Caroline is dreaming, dreaming of happy endings.
She sees a life where they can all be alive. Elena, and Bonnie, herself, Matt. Tyler. Even if Elena doesn't know what her happy ending is, Caroline thinks, as she watches Damon elegantly sweep Elena around the ballroom, Damon and Elena's eyes fixed upon only each other, Stefan quietly watching them from the sidelines.
Not so long ago it would have been the other way around, Caroline realises and feels like crying.
But it could all be fixed. She can never be human, maybe, but they can find themselves again, find normality. She knows she can have it again, her friends and her life, the way it should be.
She is awoken from her impossible dreams when Klaus saunters over to her. This is his party, his rules. No change from normal then. They are always playing by Klaus' rules. He is what is standing in the way of happy endings, Caroline knows, and he will be her ending if she isn't careful.
"The world isn't ending Caroline, love," he drawls, in that way of his that never fails to get under her skin. "Dance with me."
It isn't a question or an invitation. She knows this like she knows her own name, and yet it hurts. He is who he is, and she really has to accept that, the sooner the better for everyone.
"What?" she says lightly, "Before I die?"
"Exactly, sweetheart," Klaus grins, much to her surprise. She thought he was only capable of smirking and glaring. He looks less like a psychopathic murderer than ever, and just about tears her undying heart in two. "Dance with me before you die."
The words don't sound as sinister as they should. They don't make her run like she knows she should.
"Don't you have evil things to do?" Caroline says in disgust, "Isn't there someone's life somewhere you should be ruining?"
Klaus laughs, "What do you think I'm doing right now, if not ruining your life?" he breathes the words softly, in her ear, and shivers run down her spine. She's afraid to admit that they are for all the wrong reasons.
Klaus takes in the expression on her face and pulls her closer, "Oh, sweetheart. Don't imagine that I wouldn't dance with you for an eternity."
Her breath hitches. He can't say things like that, it isn't right. It isn't right that she has to keep reminding herself that he doesn't mean it.
"Double negative." Caroline informs him, "Not the way to go."
Klaus just stares at her and shakes his head, "You really are something else, Caroline. Don't I terrify you?"
"Are you worrying about your image?" Caroline smirks. He's not the only one who can be snarky. As Matt said on her birthday, she did use to be a mean girl. Sometimes. Of course, there's a difference between mean and evil. There's too big a difference for this to be okay. She has to stop dancing. Even if it means she dies. She's already dead, anyway. She's frozen, seventeen forever. She will never change, like he will never change.
But she doesn't want to die.
"Maybe I am," he says curiously, "What do you see about me?"
His eyes blaze into her. It can't always feel like this, surely. She knows part of being a vampire is heightened emotion, but it hurts to feel like this. So much, and so hard, and so wrong. It hurts.
She might as well sign her own death sentence, Caroline realises. That is what is coming.
"I see nothing," she states, without feeling. Lying, of course. There are many things she sees about him, but she can't say what he wants to hear. She has an impression that that would break her. "I see someone with nothing."
Klaus smirks again, bitterly. "You sound like my father now. No one cares for you, boy." he echoes.
His dead father, Caroline understands, the father who Klaus killed after he said that. No points for guessing what he's implying with that.
She sighs, "Go ahead then, Klaus. Kill me. You've already taken what I cared about most."
She doesn't know if she means Tyler or something else entirely, but her heart aches and she feels like giving up.
He is considering it, she can tell. From the way his hand strokes over her arm, the way his eyes gaze upon every inch of her body, the way he leans closer and leans his head on hers. He is thinking about killing her.
She closes her eyes and breathes in. This could be the last time she dances; she may as well enjoy it, even if her partner is practically the Devil himself.
It's funny, even with her eyes closed, she still sees Klaus. There is twisted humour in that, right?
What would her father think of her now? He's right, she is definitely not okay right now.
She feels his hands on her face, caressing and opens her eyes.
"Not today, love." he says, strongly.
"It's not my birthday, you know." she informs him, slightly sarcastic.
This brings a smirk to his face. Definitely a smirk now, she has a feeling that grin was a once off and will never be repeated, at least not in her presence. He fingers her bracelet, leaving one hand on her face.
"I know. But I could never kill someone while they were wearing a birthday present for the first time. Do you really think that low of me?"
Is that their thing now, she has to wonder? He'll ask her if she thinks he is despicable scum, and she will most certainly always say yes. Unless one day she doesn't. Unless one day he knows without having to ask. And again, she has to remind herself that this isn't what she thinks it is.
"Yes," she says, without hesitation again.
But she's less sure than the first time she said it.
And what is with him and birthdays?