Caroline went inside to get the things they needed and noticed that it has already gotten quite late. It was dark outside, but the moon and lamps on the porch offered enough light for them. The temperature has become cooler than in the afternoon, which was comfortable. She returned with a pad and a pencil and sat back down.
"We were just counting how much everyone has already drunk," Stefan updated her. "Damon is on the top, he drank twelve shots so far. Rebekah, Alaric, and I had five. Tyler, Kol, Bonnie, and Elena had four so far."
"Me too," she said and wrote everything down.
"Klaus, Elijah, Katherine, and Kol drank three shots and last with two shots is Matt," Stefan finished.
"According to your rules I can now give out ten shots," Damon turned to Kol and smirked. "I can make everyone drunk in no time like this."
"That was the plan," Kol replied grinning.
"Quarterback, you drink three. First, I wanted to give you all of them, but like this I can give out shots next round as well," Damon explained himself. Matt drank as ordered and put on a sour face after the third one. He was human so he had to be careful not to forget his limit while all the rest so easily drank one shot after another. "As it was your brilliant idea, Kol, I also let you drink three shots."
"That's what I'm talking about," Kol replied enthusiastically.
"That leaves another four shots. Elena, you drink the rest," he smiled, content with his decision. Stefan gave him a judging look, but Elena obliged. She said it was a game and everyone should play along.
"I want to be next," Damon said. He had bet correctly beforehand so he proposed himself as the next person to answer.
"I don't mind, how about you take me as your partner?" Katherine replied suggestively.
"Fine. Make your bets," he said to the others. Elijah, Stefan, Klaus, Tyler, and Kol bet in favor of Katherine.
"I really don't know what to ask you," Jeremy began and thought hard. "What's her favorite color?"
"How about black, like her soul?" Damon responded teasingly.
"Too bad, Damon. It's red," she paused for effect, "like the color of my underwear."
Elijah put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him on the bench they were sitting on. He gave her a serious look, but was not angered by her behavior. He knew it was her personality and it could have been a much worse comment. Damon and the ones who bet wrong drank their shots and the rest chose the next person. They decided to give Rebekah another go as she was disappointed with her first try. But before they started, Damon could distribute another ten shots.
"The next one is, let me see, our favorite Original. Klaus, why don't you drink three shots?" Damon started.
"Very well," Klaus responded and drank.
"Since your brothers have already drunk their share, why don't you join them, Elijah?" Damon continued.
"Three, I take it?" Elijah asked and Damon nodded. He poured himself three shots and drank them at once.
"And last but not least, Elena. Another four," Damon finished, grinning mischievously. She quietly drank the shots, but could already feel the effects of drinking so much alcohol at once. She had caught up with Damon now and they both made 13 shots on the list.
"I'm gonna take Nik," Rebekah said. "And this time I'm not the one answering."
"Fine, little sister. Ask your question, Damon," Klaus replied.
"Has everyone made their bets?" He asked while he thought about a question. Matt, Tyler, Stefan, Kol, Elena, and Katherine were in favor of Rebekah, Caroline, Elijah, Alaric, Jeremy, and Bonnie in favor of Klaus.
"Who does she like most of between you and your brothers?" Damon asked. Klaus pondered over the question and looked at Rebekah intently.
"I'd say it's Elijah," Klaus answered finally.
"Well, you are all annoying. The question should rather be who of my brothers I can bear with most. Even though Elijah is nice to me and doesn't bug me as much as you two," she pointed at Klaus and Kol, "he's also the most boring one amongst you. So, sorry Elijah, but you're just behaving too much like an old man."
Elijah had to smile at his sister's statement. He was not offended, he knew that she had a better relationship with his brothers.
"Kol is more fun, but a dick most of the time," she continued.
"Don't pout little sister," Kol faked a pouting expression and had to dodge a piece of bread his sister threw after him in retaliation.
"Anyways, given the fact I have always been with Nik over the last centuries, daggered or not, I say he's the one I have most history with and the one I have been with through a lot of stuff," Rebekah explained. "So, sorry Nik, you guessed wrong."
Klaus was truly surprised. He always thought she hated him for all the times he had mistreated her and just stayed because she needed him. Of course he knew they were family and that alone is enough reason to stay together, but he really did not think she even liked him most out of his brothers.
"Drink your shots," Kol commanded the ones who lost.
"It's my turn again," Damon announced happily. "How many can I give out?"
"Since Katherine has still only drank three shots so far, you have another ten shots, but Elena has also 13 shots on the list, so who of you two is going to decide on who has to drink?" Caroline read out from her notes.
"The rule says the one who drank most gets to order the others to drink, since Damon and Elena are on the top of the list, of course they both get to give out ten shots," Kol said.
"Both ten shots?!" Some yelled out in a mix of disbelief and fear of so many shots going to be given out.
"That's great news!" Damon called out. "You can start, Elena. Ladies first."
"Let me see the list again, Caroline," Elena said. After she studied the piece of paper, she looked at everyone and thought about who she should let drink.
"Tyler, you can drink one, you've only had four so far," Elena started. "And you can drink one as well, Rebekah."
She looked around again, unsure who she should let drink next.
"Oh, come on. Get on with it already, will ya?" Katherine complained. "I don't want to sit here all night."
Katherine began to get on Elena's nerves. The alcohol made Elena dizzy already and she started to get a headache because of her.
"Fine, why don't you hurry it up then and drink the rest?" Elena spat back.
"That's eight shots, Elena. Don't you think you are going overboard?" Bonnie was concerned with Elena's condition. She could see she was already drunk and acted out of character.
"No, that's okay. I'll drink them. At least I can handle them," Katherine provoked Elena and poured herself one shot after another.
"Easy girls," Damon said amused by the growing tension between the doppelgängers. "It's my turn now."
"Alaric, drink one for each time I killed you," Damon looked at his best friend and smirked. Alaric did as he was told and drank two shots. "Caroline, you are doing a great job with the drinking list. In return I let you drink two shots."
"Thanks," she replied in sarcasm and drank.
"Bonnie, you drink two as well." She nodded and did what she was told. Damon had another four shots to distribute and wanted to give them to Elena again, but he had also noticed she was getting too drunk. On the one hand, he wanted her to get drunk, that is why he made her drink so much in the first place. On the other hand, he could see she was struggling with herself to put up a brave front for everyone and he started to take pity on her. He fought with himself whether to give her the remaining shots or not. Stefan could see Damon considering giving Elena another four shots and looked at him intently, giving him a silent warning not to overdo it. Damon sighed and refrained to go with his initial intention.
"Stefan, you can drink the rest," Damon said reluctantly and Stefan seemed content, he gladly drank her share so that she could take a break for once. Elena had noticed their little quiet exchange and felt the need to prove that she was fine on her own, that she did not need Stefan to help her out.
"Stefan, you don't have to drink for me. I'm fine," Elena said, but her voice came out slightly uneven.
"If you feel fine as you say, why don't you play next?" Rebekah challenged her.
"I don't mind," Elena replied. "I'll take-"
"Oh, please don't say Stefan," Katherine interrupted her and rolled her eyes. Elena really did want to take Stefan as her partner. It was a safe option, he always was the safe option. "So obvious, can you be any more boring?"
"Fine then, I take you, like it better?" Elena looked at Katherine provocatively. Katherine just smiled in return and accepted the challenge.
"The two doppelgängers against each other? Hot!" Kol yelled out amused.
"Who's the question going to be about?" Caroline asked.
"As you failed so miserably last time, why don't you try again, little Elena?" Katherine turned to Elena and gave her a mischievous smile.
"Sure," Elena said in confidence due to the alcohol influence before she turned to the others. "Make your bets."
Stefan, Jeremy, Matt, Bonnie, and Caroline bet against Katherine, the rest against Elena. Klaus considered what he should ask for a few seconds before he turned to the doppelgängers.
"If there was something she would envy about you, what would it be?" Katherine just huffed at Klaus' question and crossed her legs. Elena was tired of Katherine's behavior and got angry all of a sudden.
"I think she envies a lot about me. Like the fact that I can sit here not having to watch my every word in front of you, Klaus. That I don't have to run for my life. Or the fact that she is no longer of interest to Stefan and Damon. That I am replacing her, that I don't have to seduce every man I meet, because I am too afraid to trust and love someone, that I have a better life than her even though I am also a doppelgänger just like her, that I have friends, that I have people that love me and," she paused and made sure to put as much resentment in her final words as possible, "that I am just better than her!"
Elena had not planned to lash out on her like that, she had a hard time controlling her emotions since she became a vampire and right now she felt pure hatred for her. Of course she knew the alcohol did play a big role in her speech, that she would not have had the courage to speak her mind sober, but she was not afraid. Katherine might be much older than her, but as she had already said, she was not alone, she had friends and family that would stand beside her.
"What did you say, you little bitch?!" Katherine stood up from the bench she was sitting on and Elijah had to hold her back so that she could not go after Elena and kill her in her rage. "You are just a cheap copy of me, you are nothing! You are nothing without Stefan and Damon to protect you and hold your hand every time you are confronted with something you are too weak to handle on your own! You just sit there oblivious to what happens around you and judge the others with your narrow world view! But what will you do once the Salvatores decide they have enough of you playing around with them?! When they leave you and you have to open your eyes and see what a selfish, powerless little girl you are!"
"I am playing around with Stefan and Damon? You of all people accuse me of mistreating them? You were the one who used them for sex and blood like your own little puppets. That is all you do, you seduce one man after the other for your personal gain. Just like you do with Elijah now!"
"Don't you dare meddle in my affairs with Elijah! You don't know a thing about my feelings for him and I sure as hell don't need to justify myself in front of you!"
"You just can't say it, can you? You can't say that you love him. You couldn't earlier, you can't do it now. And you know why? Because you're too afraid to place for once someone else but yourself as number one in your life!"
Katherine struggled with Elijah to free herself. She wanted to run to Elena and rip her heart out. However, Elijah had a strong grip on her and made sure she could not act out on her impulses.
"Watch what you say, little Elena! I could kill you in an instant!" Katherine spat out.
"Yeah? Just like you killed Caroline? Do you want to kill me just to convey a message as well?"
"That's enough!" Elijah yelled out with as much authority he could muster. Behind him he could hear glass shatter and he quickly turned around to stand between Katherine and his now very angered brother. Klaus had broken the glass he had been holding in his right hand. Shards of glass were still in his palm and he could feel the pain pulsing through his hand, but could not stop squeezing it. Blood dripped down on his clothes and by now he had stood up building up his rage toward Katherine. Elijah had realized the danger Elena had put Katherine the instant she mentioned the role Katherine played in Caroline's death. It was the first time he heard that, but he had no time to think about it. He knew this would set off his brother, so he positioned himself in front of her protectively.
"She has done what?" Klaus asked barely able to contain his anger.
"Calm done, brother. I have not heard about this as well. Let me talk to her," Elijah tried to calm his brother down. Katherine realized the predicament she was in and her rage toward Elena vanished instantly. Her survival instincts kicked in and she was already looking for possible ways to escape in her head. Elena also saw that she crossed a line with her last comment and felt guilty. She had unintentionally set a stone in motion that might kill Katherine quite literally.
"What's there to talk about?! Did she kill her or not?!" Klaus looked from his brother to Katherine and then to Caroline.
Caroline seemed to be at a loss. The whole situation was about her and it threatened to escalate. There were so many emotions she had to process and at the same time she felt the need to bring the situation under control. She was a little bit angered by Elena's indiscretion. This was not a topic she wanted public, especially not in front of the Originals. But she knew Elena did not do it on purpose, that she was drunk and that she would feel all guilty next morning. At the same time she was unsure of what she should think about Klaus' reaction. She knew he was in love with her, but they were nowhere near a relationship that would justify such a response. A little part of her felt flattered that someone, that Klaus, would feel so concerned about her and she hated herself for thinking like that. She buried that thought immediately, suppressing the by now small insecure part of herself and concentrated on the scene in front of her.
"Niklaus, please don't do anything rash," Elijah pleaded Klaus. However, Klaus did not listen. He went for Katherine so quickly even the present vampires had problems following his movements yet alone react to them. Only Elijah was able to hold off his brother before he reached Katherine. He tried to push him away, but Klaus managed to toss him to the side, banging him against the facade of the house. Katherine had backed away into one corner of the porch when Klaus and Elijah had struggled with each other. Now he was about to go after her again, but Stefan and Damon held him back with all the strength they had.
"I suggest you better let me go if you don't want to end up as collateral damage," Klaus hissed while trying to break free. Elijah recovered already from the blow he had received and helped the Salvatore brothers holding him back.
"Stop it, Niklaus! Leave her alone!"
"Why, brother? I told you I would kill her should she give me even the slightest reason," Klaus said in a low voice.
"And what is your reason exactly?" Elijah started. He had managed to divert his attention toward him. Klaus turned around to listen to his brother continue talking, even if he was not entirely calm yet. "If it is true what Elena said and Katherine did indeed kill Caroline, making her a vampire, it is not your place to be angered by this, is it? It should be Caroline or maybe even her boyfriend that should display such rage, but why you? Who are you to Caroline? You say you fancy her, but since when have you been capable of such feelings? Isn't it more accurate to say you want something you cannot have? She rejects you over and over again. She prefers your first hybrid that has gone even so far as to break the sire bond to be with the girl he loves. What do you specifically have to offer her in return? You only love yourself and you most certainly cannot put someone else before your own selfish nature."
Elijah knew his words would hurt his brother deeply, but it was his only chance to prevent him from going after Katherine. He called his brothers feelings out in front of everybody and showcased them so openly, making him look like a fool. Tyler felt smug about the payback Klaus received from his own brother. He was her boyfriend, not Klaus and Elijah helped him point that out in front of everyone, that his fake concern was out of place.
"Do you really mean that, Elijah?" Klaus said keeping his eyes hard and unyielding. He was referring to the method he used to distract him from going after Katherine. He could see what his brother intended by addressing his feelings for Caroline and felt betrayed that he would choose to hurt his own brother just to protect someone like Katherine.
"Why do you get angry about her personal affairs when clearly you don't mean anything to her? Has she ever so much as giving you a reason to believe that she could ever love someone like you? She loves him and not you," Elijah said knowing that he had to stay strong in front of his brother. Klaus would now shift his anger from Katherine toward him and that was the best solution to protect her he could think of so fast. He did not want to hurt his brother in such way, he wished him to find a love that would make him happy and he could see that in Caroline, but at that moment he had to be cruel to save his own happiness.
"Elijah, do not take me for a granted fool. I allowed you to bring her with us when I so easily could have killed her the moment she stepped out of your car. I let her live because you are my brother and begged me not to. And yet you turn your back on your family. It seems she is more important to you than your own brother. You want me to spare her, to leave you two alone so that you can both ride into the sunset? I will never let that happen. Next time she so much as opens her mouth in front of me I will kill her and then brother, see if I care about your feelings," Klaus said before he freed himself from Stefan and Damon's grip and turned around to leave the porch. Nobody said anything and an uncomfortable silence replaced the vivid tension from before.
"I can't believe you just said that," Rebekah broke the silence looking at her brother in disappointment and left the group to go inside to her room. Elijah stayed silent and continued to look at the place where his brother had stood only seconds ago. After a moment he turned around to look at Caroline. He did not say anything, he just pleaded her with his eyes to take pity on his brother. She returned his gaze and she could see how guilty Elijah felt for hurting his brother like that. He looked so vulnerable and she understood what he was asking her silently. She nodded and stood up in order to go after him.
"Where are you going Caroline?" Tyler grabbed her arm before she could leave the porch. "There is no reason for you to go after him."
"Tyler, this is not the time for you to be jealous. He's all alone after his brother just humiliated him in front of everyone," Caroline replied whispering so that the others could not hear them. She yanked her arm free from his grip and went after Klaus.
"If you will excuse us," Elijah said taking Katherine by her arm. They went inside to their room setting an end to their game.
Elijah closed the door behind them, but did not turn around to face Katherine immediately. Katherine was nervous of Elijah's reaction. She just escaped Klaus' wrath thanks to Elijah turning against him. He loved his brother even though she could never understand why and she could see how hurt he was.
"I'm sorry, okay? I did kill her but that didn't have anything to do with Klaus. How was I supposed to know he would come to like her?" Katherine apologized. Elijah turned slowly around, but did not look at her yet, instead he looked to the right side of the dark room. "I know this wasn't easy for you just now-"
"Not easy?" Elijah finally looked at her. "I just crushed my brother's pride in public because of you. After 1000 years there is finally a woman he loves and I had to ridicule his feelings for her. Why did you kill her? I thought you could change and leave behind your manipulative tendencies. I thought you said you'd change for me? Is it all just another lie to use me, like Elena said? Was I wrong to believe in you? Should I have known better than to trust you? To love you?"
Elijah was hurt. He wanted to believe in her so much, but he could not overlook her actions any longer. Katherine panicked innerly. She saw she was loosing him and even the prospect of a future without him pained her so much she felt the need to make it right. The intensity of her own feelings for him surprised and scared her as much. She did not even realize before that he was so important to her, regardless of the help she wanted from him.
"No, no, no. You weren't wrong, Elijah. Look at me," she walked toward him and put both her hands on the sides of his face. She looked him in the eyes and thought carefully on what to say next. "I am sorry that I still act on my impulses. I've been running so long from Klaus that I forgot how to trust someone."
"Don't, Katherine," he interrupted her and moved away from her. "You don't get to play out your I've-been-running-for-my-life-all-these-years-I-don't-know-how-to-have-faith-in-others-anymore-card. I have given you no reason not to believe my sincerity. I have always helped you and protected you. I was patient with your feelings toward me, but I will never again put you before my family."
They stayed silent for a few long moments. The moonlight illuminated Katherine's back and let her hair shine beautifully. He could not help himself thinking how breath-taking she looks. He wanted to remember how every part of her looked like, her hair, her eyes, her nose, her lips, so that he would never forget her.
"What are you saying?" Katherine asked nervously, even though she could already see what he was about to say.
"I think it's time we say farewell. Once and for all."
"No, Elijah, no! You don't get to leave me behind just like this. You love me! You don't want to leave me, I know it!" Katherine yelled out desperately.
"What I wanted was never relevant, was it?" Elijah replied sadly.
Katherine did not respond. She did not find it in her to reveal her feelings for him. She fought with herself visibly, but could only look at him helplessly. Elijah just nodded in defeat and turned his head downwards before he was about to leave the room.
"Wait!" She stopped him. He was not turning around and just stayed with the back facing her, one hand resting on the doorknob. "Answer the question again. The question about me Elena asked you earlier. Try to answer it this time."
Elijah stepped away from the door and faced her. He was confused. He could not see where she was going with this. Elijah remembered the question Katherine was referring to, it was the question where Elena had asked whether he thought Katherine truly loved him.
"Is this another attempt of yours to manipulate my feelings for you? I told you I will no longer fall for your schemes," Elijah said and was about to leave again before Katherine stopped him once more.
"You never tried to answer the question. You just drank the shot accepting your loss. Ask me now," Katherine ordered him. Elijah stayed silent for a moment pondering over her request. He looked into her eyes searching for something that would incline she was playing a game with him right now. But he could not find any doubt in them, she held the eye contact and looked at him seriously.
"Do you truly love me?" He finally asked. She did not respond right away. She took a deep breath before she very quietly answered.
"Yes," was all Katherine could muster. She felt so vulnerable expressing her feelings for him. She looked down and bit her lip trying to hold back tears that were threatening to come out. Elijah did not know why he believed her words, for all he could know this could be another trick to stay by his side, but he decided to trust her one more time.
He walked toward her and kissed her. He graved her and it seemed like she finally returned his feelings. She was reserved while kissing him, he was tender as always, but there was an urgency in his kiss she had never felt before. She slowly kissed him back, more eagerly now, realizing that she wanted him. Not because of his brother and not because she was playing around. She wanted him so much that she finally let her barriers down she had been holding onto for a long time now.
Neither of them was willing to let the other go, to break the contact between each other. After a long moment Elijah pulled back to look into her eyes. He was caressing her cheek with one of his hand and with the other he held her face tenderly.
"Say it. I want you to say it out loud," Elijah asked her never breaking eye contact. She hesitated for a few seconds before she did what he wanted.
"I love you."
Caroline had followed Klaus outside. He was walking along a short pier with his back facing her.
"Wait!" She called out to him, but he did not react. "Klaus, wait a moment!"
"Go away, Caroline. I do not need your pity," Klaus replied angrily. He did not turn around and Caroline had to grab him by his arm to make him stop walking away from her.
"Klaus, you're angry, I get it. What Elijah said was unfair, he just wanted to protect Katherine, he didn't mean it."
"Well, he certainly had a lot of arguments for something he just came up with in the spur of the moment."
"He was doing it on purpose. He didn't know what else to do. He was afraid you would kill Katherine."
"Yes, Katherine. A shameless, scheming woman and yet for some unknown reason my brother can't seem to tear himself away from her," Klaus said while looking at the dark lake.
"That's because he loves her. Even though I sure as hell don't like Katherine, I can see that Elijah loves her very much. Your brother is not an idiot, that means she must have some redeeming qualities somewhere deep, deep, deep buried inside her. I mean like really deep inside of her," Caroline said and managed to make Klaus turn around to face her. "The point is that she's important to Elijah and that should be enough for you not to forgive her, but to tolerate her. Because even if you can't love her, your brother does and you love your brother. It's as simple as that."
"No, Caroline. It's not as simple as that. I swore to end her and I am no man to go back on my words, not even for my brother," Klaus replied, his gaze hard and uncompromising.
"Then what Elijah said about you not being able to put someone else first is true. Why do you have to do this? It will hurt you to break your brother's heart as much as it will hurt him," Caroline slowly got angry with Klaus' behavior. He always does the opposite of what he truly wants. He wants a family, but he pushes them away. He always manages to sabotage himself.
"Why do you think I would even care about my brothers feelings?" Klaus asked stepping toward Caroline, who was now only inches away from him. He looked down on her menacingly. She recognized that look. He was putting up his barriers again. He did not want to show weakness and switched back to the guy everyone should fear. However, Caroline was not intimidated. In fact she was fed up with his childish behavior and faced him confidently.
"Because I know you. And you love your brother. You love your family. But you think love is a weakness, so that's why you tell yourself over and over again that you wouldn't care about them, about anyone. But that's not true and you know it! Why can't you show them what I can see every time I'm alone with you? You are not-"
"Not what, Caroline? Not a monster? You think I will let you sweet-talk me and push me around however you and your friends feel like only because I took some interest in you? Don't flatter yourself, love. You will not stand in my way."
"In your way for what? World domination? For some evil plan to make more hybrids? Or for some twisted little game you play in search for more power? Let me tell you, however long you keep on doing this it will not be enough. Because power, control, and mindless pawns is not what you're actually looking for! It's love, family, and earnest loyalty. And you will not find that, if you keep on lying to yourself that that is not what you actually desire!"
"Careful, Caroline. Don't make assumptions," Klaus growled out in a low voice. "Love is one's greatest weakness. And I do not love!"
"Then what do you call it what you feel for your family? Name it however you like to fool yourself that it isn't love, doesn't change the fact that it is!" By now both of them were practically shouting at each other. Nobody backed down and so they continued their rattle. "What's so bad about admitting it? It's actually a good thing! If you were to not stand in your own way for once, it would help others to trust you more."
"By others you mean yourself. You're looking desperately for some kind of sign that would allow you to give in to me, aren't you? A sign that I am not the bad guy everyone hates, the guy that kills on a whim and that doesn't care about anyone. You wish you could see hope in me, that one day you'd wake up to find me all good and righteous, ready to join you and your Scooby gang. Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart, I will never be that kind of guy and you better stop daydreaming." Klaus moved around her and made his way back to the lake house.
"You're running away? Seriously?" Caroline huffed in annoyance. "The big old hybrid just leaves when it gets personal. How do you expect me to be your friend, if you don't even let me?"
Klaus stopped and turned around, but kept a distance from Caroline. "And what exactly is your definition of friend? A person that you can lecture however you want?"
"No, a person that I can give well meant advice to. This is what friends do. They exchange opinions to help each other."
"Help? I don't need your or anyone's help!" Klaus yelled at Caroline. He had approached her unconsciously again, there was something that kept drawing him to her. She looked him in the eyes angrily and they just stayed silent for a few moments.
"You were right. I do wish to find something in you that would help me justify our relationship. Something that would not make me question my loyalty every time you try to hurt my friends. Something that would not make me feel guilty every time you go and kill someone. But you're not making this easier for me by brushing me off like you just did," Caroline replied quietly. The hardness in Klaus' eyes eased up slowly after hearing her words and he started to regret lashing out on her before.
"And yet you're still here," Klaus pointed out while looking at her in a mix of surprise, compassion, and disbelief. "When you say relationship, what do you exactly mean?"
"I mean friendship, Klaus," Caroline answered quickly and averted her eyes from his.
"It seems I am not the only one who cannot admit his true feelings. You like me, granted it might not be love yet, but you feel something for me and as you have pointed out before, you need a reason to justify these feelings. I cannot give it to you. However, I can help you see that things are not black and white."
"I know that already. Otherwise I wouldn't be standing here and talk to you right now," Caroline replied. "You also have some good qualities, but a lot of bad ones as well."
"I know," Klaus answered simply. "And I promise you I will work on being a better friend, that I can do."
"Babysteps," Caroline stated and she could not help smiling a little.
"Only for you, Caroline," he said and a smile showed on his face as well. Their fight had come to an end and both of them were relieved it had not hurt their friendship beyond repair. On the contrary, it seemed they made a step forward again.
"Let's get back inside. It has gotten late," Klaus said and they began to walk back.
"You know, Elijah was wrong when he said you have no right to be angry about Katherine killing me. You are not Tyler, but you also have the right to get angry whenever someone does this to me. I mean I did die that day. We're friends and friends are allowed to get angry when one of us is killed. It is just not your place to go and execute revenge on my behalf."
"And what else am I supposed to do, sweetheart?"
"For once you could ask me how I feel about all this and you could comfort me," Caroline replied and continued jokingly. "Maybe be my punching bag so that I could release some of my anger."
"I see, so that's what friends do? Being a punching bag in desperate times?" Klaus stated in amusement.
"Yes, that and bringing over some ice cream," Caroline added.
"Well, if you are in need of a punching bag or ice cream in the future, call me anytime."
"I will have you on speed dial," Caroline replied. She was smiling and Klaus enjoyed every bit of it. They continued walking toward the house, though Klaus set a slow pace on purpose so that they would not arrive too quickly.
"So, how do you feel about Katherine killing you?" Klaus asked sincerely.
"Well, it's not a fond memory being smothered to death with a pillow by someone who looks exactly like my best friend. And I also had to go through some pretty tough times getting my parents to accept me as a vampire. But in the end, I like myself better the way I am now compared to the person I was before turning into a vampire. And I am not talking about the power that comes with it. I was an insecure bitch, after I was turned I could go beyond that. Now, I feel I have found my place."
"In the end you're just fine with it? You forgive her, just like that?"
"No, I haven't forgiven her and I probably never will, but ironically I can live with it. Killing her in return would not change anything."
"It would make me feel better," Klaus said acidly.
"I know, maybe a whole bunch of other people would feel better as well if Katherine were to be gone. But I don't hold a grudge and as my friend you will accept my feelings and you will not retaliate," Caroline said in a light mood. "We're back. Are you fine going inside? It seems everyone has gone to their rooms."
"If I said no, would you keep me company all night?" Klaus asked while showing off his dimples.
"Don't try to be funny, Klaus. It surprisingly suits you well," Caroline replied and gave him an amused smile. "Good night."
"Good night, Caroline," Klaus returned before she walked inside and upstairs toward her room.
AN: Revised version.