A/N: Request from queenvampirebarbie: Caroline doesn't have anywhere to go for holiday since her mom is busy and she can't really afford a plain ticket back home anyways so she spends the holiday with her roommate Rebekah! There Klaus meets the Caroline he's heard so much about from Rebekah but didn't expect to like her so much:)


Someone to Be Thankful for

Watching his sister set the festively decorate table, Klaus has his arms folded across his chest, and frowns. He thought that their plans had already been decided with finality years ago; it was tradition for it to just be the two of them at Thanksgiving. It isn't like family matters were a priority for the rest of their siblings. Elijah and Finn are always too busy in the UK to ever fly all the way out to America to sit down for one meal a year. Kol is off to Australia for school and can't be bothered to make the trip.

"I can't believe you invited someone without asking me, especially when you know of my aversion to strangers."

Rebekah rolled her eyes dramatically, mocking his attitude. "That stranger would be my best friend, thank you very much. And I talk about her enough for her to be like a friend you've never met before. And you don't have very many, so I wouldn't waste this opportunity if I were you."

"I have friends," he counters. "You've met them."

"Well, one can never have too many."

The sound of a key twisting the lock sounded, and Klaus and Rebekah still, their eyes locked on the opening door.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" Caroline emerges from behind the door, plastic bags dangling from her hands. Her eyes greet Rebekah with warmth and then land on Klaus.

He pauses when their eyes met, taking in her glowing appearance. He shouldn't have been surprised, his sister had always had a particular taste in friends. However, none of her other friends had ever phased him, nothing quite like the peculiar feeling Caroline Forbes is invoking in him.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Caroline!" Rebekah embraces her after taking the bags from the other girl. "I hope the traffic and the lines weren't too terrible."

"I thought I was going to explode, but it was totally worth it." She smiles. "I might have bit a few heads off here and there but it's okay. I had to fight someone for the pumpkin pie. I won." She holds up the pie like it's her trophy, and the girls share a laugh. Her eyes then flick over to Klaus, who has a slight smile tugging on his lips. "This is your brother, right?" She approaches Klaus. "Hi, I'm Caroline. Klaus, right? Rebekah talks about you a lot." Her arms circle around him in a warm hug.

He returns it, his arms circling her waist. He can't resist the urge to let her sweet scent overwhelm his senses. It's a mixture of vanilla and honey, and he wants to get drunk off of it.

Once she pulls away, Rebekah barks orders them to fill the empty glass serving trays with food. Caroline obliges and heads into the kitchen ahead of Klaus. Rebekah pulls him aside to whisper in his ear. "Be nice. Talk to her. You'll be surprised."

He sighs. The last thing he needs is for his sister to help him make friends. If he wishes to befriend Caroline, he would, not because of his sister's entreaty. "Whatever, Bekah."


Caroline meticulously places the pumpkin pie onto the pie plate, her tongue unconsciously peeking out between her slightly parted lips. Klaus is scraping the potatoes into a glass dish, but his eyes can only focus on the blonde's pink tongue. He could have dumped the entire dish on the floor and he wouldn't have noticed.

Caroline composes herself once she's satisfied with her work. She turns her head slightly, catching Klaus staring, and smiles to herself. "So, I told Rebekah I was excited to meet you when I found out I'd be having Thanksgiving with you guys…" She says flippantly and pours the stuffing into a silver tray.

He stares at her carefully, returning the now empty bowl to the table. "Really? Why? I thought Rebekah would have told you all about her evil brother by now. I heard he's a real prick." His mouth curled up mischieviously, and she laughed.

"Rebekah has a lot of brothers, and that definitely doesn't sound like you. She says you're sweet, funny, and artistic." Her eyes are cheeky, like she is daring him to deny it.

"She talks about you too," he admits.

Caroline arches her brows, intrigued. "Oh? And what does she have to say about me? Am I the wicked witch of the east? I'm probably super annoying."

He chuckles. "On the contrary, love. She said that you are the kindest person she has ever met. She admires you. Your loyalty and bravery, it's admirable."

She blushes, trying to hide the growing smile on her lips. "You wanna know a secret? I think she admires you too."

He raises a confused brow. "What would there be to admire?"

She giggles. "She did mention you can be overbearing at times, but she knows you mean well. She doesn't say it out loud, but I know she admires the way you would do anything to protect the people you love."

He meets her eyes, and they exchange a look of reverence. Somehow, even though they have only been talking for a few moments, he feels connected to her. It's something he has never shared with anyone. "Thank you, Caroline."

She nodded, an empathetic smile on her face.


He really hates to admit it, but Rebekah had been right: he fully enjoys Caroline's company and is relieved she came. They spend nearly the entire evening laughing and exchanging stories. Caroline is nothing like Rebekah's other friends that he had met. She is fascinating, intelligent, and illuminates the room with her presence.

The only drawback is whenever Rebekah shoots him a knowing look when she notices how entranced he becomes whenever Caroline opens her mouth. He shoots her a warning look in response, and she backs off for the moment.

"So, I'm at the supermarket with my Uncle Billy Bob at five years old on Thanksgiving morning and it's literally the last turkey in the store. There are two old ladies fighting him for it. One is hitting him with her purse and the other one is threatening him with pepper spray. He practically threw the turkey and his wallet at me and told me to run to the cash register!" Caroline exclaimed, and they all burst into laughter.

He cannot believe just how amusing she is. The second they all sat down it was like an instant connection, even more electric than what had happened in the kitchen earlier. Their conversations keep on ricocheting off each other; one moment Caroline will be telling a story, and then next, Klaus will have a story that is triggered by one of hers.

Caroline reveals so many things about herself, and Klaus wonders how Rebekah could leave so much of this out when she spoke of her before.

He almost wishes Rebekah isn't there, so that he can talk and listen to Caroline until they're both blue in the face, although, his sister looks more than pleased by the sudden turn of events. Somehow, it seems as if Klaus and Caroline have known each other all their lives. The conversation flows out so easily; it's so easy for them to just let go around one another.


After dinner, Caroline does the dishes, as per usual, but Klaus insists that he helps her. It takes a bit of convincing until she obliges.

Caroline scrapes the bubbly sponge across the dirty plate, while he wipes each glass plate dry.

"I had a good time." Klaus smiles down at the task at hand.

"Me too."

They turn to each other simultaneously, recognizing the same bright smile on the others' mouth. He feels his heart thrum and notices their proximity. Caroline really is beautiful, especially up close. But there is something he finds even more beautiful about her that goes beyond the obvious. "Caroline… may I be frank with you?"

"Of course. We are friends now, aren't we?" she says sweetly as she hands him the last plate.

He nods, drying the plate. "I know this place outside of town that makes authentic British tea… I'd like you to have a drink with me."

She raises her brows slightly and stares at him, surprised.

"I hope I'm not being too forward."

"No, no." She reassures him. "Sorry. It's just that you're Rebekah's older, suave brother and you're just…" Her eyes roam down his body from head to toe, and she blushed at the smirk on his lips. "Really?"

He tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and feels her shiver. "Is that a yes?"

She smiles nervously, tugging on her lip with her teeth.

"Yes."


He throws his peacoat back on and hugs his sister goodbye. "Always a pleasure to see you again, Sister."

"Come visit again soon. I mean it." She gives him a pointed look.

"Of course." He kisses her on the cheek before he turns to Caroline to wrap his arms around her as well. "It was my pleasure to meet you, Caroline. We must do this again." His lips pulled up into a smug smile, knowing all-too-well that they would and soon.

"We should. Perhaps we should have tea next time." He can hear the playfulness in her own voice.

He briefly kisses her cheek before letting go, his lips tingly afterwards. From the way she tenderly feels her cheek, Klaus knows that he has the same effect on her as she does on him.

Klaus doesn't bother to meet Rebekah's eyes, keeping them solely trained on Caroline. "Goodbye for now, Caroline, Rebekah." He closes the door behind him, waiting a few moments to catch Rebekah interrogate her friend for a few moments.

He smiles to himself.

Turns out, he does have few things to be thankful for.