The Bracelet

It had been years, too many to count, although that's what happens when you become a vampire. And even though she hasn't seen him in years, it took one slip of the tongue, one little sentence, and she felt that strange pull to him return.

She and Stefan had been visiting New York. She'd been there only a handful of times in her long life, she always meant to stay longer but there were always so many other places to go, and she was restless.

They'd been out one night having dinner, an honest to god sit down dinner and not just blood bags in their hotel room, because Stefan had promised to show her the city and then gone missing the minute their plane touched down.

"So Stefan, where have you been?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at her friend. He seemed to avoid her gaze for a moment,

"I don't think you really want to know Care." He said.

"I'm asking aren't I?" She joked, taking a sip of her wine. Stefan sighed and met her gaze,

"I've been seeing Rebekah." He said. Caroline's mouth dropped open against her better judgement.

"Klaus is in town?" She asked, mentally smacking herself afterwards for letting that slip out. Stefan smirked,

"Now why would you jump to that conclusion Caroline?" He said, laughing at her.

"I just meant," She said hurriedly, "Are all the Originals in town or just the ones you'd ditch your best friend for?" She said, hoping to turn the tables on him. He just laughed at her attempt.

"Rebekah and Klaus are here, they just flew in from Monte Carlo. Kol stayed there, and Elijah stayed behind to keep an eye on him." He said with a mocking smile, staring into his glass. A small silence descended over them as Caroline digested the information.

"So," She said, "You and Rebekah?" Stefan couldn't hide the smile on his face.

"Yeah." He said, not willing or able to go any further. Caroline saw the smile on her friend's face,

"Well I think that's great! You deserve to be happy Stefan. Plus, Rebekah's not so bad," She said looking at the doubt on his face, "What? We were almost friends towards the end of it all. I wouldn't have minded being her friend." She said. She meant it too, Rebekah was loyal, funny, smart, and had a wicked sense of style, all the things Caroline valued in a friend.

"That's exactly what she said. I told her we were travelling together." He said,

"Really?" She said.

"Yeah," Stefan said. Then he got a guilty look on his face, "In fact we were going to discuss it further when we met up tonight."

"Stefan Salvatore, were you planning on ditching your best friend to go on a date with your girl?" She asked. He said nothing.

She rolled her eyes but smiled all the same. She was happy for her friend, after all he'd done for her, after all he'd been through, he deserved someone to make him happy.

"Go on then, don't keep her waiting." She said, Stefan threw some money on the table to pay for their dinner.

"Thanks Care." He said with a smile. And then he was gone.

She left the restaurant and started walking aimlessly around the city. She came across Tiffany's just as she'd seen it countless times in the movie. All the women stood outside, gaping at the treasures within and snapping pictures with their friends. Caroline smiled at them and their excitement.

In the many years since she'd been turned she'd received countless gifts. Beautiful adornments, rare jewels and diamonds from handsome men, princes, and business titans who'd found her beautiful, some of them were favours from parties her and Stefan had compelled their way into, more than a few came with offers of marriage which she promptly rejected. Her collection had grown quite impressive over the years. But there was only one piece of jewelry she'd ever retuned, and it was probably about time she got back what belonged to her.

Okay, maybe a part of her wanted to see him. There had been plenty of men that had caught her attention over the years, but he had always stayed in the back of her mind. She'd met kings, and princes, and handsome strangers who had taken her breath away, but they lacked that essential quality, not to mention immortality. And if you had to choose a king amongst the immortals it was hard to deny that there was something regal about him.

She began thinking of where to search him out, trying to remember any places he might've mentioned in their short time together so many years ago. Then she heard her phone beep in her purse, and opened up a message from Stefan,

985, 5th Avenue.

She smiled, he knew her too well. She got in a cab and headed off to her destination, and really she should've figured it out sooner, she had to pass three art museums and the most exquisite shopping sites to get there.

She compelled her way into the building and made her way up to their penthouse apartment, then she knocked on the door and waited.

On the other side she could hear a book being shut, a long winded sigh, and footsteps getting closer and closer. And then the door opened and there he was.

Still as handsome as ever, his golden curls were tousled and perfect, just as she remembered, she found a part of her wishing she glanced in a mirror before knocking on his door, she probably looked a mess, walking around the hot city for hours before showing up here, completely unannounced.

Suddenly panic hit her. Completely unannounced, it was completely unannounced; he probably didn't even know she was in town, and if he did he hadn't bothered tracking her down. And he looked stunned, his mouth agape his eyes registering only confusion.

And then he smiled, and she remembered those stupidly charming dimples he had.

"What a pleasant surprise," He said, leaning against the door frame. "Just how long has it been sweet Caroline?"

"Quite some time." She answered. She enjoyed playing coy with him.

"And what can I do for you tonight?" he asked.

"I'd like my bracelet back." She said, gaining confidence when his eyes lit up, he was ready to play along with her little game.

"Oh, so it's your bracelet?" He asked crossing his arms over his chest. "I seem to remember it being returned to me. There was a ball, you looked exquisite, you threw at me and said something about how my father never loved me." She caught a moment, where his eyes seemed to flash with anger, but it was gone as quick as it came.

"It was over two hundred years ago, I think you're memory's a little fuzzy." She said.

"I still remember how beautiful you looked." He said, looking up at her hopefully. She rolled her eyes but smiled all the same. He sighed, "Very well, come in and I'll find it for you."

He took his time with the search, but in reality he knew exactly where it was, in the drawer next to his bed, next to the pictures he'd drawn of her all those years ago, and some that were more recent. He kept it for the day she came back to him, the day he knew would come.

Still he spent a few minutes in his room for extra measure, even going so far as to look around the room in case she was listening in.

"Alight love, here it is." He said, coming down the stairs to an empty room. He searched the house slowly, and found her in his study, staring down at one of his sketchbooks.

"I don't think I ever told you how much I liked the picture you drew me." She said, flipping the pages of the book slowly.

Klaus remained at the other end of the room watching her.

"Although personally, I like myself better in charcoal." She said, holding up a picture of herself that was all smudged and dark around the edges, bringing the eye directly to her well drawn face in the centre. He personally felt she looked stunning in any media, although nothing compared to the real Caroline standing next to a roaring fire, admiring his work, but one thing was missing.

"Found your bracelet." He said putting the box on the table next to her hand. She picked it up and smiled at it,

"You know I didn't really come here for the bracelet right?" She said. He smirked and opened the box, placing the glittering diamond links around her wrist.

"I know." He said. his hand lingered on her before he looked up. "So why are you here?" He asked.

"I've been traveling, with Stefan. I've been to London, and LA, and Cairo, Moscow, Brazil, Barcelona. I've seen the Great Wall, and great works of art, met great people." He nodded,

"Well done love."

"But there's still a few place I need to see." She said. "And now that Stefan's busy with Rebekah, I might need someone new to come with me." She looked up at him with a sparkle in her eye identical to the one he'd drawn in the picture.

Klaus smiled as she inched closer to him, leaning forwards and placing her lips softly on his, he responded in kind, wrapping one hand around her waist and another up into her blonde curls. The kiss deepened as they both enjoyed something that should've started so long ago. When they parted, they each had a huge grin on their face,

"So where to love?" He asked, toying with the bracelet that sat so comfortably on her wrist. Caroline shrugged,

"Rome, Paris, Tokyo?"