Hate at First Sight

The next morning Caroline awoke to sunlight streaming into the massive master bedroom that she now occupied. Caroline was still heavy with sleep since she had stayed up late unpacking the bare essentials for her and Lexi to get by. She gave herself a few moments to stretch and the padded quietly over to the window. She took in the sight before her. It was still early and Grass Lake was a mirror with the morning's mist quickly dissipating in the sun. The tall sharp pine trees lined the edges of the lake, and the few deciduous trees started hinting at the beautiful colors to come. The only man made object you could see apart from the glass lake house next door were a few quaint little homes on the far end of the lake. Caroline hadn't been here in years and she couldn't remember why. She wished they had come here more often; she needed a few more memories of her best friend.

Caroline peaked over to her bed where Lexi lay tangled in a mess of sheets. She couldn't help but smile. Lexi had awoken in the middle of the night and no longer wanted to sleep alone in her new room and so Caroline had let her sleep in her bed for the night, but truth be told Caroline needed Lexi there just as much as Lexi needed her.

Caroline quickly glanced at the clock. It was early, but there was a lot to do today. The first was to get Lexi registered for school. Caroline was not looking forward to that appointment, but they had to start unpacking all of their things, set up the television, internet, phone, and somehow Caroline had to find time to file a change of address, pick up groceries and pick up her new ID card from work. She was tired from just thinking about it. It was going to be a long day.

After grabbing a quick shower she changed into a summer dress and flats intending on enjoying whatever little was left of summer. By the time she had gotten breakfast ready, which was no easy feat for someone who had never really cooked in her life, Lexi had woken up and entered the kitchen.

"Perfect timing Lex! Look what I made!" Caroline asked, while displaying an assortment of fruit and a substance the reminded Lexi of gray play doh.

Lexi stared up at her favorite aunt quizzically.

"I swear you get that look from your dad, Lex. Don't raise your eyebrow at me. I made scrambled eggs!" Caroline offered with her brightest smile

"Thanks Aunt Caroline… It looks… good?"

"…And being a terrible liar comes from your mom," Caroline resigned, but quickly offered, "Okay, how about toast and Aunt Bonnie's strawberry jam?"

The bright smile Caroline got in response confirmed that she was on the right track. In truth, her scrambled eggs did look quite miserable since she had all but forgotten them while she was on the phone with the cable company.

Caroline sipped her coffee as she watched Lexi devour her jam and toast.

"Okay buddy, I'm going to need your help today okay? You know how we talked about living here from now on? Well, we've got to get you registered for school and have to get settled in so we've got some errands. I know it's not the most fun first day, but maybe in the evening we can go down to the park?"

Lexi made a sound. Caroline couldn't quite make out the answer through all the food in Lexi's mouth, but she guessed it was an "Okay".

By noon, all the groceries had been bought, most of the essentials unpacked, and all services set up and paid for. Caroline and Lexi had a quick lunch at a local bistro in town before they got in the car and started on the short drive to Lexi's new school.

Caroline drummed her thumbs nervously on the steering wheel as she waited for the red light to turn green. Caroline quickly glanced over at a smiling Lexi.

"What is so funny?" Caroline asked.

"You don't have to be nervous Aunt Caroline. It's not like a real interview. I don't think kids get rejected from elementary school."

"I know, but you don't know my luck with interviews. Something bad always happens. Like nothing short of apocalyptic kind of stuff."

"Care, you know she's right and stop being such a drama queen. They just want to know she lives within their school's service range," Bonnie's voice radiated from the car phone.

"For one Bonnie Bennet, I am not being a drama queen. For two, do you remember my first interview with Layla, my old boss? Or how about my first job working for the mayor's office? And the follow-up interview?"

"What happened Aunt Caroline?" Lexi questioned.

"Ask me again when you're eighteen okay Lex?" Caroline replied, only to be met with a shrug from Lexi.

Bonnie's melodious laugh burst through the speakers of the car phone.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence guys, but I will feel much better once this is over."

"As long as you brought all of Lexi's documents, you will be fine. Look guys I've got to get back to work, but I'll see you on the weekend okay? Love you guys."

"Love you Bon."

"Love you Aunt Bonnie."

Caroline pulled up to the school and steeled herself before entering the building. She found the main office quickly and approached the front desk. A beautiful woman, with dark curls that cascaded down her back sat at the desk tapping her pen against a note bad. Caroline had confidence in herself most of the time, but women like the one in front of her made her want to go hide in a corner. She was certifiably hot, like supermodel hot, and looked out-of-place sitting behind a desk in an elementary school, wearing tight dark denim and a fitted white collared shirt that accentuated all that Mother Nature had blessed her with.

"Hi, Caroline Forbes and Lexi Salvatore to see …" Caroline froze. She forgot the damned principal's name. How could she forget the damned principal's name? Caroline was off to a great start.

The dark haired beauty stared back at Caroline with curiosity. Caroline glanced down quickly at her nameplate. "I'm sorry, uh, Mrs. Lithgow, I'm here to see the principal" Caroline finished.

"It's Ms. Pierce actually. Katherine Pierce. I'll let Mr. Mikaelson know you're here," Katherine spoke with her back to Caroline, as she was already walking towards the offices in the back.

"Do you always fidget when you're nervous?" Lexi asked.

"Hm?" Caroline had not realized she was being watched.

"What? Oh, no, everything's going to be fine Lex, don't worry."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you Aunt Care."

Katherine returned from the offices in the back walking down the hallway as if it were a runway and slid into her desk. Well Caroline, you might not have her confidence, but you're going to fake it till you make it, Caroline thought to herself.

The moments ticked by slower than Caroline would have liked. She could have sworn she heard the lights above her buzz with electricity and the clock on the far fall tick obnoxiously loudly. Lexi sat beside her reading a book with large colourful pictures and Katherine stared at her unblinkingly from the desk. Caroline was about to say something to break the awkward silence, but Katherine beat her to it.

"New in town?" Katherine asked as she stared thoughtfully at Caroline.

"Yeah, kind of. My best friend had a cottage up here so I used to spend summers here, but I've just recently decided to make it permanent."

"Where are you from?"

"I worked in New York for a while, but Mystic Falls before that. What about yourself?"

"Oh I've lived all over. I just recently moved from New York myself, but I'm looking to settle down given the right… benefits" Katherine drawled as she eyed the man approaching them, and Caroline could see why.

The man that approached the ladies was what Ms. Sheila, Bonnie's grandmother, would call a "tall glass of water". He was tall, with deep brown eyes, well-defined cheekbones, and could fill out a suit like no man before him. He emanated class and sophistication as he walked over to Caroline with one hand in his pocket and the other outstretched to shake Caroline's hand.

"Ms. Forbes, a pleasure to finally meet you."

Dead. It was all over as soon as the British accent hit her. Caroline glanced over to Katherine. She could see why Ms. Pierce was in trouble and what the "right benefits" might be. Katherine looked at him like the birthday kid looks at their chocolate cake. For a second Caroline didn't know who was in trouble more, Katherine or the man in front of her.

"Hi, Mr. Mikaelson, the pleasure is all mine."

"Mr. Mikaelson was my father, please call me Elijah."

Caroline smiled and offered her hand to Lexi who peered up at Elijah through her thick eyelashes.

"This is Lexi."

"Hello young lady. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Why don't you both follow me to my office?"

Caroline and Lexi followed Elijah through the large open corridor and into a large office with a beautiful view of the Semoline River, where they proceeded to have the most uneventful 15-minute "interview" of Caroline's life. They talked about their reasons for moving and Lexi's past experiences. Throughout the conversation, Elijah remained courteous, gracious and eloquent. Caroline felt that she had been transported back in time because men like this just didn't exist. Katherine's reasons for pining now became painfully obvious. She was totally screwed.

"Well, thanks for coming today Ms. Forbes I look forward to seeing you and Lexi Monday morning. I hope you enjoy your time here with us and if I can be of service to help with your adjustment here please let me know."

"Elijah, please, call me Caroline and thank you for such a gracious offer."

They shook hands and Elijah escorted her back to reception. With a smile and a nod of his head, he headed back to his office.

Caroline walked out to the front desk, stopping when she saw Katherine. Caroline appraised Katherine with a smile on her face.

Katherine stopped at stared back, when she finally stopped gazing longingly at Elijah's retreating figure. "What?"

"The right benefits?" Caroline asked knowingly.

A slow smirk spread across Katherine's face. "Is it that obvious? I'm totally screwed, aren't I?"

"And then some," Caroline responded as she tossed on her sunglasses and headed for the exit. "Come on baby girl, let's get going!"

Caroline and Lexi made their way through the school taking a detour to check out what would be Lexi's new classroom. As they walked, Caroline searched her purse over and over again to no avail. When she got to the car Caroline concluded that she had forgotten her phone in Elijah's office.

"Lex, wait in the car? I'll be back in a second! Lock the doors."

Caroline rushed back into the office where Katherine stood with her legs crossed and a phone in her hand that she tapped against her jaw thoughtfully, a playful smile upon her face.

"Forget something?"

"My hero!" Caroline purred as Katherine chuckled.

"Finally, someone with some personality in this town. I might like you Forbes."

"You don't seem so bad yourself Pierce. I'm pretty sure rescuing my phone makes you my knight-in-shining-armour."

"Trust me, I know how it is. My phone is my lifeline, but I'm guessing by your missing companion that you're in a bit of a rush?"

"Yeah, Lexi's waiting in the car, but thank you so much. You saved my life."

"See you around Caroline."

Caroline turned to leave again only to walk into something solid that didn't give. Her phone tumbled out of her hand and, in the time it took her to process the events, shattered into pieces on the floor of the school's main office.

Caroline shut her eyes tightly. She knew the interview had gone too well. Without a cell phone…

"Fucking apocalypse," Caroline muttered under her breath.

"A bit dramatic love. Don't you think?" a British voice responded, one that didn't belong to Elijah, but one that made Caroline weak in the knees.

Caroline opened her eyes and beheld the most gorgeous pair of lips she had ever seen, full, pink, kissable lips – the ones that make you want to kiss them for hours. The one's you would want all over your body. Her eyes trailed upward to beautiful baby blue eyes rimmed with thick golden lashes – the kinds that make a girl swoon – and a chiseled jaw – the kind male models kill for her. Her hands began to tingle making her aware of the hardness of his chest under her finders. She quickly glanced over to her arm, where his finger gently caressed her. Caroline was lost in reverie.

"Like what you see sweetheart?"

And just like that the spell was broken and Caroline blinked rapidly to process what had happened.

"By all means, take your time," the man asked looking past her with a slightly bored expression on his face.

Caroline cleared her throat in hopes to steady her voice. She did not want him to think… to see how much he had affected her. The arrogant son of a bitch was probably used to it. Remember, that you're swearing off men Caroline. Good for nothing pricks, Caroline scolded herself.

"Please," Caroline scoffed. Good, I sounded legitimately unimpressed.

"You broke my phone," Caroline bent to pick up the shattered pieces, for no reason whatsoever would she allow herself to look at him again.

"Sorry love, but care to run that by me again? Because as I recall, you ran into me."

Caroline opened her mouth to let him have it, but was interrupted by Elijah's voice.

"Niklaus…"

"Elijah."

"Katherine, cancel my next appointment please," Elijah answered coolly as he eyed Niklaus.

Niklaus addressed Caroline while staring at Elijah, "I would say it's been a pleasure, but I'd be lying seeing as you stepped on my new, very expensive boots."

"Ass."

Niklaus turned and smiled at her mischieviously, "Careful sweetheart wouldn't want the little kiddies to hear you." Without another word he followed Elijah into the office she had just come from.

Caroline rolled her eyes as he walked away and stared at the pieces of her beloved phone in her hand. "Guess I have another errand to run now," Caroline said to no one in particular.

"Honey, run your little errand, but I'm not the only one that's screwed now," Katherine responded, having watched the whole scenario unfold.

"Was it that obvious?"

"The drooling might've given it away, but no one would blame you. Klaus tends to have that effect on women."

Caroline smiled pathetically, waved at Katherine, and walked out of the office back to the car. Something tickled and buzzed in the back of her head, like a memory wanting to surface, a sense of déjà vu, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Ready Aunt Caroline?" Lexi asked, as Caroline climbed into the driver's seat.

"Yup. Hey Lex, remember how we were going to come up with house rules together?"

"Yeah?" Lexi responded as they pulled out on to the main road leading back to town.

"Well, I've got one. Stay away from men whose middle name is 'Trouble'".

"Alright, but I don't know anyone with that name."

"I do."

-/-

I've gone on a bit of a writing spree since I have time and inspiration to spare right now. Plus I anticipate a huge slow down once school is back in sesh. It isn't completely edited yet but I wanted you to have it early. Enjoy the update. Let me know what you think and if you like the direction it's heading in!

Also thinking about writing the next chapter from Klaus' POV. Good idea?

AJ