I see you | A Klaroline Love Story

Ch I

Caroline’s mind was scattered as she made the drive to the mystic grill. The small house she now lived in with her mother was just outside of town, a good 20 minutes drive from the grill. They had moved there together about a year after her mother was diagnosed with cancer. It was a small place; a cottage, really, tucked away in the woods. Quiet, peaceful, and happy. Moving there was good for Liz, who had become depressed shortly after her diagnosis. It was good from Caroline, too. After everything she had been through, living there was a nice change of pace, and it had brought her so much closer to her mother. She was happy with things. She had a nice job, her mother, and she lived a quiet life. Her past, filled with drama and blood, was now behind her; but she felt that this drive to the Mystic Grill could change everything.

For the third time, she picked up her phone and played the voicemail over again.

“Caroline. Um, hi. I guess I haven’t seen you in a while…but, um, soothing happened,” She still couldn’t quite read Matt’s voice. Angry? Confused, maybe? Cautious. “Klaus is here, Care. And I think you should come up to the grill as soon as you can.”

Caroline was careful to take her time before leaving the house. Not only did the voice mail make her nervous, but anxious. When she first hear Matt say Klaus’ name, her heart skipped a beat; then it felt like a beating inside her throat. She hadn’t seen Klaus in years, although she had to admit he occasionally made his way into her thoughts. She often wondered what became of him. The last news from New Orleans was over 10 years ago when they heard Rebekah had been murdered by Niklaus, her own brother.

When Caroline reached the Grill, she didn’t get out right away. For a moment, she just sat and looked at it; memories flashing back in her head. All the times she came here with her friends. She let herself think back to the days before everything changed; the days before vampires, witches, hybrids, and hunters. Back when those were still stories. She wondered what her life would have been. The thought was a sort-of bitter-sweet taste that she could hardly remember, but it was too late to play what-if’s . This was her life, and she really believed she was happier now than she would’ve been.

As Caroline got out of her car, she took a deep breath and then headed inside. It looked the same as ever, but it felt so different. The grill felt empty of everything it used to be to her.

When she reached the bar, a waitress pointed Caroline to the kitchen and told her to go on in. When she did, she found Matt, sitting at a table across from Klaus. Her eyes met his immediately, but she quickly looked away. She started to say something to matt but before she could, she was cut off.

“Caroline.”

Klaus’ eyes were wide as he stood up from his seat; but he stayed where he was. There was an odd sort of recognition in his eyes when he looked at her. Not the kind Caroline expected, she was confused.

Matt was looking at Caroline, then he just sighed and put his head in his hands. What the hell was going on? Caroline looked back at Klaus for an instant, then started towards Matt.

“Matt, what is going on,” she looked back at Klaus. “What is he doing here?” Matt stood up from the table and grabbed Caroline by the hand.

“Come with me.” he started to lead her outside. Before they reached the door Matt turned back to Klaus.

“Don’t go anywhere.” Caroline looked at Klaus, confused, before they left. He stared back at her for just the second, with a look of relief on his face. He was holding something in his hand.

As soon as Matt and Caroline were outside, she started in. She had so many questions, but couldn’t think of how to word a single one.

“What the hell is going on, Matt?” She watched as he tried to get the words together.

“Okay. This morning, I came to work to open up and when I got here, he was waiting. Klaus was sitting outside waiting.” He paused, “then thing is, Care, he had no idea who I was.” Matt watched as Caroline’s face went still. She couldn’t understand. He didn’t even understand. “At first I thought he was just being a dick…but, he’s changed. Caroline, something’s wrong. Something happened to him.”

Caroline looked confused. She was. This didn’t make any sense. “So, what? Klaus has amnesia? I don’t even think vampires can have amnesia, Matt; much less the original hybrid. She’s just fucking around with you. That’s what he does.” She turned away from him and started to walk back inside. Matt caught her by the arm.

“You’re not hearing me. He doesn’t remember anything. Why would he make that up? He doesn’t have a reason; he hasn’t even seen us in over fifteen years! Why would he come back?” He looked Caroline in the eyes; she was starting to get it.

“Well he knew how to find his way to Mystic Falls, and the grill. He knew who I was. How do you explain that?”

“After I yelled at him for a while (I thought he was just being a dick), I took him inside. He told me how he can’t remember anything. He told me he didn’t even know his name at first, until he found it written down somewhere. And he didn’t remember anyone. But he found a photo, Care. It was an old picture of you, taken across from the grill, you can see it in the background. So he came looking, and he hasn’t shut up about you all morning.” Matt noticed her turn slightly pink.

“Well, what have you told him?”

“Not much really. Nothing, actually. Just that he used to know me, and you, and some of our friends. I told him he lived here for a while a few years ago.”

“So, he doesn’t know who he is. I mean everything he’s done. He wasn’t exactly…good.” Caroline tried to laugh.

“He has no idea.” Matt felt very troubled by this, while Caroline saw it only as opportunity.

“What are we going to do?”

“We’re going to talk to him,” she answered. Then she added, almost as a second though, “let me talk.”

They walked back inside to find Klaus waiting. Caroline crossed the room and sat down. She looked him in the eyes. Her heart was beating fast and she knew he could hear it. She half-smiled at him.

“Hi Klaus, I’m Caroline.”