A/N: Nothing that you recognise belong to me. Instead, it belongs to a brilliant author (L. J. Smith) and a bunch of TV writers whose goal seems to be to string me out with stress about a bunch of vampires, werewolves, hybrids and humans. Oh. And Bonnie.

This is an AU Klaroline fic, wherein Caroline meets Klaus and falls for him, not knowing that he is, in fact, Klaus. Oh, the drama.

All chapter quotes go to Spring Awakening (a brilliant rock musical ala Broadway).

Nb: People have been pointing out some 'tense' issues with the past two chapters, so I've spent some time going back over it and trying to sort that out. If you see any more problems that I've left out, don't hesitate to lemme know :) Also, Klaus DOES know who Caroline is, but as to his motives, I'm going to keep you all guessing ;)

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"Something you keep,"

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When she wakes up the next morning, it seems that fate has decided to give Caroline a break. Her mother is in the kitchen, smiling widely, with bacon and eggs ready for breakfast—and a blood bag pulled out of the fridge. It seems that Liz has once again come to terms with her daughter's reality, and has pulled herself out of her rut.

Now, if only Caroline could do the same.

Because did she really go out to a club with a complete stranger last night and then practically mouth rape him?

Caroline groans and presses her head to her hands. What was she thinking? She hadn't even been drinking last night. By all rights, she was completely within all her competencies. And yet, she'd still managed to go out and humiliate herself. Classy Forbes, a voice rings in her head. Although, what did she really expect? Of course she was going to go out and do something stupid the night that Tyler dumped her.

A buzzing from the table distracts her. She's brought her phone out from her room with her, more out of habit than anything. It's sitting ahead of her now, on the other side of her plate. Even though the fates obviously hate her, she prays that they have pity, just this once, and that it isn't Nick calling.

It's not.

It's Elena. Texting to ask about why she bailed last night. Bonnie was trying to apologise, you know. Elena has scolded. Oh, yeah right. Caroline's having a morning bad enough that she doesn't want to humour Elena in this regard. If Bonnie wanted to apologise, she could have done it herself. Why is Elena the one texting anyway?

"Everything alright?" her mother asks. She's watching her daughter with a look of concern that says that she more wary of something bad happening to her daughter than anything else.

Caroline puts her phone down with a sigh, before pulling her gaze up to meet her mothers. She shrugs her shoulder a little helplessly, before offering a simple smile. "Yeah," she says meekly. "Just the usual drama."

Obviously, Liz doesn't really know what to do whenever Caroline brings up 'the usual drama' so she just decently nods her head, and looks to her feet. She shuffles slightly from her left foot to her right before she makes another move. She lifts her hands into the air and awkwardly gestures at nothing for a couple of seconds before she clears her throat.

"I have to get to work." She says abruptly. "Are you good to get to school?"

It's about then that Caroline remembers its Monday. Still, she holds her composure and smiles brightly at her mum, hopefully giving off the appearance of a young girl who's on top of her worries.

It's only once the door has closed behind Liz, and Caroline can hear the thrum of her engine that she lets out the exasperated groan she's been holding in (one that she'd never let out if she had any company) and drops her head into her hands.

/

"So you didn't get the text until this morning?" Elena sounds suspicious, but for the moment, Caroline doesn't really mind. Elena has every right to be suspicious of a lot of people in her life. Stefan, to make sure he won't do anything crazy, Damon to just question his motives. And any new person in her life could be compelled by Klaus. Sure, it's annoying that Elena still doesn't trust her after all these years of friendship, but Caroline knows that right now, she's just on edge, and she won't push it.

Still, she's already got Bonnie on her list of problems. Why add Elena to that (especially when the problem list is suddenly full of good looking mysterious guys named Nick who she's already messed things up with)?

So instead of getting angry, Caroline just shrugs and looks at Elena with an apologetic look on her face (hey, as long as she's not apologising to Bonnie, she's still got her dignity). "I don't know what to say, Elena. My phone died."

Elena still looks suspicious.

Still, that's pretty fair, since Caroline's, you know, lying.

But Elena seems to have noticed that Caroline's really not having a great time these days and lets it drop. Instead, since Elena's always had a sort of third eye thing when it comes to other people being in trouble, she frowns and leans forward.

"Care, are you alright?"

Caroline nods her head too quickly. She still doesn't want to tell anyone about Nick. It's silly, obviously, but it's not about him being perfect any more. Well, he's still perfect, but no, that's not the point. Now it's more of a sort of 'saving face' lie. She's humiliated herself again, but maybe (just maybe) this time it won't get back to her friends.

"Just some family problems," she shrugs.

Is it ironic that her excuses for her bad mood somehow seem to match up? When her mother asks, it's her friends. When her friends ask, it's her mother.

Hopefully no one will notice.

/

She's sitting in the middle of history class, studiously ignoring Bonnie and feeling bad for putting Elena in the middle of it, when her phone vibrates. It's not on silent, so with the vibration comes a soft, upbeat tune, but its Rick teaching so he lets her off with a meaningful look.

It isn't Elena or Bonnie who's texted her. They're sitting right next to her and their phones are nowhere to be seen.

Oh god.

Caroline finds herself hoping that maybe Damon is texting her. Or, Stefan. I mean, he may be a little crazy but anything was better than talking to—

Yup. It's Nick.

They'd exchanged numbers at the end of their date, when Caroline had still been reeling from the excitement of her impulsiveness and the bliss of their kiss. Now, the next day, when reality is pressing in on her from all four corners, she finds herself regretting the swap.

(Only partly. A huge part of her jumps with excitement as she reads his name)

You wanna hang out again soon? He's asked her. I had fun last night.

"Yeah, I bet you did." She mumbles to herself. She says it a bit loud, so people know she spoke—but not loud enough for anyone other than Elena to hear the words. At her curious frown, Caroline mouths the word "Mum" and leaves it at that.

Maybe this text is a good thing, Caroline decides after a second. Maybe he is giving her an opening to explain to him that she'd been having a bad day yesterday and that she's really not a crazy person, or you know, a whore.

She texts back.

Look, we should probably talk about last night. I feel like we got our wires crossed.

Hopefully that'll be the end of it.

It isn't.

Her phone vibrates and sings again. Frantically, she silences it quickly—but not before she gets another nasty look from Rick.

I'll pick you up after school.

Oh.

Well, he clearly doesn't get it. She's telling him to back off. She literally said 'we need to talk'. Wasn't that the magic phrase?

Apparently not.

No. She texts back quickly. I think that you saw a side of me last night that I'm not particularly proud of, and I think it's best if we just go our separate ways.

There.

That should do it.

It rings again, and this time, Rick stops in the middle of his talk. Caroline knows what's coming, so she quickly reads the text. She's turned pale by the time that Rick is at her desk, holding out his hand with a disapproving look.

If you're going to make me have this conversation, we'll be having it in person. I'll meet you after school. Don't be late.

She wishes that her phone really had died.

/

Sure enough, he's waiting for her in the school car park (the one just beyond the oval) when school is let out. She's walking with Elena—Bonnie had a different final period to the two of them, thank god. She notes now that in the light of the day, Nick's car window is really tinted—and she wouldn't have been able to recognise him if she hadn't seen the car before. He isn't waiting outside this time, either. Her eyes can see his outline in the driver's seat. He's watching her as intently as he ever had. (Still, she can only tell because she's a vampire and that's how it works).

She quickly dismisses Elena. (Well, dismiss is a bad word. Abandon could work, but she still doesn't like it.) She says goodbye to Elena and quickly moves across the oval.

She's frowning when she gets in the car.

"Look," she's already begun to say. "I don't know who you think you are just showing up here and—"

"Do you not like me?"

The question puts her on the back foot (maybe she should just stand on it. It seems to be her constant position when he's in the picture), and she frowns. "What?"

He shrugs his shoulders simply, and raises his eyebrows at her. "It's a simple question, Caroline. Do you like me or not?"

She likes that way that her name rolls off his lips. But she can't tell him that. What can she tell him? Of course she likes him. He's her perfect man. But he must think she's desperate and she's not the type of girl to let a guy assume she's willing just because he caught her in a moment of weakness.

She tells him this. (Not the perfect guy bit, or the bit where she says she likes him—but the weakness bit).

He looks genuinely surprised with her declaration, and his eyebrows come together after a second. "You think that I'm manipulating you?" As can be expected, there's hurt in his voice and Caroline instantly feels guilty for saying what she has.

"No," she hastens to explain to him. "No, I just mean." She falters.

There is a moment of silence during which he just watches her and she watches him. In that moment, all kinds of thoughts whiz through her head. She likes him—that one she's sure of. She doesn't really mind that she only met him yesterday and that he had started out as a Tyler rebound.

She takes a deep breath.

"I'm worried that you met the wrong Caroline." She says quickly. If she's going to say something as personal as this to a guy she doesn't know, then she better do it all at once. "And I don't want to have her mess things up with you."

Wow. That's way too personal for a person she barely knows. She doesn't even know his last name, and now she's talking about the long term? Oh god, what if he's not interested? What if he likes the slutty, rebound bent Caroline?

Well, it was about time for neurotic Caroline to make an appearance, wasn't it?

Now, it's Nick who takes the deep breath. He twists uncomfortably in the seat (reminding her that they're still parked in the school car park, and also of his unnatural grace, even when he's struggling) so that he can face her.

He doesn't lean forward or touch her. He seems to have gotten that she's in a nervous place at this point and that's not what she needs. So instead, he leans back a little, resting his back on the car door and watches her for another second.

Then he speaks.

"I liked Caroline from last night." He says suddenly. (Caroline feels her heart drop through her ass and is about to bite his head off before he continues). "But I'm pretty sure I'll like any version of you." (Okay, wow). "And I'd love to meet the real Caroline, if you're willing to show her to me."

She wonders if this is what it feels like to be swept off her feet.

/

He helps her out of the car again when they head to the small cafe. It's not the Grill this time, because again, she doesn't want to run into her friends. Her finger brushes the cold ring on his finger and it strikes her as odd that he's wearing it.

"Family heirloom?" she jokes (even though it's not a joke he's going to understand. That's the problem with in-jokes).

Nick considers the rings for a moment and smirks. "Good guess." He says slyly. "This has been in my family for generations."

This sparks a moment of worry in her. A family heirloom? A ring? Will he take it off?

She instantly decides to get these answers. "Can I see it?" she demands quickly. This is one coincidence she won't let go and if's he's been playing her like this, it's not going to go on for long. She's smarter than that, no matter the nicknames that Damon fucking Salvatore has for her—

"Here you go." He twists the ring off his finger and pushes it into her grasp.

Oh. No problem, then.

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A/N: As far as I can tell, originals don't need daylight rings? That's right, right? If not, let me know as soon as you read this so I can go and fix it before to many people see it. (I'm as insecure as Caroline about some things, and mistakes are one of them :S)

Thanks for the absolutely overwhelming response to the first two chapters. I don't think anything I've ever written has been this popular. PLEASE keep it up. I know it gets tedious to review each chapter, but tell me about a bit you liked or where you'd like to see this story go. The reviews are the reason I'm writing so much, even if I'm supposed to be at this place called 'University' and doing something strange called 'learning'.

Whatever. I'm sure they have a movie where I can catch up. (wink).

So yeah. Please review.

Also, Happy Valentines Day (in Australia anyway. Not sure how far ahead Australia is of the rest of the world). Here's a heart for everyone who needs a valentine—or even those who want more than one. 3.

(I myself spent Valentine's day single, as I have every single year of my life. I think my relationships know that consumerism will one day kill me and like to make sure I won't waste my money on the day. WELL THAT DIDN'T WORK, BECAUSE I BOUGHT A PRESENT FOR MY BEST FRIEND. HAH, PSYCHE!)

Lol. Long authors note. Feel free to ignore me.

Except when it comes to reviews.

Review.

Kthanksbye :P

xx

A/N: (updated 14/03/2012) Alrighty roo. Done this one too. Wow, just reread that author's note. I'm definitely a rambler, aren't I? So I've edited as best I can at this point. See anything else, let me know.