Kjsama - I would love to have made this story longer and gone in depth with it, but a.) I've already gone in depth with their progressing relationship and burgeoning love in my other fanfic saga so it was kinda like, I don't think I really wanna do it all over again, and b.) the amount of time it would take to go through that and how long you would all have to wait for updates would just drive us both - me and you readers - crazy. But I appreciate your love for this fic!

Brianne - lol Oh what's a little angst between us girls? :P

Purpleme523 - Because he's Klaus and he can't have nice things. lol

ilovetvd - Gulp. I hope this isn't a mofo ending! :\

Gosh, I love you guys, do you know that? Well if you didn't, now you do. So I don't remember if I gave ample warning or not that THIS chapter is the last chapter of this story. I know I was all over tumblr ripping my hair out with it, but yeah. So this is it! This is the last chapter! I'm cry! No, not really. But I do want to take a moment to thank you all for reading and bearing with me through torturously long waits between updates because I can't seem to ever get my act together. This was supposed to be a fun little angsty smutty side project but you all showed so much love for it it kind of became a bit more. And I couldn't believe all the adoration this silly little piece was getting every time I updated! So thank you all for reading and reviewing and loving me as much as I love you!

That said, I really hope this ending satisfies everyone's expectations. I tried so hard not to let this look redundant or anticlimactic or leave any ends loose. All I can say is I hope you enjoy it, I hope it lives up to what you all were hoping for. And...I know, I know. My codeword revelation isn't exactly the most creative. But I think it's cute anyway. :P

LOVE YOU ALL!

Chapter 11

Hollow. It was the perfect word to describe how Caroline had felt since Klaus had shut the door on her a week ago. And the subsequent seven days just went on endlessly, everything and everyone around her blurred. She hardly retained anything from school and once she got home she laid in bed in a blank state, numb to the world. What was the point of trying to be a functioning person in a world where her friends avoided her, her now ex-boyfriend shot piercing daggers through her heart every time he dared to look her way, and her mother was continually rendered speechless, constantly thinking this was all just her failure at being a good mother? It was easier for them to pretend she didn't exist, so that's what she did. She stopped existing and fell into nothingness.

By the time Saturday evening had rolled by, she was accustomed to her new nest on the couch. Movies that failed at depicting reality could never really judge her anyway. She was halfway through a pint of Ben & Jerry's when the front door slammed.

"Caroline?" Liz called out. "Are you home?"

"Where else would I be?" she muttered to herself, then sighed and raised an arm from the couch. "Here, mom."

Liz walked into the living room, fresh out of work, wearing her concerned mother look. "What are you doing?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, taking another spoonful of Chunky Monkey. "Mourning."

"Mourning what, exactly?"

"My social life. I've accepted the new norm of being a social pariah."

Liz smiled a little, sitting on the arm of the couch by Caroline's head. "My dramatic daughter is back." She tilted her head and swiped her hair over her shoulder for a better view of Caroline's face. "Nice to see you again."

She sat up with a pout. "It's not funny, mom. I messed everything up and now everyone hates me. Tyler won't speak to me. Bonnie and Elena avoid me like I'm the plague or something."

"And Klaus?"

For a second she was surprised her mother would even ask, but then she remembered the answer and looked down at her ice cream woefully. "That's over."

"Are you sure about that?"

She nodded, emphatically. "He told me to my face we were done."

"Why? You and Tyler ended things. Sounds like he got exactly what he wanted."

"Yeah, well, apparently he doesn't know what he wants."

She scoffed and stabbed the spoon into her ice cream bitterly and set it on the coffee table. Liz watched her carefully, reading her like a book.

"And what do you want?"

Caroline looked up with a frown. "What do you mean?"

"I think you know what I mean." She sat down beside her. "You've been sitting here in a rut the last few days. And it's not because your friends are ignoring you." She pouted, looking back at the screen without confirming or denying. Liz swiped her hair back over her shoulder in a loving gesture. "Regardless of what anyone thinks, the Caroline I know would go out and get what she wants, not sit here stuffing her face with ice cream and drowning in - " She looked at the screen and laughed. "The Notebook? Again?"

But Caroline shook her head, still cynical. "Even if I do want him, he wants nothing to do with me."

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

"I'm sorry. Are you actually defending Klaus Mikaelson right now?"

"I'm just trying to make my daughter happy again."

"Well maybe I don't know what I want either," she answered stubbornly.

"Personally, I think while the idea of Klaus may have appealed to you, the reality is that he's not a good match. You're still young and you have years to decide what you want."

"Are you saying that to make me feel better or because you're glad I'm not sleeping with a monster anymore?"

"I didn't say that."

She narrowed her eyes with an accusatory tone. "But you're thinking it."

"I'm sorry. I can't really help how I feel about him."

"Neither can I, okay?" Caroline sighed, finally facing facts. "I can't help it that he made me fall for him, and I can't help that even now, even after he's made a mess of everything, I still want him. But he has never done anything bad to me."

"Except putting your life in danger when he had Tyler bite you. And pretending to be Tyler just to get to you."

"Technically, that didn't physically hurt me..." she interjected meekly.

"Not to mention he's hurt and killed a lot of people in this town," Liz continued, ignoring her objection. "How am I supposed to trust him with you when I've seen what he's – "

"Capable of?" Caroline finished for her with a knowing nod. "I know. I'm not asking you to forgive him, or welcome him to the family. But, god! You got over Tyler's jerk tendencies. How is this not the same?"

"Because I've known Tyler since he was a little boy. I don't know Klaus. And what I do know of him isn't good. His reputation - "

"Just forget about his reputation for a minute. Forget every bad thing he's done and just act like he's another questionable guy your daughter fell for. Can't you at least have faith in meto make my own choices?"

"Not when you choose someone that has a history of violence and homicide, Caroline!"

"Then just give him a chance!" she pleaded.

"He hasn't done anything to deserve one."

"He's won your daughter over," she argued.

"Has he? Or did he compel you? He's an Original, right?"

She groaned. "Just...can't you trust me, mom? Not him, me."

Liz sighed, shaking her head with a hesitant look. "I want to..."

Caroline grabbed her shoulders, shaking them lightly. "You can. At least promise me you'll support this. Even if it blows up in my face. Just show me you trust me."

"I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I know. But I'm not going into this blindly. If I get hurt, it's my own fault and I have no one to blame but myself."

Liz sighed, pulling her head against her chest in a loving hug, stroking her hair. "When did you suddenly go from being my little girl to such a strong young lady?"

Caroline tilted her head up to smile at her gratefully. "I only have you to thank for it."

She lifted Caroline's head, holding it in her hands with a stern look. "Promise me you'll be careful and always on your guard with him. Don't let him get the upper hand on you."

Caroline smirked. "Please. This is me you're talking to. He's the one who's has no idea what he's in for."

Liz laughed, nodding. "That's my girl."

A few days after her talk with her mom, Caroline felt a little bit closer to her old self. She was starting to feel lighter, like the notion of hope wasn't a distant dream anymore. But even though she had gotten back into her mom's good graces, there were still a few more people to win over. She would start with her friends, who at present, were all sitting in a line on the couch in her living room while she paced the floor. She kept her hands palm to palm beneath her chin as she walked back and forth, mentally coaching herself. Bonnie, Elena and Matt all watched her curiously as they waited for her to say whatever it was she called them there to say.

"Uh...Care?" Matt finally broke the silence. "Are you ever going to start? Some of us have jobs to get to."

She spun around and nodded. "Right." Her fingers laced and she dropped her clasped hands down, wringing them as she began. "I called you guys here because I have an announcement to make."

"We figured as much," Elena commented.

She took a deep breath in preparation, spreading her hands in a "here it is" gesture. "Yes. I have fallen for the enemy. And yes, it may be the craziest, most dangerous and stupidest thing I've ever done. Like, beyond stupid. But...I can't keep ignoring my heart. And if you guys want to stop being my friend and cut me out of your lives because you hate Klaus..." She paused to breathe out slowly, letting loose her nerves so she could make herself say the next. "...then that's your choice. And I totally understand and will not try to stop you." She nodded affirmatively but her face dropped into a pleading frown, beseeching them one last time, "But you'd be throwing away a ten year friendship! That's ten years of movie nights, and parties, and dates, and planning our future weddings, and – Seriously. Are all those memories really worth losing just because of one teensy tiny horrible life choice?"

While they all gaped, dumbstruck, she glanced back and forth between each of them waiting for them to say something. She wasn't sure what to expect – Anger? Disappointment? Indifference? It didn't take long to figure out which because Matt was the first to break.

"Caroline..." He shook his head with a short, mildly amused laugh. "No one is cutting you out of their lives."

Elena sighed in defeat and nodded in agreement. "We were shocked, yeah, but that doesn't mean we're holding it against you."

"You're our friend," Bonnie reminded her. "But we can't agree with it. And you know why. After everything he's done to this town, to us, my mom?"

"I know. I do." She sighed. "But I can't change how I feel. I'm not expecting you to change how you do."

"What about Tyler?" Matt asked randomly, seemingly the only one to care to.

She nodded, wincing slightly. "I have to talk to him too. If he'll even let me."

"Yeah. He hasn't exactly been in the best of mindsets lately. Started up with the day drinking again..."

Caroline frowned at that but before she could register her concern, Elena reverted the topic.

"Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into, Care? With Klaus?"

"Look, I didn't jump down your throat when you decided to change sides and shack up with Damon."

Elena glanced sideways, confused. "Yeah...you did."

Caroline waved it away. "Okay, bad example."

"What happens if this is a ruse?" Bonnie asked, genuinely afraid for her friend. "What if you're just part of another Klaus plan?"

"I'm not," Caroline stressed. "It's not like that at all."

Elena frowned too. "What if he tries to kill you?"

"He won't."

"What if - "

"How could you guys keep asking questions?!" She inhaled slowly, composing herself. "It's happened. That's it. Either accept it or stop being my friend. End of story."

Matt shook his head, losing interest, and stood up. "I gotta get to work." She frowned as his back as he started to leave but he turned, raising his hands defenselessly. "We're still friends."

She smiled in relief when he ducked out of the room, then turned back to Elena and Bonnie. They looked at each other having a weighty conversation between eyes before Bonnie finally sighed.

"I can't accept it. But...I'm not going to stop being your friend." She stood and wrapped her arms around her. "If anything, I'm going to be even more of a nuisance and keep an eye on you both in case he tries anything."

Caroline grinned, relief flooding her as she hugged her back. "Thank you."

They parted and both looked at Elena, waiting. She rolled her eyes, standing to join in the hug.

"I'm with Bonnie. I might not be happy about it, but it's your choice, not mine." She pulled back with an adamant look. "Just like Damon is my choice, not yours."

Caroline rolled her eyes with a childish grimace. "Fine. From here on out, I will keep my Damon comments to myself."

"And I'll keep my Klaus comments to myself." She lowered her brows. "Or at least try."

"So you guys don't totally hate me?"

"Of course we don't," Bonnie assured her. She shrugged with a playful smirk. "We just hate Klaus."

She laughed. "Well if he even makes one wrong move he'll have me to deal with. If he ever talks to me again..."

"Why wouldn't he?"

"We had a falling out. He doesn't believe how I feel, and...I might have scared him off when he came to comfort me after I told Tyler."

"Wait," Elena laughed uncertainly. "Are you saying his ego got bruised because you yelled at him?"

Caroline shrugged, helpless. "He's complicated."

"That's an understatement," Bonnie snorted. "How did this all even happen anyway?"

Caroline sighed, her heart heavy with nostalgia as she launched herself into the entire story of what happened between her and Klaus from start to finish. Or as finished as they were right now. But now that she had realized what she wanted, what if he still didn't? She could be going into this wholeheartedly and he might not care. He might just push her away and all would be for naught. Was it worth it? When all was said and done, would there really be a happy ending to this not-so-fairytale?

It took Caroline until the following evening to muster up the courage to face her fate. And about fifteen minutes of procrastinating on the porch of the Original mansion. She'd already scanned for signs of the other Originals in the house but the only one she heard inside was Klaus. With a brave face on, she knocked three times, heart thumping with each. She had that horrible nauseous ache in her stomach as she waited, her own pulse pounding in her ears. When he pulled open the door, he looked genuinely confused to see her.

Klaus kept his brow lowered as he registered what was before him – a rigid, nervous Caroline with nothing but fear in her eyes. But it wasn't a fear for her life, rather a fear of the unknown.

"Hi..." she barely whispered.

It took just that one syllable to snap him out of his trance, to make him realize this wasn't just another dream but reality. But the fact that she was standing here at his door staggered him. She came back. After everything, she still wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. Why?

She looked around awkwardly. "Can I come in?"

He licked his lips to speak, looking away from her gaze as to think properly, and finally nodded once, moving aside to let her through. He watched her movements curiously, trying to figure out what she could possibly want from him now. After the way he sent her off last time, he could never have expected her return. Should he be on guard or relieved?

She turned around, wringing her hands, lips pursed. "I just...wanted to let you know I talked to my friends and my mom. And while things aren't completely okay, they're better."

He blinked, not quite sure what that had to do with him. He cocked his head, helpless for words. "Good."

"Yeah..."

So that's what this was about. This was her needing closure. He could give her that much. He inhaled deeply, letting it out slow as he nodded, accepting this as their last goodbye. "So then your life should be back to normal and running smoothly in no time."

"That's the thing..."

She started to step forward then stopped herself, frowning like she couldn't decide what to do or say. His heart picked up speed when she moved, his defenses up, just in case.

"I don't want it to go back to normal," she finally confessed, her eyes never leaving his. "Normal was just...school, and...listening to Elena go on about Damon. And watching Bonnie and Jeremy tiptoe around each other in front of Elena while I sat on the sidelines, alone, pretending I had the best life of anyone in town. When deep down, I was this insecure little girl wondering why I could never be loved the way Elena was, or be special like Bonnie and her powers. I was just Caroline – the neurotic control freak, trying to keep her life together with sticky tape and as many school dances and clubs and distractions as I could find. And then you waltz in - " she gestured to him in accusation " - and turn everything in my life upside down with your drawings and presents and compliments and crazy offers to take me away from here to see the world!" She shook her head with a compassionate smile. "And while a big part of me wanted to take you up on the offer, I couldn't. Because I was with Tyler, but not only that – you were the bad guy! And good girls don't sleep with the enemy. And they certainly don't fall in love with them!" He opened his mouth to object but she held up a hand, pleading to let her finish. "But if this experience has taught me anything, it's that I have to be a little selfish sometimes and stop caring what people think about me and just do what I want. So maybe I never was that good girl that I always tried to be, because...if I'm honest with myself, what I really want is to sleep with the bad guy and run away with him and see the world, and not be scared anymore of it. Because I want to come first, for once. I want to feel what it's like to be loved or special, or whatever it is you make me feel."

Caroline let out a deep breath, a heavy weight lifted from her shoulders. Klaus stared, startled by all of it and trying to register what she's just said. Love? Him?

At his expression of denial, Caroline frowned, beseeching with her eyes. "I'm not lying when I say that I'm in love with you, Klaus. I don't know when or how or why, but..." She shrugged with a laugh. "You said you always get what you want. You were right."

Klaus swallowed, hard, blinking rapidly as he tried to form words but his mind was going miles a minute, too fast to keep up with. Sure, he was accustomed to getting his way, getting the things he wanted, but he never dreamed he would be standing here listening to Caroline Forbes – the light of his tremendously dark life – confessing her love for him. What they had was unique and their connection was as real as one could get, but it had always been a game of cat and mouse. And nothing more. He thought he'd made clear the game was over the last time they spoke. So what could possibly possess her to think she was in love with him? Of all people? Despite whatever he may or may not have felt for her, he hadn't intended for her to return it, mainly because the very notion of someone loving him – warts and all – was impossible. Until now.

"Feel free to say something any time now..." she said nervously.

He raised a brow and cleared his throat, still hardly able to respond. "I don't know exactly what to say in this situation."

Caroline felt her heart starting to plummet and tried desperately to keep it from dive-bombing into her stomach. "You could say what you feel. For a change."

And there it was. That challenging lilt to her voice that somehow always pulled him out of the deep end. His life preserver. Something about the fact that she was bold enough to dare him was all the assurance he needed. It reminded him that she wasn't like any other. The concept of love had never appealed to him before, but the concept of Caroline certainly did. And though it was months since he'd admitted to wanting her wholly for himself, deep down beyond his denial and attempts to push her back, nothing had changed.

And as a calm washed over him, the mischievous twinkle she'd come to grow so fond of was back in his eye. It lifted the invisible weight off her chest. Casually, he sauntered toward her, closing in on her personal space. Her heart was still throbbing with nerves. He smiled slowly, enough to make his dimples appear.

"Why don't I show you?" he murmured before scooping her up into his arms, kissing her fiercely. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back with everything she had, a small sigh of relief trickling off her tongue and onto his. He encased her in his arms and lifted her from the ground, keeping her pressed against him with a tiny growl. She drew back with a laugh, hugging him. He held her head, nosing her hair with affection. She kept her hands clasped at the back of his neck as she leaned back, raising one brow in determination.

"I do have a couple conditions."

"Hasn't our recent history proven I don't do well with conditions?"

"Well, you'll just have to start learning."

He lifted his chin at that, smiling wryly. "What are your conditions?"

"One – I am still going to maintain some normalcy in my life. For example, I will be graduating high school, and maybe even college, before you whir me off on some worldwide adventure."

"Doable."

"Two – you're going to eventually have to win my mom over because she's still afraid you're going to wake up and stake me one day."

He began to smirk as he considered her terms. "Well once the vervain is out of her system that shouldn't be - "

"And three – " she raised her voice before he could finish. "Friends and family are off limits. No compulsion, no neck snapping, no feeding off of." Her eyes lit with amusement as she began to nod. "In fact, we should probably look into getting you some kind of anger management to curb those psychopathic urges."

His eyes went dark and he pulled her in with a playful little growl. "That is out of the question, unless you'd like to get treatment for yourself too as I will not be tolerating you yelling at me again."

She giggled once with a dramatic huff. "I'm sure we can find some way to release all of our pent up frustration. You'll find I can think pretty quickly on my feet."

His eyes lit with a familiar dark lust. "Well let's hope you can think quickly enough off of them as well."

Before she could react he lifted her into his arms. She laughed with a squeal, echoing through the empty mansion as he sped her up to his room to waste away what was left of the evening.

Life was running smoothly again in a matter of days. Caroline had her friends back, her mother's support, and Klaus' undying devotion. Well...at least the undying part was definite. The devotion was a work in progress. Currently, they were inseparable.

Now that she had everyone on her side and her life back to normal, there was still just one more person left she had to smooth things over with. But she wasn't really sure he'd want to see her at this point...

When she spotted him at his locker at the end of the school day, Caroline walked up so he couldn't run off with vampire speed in front of the rest of the lingering students. He could shout at her all he wanted but this time, she was ready for it. It was the only way to get closure and, possibly, though very unlikely, forgiveness.

"Tyler?" she tried timidly. He rolled his eyes, ignoring her. But that wouldn't stop her. "I know you're mad - "

"Mad?" He peered at her like she wasn't understanding. "Caroline, mad doesn't even begin to cover it."

She swallowed, nodding. "I know. And I'm sorry."

He scoffed, shaking his head and slamming his locker closed. He started down the hall toward the doors but she hurried after him.

"Tyler, please."

He turned around, jaw setting. "Why are you still running after me like a sad puppy, Caroline? You got what you wanted, didn't you? We're done. So now you can go run off with Klaus and live happily ever after."

"I don't want you to hate me!"

"Then you shouldn't have slept with Klaus!" She blinked but never faltered. Tyler exhaled through his nose. "Look, Care. I don't want to hate you. But right now, all I see when I look at you is him. And it just..." He clenched his fingers, gritting his teeth. "It just pisses me off even more. You don't want me to hate you? Then give me some space and time to cool off and stop telling me you're sorry, okay?"

She frowned, nodding, her voice barely audible, "Okay."

He spared her one last – almost grateful? – glance then swung the doors opened and disappeared. Caroline stood in the middle of the emptying hall for a minute accepting that only time would heal what she'd broken in him. Maybe in time they could be friends again. And so what if it wasn't truly a happily ever after. It was happy enough.

She walked briskly out the doors of the school, a buzz in her pocket alerting her to a text message. She smiled, biting her lip at the screen.

Klaus to Caroline:
What are you hungry for, love?
03:06pm

It was the one phrase that had started this all. The first time he sent her that anonymous text and she learned the context, she gave him an earful. But now, she quickly wrote back the affirmative response:

Caroline to Klaus:
B Positive.
03:07pm

She grinned goofily at the screen. And to think, once upon a time she would have had to actually contemplate between a "B Positive" (yes) and an "O Negative" (no) response. Funny how in just a matter of months her naïve confusion and appall had developed into an understanding of their secret language.

It didn't take long before she was home, dropping her bag by the doorway and walking through to listen in for any sudden movements. The house was completely silent, empty. She just grinned, shaking her head.

"All right, buddy. Come out with your hands up!"

And just like that, a pair of arms encased her, hands sliding down over her stomach. "I prefer my hands where I can use them," Klaus purred in her ear.

She turned around in his embrace and rand her fingers through his hair. "My mom will be home in forty five minutes."

"I'll be gone in thirty," he promised.

She smirked, eyes sparkling with lust and something more, something loving. "Not if I can help it."