Angel with a Badge

by Erin Salvatore

Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. I'm just borrowing.

Note: I got inspired by the new "Beauty and the Beast" series that just aired on Thursday. It's a Klaroline AU/AH. The plot is this: Detective Caroline Forbes is investigating a homicide and learns that the only witness to the crime was Klaus Mikaelson, a soldier who arrived home from Iraq just days ago and is blind in one eye due to an accident he sustained from a piece of shrapnel during a seige. When he encounters Caroline, he is instantly drawn to her.

Don't ask, I just wanted to do something different.

Chapter 1

Chicago, Illinois

Detective Caroline Forbes drove through the streets of Chicago, blaring the lights on her car. She had just gotten a call about a homicide that taken place half an hour ago. When she finally got to the scene, she saw a majority of the Crime Scene Unit already gathered around, including the medical examiner, Meredith Fell.

"Meredith, what do we got?"

"Well, the vic was a young man, possibly in his early twenties," she said. "He was just out for a stroll in the park and some heartless bastard had to go and blow him away." She shook her head. "Sometimes, I really hate my job."

"We all do, so you're not entirely alone in that," said Caroline. "Any witnesses?"

Meredith nodded pointedly to the other side of the police tape. "Just that guy over there. He's a soldier home from Iraq. Imagine that, huh? Several days after returning from serving his country, he witnesses a murder."

Caroline bit her lip. Shit, she can only imagine what that poor soldier was thinking. "What's his name?"

"Lieutenant Klaus Mikaelson, United States Marine Corp."

Oh, so not only is he a soldier, but he's a Marine, Caroline thought. Still, witnessing a murder so soon after returning home from active duty has got to be rough.

"I'm going to go talk to him," she said finally. "See what he knows. I just hope he's not too annoyed to talk to me." She sighed. "Wish me luck, Meredith."

Without giving Meredith a chance to reply, Caroline made her way over to where their witness was standing. As she got closer, she felt her heart skip several beats. He was positively gorgeous, with dark blonde hair that was in a crew cut typical of a military man, a body that, although had been subjected to harsh conditions in Iraq, was ideal for hot, steamy, animal sex, and lips that Caroline was tempted to kiss and nibble.

"Excuse me? Lieutenant Mikaelson? I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about what went on here?"

The young Marine looked at her and Caroline noticed that his left eye was covered with an eye patch. What the hell happened that he only had one eye? "They told you to call me that, didn't they? Well, there's no need to be formal with me. I haven't been called by my rank since before I came home. Please, just call me Klaus."

Caroline nodded. "Okay, Klaus it is then. I'm Detective Forbes, but as long as we're dispensing with formalities, you can call me Caroline."

Klaus smiled. "Good. I'd prefer calling you that anyway, because I think it's a beautiful name." He cleared his throat. "Now, Caroline, I believe you wanted to ask me about the crime I witnessed here tonight?"

"I did, actually," said Caroline. "Do you have any idea who might have wanted to hurt the victim?"

"Not a clue," said Klaus. "I met the poor lad prior to his death. His name was Luka, I believe. Luka Martin. He was a student at the University of Chicago, and he was meeting with me to interview me for a report he was doing in one of his classes. Don't ask me which one, because I can't remember."

"And did you see what happened?" Caroline knew that question sounded pretty cold, considering that he only had one good eye to see out of.

"I may have one eye, but I'm not completely blind."

"I know, and I apologize if that sounded rude," said Caroline. "I only asked because it's protocol."

"I understand," said Klaus. "To answer your question, I saw a rather strange man coming toward us and the next thing I knew, Luka had a bullet in his chest and bleeding all over the place." He showed Caroline his shirt. "I got his blood on me while I was trying to administer CPR. Sadly, my efforts were in vain and he died. As for the killer, I tried to look any sign of the bastard, but it would seem that he just disappeared."

Not giving Caroline a chance to reply, he added, his tone rather angry and his good eye had fire in it, "If only I had prevented this from happening! Luka is dead because of me!"

"Klaus, you did nothing wrong," said Caroline. "You did what you could, and that's all that matters. Let the police handle this from here on out, okay? The last thing anyone needs right now is to lose such a fine Marine as yourself." Oh, yeah, he's fine, in more ways than one, her thoughts added.

Klaus urged himself to calm down. He hated to admit it, but she was right. He shouldn't blame himself for this. The real culprit was still at large and while the impulse to take matters into his own hands was great, he knew that to try and catch the killer himself wouldn't end too well.

"You're right, Caroline," he said. "If I went after the man, chances are that I too would be dead."

Caroline smiled. At least he was calmer now and listening to her. Clearing her throat, she said, "I appreciate your cooperation, Klaus. We'll nail the son of a bitch who did this, and you'll get credit for his arrest."

"I'm not looking for that," said Klaus. "I just want to help bring this man to justice once and for all."

"And we'll do everything in our power to make sure he never kills again." She cleared her throat. "Now, is there anyone I can call? Family? Friends? Girlfriend?" Shit, Caroline, why are you asking if he has a girlfriend? That's none of your business.

"I live with my sister, Rebekah. She's all I have," said Klaus. "We were adopted by the Mikaelson family when we were younger. Our birth parents died in a car accident and we were placed in a series of foster homes until the Mikaelsons took us in. They already had four boys: Elijah, Finn, Kol, and Henrik. There was another son, but he died young."

He sighed. "Oh, why am I telling you this for? I don't even know you and I'm pouring my heart out to you."

"No, it's okay, you were only answering a question," said Caroline. "Well, I'll just call your sister and let her know you're okay."

Klaus nodded and looked at Caroline as she went about calling Rebekah. She was definitely as beautiful as her name, with long, curly blonde hair that he wanted to run his fingers through, dazzling blue eyes, a body he could imagine himself caressing as they had passionate, primal sex in his bed, and lips he was tempted to kiss.

This case looks like it's intriguing to say the least, he thought. I'm helping the police catch a killer, and I've got a very beautiful detective to help me. Though, I can't help but get the feeling that we're going to wind up helping each other, in more ways than one.

Note: Thus begins yet another Klaroline AU/AH by yours truly. There will be romance in here eventually. I just wanted our leads to meet first.

Enjoy and let me know what you think! Reviews are love!