He noticed her peering up at the night sky. “Hoping to make a wish?”

“Wishes belong in fairy tales,” she muttered darkly. “Not my crap-heap of a life.”

“It’s your dream, Caroline, you can do anything you like.”

“And here I am spending it with you.” She shook her head. “Well done, Caroline, another awesome life choice right there.”

Klaus contemplated her. “Why is it you conjure my company when I’m sure there are others you deem more worthy of your time?”

She finally met his gaze. “Because it hurts too much.” Caroline lay back on the cool tiles, hugging her arms to her chest. “I can’t dream up happy scenarios with people I care about when the reality is too harsh to face.”

“So you have a non-entity like me instead.” A flicker of hurt passed through Klaus’s eyes, before his cool demeanour returned. “Why even have me here at all?”

Caroline felt a tear slip down her cheek. “It’s either that or be alone,” she whispered, hating the sympathy she saw etched on his features.

Klaus started to reach out his hand to brush away her tear before thinking better of it, dropping his arm to his side. “I know all too well what that’s like,” he replied in a husky voice.

Dreaming With A Broken Heart @ FF.net