F.R.I.E.N.D.S
Cast:
Niklaus Mikaelson – Ross Geller
Rebekah Mikaelson – Monica Geller
Caroline Forbes – Rachel Green
Stefan Salvatore – Chandler Bing
Alexia Branson – Phoebe Buffay
Damon Somerhalder (Salvatore) – Joey Tribbiani
Season 1, Episode 1:
It was a wet and miserable day in New York City, particularly for newly divorced Niklaus Mikaelson as he entered Central Perk cafe, where his sister and friends lounged in their familiar seating arrangement around the coffee table.
"Hi." he greeted upon arrival, his pained expression mirroring the flatness in his tone. Klaus was too tired to even put on a brave face.
"This guy says hello, I wanna kill myself." Damon commented, his mouth twitching into a smirk.
"Damon!" Rebekah chastised, shooting him a glare before turning towards her brother. "Are you okay, Nik?" she asked gently, patting the seat next to her on the couch.
"I feel like someone just reached down my throat, grabbed my small intestine, pulled it out of my mouth and tied it around my neck." he droned, accepting the seat.
"Cookie?" Stefan quipped, raising a plate of said cookies whilst exchanging a devilish look with his roommate Damon.
Rebekah didn't miss the exchange, her eyebrows narrowing at their childish behaviour. "Katherine moved out her stuff today." she stated, aimed mostly at them.
"Oh." they mumbled simultaneously, dropping their eyes in shame.
"Real sensitive, guys." Rebekah scolded under her breath. "Let me get you some coffee." she added, getting up and ordering from the counter.
"Oh!" Lexi sounded, plucking at the air surrounding Klaus. He needn't ask what she was doing.
"Stop cleansing my aura! Just leave my aura alone, okay?" he complained.
"Fine! Be murky." Lexi answered in defeat, letting her hands drop.
"I'll be fine, alright? Really. I hope she'll be very happy." he pressed, taking a sip of his coffee.
"No you don't." Rebekah muttered.
"No I don't, to hell with her, she left me!" he barked, slamming his cup back down on the table so that coffee spilled over the sides. Rebekah pursed her lips, draping an arm around her brother's shoulders in a comforting gesture.
"And you never knew she was in love with Elijah..." Damon spoke for the second time, still bent on provoking Klaus's temper it seemed.
"No. Why does everyone keep fixating on that? She didn't know. How should I know?" he snapped back, sending penetrating death glares towards Damon. He sometimes wondered why he put up with him. Stefan and Klaus had been best mates since college, but it seemed if he wanted to continue that friendship, he would have to at least try and endure his infuriatingly cocky roommate.
"Can we not talk about Elijah?" Rebekah spoke in an authoritative tone, unable to hide the revulsion she felt for her second to oldest brother. It had been bad enough for Nik to discover that his wife of four years had been cheating on him, but it had been infinitely more devastating to find out with whom it had been. In her mind, Elijah was no longer her brother.
"Alright Klaus, look." Damon leaned forward, attempting to sway the conversation onto lighter matters. "You're feeling a lot of pain right now. You're angry. You're hurting. Can I tell you what the answer is?"
Klaus simply glanced up from under his blonde lashes – his expression still menacing.
"Strip joint!" Damon sang, his smile almost splitting the sides as he watched Klaus suppress a low growl.
"I don't want to be single." he admitted with a sigh – and it was true. Klaus had never been one for dating, as he was much too dedicated to his work and could frankly do without the whole charade. It had been easy with Katherine. They had met in college and seemed to hit it off, fell in love, and became husband and wife. It was all Klaus had ever wanted, but unfortunately his affections weren't returned. "I just... I just want to be married again." he confessed, throwing his hands in the air.
At that moment, it was as if he had been jolted back in time, but yet somehow it was happening now. His eyes zeroed in on the white angelic figure that had graced them with her presence, soaked from the pouring rain, but she had never looked so beautiful. Klaus revelled in the sight of her, completely forgetting what had him so riled up a second ago; experiencing now what could only be described as pure bliss. Because of her. It was all for her.
"Caroline?!" Rebekah asked in astonishment, as she was met by a familiar face belonging to the dripping wet bride.
"Oh my God, Rebekah. Hey!" Caroline Forbes spun around at the sound of an old friend's voice and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God!" she cried, crushing her in a hug. "I just went to your building and you weren't there – then this guy said you might be here and you are, you are!" Caroline was practically singing.
From a distance, Klaus had only just managed to gather his thoughts and was watching with wide, excited eyes – his infamous smirk sewn into his face. It had been years, but Caroline was here. In a wedding dress. And clearly she wasn't sporting a vehicle with a sign that read 'Just Married'.
"Can I get you some coffee?" a meek voice called over the commotion.
"De-caff." Rebekah confirmed, gesturing towards Caroline. The last thing she needed was caffeine to add fuel to the flame. "Alright everybody, this is Caroline. Caroline – this is everybody, Stefan, Lexi, Damon, and you remember my brother Nik?" Rebekah prattled on with the introductions.
"Of course, hey!" Caroline greeted, allowing her eyes to roam over her friend's attractive older brother; who she remembered from many years of thanksgivings at the Mikaelson's. Her memories of him were vague, although it seemed that Klaus had held onto his adorable dimples over the years.
"Hello Caroline." Klaus responded with a slight nod, his mouth curved into a knowing smile. Oh, how he was enjoying this.
Rebekah waited until Caroline was seated before asking; "So, do you want to tell us now, or are we waiting for four wet bridesmaids?"
Caroline inhaled thickly before she began. "Well, it started a few hours before the wedding. I was at the Lockwood's, and Carol was styling my hair, 'cause you know my mom was never any good at that girly stuff." She rambled. Liz Forbes had worked at NYPD for Caroline's whole life, and had never taken the time to indulge in such activities with her daughter. In fact, even Caroline's father Bill was better acquainted with the world of fashion. "Anyway, we were looking through old photos of me and Tyler and I realised something. I didn't love Tyler. Not really – and all this time I had been holding onto the past because I was too scared of being alone." she gushed, using the moment of silence to take a sip of her coffee.
Klaus found himself gripping the arm of the couch at the name Tyler. So Caroline had been with the Lockwood boy this entire time? After how badly he had treated her in high school? His knuckles paled at the tensing and he managed to regain control of himself without being noticed – by everyone apart from Damon, of course. He watched inquisitively, his eyebrows quirked in surprise while Klaus avoided his gaze.
"I had to get out of there, but I didn't know where else to go – and I know that you and I have kind of drifted apart, but you're the only person I knew who lived here in the city."
"Who wasn't invited to the wedding." Rebekah added, cocking an eyebrow.
"I was kind of hoping that wouldn't be an issue." Caroline winced, taking another long gulp.
Klaus couldn't help but chuckle at Caroline's antics. She hadn't changed a bit. She was still the same Caroline he had fallen in love with all those years ago, with her neurotic tendencies which made her all the more endearing. His only regret was that he hadn't confessed his feelings for her at the time. It should have been their wedding today, not her and that punk Tyler's.
After a few minutes of chatting while the group of six finished their beverages, they relocated to Rebekah's apartment that had once been owned by a senior Mikaelson. Rebekah, Stefan, Lexi and Damon lay about in front of the television – ignorant to the high pitched frequencies that were coming from Caroline's mouth.
"Daddy, I'm sorry! I just couldn't marry Tyler. I don't love him." she spoke into the phone, pacing the room like a wild dog.
Klaus sat at the table across from her, watching intensely, while still finding the whole situation bizarre.
"Look, it's my life." she tried to sound stern. "Maybe I'll just stay here with Rebekah."
Rebekah's head snapped up, along with the others who looked to her for a reaction.
"Well, I guess we've established she's staying here with Rebekah." she said flatly, smoothing her blonde hair for comfort.
"Don't worry, little sister." Klaus spoke, placing a hand on Rebekah's shoulder after getting up from his chair. "I'm sure you and Caroline will have a blast." he said sarcastically, grinning as his sister slapped him away. Admittedly, he was thrilled to have Caroline living so close after she had been absent from his life for so many years. He doubted that Rebekah felt the same way.
"Daddy, it's my decision. I don't need you or your money." were her parting words, before she collapsed in a chair at the table and held her head in her hands. Klaus watched with concern, rejoining her in the kitchen followed by Rebekah, Lexi, Stefan and Damon.
"I'll get a paper bag!" Lexi called, rushing out of the room before she returned with a bag in hand and passed it to a now hyperventilating Caroline.
"Just breathe. Think of nice, calm things." Rebekah instructed, mimicking breathing exercises.
Caroline obeyed, and after a few minutes had resumed her normal breathing.
"Okay, look, this is probably for the best. You know?" Rebekah started, sitting in the seat across from her friend. "Independence. Taking control of your life."
"And hey, you need anything, you can always ask me." Damon quickly interjected, placing a hand on Caroline's shoulder. She recoiled slightly, but his grip was firm. "Stefan and I live just across the hall. And he's away a lot." he ended with a wink.
A chorus of groans echoed around the room.
"Damon, stop hitting on her! It's her wedding day!" Rebekah scolded, smacking his arm.
"What? Like there's a rule or something?" Damon commented, raising his hands in surrender.
"Remind me, why are you here again?" Klaus directed at Damon.
"Maybe because you need mine and Stefan's help later?" he retorted, in a manner that closed the conversation. Klaus simply grumbled in response.
From the door of the apartment, the buzzer sounded and Stefan volunteered himself to answer it.
"It's Dean." a voice spoke over the intercom.
"Oh gosh, is it six-thirty already? Buzz him in!" Rebekah exclaimed, stealing a glance at her watch.
"Who's Dean?" Stefan and Damon enquired jointly.
"Dean the hybrid guy?" Klaus asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Maybe." Rebekah deliberated before answering. She knew how judgemental her brother could be when it came to who she dated.
"He finally asked you out?" he pressed, a smirk spreading across his face at his sister's attempt of playing it cool.
"Yes!" she squealed.
"Oh, this is a Dear Diary moment." Stefan commented in a drawl.
"So, what, he's a hybrid? Does he drive a hybrid?" Damon pondered, confused by the nickname.
"He drives one, of course." Klaus shot back in a patronising tone, as though it were obvious.
"Care– I can cancel." Rebekah offered, reluctant to leave her friend alone on her almost wedding day.
"No, go on. I'll be fine." Caroline insisted, a little offended by the idea that she needed a baby sitter.
Rebekah was ready to fight her on the matter, even though she didn't really want to, until Dean was knocking at the door.
"Hey Dean, come in. This is.." she greeted him, before glancing back to find her friends crowding around them. "...everybody. Everybody this is Dean."
A rumble of greetings emanated through the room, filling the spare seconds of silence before Rebekah skittered off to her bedroom to change.
"Hey Dean, I'll give you a tip." Damon started once Rebekah's guest was seated. "She really likes it when you rub her neck in the same spot over and over and over again until it starts to get a little red." he recalled, finishing with a wink.
"Shut up, Damon!" Rebekah called from her bedroom whilst slipping into a little black number.
The group chatted with Dean aimlessly before Rebekah returned in a black dress, a pair of glossy heels and her blonde hair slicked to one side.
"So Caroline, what're you up to tonight?" Klaus asked casually, not quite making eye contact.
"Well, I was supposed to be headed for my honeymoon, so nothing!" she responded with a forced laugh.
Klaus nodded before adding; "Just know that if you don't feel like being alone tonight, Stefan and Damon are coming over to help with my new furniture."
"Yes, and we're very excited about it." Stefan commented flatly.
Caroline smiled in appreciation of his offer. "Thanks, but actually I think I'm going to just stay here tonight. It's been a long day."
Klaus nodded once more, unable to resist smiling back at her. He could tell she was tired from the dark circles under her eyes, her paler than usual skin complexion, and the disarrayed condition of her hair – but all of that seemed to dissolve at the sight of her perfect smile and familiar light dancing in her eyes. It was the same smile that had been engraved in his memory since the moment they'd met – the same smile that stole his heart, tore it to shreds and handed it back to him all bandaged up.
He was slipping under, feeling like the same goofy teenager that used to have a crush on his little sister's best friend; but things were different now. He was sure of himself – his looks, his charms, and ability to woo the ladies with his accent. It was a common trait of the Mikaelson's, as the family had originally lived in London before moving to NYC, although his accent was regarded as more of a rarity in their minds.
Klaus had been thirteen years old when their family upped and left, save for his oldest brother Finn who was eighteen and had a stable job in London. The move had been nonnegotiable, after they had suffered the loss of their youngest son and brother, Henrik, as a new born baby. Esther had found the whole experience extremely traumatic, and after much deliberation, the family consisting of Mikael, Esther, Niklaus, fifteen year old Elijah, eleven year old Kol and ten year old Rebekah moved to NYC. It was there that the Mikaelson's made family friends in the Forbes' – and the rest was history.
"Hey Lex, you wanna help?" Damon asked, snapping Klaus back into reality, as he watched Lexi attempt a quick escape through the front door.
She stopped in her tracks, turning to face him with a smug expression. "Oh, I wish I could, but I don't want to." Lexi stated; leaving Damon lost for words before sauntering out of the apartment.
Damon frowned. "I bet she would have if you asked her." he directed at Stefan.
"Well that's true. She doesn't like you very much, Damon." Stefan responded with a teasing smirk.
"Nobody does." Klaus intervened, grinning between the two. The banter continued for a few more minutes before the three men made their way over to Klaus's apartment, leaving Caroline alone to dwell on the day's events by binging on junk food and chick flicks – she had to get it out of her system somehow.
Damon and Stefan had been occupied with assembling a bookcase whilst Klaus felt that a toast was in order, and set out rummaging through the cupboards.
"I'm thinking we've got a bookcase here." Damon commented after tightening the final screw, cocking his head to one side whilst quietly observing.
"It's a beautiful thing." Stefan agreed in a drawl, mimicking Damon's notion of cocking his head.
His eyes catching the sight of a leftover part lying on the ground, Damon brought it to attention. "What's this?" he enquired, holding the instrument up to Stefan.
"I would have to say that is an 'L' shaped bracket." Stefan dragged, his forehead brooding.
"Which goes where?" Damon asked, looking between the bookcase and part.
"I have no idea." Stefan admitted blankly. Both turned discreetly to check that Klaus wasn't looking before disposing of the part; announcing that they were done with the bookcase.
They watched in uncomfortable silence as Klaus stared at a glass bottle, cradling it in his large hands.
"This was Katherine's favourite wine." he spoke in a low, flat tone. "Elijah's too. I should have known." he added, his hands crushing around the bottle as he was reminded of his brother's sins.
He turned towards his friends with an almost desperate look in his cloudy blue eyes. "Will you drink it with me?" he asked in the most sincere, childlike tone. It was anything to take his mind off her – off the thought of them. It infuriated him.
Both Stefan and Damon breathed an awkward sigh, unsure of how to be of comfort before stepping towards Klaus in the kitchen.
"Sure, man." Damon said in a gentle tone, patting Klaus on the back, whilst Stefan fetched some tumblers from the cupboard.
Klaus filled them generously, bringing the glass to his lips and taking a long gulp. He groaned as the liquid touched his tongue, aiming to taste as little of it as possible. It wasn't scotch, but it did the trick. By the third glass, he was beginning to feel a little weight being lifted off his shoulders.
"Just so you know–" Damon started, indicating his index finger towards Klaus while taking a sip of the wine. "If you're gonna' start with that stuff, we're outta' here." he said with a quirked brow.
"Yes, please don't spoil all this fun." Stefan added with a chuckle, gesturing towards their failed attempts at putting together flat pack furniture.
Klaus resisted a smile, downing his third glass and refilling it.
"Klaus, let me ask you a question." Damon spoke with a look in his eyes that screamed mischief. "She got the furniture, the stereo, the TV – and what did you get?"
"You guys." Klaus answered flatly.
"Oh, God." Stefan shook his head, a smirk spreading across his face.
"You got screwed." Damon spoke through laughter, bringing his glass back up to his mouth.
Klaus glared, emptying his fourth. "Not helping. You know, you two can just go."
"Hey, easy buddy." Damon advised; nudging his head towards Klaus's ever filling glass.
"Twenty-six and divorced." Klaus mumbled, lowering his head in shame.
"Look, Nik, you've gotta' understand. Between us, we haven't had a relationship that has lasted longer than a mint." Stefan indicated to him and Damon. "You, however –" he smiled, patting his friend on the chest before continuing. "–have had the love of a woman for four years. Four years of closeness and sharing and–"
"At the end of which she ripped your heart out and that is why we don't do it." Damon cut in, receiving a disapproving look from Stefan.
"You know what the scariest part is?" Klaus raised his voice, brushing off Stefan and Damon's comments as if he hadn't heard them. "What if there's only one woman for everybody? I mean, what if you get one woman – and that's it?" he was staring at them now with wide eyes, as if he had just figured out one of life's biggest kept secrets.
Stefan and Damon looked at each other perplexed before Damon dared to question Klaus's thought process.
"What are you talking about, 'one woman'? Does the saying 'there's plenty more fish in the sea' mean anything to you?"
Klaus was still for a moment, considering Damon's notion. He sighed, running a hand over his face and slumped up against the kitchen counter. "Even if I could get it together and ask someone out; who am I going to ask?" he mused, his mind immediately drifting to Caroline. He had been so cocky earlier, just by the sheer fact that she was available. What made him think she would be the slightest bit interested in him? She had shot down his advances so many times before. He was an idiot to think it would be any different now.
"Well, this has been... eventful." Damon commented while slouching into his leather jacket. "But I've gotta' go. I've got a date with Andrea." he announced with a cocky smile, about to leave the apartment until he stopped dead in his tracks. "Angela. Andrea." he shuffled the names. "Oh man." he panicked slightly, looking to Stefan for guidance.
"Angela's the screamer, Andrea has cats." Stefan confirmed, without looking up from his glass.
"Right. Thanks. It's Andie. I'm outta' here." Damon responded, exiting through the front door.
Stefan chuckled, glancing apprehensively at Klaus who was aimlessly swirling around the liquid in his glass.
"You going to be okay, Nik?" Stefan asked; his expression now serious. He didn't want to leave him alone in this state, but time was ticking on.
Klaus tipped the remaining liquid into his mouth, sliding the glass onto the counter and then answered without looking up; "I'll manage."
Stefan sighed deeply, stepping towards Klaus.
"Alright buddy." he said quietly, patting him gently on the back before moving towards his jacket and slipping it on.
"Make that your last one." were his parting words, and then he was gone.
/
"Isn't this amazing? I mean, I have never made coffee before in my entire life!" Caroline enthused, pouring the hot steamy liquid into two cups.
"That is amazing." Stefan agreed, raising an eyebrow at Damon.
Damon simply made his hand into a gun and shot himself in the head. "Congratulations." he added.
"You know, I figure if I can make coffee; there isn't anything I can't do." she announced with a triumphant smile.
"Hey, while you're on a roll, if you feel like you wanna' make an omelette or something –" Damon began, raising the coffee to his lips, before he was cut off by Stefan's grip on his arm. His eyes were wide, but the shake of his head rang alarm bells. Stefan had only just managed to choke it down.
"Actually, I'm not really that hungry." Damon backtracked, indicating towards a plant pot where they both emptied their coffees into.
"Oh good, you two are here." Rebekah mumbled as she walked out of her bedroom, followed by Dean.
Damon, Stefan and Caroline exchanged eyebrow raised glances before straining to catch the conversation Rebekah and Dean were having at the door.
"I had a really great time last night." they could hear Dean speak in a low whisper.
"Me too." Rebekah replied, almost sounding giddy.
"I hope you don't think I jump into bed with every girl I take on a fourth date." the male voice spoke.
"Well, only some." Rebekah replied seductively before the two broke into awkward laughter.
"We'll talk later." she whispered, a second before the smooching sound occurred, and then the door was closed.
"That wasn't a real date?" Damon recalled their earlier conversation before Klaus had entered the cafe yesterday, cocking an eyebrow. "What the hell do you do on a real date?" he asked, before grinning widely.
"Shut up, Damon!" Rebekah called, strutting into the living area and theatrically fainting onto the couch.
"All right, kids, I gotta' go to work." Stefan announced, getting up from his chair.
"So, you guys all have jobs?" Caroline asked in an innocent tone, as though it were such a foreign concept.
"Yeah, we all have jobs." Rebekah confirmed, lifting her head up from the couch. "See, that's how we buy stuff."
"I'm an actor." Damon professed, rolling his shoulders in a casual fashion.
"Wow! Would I have seen you in anything?" Caroline exclaimed, clearly impressed.
"I doubt it. Mostly regional work." he responded coolly.
"Oh wait, unless you happened to catch the production of Pinocchio at the little theatre in the park." Rebekah said curtly, a devious smile framing her features.
"Look, it was a job all right?" Damon pressed while rolling his eyes.
"'Look Gepetto, I'm a real live boy.'" Stefan mocked, smirking at Rebekah.
Damon rose from his seat and walked to the door. "I will not take this abuse!"
"You're right, I'm sorry." Stefan apologised, running a hand over his face. "'Once I was a wooden boy, a little wooden boy.'" he sang and danced out of the door, followed by Damon.
"Oh, he's a dead man." he growled, shutting the door of Rebekah's apartment behind him.
The rest of the day passed smoothly for Caroline, but in some ways it was worse. Once it was just the two girls together, they spent the morning talking about Rebekah's date with Dean before she had to go to work. After that, she couldn't stand being in the apartment alone knowing that all her friends were out earning a living. She needed to get motivated, and so she did – but apparently that wasn't good enough. Twelve miserable interviews later, where she was laughed in the face of all the employers, she decided some retail therapy was in order. It made her wonder why she wanted a job in the first place. At least when she wasn't motivated to get a job; she wasn't being humiliated on twelve different occasions. But even that was wrong. After a scolding from Rebekah for using her father's credit card, somehow they convinced her to cut through them all with scissors. She had to fight back the tears. And tantrums.
"That's it." Rebekah said with a yawn, turning off the television after they had finished watching a movie. It was just the three of them – Rebekah, Klaus and Caroline.
"You gonna crash on the couch, Nik?" she asked her brother who was half asleep, nudging him with her foot.
He looked up, bemused for a second before stretching and yawning deeply. "No. I've got to go home some time." he muttered, shaking himself awake. It would have been easy to stay the night, but if he went home tomorrow, he would have to try to resist the urge of drowning his sorrows in whisky.
"You sure?" she asked once more, giving him a last chance.
"Yeah." he answered flatly, ruffling his messy blonde curls.
"Okay. Good night Nik, Care." Rebekah said through another yawn before venturing to her bedroom and gently closing the door.
"Good night." they replied jointly.
When Caroline glanced over to where Klaus was sitting, she was surprised to find that his blue eyes were staring intensely at her, filled with a certain darkness that she couldn't place. She wanted to drop her gaze immediately, but something about his eyes locked her there. She could feel him pouring into her, his presence consuming her, but what held her captivated was his warmth. It was radiating all around him, despite the initial darkness she had found in his eyes. How could someone so light be so dark? It wasn't until she noticed him inhale sharply that she was able to look away, and she cleared her throat – embarrassed. They hadn't been alone together since the incident; the incident that she had never thanked him for.
Klaus had risen from his seat and was making his way to the door of the apartment before his favourite sound in the whole world stopped him.
"Klaus." she said softly, and he turned to face her, his expression unreadable.
"Caroline?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. She could definitely read his expression now. Damaged.
Her breath caught in her throat before she was able to compose herself. "I never thanked you properly – for what you did for me at the prom."
Recognition fled in his face and he nodded slightly. On the night of the prom, Tyler had been at his worst in spiralling mode after the death of his father, and had arrived at Caroline's house to pick her up, late, and extremely drunk. Needless to say, Caroline was furious, and when she tried to talk to him he lashed out – ruining her face for the evening and destroying part of the dress she had picked out months in advance. Once it was over, she called Rebekah in floods of tears, and the Mikaelson's took her to their house to get her fixed up. They'd told her that she didn't have to go to prom, but Caroline was so desperate to not miss any high school experiences. Klaus's skilful hands tended to Caroline's gown, despite him having no experience, he perfected the dress until it was not even recognisable as the dress she had planned to wear to begin with. He had even offered to be her date, and she had accepted of course, but ignored him for the entire evening and every time after that – never showing any recognition for what he had done for her.
"Well, you're welcome." Klaus responded, looking down as if he didn't know what else to say.
"I mean it. Thank you. And I'm sorry for how I treated you." she pressed, feeling her cheeks redden with shame.
Klaus glanced up, a smile creeping at the corners of his mouth before he spoke. "I was quite surprised to learn yesterday that you had chosen such an abusive husband."
"His father had died." she retorted, although she was unsure why she was defending him.
"No excuse." Klaus snapped back, his eyes softening as he took in her slightly offended expression. "Still, at least you made the right decision in the end." he contoured, watching as her lips perked into a smile and returned it with one of his.
He took off towards the door, stealing one last glance at her before whispering; "Good night, Caroline."