A/N: Hi guys! Sorry for this long note. Never again, I promise. Just to clear up a couple problems mentioned in the reviews that I couldn't respond to. One: Yes, I know this story isn't totally 100% realistic, but this is Klaus and Caroline we're talking about here. This is fanfiction, so sit back and enjoy two people that are perfect for each other falling in love. Two: There are a lot of subtle things that will be important later. These characters are still keeping secrets from you, so if you don't understand why someone is acting a certain way, don't worry, all will be revealed. Three: I know some of you were confused with what Anna was doing there. Don't worry, she has a purpose, but this is a marathon, not a sprint, so we're not there yet.

Alright, that's about it. Enjoy Chapter 3!

Klaus narrows his eyes as he tries to figure out the reason behind Elijah's unusually nonchalant demeanor. Fancy dinner? Check. Public Place? Check. Unusual lack of disparaging comments? Check, check and check. Klaus knows the only reason Elijah is doing this is to butter him up for the bad news that Elijah is sure to deliver.

Klaus suddenly slams his fist on the table causing the wine glasses to rattle and Elijah to wince. "Spit it out, 'Lijah."

"I do not have a clue what you're are talking about." Elijah says as he takes a delicate sip of wine. Manners meant something in his day, he thinks as he conveniently forgets that Klaus is only 5 years younger than he is. As the youngest department head at Columbia, Elijah has always felt older than his 37 years.

"You would never take me to this fancy of a public space unless you had some news that you knew would upset me." Klaus leans forward as Elijah dabs his mouth with his napkin.

"Fine. Two matters. One, you must apologize for your comments to Dr. Forbes regarding her personal life. Respectable professors do not attack Ad Personam, and I've let this obnoxious bickering go on for long enough. I guess I just had too much faith in your maturity and character, but I can now see that I was mistaken." Elijah lets out a self-righteous huff as Klaus rolls his eyes. "Additionally, I know we are using a fake name in order to hide our relation, but unless you smooth things over-"

"I'll consider it," Klaus says grudgingly. Even he knows that he went too far and fully plans on apologizing for what he said. But he hadn't had that much fun riling someone up in ages. Still, he knows some of the more misogynistic things he said went too far. 'Go and get a husband?' Who says stuff like that? Even though he knows what he said was wrong, but he can't feel too guilty. One of his strengths is sensing weakness and pouncing, and in this instance he regrets it. Plus, he really likes this job, and if he has to make nice to keep it, he will.

Elijah eyes him for a moment before continuing. "Secondly, we must discuss Rebekah's engagement."

Klaus throws his hands up in the air. "I thought we already discussed this! You told me, I got upset, and we accepted that our sister is destined to always fall for any fool that shows here any attention. Why bring it up again?"

"Niklaus, we did not agree, that was what you said."

"Details, details," Klaus says as he waves his hand in dismissal and picks up his glass "Tell me, what news are you so afraid to share?"

"The name of Rebekah's finacee," Elijah takes a deep breath, "is Stefan Salvatore."

Klaus chokes on his drink. He clenches his napkin and immediately becomes rigid and opens his mouth to shout before realizing that would cause a scene. Damn societal conventions that Elijah uses to his advantage. He sits beetroot red for a minute before he can manage a sound. "Stefan Salvatore," he spits, "That name does bring back memories."

Yes, he does remember that name. He himself had uttered it many times on the dark streets of London. The name reeks of memories of broken glass, car alarms and cigarettes. The wolf and the ripper, the press had called them, London's most notorious thieves. No one had known it was them, the son of a high society family and an American college student abroad. Their schemes had gotten grander and more reckless until finally Elijah realized how Klaus was spending his nights.

Elijah had stopped Klaus before he had gotten caught, and forced him to apply to phD programs in America, where Elijah was accepting a job soon. His college grades from two years before were stellar, and they were enough to get Klaus accepted and leave his old life of mischief behind. It was 7 years ago, so it wasn't that hard to forget anymore.

"That bastard," Klaus says, "There's a reason I never let him meet my sister! He won't know what hit him. He knows he'll never be good enough for Bekah. He probably lied about his past, and HA! She believed every word!" Klaus is practically foaming at the mouth.

"Well, it's a good thing you're not the one that's engaged then." Elijah quips. "Rebekah is capable of making her own decisions."

"Elijah, you know Rebekah, she-"

"Enough Niklaus. Our sister is an adult now, and it's time you started treating her like one. She doesn't dare judge your lifestyle choices, and if she has reason to accept an engagement, we should support her fully."

Klaus turns his head away in disdain. "Oh, Elijah, always the mediator."

"Always and forever," Elijah promises.

Klaus looks away guiltily. He doesn't deserve this level of commitment, especially after... never mind. "I guess… " Klaus struggles with the next words, "…guess I'll give him a chance to explain himself before I beat him up."

"That's all I ask," Elijah says, closing the matter. He peers at the menu as Klaus shifts uncomfortably. "Now, what kind of desert would you like?"

"That guy."

"Hmm, no. He looks drunk."

"Caroline," Katherine says in exasperation. "This. Is. A. Bar. Everyone. Literally everyone is drunk."

"It's not my fault I have high standards." Caroline sniffs, swirling her untouched vodka.

Katherine just rolls her eyes at Caroline and keeps looking. "Okay, how about that guy over there."

"Kat, you know I don't do blonde guys anymore."

"Why no- ohhh, never mind." Katherine pauses as she scans the room again before throwing her hands up in disgust. "This is no fun. I thought we were supposed to go out at paint the town red or whatever. This is just… boring. Why won't you just pick a guy and have fun?"

"Wow there, Kat. I'm not really looking for a relationship right now."

"Oh, yeah, right. Tyler." Katherine says his name like a dirty word. "Ugh. I can't believe that you still can't see what's going on."

"We're complicated," Caroline narrows her eyes at Katherine. "It's not exactly a relationship."

"What's so complicated about you?" Caroline looks down and flushes red a little. "Oh god," Katherine exclaims as she grabs Caroline's arm, "You're TOTALLY friends with benefits, aren't you?" Katherine shakes her head at Caroline. "I never thought you had it in you. I always thought you were too uptight for that. Ah, I never thought I'd see the day when Caroline Forbes finally did something that wasn't perfect."

"No! Stop! It's not a good thing. I mean… I wasn't going to do it, but," Caroline starts biting her fingernails. "He was so nice, and as part of the deal, he told me that I might get to attend his family's events with him, and pretend like we're a couple to his family."

Katherine's face falls. "Caroline," she drawls uncertainly, "That sounds a lot like you're acting like his beard."

"Seriously? Can you stop? Gosh, you can't let that go, can you?" Caroline slams her glass on the table as she huffs in frustration. "Tyler isn't gay!"

"Whatever." Katherine leans back and looks around the bar again. "But this means that you're technically in an open relationship, right? And that means you can still go talk to some men." Katherine winks at a guy across the bar and turns to Caroline expectantly.

Caroline sighs and begins with the air of someone that has had to repeat herself a lot. "Well, like I said, I'm not really looking for a relationship right now, and-"

"Who said that you have to get into a relationship with one of these guys?" Katherine interrupts impatiently. "I thought you knew the whole point if tonight was to find some guy and get fucked, no attachments, just sex."

Caroline rolls her eyes. Katherine has a weird idea of fun. Maybe Caroline liked partying a little when she was in college, but now that she was older, she just wants to go home and watch TV. It would be nice to be in a long-term relationship, but Caroline doesn't want to put in the effort she knows it requires.

"Speaking of which, when was the last time you had a relationship?" Caroline asks Katherine, who chokes on her drink.

"Um, we weren't speaking of it. But it was last week with that guy standing by the door." Katherine gestures to a guy that kind of looks like an Abercrombie and Fitch model. "He was really bad. I don't recommend him. Guys that hold their arms like they're trying to be macho always suck in bed."

"I meant, like, a long-term relationship." Caroline ponders this, before shaking her finger at Katherine. "Last one I remember was sophomore year, right before you went to study abroad in London."

Katherine immediately flinches when she hears the word London. She snatches her drink and downs it while avoiding the questioning glare of Caroline. "Yeah, I think that was the last one," she mutters, uncharacteristically meek and defensive.

"Why none since then? …Kat?" Katherine refuses to respond to Caroline in any way. "Oh Kat," Caroline slaps herself in the face. "God, how did I not notice anything different? I'm a crap friend. Did something happen in London?" Caroline fixes her kind but questioning gaze on Katherine.

"NOTHING, nothing at all, happened in London, okay? I just… all relationships are doomed to end. Something always pulls you apart." Katherine looks off into the distance before suddenly turning to Caroline with a defiant look in her eyes. "I don't get into relationships because they're stupid, shallow wastes of time that are for idiots who think they're actually gonna find someone who's their true love." Katherine spurts. "I've accepted that, and now I'm free to have fun whenever I want. I'm fine." Katherine's voice breaks on the last word.

"Hi… angel… did it hurt… when fell… angel?" Caroline and Katherine both turn towards a drunken man who has stumbled over to their table. He scratches his head. That's the pick up line, right?

Katherine grabs Caroline's drink and downs it before switching on her flirty smile and batting her eyelashes at the intruder. She laughs, she touches, and she leans in. Caroline feels like she's watching a well-choreographed mating ritual with only one possible conclusion.

"I'm going to leave," Caroline says to no one in particular as she stands up from the table, feeling like she's going to barf. She grabs Katherine and whispers in her ear. "Not our place, okay?"

Katherine nods and goes back to ignoring Caroline as she wraps her jacket around her and walks across the bar. "Excuse me," a deliciously accented voice calls out as Caroline looks around to see if she is the one being called. "Yeah, you," A very handsome, well-muscled man comes over to Caroline and sticks out his hand. "Galen Vaughn," He says while Caroline shakes his hand. "I'm sorry, I just saw you across the room, and I couldn't stay seated, I just had to introduce myself." He looks at her expectantly as Caroline's mouth is open in shock.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Caroline glances nervously at her shoes, before looking up and smiling at him. "I'm Caroline. I'm here with my friend, but-" Caroline looks around, searching for Katherine "-It looks like she already left. I should probably get going too."

"No, come on, stay. Join me for a pint," Galen smiles naturally and easily at her. Caroline could very easily follow him to the bar, get lost in his dreamy blue eyes, and have a great time. But, Caroline realizes, as she looks carefully at him in the dim light of the bar, he's a blonde and has a dangerous look in his eyes. That's a deal breaker. Besides, he's probably not looking for the same things that I am, Caroline thinks, better not to take the chance. "So, whaddya say?" He looks at her again, searching for a response.

"No, I'm really sorry, I – I just… I can't right now. But especially not right now, and not with you- not that you're not good – or bad, I don't know, but – there was a guy – but now there's not, but - I myself… I just can't." Caroline stutters as she tries to express her thoughts to Galen.

Galen looks a little taken aback, but understanding. "It's okay. Have a good night." Caroline nods and starts walking out to the street. "And Caroline?" Caroline looks back at him "I hope that guy gets what he deserves."

Caroline hears a knock at her office door and looks up as Klaus enters the room. "Go ahead, just let yourself in then," Caroline grumbles as she keeps shuffling papers around, trying to ignore Klaus.

Klaus takes a deep breath before beginning. "Um, excuse me, Dr. Forbes?"

"Oh, now you're trying to be polite to me?" Caroline frowns at him. Klaus trying to be polite is like trying to put perfume on a pig.

"I do apologize, Dr. Forbes, really. I don't know what came over me the other day. I'm sorry for insinuating you are not qualified to do your job and for insinuating that you should pursue… uh … other life paths." Klaus fiddles with his thumbs while avoiding eye contact. That was a good apology, right? He doesn't have that much experience with them. He's a man of conviction and he doesn't like having to excuse or justify his actions.

"Pssh… like those words really mean anything to you. I know you don't like me at all." Caroline crosses her arms skeptically.

Klaus steps forward and takes a seat without asking while Caroline raises an eyebrow. "Well, I suppose it's fairly obvious that I dislike you and that I disagree with pretty much every point that your paper brings up." Klaus gives a self-satisfied smirk as he reclines in the chair. "That being said, I felt that some of the personal attacks I made on your character were over the line and I wanted you to know that I don't actually believe all of the things I said to you. I overstepped the line of professionalism when I attacked your character, and this is me rectifying that while still making it very clear that I dislike you. With all due respect, of course."

What a cock-sure, arrogant, motherfucker, asshole, Caroline continues to curse him out in her mind. Two can play at this passive-aggressive game of hiding behind professionalism, she thinks, wanting to rub that smug smirk off his face. She plasters a big, syrupy smile on her face and leans forward with her hands clasped together. "Thank you for that truly moving and inspiring apology." Her voice is oozing with sarcasm. "I'm glad to know that you are not a misogynistic asshole, but just an asshole. That makes a gigantic difference in my opinion of you."

"Glad to be of service, love," Klaus retorts in the same tone.

"Thank you ever so much. Now, let's get a couple things straight. I don't like you very much either, but I am willing to retract my previous personal attacks for the sake of professionalism." Caroline says deliberately with faux politeness. "I wouldn't very much like to work with you either, but, for the sake of professionalism, I guess we do have to maintain some sort of working agreement."

"Fine," Klaus sneers. "Meet me in my office after your last class. We're going to have a lot of work to do."

He gets up and slams the door shut with a little more force than necessary. As he's walking the halls, he idly wonders why he and Dr. Forbes always end up fighting each other. It's a curious phenomenon, he thinks to himself, before he pushes the thought of his angry colleague from his mind.

"Hey!" Caroline throws her bags to the ground before plopping into her seat. "I've only got a few minutes before I have to go back and help my grad students with their research. They're so helpless without-" Tyler, Caroline's aforementioned 'Friends with Benefits', interrupts her with a kiss. "Tyler!" She exclaims, surprised. That was the first even remotely spontaneous thing that Tyler has ever done with her.

"Sorry." Tyler, tall, dark and well-muscled, grins earnestly at her. He's come a long way from the entitled frat boy of his college years mentally, if not physically. When Caroline had first moved back to New York a couple weeks ago, Tyler had been one of the first people to greet her. One thing led to another, and Caroline isn't exactly sure how it happened, all she knows is that she and Tyler made an agreement to see each other every week.

"It's alright. It's just been so crazy lately, sorry I haven't been able to see you." Caroline nods as the waiter brings her a glass of water.

"It's okay, don't worry about it," Tyler says. "I'll make this quick." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of heavy stationary and hands it to Caroline. Caroline glances over the paper twice before finally understanding it and looking up to Tyler, shocked.

"Is this…?" Caroline inquires, letting the unspoken question hang in the air.

"Yup!" Tyler looks like he might bounce out of his chair with happiness. "It's my mother's annual Fall Ball, and she- I mean, I, want to bring you as my guest of honor… So, will you come?" Tyler looks at her expectantly.

"I'll… I'll need to go shopping…" Caroline stutters before grinning in excitement. "Tyler, thank you so much. I'd love to come. I can't believe that I'm going to a ball… You know, I always wanted to be a princess, and I guess this is the universe's way of finally making that wish come true, if kinda in a roundabout way." Caroline suddenly gasps. "Oh My God, will Beyonce be there?"

Tyler laughs as he takes in Caroline's expression of ridiculous excitement. "I don't know yet, but everyone who's anyone in New York is coming." He takes Caroline's hand. "Really, this means a lot to me that you would go with me."

Caroline smiles at Tyler. "What are friends for?" Tyler has been such a good friend to her over the years. They look at each other for a couple moments, just smiling into that comfortable silence that good friends slip into. "Oh!" Caroline exclaims suddenly as her phone beeps. "I've gotta go! Text me later with the details!"

"Will do," Says Tyler, as he stares off into the distance, thinking deeply to himself.

"Hello?"

"Stefan! Did I catch you at a good time? I know it's like six hours ahead there, and I just needed to hear your voice." Caroline twirls the phone cord around her finger as she glances up at the clock. She's been feeling a little out of touch lately, and talking to Stefan always makes her feel better. That's why she's taking a bit of time before her last class to call one of her best friends. It's mental self-help. She can take a little office time for that.

"Caroline! Hey, how are you?… Hold on." Caroline hears a door shut over the line. "Alright, yeah no, it's a good time. How's the new job?"

"Yeah, no, the new job is amazing! It's a little weird being back in NYC after all this time. There's this one asshole that I work with that just drives me cra- wait, never mind about me. What's new with you?" Caroline loves hearing about Stefan's life abroad in London. He always has the craziest stories, half of them Caroline doesn't even believe.

"I have some pretty big news… hey, are you coming to our Thanksgiving party?"

"Yeah, um, about that… I can't go, I have a work thing."

"Caroline… I know you don't have a work thing on Thanksgiving," Stefan chides her gently.

"Okay fine! I don't really want to go because of… reasons." Stefan laughs. "What's so funny?"

"Come on Caroline, you know I'm only kidding. Well, not really."

"Ugh, seriously?" Caroline sighs.

"Fine. If you're not coming because of reasons, not even to talk to me, I might as well tell you my surprise news. Can you keep your famously big mouth shut?"

"Stefan, come on, when have I EVER told one of your secrets? Wait… don't answer that." They both chuckle for a moment. Caroline is notorious for letting things slip. Her friends don't even let her in on surprise party plans anymore because she has ruined it one too many times.

"Well," Stefan pauses, "I'M ENGAGED!"

Caroline's mouth pops open. "You! Engaged! What? I… that's AMAZING! Congratulations! Wait, how did you not tell me about this earlier? Who's the lucky lady? How long were you dating for? And when's the wedding? I hope it's not too soon because I would have to lose some weight to fit in my dress and get you a nice engagement gift and I'll be helping to plan the wedding right? Good, because things would totally go wrong without me in-"

"Wow there, Caroline," Stefan cuts off her rambling. "Slow down. Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time to hammer out the details. We're thinking this May in New York. She has family there too, so it's the best option for all of us. Actually," Stefan adds thoughtfully, "They're going to be joining us at Thanksgiving. Too bad you won't get to meet her. She's amazing."

"What's the name of this lady that has finally tamed the famous hair of Stefan Salvatore?" Caroline smiles a little sadly. She can't explain it, but this news makes her a little sad somehow. It kind of feels like everyone is coupling off, and she's just left all alone.

"Her name is Rebekah." Coming out of his mouth, Rebekah sounds like a bright flower dancing in a beautiful sun-drenched meadow next to a cool pond. I wonder if I'll find someone who says my name like that, Caroline can't help but thinking. Stop! It's about Stefan now, not you and your pathetic love life.

"I'm really happy for you." Caroline glances up at the clock again and lets out a startled grunt. "Hey, sorry Stefan, I've gotta go now, but I'll see you at the party."

"Wait, you're coming now?" Stefan tries to hide the excitement in his voice.

"Hell yeah! I wouldn't miss seeing you and your fiancée for anything!" Caroline nods, resolving to be there for Stefan. She might need to be there to control Kat when Stefan announces he's engaged. Stefan was Katherine's last long-term relationship, and based on how Katherine is now, Caroline has a sneaking suspicion that it didn't end well when they went to study abroad in London together.

"Bye then, sweet Caroline," Stefan says in a sing-song voice.

Caroline just lets out a disgruntled huff and hangs up. She acts like she hates it when Stefan calls her that. It's been a running joke for years now, but Caroline secretly likes it. Still, her conversation with Stefan has left her feeling like the gum you scrape of the bottom of your shoe. Yes, she wants a love like that so badly, but she knows it's more likely than not that she'll never find it.

I love reviews of any kind hint hint. (Plus, the review button is so cute and clickable). So what's up with Katherine? Is Tyler really gay? And why can't Klaus and Caroline stop fighting?