Caroline was told that she passed the job interview rather brilliantly, impressing and charming the pants off everybody, including Esther, the boss herself. She was to begin first thing Monday in their Manhattan offices, and, for little miss Caroline Forbes from Mystic Falls, Virginia, this was her getting closer to her ultimate goal. She had shrieked and cried and danced and smiled until her jaw ached and her legs hurt after she got the call.
She herself had thought the interview had gone well. She'd gave them her everything, tried to dazzle them in any was she could. But she had worried, she always did, that they would see where she was from and dismiss her entirely, or that they would find her too naive, too rural. Too stupid.
And she had just passed the bar, too ! This job was dreamy. A beautiful, perfect, impossible dream. And when she'd go there tomorrow, they would probably mock her gullibility, and send her home on her ass.
But Caroline shrugged it off, and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was a fierce, fiery woman. She'd never let them get away with mocking her. "You", she told herself, "are Caroline Fracking Forbes." She held herself straighter and breathed in slowly. "You are going to Mikaelson& Mikaelson tomorrow, and you will kick some lawyery ass. You can do this, and you can do it better than anyone else ever will." She nodded to herself in the mirror.
Of course, her mom hadn't been very happy about her taking a job as a legal secretary/PA when she was a well qualified lawyer. But Caroline knew this job could lead – would lead – to so much more ! And, not that she'd tell that to her mom but, she needed the money. Really needed it. Columbia University wasn't free, and neither was law school, or a loft – even a small one – in Brooklyn, New-York. Besides, working under one of the most powerful lawyers in America, not to mention one of the most powerful women in America, could be one of the best things that ever happened to her. Caroline wasn't about to let that pass. Yes, she was actually very happy about taking this job.
It didn't help much that, wherever Caroline went, people only noticed the pretty blue eyes, the long wavy blonde hair, the slight southern accent she had tried so hard to lose, and the designer bag and shoes. But the truth was, she was not a Southern Belle, nor was she rich. She had found the shoes in a stroke of luck at a Goodwill, and her bag, a well worn Prada she carried everywhere, had been bought after five years worth of birthdays, Christmases, and her own baby-sitting money. But the point was that people, at least most of them anyway, had never looked past the pretty surface, and so Caroline had remained safely hidden behind it, creating a bubbly personality and the insecurities that went along with it. Only her best friend and his brother had seen through that, and had discovered her real self. She had forever been thankful to them for that.
Graduating third in her class, Caroline had missed many of the opportunities she wanted and felt that she deserved for working so hard, but this job was the shot she was waiting for. Her springboard for the great things she was made for. And, in the end, it made everything else worth it, good and bad.
It was Sunday at noon, the very day before she was to start working, and Caroline was staring at herself, trying to even out her eyebrows. She wanted to be flawless from head to toe tomorrow, and that meant checking everything at least twice. Or three times. The clothes and the hair, of course, but Caroline wasn't about to forget her best asset : her brain. She'd have her roommate – and best friend – Stefan quiz her later on absolutely everything she ever learnt in both college and law school. She needed for her first day to be perfect, because she knew just how important first impressions were. She also knew that they would get her on details if she wasn't 100% careful.
Besides, and as a nice gentleman had remarked in the interview, Mikaelson&Mikaelson wasn't the kind of firm to offer jobs to the third best, and she needed to consider herself lucky if she was hired. God, would she ever live this one down ? Or would it follow her for the rest of her career ?
She, herself, had decided it would not define her, and that she would never again be viewed as anything else but number one. She was not going to let them catch her with her pants down. She was going to be ready for tomorrow, so help her God.
When Stefan came home after his week-end job shift (teaching alone wasn't enough for him to afford rent, and, as much as they had tried, they never did find cheaper in Brooklyn), he found Caroline waiting for him with a hot cup of tea and a plate filled with the only dish she had learnt how to make: mac and cheese. Thankfully for the both of them (and their stomachs), Stefan did the cooking on the week days. It just so happened that mac and cheese Caroline-style was his favorite dish ever, so it all worked out well in the end.
Caroline and Stefan had been inseparable since he moved to Mystic Falls junior year of high school, and, when Caroline told him of her plan to move to New-York to go to college, it had seemed natural for Stefan to go with her. They hadn't needed to discuss anything, it was just the way it was supposed to be. Wherever they were, it was common knowledge that one, they were each other's favorite person and that nothing or nobody would ever change that, and two, that, when you had one, you got the other too. They were a package deal.
That, of course, did not mean that they were crazy in love with each other and that they'd end up getting married, having kids, and live happily ever after (although they often joked that if they were still single by 35, they'd seriously consider it; and Caroline sometimes thought how nice and easy love would be with Stefan.), no. Stefan had dated Caroline's best girl friend all through high school before they broke it off senior year, just before being elected prom king and queen – Caroline had been so angry about that for so long – and Caroline had had a very heated and very passionate on and off relationship with Stefan's older brother Damon for years. They even still got it on whenever they were in the same city. They had loved each other, hated each other, and were now very good friends.
Stefan was the only constant in Caroline's life, and she loved and needed him desperately. He was the water to her fire, he was the rock that kept her grounded when she was spinning too fast, he was her reality check when she puffed her chest. He was steady and reliable and serious and sweet, and Caroline was crazy, passionate, impetuous, and even sometimes a little mean. She was the one throwing emergency dance parties, playing 80's pop music a little too loud, he was the one saying sorry to the neighbors when they knocked on the door, and still smile when he closed it. They loved each other for it, and for countless other reasons, and it was hard for Caroline to picture herself without him by her side.
"Help me!" she cried when she pushed the plate in front of him. "Can't it wait until I've had my coffee and my mac and cheese ?" He flashed his slow, lazy smile at her, and she pouted. "Fine. Eat." She then proceeded to pace back and forth from the breakfast bar where he was snoozing through his meal to the table where she'd laid down all her notes. She tried listening to Stefan telling her about his day, but she couldn't help fidgeting. When she passed him, he grabbed her arm to stop her. "Caroline, you are the brightest and the best person that I know. If you show this side of you I know and love, you are going to be fine tomorrow. They are all going to fall at your feet. Relax. The boss hired you. She liked you. You have nothing to fear. Now sit down and eat. You're making me nervous." And, with the same calm he showed most of the time, he went back to his plate, and to sleeping above it. Caroline's eyes watered a little, and she sat down at once. Her voice was very small when she asked him if he meant it. "Every word." he responded, yawning. And, just like that, the subject was dropped, and Caroline felt much better, and calmer, too. She'd still read through her notes, but she realized she didn't need to do it right now. She hugged her best friend who immediately complained he couldn't eat any more, but hugged her back.
The next morning, Caroline woke up with a start. A glance at her clock told her it was early. Very early. She tried going back to sleep, but she was too stressed. Her stomach was fluttering. She forced herself to take deep, long breaths, and to get up. She got dressed, undressed, then dressed again, but it still wasn't right. After half an hour of standing in front of her closet in her underwear, she found what she wanted to wear : a large, stylish orange t-shirt that she tucked into a black, knee-length, high-waisted skirt, so tight Caroline had to take small breaths if she didn't want to feel like she might die. (It was probably just her nerves, but she felt much better thinking it was the skirt.) She took another thirty minutes for her hair, and some more minutes on her accessories and make-up. It all had taken too long, even by her standards, but once she had finished and looked at herself in the mirror, she felt beautiful, empowered and confidant, ready to take on the world. She took one last look, smiled, and left her apartment after leaving a note for Stefan, fresh coffee, and some pancakes kept warm in the oven.
She was still early, but it wouldn't hurt to take some time getting to know the building before the boss came in. Quite the contrary, she thought. She picked up her usual order at Starbucks, playing with her phone to keep from trembling. She found her courage, however, once she was in front of the firm's building. She rearranged her hair, checked her make-up, and strut in. The new, shiny badge they had her come back to take a picture and make was waiting for her at the front desk. She took it, thanked the security guards with a warm smile, and rode the elevators to her new desk, and her new life.
She found it quite easily, next to Esther's office. When she'd sat down, she examined her surroundings. Esther would be sitting just behind the glass wall and door, not too far from her; but they both still had their privacy and the freedom and room to do what they had to do. The floor itself would probably be quiet, since only the two managing partners had their offices on it, and, while Esther had only Caroline, the other one had a PA and a secretary. She found the kitchen and the staff lounge room quite easily, and she passed some conference rooms on her way to the bathroom. As she came back to her work space, she noticed the office wasn't empty, not any more.
Sitting in Esther's chair was the most gorgeous, handsome man she'd ever seen – and she figured she had met plenty to compare him to –. He was well-built, lean but muscular, and wore the shabby, two day beard Caroline found oh so irresistible. His hair was dirty blond, quite short, which Caroline actually hated but looked so good on him. And his face, his face was the main event. His cheekbones, his jaw, his mouth. It actually took Caroline's breath away a little. Or maybe it was just that she had forgotten the small breaths thing for a second, and her skirt was now punishing her for it. But he was so dreamy, so yummy – Caroline literately wanted to bite him to see if he tasted as good as he looked – that she felt mesmerized for a minute before she snapped out of it. Thankfully for her, he hadn't witnessed any of that, and she could collect herself before walking into the office.
"You're not Esther." she blurted out as she took her ground in front of the desk. He looked up, surprised, his eyes locking onto hers. "Deep blue eyes." Caroline thought. "Damn it." They stayed silent for a while, quietly assessing each other, but, by the time he stood up, she started to feel anger coursing through her veins. She hated when men looked at her up and down like she was some kind of animal they needed to appraise before declaring its value. She was a person, a woman in her own right. And she would not let him think he had any power over her because he was the one in her boss' office.
"That's an acute observation." The thick British accent weakened her knees, and she felt her heart flutter, but Caroline only showed indifference. "Thank you," she felt herself reply almost coldly. "but you're still not Esther." He smiled, dimples showing as he did, and Caroline felt her heart flutter once more. Fuck you, thought Caroline, but she wasn't sure if she was talking to her heart or the man in front of her. "Esther's decided that, um, London was more suited to her. She is running our firm there, now."
"London, England ?" It was a weak question, but Caroline was too surprised to think on her feet with this one. "What other London is there ?" He seemed amused by their conversation, and Caroline quickly needed to find something to shut him up, make him stop smiling. "London, Ontario, for one." There ! That ought to shut him up, she thought. But he only chuckled. "I enjoy you. You're funny."
"Again, thank you. But you are still not Esther."
He extended his hand to her. "I'm Klaus. Esther's son. I'll be running the New-York firm from now on." Caroline glanced at his hand, then back up at him. She hesitated for a second, but shook his hand long enough to feel electricity rushing on the skin, up her spine, leaving her wobbly on her feet. She heard him gasp faintly before she took her hand back and crossed her arms in front of her. The whole exchange had left her quite weak. "Hi" she started, feebly, before gaining confidence. "I'm Caroline Forbes. I suppose I'm to be your legal secretary, slash executive assistant."
"You suppose ?" He still looked amused, the bastard, while Caroline started to feel frustrated.
"Well, I was going to be your mother's, but she ran off to London without me, so here I am."
"Yes, here you are." They fell silent once more, still staring at each other, unable to look away, unwilling to. She focused on her breathing, tried to get it under control in the silent atmosphere. She heard Klaus clear his throat before speaking. "Can I get a coffee, then, Caroline Forbes ?" Caroline rolled her eyes, and snorted a little.
"Okay, there are three things you need to know about me before we can work together." It was her turn to clear her throat, and he looked at her, eyes sparkling. "One, I choose what I wear. You don't get to tell me what I can or cannot wear. In fact, you don't get to comment on what I chose to wear. It's my business, my decision. The only thing you get to say is your dress is too short, or I can see your boobs. But I'm not going to be one of these suit-wearing women who have forgotten how to be young and stylish. And I am both, so. Besides, I know what is or isn't appropriate, and I will dress accordingly."
"So your orange t-shirt is appropriate for work."
"Do you have a problem with orange ?"
"No, no." He smiled politely, trying to hide his amusement, but Caroline saw it all the same. She chose to continue without pointing it out.
"Two, I speak my mind. I am an honest, blunt person, and I will not change that for you. In fact, I will not change anything for you. At all. I am what I am, and what I am is good. Take it, or leave it. To work with you, to be the best assistant to you that I can be - and trust me, I am damn good - I need to be able to speak my mind. Trust me, we will both be happier for it. For example, that tie, with that shirt ? Uh-uh. I don't even know how you could believe they went together. See ? It's a win-win. I feel better for saying it, and you, well, you'll throw that tie away and never speak of it again."
She shrugged, and the man opposite her opened his mouth. She stopped him with one hand. "I have a smart mouth, and I love it. You probably will too.
And three, don't piss me off. I'm not a nice person when I'm calm, I'm even worse when I'm angry. And if I am ever angry, or frustrated because of something not related to you, I will do my best to hide or control it. And in return for all of this, I will be at my desk six days a week, and up to twelve, thirteen hours a day. I will make your schedule easier, try and take as much responsibilities as I can on my own shoulders, and overall be the best fucking legal secretary anyone's ever seen. Pardon my French."
"Are you quite finished ?" Caroline could hear the laughter in his voice without him actually laughing. "Yes, I think I am."
"Will you planning on giving this speech to my mother ?"
"No." Caroline frowned a little. "You mother was scary." He cracked up a little as she smiled, turned around, and left his office. "So no to my coffee, then ?" he called after her, still laughing. Caroline looked back at him, still standing where he had been when she was in his office. "Oh, I will get you your coffee. I just wanted to make things clear between us." She smiled at him, grabbed her purse, and made for the elevators. "Oh, and, um … You'll take it tall, black and with two sugars, by the way. At least, that's how I'm getting it. And you owe me five bucks." The last thing she heard before the elevator doors closed was her new boss laughing merrily.
The rest of the day passed in a blur, and Caroline barely talked with Klaus. She was so busy she even forgot to take a lunch break, and they both had so many things to do with the change of managing partners, and with the open cases they had to familiarize themselves with. Caroline could hear faint conversations now and then, but, overall, she was buried in too much work to notice anything else happening around their office. She had to stop a few times to take or make calls, and to welcome anyone who needed to see or meet the new boss. She used those times to go pee or to bring back more caffeine for her and Klaus, who barely acknowledged her when she entered his open office to put a mug of hot coffee on his desk, even when said mug was right next to him. Six o'clock came and went without them noticing it, and Caroline only looked up when her stomach grumbled loudly around seven thirty. She still had some calls to make before leaving, but chances were that everybody had gone home. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, but tried calling anyway.
When she finally got up to go home to Stefan, she glanced at her boss. He looked exhausted, but were still on the phone with some clients who were scared to change lawyers at the last minute. Caroline took her purse and knocked on his door to gesture her leaving. He looked up and instantly smiled sweetly, as if it had escaped his lips without him meaning to. He lifted a finger to make her wait, and spoke into the phone : "Could you just wait a second, please ? Thanks." Then, looking at her : "Are you going home ?" "Yeah." she whispered, without really knowing why. She felt dizzy, and looking at him, even tired and rugged, was harder than she'd hoped. "Don't stay here too late, okay ?" "Okay." "Okay." Then, after a second. "Bye."
Caroline almost curtsied but stopped at the last second, opting to withdraw with a small smile instead. She left, promptly, without taking a breath between his office and the elevator. "Jesus Fucking Christ." She swore, loudly, leaning against the wall. She felt more tired than she had in years, and couldn't wait to be home, and fall on the couch next to her best friend, and eat whatever meal he had prepared. She closed her eyes, tried to relax, and only opened them when she heard the ping of the elevator door. Just thirty more minutes, and she'd be home to her fridge, her shower, her bed. Away from her dazzling new boss.
Stefan was waiting for her this time, eager to hear about her day. But she looked so tired that he refrained from asking too many questions, and instead, he let her hug him for as long as she needed. Caroline went straight from his arms into a nice, relaxing, hot shower, and then back in the main room to eat and chat. She told him all about her day, largely playing down her attraction to Klaus Mikaelson, but recreating her speech from the morning. He laughed, hiding his eyes behind his hand. "Oh, God." was all he said at first, but, as soon as she was done, he asked how it was that she still had a job to go to in the morning. "Because I'm hot." She shrugged it off, clearly joking, but she wondered if it was true. "Okay, no more me. Tell me about your day, Stefan. Please ?" She smiled at him, impatient to shut up and eat as much as she wanted to. Stefan obliged, looking elsewhere as she gulped down her food like a cave-woman.
He had papers to grade and finals to organize, so he left her at the bar to go work on the table, and Caroline, after doing the dishes, left him alone. She felt too tired to do anything, so she went straight to bed, and fell asleep as soon as her head touched her pillow.