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Chapter 7

Caroline was sitting at the Grill and as she called Matt over, he smiled and handed her the drink that she wanted at the moment - a pomegranate daiquiri. As she was sipping it, she thought about Tyler. Why wasn't he trying hard enough to fight for her? She was still pondering this when someone sat beside her. She used her senses and would recognize that scent from anywhere.

Klaus Mikaelson.

Turning around, she saw him offer her a flirtatious smile before he took a sip of his whiskey neat.

"What evil mastermind plan do you have up your sleeve?" she asked as she took another sip of her daiquiri.

"No evil mastermind plan love," he answered. "I just want a chance to talk to you without any busybodies sticking their brown noses into our business." She nodded and gave him her full attention.

"What do you want to know about me?"

"Everything." She smiled as no one had asked her that-believing that they knew all about her.

"Well…I was born October 10th, I have OCD tendencies and now they're heightened," she looked thoughtful for a second before smiling. "I am an overachiever and I won the Miss Mystic Falls competition." He clapped.

"Quite impressive Miss Forbes, quite impressive indeed."

"Tell me something about you?"

"I'm the monster everyone fears with no redeeming qualities." She snorted.

"You're a liar!" she challenged and he couldn't believe she would fight him on this.

"If I can be redeemed," he began with a lighter heart. "Then I want you to find those parts of me that actually can be redeemed." She laughed and he wanted to bask in her light.

"I may have." She laughed with her head cocked to the side and her drink all forgotten in front of her.

"You are a true beauty Caroline Forbes." He whispered with a smile on his lips. She looked graceful with a slight blush-even if vampires couldn't.

"You are a true gentleman then." Now it was his turn to laugh.

"Don't say things like that about me! Elijah's more of a gentleman than I could ever imagine being!"

"True but you are close." She stood up and with her drink in hand, she kissed his cheek. "I can't wait to do this again with you."

"I will admit that I agree with your sentiment." Kissing the back of her hand, he smiled and watched her flounce off to talk to some friends.

You are my redemption and salvation Caroline Forbes he thought with a smile as he sat there and watched her.

In over a thousand years, the one thing that Elijah had been trying to find was found in the most unlikely of places.

His humanity was within Caroline Forbes.

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Later that afternoon Klaus was in his studio painting when he heard a car coming up the drive. All of the family was home including their guest Miss Bennett so Klaus rose and made his way to the entry hall keen on finding out the identity of their guest. His siblings had the same idea as they were all assembled by the time the front door opened and Finn strolled in with Sage in tow.

Klaus had his older brother pinned against the wall in an instant anger and betrayal painted all over the hybrid's face. Kol had Bonnie carefully tucked to his side while he assessed the volatile situation.

"What are you doing here traitor?" Klaus growled.

"I came to be with my family," Finn replied.

"You mean the ones you're so eager to have killed?" Kol snarled and Elijah appeared to be in perfect agreement as well as Rebekah.

"I don't know where mother is okay," Finn said, "could you just let me go?"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just shove a dagger in your back," Klaus growled.

"I've had nine hundred years of that!" Finn cried out. "Now I've finally gotten Sage back and I just want to spend some time with my family. I don't have an ulterior motive."

"It's convenient for you to say that since we have no way of finding out if you're telling the truth," Rebekah said snidely.

"He wants to be with his family – something familiar in a world that seems chaotic to him," Sage finally spoke. Elijah motioned for Klaus to back down. Finn returned to Sage's side.

"Not for a minute do any of us trust you," Elijah said his eyes blazing with anger though outwardly the rest of him was refined and calm, "if you choose to stay here there will be rules. You will not leave this house – either of you – without a member of the family to mind you. If there is even the hint that you are betraying us I will happily dagger you brother and return you to that coffin for another nine hundred years." Finn looked to Sage a moment and she nodded her acceptance.

"Fine," Finn acquiesced.

"Brother would you show them to the guest suite at the far end of the west wing?" Elijah said instantly pacifying Kol by ensuring that they were nowhere near Bonnie – not that she was alone in her room often anyhow. As Klaus began to lead the way Sage stopped near Rebekah.

"Long time no see Rebekah," Sage smiled.

"Not long enough," Rebekah glared at her eldest brother's true love.

"Still playing the part of elitist original bitch I see," Sage offered a false smile and Bonnie was completely shocked at anyone having enough guts to say something like that to Rebekah of all people!

"We all do our part," Rebekah replied with saccharine sweetness. As Sage continued along with Finn Rebekah added, "peasant-whore." Sage flinched but continued along with Finn and Klaus.

"Bonnie I'm feeling decidedly in need of a mani-pedi – care to join me?" Rebekah asked. Bonnie blinked for a moment wondering if the original was being sincere. Rebekah continued to regard her and finally arched a brow.

"Yeah sure. I could really use one."

"Mind if I borrow your girlfriend for a while?" Rebekah asked Kol.

"Have fun sis," Kol smiled. "Just remember she'd better come back happy and in one piece." Rebekah rolled her eyes and then grabbed Bonnie dragging her towards her car. They were all the way to the salon before Rebekah said anything else.

"My advice to you is do not trust Sage or Finn. I am sure your friend Elena has filled you in but I would hate to see you and by extension Kol get hurt. My brother seems to have true feelings for you and I want to see him be happy." Bonnie smiled.

"I don't want to hurt Kol," she reassured Rebekah.

"Now maybe if I can get the other two happily involved I might could have a relationship of my own," Rebekah sighed. Bonnie smiled inwardly hopefully that was going to happen much sooner than Rebekah likely imagined.

In the end Rebekah wound up asking Bonnie quite a few questions while they had a spa afternoon which included leg massages, pedicures, manicures and facials. By the time they returned home Bonnie had revised her opinion of Rebekah as the two were chatting away when they entered the mansion. Klaus looked completely dumbfounded and Elijah calmly held out his hand. Klaus growled and passed his brother a twenty.

"Okay what was the bet?" Kol grinned.

"Whether they'd be speaking by the time they got back," Elijah said.

"I say our sister compelled her. I think it's null and void," Klaus said just before the ladies in question entered the room.

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