Wow! What a fast response, glad you guys liked the last chapter, except for the suspenseful ending! You'll be happy to know this chapter takes place the same time as the last one.
Chapter 10: Never the Bride
Klaus felt better than he had in weeks, work was going well and he was happily single. Rachel had found her way out the door, although it took a while, and he was enjoying being free to do what he wanted and more importantly wear what he wanted!
It was Friday, the last day of the working week. Klaus was running late, his personal trainer had worked him way too hard this morning. He rushed down Fifth Avenue, about to turn onto E 52nd Street when he felt someone run straight into him with a thud; hot coffee proceeded to spill all over the lapel of his suit jacket and seeped into his white shirt.
He swore, the hot liquid soaking though his shirt and onto his bare skin. What idiot did this, he thought looking up. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. Her long dark hair fell in waves around her face, her eyes big and expressive, the colour of melted chocolate and her porcelain skin flawless, except for a few cute freckles sprinkled over her nose. The burning sensation pulled him out of his trance.
"You should really watch where you're going love." He said trying to stop the coffee from spreading any further.
"No you should really watch where you're going; if you had you wouldn't have coffee down your front." She replied, a slight accent coming through in her voice. Klaus smiled this one had spunk, she reminded him of a certain blonde.
"Oh really? I don't recall it happening that way."
"Well I do and that's what happened; now if you'll excuse me I have somewhere to be." She said about to walk off.
"Well the least you can do is buy me a new shirt but failing that I'd accept a coffee, considering it was maybe partly my fault." He said smirking at her.
"Looks like you've already had your coffee this morning." She said pointing at his stained shirt.
"Oh come on, I look terrible, please take pity on me and buy me a coffee, another coffee." He clarified. She broke into a smile, albeit a small one.
"Okay fine, only because mine is all over your shirt." She consulted her watch. "I can only spare fifteen minutes though." That's all I need Klaus thought, usually women were putty in his hands within the first five.
They went into the nearest Starbucks; Klaus being the gentleman bought the coffee. Her name was Tatia Petrova and besides being gorgeous she was also intelligent and surprisingly interesting, Klaus thought. A lawyer by profession, she was born in Bulgaria but had moved to the States at a young age.
She was also not at all taken with Klaus or his charms. After exactly fifteen minutes Tatia got up and proceeded to leave. Klaus raced ahead pulling the door open, she went to walk off but Klaus put his arm out to stop her.
"You know I don't bite." He said smiling at her.
"Oh really, and here I was thinking you were some sort of a vampire." She said rolling her eyes.
"Have dinner with me?" He asked, she paused processing his request. "Please?" He begged, Klaus never begged.
"Fine, one dinner. Give me your number and I'll send you the details once I work out my availability." She said pulling out her mobile, Klaus couldn't believe this girl. He was the one who called the shots, who did she think she was? He relented though, reeling off his number.
He watched her retreating figure, she was something different and it just made him want her that much more.
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"Okay that's four games to one, you're slipping brother." Klaus laughed running victory laps around Elijah.
"I would have to possess some talent in the first place to be slipping; I'm actually impressed I managed to win one game." Elijah said bent over trying to catch his breath.
"Yeah I actually let you win that one." Klaus laughed. "Don't they play basketball in Europe these days?" He asked shooting the ball towards the goal, watching it rebound. Elijah walked over scooping up the ball from the court and passed it to Klaus.
"Of course they do, but I don't get too much physical activity in these days." He said rubbing his shoulder that was agitated from the workout.
"Too busy working no doubt." Klaus said shaking his head at his brother.
"Well actually yes."
"Elijah, you need to get a life, and I say that to you in the nicest possible way. When was the last time you slept with anyone?" Elijah looked at Klaus surprised by his brazen question.
"My last girlfriend, well that was..." He said thoughtfully, wracking his brain for the answer.
"No Elijah, I said when was the last time you slept with a woman, you know had sex." He said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, knowing exactly how to ruffle his feathers.
"Niklaus! Seriously speak up; I don't think they heard you in London." He said looking around Central Park in disbelief.
"Look Elijah you're young and eligible and not too horrible to look at I suppose." Klaus teased. "There's no reason why you can't have some fun, you know play the field. I could introduce you to some nice girls."
"I think your idea of 'nice' is a lot different than mine." Elijah said using air quotes, "and playing the field isn't really my thing. I prefer a committed adult relationship, maybe you've heard of one of those? "
"Oh you mean a long drawn out death sentence?" Klaus said dramatically, rolling his eyes.
"That's right; you only sleep with girls and then discard them when you get bored."
"Well maybe I do but at least I'm honest about it," Klaus mumbled, a little shocked by his brother's bluntness.
"Really Nikalus, you think you're being honest with those girls? They all fall for you believing they can save you from your commitment issues."
"I don't have commitment issues." Klaus baulked.
"You don't, really?" He asked. "You can't commit to someone for more than five seconds, well except maybe Caroline." Klaus stopped dribbling the ball to turn and looked at Elijah.
"What do you know about Caroline?" Klaus asked his voice low.
"Just what Rebekah and Kol have told me. You loved her."
"It's nice to see you all get together and discuss my love life when I'm not around." He growled. "Maybe I did once, but it doesn't matter anymore."
"Well obviously it does considering how jaded it's made you about relationships." Elijah pushed.
"Look Elijah you don't know, you weren't there remember?" He said bitterly. "I did love her, but she didn't love me, not enough anyway, otherwise she wouldn't have left town." Klaus said sadly, Elijah had never seen his brother so defeated.
"I thinks that's enough psycho-analysing for one day, don't you brother?" Klaus said attempting to lighten the mood. "How about another basketball lesson?"
"As much as I would love that, I have to see a girl about a dress." Elijah said.
"What does that mean; I'm almost too scared to ask."
"Our dear sister wants me to drop past her dress fitting." He winced.
"Better you than me, although I think she could have found someone more attuned to women's fashion for advice, no offence brother."
"None taken Nikalus, I think it's more for moral support, plus her bridesmaids will be there for that, I'm not getting involved."
"Good plan, I think telling Rebekah she doesn't look good in something is nothing but a suicide mission. Have fun!" He laughed dribbling the ball further up the court.
"Speaking of fun, remember dinner is at 8pm sharp." Elijah warned.
"How could I forget?" He whined. "As much as I would prefer to stay home and watch paint dry, I'll be there and only because Rebekah will make my life a living hell if I don't!"
"See you then brother." Elijah said walking away.
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Klaus finished buttoning his dress shirt and started work on his tie. He was adhering to Rebekah's strict dress code purely because she was the only woman who scared the hell out of him.
Tatia had finally called, and even though it wasn't the way he liked to do things, he was looking forward to their date next week. She was different and exactly what he needed.
Speaking to Elijah had brought all his issues and insecurities back to the surface. He was frustrated that he couldn't completely shake the memories and was mad at her for still having this effect on him. He had said it himself earlier, she left him, she didn't love him, she didn't want him, so why was he obsessed with someone who obviously didn't care enough for him to stay?
Thinking about it, he realised he had to stop letting her get to him and start living his life, not the pseudo existence he had been living up until now. Klaus knew deep down that he wanted more, possibly a real relationship. Maybe Tatia was the key to getting that?
His thoughts were interrupted by the buzzing of his intercom. He walked over wondering who would be calling past at this time. "Yes?" He inquired.
"Hurry up and let me in, I have some outstanding single malt for us to sample." Klaus laughed, Stefan hadn't changed. He buzzed him in and went back to inspect his appearance in the mirror.
"Don't worry, you look gorgeous!" Stefan said walking through the door, whiskey in hand.
"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes? It's been far too long." Klaus said patting him on the back affectionately.
"Well I think that's your fault considering you never call and you never write. You're giving me a complex man." He sighed dramatically.
"So you decide to exact your revenge by surprising me and announcing you're marrying my baby sister?" Klaus laughed.
"Yes, that's exactly why, although maybe if you came home more often it wouldn't have come as such a shock."
"Maybe, but I don't think I'll ever get my head around you and my sister, although I'm happy to be proven wrong of course." He got some glasses from the kitchen cabinet and poured the whiskey. They raised their glasses in the air and then downed it in one shot.
"Just like old times!" Stefan laughed. "You know if you told me three years ago I would end up with Rebekah I would have said you were crazy." He said smiling.
"I'm curious, how did it all come about? When I left town you tolerated each other but that was as much as I knew."
"Honestly Klaus, I can't really pinpoint the exact moment, it all happened so gradually. One day we started having this random conversation about life at the grill and I realised were more alike than I thought. Then we struck up a friendship and about a year ago it suddenly stopped being platonic and became so much more." Stefan said sincerely.
"Well I couldn't be happier for you two, if anything I think you're a good influence on Rebekah, you make her a better person."
"She does the same thing for me, believe it or not." Klaus looked at him surprised. "I don't think anyone realises how caring she can be, she has a big heart and is fiercely protective of the people she loves."
"Oh look I know that first hand, she is my sister after all. I love her a lot but she sometimes has a tendency to be, how do you say it..."
"Difficult, spoiled, a bit of a princess?" Stefan said finishing off his sentence. "Yeah Rebekah says bitchy things sometimes but she doesn't mean them, it's all about getting attention. I, however, do not pander to it, something I know that drives her absolutely crazy, making it all the more fun for me!"They both laughed.
"So this is your bachelor love pad?" Stefan said looking around the room.
"I guess you could call it that. I'm definitely not short of women, that's for sure." Klaus said confidently.
"And here I was thinking you were a one woman guy."
"Who me? I think you have me mixed up with someone else." He grinned.
"I seem to remember a certain girl in Mystic Falls making you want to be monogamous." Stefan said.
"He's long gone Stefan, left town pretty much the day after she did." He poured more scotch, the subject matter making him increasingly uncomfortable.
"Do you have any idea where she went?" Stefan asked sipping his drink.
"No idea, I assume you don't?"
"No, no one in town knew where she went. Funny, it was so out of character for Caroline; I think there must have been a good reason for it though."
"Do you? I used to think so but not so much anymore. Anyway it doesn't matter, she's obviously moved on and so have the rest of us."
"So moving on for you means random women every night?" Stefan asked interested.
"Actually Stefan I'll have you know that I have just met an amazing woman, we're going out next week, and all going well she could maybe be the one." He looked at his watch. "We should get going otherwise your future wife will have our heads!"
Stefan gulped down the rest of his whiskey, thinking how Rebekah wouldn't be happy to hear about this latest development. Hopefully her dinner plans would short circuit any blossoming romance.
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Jean Georges was an expensive, up market French restaurant situated in the Trump International Hotel. Stefan and Klaus got out of the taxi, smoothing their suits and walking to the entry, the warmth enveloping them. They had made good time and decided to have another drink at the bar. Just as they were about to order, a female voice interrupted.
"Why am I not surprised to find you two out here drinking whiskey." Rebekah said. They turned around to see her impatiently tapping her gold Manolo Blahniks on the floor.
"You look gorgeous little sister." Klaus said embracing her, trying not to crease the soft mulberry fabric of her floor length gown in the process.
"Why is it that whenever you're nice to me I think you want something?" She said suspiciously.
"Who me, never! Now, how about a drink?" He said turning around to finish his order.
"Fine I'll have the same." She said leaning up to fix Stefan's tie. Klaus handed her the whiskey and raised his glass in the air.
"To the happy couple." Klaus said a genuine smile on his face.
"Thank you big brother. You know Niklaus; all we have to do is find you a nice woman." Rebekah said looking at him.
"Really Rebekah? I think I'm a lost cause." He said smirking. "I think you'd have a better time with Elijah, from what he told me today he hasn't gotten any for quite some time." Klaus and Stefan laughed.
"Something I didn't need to know about my own brother!" She said shaking her head in disbelief. "I think Elijah can look after himself Niklaus, it's you I'm more worried about."
"Well no need dear sister, I have it all under control." He said sipping his whiskey. Rebekah looked curiously over at Stefan. "Speaking of Elijah, where is he? Don't tell me we're the first ones here?" Klaus asked surprised.
"No, as usual Niklaus you are the last to arrive. Elijah, Kol, Bonnie and Katherine are already at the table."
"Bonnie and Katherine are your bridesmaids?" Klaus asked incredulously.
"Why is everyone so surprised, I do have some female friends believe it or not?" She pouted. "Now what are we waiting for?"
"You two go on, I need to visit the little boy's room, it's all that whiskey." He laughed.
"Something else I didn't need to know. Fine, but hurry up. We're at the table on the far side of the room, near the window." Klaus walked off in search of the bathroom. "What did he mean by having it under control?" Rebekah asked Stefan quickly as they made their way to the table.
"You're not going to be happy; turns out he thinks he's found the one." Stefan said.
"You must be kidding, after all this time?" Rebekah said, unimpressed by this latest news.
"Well if it's any consolation, seems like it's only in its early stages." Stefan replied confidently.
"Hopefully that's where it will stay after tonight." Rebekah said. "Elijah and I haven't worked this hard to fail."
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Klaus walked across the room, thinking about how much happier he felt. As much as he complained about his family he did love them and was excited to be spending an evening together since it was such a rare occurrence.
He looked over spying his siblings all dressed up to the nines. His glance shifted to Bonnie and then to Katherine, they hadn't changed at all he thought. Then his eyes fell on the other guest, his breath caught in his throat.
She was even more beautiful, if it was possible. Her long blonde hair was pulled back from her face in a low bun, accentuating her slender neck and creamy skin. Her ruby gown was strapless, the colour only complimenting her golden tresses. She laughed animatedly; her blue eyes livened by the conversation.
What was Caroline doing here? He felt so dizzy, so many thoughts and emotions running through his head at once. He had waited for this day for six years but now it had come he had no idea what to do. He was torn, one part of him wanted to rush to her side, ask her a million questions, then hold her in his arms and never let her go.
The other part of him hesitated. This was the girl who'd made his life a living hell the past six years, the girl who'd left him without a word. He thought maybe something bad had befallen her but here she was in the flesh laughing and smiling like nothing had ever happened. It made him mad, how dare she resurface acting like nothing had happened?
It was then he knew what to do, taking one final glance in her direction, he turned on his heel and walked out, breaking into a run once he reached the door. He stood outside taking in large gulps of air, trying to calm himself down. He realised he couldn't face her, too much had happened.
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Rebekah saw Klaus approach the table, his smile replaced, a look of confusion clouding his features. She could have never predicted his next move though, turning around and rushing out of the restaurant. Her heart went out to him and as much as she wanted to follow him, she knew she couldn't. There was definitely more to this story than she had first thought. Rebekah fully planned to find out what it was and for that she knew she needed to keep up the ruse with Caroline.
She glanced quickly at Elijah and Stefan who had witnessed the whole thing, shaking her head at them as a warning to keep quiet. She ran a hand through her golden mane, desperately trying to regain her composure. Clearing her throat loudly she looked around the table and smiled.
"So now that we're all here..." She paused briefly working out what she was going to say next. Noticing his brother's obvious absence Kol attempted to interrupt but Elijah jumped in quickly.
"How about some celebratory champagne to begin the night?" He said ignoring his brother's confused look.