Notes: And here's the second part. Big thanks to Sophie, Ravyn and Angie for the help!

Part Two: Marching Through Your Head

"Where were you in 1617?"

She skips the 'Hello' and dives right in. After all the things they've said over the phone lately pleasantries don't seem necessary.

There's a long pause on the other end, and Caroline hears Klaus murmur to someone that he'll be right back. The background noise grows fainter and then nearly disappears. "Caroline?" Klaus asks, sounding puzzled. "It's two in the afternoon, love. As much as I enjoy our… chats, I'm afraid you've called at an inopportune time."

Caroline blinks for a second then sits up, pushing her book away. "Oh, sorry. I know you're busy. I was just reading this book from the supplemental list for one of my classes. I was wondering about something and I thought…" she trails off, before she can really start to ramble.

Truthfully she'd dialed his number before she'd even thought about it.

She figured the instinct was understandable considering just how often she called Klaus these days.

In the beginning Caroline had been strict with herself. Waking up the next morning, feeling more rested than she had in ages, she'd tried to tell herself that phone sex with Klaus was a one-time event. It had been brought on by her insomnia, was a momentary lapse. One that she absolutely would not be repeating. She'd resolved to focus on school, and other things, and shove thoughts of Klaus far, far away.

Yeah, right.

The first of those other things? Sex. She was a vampire, dry spells were dangerous, and probably the whole reason her brain had been taking detours that led back to Klaus. She'd made an attempt to take care of the problem but, all her lofty goals, Caroline hadn't had much luck in the romance department. Two days after she'd talked to Klaus she'd gone home with a guy she'd met in the library when he'd suggested they work off some tension to improve their studying. That encounter had left her only marginally satisfied, and even then only been because of her own efforts.

And imagination. She'd climbed on top, closed her eyes, and cycled through some of her very favorite racy Klaus-fantasies to push her over the edge.

Talk about counterintuitive.

It had been sheer luck that she'd managed not to say Klaus' name when she'd come.

After gathering her clothes and high tailing it back to her dorm Caroline had been forced to admit to herself that it was pretty unlikely that she'd be able to resist repeating what she and Klaus had done. Especially since he'd been clear that he'd welcome her call.

She'd made herself wait. Told herself that she had willpower.

A whole ten days went by (and more than a few sleepless nights) before she'd contacted Klaus again.

Caroline had kind of been hoping that it wouldn't be as good a second time.

Sue her, she was an optimist.

If anything, it had been better. Klaus had clearly put a lot of thought into it, talking her through a very detailed fantasy, teasing her until her skin had been slick to the touch and her muscles pulled tight, until he'd urged her, his voice rough, to come for him. She'd let go with a cry and shivered through one hell of an orgasm while listening to him breathe raggedly.

"Okay," she'd panted, when she could talk again, "you're really good at this."

Klaus had laughed softly, "I've had a lot of time to ponder all the ways I want to touch you, all the things I wish to make you feel. And precious few hours to practice."

She'd cleared her throat, forced herself to sit up, and told Klaus goodnight, ignoring the slight smugness with which he'd replied, "I'll talk to you soon, Caroline."

Maybe he'd earned the right to be a little pleased with himself. Caroline's legs had still been shaky as she'd gathered up her shower kit.

She'd turned the shower up extra hot, shampooed, conditioned, lathered, and told herself that this thing with Klaus was fine. It wasn't hurting anyone, right? She was an adult, no longer obligated to explain what she did with her free time. So maybe calling Klaus could be a thing she did. Occasionally.

In secret, just for her.

She'd lasted a week before making another call.

Then five days.

Since moving home for the summer she'd bumped it up to did it up to twice a week. Her mother's erratic hours and the increased privacy made it easier and the calls got longer. At some point they'd started to talk, about non-sexy topics, after they were finished. They discussed Klaus' dealings in New Orleans (whatever mysterious problem that had drawn him there had been dealt with and the city apparently was once again firmly under his control), her summer job and fall classes, a painting he was working on, a reality show she was obsessed with that Klaus couldn't seem to wrap his head around (no matter how much she explained why it was amazing).

She felt weirdly comfortable, having those conversations with Klaus, even though Caroline was always naked when they spoke.

Not something she wanted to ponder too deeply.

Calling him in the middle of the afternoon, fully clothed and not the least bit interested in sex, just because she wanted his perspective? This was totally new, totally scary, territory.

Caroline wonders if she can hang up and just pretend it never happened.

Only for a moment before she decided that would be cowardly.

"I don't mind," Klaus assures her. "But I am in the middle of something. You could call me back tonight, if you'd like?"

"Or you could call me when you're done?" Caroline offers. "I'm meeting up with some work friends later and I don't know when I'll be home. Or I guess I could just Google. But sometimes Google lies."

"You want me to call you?" Klaus repeats slowly.

Caroline feels her face scrunch up in confusion, "Uh, yeah? If you want to, obviously." It clicks suddenly, why he's acting so strangely, "Wait, Klaus, did you think you couldn't call me?" She feels like an idiot for not realizing it sooner. He's never been the one to make the call.

"I believe I promised not to contact you, sweetheart. And I do try to keep my promises. To you."

She ignores the little hint of flirt there, because she really hadn't called for that, "I've called you what, like twenty times now?"

"Twenty three," Klaus corrects.

Caroline rolls her eyes, because of course he'd been keeping count. "Exactly. Your promise is null and void."

"Is it, now? All of it?"

"I mean, I'd rather you didn't come back to Mystic Falls. You and my friends? There's never going to be a time where that's easy. Not in this century, at least."

"Ah, so I am your dirty little secret, then?" Klaus murmurs, a mocking edge to the words.

"Secret, yes. Dirty, sometimes, but don't pretend like you don't enjoy that. But I'm not hiding anything because I'm ashamed of this. I'm over sacrificing things that make me happy for other people. It's never gotten me anywhere before."

He makes a noise, not quite a word, both amused and skeptical.

Caroline huffs, growing annoyed, "Look, there's no motive here. And frankly I am super offended that you think I'm using you to get off."

"Weren't you?" Klaus counters knowingly, "at least at the start?"

"No!" she denies. "I never expected what happened to happen. And anyway, if you thought I was using you, why'd you let me?"

This time the laugh is pure mirth, low and rich, "For the same reasons I always did. Surely you never thought you were fooling me when your friends sent you to toy with me for their gain?"

"Yeah," Caroline drawls. "I've never been entirely clear on that, if I'm being totally honest."

She sure he's smirking when he replies, that one that always made her itch to find some way to wipe it off. "It's simple, love. I am, in my heart of hearts, an opportunist. Each time you tried to exploit my fondness for you, to get under my skin, you offered me a golden opportunity to slip my way under yours."

She sucks in a breath at the bold statement. Wants to protest, wants to bite out an emphatic 'You wish!' but he's not entirely wrong.

And it's only gotten worse. She has no idea what to call this little routine they've settled into. Phone friends with benefits, maybe? If they're going to keep doing it (and Caroline can't pretend like their calls aren't usually the highlight of her day) it's only fair if it runs both ways. She lets him know that with her next words, "I'll let you go so you can continue doing your evil overlord song and dance. But call me back if you're done crushing your enemies before six."

Klaus doesn't comment on her quick subject change, and Caroline's grateful. He hums affirmatively before saying, "I'll speak to you later, Caroline," and hanging up.

Caroline tries to get back to her reading but concentrating proves difficult, her eyes continuously darting to her phone.

Kind of proving Klaus' point with the 'under your skin' thing.


She bites her lip nervously, eyeing herself critically in the mirror while smoothing a hand down her stomach. The semester had only started last week, so her room is clutter free (not that she was messy. Ever). Her bed, covered in her nicest sheets, is visible behind her. Caroline had gone a little nuts at IKEA, the appeal of decorating her private dorm room too much to resist. She loves Elena and Bonnie, but their tastes don't always mesh.

The folding three-way mirror hadn't been on her list, but it had been on sale, so she'd picked it up anyway. Bonnie had shaken her head and muttered something rueful about how it was going to take Caroline even longer to get ready every morning.

Someone remembered the movie montage outfit change routines they'd done at sleepovers.

Bonnie, thankfully, would never in a million years had guessed the mirror's true purpose, the naughty idea brewing in the back of Caroline's mind, when she'd painstakingly written down the weird Swedish name.

She'd only ever sent Klaus the one photo and, while he'd encouraged her to send more, he'd never explicitly asked after the first time.

She thought photos could be a lot of fun.

She's read cautionary articles about nudes but Caroline knows Klaus isn't the kind of guy who'd post the pictures on the internet behind her back. Anything she sent him would be for his eyes only. So why not experiment? Supposedly, that was the whole point of college, right?

Caroline [Saturday 9:43 PM]: Are you busy?

Klaus [Saturday 9:45 PM]: Not especially. It's early.

Caroline [Saturday 9:46 PM]: Are you alone?

Klaus [Saturday 9:50 PM]: I am now.

Caroline [Saturday 9:51 PM]: Do you want to try something new?

Klaus [Saturday 9:51 PM]: With you? Always.

Caroline spins, takes the photo over her shoulder, naked except for a black lace thong and high heels, curls wild and tumbling down her back.

She allows herself one quick peek at how it had turned out (otherwise she'll be here for hours, overanalyzing and minutely shifting position), before she presses send.

She doesn't breathe until her phone rings. But to be fair, Klaus' response doesn't take more than thirty seconds.

She rejects the call because she wants this to play out a certain way and she's well aware of the things Klaus' voice does to her, how persuasive he can be.

Caroline [Saturday 9:52 PM]: The new thing is sexting. Still want to play? Or do I need to define it, since it probably wasn't something people did via telegram. Or smoke signals.

Caroline [Saturday 9:52 PM]: Or carrier pigeons.

Klaus [Saturday 9:53 PM]: I'm sure I'll catch on. Though I thank you for your concern.

Caroline [Saturday 9:54 PM]: You're welcome.

Caroline [Saturday 9:54 PM]: You can call me later. Eventually I'm going to need both my hands…

Caroline [Saturday 9:55 PM]: But for now, here's a hint: quid pro quo.

Klaus responds with a snap of his bed.

Klaus [Saturday 9:56 PM]: To enrich your fantasies, love.

Caroline scoffs, can almost hear him saying it, smugly amused and oh so pleased with himself. She notes absently that his bed frame looks sturdy. If Klaus is thinking she'll send him anything more provocative, without him showing a little skin, he's going to be disappointed. One the one hand, she's pretty certain that Klaus has never even considered taking a selfie in his life. On the other, she totally hadn't been kidding about the quid pro quo. So what if people seemed to think men were more visual than women? Caroline wasn't shy about enjoying a little eye candy and Klaus wasn't unaware of his own appeal.

Caroline [Saturday 9:57 PM]: Nice try. Maybe I should put something back on? If you're not into this…

A picture comes through a few moments later. Klaus' sitting on his bed, his bare torso in the frame and his face angled away, the edge of his stubbled jaw just visible. She studies the taut skin of his throat, remembers how his pulse had pounded against her tongue just before she'd bitten him.

Caroline [Saturday 9:58 PM]: That's more like it. So, a reward. What do you want to see?

Klaus [Saturday 9:58 PM]: The knickers. Take them off.

Caroline turns to the side and slides her panties off, taking a photo as she does it. It's of her hand on her skin, under the lace, the lower curve of her breast hinted along the top of the frame.

She sends the photo along with a request of her own.

Caroline [Saturday 10:01 PM]: Your jeans.

She should have been more specific because he sends her a photo of them, discarded on a dark wood floor. Maybe a taunt will be more effective.

Caroline [Saturday 10:02 PM]: Never pegged you for shy, Klaus.

Klaus [Saturday 10:03 PM]: Just getting more comfortable.

Another picture follows, of Klaus sprawled out on his gigantic bed. His hand rests on his abs, just above the waistband of his boxer briefs, his cock hard behind the black fabric.

Caroline sits on her bed, crosses her legs and arches her back. One hand toys with a nipple, while the other takes the photo, sends it, and types out a message.

Caroline [Saturday 10:05 PM]: I think I'm going to need my hands, now.

Her phone rings immediately. Caroline takes her time, kicking off her shoes, arranging her pillows behind her and leaning back before answering. She can still see herself in the mirror, and she brings her knees up, parting her thighs and laying a hand over herself to obscure how wet she is. She takes one more photo and sends it to Klaus before answering, putting the phone on speaker.

"Hello?" Caroline asks, only to be greeted by silence.

She assumes that means Klaus has received her final pic. She presses her lips together to hold in a laugh. "So, how do we feel about sexting?" she wonders innocently.

"I think I could grow exceedingly fond of it," Klaus replies. "Where are your roommates? That room looks rather small."

"Elena and I might have arranged for us all to have singles this year," Caroline explains. "She's decided to do pre-med and doesn't have time to drive back to Mystic Falls a ton. And, since I have no desire to have Damon in my room constantly…"

"Who would?"

Caroline laughs softly, "Just Elena, I think. And honestly I kind of like having my own space. Only child, you know. Sharing a room wasn't easy."

"There is something to be said for privacy," Klaus muses. "I like what you've done with the place, love. Is the mirror new?"

There's something knowing in his question, something that makes Caroline's pulse pick up.

"How'd you know?"

"Call it a hunch. Or rather, an educated guess, based on what I've learned of your… preferences."

"Oh?" Caroline prompts him.

"I think you like to watch. And, even more, I think you like to be watched."

She feels herself flush, watches her skin turn pink in the mirror.

"Send me another picture," Klaus urges softly.

Caroline fiddles with the phone, flipping the camera, so it's just her face. Her color high, her eyes bright. Hair mussed from where it's pressed against the pillows, her lower lip red from being bitten.

Klaus hums appreciatively, "So lovely, Caroline. Are you comfortable?"

She nods and then rolls her eyes because he can't see her. This time. Maybe she could look into Skype or something. Caroline clears her throat and answers, "Yes."

"Good," he murmurs. His voice drops lower, "Are you wet for me?"

Caroline swallows hard at the blunt question, her thighs pressing together as a dull ache begins to build.

"It's something I don't think I'll ever forget, you know," Klaus continues. "What it felt like to touch you for the first time. How smooth your skin was, the way your nipple pebbled under my tongue. The way your hips jerked when I first brushed against your slit."

"Klaus," Caroline breathes.

"Do it now, for me. Just a fingertip. Gently."

With a shaky inhale, Caroline lets her hand drop, relaxes her legs so she can reach her folds. She remembers how he'd done it, teasingly, how he'd groaned at the hint of slickness he'd found, his forehead pressed to hers. She watches herself in the mirror, wondering if this is what she'd looked like that day.

Impulsively, she sends him another picture. The idea of him seeing her, like this, really did turn her on.

A rough noise escapes him, and she hears him shifting, thinks he's probably discarded his underwear. "If I was there," Klaus tells her, "I'd use my fingers, first. Thighs wide, love. Spread yourself. Look in the mirror and see how incredible you look when you're aroused."

Caroline slouches down, lets her knees fall open, and does what he asks, eyes on the mirror, focused between her thighs. "I'd use my tongue," Klaus rumbles, "to tease your clit."

Caroline lets out a soft whine, when she brings her other hand down, to trace a gentle circle over the sensitive bundle of nerves. Her head tips back, and her hips rock, chasing the motions, but she keeps watching herself through heavy lidded eyes.

"I wish I could see you," Klaus says. "I'd start soft, until you couldn't take it anymore. Until those sweet little noises you make were spilling from your lips. You threw a leg over my shoulder, remember? Tried to pull yourself up, to grind against my mouth, as your hands tore into the ground."

He'd gone slowly, that day in the woods, after the first time against the tree. Caroline had been frantic, so aware that they'd only had a few moments to steal. She'd wanted as much of him as she could get. But Klaus had refused to be rushed. He'd tasted her languidly, all covetous gazes and savoring moans, never giving her quite what she'd needed, until she'd bent to his will in hopes of getting a little relief.

"I'd ease a finger inside of you, hold still to feel your body clench, as you try to pull me deeper. I'd pull out, circle your entrance, and then add another." Caroline's been mindlessly following his directions, and she lets out a moan, sinking her fingers inside of herself.

"How does it feel, love?"

"Good," Caroline sighs, withdrawing and pushing back in, her thighs beginning to shake, "Are you touching yourself, Klaus? Is your hand around your cock? Are you squeezing, imagining it's my pussy?"

She's never been so forward, has never said that word aloud, and Klaus' breath hitches when he answers, "Yes, though it's a pale imitation of how incredible you felt. Slick and tight and perfect."

"I want to see," she demands boldly.

Her phone buzzes, and she wipes her hand on the sheets before she grabs it, mouth dropping open at the image of his big hand wrapped around his cock, precum leaking from the tip. Another stab of need lands low in her belly, making her squirm as she rubs her palm against her clit.

"Mmm," Caroline moans, letting the phone drop. "My fingers aren't nearly as good as yours."

His voice grows even more gravelly, "I know, sweetheart. Are you watching? Use your other hand. I'd suck on your clit, but I want you to pinch it. Get your fingers wet and roll it between them."

She does what he's asking, her hands moving in tandem, shocks of pleasure coursing through her body.

"Are you close, Caroline? Let me hear you come."

Caroline makes a noise, half-whimper, half his name, and her toes digging into the mattress. She crooks her fingers, reaching for that spot he'd found so effortlessly, and it's just enough to send her crashing over the edge, her bed shaking with the force of her climax, a rough groan torn from her throat.

He's quieter, all heavy breaths and rustling sheets, a faint, reverent gasp of her name.

It's immensely satisfying, Caroline can't lie.

They breathe together, for a few minutes, and Caroline stretches, lets out a contented hum, her body feeling pleasantly light.

"Big fan of this game," she says, and then clears her throat, to push down the hoarseness.

Klaus lets out an amused chuckle, "It was your invention so I'm not surprised."

"Give yourself some credit," Caroline teases.

He's quiet for a long minute before he makes a request, "Send me another picture."

She hesitates because this somehow feels more intimate than it had before. Still, the softness with which he'd asked, with a note of what she might even call yearning, has her groping for her phone. Caroline lies down on her stomach and turns her face to the mirror. She snaps the photo and sends it without a glance, not sure she'd be able to do it otherwise.

Caroline closes her eyes, considers going to sleep. "What are your plans for tonight?" she asks curiously.

"A king's job is never done," Klaus remarks lightly, "and New Orleans comes alive at night."

"So you've said."

"And offered to show you," Klaus replies pointedly.

It doesn't scare her like it had when she'd first heard his voicemail. Maybe that's why she says, "Someday."

Maybe that's why she means it.


She and Elena are pleasantly buzzed, in the giggly drunk stage, shushing each other and stumbling into the walls. They'd already dropped Bonnie off and tucked her into bed but Elena had insisted that since it was Caroline's birthday she deserved to be walked to her door.

It had been a good night. They'd dressed up, had great food. Caroline and Elena had packed away an impressive number of margaritas (supplemented by sips from flasks because Caroline had been determined to get good and drunk, vampire or not). Bonnie had indulged in a few and they'd danced and laughed and forgotten their problems. Talk of supernatural danger and boyfriend drama had been minimal.

It might just go down in history as one of Caroline's best birthdays ever.

Elena almost passes Caroline's door but Caroline pulls her back while she digs into her purse for her keys. Elena's fingers reach out to trace the number nine next to the frame, "Huh," she mutters, "I thought it was farther."

"Nope. 409. That's me." After a brief struggle with the lock (it was sticky, and she'd been more than tempted to just give it a little wrist and break the damn thing so they'd replace it) Caroline pushes the door open. And promptly drops everything that had been in her hands.

Caroline groans because of course the contents of her purse had spilled out. Couldn't the universe just give her one good day?

Elena bends to help her, swaying even though she's wearing flats. Caroline waves her away, "No, it's fine. If you fall you'll never get up and I have no desire to talk to Damon to get him to come and get you."

Elena merely rolls her eyes. It's what she always does these days when Caroline makes her distaste for Damon known. Elena's long since stopped commenting, and Caroline has managed to tone down her digs. As much as she's able.

She'll never, ever, like Damon.

Elena wanders into Caroline's room, flicking on the light, and Caroline hastily shoves her things back into her clutch before heaving herself up and following. She kicks off her shoes and shrugs out of her jacket, glancing over at Elena who's by her desk.

"What is this?" Elena asks as she turns around, holding up a white card and a black velvet pouch.

Caroline freezes, recognizing the handwriting.

Happy Birthday, Caroline.

Perhaps, someday, dreams will come true.

Fondly, Klaus.

Caroline closes her eyes, musters a smile, and then carefully hangs up her jacket. "It looks like a birthday gift," she says as casually as she can.

She so doesn't want to do this right now. Or ever, really.

Elena scoffs, her eyes narrowing in anger, jerky fingers untying the bag and tipping its contents onto her palm. Which was kind of rude, Caroline thought. Elena wasn't even an only child so she should totally know better than to open someone else's presents, shouldn't she?

Elena's eyes widen, her jaw going slack. Caroline moves closer, her curiosity piqued, peering down at Elena's hand. At the gleaming pile of sapphires and diamonds puddled in her palm.

She sucks in a breath because they're gorgeous. And because she's hit with the image from the fantasy Klaus had imparted.

Writhing on his lap, leaning back to chase the perfect angle, gripping his shoulders to keep her balance, as he teases her nipples. The stones heating with her body…

"Caroline," Elena snaps, tossing the jewels aside as if they'd been soaked in vervain. Caroline watches them skitter along the empty surface of her desk and fall to the floor. She grits her teeth and holds back the complaint she wants to make. That won't help, not right now. She shakes herself, looking up and taking in Elena's angry face. "Why is Klaus sending you a birthday present?" Elena demands.

Caroline shrugs, feigning nonchalance, with a slim hope that she'll be able to convince Elena to calm down and not make a big deal out of this. "Because he always does? Last year I got a microwave. Maybe he thought trying jewellery was safe since I didn't throw that one back in his face."

The mental picture, of her heaving the microwave at Klaus' smirking face, is an amusing one but sadly Elena does not seem to care. Her accusing gaze shifts to the corner where the microwave sits atop the mini fridge, "Klaus gave that to you? I used that!"

It's a struggle not to roll her eyes at how silly a statement that was. "It's just an appliance! What could he have possibly have done to it? And what would the point even be?"

"Klaus left!" Elena yells, ignoring Caroline's logic. "He's out of my life, why are you inviting him back in?"

Frustrated, Caroline throws up her hands. "I'm not! I've been talking to him for months and guess what, Elena? He's not in your life. He'll never be in your life, if I have anything to say about it. But he's in mine."

"Why? How can you do that to me?" Elena's voice has softened, her eyes turning wounded.

"I'm not doing anything to you!"

"Klaus is a monster. He…"

Caroline cuts her off, with a bitter laugh, "Seriously? I'm a monster. You're a monster. Damon's a monster. How many people have we killed? How many more, in a thousand years?"

"It's not the same," Elena protests.

Caroline sits down on her bed, a tired sigh escaping her, "Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. We're vampires now. Our lives haven't been black and white for a long time."

Elena's silent for a long minute. "And if I asked you to stop talking to Klaus?"

"I'd probably do it," Caroline admits. "For a while. I don't think I could do it forever. Since forever could very well mean centuries."

Elena opens her mouth again, but Caroline keeps talking. "But, Elena, ask yourself. Had I asked you to do the same for me, had I asked you to cut Damon out of your life, would you have done that for me? If Bonnie had? If Jeremy had?"

Elena shakes her head stubbornly, "Damon isn't Klaus."

"I still have nightmares," Caroline says quietly. "Of what he did to me when I was human. Not as often as I used to. But they happen. I shake them off and I endure his presence. Because I love you. And you love him. I'll never ask you to be in the same room as Klaus. You never even have to speak to him if you don't want to."

Elena's lips press together, and she seems to struggle, her hands balling into fists, "I'm not okay with this."

"You don't have to be. But it really, really, has nothing to do with you." Caroline wants to continue, has to bite down on the inside of her lip to keep from adding, 'and I'm sure that's difficult for you to process since you're so used to everything being about you.'

She tries so hard not to be petty anymore.

Elena leaves without another word, or a backward glance, the door slamming shut behind her. Caroline lets herself fall back into her bed, curls up and pulls her quilt up to her chin before muttering, "Happy birthday to me."

There's a knock early the next morning. Caroline groans, pulling a pillow over her head.

Going to bed without brushing her teeth, or taking off her makeup, had been a terrible idea and she feels disgusting. She does her best to ignore the person at the door but the knocking only gets louder. And then her phone starts to ring.

Ugh. This had better be life and death or Caroline was going to make it life and death.

Someone else's death.

Rolling out of bed and stumbling towards the door, Caroline only just manages to keep her fangs in when she throws it open.

Bonnie's on the other side, eyes widening when she takes in Caroline's appearance, "Wow. You look…"

A guy walks past Bonnie and he turns to leer at Caroline. She glances down, notes that her dress has ridden very high on her thighs, before she scowls and motions Bonnie inside, "Like death? Gee, thanks, Bonnie. Newsflash, I am dead."

Bonnie ignores her less than stellar mood, shoving a paper cup in Caroline's hand and pulling a bag out of her purse, "I brought coffee. And an extra bacon-y breakfast sandwich. Since I assumed you'd be hungover."

Caroline squints down at Bonnie, who looks remarkably fresh considering she'd basically had to be carried out of the bar last night, "Why aren't you?"

"I was. At 6 AM," Bonnie deadpans with a grimace, "when Elena woke me up. I've guzzled like a gallon of water, eaten and showered. I even went to class. So I'm good, now."

"Give me a minute," Caroline tells her, rifling through her closet for comfy clothes and disappearing into the bathroom. She should at least be comfortable for what was surely going to be a 'look at your choices, Caroline!' friendtervention.

She's quick, wanting to get the conversation that's coming over and done with, washing up and tying her hair back before changing into yoga pants and a sweater. She makes a beeline to the mini fridge, when she emerges, pulls out a blood bag and returns to her bed, leaning against the wall, "Alright, shoot. Judge me."

Bonnie shakes her head, a small smile playing about her lips. She bends, retrieving the necklace that Elena had tossed aside last night, holding it gingerly and throwing Caroline a glance as her eyebrows shoot up, "Wow. That's some gift."

Caroline focuses on unwrapping her sandwich, keeps her voice light, "I'm pretty sure money means very different things to The Originals than it does to us."

The bed dips, as Bonnie settles next to Caroline, laying the necklace between them, "I'm not here to judge you. Not really."

Caroline's head snaps up, and Bonnie's watching her, expression almost sympathetic, "It's your life, Caroline. Your very long life. But I'm confused about some things."

"Like what?" Caroline asks warily.

"You told me Klaus said he'd walk away. Did he lie to you?" Bonnie's eyes have hardened slightly, a tinge of suspicion entering as she asks the question.

"I called him," Caroline tells her. "And I kept calling him. I told him it was okay to call me."

Bonnie deflates slightly, almost looking disappointed, "Damn. A little part of me was hoping he was being a manipulative dick and I could at least make his brain explode a little."

Caroline lets out a soft laugh, before taking a bite of her sandwich, "I told Elena that, as far as I'm concerned, Klaus is out of her life. And yours, and Stefan's. I get that you don't want him around, and I get why. I'm not going to force anyone into double dates and kumbaya."

"Dates?" Bonnie asks pointedly.

Caroline feels her face heat and she shakes her head, "I didn't mean it like that. We're not…"

Bonnie's watching her expectantly, and Caroline struggles to explain. "We're not together. But we don't exactly talk about the weather, you know?" Bonnie looks mildly confused and Caroline so does not want to spell things out. "Trust me, Bon," Caroline rushes to add, "You don't want to know the details."

Bonnie's nose wrinkles slightly, "I'm just going to stop thinking about why that might be. Right now."

"An excellent plan!" Caroline tells her, smiling widely. "And thanks. For being so unexpectedly cool with this."

"I don't get it. At all. But I trust you, Caroline."

Caroline feels herself grinning, half in relief and half so she doesn't start ugly crying with joy. She'd honestly never expected Bonnie to pick her over Elena so the news that she's not going to be shunned fills her with warmth. Caroline reaches over to pull Bonnie in for a hug, "You're the best, Bon."


Caroline [Thursday 11:17 AM]: Thank you. It's beautiful.

Klaus [Thursday 11:19AM]: You're welcome. Did you have a good birthday?

Caroline [Thursday 11:20]: Mostly. Until Elena found the necklace. FYI envelopes are your friend.

Klaus [Thursday 11:21]: My mistake. I assumed you'd have more privacy, living alone. I'll endeavour to be more discrete. Unless this is you terminating our acquaintance, once again?

Caroline [Thursday 11:22]: It's fine. Elena's just a nosy drunk, I guess. She's not happy with me, but that's not exactly earth shattering. I have to go to class. Can I call you this weekend?

Klaus [Thursday 11:24]: Of course. Saturday?

Caroline [Thursday 11:25]: Talk then! :)