Chapter One

"Mommy?"

"Yeah, I just got on I-20."

"Okay, call me when you get there."

"What about Stefan?" She paused before asking, her voice almost breaking when she said his name.

"Just go." Alaric's voice was forceful.

"Okay… um, goodbye." She hung up the phone.

"Mommy?"

"Shh, don't wake up your sister."

"Where're we goin'?" Caroline paused a moment, looking at her daughter before her eyes went back to the road, and answered with what almost could be considered triumph in her voice.

"To New Orleans. To visit mommy's friend." The road stretched on in front of them.

To think that just over 3 years ago, all Caroline was worried about was the fact that her best friend is in a coffin until her other best friend lived her life, and died. And it's worse for Bonnie, seeing as she'll never get to see Elena again. At least Caroline will live forever, at least she'll get spend a few more lifetimes with Elena. And of course, now that's threatened by some crazy vampire huntress. And sweet, innocent, loyal Matt Donovan is working with her. It really has all gone to hell. So what's her solution? Run straight into the devil's arms.

Perhaps one day, in a year, or even a century, you'll turn up at my door, and let me show you what the world has to offer.

His voice rang in her head. When he had said that to her, his face so close to hers, his hand on her lower back, she swore she agreed.

Of course I will. I can already tell, it's going to be me and Niklaus Mikaelson, light and dark, king and queen, angel and devil, yin and yang.

She didn't say it aloud. She's glad she didn't now, it was a dreamer's thought. Before the twins, she used to imagine what would have happened if she had said that. Tyler was undoubtedly eavesdropping, so he would have heard. She imagined his face, betrayal and disgust written across it. She would stop imagining it then. But when she imagined Klaus' reaction, she smiled. He would've stopped dancing, surprised for a moment. He would look at her, and his eyes would say everything. He would smile big enough for his dimples to show, and he would spin her around expertly, and unlike the first time, when she was so mad at him, because he can make her unmad at him in a matter of one and a half minutes, she wouldn't resist. Maybe they would sway until the song ended, just a little too close. Maybe he would kiss the top of her head before he sent her back to Tyler.

She thinks about Klaus more than she'd like to admit. His smile, his eyes, his body, his arms around her, his art, his dimples, his tattoos. She'd stopped imagining. But she'd never stop thinking.

Caroline's eyes flickered to the back seat for a moment. Liz and Josie were both asleep now. She continued to drive, her thoughts desperately trying to get away from the man she was going to see in about 12 hours. Her eyes flickered all over the road.

I'm going to see Niklaus in less than 12 hours. Caroline thought. And then, on a completely unrelated note she wondered How do I look?

Caroline realized she was nervous. Her grip tightened on the steering wheel, and she swallowed.

This was going to be a long drive.