The restaurant they entered that evening was heaving, but somehow the concierge managed to find them a table big enough for five. Caroline watched closely, but if Klaus slipped him some money the movement had been too quick to spot. The party weaved their way over to the table. Caroline nodded with approval when Matt pulled Rebekah's chair out for her. He glanced behind her as he sat down himself, and she turned to realise that he had been copying Klaus, who was stood holding her own chair out for her.

She smiled at him warmly as she sat down and pick up the menu in front of her. All of the dishes sounded so fancy, nothing like the meals that she would have ordered back at the Mystic Grill. She glanced up at the others. Matt's brow was furrowed as he tried to understand what each dish was composed of. Rebekah and Elijah, however, appeared unconcerned and pleased by the selection they saw. She turned to Klaus, only to see that he was watching her with amused eyes.

"Can't decide, love?" he inquired quietly.

She turned back to the menu quickly and flicked over the page. Fish dishes, meat dishes, soups, pastas…

"No, I've decided," she said, pointing to the simplest-looking pasta dish, plain spaghetti with tomato sauce.

"Are you sure?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "This is a Michelin star restaurant, I'm sure you could ask the waiter's advice if you-"

"No, I'm sure," she smiled, just relieved not to be staring at the menu anymore. "After all the shopping today I'm more tired than hungry actually."

By the time they had finished shopping, she had managed to charge quite a lot to Klaus's card, including new pyjamas, several dresses varying from day dresses to a ball gown, and even some underwear, which she had slipped in when Rebekah's back was turned. It was not really risqué enough to blush at, but she wanted to look nice should anything happen between her and Klaus, and that was not really something she wanted his sister to know about. When they had finished shopping, the girls had dumped their bags back at the penthouse, picked the boys up, and headed out to Elijah's favourite restaurant.

Matt had chosen to spend the afternoon with the Michaelson brothers, much to the girls' surprise. When Rebekah had asked later what they had been up to, Matt had been very mysterious in his response. He had just said, they were planning something and would not say any more.

When they had all ordered their food and were settled with drinks, Elijah decided to bring up the fact that Marcel was still missing in action.

"Do you think that he will try to return?" Rebekah asked, sipping on her Coke anxiously. "He is sure to want revenge and he is a powerful vampire."

"Even without all of his followers?" Matt wondered out loud.

Elijah smiled, "No he is surely weakened without them and rest assured his strength is no match for ours. But I do not feel it is wise to have a known enemy out there, gathering strength over time. Between us all we have upset and angered enough supernatural beings to cause some serious damage should they find a figurehead to marshal around…"

Here he glanced over at Klaus in particular, but his younger brother was not paying attention. He was busy tucking one of Caroline's curls behind her ear. The shy smile she bestowed upon him warmed Elijah's heart. Klaus glowed as he gazed at her.

Matt had meanwhile interrupted their discussion.

"Speaking of missing in action, shouldn't we be helping in the search for Tyler? I mean if anyone can find him you guys can."

"And why should we distract ourselves with the drama of Mystic Falls?" Elijah pondered, trying his wine delicately.

"Because the werewolves are causing havoc back there because of his disappearance. Caroline's mum isn't safe, Elena had to leave home and is now on the run… and you know what, Tyler is my friend, and I know he still means a lot to Caroline too!"

He followed Elijah's inquiring gaze down the other end of the table to where Caroline was giggling over some comment of Klaus's, oblivious to their conversation.

Rebekah frowned to herself. Boys and their obsession with danger! She had just changed Matt and she knew it might be selfish, but she wanted to keep him to herself for a little while longer. Too much drama and danger might convince him that he had made a mistake in choosing a life with her and that would break her heart, loathe as she was to admit it. She understood that he cared for his missing friend, and that Marcel was still an issue, but honestly she wanted nothing more than a few weeks or months of the simple life. All relationships had a honeymoon period, and she did not want to waste theirs searching for a stupid hybrid!

Next to her, Matt was considering Caroline's change of attitude recently. She seemed so much more caught up in Klaus's obvious affection for her than before. But he had to get her on his side with this. Tyler was their friend, it was wrong to abandon him when he could be in danger. And it was up to the two young vampires to unite this messed up family, he was sure of it. It would definitely make things easier if they teamed up to rescue Tyler, and it probably could not hurt their relationship with their old friends either. He was not looking forward to revealing to Elena and Bonnie that he had chosen to transition and join the original family.

At the other end of the table Klaus and Caroline were having a far more light-hearted conversation. Caroline found herself completely relaxing in his presence. She was still touchy about the dream they had shared, but she had to admit that getting some feelings out in the open had certainly broken the ice. And she had missed seeing him, that twinkle in his eye, hearing his soft voice purr her name…

"So Caroline, did you manage to find more clothes that you liked after lunch?" he asked, breaking through her reverie.

"Yes, actually I bought rather a lot. And I charged it all to you," she smirked, watching his expression.

But it never faltered. He honestly looked delighted to have been instrumental to her happiness. She shook her head in happy confusion. He really did want to give her everything she wanted!

"I am glad to hear it," Klaus laughed. "I don't suppose you included something long and stunning?"

Caroline narrowed her eyes, wondering if he was teasing her with an innuendo, but his face was so innocent that she blushed internally at her dirty mind.

"Yeah, actually Rebekah insisted that we get ball gowns. I do really like the one I chose, but when will we get the chance to show them off?"

Klaus smiled at the thought of her modelling her purchases, "Well, I was wondering if you would be interested in accompanying me to the theatre tomorrow night?"

Caroline grinned impishly, "That sounds really nice. So everyone will be dressed up smart? Will you be in a tux?"

"Not quite a tux, but I did take Matt out to get us some new suits fitted earlier. Actually the theatre was his idea. Elijah tagged along of course; he can never pass up the opportunity to buy a new suit-"

"So," Caroline interrupted him, distracted by a sudden thought. "I guess Matt is bringing Rebekah?"

"Well, yes…"

"So, this is sort of a double date?"

Klaus paused, trying to read her expression. "It could be seen as such. Honestly, Caroline, I just want to get to know you better and taking you out and trying to make you happy is the best method I can think of."

To his relief, Caroline beamed.

"I would like that very much."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah..."

Their faces were very close at this point. Caroline was very aware that Klaus's hand, resting on the base of his wine glass, was only millimetres from her own. His eyes flicked from hers to her mouth and back again.

There was a deliberate throat clearing from the other end of the table and the couple glanced up to realise that the others were staring at them. Caroline immediately got the sense that she had just been asked a question.

"Sorry, what was that?"

Rebekah sighed, "I was just wondering if we could get your opinion on this dilemma!"

Klaus sat up in his seat and managed to look apologetic, wishing he had booked a separate table for him and Caroline. "Yes, dear sister? And what dilemma is this?"

"Well Elijah believes we should be tracking down Marcel, Matt wants to trace Tyler's whereabouts-"

"And yourself?" he asked coolly.

Rebekah blushed and avoided Matt's eye, "Well I'm not sure yet. What does Caroline think?"

Their attention focused back on the blonde to his side. Klaus reserved his own opinions and concentrated on trying to get a read on her thoughtful expression. Secretly, and unbeknownst to him, he was quite in agreement with his sister, that things were going quite well enough right now without involving some kind of drama. Caroline was somehow so much more receptive to his affection than she had been before. He was still only just daring to believe that she really had succumbed to her true feelings for him and dropped the angry charade. But he still wanted to prove himself to her. Knowing that he would probably decide to act on her decision, he considered the factors carefully.

They had only just won back the city and he was loathe to leave it now, only for Marcel to sneak back in and begin forming allies again. On the other hand, he had always known that Caroline's friends were very important to her and that she would try to put them before her own happiness. He had to remind himself that her relationship with Tyler had not worked out, that she liked him now, and that his helping her would just raise him in her opinions, to stop the rage of jealousy from flaring in his chest at the idea of her running back to his hybrid. It was just her good nature- that was all.

Caroline was trying to consider all the options as well, and was actually thinking quite similarly to Klaus. She wanted to get to know him better, and hunting down Marcel would probably only better introduce her to the side of him that she knew only too well. Sure, he would always be the alpha male- the centuries-old, powerful original hybrid that lashed out at the world, but she was seeing his softer, kinder nature now and she did not want to lose it yet. On the other hand there was Tyler. If she and her new friends could help him then surely they had some kind of moral obligation to do just that.

She sighed, "We can't just abandon Tyler. We will have to deal with Marcel when we get back, Elijah. Tyler can't wait."