A/N: I'm just going to take this time to say thank you to every single one of you. Writing is so much more fun when you've got such a lovely audience. This chapter may suck, but I do hope you aren't too put off by it.

To the guest who suggested Klaus stop Tyler from raping Caroline, I can't help but wonder if you've read the books? Because something extremely similar happens between Stefan, Elena, and Tyler in the first one and while I can tell you now I won't be recreating it for this, L.J. Smith writes the scene amazingly well. So if you want that kind of thing, grab the first book in the series and exchange Stefan and Elena's names for Klaus and Caroline.

Anyway, thanks again and please enjoy!

"I've been dying to tell you anything you wanna hear,

'Cause that's jut who I am this week."

Sugar, We're Goin' Down | Fall Out Boy (From Under the Cork Tree)

I Wasn't Actually In Love... (AKA: First Phone Call)

He twirled the pen in his hand absently as he stared at the unfolded piece of paper on his desk.

Call me,

Caroline

Yesterday—the Monday they were supposed plan a meet up to work on the English project—she'd been in such a rush to get home that they hadn't gotten the chance to discuss when they'd get together. So, he'd quickly asked for her number and was pleasantly surprised when she produced an already-scribbled-on sticky-note from her pocket.

"I thought this would help," she'd said, smiling at him. How many times had he drawn those perfect bow lips in the past weeks? "I usually have my phone on me, so don't worry about when you're calling. Just make sure it's before midnight. My mom's a bit crazy when it comes to phone usage past twelve."

Then she'd walked through the doors and out of sight.

It was currently Tuesday afternoon. School had finished an hour ago. His mother was downstairs making some vile thing that would probably end up burning the house down. Or corroding it into the ground. Kol and Rebekah were in their rooms, both listening to completely different types of music. He wasn't entirely sure which was listening to Taylor Swift and which was blasting Louis Armstrong.

Jeremy had invited him over for dinner that evening, thankfully. He was getting tired of being stuck in this house all the time, taste testing his mother's horrendous attempts at cooking. And he had yet to see where the Gilbert boy lived. Stefan was already there and Niklaus couldn't deny that he was excited.

Having friends was such a strange thing. Back in England, people had admired him simply because he was fairly attractive and had a rich father. The minute they realised he wasn't all that good-looking and when they discovered his father was actually a crook, they stopped caring. They'd only ever wanted to be around him because his name was Niklaus Mikaelson, not because they too legitimately enjoyed discussing the differences between crocodiles and alligators.

Virginia brought him something he didn't believe existed: a home. A real, this place is mine home. Complete with boys his age who were fascinated by his knowledge on reptiles, and one girl whose dusty rose blush sent sweat to his every pore.

A knock on his door brought him out of his own head. He turned and saw his little sister halfway in his room. Satchmo had ceased his melodic crooning.

"Can I help you?" He asked finally, Rebekah's presence impossibly making him more nervous about phoning Caroline.

Gracefully, Bekah sauntered into the room and plopped on his bed, her hands gripping the edge of his black-coated mattress. "I'm bored," she whined. "And Kol won't shut off that horrible music."

Niklaus laughed and nodded. "I can't do anything about that. He's entitled to listen to whatever he wants. As for being bored, do your homework and I assure your boredom will dissipate."

"What sort of advice is that, Nik?"

"It's the advice I'm giving my ten-year-old sister. Not doing your fifth grade level schoolwork really won't help you get anything other than a gold star in procrastination," he teased.

Rebekah did not look amused, so he shut up and let her lie on his bed while he stared at the note a bit more.

He should just call her. It shouldn't be hard. Definitely not this hard. She'd had the sticky-note pre-made, for Christ's sake. She obviously wanted him to have her number. Why wasn't he swallowing his fear and getting on with it?

Oh, but how he feared rejection. His father never loved him, so why should anyone else? Why should someone as beautiful and fantastic as Caroline Forbes ever give him the time of day? Especially when Tyler Lockwood was so keen on gaining her attention as well.

"What's that thing in your hand?" Rebekah asked from behind him. He jumped at her proximity. "Is that a girl's mobile number? Do you have a girlfrie—"

"Stop, Bekah," Niklaus demanded, his heart leaping about against his ribcage at the insinuation. "She's just a friend I need to call about a stupid project."

His little sister did not look very convinced. She raised an eyebrow and stuck her hand to her hip. "Why haven't called her yet? Is she pretty, this Caroline? Are you nervous?"

God, he hoped Bekah couldn't see the reddening of his cheeks and neck. "No," he stressed, but yes, yes, yes. He was buzzing with nerves. Pinpricks of fright pinched his skin, he was so desperately on edge.

"So she isn't pretty, or you're not nervous?"

"She's gorgeous," he said without thinking. Clearing his throat, he continued, "but no, I'm not nervous."

"Call her, then. Right now." Bekah stood next to him, her arms crossed. She would not move, he knew, until he agreed.

But even thinking about calling Caroline with Bekah so near made his throat close. "Must you be in here for the duration of the call?"

Bekah scoffed. "Wow, do you sound posh when you talk like that. To answer your question, no, I don't have to be here. But I've never seen you get choked up about a girl before. Elijah thinks your gay because you seem to have zipped through life without ever having something as simple as a crush."

"Elijah thinks I'm gay?" Niklaus spluttered. "I'm only fifteen! Sorry I don't fantasise about shagging every girl I see."

Crinkling her nose at his foul language, Rebekah went back to his bed. He followed her with his wide eyes. "Relax, I don't think your gay. Elijah does. And he's not here, so who cares what he thinks. But now I know the truth! You're in love."

There was no doubt in his mind she couldn't see his blush now. "Slow down, little sister. I've only ever talked to the girl a couple of times. Don't start planning the wedding yet."

"Mum'll be pleased," she went on, ignoring him.

"Pleased with what? The fact that I've found some bird to help me with my English homework?"

"If that's all she is…"

"That's all she is." Lies, lies, lies. He may or may not have had a dream last night that may or may not have included Caroline Forbes wearing a white dress.

"I don't believe you," Rebekah said, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

Niklaus sighed. "You don't have to. But please, leave."

"Will you call her?"

"Maybe."

"I won't leave unless you promise to call the minute I step into that hall."

"Are you sure you're only ten? You sound like you could negotiate for MI6."

Bekah smiled and slid off the bed. "I'll take that as a compliment," she decided, heading for the door. "Promise me, though."

He held his hands up in casual submission, but giant moths had begun attacking his insides. "Fine, fine. I promise."

"Yay!" She exclaimed, actually clapping her hands. What was he getting himself into? "Okay, I'll leave you to it." And with that, she left.

He heard her skip down the hallway, pause in front of Kol's room long enough to yell at him for his foul taste in music, and then listened for the faint slam of her door. Looking over the note in his hand one more time, he decided to go for it. No thinking, no backing down, just doing.

Niklaus grabbed his mobile and quickly typed in the numbers. Without blinking, he pressed call and brought the phone to his ear.

Blood shouted against his skull as the ringing began.

"You'll be safe?" Her mother asked, pinning the gold Sheriff badge above her left breast pocket.

Caroline was already out the door, backpack full of clothes in hand. She turned back. "Of course, mom. It's just Elena's. Bonnie's going to be there too. So is Jeremy. And Stefan. And, get this, even Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert!"

"Ha ha, Caroline. Your sarcastic wit never fails to amuse me. You know I worry about you."

Yes, Caroline knew. It didn't entirely make sense to her. This town was small and nothing ever happened in it, let alone anything dangerous. The last crime she remembered was over a year ago and it involved a bunch of high school idiots who'd gotten caught stealing a bottle of cheap wine from the local liquor store in the middle of the day.

"I know, mom," she mumbled. "You don't need to. I'm safe."

"No," the sheriff said, her hand hovering over her gun. "You're fourteen. Call me when you get there and don't forget to thank the Gilbert's for letting you stay the night."

"Yes, mother."

Caroline started walking, her purple skirt billowing around her hips in the September breeze. There was a hidden bitterness to her footsteps. When her parents divorced, her mother had picked up extra shifts at the department because they needed the money. But then she had gotten the newly opened sheriff's position a few months ago. They got her night and day. Caroline was almost an afterthought.

Trees whistled as she walked the short distance to the Gilbert's. She bunched her coat around her, trying to dispel the ugly thoughts of her mother overcrowding her mind.

But the only other thing to think about was Klaus, and he hadn't called her.

Maybe she was being needy or petty by expecting him to have already phoned, but there was something about this boy that would not allow her to forget him. Not even for a minute. Alongside every conversation, every minute flicker of a thought, was the picture of his smile.

Giddiness sparked through her just imagining those lips. And that voice. And those eyes…

"Is this the real life, is this just fantasy,

Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality."

Caroline's hand flew to her chest in surprise as the familiar song played through the crappy speaker on her phone. She watched a murder of crows fly away from their branch in annoyance, their flapping wings coating the already dismal sky in feathery black.

Reaching into her back pocket, Caroline pulled out her phone and checked the screen. She didn't recognise the number.

Klaus was her immediate guess, however foolish a guess it might be, and she felt her tongue dry up as she pressed answer.

"Hello?" She breathed, a cloud of smoke floating out of her mouth.

"Caroline?"

Klaus. It was him. He'd called. She didn't even care how stupid and irrational her happiness was, she could chide herself for it later. For the moment, all she wanted to do was spill all of her fourteen-year-old secrets to the boy on the other end of the line.

"Hi, Klaus. Yeah, it's me…Caroline." She slapped her forehead. Only she could make the conversation awkward before it even began.

"Ah, wonderful," he said, and she could have sworn his voice shook. "I was calling to ask about a time. For the project."

"Right, yeah, the project. I was hoping we could get together as soon as possible," she blurted. "It's due in a week and it's the first major project of the year. I want to get a good start." And I really want to see you.

There was a pause and she worried that maybe the call had dropped, but then she heard him breathing. Shallow, steady breaths. She wondered if he still smelled like mint.

"I can do tomorrow, if that works for you?" He sounded hopeful, and her heart swelled against her wishes.

Part of her still wanted to switch her emotions off. She was young, he was young. Together they'd be a nightmare. A hormonal nightmare.

It could only end badly. Elena said the first one always did.

She wasn't ready for it. Not for the commitment or the kisses or the heartbreak. Her head was shouting at her to stay in the shallow end. Dip her toes in and be done with it. Be done with him and all the ludicrous thoughts he inspired.

But that other part—that other part was already drowning.

Elena's house got closer and closer as she walked, holding the phone to her head like a lifeline. She closed her eyes. "I can do tomorrow too."

...but I felt a sort of tender curiosity

A/N 2: It's short, I know. But did anyone catch whose house these lovely people are headed to?

If you want, leave a review telling me what you want to see and/or what you thought.

Til next time,

-LoveIsATemple