Sunlight

Chapter 24: Lazy Days in Pakistan

They didn't make it to the hotel Caroline had planned to stop at after their dinner, spending the night in (and on) the car where they stopped.

They drove through Turkey and wove through Iran. After a couple of pit stops where Caroline was gawked at in a manner that made Klaus grit his teeth and breathe through his nose to avoid physical, bloody confrontation, Caroline bought a thicker scarf to cover up her distinctive blonde hair. It stopped the stares, and Klaus' constant presence warded off any other inquisitive glances.

When they stopped in Pakistan, Klaus was so protective of her even in his mere stance that the hotel staff immediately assumed they were a married couple, sans wedding bands. Caroline had blushed, but not denied it, knowing it would merely cause unnecessary trouble if she said otherwise. She had tried to take note of how Klaus reacted the first time it happened, but he was as unreadable as usual, and Caroline couldn't tell whether he was amused, troubled, or pensive.

After exploring the features of their hotel room, Caroline wandered back to the bedroom and stretched across the expanse of the king-sized bed lazily. It had been a long day, and she hadn't had to deal with the stress of actually planning anything for a while. She began to seriously contemplate a nap, much to her slight dismay. Klaus followed her and after pausing to admire her elongated form from the doorway, joined her.

"Any plans, love?"

"Mmm..." Came her sighed response, which he took as a no.

"Surely the great Caroline Forbes has something planned." He teased, and she scowled sleepily at him, snuggling into his side. His hand immediately went to stroke the hair back from her face, and he kept up the soothing action as her eyes fluttered closed.

"Lets spend the day in bed then. That's a plan, right?" She asked almost hopefully.

"I think you and I want to spend it in different ways." Klaus chuckled, and she smiled.

"I'm sure I'll want exactly the same as you...just in an hour or so..." She trailed off, and he brushed a kiss across her temple.

"Go to sleep, sweetheart."

Caroline was out like a light.

When she woke up again, she was almost certain no time had passed, for Klaus was in exactly the same position. However, once she noticed what he was wearing, a frown marred her brow.

"Is there some fancy vampire gathering I don't know about?" Caroline asked, running her hand along the collar of his dark shirt. She didn't mind – Klaus cleaned up very well – but she did like a little warning.

"I can't believe it." Klaus smiled to himself. "You don't know."

"Don't know what?"

"What's today, Caroline?"

She rolled her eyes. "Like I've seriously kept a track of time when I've been travelling with you."

Klaus nodded in acknowledgment. "Very well. I'll give you a hint – its February."

"Okay..."

"A certain day in February that I've chosen to ignore for a thousand years due to its irrelevance until now."

Caroline blinked, eyes wide. "Valentines Day! How did I somehow miss all of that?"

"I'll just say its because I'm a good distraction." Klaus smirked, and Caroline rolled her eyes, but kissed him anyway.

"Well just be thankful that you're playing the distraction role now, not me."

"I'll accept that."