#*gifts14

Cursing her luck, Caroline turned around, a small smile on her face. “Klaus, hi.”

“Hello love.” Klaus replied.

“Um, how are you? You look good,” she commented, cringing as she did. Had she really just said that? More often than not, she said the first thing on her mind before she could stop herself and this was definitely one of those circumstances. Klaus did look good though, actually good was an understatement. She wasn’t sure how it was possible but his shoulders seemed wider, his curls a bit longer, and he seemed to have gotten more handsome since she’d been gone.

All of which she wanted to use as an excuse for the sudden warmth Caroline felt throughout her body but she knew she’d be lying to herself. Simply being near him again was the cause of that, her wolf recognizing him instantly after being apart for so long and she could feel her trying to push Caroline to get closer but she fought against it.

She watched as one of Klaus’ eyebrows arched in disbelief at her question. “‘You left without a goodbye & have refused to talk to me for over a year and that’s the first thing you say?”

“I was trying to be polite,” Caroline replied, laughing nervously. “I see that you’re still as blunt as always.”

“When have either one of us ever not been?” Klaus retorted.

“With the way Daddy has been talking you up, I thought you might have picked up a few bits of tact under his tutelage.” She declared. While she hadn’t spoken to Klaus since she left, he had been the subject of several conversations between herself and her father, mostly with him singing Klaus’ praises.

“Well Bill might be a good Alpha, but he isn’t a miracle worker.”

Caroline couldn’t help but let out an unladylike snort at the truth behind his statement. Even someone like her father would be unable to change Klaus if Klaus didn’t want to be changed. Though if he was going to take over as Alpha for her father some day, like he planned, he would need some diplomacy. Of course by thinking of Klaus learning from her father reminded Caroline exactly why he was in that position (Well without having challenged her father) and suddenly she became tense again.

“Though he did manage to finally get you to return home so perhaps I am underestimating him.”

She heard Klaus add, his voice teasing with a hint of spite mixed in, causing her nervousness to be replaced by irritation. However before she could give any kind of comeback, they were interrupted when a car stopped at the end of the drive, the driver being one of the last people Caroline wanted to see.

“Everyone said you were back, but to be honest, I didn’t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes.” Greta stated as she got out of the car and made her way towards the two of them. “The prodigal princess returns.”

“Yes, just for a visit.” Caroline grumbled. She hated when people called her that, and Greta knew it. She was the one who had started it after all when they were in grade school. She knew she couldn’t pick on the daughter of the Alpha, but she could still torment her in some way.

“I know your parents missed you, and some of the rest of the pack too. Though I don’t know about everyone.” Greta commented, a sly smile appearing on her face as she brought her hand up to grasp Klaus’ arm.

At the sight of the other she-wolf touching Klaus in such a familiar way, Caroline’s wolf bristled and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from growling in challenge. ‘Mine,’ She thought before she shoved the thought away and regained control. But not before Greta noticed her reaction, her smile expanding to a full fledge grin.

“We should be going, only a few hours before nightfall,” Klaus said suddenly, breaking up the face-off between the women.

“Right, we wouldn’t want to be late for tonight’s hunt. What with it being to a welcome home for Caroline and all.” Greta stated as she let Klaus lead her back to her car, opening the driver door for her to slid in before making his way back to the passenger side, glancing at Caroline as he did.

“Until tonight sweetheart.”

#######

As she ran on all fours through the woods, Caroline felt a sense of peace she hadn’t felt in months. She had been able to change and go for runs while at school but it paled in comparison to how it felt to run through the woods that she had grown up in.

Her father had arranged a full moon hunt to mark her homecoming and while she had hated the attention, she was enjoying herself greatly. Since turning, she had been running almost the whole time so when she came upon a stream, she decided to take a break for a drink, refreshing herself.

All around her, Caroline could hear her packmates moving through the woods, tracking various animals or like Caroline herself, simply relishing the event. She had been reunited with several friends, both in human and wolf form, but so far had only seen Klaus from a far, just after the pack had met up.

As if the mere thought of him summoned him, Klaus appeared from the brush just behind her, and she was wondered if he hadn’t been tracking her. She wouldn’t be surprised if he had been, considering he didn’t look a bit startled to see her there. Instead he moved towards her, his head slightly bowed as he watched her, his eyes the same blue color in wolf form as they were in human, waiting to see if she would bolt at his attention. She knew she should but couldn’t make herself do it. Not even when he came so close that their coats brushed against each other or she felt his nose bump her muzzle.

Wolves as a whole were a touchy bunch, and it felt completely natural to her, especially considering who it was. Caroline couldn’t deny it, even to herself that she had missed him, which was why she afforded herself a moment of weakness to reciprocate his affections. His tawny coat held the familiar smell that was uniquely Klaus, woodsy, wild, with a bit of something that just made her feel safe. She also noticed that the only smell she could pick up was his, and not of any other wolf.

It wasn’t until she felt him put one of his paws up on top of her neck that she realized what he was really doing. Klaus wasn’t just trying to show her attention or show that he might have missed her too, he was marking her; making sure that she was covered in his scent so that anyone who came near her, especially males, would know that she belonged to him. Well that was what he thought.

Turning her head quickly, Caroline lashed out, catching Klaus’ leg between her teeth. She didn’t bite hard enough to do permanent damage, but hard enough to let him know she wasn’t happy, and just in case he didn’t get the idea, she followed it with a deep growl. Klaus yelped slightly at the attack, and pulled back though he didn’t withdraw completely, letting her know that t he understood but that she didn’t scare him off. No longer wanting to be near him, Caroline took off, heading back towards her home. Unfortunately Klaus decided to follow her and stayed on her tail, literally, the whole way.

They both turned quickly, Caroline using her anger to push her body to its limits in an attempt to speed up the process but Klaus still managed to best her, standing tall in front of her as she came back to herself. But if he thought that gave him the upper hand, he was mistaken for the second time that night.

“What the hell do you think you were doing?” Caroline yelled as she glared at him. “How dare you mark me like I am yours!”

“Because you are,,” Klaus snapped back. “As much as you might want to ignore that little fact, no matter how far away you run, it doesn’t change that you are mine Caroline.”

Before Caroline could argue back, Klaus was in front of her, so close that she could feel the heat of his body, as well as his breath on her face while he cupped her cheek. “Just as I am yours and have been since the first day we met. We are mates.”

At his declaration and his touch, Caroline couldn’t help but close her eyes at the sensations that overtook her. The bond between them felt just as intense as it had before she left, more so possibly due to how long they had been apart and all she wanted to do was wrap herself into it, into him. Only instead of giving in, she pulled back however before she could turn tail and run, Klaus grabbed her and stopped her escape. “I’m not making it that easy on you love, I’m not letting you run away from me again. Not until you talk to me.”

Caroline could see by the look in his eyes how serious he was, his dominance flowing off him in waves, and knew she was stuck. Suddenly very aware of how naked both of them were, and not wanting to have this conversation in that state, she nodded as she said. “Fine, but put some clothes on first. I can’t talk to you seriously like this.”

A cheeky smile twitched on his full lips at her words. “What’s the matter, love? Is my nakedness too much of a distraction for you?”

“As if that were true.” Caroline said as she grabbed the first pair of sweats that she thought might remotely fit him and threw them at him while she looked for something for herself to wear.

“Wouldn’t be the first time, or the second or third…” He trailed off as he pulled the pants on over his long legs just as Caroline pulled a large t-shirt over her head.

“So what do you want to talk about?” Caroline demanded, making sure to keep a little bit of distance between them while also trying to ignore how the sweatpants sat low on his hips.

“I want to talk about you,” Klaus explained. “And why you took off without a word to me, waiting until I was out of town for your father instead of talking to me face to face. I never knew you to be a coward Caroline.”

Caroline flinched at the words, at the harsh statement, though she didn’t argue because they were true. How she had left him had been very cowardly. Only because she knew if she had she probably wouldn’t have left. But it was something she had felt she had to do even it it was one of the hardest things, if not thee hardest thing she had done in her young life.

Since she had been a young girl, Caroline had felt like she was two people in one; the wolf side and the human side. She embraced her wolf, but also wanted to have a normal teenage girl’s life and she did everything she could to have it. But of course like everything else in her life, Caroline had had to go above and beyond. Instead of simply being a good student, a cheerleader, or a member of the dance committee, no she was one of the top students of her class, cheer team captain and head of almost every social committee there was at school And whereas others in the pack who had wanted to go to college went to nearby Whitmore, she had chosen one on the border of her father’s territory instead. She wanted to be her own person and figure out who she was before she became completely trapped by her birthright as the next Alpha female.

Everything she had planned had gone perfectly, until the autumn of her senior year. That was when Klaus came to town on the back of his motorcycle. He had been visiting various packs around the Eastern part of the country, trying to learn information about his biological father who he had been told was from the area and his last lead had led him to Mystic Falls. A lead that panned out when he discovered that his father had grown up there and had been friends with the Alpha, which was how he met Caroline. She had been told how it felt when a wolf met their mate, but descriptions didn’t do it justice. It was like touching a live wire, while at the same time coming out of a fog the first time she looked into his eyes.

Looking into those same eyes now, she answered him. “Because I knew if I saw you, you’d try to talk me out of it...and I knew that you would probably succeed. And I needed to get out of this town.”

“And away from me.” Klaus added.

“Yes,” Caroline admitted. “I was scared.”

“What are you so afraid of?”

“You.” She answered, her voice louder than it needed to me. “I’m afraid of you.”

“How could you be afraid of me? I would do anything to keep you safe.” Klaus declared.

“I never planned to meet the man who was my forever when I was 17!” Caroline exclaimed, stunning him at her admission. “And then there you were and things got so intense between us so fast, my head was spinning. And I saw how the pack looked at us and I knew what they were thinking. With my meeting you, the security of the pack’s leadership was ensured. It just became too much.”

“So being away at school, away from your pack is better?”

“It’s...simpler.” She replied. “I’m just like every other student and I don’t have so much on my shoulders, worrying what people will think if I make the wrong decision.”

“But is it better?” He repeated as he reached up to tuck a wild curl behind her ear, invading her space again but she did not stop him. “Are you happy?”

Caroline found that she couldn’t answer him, because she didn’t know the answer. Was she happy? She enjoyed school, the challenge it gave her and the opportunity to meet new people, try new things but she still felt like a part of her was missing. A part of her that she suddenly felt restored.

“If you have to think about it Caroline, I think that gives you your answer.” Klaus argued.

“Fine, yes, school isn’t perfect either. I don’t have the feeling of being smothered but it’s also a bit lonely.” She admitted. “I feel like I was missing...something.”

Klaus didn’t need her to explain what that something was, because it was the same way he had felt since she left. “Answer me something else, did it ever cross your mind to ask me if maybe I would want to go with you?”

“Yeah, as if that was a possibility.” Caroline scoffed in disbelief, but then she saw the seriousness on his face, her skepticism died. He really would have gone with her if she’d had asked. That bit of knowledge changed everything for her.

But was it possible? The pack would be upset, but her father would settle them down. Though he was middle age, he was still healthy and a strong leader, there was still time before he would be handing over control. It was why her father had allowed her to go away to school in the first place. And it wasn’t like Klaus couldn’t come back for periods of time when needed.

As for what it meant for the two of them, being away from the eyes and expectations of the pack would make a world of difference. That intensity and passion that had scared her would still be there, it always would be but it would give them the chance to form a real relationship on their own terms, take the time to get to know each other again.

“Klaus.” She sighed as she met his gaze again, but before she could say more, he closed the distance between them and kissed her. It was the opposite of what she expected, not rough and passionate but soft and gentle, loving. As if was trying to show her how he still felt and it sadly ended quicker than she wanted it to, causing her to whimper as he broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers.

“The pack has become a part of me but they are not my home, that’s you.” He whispered, his lips brushing hers as he spoke. “All you have to do is say the words Caroline.”

“Come with me, Klaus.”

She thought finding the man she had feelings for had a child was heartbreaking.

She thought many things over the years but she never thought of her mother dying.

She never thought she would watch her die.

She never thought that she would be so young when she lost her mother.

She never thought this would be happening to her. Losing both parents before the age of twenty and sentenced to an eternity alone.

She never imagined that life for her, at least not until it was actually happening.

The thought of her mother dying was inconceivable, especially when there should have been years to prepare. Yet there she was, sitting at her mother’s bedside. She looked so pale, dark circles under her eyes and wrinkled skin.

She wished more than anything to feed her blood, to heal her from the sickness but the older woman was stubborn. Liz Forbes was a fighter and she was going down as one, and as much as it hurt Caroline, she knew she had to obey orders.

So Caroline sat for days by her mother’s bedside, hand softly intertwined with the fraying one of her mother’s. She sat by, watching her chest slowly rise and fall and listening to the beating of her heart.

She tried to prepare herself for when those machines finally stopped beeping and there was no life left in her mother’s blue eyes. She tried to occupy and distract, ensuring to fill her mother up on anything and everything.

She admitted all her deepest desires, from escaping Mystic Falls and seeing the world to her feelings for the original hybrid. Her mother never questioned her, but instead promised her into taking action after her death.

Her condition worsened within days of being admitting into the hospital and Caroline knew that she didn’t have much time left. Her mother's heart was struggling to beat and her lungs failing to breathe on their own. She knew the day was closing in on them but refused to acknowledge it, greedy for more time.

Their little world which had been wrapped up tight with ignorance came to a crashing halt when Liz began struggling for a breath. Caroline clung to her mother, urging her to breathe slowly and reassuring her that they were going to make it through this.

Tears softly fell from her eyes, Liz knew the truth and needed her daughter to understand. “Caroline.” She wheezed, her hands reaching out.

“Mom,” Caroline cried. “You just need to breathe. In and out. Like this.”

With deep breaths she demonstrated the actions that should have come naturally to Liz but it felt like a weight pressing down on her chest.

“I love you,” Liz whispered, her eyes fluttering shut as she focused on a steady breath. It was becoming too hard to stay awake.

“No, mom, you just need to breathe.”

A doctor stopped by, adjusting the monitors and medicine intake. Liz looked up to the older man. “I’m ready to go.”

With a slight nod there were more adjustments made and the doctor turned to the exit. Caroline couldn’t stop staring at her mother, shaking her head. “You can’t give up. Mommy, I need you. I can heal you from this.”

Liz squeezed Caroline’s hand. “It’s my time. I love you but you need to let me go.”

“No,” Caroline whimpered.

“Go to Paris, or London, or Rome. Just go out and explore then go to New Orleans.”

“Mommy-”

“I love you, Caroline.” And with a shuddering breath, Liz slipped into a deep sleep, only it was followed by the ringing of the machines attached to her heart.

Caroline reached forward, grabbing onto her mother’s shoulders and shook. “No, mom, you need to wake up!”

Her heart races but shatters once she feels that hand on her shoulder and whisper in her ear. “She’s gone.”

The monitors are silenced and so is Caroline. She falls forward, burrowing her head in her mother’s neck, the familiar scent filling her senses. She doesn’t want to believe that she’s dead, the idea of her mother dead is unbearable.

She’s not sure how long it takes but somehow she’s pried away from the lifeless body of her mother and she’s wrapped up in the arms of her friends. It’s not the same as the arms of her mother, it doesn’t comfort her like it should. Their intentions are honorable but she doesn’t want them, she wants her mother.

The days seem to go by at a weird pace. It’s like she’s in this state of limbo. She goes through moments of disbelief and that her mother is still alive and about to walk through her front door. Then it comes crashing down when she catches sight of her red eyes or the amount of casseroles that litter her kitchen.

Her heart aches and her stomach lurches and she can’t stop the stupid tears that fall. Her mother is lowered into the ground and she’d rather be anywhere but standing there watching. Everyone is gathered around, after all it was the Sheriff that just passed away.

The condolences make her sick and the pitying looks that get thrown her way makes her want to scream. Her friends are always within reach and it’s a little claustrophobic, she can’t go two feet without someone questioning her motives.

So when the funeral is over, she packs a single bag with a heavy heart and locks the door to her childhood home. There’s a one way plane ticket and her passport tucked neatly in her purse and she’s finally ready to let go of all the bad memories.

It’s sad that it took the death of her mother to get her out of that town. There’s too much heartbreak and horrible memories wrapped up within the city limit that she just needs to get out and have a fresh start.

Paris is her first stop and she eventually moves on through every European country and major city soaking in all the culture she’s been denied growing up. After years of exploration she must choose between returning home or travelling further into the unknown. She chooses the latter, moving on to Asia, her first stop is the Philippians.

The hurt in her heart still sits heavy, and even though she’s surrounded by life, art, and culture it doesn’t fill her up completely. There’s something missing and she thinks she knows where to find the solution.

So after five years of being away from home, from taking that first step into self-discovery, she flies back home to the United States. Instead of Virginia, she lands in Louisiana, her destination: New Orleans.

She never imagined this to be her life. She’s 25 with no family and no home, yet she’s showing up on a man’s doorstep asking for a chance.

The heavy heart she’s been used to carrying around with her has shed its darkness and instead there’s an odd fluttering feeling. She knocks on the door and a few seconds later is confronted by the man who’s always been the solution.

There’s a bag at her feet and after the shock has worn off, he slowly takes in her appearance. He wants to speak, she knows that he never expected to take up his offer, but she was so tired of running and just wanted to go home.

Caroline shrugs, not really sure what to say to his questioning gaze. “You said someday."

-

part two:

I’ll still be here (when you open your eyes)

It’s a hard night to get to sleep and her heart sits a little heavier than it had in the past decade. She’s been so full of life and happiness that she hasn’t felt this kind of hurt in a long time.

The day had come with its hardships, like it did every year. She returned back to Mystic Falls, spent the day visiting her mother and filling her in on everything that was going on in her life.

It was crazy, talking to a tombstone, but it brought her comfort. She knew her mother was listening, she felt it in her heart. With her favourite flowers laid down grass to mark her presence, she left and returned home to the love of her life.

Her mother was such a huge part of her life and she can’t help but wonder what would have happened if at the last moment if she had given her vampire blood. Would she have lived still? What if she became a vampire?

Those questions run through her mind at the dark of day when she’s lying in bed with Klaus. He’s fast asleep on his side of the bed, not quite oblivious to her heartbreak but wise enough to give her the space she needs on this date.

Her mind races with different scenarios and sleep is hard to find. She wonders what life would have been like if she had never become a vampire, if Stefan had never found Elena or Mystic Falls. She realizes she would have lost her mother eventually but perhaps not so soon.

Death is inevitable. Klaus had told her that many times over the years, it’s something that humans embrace and vampires for the most part are immune to.

Her eyes get tired and thoughts begin to slow. She doesn’t want to fall asleep, she knows what will happen and is scared to relive that day. But unlike death, she’s not immune to exhaustion, and she falls asleep with thoughts of her mother.

She awakes with a start, her palms sweaty and head racing. The covers rustles and she sees the body beside her turn and stare up at her in confusion. “Another nightmare?”

Caroline looks down at the man, her heartwarming as her thoughts begin to slow. She sinks back down into bed, turning her body so she’s looking into his blue eyes.

The curtains hang open and the moonlight brightens the room in soft hues, it’s just enough light to see his face. He’s worried, he always is when she wakes in that state. The big bad hybrid, concerned because she had a bad dream.

She sighs and nods. “It felt so real, like I was back in that hospital room and she was still alive and talking, making all these demands and then she was gone. I was all alone.”

A tear falls from the corner of her eyes, running down her cheek. With the lightest of touches, Klaus reaches out and brushes it away with his thumb. When another tear falls, he pulls her into his chest, hugging her tight.

“When she died, I was all alone,” she whimpers, being taken back to that day in her dream and in her memories.

Klaus strokes her hair, the soothing motion calming her down. “You’re not alone anymore.”

She pulls back just enough so she can look up and see his eyes. They’re so full of love and emotion, something he only shows around her. “I know,” she smiles up at him, leaning up to kiss him. “I haven’t been alone in over a decade.”

When he smiles that magnificent smile, her heart softens and there’s butterflies floating around in her stomach. She relaxes into his arms and she feels like she’s home.

“I love you,” she mumbles into his chest, placing a kiss just over his heart.

Klaus kisses the top of her head, “I love you too, sweetheart.” He runs his hands down her back, the way he knows she loves. “Go to sleep, my love, I’ll still be here when you open your eyes.”

Usually.

She was a bit annoyed with him at the moment and his anti-Christmas stance. “But it’s Christmas! We need a tree.”

“There are plenty of trees all around Paris that are decorated, love. I don’t see why we need one here.” Klaus didn’t even bother looking up from his sketchpad as he waved a hand around their apartment.

“Because its Christmas.” Caroline sighed, realizing she was sounding like a broken record. “Everyone has a tree for it. I’ve always had one. It’s tradition.”

“A very human tradition,” Klaus pointed out, and she rolled her eyes at that. “And one that was appropriated from another culture anyway. The decorating of trees during this time of year was originally part of the Yule celebrations.”

“Okay, if I wanted the history lesson I’d have called your brother.” She headed toward the door, taking her coat off the rack beside it. “You can either come with me for a tree or spend your day doing whatever. But we’re getting one.”

She heard the sketchpad being placed down and grinned as she wrapped her scarf just the way she wanted it, knowing she’d won. If it meant spending time with her Klaus would go along with her idea. “We just need to figure out which store sells the best ones,” she continued, smiling over at him as Klaus pulled on his own jacket.

He quirked a brow at her and she didn’t like that twinkle in his eyes, that ‘I’m going to make you regret this’ look she saw there. “Oh sweetheart,” Klaus murmured as he opened the door for her. “If we’re going to get a tree then we’re going to do this the right way.”

And thus began the epic battle over what was considered the ‘right’ way to do Christmas. Considering the two of them had such big personalities and their own opinions that couldn’t be so easily swayed it should have been a given that it would happen.

“Do you have any idea how much work real trees are?” Caroline groaned as they walked through the lines of them at the outdoor market. “They get those damn pine needles everywhere and sap can fall down and ugh.”

“But they smell better,” Klaus countered and she glared at his back as he picked out the tallest one that would fit into their apartment.

“They have a spray for that now.” Of course he didn’t care. He wouldn’t be the one down on his hands and knees trying to make sure all the damn pine needles were picked up. “And the fake ones last for years so we won’t have to go out every year trying to find the perfect tree. We’ll already have it boxed up and ready to use!”

“Would any of them look quite as majestic as this one?” Klaus pointed out the one a few feet in front of them and Caroline frowned. Well..no. It wouldn’t.

“Fine. You win this round.” Judging by the smirk on his face Caroline knew it was going to be a long day.

~~~

Picking out lights wasn’t any better. “White lights are classic and clean,” Klaus started as he looked over at the colored ones she was eyeing. At least they weren’t the awful ones that blinked in and out. He despised those strands and would put his foot down if needed. “I’d think they would be more your style.”

They were actually but...“My mom always picked out the colorful ones. She used to decorate the entire house with them. Our mantle, the kitchen, the doorways, everything. One year she did my room too.” Klaus put nearly every colored light box into the cart they were using, knowing the subject of Liz Forbes was still a tough one for her and would be for decades to come.

“Let’s go find some ornaments to cover our monstrosity,” Klaus suggested, steering her down toward where those were located.

It took them another hour and more bickering over whether or not they were going to have ornaments in any color or if they were going to be all silver or gold only, Klaus being of the opinion that the lights added enough color and Caroline that there was never too much color.

“You didn’t even want to do this!”

“No, but since we are it might as well be done correctly.”

Would it ruin the Christmas cheer if she smothered him with a Santa hat?

~~~

“What do you mean that you want to hire someone to decorate the tree?” Caroline simply stared at him as they rode the elevator up to their floor. “Why would we need other people to come in and do something that we can do? Besides you know they won’t do it right.” She would end up fixing everything she didn’t like about what they did anyway.

“That’s why you’re present to direct them on where you wish everything to go, Caroline,” Klaus held open the elevator door. “Much like when you directed flower arrangements at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant.”

“And look at how well those girls followed directions. It’d have taken way less time to simply do it myself.” She was certain the girls hadn’t even bothered looking over her plans for everything. “Besides, it’ll be fun!”

She was just going to ignore Klaus sigh as she pulled him into their apartment to start setting everything up to her specifications.

~~~

It was nearly midnight when they had finished and Caroline collapsed on the couch. She smiled brightly at their tree, trying to calculate precisely how many presents were going to need to be put under it to really complete the look. She looked over at Klaus, noting his odd look as he surveyed the room and she wondered if he’d ever really celebrated a Christmas before. At least he was on relatively good terms with Rebekah and Elijah now. Maybe she could see if the other two wanted to be around for Christmas with them...though that might not be the best idea if Katherine was brought along and she had no clue who Rebekah was currently seeing at the moment. She’d need to think over those invitations a little more before making them.

“What are you thinking about?” She moved to stand in front of him, letting Klaus wrap his arms around her as he stared at the tree.

“How you are utterly ruining my reputation.” She laughed at that, pressing a kiss to his stubbled chin.

“We could always put like vervain or wolfsbane or poison in the Christmas cookies that we bake and send them to your enemies?” she suggested, grinning up at him.

“While I do enjoy the added ingredients I am not baking.” Klaus pressed a kiss to her lips as she pouted before pulling her toward their bedroom, intent on distracting her from any further holiday ideas that she might want for him to endure.

It helped that he had mapped out her body countless times in the months that they had been together, that he knew precisely which spots on her skin to suck or bite to bring forth heated moans and have her forgetting everything else for a while. Their clothes were scattered along the floor by the time he had her pressed down into the mattress, legs wrapped around his waist as they started a rhythm that benefited the two of them.

Waiting for Caroline Forbes had been one of the hardest things Klaus had ever done. He’d known she wasn’t quite ready to shed her small town back at graduation, that she hadn’t been ready to take that next big step into the big wide world, that she wasn’t yet ready for him. He had always hated that saying about letting someone go and they’d come back to you if they were truly yours. The downside was that if they didn’t they were never yours in the first place and it had been difficult for him to contemplate a world without Caroline in it when he’d had a glimpse of what it was like to have her there.

Once he’d gotten her though Klaus knew he would do everything in his power to have her wanting to remain at his side. Even participating in ridiculous Christmas traditions if that was what she wanted.

“Oh my god!” she moaned as he scraped his teeth along her neck, causing her legs to tighten further around him. “We forgot stockings!”

Klaus pulled his head up, glaring down at her as she looked sheepishly up at him. “Well we did!” she protested before his lips crashed down against hers, intent on eradicating everything from her mind aside from the two of them joined together.

He used everything he knew about her body, bringing her to the edge several times but never quite letting her fall over it. “Klaus,” she whimpered, her head pressing back against the pillow, his name coming out a second time as a plea.

He knew what would drive her over the edge and let his teeth scrape against her neck again, almost what she wanted, eliciting another moan before he bit into her skin, feeding from her. It was all that was needed to have her tightening around him as her own fangs found his shoulder and bit into it, feeding from him as well. The combination was enough to have Klaus climax as well. Feeding from another vampire was intimate in its own way, and while he was a hybrid that still remained true for him. Feeding while having sex with the woman he loved only made it even more intimate.

His lips found hers as they both came down from their highs, grinning at the taste of his blood in her mouth and vice versa. After a while Caroline curled up against him and Klaus threaded his fingers through her hair, smiling at his accomplishment.