it was, the French national carrier's competition had been confined to the old, run-down building. Outside, a driver was waiting beside a large black Mercedes sedan with tinted windows, and off they drove into the heavy Parisian morning traffic. It took them over an hour to reach their hotel, and Caroline's almost tripped over her own feet when they finally did.

Fouquet's Barrière? The hotel I chose for the dream? That dream?

Klaus' arms wound around her waist from behind, and she shivered at the feeling of his soft breath at her ear. "The Presidential Suite, my darling. I cannot wait to make love to you in that bed for real."

"You didn't forget," she breathed, covering his arms with hers and closing her eyes, leaning into his embrace and sighing deeply at the sensation of his lips on her hair.

"How could I ever? Caroline, do you have any idea of how often I have replayed this dream in my mind? How much it meant to me?"

"And to me," she whispered. "I only wish I could give you more… everything!"

His grip around her tightened, and she felt him bury his face in her neck. "What do I need to do to make you see that you are everything to me? My beautiful, lovely girl, will you please stop doubting?"

She was just about to reply when Silv quietly cleared her throat and they had to leave their little bubble.

Paris was a revelation. With everything she saw, with every yard she walked, Caroline fell deeper in love with the old city. It wasn't the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame or the Champs-Elysées, even though all of that had its very own charm. It were the quaint little streets hidden in the Marais district, the Canal Saint-Martin, the Rue Montorgueil off the Centre Pompidou, the cemetery of Père-Lachaise she had once seen in her dreams. It was the Île Saint-Louis in the middle of the Seine, which she knew to be one of Klaus' favourite spots and where they huddled together on "his" little bench and kissed until darkness fell, before indulging in what Klaus claimed was the best ice cream on the planet at a place called Berthillon. Upon her first spoon of Salted Butter Caramel, Caroline was more than inclined to agree with him – it was probably the most decadent thing she had ever eaten. But things turned even more decadent when the four of them dined at La Tour d'Argent in the Quartier Latin, a very traditional, ridiculously expensive place that had been originally founded in 1582 and had, in its prime, even hosted Louis XIV and Alexander II, the Russian czar. The house specialty was a dish called 'Canard Tour d'Argent', pressed duck, and while she ate with her eyes closed at the otherworldly taste, Caroline wondered idly whether she would ever stop marveling at all the tastes, sounds and sights the planet had to offer.

They had all silently agreed to postpone their search for Louis Van Tale for a few days and just spend some time enjoying Paris, a last respite before they had to truly immerse themselves in the tasks that lay ahead of them.

Klaus was in his element playing the tour guide and showing Caroline everything he had grown to love about the city over the course of the centuries. One night, after they had visited the Place de la Bastille, he had given her a dream about what Paris and its people had looked like before the attack on and subsequent destruction of the prison fortress. He had also taken her to Versailles in that dream, the Versailles of Louis, and he had walked her through different centuries of Paris – not concealing the less appealing sides of it. When she woke in the morning, Caroline was still reeling from the poverty she had seen in her dreams, from the dismal living conditions in earlier times, and from the stark contrasts between the rich and the poor. When she asked Klaus how people had managed to actually lead a life, to have hopes and dreams, he inclined his head.

"Hopes and dreams were all they had. And religion, in most cases. We will travel the world, Caroline, and you will discover that this kind of life exists today, in our modern times, just as it existed back then. The slums in Calcutta, Lagos, Monrovia or other parts of the Earth are almost as desolate as what I have shown you in your dream, if not worse. Mankind is astonishingly adaptable, my love. There is very little a human cannot bear and get used to, especially when born into those circumstances and never having known otherwise."

She knew he was right, but the pictures had still touched her deeply, and she wasn't sure she wanted to see the real-life examples Klaus had spoken of. "Can we go and see something beautiful today?" she asked, pulling him close and hiding in his arms, feeling soothed when he encaged her in his embrace and nudged her head to the curve of his shoulder.

"We will. Get dressed, then, otherwise I will be very much tempted not to leave the room at all. And we would not want that, would we?"

Caroline heard the mischief in his voice, and she knew he was trying to distract her from her gloominess. And… ah… she was distracted. "God forbid!" she gasped in mock outrage, letting her hand glide over his crotch as she walked off towards the bathroom. She didn't get very far before she was lifted off the ground and landed on the mattress, squealing delightedly when he was suddenly on top of her. His kiss was soft and loving, and his hands caressed her face with feather-light strokes.

"I am so sorry, my love. I did not want to upset you like this. I promise that you shall see nothing but beauty for the remainder of the day."

Her eyes were shining when they roamed his face. "I am already looking at it right now."

"You are delusional, Mrs. Mikaelson. Very much so. I believe I will have to do something about your hallucinations."

She giggled and planted a searing kiss on his lips, making him gasp. "And what is it that you plan to do about them?" she demanded, her stomach knotting in anticipation. In a lightning-fast move, Klaus had her arms pinned above her head.

"I am planning on letting my mouth make love to you until you forget everything but my lips, my tongue and my teeth. That will exorcize the hallucinations."

"Niklaus," she groaned when he slid down and buried his head between her legs, his expert tongue making her convulse and throw her head from one side to the other. She heard him whisper her name against her sex, and her hips bucked from the bed to meet his unrelenting mouth. A few moments later she came, powerfully and very sweetly, almost falling apart when she heard his ecstatic moans while he absorbed her orgasm.

"I love you," she whispered, still trapped in her release and crying out when she felt him enter her. "I love you."

He moved, very intimately and oh-so-slowly, his eyes on hers as his hips began to circle against her… until he suddenly stopped and took her hand, placing it on his heart. His eyes closed, and that strange look of deep concentration settled on his face, the one she had seen on Kol's wedding day before he…

"My God!"

It was almost a scream, but she couldn't stop herself. There had been… a heartbeat. A single, isolated heartbeat inside his chest. She stared at him, shaking her head in utter disbelief as his eyes opened again and rested on hers, so tenderly.

"No," he answered her unspoken question, "it did not really beat. It was magic. A little piece of magic for you, my beautiful girl. Another way of telling you just how much I love you."

Caroline closed her eyes in disbelief and sank back, pulling Klaus with her and wrapping herself around him as he continued his gentle, intense worshipping of her. How could she ever be enough for this incredible man? How could she ever return even a fraction of everything he gave her?

Klaus and Elijah were walking across the minuscule cemetery of Saint-Séverin. The comparably small gothic church with its adjacent graveyard, dating back to the thirteenth century, was located in the very center of Paris, right next to the busy Rue Saint-Jacques and only a stone's throw away from Notre Dame, yet it seemed to remain blissfully undiscovered by mass tourism. The church had a high-ceilinged nave, a wide choir and beautifully stained windows, but it was the dark, sombre side aisles that gave it its particular appeal. On a hot summer's day, the thick stone walls kept the heat outside, and more than one visitor who had initially entered the house of worship for nothing but a brief respite from the suffocating, thick and humid air of a typical Parisian summer had ended up falling for the old gothic building and its shadowy medieval charm. For a moment, Klaus debated whether "medieval charm" could be considered an oxymoron, given the fact that very few things about the Middle Ages had actually been charming. Not in the eye of a human, at least.

They had not stayed inside the church for long this time. After a couple of minutes, Klaus had urged his older brother to step into the courtyard that led to the tiny cemetery. He had wanted to speak with Elijah in private for weeks, but with the family gathered around them at all times and everything that had been going on, it had been difficult, so when Caroline and Silv had announced this morning that they were planning on raiding the major fashion houses, Klaus had seized the opportunity and dragged his brother to Saint-Séverin.

With a wistful smile, Elijah gestured towards the church building. "I recall when this was still under construction. Do you remember the tavern on the opposite bank of the river? The one that served wild boar with chestnuts?" Klaus nodded silently. It was strange… all the monumental events they had witnessed over the centuries, and here they were, recalling a little tavern for nothing but the food it served. No, he had to correct himself – he also remembered the wench who had served the meals. One of the few women all three Mikaelson brothers had actually shared. Gods, it did not only seem like another lifetime, it was. He had been almost as uncontrolled as Kol during those days, and there were times when he was in awe of how the population of Paris had managed to recover from their killing sprees. "To be perfectly honest, sometimes I find the world's development frightening," Elijah mused now. "When this church was built, we were already two hundred years old, but not in our wildest dreams could we have imagined what the city surrounding it would turn into, could we?"

"Probably not," Klaus replied absently, pulling a leave from the tree they were walking under. He felt Elijah's probing gaze on him and heard his sibling sigh.

"Brother, do share your worries with me, will you? We have not truly spoken in a long while, and I can sense your distress. So do tell me what it is that bothers you. The warlocks?"

Tearing the leaf in two, Klaus lifted his face to the hazy skies and closed his eyes for a moment before he turned to his brother. What he saw on Elijah's face was genuine concern… and warmth. He was still not entirely used to it, but it warmed his heart. And this time, he allowed it to. His mask of serenity crumbled, and he let his guard down.

"Elijah, I have a problem, and I do not know how to handle it without breaking Caroline's heart."

They had reached a weathered bench, hidden in the very back of the cemetery, and the older Mikaelson gestured towards it. "Let us sit down, shall we?" When they were seated, Elijah crossed his legs and gazed at his younger brother intently. "What could you ever do to break Caroline's heart, Niklaus? I am relatively certain it is no other woman we are talking about, is it?"

"Of course not," Klaus replied, appalled. "I could not even bear to think about touching another woman. Nor would I ever want to again."

"Sounds familiar," Elijah smiled. "What is it, then?"

Klaus leaned forward, his elbows resting on his thighs, and ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Caroline wants to find a means to give me a child," he whispered.

There was a long silence before Elijah took a deep breath. When he spoke, there was a strain to his voice. "That is a problem indeed. May I assume from your current unease that you are not overly enthusiastic about the entire idea?"

"You assume correctly. Caroline seems to believe that the Signum might be the key to overcome the natural barriers, and she is thoroughly convinced that I am missing something in my life. Elijah, I am not! For the first time in my existence, I am completely and utterly content – disregarding the fact that we will need to put an end to two megalomaniac warlocks – and I do not want to change an iota in my life. I love this woman beyond reason, and the last thing I would ever want to do is to hurt her, but I do not know how to tell her that I don't want a child. Not to mention the fact that I would be a terrible father, but that is not the principal issue. The principal issue is that I have given this a great amount of thought ever since she first mentioned it, and I truly do not want this. We all know I am a bloody ego-monster, and this provides us with further proof – I want her to myself, all to myself, I do not want to share her. With anyone. It is who I am." His voice had risen, and he knew Elijah could hear the despair in his tone. "Caroline is dead set on finding a way, and I am entirely helpless. What do I say to her, Elijah? How can I lessen the blow? I have no idea, and by the Gods, I do not want to cause this wonderful girl so much as a second of pain!"

Nodding, Elijah put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Give me a moment to consider, will you?"

"Of course."

They fell silent, both lost in their own musings. Klaus had never spoken to Caroline of it, but he had thought about what she had said, very often and very extensively. The day he had finally come to the conclusion that he truly and honestly did not want a child, whether it be possible or not, he had not been able to sleep. He had watched Caroline's beautiful face all night, cradling her in his arms, caressing her hair and kissing her eyes. The way she had sighed each time he touched her, the way she had wormed herself deeper into his arms in her sleep had almost made him cry that night. He did not want her sad, anxious or hurt, not even for a moment, and the thought of being the very one to cause that pain was all but unbearable to him. But he needed to tell her now, before she began to truly immerse herself in finding out whether there was a chance. He could not imagine any circumstances, but if the last few months had taught him anything, it was that there seemed to be loopholes for everything.

"You are of course aware that you will need to speak to her," Elijah stated after a while, breaking the companionable silence.

"I am. But what do I say, Lijah?" He saw his older brother smile at the use of his nickname, knowing it would convey to him that Klaus was really out of his depth and in desperate need of advice. Elijah turned to him fully now, his arm resting on the back of the bench.

"First of all, you need to bear one thing in mind. Caroline is barely twenty years of age. That is very young, and as you are well aware, her human instincts are still hovering right underneath the surface. One of these instincts is to procreate once you have found a mate – and I do apologize for making this sound so clinical, I know it is about much more than that – so this specific instinct is kicking in now. It is reinforced by Caroline's natural disposition. She is caring in the extreme, and even more so when it comes to you, so it is only normal for her to want to give you everything in her power. The combination of these factors make for a very compelling motivation. Furthermore, Caroline likes to be needed, and who could need her more than a child?"

Swallowing, Klaus lowered his head. His voice was barely audible as he admitted his greatest weakness to his brother. "I do."

Elijah nodded. "I know that. But tell me this – do you believe she wants a child or your child?"

"Is not that one and the same?"

"It is not. If Caroline is determined to have a child because this is what she herself wants with all her heart, more than anything, then the two of you do indeed have a very difficult situation on your hands. If, as I suspect, this is about you, Niklaus, about giving you what she believes you need, it would make things much easier for both of you. Now, do tell me – have you observed any heightened interest or stronger reactions in Caroline when it comes to children she encounters on the streets?"

Letting his head drop back, Klaus crossed his arms over his chest and pondered his brother's question. "No, it does not seem to me that she is increasingly eager to hug them or anything of the sort. In general, she squeals louder at the sight of dogs than she does at the sight of babies."

They both had to chuckle at that, and Elijah went on. "That does sound encouraging. But still, you must not make the mistake of not taking her wishes seriously, and I am glad that you came to me, as it shows that you are indeed not making said mistake. By the Gods, you have truly grown up, brother."

Klaus tried to hide his embarrassment. Yes, in many aspects, he had indeed matured over the last two years. But there were just as many other things that still made him react like the hot-tempered, impulsive Original vampire he had been for a millennium. A few weeks ago, back in New Orleans, they had all been out for dinner, and one of the waiters had all but undressed Caroline with his eyes, all night long, winking at her when he thought Klaus was not watching, and hovering near her whenever he could. He had even touched her a couple of times while serving or clearing dishes, and Klaus had noticed how Caroline had inconspicuously recoiled from the touch, although she had made a great effort not to show it. She knew what that would have meant for the waiter. And it had been all Klaus could do not to fly across the table and behead the youth right then and there. A better man would have taken his wife home, made passionate love to her all night and just scoffed at the poor human who would never stand a chance. Well, he had taken Caroline home, and their lovemaking had been exhilarating, highly erotic and utterly satisfying, leaving him basking in the beautiful afterglow that always made him feel the happiest dead man alive. But it had not quelled his desire to teach the audacious waiter a lesson, and so he had left the house with Kol late the next evening, telling Caroline he would accompany the young'un to a meeting with Sophie Devereaux. When they had flashed off, Kol had gazed at his older brother questioningly, but Klaus had only shaken his head. The restaurant was just closing, and he had not had to wait long. The waiter had stepped out of the back door, a burning cigarette in his hand, and stopped dead at the sight of the two vampires and the murderous rage on Klaus' face. He had unceremoniously slammed the boy into the nearest wall and fed on him. There were many ways to feed on a human, most of them relatively painless for the victim, but some of them left them in excruciating agony. He had drained the boy in the cruelest way possible, only stopping when he felt the young man on the brink of death. "This is what happens when you touch what is mine, lad. Fair warning. You so much as look at my wife again, and you will die so slowly and painfully it will haunt you even in death. Is that understood? Good. Now, you will not remember any of this, and you will never touch another man's wife again." When they had left the back alley, Kol, who had not seemed the least bit surprised or judgmental, had given him a curious glance and asked him why the waiter had upset him to such an extreme, knowing that Caroline would never so much as think of someone else. And Klaus had not had an answer. It had been the first time in a very long while that his old, impulsive self had taken over, and he was not certain whether he would ever be able to completely shed what he had been for so long. Which was why he thought of Elijah's compliment as embarrassingly unjustified.

"Anyway," his older sibling went on now, "you will need to tell Caroline very openly and clearly that you do not want any offspring, even if it was possible. If you tell her you believe yourself to be a bad father it will have the contrary effect of her wanting to prove you wrong. I do incidentally believe that you are wrong on this account, but that is beside the point. Explain it to her the way you explained it to me – that you are very much afraid of hurting her, but that you believe she is entitled to the truth. And that you will go to any length to show her she is and will forever be everything you need. You might want to leave out the ego-monster part, for I think Caroline knows that already." He winked, but then he put another hand on Klaus' shoulder. "I can see you are very uneasy, young'un. Would it help if I asked Silv to inconspicuously test the waters? I would do it myself, but I am relatively certain that this is the sort of conversation Caroline would prefer to have with a woman."

For a moment, Klaus was tempted to decline. He did not want to go behind Caroline's back or have anyone other than Elijah in the know about this, but his older brother was right. Caroline needed someone to talk to about her wishes, someone who was not him and who could give her advice, and he could indeed think of no one better equipped than his sister-in-law. Nodding slowly, he looked at his brother and murmured, "Has this topic ever risen between the two of you?"

"Indeed it has," Elijah replied, and Klaus was not entirely certain, but he seemed to be detecting a hint of wistfulness in his sibling's voice. "There was a very… intense moment, not too long after I had turned her, when Silv asked me whether I felt deprived of children."

There was a brief silence before Klaus inquired, "Do you?"

"No. I have had y… never mind. No, I do not feel deprived, not in the very least, Niklaus."

"Does Silv?"

Elijah shook his head. "She has had the opportunity, and she chose not to have children."

"Only because they would not have been yours," Klaus stated matter-of-factly, his eyes firmly on his brother's. A shadow crossed them now as Elijah's jaw set.

"That night, that very intense night I mentioned earlier, was when she told me. The moment she fell in love with me, she had made her choice. If she was to ever have children, she would have mine. And as I was not able to procreate, she decided that she would never have any. I was the one to take this away from her." His voice sounded hard, and Klaus understood that this must have been tugging at his older sibling's conscience for a while now.

"Elijah, it was Silv's choice. When she left you, back in the twenties, she had all the time in the world to have children with a human, but she chose not to. Do you believe she has regrets?"

"She never gave me that impression. But this is about you and Caroline, Niklaus, and we need to remember that unlike my wife, Caroline has not consciously made the choice not to have children. Despite the fact that it was not you who turned her, it is still your duty to help her cope. And I am absolutely certain that you will, in time. Let Silv have a conversation with Caroline first, and remember that I will always be there for the two of you, little brother."

There was a big lump in Klaus' throat as he looked at Elijah's earnest, sincere face. How had it taken him so long to recognize that his older brother would forever be at his side, no matter how devastating the storm they had to weather? What had blinded him so much for a thousand years?

"Lijah, I…" He hesitated, his voice hoarse.

The older Mikaelson gave a mischievous grin that quickly turned into a chuckle when he rose and strolled ahead towards the exit of the courtyard. "Please, brother. It frightens me when you turn sentimental."

Me, too. And yet… I love you, Lijah.

Caroline and Silv sank into two plush leather armchairs at the Ritz's Hemingway Bar. They were pleasantly exhausted from their second day of shopping, a very successful day, judging by the sheer number of bags and boxes piling up next to their chairs. This morning, Silv had suddenly decided that there were about a dozen more shops to discover, and even though she adored all the shopping, Caroline had been somewhat reluctant to join her sister-in-law. Her previous night with Klaus had been incredibly fervent and intimate. He had been so loving, so passionate and tender – there had been something almost desperate about the way he had made love to her until long after the lights had crawled over the horizon, and she had had a very hard time agreeing to not seeing him for a few hours again today. He and Elijah were off to meet an old warlock acquaintance to carefully find out what he knew about the young witches and warlocks that had not yet been initiated, hoping he might be aware of and divulge the whereabouts of Louis Van Tale. She knew this was important, but oh, how she missed her man already! Fishing her phone from her purse, she decided to send him a quick text.

Have I mentioned yet that last night was absolutely divine? That YOU were absolutely divine? Miss you, my love.

His answer took mere seconds.

Don't make any plans for tonight, then. Or any other night from now to eternity, for that matter. Caroline Mikaelson, I cannot get enough of being with you… touching you… laughing with you. Of feeling just how deeply you love me. You are everything.

All of a sudden, she felt a surge of unbidden tears threatening to make their way to the surface. The feeling of belonging to someone so absolutely, so irrevocably, and being loved the way Klaus loved her – it made her want to shout out her joy, to run around this beautiful city and kiss each and every person she encountered. Better not. The population will shrink considerably if he sees you doing that. She stifled a slightly hysterical giggle. But she needed an outlet for her overwhelming, bubbling emotions, another fix of her husband, so to speak. She just never wanted this feeling to end. Aware of her own silliness, she grabbed her phone again.

The Ritz. Hemingway Bar. Wherever you are, come and kiss me. Now.

Not waiting for a response, she stowed her phone back in her purse and turned to Silv who was studying the drinks menu. Without looking up, the brunette said, "I feel like something other than champagne for a change. How about you?"

"Why not?" Caroline bit her lip, thinking of the bottle of Clos d'Ambonnay beside the hotel bed. She was sure another one would be waiting for her tonight. Sigh. Why am I feeling so sloppily romantic today? Must be Paris. "What would you suggest, then?"

"Hm. Cocktail?"

"Yep. You choose, I'll go with anything."

Silv grinned. "That's the spirit." She waived for the waiter who had been ogling them discreetly from behind his bar and hurried to take their order now. "Deux Hemingway Hot Wines, s'il vous plaît." The man nodded and gave Silv a bright smile.

"Bien sûr, Madame."

While he returned to his bar, Caroline raised a quizzical brow. "What did you order? Hemingway Hot Wine? What the heck is that?"

"It's one of the house's specialties, a winter drink, actually. It consists of Co…" Silv stopped when a sudden gust of wind interrupted her. Without a warning, Caroline was lifted from her armchair and found herself in her husband's arms. Strong, delicious and soft, his mouth was on hers, making her melt into him and forget who she was and which planet she was actually on. Klaus kissed her with the kind of abandon he usually didn't display in public. His hands were in her hair, his lips seduced her as masterfully as ever, and Caroline felt him grow hard against her thigh. Heat exploded inside her, making her give a low moan and grind her hips against his, wanting more… more… Oh God, Niklaus, I need you now! Take me to a room, the roof, a restroom… I don't care as long as you just take me!

She had barely finished the thought when she was gently shoved back into her chair. And he was gone. No! You can't leave me like this now, come on! Struggling to find her way back into the present and get a grip on her out-of-control libido, her eyes found Silv's. Her sister-in-law had cocked her head to one side and crossed her legs.

"Well, as I was saying, it is made of Cognac, Port, Bordeaux, orange and cinnamon, and it is served warm. It was originally invented in this bar, which was one of Hemingway's favourite drinking haunts, and it is rather addictive, I must add."

They looked at each other for a second before their eyes widened and they burst into laughter. At that very moment, Caroline's phone vibrated.

I have no words for what you do to me.

The butterflies began to dance Can-Can inside her stomach, making her wonder whether she would ever find adequate words to express her feelings for him herself.

I love you, Niklaus Mikaelson. Body, heart and soul. But I have to tell you that my body is VERY upset right now.

Wife – you called, I came.

She could almost see his lopsided grin and couldn't help a giggle.

No. You didn't. But I'll rectify the situation tonight, husband. Repeatedly.

Is that so? How?

Oh, now he was playing innocent? She would give him innocent!

With my mouth, my hands and everything I have. Until you scream.

There was a longer silence this time, and Caroline was about to put away the phone when it buzzed again.

Thank you. Now I'll have to go join the conversation with a bloody hard-on. Have I mentioned yet today that I love you? If not… I adore you, my Caroline. Body, heart, soul… and hard-on.

Her heart was about to burst again, not to mention the heat inside her, and she wondered for an instant whether they would ever develop a routine in their relationship. She dearly hoped not, although something told her that even routine would be exciting with Klaus at her side. Looking up, she saw Silv watching her intently, and a faint blush began to colour her cheeks. She loved her sister-in-law, and she had shared so many secrets with her, yet it still made her self-conscious to have someone witness firsthand just how Klaus ruled her every thought and her entire being. Then again, Silv was not so different herself. Whenever her eyes rested on Elijah, she seemed to get as lost in her feelings for him as Caroline did in hers for Klaus. More than once, Caroline had happened upon the two of them kissing, and when they finally let go of each other, their eyes remained locked for a few more moments before they returned their attention to their surroundings. No, there was really no need to be ashamed of her feelings in front of Silv.

When the waiter arrived with their drinks and three small silver bowls filled with nuts, olives and tiny slices of parmesan cheese, Silv raised her glass.

"To love," she smiled warmly.

"To love." Sipping the strange drink, Caroline's eyes widened a fraction. "This is amazing! I could definitely get used to it."

"I know," Silv grinned, "I've tried to make it a couple of times, the recipe's on the internet, but I have the feeling that they omitted something. It never tastes quite the way it does in this bar." She set down her glass and returned her probing gaze to Caroline. "It's been quite a while now, but I still can't stop marveling at how Klaus has turned out since you met. Elijah said that not in his wildest dreams could he ever have imagined his little brother so wildly happy. He is very, very grateful to you, Caroline. You have brought back the brother he has always known was still inside the Big Bad Hybrid, but he said that shortly before you arrived on the scene, he had almost given up hope."

Taking another swig, Caroline closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth of the alcohol run through her system. Or was it the warmth of Silv's words after all? She hoped her sister-in-law was right. It was obvious that Klaus was happy, very happy, but what if it wasn't enough in the long run? She ran a hand through her hair and closed her eyes. Until today, she hadn't spoken to anyone of her fear of not being enough, of her desire to give him more than just herself. Perhaps it was time now. If anyone would understand, it was Silv. When she opened her eyes again, she knew that the older woman could read the doubt in them.

"Silv, can I talk to you about something that has been worrying me for a while? I could really use your advice."

"Of course. Just hang on a minute." Caroline watched Silv get up and gracefully stroll over to the bartender, compelling him to close the bar for an hour and forget everything he would hear while they were here. Nodding, the man closed and locked the doors and returned to his counter. Silv took her seat and grabbed her glass. "What is it, Care?"

Gathering courage, Caroline took a deep breath and looked at her sister-in-law. "I know Klaus loves me, and I know he is happy with me. But… God, I don't know how to say this!"

"Just get it out. You're talking to me, sister, and nothing you say could ever shock me. Promise." She was probably right.

"Okay, I am afraid that I'm not enough for him. He's always wanted a family, and I want to give him that. I want to give him more than just plain old me. Family is so important to him, and that's why I want to find a way to…" She paused, biting her lips and looking down at her hands. "I want to find a way to give him a child, Silv. I know it's not possible, but nothing in the world of the supernatural is written in stone, is it? The Signum has done so many things we never thought could happen, so this could be another one. I just want to give him everything I can, and I have no idea how to do it!" Caroline knew her voice sounded a little desperate, but she didn't care. If felt good to say it out loud, to speak to someone other than Klaus about this. Clutching her glass, she gazed at Silv, a little nervous at whether the older woman would tell her she was completely deranged. Her sister-in-law's face was thoughtful, and she took her time before she nodded very slowly.

"I can entirely understand you, Care. Believe me, I do. The feeling of wanting to give, of wanting to make your man's every dream come true – it's something you cannot help but experience at some point when you truly love."

"It's happened to you, too?" Caroline whispered, her fingers tightening around her glass. Silv and Elijah seemed so… complete, so totally in harmony with each other that it was difficult to imagine that either of them could be insecure about their relationship. Or wanting more.

Leaning back into her armchair, Silv nodded again. "You see, when I first fell for Elijah, everything was still so new. You remember how I told you that I wasn't truly certain of his feelings for me, and that I was not ready to be turned when he asked. One of the reasons was that I needed some more time to make up my mind about children. If I was to spend eternity with Elijah, I would never have any. That was an enormous thought, and one I had to wrap my head around. When we broke up and I returned to England, I finally understood my own feelings. Apart from making the greatest mistake of my life in leaving Elijah, it taught me that if I ever was to have any children, they would be his and his alone. During the decades he and I were separated, I admittedly did not lead the life of a nun. I had a few relationships, and there would have been more than one possibility to have kids with a human, but the thought never even crossed my mind. When we found each other again, I… well, it was one of my first thoughts. Could it happen? Could I find a way? So one day, I shared this with Elijah. It was a very heartfelt conversation, very draining, at the end of which we were both crying."

Elijah? Crying?

Silv smiled and squeezed Caroline's hand before she returned to her drink. "I know. It was a shock, to be perfectly honest. He cried because he was blaming himself for my not having had children during my life as a witch, and I cried because he did." She paused and looked at Caroline very earnestly. "Please do not speak to Klaus about what I will tell you now, can you promise me that?"

Swallowing hard, Caroline nodded solemnly. "I promise, Silv. You have my word."

"Thank you." Silv sighed and closed her eyes for a brief instant. Her voice was very low when she spoke again. "When I asked Elijah whether he had never longed for children, he said that he hadn't because he has… a son of his own."

Caroline had just taken a sip of her cocktail and all but spat it across the table now. "What?" she exclaimed, her eyes big and almost leaving her face as she stared at her sister-in-law now. "So during his human days, he has…?"

"No, nothing of the sort. Can't you guess?" Silv said softly.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke. All of a sudden, Caroline felt another surge of tears rise as the answer dawned on her. "Niklaus," she breathed, and now the tears began falling down her cheeks, "he considers Niklaus his son, in a way, doesn't he? Oh, I…" She couldn't finish the sentence as sobs began to rack her. She had no idea why she was crying so hard now, but the thought was so lovely, so beautiful and so… fitting. She had always loved to see Klaus and Elijah together, and more than once, there had been something father-son-like about the two of them. Thinking back to the day she had told Klaus about Ralph, Caroline recalled how he had mentioned that on occasion, Elijah had indeed been a father to him. That made her cry even harder, and she scolded herself for being such an emotional pansy again. It seemed to happen a lot lately. Silv had risen from her chair and moved to sit on Caroline's armrest, pulling her into her embrace and hugging her tightly.

"I'm sorry," Caroline sniffled between sobs, "it'll be over in a minute." Geez, all this crying really has to stop!

"What on Earth are you apologizing for? You love Klaus with all your heart, and you also love Elijah as a brother, so I would have been surprised had you just nodded and ordered another drink. Speaking of which…" Silv glanced over towards the bartender and pointed at their almost empty glasses. With a nod, the man set to work. Hugging Caroline once more, she looked down at her with a smile. "Better now?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Silv. Ugh, I'm such a major sissy!" Snatching her glass, Caroline downed the remains of her drink and cast a thankful glance at Silv who had returned to her chair. "So that's why Elijah never felt bad about not having kids, then. But… what about you, Silv? If you could, if there was a possibility to have Elijah's child, would you?"

The bartender brought their new drinks and cleared the old glasses. "I am not certain," Silv answered, a light frown creasing her forehead. "It would be a decision Elijah and I would have to take together. Which brings me to my next question – have you spoken to Klaus about this?"

Caroline's face fell. "Yes. He thinks there is no way and that I should not pursue the thought any further. But I'm not sure if this is really what he wants, you know?"

"Have you asked him what you have just asked me? Whether he really wants a child, should there be a way?"

"Not in so many words. He is very reluctant whenever I bring up this topic, and he did say something about how he needed no one but me, but he has always wanted a family, hasn't he? And doesn't every man want an heir?"

Leaning forward, Silv rested her elbows on her thighs as she spoke. "Men want heirs to carry on their names, their deeds, their legacy. Klaus does not need any of that – he will live forever, Caroline, he does not require an heir. He does not need a part of him to live on in someone else, because he will live on. And I do believe he has been sincere when he said he needed no one but you. Also, he does have a family today, however long it may have taken him to recognize that. Tell me, Care, do you want a child because you truly want it, for the sake of having a child, or out of your deeply-rooted need to give Klaus everything you can? Please don't get me wrong, I do not want to talk you out of it – or into it, for that matter – but before you give yourself true heartache and grief over this, you should be absolutely certain of your own motivations."

Do I want a child? Really want it? Or do I want to please him?

You should think hard about this, Caroline, Silv is right.

"Can you give me a minute, Silv? I'll step out for a moment and…"

"No, stay here, please. I'll go, as I wanted to call Davina anyway. I'll be back shortly." She gave Caroline a warm, heartfelt smile and left the bar, waving for the bartender to follow her out of the room and give Caroline some space. With a deep sigh, Caroline took up her glass and sipped again, losing herself in her thoughts.

Children… was that something you have dreamed of when you were still human?

I don't know… I can't really remember. It was all so far away at that time, I thought I had many more years to make that decision.

Let's jump into the deep end of the pool – if you would lose him over this, would you still want a child?

No. A definite no. Nothing could ever be worth losing him over it. Not even a kid.

Then why are you so keen on finding a way?

Because I love him, so much, and he's been so lonely for so long. I want him never to be lonely again, and I want him to know where he belongs and who belongs with him.

Don't you think he knows that already? And look at how he is now, compared to how he was when you first met him. Almost everything he did back then, he did out of loneliness. Remember how Bekah once told you about their conversation when he went amok on the whole of Mystic Falls to create his Hybrids? How she had asked him whether he did that just so he would no longer be lonely?

Yeah, of course I remember. What are you getting at?

Caroline Mikaelson, your husband may still have a temper, he is still power-hungry and only the teensiest bit vengeful. But do you seriously think that any of this stems from loneliness?

Not really, not anymore, but…

No buts. He is happy with you, blindingly happy, and you know that. He has given up New Orleans to Kol because he wanted to travel, just the two of you, for years. He likes to be with his family, but he prefers to be alone with you whenever he can.

That's because he's a sex maniac!

Oh, and you aren't?

That's beside the point.

Whatever. What I'm saying is that you should probably take his word for it when he says he doesn't need anyone but you and the family he has now.

But don't they all say that at the beginning, and then they go totally gaga over their kids once they are there?

Ahm… as Niklaus said, Caroline, this is not Twilight. Ask him. Ask him flat out whether he wants a child if you find a possibility.

And if he says he doesn't?

Then believe him. He has always been honest with you, why would he start lying now?

Because he doesn't know that somewhere deep down, he wants it after all?

Caroline, you're getting on my nerves. The man is over one thousand years old. Trust me – he knows what he wants and doesn't want. But you… is this all because a child is so important to you, or because the chance to procreate was taken away from you and you are obsessing over something you can't have? Or is it something else entirely?

I don't know.

Then think!

Well, I… guess I want our bond to deepen further. And to have the choice. Be able to make that decision, like I should be.

Ah, now we're getting somewhere. So if you were both human, would you make that decision all by yourself, without agreeing on it with Niklaus?

Of course not!

Then why are you trying to do that now?

Maybe because… oh, I don't know!

Caroline Mikaelson. You will speak to him. A real talk. And if his answer is no, then you will live with it. You said it yourself – nothing is more important than he is. You need to discuss this together, the way a married couple who love each other so deeply should. And you will accept his point of view, just as he will always accept yours, is that clear?

Squeezing her eyes shut, Caroline took her glass and drained it. She definitely needed another drink.

When they reached the privacy of their suite that same evening, Caroline was very nervous. After her inner dialogue, she had spoken to Silv again who had agreed that they should have some time to themselves to really talk things through. She had immediately called Elijah, asking him to take her on a quick trip to Rouen in Normandy, leaving that same evening and staying away overnight. To Caroline's surprise, neither Elijah nor Klaus had objected, and so her brother and sister had left in the early hours of the evening. When Klaus had asked her whether she wanted to go out and have dinner somewhere, she had just shaken her had and told him that she needed to speak with him.

And now here they were, seated on the comfortable couch on their suite's opulent terrace. When the silence between them stretched into several minutes, Klaus rose and knelt in front of her, pulling her towards him and wrapping his arms around her waist, his hands possessively on her lower back. Looking up into her tense face, he tightened his grip and pressed a tender kiss to the delicate skin of her cleavage, right underneath the hollow of her throat.

"Caroline, do talk to me. Nothing you could have to say can be reason enough for the worry in your eyes. Whatever it is, we will deal with it together. Please, my darling." He got up from his knees and slid onto the couch next to her, lifting her onto his lap and burying her securely in his arms before he kissed her hair, lingering. Closing her eyes, Caroline gave herself over to his loving ministrations for a few minutes, caressing his face and reveling in the sweet sound of his contented sighs. Snuggling into the curve of his shoulder, she kissed his throat and began to speak in a low, nervous whisper.

"I know we have touched on this topic before, and I know that you don't really fancy it, Niklaus, but I would like to talk about… children again." She had expected him to tense, to stiffen. Yet he merely nodded against her hair.

"Yes, we should speak about this, my love. I know it has been occupying your mind for quite a while now, and I have not been overly sensitive about it, which I would like to apologize for, Caroline. I should have had this conversation with you much earlier, instead of curbing the topic whenever you brought it up. Forgive me."

Her heart skipped an imaginary beat at the honest regret she heard in his voice. "There is nothing to forgive, Niklaus, and please don't worry. We're talking about it now, and I'm glad we are. I'm just a little nervous, I guess."

"So am I. Would you prefer to sit down at the table?" he asked hesitantly.

"No. I want you to hold me, Niklaus."

"Always," he whispered, pressing her against his chest and briefly burying his face in her neck before he sat them both upright so they could look at each other. Caroline wondered whether her heart would explode someday, burst with all the love she felt for this beautiful man of hers. With a deep sigh, she kissed his lips very lightly and leaned back, feeling his arms strong and steady around her.

"Can we just skip the discussion about the feasibility of all this and proceed under the assumption that a way can be found?" she asked warily, never taking her eyes off his. He nodded, his face serious, and she went on. "Okay. So I think I'll just jump right in. Would you want children, Niklaus? With me?" Holding her breath, she gauged his face for a reaction, and her heart clenched uncomfortably when he squeezed his eyes shut, obviously summoning up courage, and opened them again to look at her with trepidation. He gave a shaky breath before he answered.

"No. I would not." When her face contorted in a sudden, wild flash of pain, he held up his hand. "Please let me explain, Caroline. It will surprise you to hear this, but ever since you first mentioned children to me, I have given them a great amount of thought, asking myself whether it is something I secretly wished for. I am so very sorry, my love, but I it is not, and this is the honest truth. That said, you know that I love you more than anything, and that your happiness is the one thing that matters to me above all others. Above my own. It is of vital importance to me that you are content. So if this is your heart's desire, if you say to me that you cannot be truly happy, that your life is incomplete without a child, then I… will support your wish. But you need to be aware that I would do it for no other reason than your happiness, Caroline. It is not something I need and not something that would complement my life. My apologies if this sounds harsh, my darling. I assure you I do not want to cause you any pain by saying all of this, but I believe that you should know how I feel about it. I have never been overly enthusiastic about children; it is not that I dislike them, but they are also not something I have ever longed for. But I long for you, Caroline, all the way down into the darkest depths of my soul. I need you so badly it frightens me sometimes. When I wake from one of my nightmares, it is you who gives me peace of mind, taking me in your arms and whispering to me how everything will be well again. When I make love to you and I feel how you give your heart, your soul and your body to me, and how you take everything I am in return, I want to sink to my knees and worship at your feet. When I open my eyes in the morning, I see your lovely face, so relaxed and trusting, and I know that I am complete. I need you, Caroline Mikaelson, I need you every day, and this is something that will never change. So if you can honestly tell me that you want a child because that is what you, you, truly want, I will help you find a way. If you, however, want it out of your desire to give me what you believe I need, then my answer is no. Wholeheartedly and truthfully. Because what I need is you, my beautiful girl. Full stop."

She made no move to hide the tears that were streaming down her cheeks now. Klaus leaned forward, and with infinite tenderness, he kissed every inch of her face, again and again, until she finally stopped crying and leaned against his shoulder, sniffling quietly. His hands were softly stroking her back while she had wrapped her arms around him, holding him as close as she could. They sat like that forever, until she heard his strangled whisper.

"Say something. Please."

He was suffering. Suffering because he thought he was making her unhappy with his honesty, and because he believed that he was not enough for her, that she needed more than him to be complete and fulfilled! Just as she had always been insecure about being all he needed! A sudden thought crossed her mind as she gazed into his anguished face now – was she so keen on this because she unconsciously thought that a child would bind him to her more irrevocably? Deep down, hidden in the darkest corner of her mind, was she actually still afraid he would leave her one day? Was that one of her reasons? Was she trying to find an additional way to strengthen their bond? Appalled at herself, she jumped from the couch, from his arms, and began to pace the terrace. His eyes had widened when she had left his embrace, and the pain in them cut her open and left her bleeding. But she needed another moment, a moment to herself, to find an answer to her unspoken question. Walking back and forth, she let her mind reel, knowing that the only way to get to the core of things was to allow her thoughts to flow freely, not censuring, not chastising herself. She knew he loved her with all his heart, and she also knew that she had helped him find his way back to himself, for which he was grateful. They carried their golden marks, and they were so deeply connected. But she understood that somewhere inside her, the insecure teenage girl did sometimes raise a hand to ask what this man, this beautiful, intelligent, clever, literate, worldly and insanely sexy man had first seen in her. This girl was also the one to quietly whisper that she needed to make sure this man, the man she loved so madly, never escaped her again, Signum or no Signum. And what was more effective than a baby to bind a man?

My God. I'm really trying to do this, am I not? How the fuck can I be this pathetic?

She closed her eyes and stopped her frantic pacing, unable to believe how she could have been so stupid. After all they had gone through, after everything she had done for him and he had done for her, she still had doubts. How could she? How? She was being the greatest idiot on the freaking planet! She really didn't deserve him, did she? With a groan, Caroline sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands, ashamed of herself. In less than a heartbeat, she felt herself being lifted from the ground and carried inside. He set her down on the bed and removed her shoes, followed by his own, before he slipped onto the mattress beside her, surrounding her with his arms and holding her to him. Caroline still didn't dare to open her eyes, not even when she felt him take her hand and place it over his heart.

"Caroline. Will you look at me?" She shook her head. "Look. At. Me." Very gradually, she opened her eyes. His face was a mask of anxiety, but she also detected something else. Calm determination. It was the expression he always wore when making a vital decision. He cupped her cheek and stared into her face. His voice was very strained, giving a clear indication of how dearly his next words cost him. "My love, I meant what I said earlier. If this is of such elementary importance to you, I will help you find a way. I will stand by you in everything, and we will make this work somehow. You have my word, Caroline. We will find a way."

He would do it. For her. A new wave of hot shame rolled through her entire being. There was nothing he wouldn't do, nothing he wouldn't give for her, and she was behaving like the hysterical cheerleader she had once been – and apparently still was to an extent. And there she had always thought that he was damaged goods! Okay, you coward. Tell him what an idiot you are. Now. She opened her eyes fully to take in his pained face. Then she took his head in her hands and kissed him, deeply and thoroughly, pouring her heart into the kiss that left them both panting. Pulling out of the passionate embrace, she slid backwards so she could look at him, but held his face while she did.

"No, Niklaus. We will not." His eyes widened, but when he began to speak, Caroline put a finger to his lips. "I wanted to do this for you, to give you a family, but that was not the only reason. I…" She broke off, trying to summon her courage and failing miserably. Now his lips were on hers, unbearably softly, and he kissed her eyes before he whispered.

"Tell me, my heart. I need to know."

Swallowing audibly, Caroline nodded. "I think it was because I… wanted to… make sure that you…" she stammered, unable to complete the sentence. Klaus' eyes turned so gentle and tender that it was all she could do to fight down the next looming crying jag.

"You wanted to ascertain that I never walked out on you?" he asked quietly, exhaling sharply when she nodded. Clenching her teeth, she braced for his wrath, waiting for him to shout at her that she was being stupid, that he was disappointed in her lack of confidence and trust, and that he would need to reassess their entire relationship. What she had definitely not expected was the way he drew her deeper into his arms and gazed at her with such love and adoration that everything around her came to a stop.

"Listen very closely, my darling. No one understands doubt and insecurity better than I do, and I could never blame you for those little moments of skepticism. I have to go through them myself – it is quite often that I ask in bewildered wonder just I have come to deserve all of this heavenly bliss I am experiencing with you. So let me reassure you, Caroline." His eyes blazed with intensity when his hands pulled her closer. "I have come to know myself a little bit over the past thousand years, and I can therefore say one thing with absolute certainty. Your hold over me is eternal and unbreakable. It has no need of reinforcement, incentives or anything else. I have chosen you as absolutely as you have chosen me, and I cannot and will not live without you ever again. We have not been together for an overly long time, which is why I do understand that despite everything, these moments still happen. So I will give you a promise, here and tonight: Whatever little doubts you may still feel on occasion, my love, I will make them go away. With every day, every year and every century that passes. You will never lose me, my love for you will never diminish, and you will always be what my life revolves around. Nothing you do or say can ever tear me from your side. I know that there are no guarantees in love, but this is the one exception to the rule – I am giving you this guarantee, my Caroline. I will belong to you in a hundred thousand years as completely as I belong to you today. I apologize for the melodramatic declaration, but I want you to know exactly how I feel, and I want you to believe me."

Caroline had stopped breathing long ago. She was unable to tear her gaze from the stark honesty shining in his eyes, and everything inside her seemed to be glowing with warmth and her helpless love for Klaus. His arms tightened around her as he breathed a gentle kiss on her hair before he spoke again.

"As I said earlier, I have given this a great deal of thought, and I mean it – a child is not something I need to be whole, and it will not bring us closer together. We are so close, my love, so very close, and that will never change. Trust me, please. As long as I have your love, I have everything. But what is most important in this scenario is your wellbeing. Is a child what will give you the happiness you crave, Caroline?"

It was hard to shake off the daze. She stared at him silently for another long while before she slowly shook her head. "No," she whispered, and while she spoke, she understood that she was telling the truth. "You are what makes me happy. So happy. That's why I wanted to give you more, and that's why I want so desperately to keep you. Maybe it's also a little bit about the choice that's been taken from me when I was turned, but… I can live without a child. I just can't live without you."

"And you will never have to. I have told you once before that I am so very sorry that you no longer have that particular choice. You were so young when you were turned, merely a teenager, and I am certain that the question of whether you wanted or did not want children at some point in your life was not yet on your radar. The thought will return to you from time to time over the years, and I want your promise that you will always, always come to me and discuss it, just as I will give you my word to always be there for you." Klaus sat up and pulled her with him, lifting her so she was sitting between his legs on the middle of the bed, her legs wrapped around his hips. He gathered her close and rested his cheek against hers, his lips almost brushing her ear as he continued to speak in a low, silken whisper. "I love you, Caroline, and I need you happy, content and safe at my side. Whatever it takes to fulfil your wishes, I am prepared to do it."

Her hands were slowly running up and down his back as she closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. Very gradually, she felt herself relax as she pondered everything he had just said to her. No, she didn't miss anything as long as she was at his side. Klaus was her home, the love of her life, and her happiness stood or fell with him and him alone. He was prepared to go against his own wishes for her. But did that give her the right to impose her wishes on him, knowing it was not something he truly wanted? Not being sure that it was what she herself truly wanted? Not knowing for certain whether she was just trying to tie him to her? The answer to that was much easier than she had thought it would be. Caroline pulled him closer as she made her decision – a compromise with herself. She would not actively try to find out whether there was a possibility. But should the chance ever present itself over the centuries to come, in whatever shape or form, she would sit down with Klaus again and explore their stance anew. Openly and honestly.

God, it feels like a weight was lifted from my shoulders! It feels… right.

Sitting back, she took Klaus' hands and gazed up into his still anguished face. "Please stop worrying, my love," she breathed. "I think I have an idea." Explaining her thoughts, she never took her eyes off his while she spoke, relieved to see him soften infinitesimally. When she was finished, he raised both of her hands to his lips and kissed each of them.

"I agree wholeheartedly. Should we ever tumble across anything of the sort, we will speak again. In the meantime, remember to come to me whenever the topic of children preoccupies you. Or any other topic, for that matter. Promise?"

"Promise." Caroline rose to her knees, resting her hands on his shoulders and gazing down into his stormy eyes. "I need to make love to you, Niklaus," she whispered urgently, "and I need to do it now."

He swallowed and she felt his hands on her thighs, slowly moving north. "Yes," he breathed almost inaudibly, "please, Caroline. Love me."

"More than my own life." Drowning his groan with a deep, sensual kiss, she began to slowly undress him.

Very much later, when they were both finally sated and resting, entangled in each other, Caroline raised her head. "We will put an end to the warlocks, won't we?"

Klaus smiled and pulled her onto him so she was sprawled out over the full length of his body. "Of course we will."

"Good. Will Big Bad Hybrid Klaus make an appearance, then?"

Chuckling, he raised an eyebrow. "He just might. Why do you ask?"

She moved her hips, sliding sinuously over his and feeling him harden. His subdued gasp was making the heat pool between her legs. Again. "Because I just love to be shagged into oblivion by that guy. He's hot."

"He's yours." When she blinked next, Caroline found herself with her back on the terrace's wide stone wall, her legs spread. In one swift thrust, Klaus was inside her. He had turned, all yellow eyes and double fangs, pounding into her with all his might, rough, brutal and wild. Her eyes glazed over when his fangs sunk into her neck, and she gave a deep, primal growl as she bit his soft skin and let his supple Golden Blood flood her mouth, all the while meeting his thrusts one by one, until they both surrendered to each other.

Their joint cries of release were carried out into the night, flowing through the velvety air and dissolving into a memory somewhere between the starry skies and the twinkling Parisian lights.

A memory of incandescent beauty.

A memory of unconditional love.

A memory they would never tire of recreating.

Until all time ended.

***THE END. FOR REAL.***

Bye, guys. I'll miss you all!