Title: Notes on a Scandal

Rating: M

Genre: AU All Human

Pairing(s): Bonnie/Stefan, Klaus/Stefan, Bonnie/Klaus, Bonnie/Stefan/Klaus, Stefan/Katherine, Caroline/Matt, Tyler/Vicki, mentions of past Bonnie/Mason, Klaus/Marcel, ect.

Summary: Schoolteacher Niklaus Mikaelson has led a solitary life until Stefan Salvatore, the new English teacher at Mystic Falls High School, befriends him and takes him on as a confidante. But as their relationship develops, so does another as Stefan begins an illicit affair with an underage student, Bonnie Bennett. When the affair is discovered Klaus decides to write an account of the events in his friend's defense— through which it is revealed that his intentions with this "friend" go well beyond platonic friendship. Things become further complicated when Klaus' obsession extends to Bonnie during Stefan's trial.

Warnings: Infidelity, Sexual Content, Non-Canon, Polyamourous Relationships, OOC Behavior, etc.

One

"Things that are truly innocent don't need to be labelled as such."

― Zoë Heller, What Was She Thinking? [Notes on a Scandal]

Mystic Falls, Virginia

November, 2008

The first time that Stefan Salvatore saw Bonnie Bennett was on a warm autumn day when the leaves had just begun to fall from the trees. It was the first day he was to teach at Mystic Falls High School. His wife Katherine Pierce was friends with school's principle and acquired the position for Stefan when the old English teacher decided to go into retirement.

In truth, at the time, Stefan had been attempting to write a book. However, Katherine had been firmly of the mind that he could do his "scribbling" in his down time. So when the job came he had no real choice but to take the opportunity.

The first day that he was to teach, Stefan had arrived at the school with a trunk full of books and what little excitement he had managed to scare up at the thought of teaching.

As he pulled into the faculty lot, his eyes roamed over the students that passed. He was slightly intimidated. It was not so long ago that he was their age. That he had been thinking the way that they thought, and so he knew how difficult these kids could make his life if they so chose to.

As he got out of his car and walked around to his trunk and opened it, he whistled a tune that he had heard his mother hum once when he was very young. Katherine didn't like the whistling, and if his day didn't get any better, at the very least he had managed to whistle without getting shot down by some snide remark.

He took his time stacking all of the books just so. Different reading material for the different classes and grades he would be teaching. He knew that there was an easier way that it could be done. Or that he could even wait to bring each book in right when they would be reading it, but Stefan liked to have hard copies of things. He liked the feel of the books in his hands. He liked the written word to be a tangible thing. Something that no one around him had ever seemed to understand.

He managed to stack his books just so, shoulder his messenger's bag, and close the trunk of the car without incident. However, as he rounded the vehicle and stepped onto the sidewalk, one of the students knocked into him as they passed and sent his stack of books toppling over onto the ground.

The person didn't even stop to give Stefan a second glance and he frowned as he knelt down to pick up the books. People continued to walk around him and it did absolutely nothing to reassure Stefan about his choice to take the position at the school.

Then suddenly he was hit very hard with the scent of vanilla as a small brown hand reached out and picked up one of the books that he had been reaching for. When he looked up at the hand's occupant that was when their eyes met for the first time.

Much later Stefan would describe the experience as looking into a bright light and seeing an angel once the light cleared. She was beautiful in a nontraditional way. There was something more about her. Beyond the heart shape of her face. Beyond the slightly crooked mouth. Beyond the dark curly hair. Beyond the bright smile. Something more that drew him in and made him forget where he was and why he was there.

"You must be the new Lit teacher," she had said, as she helped him restack his books, "No one else would have this good of taste books and bother to carry them around on top of it."

Stefan had smiled as he stood with his books in hand. "I had hoped I wouldn't be so obvious," he said, "But clearly I've failed."

"You do look young enough to pass for a student if that makes you feel any better," she said, "And you're not too bad on the eyes so the girl's will go easy on you at least." She took half of the stack of books from his hands and turned toward the school, the skirt of her midnight blue dress flying up slightly as she did so. "You got a name?" She asked.

Stefan cleared his throat as he began to walk in step with her. "Stefan Salvatore," he replied.

"Mr. Salvatore to me," she said. That was it then, she was a student. Off limits. Even more off limits than she already was given the fact that he was married. "My name is Bonnie Bennett," she smiled, "I'm probably the nicest person that you will meet all day."

"I don't doubt that," Stefan said as he glanced over at her. She was dangerous. He was becoming too comfortable with her already. Too comfortable with the fact that he wanted her as well. Because that was what this was. He was familiar with desire. He read about it. Had written about it. Had felt it. Therefore he also knew how to tamper it down. How to brush it aside.

"What room do they have you imprisoned in?" Bonnie asked, breaking into his thoughts.

As she gave him a once over, he felt good about his choice to dress casually. Jeans, button down black shirt, boots, and leather jacket. Then he frowned at the thought of himself silently seeking her approval.

Things weren't going the greatest with him and his wife but that didn't give him an excuse to covet a student. Still he had never been so taken with someone so quickly, not even the woman that he had married.

"Two twenty five," Stefan answered, once he came out of his own head long enough to remember that she had asked him a question.

"I should probably give you some tips since it is your first day," Bonnie said, as they entered the school.

People seemed to notice her immediately. Waving and smiling in greeting. She was popular and that didn't surprise him. She had an easy way about her. She seemed open and approachable.

"Sorry," she said, once they had cleared the crowd, "Comes with the whole cheerleading thing."

Stefan coughed, as the sudden image of her in a cheerleading uniform appeared in his mind's eye. "You were saying something about tips," he said, trying to change the subject.

"Right," she giggled, "Well first never expect anyone to actually read anything you assign them. That way you can be pleasantly surprised when they do."

"Noted," Stefan nodded laughing a little, his nervousness from before having ebbed some.

"Don't let them intimidate you or they'll eat you alive," Bonnie continued, "If you eat lunch here and don't bring anything from home then you should always steer clear of the meatloaf. It never ends well."

"No meatloaf," Stefan nodded, as they stopped in front of the classroom that Stefan was meant to make use of, "Got it."

Bonnie opened the door and the two walked inside.

"Any other gems?" Stefan asked as he set down the stack of books in his hands on the desk in the front of the room.

Bonnie nodded. "Just a few," she said, as she placed her own stack of books on the desk stop. She adjusted the black cardigan she was wearing over her dress as she stood upright. "Never let anyone insult your taste in literature," she said, "And if you are looking to make friends among the staff you should maybe….try Mr. Mikaelson. He's a bit prickly around the edges but….he's lonely, so even if he's an asshole at first, he likely won't turn you away. Besides, for some reason, the students like him so they'll like you by extension."

"Am I supposed to give you a detention or something for calling a fellow teacher an asshole?" Stefan asked.

Bonnie grinned as she began to back out of the room. "Maybe," she said, "But I was nice to you so you should let me off easy. Unless it's detention with you of course. We could discuss Nabokov and his obsession with ephebophilia."

Stefan frowned and cleared his throat. So she had noticed his interest in her then. That didn't bode well for any future interactions. "I'll let you off," he said, "This time."

"Thank you, Mr. Salvatore," Bonnie smiled, as she tugged on the straps of the backpack he hadn't noticed she was wearing until that moment, "And good luck today."

"Luck is believing you're lucky," Stefan responded.

Bonnie laughed. "A Streetcar Named Desire," she said, "Tennessee Williams. Right?" Stefan nodded and she could tell that he was surprised that she was familiar with the play. "I knew that I would like you," she nodded, to herself, before looking back up at him, "You'll be great."

Stefan watched her walk away and as the door shut behind her he was simultaneously relieved and disappointed all at once.

:::

Stefan did not have the privilege of meeting Mr. Mikaelson until lunch time came and he found himself in the teacher's lounge being introduced to the rest of the faculty by the principle, Pearl Johnson.

He had had three classes by then. One of which, Bonnie was in and they had all gone surprisingly smoothly. Though, he was sure that his favoritism toward Bonnie was showing already. He had called on her to answer almost every question he asked whether she had raised her hand or not. Partially because he liked the smooth and steady sound of her voice and partially because the answers she gave in relation to the book they had been reading under that last teach, To Kill A Mockingbird of all things, had been very smart, interesting and well beyond the level of analysis that Stefan thought someone still in high school should be capable of. She reminded him of himself in that way. He had been the same way during his own high school years which was what had gotten him in to writing in the first place.

He would have to get himself under control he knew. But as it was not something he normally had a problem with, he wasn't sure how to go about solving the issue.

Mikaelson was sitting at the table closest to the windows. His head down, sketching some of the landscape on the school grounds. In spite of Bonnie's warning he seemed to be the only real prospect as far as friendly faculty went. The only other options were women who eyed Stefan hungrily in a way that made him uncomfortable and Alaric Saltzman.

Before Stefan had even entered the room, Alaric had been the first voice that he had heard, laughing too loud at an inappropriate joke that he had made that was not all that funny. He tried to ingratiate himself to Stefan right off, but there was something about him that was off putting that Stefan could not put his finger on.

So after the principal had made the introductions, Stefan had walked over to Mr. Mikaelson, prepared to introduce himself.

Stefan stood in front of the table in which he sat and smiled down at him. "May I sit down?" He asked.

Stefan was not used to being rejected. In general he was well-liked by everyone he came across. So he was a little put out when he was met with silence. He was about to turn and leave when the man finally spoke, though he still didn't look up from what he was doing.

"You have an ass," the man said, "And there is a chair there and so I suppose that you may."

Stefan had laughed, and sat down anyway. "My name is Stefan Salvatore," he said, as he settled in his seat, "I am the new English teacher."

"I'm not deaf," Mr. Mikaelson commented, "I heard you being introduced just now."

Stefan could understand how Bonnie could label the man as an asshole. He was almost startled when the man finally looked up at him and gave him a rather assessing look. "My name is Niklaus Mikaelson," he said, after a moment, "You may decipher for yourself what you wish to call me but most around here call me Klaus outside of the students. I should warn you, if you plan to align yourself with me, I am not a well-liked man. You would do well to befriend another member of the faculty."

Stefan stared down at the lunch he had packed for a moment before he looked up again. "I have it on good authority that you are the one to befriend," he said, "Even if you do come off as an asshole."

There was a smirk, followed by an expression that Stefan could not read, before the man began to continue his sketching. "I teach art," he said, "Most creative minds are known to be temperamental. As one who teaches literature I am sure that you are aware of that." Stefan didn't respond as he took his turkey sandwich from his brown paper bag. "Are you liking the position so far?" Klaus asked.

Stefan shrugged. "I'm not sure," he said, "It's alright but not what I would like to be doing. I'm only here because my wife wants me to be. She got me the position because she got tired of me trying and failing to write a book. She doesn't understand that these things take time. But she says that I am too smart not to be doing something constructive with my mind. She should know, she was my professor once. She also says that I could write anytime. She's right I suppose. But still, I'm not really a teacher."

"You talk a lot," Klaus said, "A simple yes or no answer would have sufficed." He waited, for the moment when Stefan would get offended and walk away but it never came. The other man simply laughed as he bit into his sandwich.

"It's a bad habit of mine," he said, "I like to tell stories. When I can't tell them on paper I am usually running off at the mouth."

Klaus nodded. "I can see that," he said. There was another long silence before he next spoke. "You should find something that you like about this place," he advised, "If not it can suck the soul right out of you. Particularly if you don't wish to be here."

Stefan began to pick at his sandwich as he debated on whether or not he should mention the one angel he had found amidst the brick walls and teenage cynicism. "There has been one bright spot in my day," he said, leaning in and speaking lowly, "A student."

"A student?" Klaus asked, raising an eyebrow.

Stefan nodded. "She's very enthusiastic about literature," he said.

Klaus finally put his pencil down and seemed to eye Stefan with a new sort of fascination. "She?"

Again Stefan nodded. "Her name is Bonnie Bennett," he said, "Very bright and bubbly. Has one of those smiles that you can't help returning."

"I know who she is," Klaus said, going back to drawing, a small frown on his face. The girl had been in his class for the past two years. She had no talent for drawing or anything pertaining to art. Still she was all chipper words and happy smiles. Always fluttering about with the other cheerleaders, reminding Klaus of a butterfly, pretty to look at but small and without much substance. "I don't like many people," Klaus said, looking up at Stefan again, "but you seem to be a nice enough person. If you are going to teach you should understand something. These students are like a pack of wild dogs most of the time. If you focus too hard on one, the others will blindside you with an attack. Don't let yourself be manipulated or taken advantage of. You are not here to make friends. You are here to teach."

"I've been friends with lots of teachers," Stefan said, his guilt over his thoughts of Bonnie prompting him to defend himself.

"And you said that your wife was your teacher," Klaus reminded him, "You grew friendly enough with her to marry her."

"That was different," Stefan said, "She saw something in me. Or rather I thought she did."

Klaus shrugged. "Whatever the case may be," he said, "Gray areas do not exist for students and teachers. Things are and have always been black and white."

Stefan looked around and was relieved to note that none of the other teachers were listening into their conversation. "If I cannot befriend the students and I must find something to like here," Stefan said, "Maybe I'll just befriend you instead." Stefan noted when Klaus, stiffened a moment, but he didn't say anything. "Would you mind if I ate lunch with you tomorrow?" Stefan smiled.

As Klaus looked up at him, Stefan saw something akin to apprehension in his eyes. "If you wish," he said, after a moment.

Stefan nodded and took another bite of his sandwich. Even though Klaus had advised him to be careful, he was already planning on how he would thank Bonnie for giving him advice.

:::

The day that Stefan had started teaching was one of those days when Bonnie didn't want to go home. Her father was out of town and her mother was who knew where and Bonnie didn't like being in the house alone. Eating alone. Watching television alone. Having no one to say good night to.

She should have been used to it she supposed. However, one never really grew accustomed to loneliness. It was more of being able to feel it but knowing that there was nothing that could be done about it.

Instead of going home, she had come out to eat at Mystic Grill with her friends, but still she felt as if she wasn't there. Caroline Forbes was playing pool with Matt Donovan and she suspected that Tyler Lockwood and Matt's sister were fucking in the bathroom as they had been gone too long for anything else to be going on.

That left Bonnie alone at their table, picking at the French fries she had ordered, still eating alone in a crowd full of people. It wasn't as if she had no one. She had a thing with Tyler's uncle Mason. But Mason had never had any intention of making their thing public and they never really talked. They had sex every once in a while and that was it. And it happened mostly during times when Bonnie was too drunk to use her better judgment.

She was tired of him anyway. He wasn't what Bonnie wanted. She wanted to be someone's poetry. She wanted to be all that mattered. She wanted to be in love and not in lust. She wanted someone to look at her and actually see her. Actually want to get to know her. But it seemed that those things were reserve for girls like Caroline and even girls like Vicki Donovan. While, Tyler was as much of an asshole as his uncle, at least he took Vicky out in public. He knew things about her. He cared even though he pretended not to.

No one had ever felt the way about Bonnie that they seemed all too willing to feel about the people around her. She was sure that she would never feel that feeling and that was why she let people like Mason take advantage of her. That was why she did more for her friends than they ever did for her. That was why she never complained when her parents fought, or her father left town, or her mother came home so late at night it was almost the next morning.

She was complacent because loneliness was the alternative and she could not stand being alone.

The dark turn that her thoughts had taken, caused Bonnie to stand and leave the restaurant. She walked through the crowd and out the door not noticing where she was going. It wasn't until she bumped into someone that she bothered to pay any really attention to what was in front of her. As she looked up she was surprised to see that she had run into Stefan Salvatore just as he was walking inside.

She smiled as she moved to walk around him. While he had been fun to tease earlier that day, she was in no mood to do so now. "Hey, Mr. Salvatore," she greeted, ready to be on her way as he nodded his head in greeting.

She had almost made it past him when he called out after her. "Bonnie," he said, "Is something wrong?"

Bonnie frowned as she turned back to him. She was good at hiding her emotions. Always had been. She prided herself on being hard to read. She never wanted anyone to be able to see how the neglect and solitude affected her. She was bright Bonnie. Reliable Bonnie. Sweet Bonnie. Dependable Bonnie. No one had been able to see through that. So for a moment she thought that she had misheard him. "I'm fine," she said.

"You sure?" Stefan pressed, his eyes boring into her in a way that made her squirm. He seemed as if he actually cared, as if he really wanted to know if she was alright and if not, the reason behind her troubles. "We could go for a walk," he offered, "Talk. If you want."

Bonnie frowned, shaking her head. It was an odd request, and she had been used and abandon too many times not to question his motives. "I don't think that would be appropriate, Mr. Salvatore," she said, "And besides, I'm kind of busy. I don't have time to go for a walk. No stopping by the woods for me. The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep. And miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep."

Stefan gave her an odd sort of smile. "Robert Frost," he whispered.

Bonnie laughed, shaking her head. "Nothing gets past you, Salvatore," she said. Bonnie had always read a lot. There wasn't much else to do with all the time she spent by herself. Normally people weren't amused when she quoted poems, plays, and books at them. She chalked it up to the subject that he taught and turned to leave once more. "Goodnight, Mr. Salvatore."

"Wait," Stefan protested, and so she did. She turned and waited. For the longest time he just stared at her. Gazed, perhaps was a better word. It was an odd thing to behold. Him staring, and nervously playing with the wedding band on his finger. "I was thinking about…," there was a pause, a clearing of the throat, and then, "I thought that maybe I could start a book club. Some kind of after school program. You seem to have a passion for the written word...and I thought maybe other students might as well. Do you think it would be something that people could get into?"

Bonnie looked at him a moment. Perhaps it was because he seemed to care whether or not she was alright. Or maybe it was because she was sure that when he looked at her, he actually saw her. Whatever the case, Bonnie felt something shift inside of her. Something moved out of herself and gravitated toward him. It was the weirdest thing she had ever felt and she knew that it was stupid. He wasn't Mason, who was the family fuck up with nothing to lose. He was a new teacher. He was married. He was a nice guy, whom everyone at school had liked right off. He wasn't someone she should be drawn to. And yet… "I have some pull," she said, "I'm a cheerleader. People like me. If I'm into it. People will be into it."

He nodded. "Good," he said.

There was silence. Not an uncomfortable silence. A silence that was not heavy, but was still tense just the same. "Goodnight, Mr. Salvatore," she said, again needing to break into the quiet.

"Goodnight, Bonnie," he answered.

Bonnie walked away then, telling herself that she wouldn't look back. However, when she made it to her car she did. She looked back and he was still there. Watching. Seeing her.

:::

That night Stefan lay awake in bed next to his wife, unable to sleep. It was an odd thing. He felt detached. Detached from his life. Detached from his wife. Detached from his reality. It seemed that the only thoughts that were keeping him grounded were the thoughts of Bonnie.

He should quit his job. He knew that that would be the smartest course of action. Eliminate the problem, before it became a problem.

Or perhaps he should spend time with her. This draw, this pull, this attraction. Whatever it was, it would dull in time. It would have to, wouldn't it? He only wanted to know more about her, because he knew nothing. He was only interested in her, because she was a mystery to him. Once he learned things, there would be nothing left to fixate on. Nothing left for him to wonder about. There would only be a girl, his student. She would blend in with the rest of the students that wandered the halls, none of whom had caught his eye the way that she had.

Stefan stiffened as he felt his wife touch his arm. They had not eaten together. Had not gotten ready for bed together. Had not spent any time with one another all day. That was normally how it went with them. She always had a class to teach, a workshop to go to, a conference to speak at, and he would always see her long enough for her to ask him what it was he wanted to do with his life. For her to exercise her control over him. For her to make him feel small, like he was that wide eyed student again that was so taken in and beguiled by his professor. By her intelligence and her beauty. He had idolized her then. Thought that she knew everything there was to know about anything. He had learned since then that no one knew everything, it was just that Katherine thought that she did.

"Are you awake?" Katherine asked, and his first thought was to fake sleep. But he knew that she would be able to tell. She could always tell. She could always read him.

"Yeah," he whispered back and waited. Waited to see what it was that she wanted. They were never physical unless she initiated. They never talked unless she was the first to speak. Their entire relationship was on her terms. That had been fine in the beginning when he was young and in awe of her. But now he was growing into himself, becoming a different person. Now he wanted a voice, he just didn't know how to say so.

"How was your first day?" Katherine asked.

What was he to say?

It was good. I met a girl that reminds me what it's like to be alive. She's a student. My student. She smells like vanilla and she smiles more than you. And….I made a friend. He is somber and sarcastic. He doesn't seem to talk to anyone or like anyone but I find him easier to approach than you. Easier to talk to than you. He thinks that I should stay away from the girl and I think so too. But I won't. Because her hair is the color of raven's feathers and she can quote Robert Frost without sounding pretentious.

"Fine," he said aloud, "I did alright. The kids like me. I like the school."

"You see," Katherine said, her hand running down his arm and then back up again, "You should listen to me. Things are always better for you when you listen to me."

His mouth pinched shut and he tensed. There was a time that he had consulted her in everything and she was still able to exercise that control. He hated that she did it, as much as he hated that he let her.

Then a thought occurred to him. Something that he had mentioned to Bonnie. "I was thinking," he said, "Of maybe, starting a book club. Giving the students something to do after school."

There was a pause and Stefan knew that she was thinking. "Well," she said, "I usually get home late so it'll give you something to do too. I like the idea, and it might win you some points with the students and faculty."

"If you think that it's a good idea," Stefan said, as he smiled into the darkness. He wouldn't mind listening to his wife in this instance, he would not mind it at all.

:::

The next day Stefan ate lunch with Klaus again. This time the man actually ate with him. They were quiet. The teacher's lounge was empty. Stefan was in deep thought and Klaus noted that he was in deep thought nearly every moment since Klaus had met him. This did not surprise Klaus as most writers considered themselves to be deep thinkers.

"Nik," Stefan said after a moment, then frowned, and then continued, "May I call you Nik? It sounds better on the tongue than Klaus."

Klaus frowned as he picked over the linguini he had left over from dinner the night before. "My sister calls me Nik," he said, after a while. Not giving Stefan permission but not denying him either.

"Nik," Stefan, repeated. He waited until the man's blue eyes looked at him and he knew he had his full attention. "Have you ever resented someone, without knowing exactly why you resent them?"

"I have resented many people," Klaus answered, "I always know why." His tone was disinterested but he had a feeling that Stefan would persist in talking. He wished that he could ignore the man, but with Stefan's green eyes looking at him so imploringly and the frown lines marring his forehead, he could not bring himself to look away.

"I resent my wife," Stefan said, "I don't know why. Or maybe I know but I don't want to know."

"Do you make it a habit of telling your marital secrets to people within the first few days of knowing them?" Klaus' tone was mocking, but Stefan didn't blink.

"No," he shrugged, "but I find you easy to talk to. You're very straight forward. I like that."

Klaus frowned. There were people who had liked things about him before. It never lasted for long. "How are your classes going so far?" Klaus asked, changing the subject.

"Great," Stefan nodded, "I've even gotten permission to start an afterschool program. A book club of sorts. Bonnie…is helping me recruit members."

"The Bennett girl?" Klaus asked, raising an eyebrow at him, "Didn't you mention her before?" Klaus already knew that he had. He had always had a good memory. Ever since he was young, he was able to remember things and to read people.

"She's a smart girl," Stefan said, "I just think that she could blossom with some help. Maybe she could even write one day, as much as she loves to read. I know you said there was no gray area in terms of teaching and you're right. The matter is black and white. I am simply a teacher who sees potential in his student. That's it. There isn't anything wrong with that. It's perfectly innocent."

"Things that are innocent don't usually need to be labelled as such," Klaus commented, as he took a sip from the mug of tea in front of him.

"You're the one who mentioned not getting too close to students," Stefan reminded him, "I just thought, since we're going to be friends, I might put your mind at ease."

Klaus looked at him for a long moment. His eyes seeming to ask a question that Stefan didn't understand. "Are we? Are we going to be friends, Stefan?"

Stefan nodded. "I think so," he said. A shadow passed over Klaus' face, making Stefan think that there was some truth in Bonnie's sentiment that the man was lonely.

"And so we will," Klaus said, after a moment. He nodded to himself as Stefan continued eating, hoping that he was successfully able to hide the vulnerability that was there just beneath the surface.