Notes: Next part! Thanks so much for the follows/faves/reviews, guys! I'm astonished that so many people seem to like this one. It's actually making me a bit nervous, LOL. niklausxcaroline on tumblr made an super cool gifset to accompany this fic. The link is in my profile, should anyone want to feast their eyes on its awesomeness. In this chapter we creep a little closer to the reveal, and I hopefully answer people's questions about Rebekah's cluelessness.

NOVEMBER - TUESDAY

CAROLINE:

Rebekah:

[Tuesday 9:59 AM]

It's your pick today. I might need a drink, but that will remain between you and I, agreed?

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:16 AM]

Going to have to skip our lunch! Sorry. :(

Rebekah:

[Tuesday 10:31 AM]

What? No. Not acceptable. I'm having an awful day, Caroline. I need you to talk me out of murder.

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:34 AM]

Sorry, Bex. I've got to run some errands.

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:35 AM]

Just take a deep breath and remember that prison orange is so not your color.

Rebekah:

[Tuesday 10:36 AM]

What errands? I'll come with.

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:43 AM]

You do not want to come with. Trust me.

Rebekah:

[Tuesday 10:44 AM]

Why so secretive? You can't be pregnant. You've not entertained a gentleman caller since August.

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:46 AM]

REBEKAH!

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:46 AM]

SERIOUSLY.

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:47 AM]

Of course I'm not pregnant. Please pay less attention to my sex life. Focus on your own.

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:48 AM]

And it was SEPTEMBER. Geez.

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:48 AM]

Back to my point. I'm going to a couple of comic book stores.

Rebekah:

[Tuesday 10:49 AM]

Ew. Why?

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:53 AM]

To complete my set of The Originals graphic novels, of course.

Rebekah:

[Tuesday 10:55 AM]

Right. Still obsessed with that, then?

Caroline:

[Tuesday 10:56 AM]

Yep. You know I don't really believe in letting things go.

Rebekah:

[Tuesday 10:59 AM]

You know it's fine if you want Nik, Caroline. No need to invent a grand mystery to spend time with him.

Caroline:

[Tuesday 11:01 AM]

I invented nothing! And I've barely spent any time with him.

Rebekah:

[Tuesday 11:03 AM]

I note that you did not deny the part about being hot for him.

Caroline:

[Tuesday 11:05 AM]

Would you believe me?

Rebekah:

[Tuesday 11:05 AM]

Nope!

Caroline:

[Tuesday 11:06 AM]

Exactly.

Rebekah:

[Tuesday 11:09 AM]

I'm still coming with you.

Caroline:

[Tuesday 11:12 AM]

I can hardly wait.

Their first stop, a store called 'The Fortress' was sandwiched between a florist and a shop that appeared to only sell hats. Caroline had called ahead yesterday and a clerk had put ten issues on hold for her. Yesterday, she'd tracked down the first and the third compendiums at two different Barnes and Noble locations. They'd had the three most recently published issues in stock, between them. Kol's collection had yielded nine of the issues that she'd needed. Two remaining comic book stores (one she hoped to get to before she had to go back to work, and the other that was on her way home) had the seven issues left over, also on hold for her.

Caroline was having to do a lot less running around then she'd anticipated. She was either incredibly lucky or the comics were just super popular. But god, the closer she got to having the entire collection the greater the temptation to dive in and satisfy her curiosity became. It was only her own stubbornness standing in her way, at this point.

Rebekah was eyeing the window of The Fortress, which featured a drawing of a scantily clad woman in a skintight catsuit, (who had frankly impossible breasts), with distaste. "That," she remarked, "was definitely drawn by a boy who's never seen a naked woman in the flesh."

Caroline gave it a glance, couldn't find it in herself to disagree. "Yeah. Boobs don't really do that. But try to be nice, Bekah. The guy I talked to on the phone was really sweet and helpful."

Rebekah tossed her hair over her shoulder, "I suppose I could try."

Caroline held the door open for her, "It's not that strenuous of a task, you know."

"We shall see."

The bells above the door chimed to announce their arrival. The store was fairly empty. There were three boys wearing school uniforms clustered together around an open comic book and a woman with purple hair who appeared to be browsing, her head bobbing to whatever music was coming out of her ear buds.

One boy had glanced up at their arrival and his eyes had gone saucer wide. He'd promptly nudged his friends and all three of them were soon gaping at her and Rebekah. Caroline felt a bit like an insect pinned to a board and she felt Rebekah note the attention too. Acting quickly, Caroline tugged Rebekah towards the counter before she could snarl something potentially life scaring at the poor teens.

A man was just pushing through a curtain that led to the back of the store when they arrived at the counter. He had a cellophane wrapped package in his hand and began to offer a greeting, "How can I…" before he stopped dead, trailed off, and breathed, "Violet," in the sort of tone a devout Catholic would use with the Pope. Seriously, Caroline half expected him to kneel and offer to kiss her ring.

Rebekah's head snapped to him, from where she'd still been staring down the gawking boys, "Who the hell is 'Violet?'"

The man, a wiry brunette with heavily tattooed forearms, seemed to shake himself, "Sorry. It's just… the resemblance is uncanny."

Caroline smiled at him, unoffended, "That's okay. I've actually been getting that a lot lately."

He studied Rebekah for a minute, "And you, actually. There's something of Helga in you."

"I hate that name," Rebekah grumbled. "Stupid Nik."

Caroline shot Rebekah an interested look, before speaking to the shop worker, "I'm Caroline, actually. I called yesterday and talked to someone about setting aside some older copies of The Originals, for me?"

He nodded in recognition, "Right. I have them in the back. If you'll just give me a minute?"

"Sure," Caroline replied, and the man ducked out from behind the counter and headed to the woman who was still browsing.

Caroline wandered over to the side, and began idly glancing at covers. Rebekah stuck with her. "So, Helga?" she prompted.

"The character based on me in Nik's stupid comic book. The family's supposed to be Vikings so all the characters have names like that. But was Helga really the best he could come up with? Do I look like a Helga to you?"

Caroline squinted at her mockingly, "I don't know. Do some Heidi braids? You could pass as a Helga, I think."

"Shut it."

"Is that why you don't read them?"

"Oh please, Caroline. I'm not that petty."

Caroline wisely, in her opinion, refrained from bringing up the occasions when Rebekah had been exactly that petty, though to be fair she'd mostly grown out of it post-college.

"'Helga' was only strike one."

"And strike two?"

"The fact that Helga is just as old and strong as her brothers but spends half her time chasing after random boys who seem to think she's not good enough for them. The brothers have groupies and Helga has to beg for dates. How is that fair? Look at me, Caroline. I could have scores of groupies."

"Of course," Caroline agreed, fighting a smile. "Was there a third strike?"

"Alex."

"Alex," Caroline repeated slowly, unsure of what Rebekah meant.

"Surely you remember Alex, Caroline?"

"Your boyfriend junior year? How could I forget him. After all I had to listen to endless play by plays of how he introduced you to the joys of oral sex."

"Shh!" Rebekah hissed, eyes darting around the store. The teenage boys had shuffled closer, still watching them furtively. Oh well, if they'd heard, perhaps they'd take the hint and future girlfriends would benefit. Not that Rebekah would accept that line of thought. "Show some decorum, honestly," she admonished.

"Because asking me if I'm pregnant is super tasteful? Caroline asked incredulously.

"I was kidding. And that was just between the two of us!"

Caroline rolled her eyes, noted that the guy who had been helping them was finishing up at the register, "What does Alex have to do with Klaus?"

"Nik hated Alex, when I brought him home for Christmas."

"So? You always complain about how rough your brothers are on boyfriends."

"Because they are, the hypocritical wankers. But Nik's the worst. Elijah's all disapproving gazes and Kol's full of jokes at their expense. Nik's all targeted mockery and specific threats. Then he went and made Alex a character."

"He seems to do that a lot," Caroline mused, half to herself.

"He's usually more slightly more subtle about it. Different names, slightly different features. But no, Alex became 'Alexander' and just got long hair."

Caroline tried to picture it, "Like 80's metal?"

"Quite," Rebekah nodded, "and he betrayed Helga and her whole family and the Nik character stabbed him for it."

"Huh," Caroline blinked, "that's a very pointed 'don't mess with my sister' warning, I guess."

"Like he's a caveman, or something," Rebekah complained. "After that I boycotted them, and told him that if he ever used my personal life again I would make him suffer."

"So you don't know who Violet is?"

"It doesn't ring any bells. I believe I stopped at the 14th issue, though. You think he used you in them? Hmm. I wonder if that means I should start plotting how I'm going to follow through with my threat. Since you're mine."

"Um, less objectifying. Please and thank you."

"You know what I meant. Any ideas?"

"Yeah. How about we wait until I find out if I'm a: right and b: portrayed terribly, before you declare war on your brother?"

Rebekah pouted, "That's no fun."

"You know as a child I though brothers and sisters might be cool. Now, not so much."

"To be fair, I get the impression that we're a bit more dysfunctional than most families."

Privately, Caroline agreed. But she was pretty sure that wasn't something she should confirm aloud. Luckily, the sales associate grabbed her attention and called, "I'm just going to go get the issues for you. I'll be right back."

He ducked behind the curtain again and Caroline caught a flurry of movement out of the corner of her eye. The boys were still in the store, and two of them were jostling the third, until he was eventually propelled forward and stumbled to a stop in front of Caroline and Rebekah.

"Can I help you?" Rebekah bit out snidely.

The boy stammered, and looked at his feet, blushing bright red.

Taking pity on him Caroline said, "Ignore her. I forgot to feed her and she gets cranky." Rebekah huffed angrily and Caroline was sure she'd be paying for that remark.

The boy cracked a tiny smile though, "Can you… I mean. Would you, if you're not in too much of a hurry, maybe, possibly, take a picture with us?" he looked at her imploringly.

"Because I look like Violet?" Caroline asked.

He nodded fervently. "The Originals is our favorite graphic novel. Of all time. It's the best."

"Oh no," Rebekah muttered, "Nik has fanboys."

Caroline shot her a glare before turning back. The other two boys were giving her matching puppy dog faces and Caroline felt herself melt a little, "You know what? Sure. Why not?"

She'd always kind of wanted to be a celebrity, after all.