Hello dearies,

you are sweeping me off my feet! So many reviews in just one day - I'm completely amazed at the overwhelming response! Thanks for the guest comments, and a big hug to guest Justine who never fails to review! :)

I think I'll keep up the Dungeons tradition of saying thanks in a different language every time. So thank you U.S., Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand! :)

Please enjoy the new chapter, and happy Sunday everyone!

XX

P.S.: Just a quick comment to the latest guest review: Yes, this is the sequel to Dungeons and there will be a lot of Caroline in this chapter - and in most of them. She wasn't mentioned in the prologue to Dungeons either, so no worries! :)

CHAPTER ONE

ENCOUNTERS

Madame La Reine. Caroline shook her head in amusement. The Queen. Well, if she was to be honest with herself, she felt only the teensiest bit flattered at the way Remy jokingly greeted her every time she set foot in his shady joint of a bar, which she had to admit happened rather often. She liked it here. 'La Croisée', or simply 'Remy's', as it was known to the regulars, was not your usual kind of bar. It could only ever be found by those who actually knew where to look for it – the inconspicuous, rusty metal door was hidden in the shadows of a dirty mural in a side alley off Bourbon Street, and no sign pointed to it. The patrons were invariably related to the world of the supernatural, making it a fascinating place to have a drink and watch.

Remy de Camondo was a vampire who had actually been turned by Klaus himself. He was roughly four hundred years old, originally from Spain and had met Klaus and his family during their time in said country. A typical member of seventeenth century Spanish aristocracy, he had been bored and utterly restrained by the rigid protocol at court and the suffocating conventions within his peer circles, which had led him to seek the company of the intriguing Mikaelson clan more and more often after having been introduced to Klaus during a society gathering in Madrid. The more he had tasted of the siblings' independent, devil-may-care lifestyle, the more he had come to loathe his own colourless existence. Then one day, he had unintentionally witnessed one of Kol's rampages in a peasant village he had visited together with the brothers. Klaus' initial intention had been to simply kill Remy, but he had grown to remotely tolerate the Spaniard and therefore offered him the choice between death and immortality. Remy had not hesitated for a single moment and, as he had told Caroline on more than one occasion, he had never once regretted his decision.

However far back his connection with the Originals reached, Remy had always strived to remain carefully neutral whenever any conflicts arose. He insisted that his bar be considered no man's land, open to all supernatural creatures, and anyone who was not willing or able to comply would find the door permanently closed. A long time ago, Remy had had the place spelled – once he banned someone from it, the person in question would be unable to find the entrance to the establishment ever again. It was fascinating how every supernatural being respected the rules of the house. They all liked Remy's for being a place where no one had to hide their nature, and only very few ever risked a permanent ban from the bar. Caroline remembered the first time Klaus had brought her here. It had been the day after their move to New Orleans, and both he and Elijah had agreed that it would be a wise maneuver to make their return public knowledge as quickly as possible in order to start decimating Marcel's ranks and attract as many defectors as possible. According to a reliable source, Klaus' former protégé was planning on making a move against the Mikaelson family, and while it was still unclear what form this attack would take, it was why they had all come to New Orleans in the first place. Caroline had briefly wondered why Klaus didn't just go ahead and kill Marcel, but she had learned by now that this was not her husband's style. He liked to play games, and as he once put it, when pulling up weeds, one always had to make sure to capture the roots.

Remy's was the perfect spot for a big entrance, and as soon as Klaus had entered the bar, his hand possessively on the small of Caroline's back, all heads had turned and the place had fallen completely silent. Caroline had inwardly rolled her eyes at the arrogant grin and haughty expression on Klaus' face but she had kept quiet and tried not to be too intimidated by the dozens of pairs of staring eyes. Remy had emerged from behind the bar, hand outstretched, a genuine smile on his face. She remembered how Klaus had even seemed somewhat pleased to see his old acquaintance.

"Klaus. It has been long."

"Too long indeed, my friend. I have been looking forward to the world's best Sazerac for a while now."

Remy smiled again, motioning towards the bar. "It shall be my pleasure. On the house, of course." He turned towards Caroline and gave a small bow. "May I prepare a Sazerac for you, too, Miss…?"

Klaus inclined his head and looked down at her, his eyes shining. "Caroline, this is Remy de Camondo. He is an old friend and owner of this bar. If you want to really upset him, call him Remigio." The Spaniard huffed in annoyance, making Klaus smirk. "Remy, this is Caroline Mikaelson. My wife."

Had the place been silent before, it went into complete paralysis now. Literally everyone was staring at her. If not for Klaus' reassuring hand on her back, she would probably have turned on her heel and raced out of the bar as fast as her feet would carry her. But as always, his touch was all it took to give her courage. She smiled at Remy and held out her hand.

"It is nice to meet you, Remy. Klaus has told me a lot about this place and I was really looking forward to finally seeing it."

Remy recovered from his obvious stupefaction and took her hand, bowing over it. Caroline smiled to herself. If there was one thing she really liked about all these age-old vampires, it was their chivalry. One could really tell they had been raised in a different era, no matter how many centuries ago that had been.

"Mrs. Mikaelson, it is an honour to make your acquaintance. Do forgive my impoliteness, but this is… surprising news indeed. I might need a few minutes to familiarize myself with the thought that this old man here," he smirked at Klaus who raised an eyebrow and grinned, "has finally settled down. My congratulations to you both. Good Lord, I need a drink! Sazerac, then?" he asked, and Caroline looked at him quizzically. He smiled and gestured towards the bar.

"Do sit down. The Sazerac, Mrs. Mikaelson, has been invented in New Orleans in the late eighteen hundreds. It was originally based on cognac but is nowadays made with rye whiskey and some other ingredients, one of them being Absinthe. You could probably say the Sazerac is something like the signature cocktail of this town."

Caroline sat down at the bar next to Klaus, marveling for a moment at how wonderfully warm his hand felt on hers, and gave Remy a smile. "Now you made me curious. And it's Caroline, please."

The subdued conversations around the room resumed as they sat but Caroline could tell that all eyes were still on them and everyone was straining their ears. While Remy was busying himself preparing the drinks, she saw Klaus scanning the bar. He wasn't the least bit inconspicuous about it and it was plain that he made everyone squirm under his piercing gaze. Two shabby-looking men were just leaving, casting a last quick glance at both him and Caroline. Klaus raised a brow but then turned back to Remy.

"So how is business these days? The place looks unchanged, and I take it you are still successfully playing Switzerland?"

Remy gave Klaus a fleeting glance while cutting some lemon twists. "I do hope you are not here to challenge that status."

"Why would you think that? Do I have reason to?"

Caroline couldn't help but notice the slight hardening of Klaus' voice and she was certain Remy had heard it, too.

"Reason to doubt my neutrality? None whatsoever." He hesitated for a moment, then he went on. "You are aware that a couple of things have indeed changed around here since you last visited." It was not a question, and Klaus just gave a quick nod. Remy sighed. "Does he know you're here, Klaus?"

The Original squeezed Caroline's hand and she could tell he wanted to reassure her again, even though there was no need. She feared no enemy as long as he was by her side.

"I am certain he does now, what with those two drifters leaving a moment ago. I am surprised you managed to uphold your impartiality. He can be very… persistent when he wants something."

Remy rolled his eyes. "I do wonder who he learned that from. But I admit it has been challenging as of late, therefore I am not quite certain how happy I am to see you here. Although I am indeed glad to hear you're married, and to such a lovely young lady at that." He winked at Caroline and put the drinks in front of them. His hand lingered on the small napkin under Klaus' glass for an instant while he looked at the Original intently. Klaus showed no reaction and raised his glass to Caroline, giving her the deep, longing look that always made her want to jump into his arms and kiss him until all time ended. She took a sip of the Sazerac and gave Remy an appreciative smile.

"This is amazing. Somewhere between bitter and sweet… although more the former than the latter. And it even tastes a little spicy." She grinned at Klaus. "Please don't let me get used to this."

He snickered and brushed his knuckles over her cheek. "And have you spend more time than absolutely necessary with this ragged bartender? Over my already dead body."

Caroline giggled and Remy scoffed. "As if anyone in their right mind would ever so much as look in the direction of the woman you married."

"He's got a point, you know?" Caroline whined, frowning at Klaus. "No one is ever going to look at me again! How will I live through eternity with that knowledge?" Gah, why did she always have to chuckle when she wanted to tease him?

Klaus put his glass down and leaned towards her, his lips softly brushing her earlobe, making her close her eyes, rest her cheek against his and listen to his almost inaudible whisper. "You will live through eternity because you know that no other man could ever look at you like I do. No other man could ever want you like I do. And no other man," he gently kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear, "could ever love you the way I do."

Caroline shivered. How did he still manage to make the butterflies whirl around like dancing dervishes after the innumerable times he had told her he loved her? Whenever he did, it felt like the very first time, and she wondered if that was actually normal. They had been inseparable for months, they were married, they were bearing each other's Signum, the eternal mark that showed one vampire's claim over another. But he still made her feel like it had all just started yesterday. She inconspicuously put her hand over his heart for a fleeting instant, knowing he loved it when she did that, and decided to give him some butterflies of his own. Her lips touched his temple, and she leaned in even closer.

"Niklaus," she breathed.

His eyes closed for an instant before he returned to the present. Their tender moment hadn't lasted longer than a few seconds, but it hadn't gone unnoticed. Caroline asked herself if it was wise for Klaus to show everyone just how much in love they were, but she supposed he knew what he was doing. As for her, she was so consumed by her feelings for her man, she wouldn't have minded having someone walk the streets of New Orleans with a megaphone, announcing her love for Klaus to each and every inhabitant of the city. Plus tourists.

Remy looked at them thoughtfully. He didn't seem to know what to make of this new development, and Caroline could tell he had never seen Klaus like this. When the Original lifted his glass, his eyes lingered on the napkin for a second, and she couldn't help but let her gaze wander to the little piece of fabric as well.

He plans on taking you down at some point. Don't know how, but he seems very confident about it. He has powerful allies, and he's on vervain. Watch out.

Klaus showed no reaction to Remy's written message but simply brought his glass to his lips and took a sip of his drink. "You are right, Remy. Whoever even considers looking in Caroline's direction must have a death wish indeed," he commented, knowing every single person in the room would hear the menace in his voice. Remy nodded and gave Caroline a mischievous grin.

"I do hope the fact that no one on the face of the Earth will ever be brave enough to talk to you again is not going to keep you from visiting my bar more often in the future, Caroline?"

She giggled. "Only if you tell me you do have some hidden supplies of Krug somewhere in your cellars!"

The broad grin on Klaus' face made Remy groan in exasperation. "Please tell me he hasn't infected you with his Krug obsession." With a chuckle, he nodded. "I still have some bottles in stock. No one but Klaus ever orders it, anyway. But I have a nagging feeling I will have to bulk-buy that stuff from now on. And keep an open tab." He looked at Klaus and turned serious. "Will you be in town for a while, then?"

"Yes."

That had been little over two months ago. Klaus' return to New Orleans had caused quite the stir among the supernatural community which was especially large in the city. The news that both he and Elijah were now married and actually showing a united front with their younger brother Kol had spread like a wildfire. The siblings didn't even have to make that much of an effort to break away followers from Marcel – they came in droves, pledging their allegiance to the Originals and swearing they had never been loyal to Marcel in the first place. Both Klaus and Elijah were relatively indifferent to the vows of fidelity. The ones who defected at the very first sight of danger were not the ones they targeted to follow them, and many of them were still seen in Marcel's spheres on a regular basis. It would seem that Klaus' former protégé was spreading the rumours that the powers of the Original Family were waning, and that they would not be the leaders of the supernatural world for very much longer. The brothers had decided not to openly wage any wars until they had the complete picture of what was going on behind the scenes.

They had moved into Klaus' magnificent mansion in the heart of the Vieux Carré. It was a breathtaking house with an incredibly beautiful interior patio and courtyard, fireplaces in every room and a lovely, old-fashioned kitchen. The place wasn't nearly as big as the estate in Mystic Falls but Caroline immediately fell in love with the charming building. It was cozy and homely, exuding warmth and elegance. The sounds of the French Quarter swirled into the house as soon as the windows were open, adding to the enchanting atmosphere of their home. On their first night in New Orleans, they had been sitting in a big armchair next to the open window, with Caroline on Klaus' lap, their fingers entwined, taking in the sights and sounds. Klaus had wanted to take her out to dinner but she had refused. The only thing she had wanted was to absorb the new city's air, securely wrapped in her husband's arms, and Klaus had happily obliged. If he had his way, Caroline thought, she would probably not be leaving his arms for more than five minutes at a time, and he seemed to always be grateful for each and every second they spent alone and together.

On the third day after their arrival, she had first met the famous Marcel. The minute she had laid eyes on him, she knew she didn't like Klaus' former protégé. After about ten minutes, her spontaneous dislike had turned into serious aversion.

Caroline and Silv were seated in the kitchen, having a glass of wine, discussing Caroline's impending enrollment at Tulane. After much deliberation, she had chosen to major in Art History. She had become more and more absorbed in Klaus' extensive art collection and the fascinating stories behind the works – but the deciding factor had been the night Klaus had told her about how he had recreated Canaletto's 'London' painting in his mind while being tortured by Mikael and his lackey Prelati not so long ago. He had pretended to be immobilized while being subjected to the cruelest of medieval torture methods, and one night he had explained to Caroline how he had managed to completely focus on the painting and block out most of the pain. She had been intrigued by how a work of art could actually be so spellbinding, and shortly after that, her decision had been made. Klaus had been overjoyed when she had told him. He had tried not to push her in any direction but she could tell he was beyond pleased with her choice. Caroline, too, was looking forward to discussing her studies with him – he was so knowledgeable, especially when it came to art, and even if they didn't always share each other's views, they always enjoyed discussing their perspectives and just talking for hours.

Silv was pouring their second round when the doorbell rang. Elijah and Klaus had gone out earlier to meet with an old acquaintance of Elijah's, intent on finding out more on who Marcel's new allies were, so Caroline and Silv had decided to stay behind and have some quiet time. Life with an Original was exhausting in more than one way after all.

Caroline cast a quizzical glance at Silv and went to answer the door. When she opened the heavy wooden portal, she looked straight into the piercing eyes of a tall, handsome black man. He was expensively dressed and exuded an aggressive kind of authority, mirrored in the wide grin he was giving her now. Caroline's eyes narrowed. Something told her she wasn't going to like this man. At all.

"Mrs. Mikaelson, I presume?" he asked in a dark, velvety voice that somehow set her teeth on edge. She had no idea at all why this guy repelled her so much.

"There is more than one Mrs. Mikaelson," she replied crisply, "and yes, I am one of them. May I ask who you are?"

"Apologies. My name is Marcel. I am an old friend of Klaus. Is he available?"

So this was him. This was the man who had his mind set on challenging her husband. Her chin rose and her voice became even cooler. "No, he is not in. Would you like to leave a message?"

Marcel chuckled. "I was rather hoping you might invite me in for a drink and allow me to wait for him. Am I correct in assuming that I am indeed talking to Klaus' lovely new wife?"

"You are," Caroline replied. As if he didn't know that already. They scrutinized each other for some time, both assessing who it was they were facing. She looked at Marcel very closely before she shrugged. There was only so much damage he could do, and something told her he represented no danger. Not tonight. Furthermore, she was not sure whether Klaus would really want her to slam the door in Marcel's face before had found out what his former protégé's intentions were, even though she certainly felt like it. Reluctantly, she held out her hand to him. "I'm Caroline Mikaelson. Why don't you come in."

He shook her hand and gave a small nod. "Thank you."

Stepping inside, he scanned the interior of the house appreciatively while they walked towards the kitchen. Caroline had no intention of being any more hospitable than absolutely necessary, therefore the kitchen would have to do.

"It's been a while since I last set foot in this house," Marcel remarked with a light smile. "Klaus has been absent for quite some time and I am surprised to find the house in such a superb condition. Then again, he has always looked after what is his, hasn't he?" When Caroline didn't answer, he went on. "And now he has returned, presenting the community with the one piece of news no one would ever have expected from the Original Vampire of all people. Married." He tsked. "I thought there was nothing under the sun that could still surprise me, but this does indeed. No offense."

"None taken." For a reason that truly escaped her, Caroline disliked the man more with each passing minute and was glad when they reached the kitchen. Silv looked up with wary eyes when they entered, her gaze as suspicious as Caroline's. She took another sip of her wine while scrutinizing Marcel's appearance. Caroline gestured towards the new arrival.

"Silv, this is Marcel. He will be waiting here for Klaus to return. Marcel, this is Silv Mikaelson, Elijah's wife."

Marcel approached the brunette, taking her hand and placing a kiss on her fingers. His eyes were glued to her face when his velvety voice murmured, "I am thrilled to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Mikaelson."

Silv's eyes narrowed, but she inclined her head and said, "Nice to meet you. May I offer you a glass of Bordeaux Blanc while you wait?" Caroline noticed she had not asked him to call her Silv. Apparently, her sister-in-law was no more impressed with Marcel than she was.

"Thank you, that would be very kind." With a nod, Silv poured him a glass of white wine and refilled both Caroline's and her own drink.

"To the lovely Mikaelson ladies," Marcel smiled and raised his glass, "and to new friendships." When they had toasted, he looked at them curiously, his gaze lingering on Silv again. He seemed quite taken with her, making Caroline wonder whether this was genuine attraction or some sort of battle tactics. Klaus and Elijah could probably tell from one look, but Caroline had not yet become that much of an expert on human – and superhuman – motivations. She was, however, starting to rely more and more on her instincts, and they told her this man was trouble. He cleared his throat now, eyes still on Silv.

"I hope you don't mind my curiosity, but after having been bachelors for a thousand years, the fact that both Klaus and Elijah have tied the knot is utterly intriguing. Not that I can blame them for having chosen two such stunning ladies. May I ask how you actually met them?"

For a moment, Caroline was tempted to be very impolite and tell him that it was none of his damn business. Then she frowned at herself. What had gotten into her? She was not usually that much of a shrew, especially not with people she had only just met, but this had probably something to do with the fact that the man sitting at the kitchen table wanted to defy her Klaus – who had most definitely gone through enough lately and was just on his way to becoming a little less of the Big Bad Hybrid. Only very little less, admittedly, but still. She tried to tame her reluctance and put on a light smile.

"Silv and Elijah go way back. Klaus and I have met in Mystic Falls not so long ago."

"Ah yes, Mystic Falls… From what I hear, the place wants to give our lovely little town some competition as the global capital of the supernatural. Then again, it's where everything started for all of us, isn't it?"

Caroline took another sip of her wine. "So, are you married, then?" she asked pleasantly, making Marcel give a sharp laugh that resounded from the kitchen walls.

"I am not, and I cannot imagine any circumstances that would ever change my mind about matrimony. Even back in my distant human days, when marriage was sort of compulsory, it was entirely out of the question for me to ever let myself be restrained like that. Not that my social status would have made me a very desirable husband, in all honesty." He eyed Silv again, admiration clear in his gaze. "And it is my firm belief that monogamy deprives you of so many enticing options."

Silv looked at Marcel with a hint of exquisite disdain. "I beg to differ. It presents you with possibilities you could never even dream of otherwise. Provided you marry the right person, of course."

Marcel took a sip of his wine and wiped a drop from his lower lip with his thumb. Caroline's eyes widened. Could he be any more obvious? "And you have married the right man, Mrs. Mikaelson?" he asked, a trace of huskiness in his voice. Caroline's gaze darted to Silv, wary of how the brunette was going to react to this very unsubtle pass. She relaxed when a broad smile graced her sister-in-law's features. Silv knew how to deal with unwanted suitors, that much was clear. She leaned forward, her glittering eyes on Marcel, her voice a melodious hum.

"The one and only man who will ever be right for me."

"How would you know?" Marcel challenged. "There might be someone out there just as right for you as Elijah Mikaelson."

"So what you are so subtly insinuating is that you might be that someone?" Silv inquired with a hint of genuine amusement in her green eyes. Caroline wondered if she would ever develop such an elegant nonchalance herself. She sincerely hoped so.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Would you like to find out?" Caroline caught her breath at Marcel's impertinence. She tried to tell herself that the whole purpose of his visit was to test the waters around the Mikaelson family, so she shouldn't be surprised, but it still upset her. Silv, on the other hand, seemed completely unperturbed.

"I would say, tempting, but I'd be lying. You're really not my type. And yes, offense." Caroline stifled a giggle at the charming smile that accompanied Silv's rejection.

Marcel grinned cockily, but Caroline detected a flash of something close to anger in his dark eyes. "I've heard that before."

"Not from me."

"And I do hope it won't be necessary for my wife to repeat herself," an icy voice sounded from the kitchen door.

All three of them turned to see Klaus and Elijah standing in the doorframe, arms crossed, their eyes on Marcel. "To what do we owe the unexpected… pleasure of your visit, mon cher ami?" Klaus demanded, clearly not overly amused at finding his former protégé in his house, seated at the kitchen counter with his wife and his sister-in-law. Still, Caroline couldn't help but thinking she detected a very subtle flicker of regret on Klaus' face. For some unfathomable reason, her husband must have liked this guy at some point.

"I came to pay my respects to the sovereign," Marcel replied, and there was a rather conspicuous hint of sarcasm in his voice. He rose and walked up to the brothers, holding out his hand. "Klaus. Elijah. It is good to see you. Congratulations to you both on your recent nuptials. Quite honestly, I never thought I'd live to see the day that would find the two of you domesticated."

"This is the world of the supernatural. Anything can happen. Shall we take this conversation to the study, then? I believe we do have some catching up to do. Caroline, Silv – would you like to join us?" Klaus asked with a pleasant smile, but Caroline didn't fail to see through his façade. This had nothing to do with hospitality or friendly chatter. This was an inspection of enemy territories on both sides.

"No, thank you," the two women replied in unison, making them grin at each other. "But do ask Marcel about his take on monogamy. It is rather fascinating," Silv added, raising her glass to Marcel while giving Elijah a very lascivious smile. The older Original's lips curved in response, and Caroline could see another flash of anger cross Marcel's face before the three men left for the study. They would all need to be on the watch indeed.

There had been quite a few encounters with Marcel since then, all of them characterized by a lingering tension, false smiles and a lot of beating around the bush. He was unfailingly polite to all of them and never made a wrong move, but the way he and the Mikaelson brothers tiptoed around each other had something very disconcerting about it. Over the last few days, the tension had been palpably increasing without any obvious trigger, which made Caroline very uneasy.

"So," Remy grinned, interrupting her musings and bringing her back to the present, "class finish early today, or are you just on cold turkey for a Sazerac?"

"Both," she snickered. "One of my professors called in sick so the last couple of lectures were cancelled. And where better to spend some unexpected free time than at a shadowy underworld opium den?"

He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "I will try not to take offense. The last time I saw any opium in here was… ah… yesterday." Caroline rolled her eyes, making him chuckle. "Sazerac, then?"

"Sure. Does the Big Bad Hybrid, aka my husband, still have an open tab in here?"

"The Original Billionaire? He's had an open tab from the day I first opened this door to the supernatural riff-raff that has been frequenting my classy establishment ever since," Remy commented dryly and set to work.

Caroline smiled and watched him prepare her drink. They had developed a cautious sort of friendship over the last few months, bonding over Caroline's curiosity about his patrons and all things supernatural and Remy's delight in telling the most abstruse stories. Klaus disliked their beginning rapport, she was well aware of that, but he had never said a single word, taming his jealousy whenever he was in her presence. At first, she had considered reducing her contact with Remy so as not to upset Klaus more than absolutely necessary. However, after lengthy deliberations, she had decided against it. Her man should trust her, and if he couldn't, well, then he had better learn quickly! She tried not to stretch his self-control too much, though. Nothing was further from her intentions than to make him suffer – she wouldn't have liked his getting too close to any woman, either. The woman that comes near him had better be a very fast runner!

It was understandable that Klaus was uncomfortable with her spending time with Remy. The Spaniard – if he could still be called that after all those centuries – was a captivating man with a considerable amount of easygoing, pleasant charm. He looked like an adventurer with his handsome face, longish sand coloured hair he was usually wearing in a ponytail, and striking light blue eyes. Having been in his late thirties when Klaus had turned him, he exuded a certain debonair, mature confidence. Caroline found him nice to look at, but there was absolutely no man in the world that would ever be able to lure her thoughts away from Klaus for even a single moment. Not even happy-go-lucky Remy.

While she continued to gaze at how he fixed the Sazerac, she suddenly sensed something in the air. Her skin began to crawl and she stiffened – this was exactly how she had felt when she had first met Francesco Prelati, the dark warlock who had played such a major role in making Klaus go through hell twice and wallow in guilt for six centuries in between. But Prelati was on the Other Side with no possibility of ever returning to the Plane of the Living! She saw Remy look up and frown almost indiscernibly before he gave a curt nod to someone behind her. In slow motion, Caroline turned around on her bar stool to come face to face with a very familiar figure.

It was Bonnie.