There goes the neighborhood, Part 1


The move in policy is crystal clear. All moving of furniture and other large items is to take place between the hours of 10am and 4pm, allowing residents to have access to the elevators-because god forbid everyone use the service one like they're supposed to when moving anything. Caroline rechecked her residential agreement five times to make sure she hadn't misread or fabricated in her mind what she wanted to be the terms.

But no, someone was having items moved in at 10pm, well past the designated time and the elevators were occupied. Again. Just like every single time they opened up after she'd pressed the damn button, waiting to get on. It wouldn't have been a big deal if it'd only been filled on the way up, but heading down other furniture was being carried out. Presumably the former residents. She didn't know. She didn't care.

"Why don't we take the stairs?" Oh, Stefan. Sweet, innocent-okay, not really, he was known as the Ripper of Monterey at one point or whatever-but Caroline was still going to categorize him as naive.

"These are Manola Blahniks. I am not going into that stairwell-where I've personally seen your brother spill someone guts-I do not care how much maintenance cleaned it." Plus she was pretty sure there were bugs and while she could easily squish one, she wasn't about to do so in her current shoes. "Who the hell is using up the elevator?"

She pushed the button again and again, tapping her foot impatiently as the number showed it still resided on floor 1. "That's not going to make it come any faster," Stefan pointed out, and Caroline wondered how long it'd take to strangle him with his own tie.

The bell dinged and the door slid open to reveal more men holding various boxes and was that a Rembrant? Caroline shoved her way onto the elevator, not about to be deterred from getting to their damn weekly karaoke venture. "I'll meet you downstairs," she told Stefan, hitting the close button.

"We're heading up, miss," one of the men started, and her lips pulled tightly into a smile, pleased when the man looked a little uncomfortable with it.

"Oh I know." And she had every intention of finding out who apparently thought they were above all of their neighbors and laying into them.

"Caroline," Stefan started, voice dropping into a warning tone but she simply waved as the door closed on him.

Maybe she could compel the new owners into having some damn manners. Poor Mrs. Pruitt had given up on heading out for the evening ten minutes before but like hell was Caroline giving up. One thing she'd never be was a quitter.

She strode out of the elevator as soon as the door opened, heading over to the open door that led to the penthouse suite. If Mr. Thinks-he's-important could hog the elevator then she was going to waltz right over to his door. Probably not inside because that'd require an invite, but she was certain she could garner one of those.

Except she didn't feel any barrier as she got to the door and took a step forward, unsure if she should be pleased or not when was able to walk straight on inside. That meant the new owner was a vampire and that the former owner may have met with an untimely death. Not all of her kind saw the value of simply compelling away a place or actually earning it.

"Place the Rembrandt in foyer," a man started, not bothering to look at the men who began piling inside. "The credenza in the dining room and I'll go through the rest later. Put it in one of the rooms."

Caroline crossed her arms across her chest, putting on her best 'I am so done with you right now' face, and cleared her throat. He turned around and she was vaguely annoyed at how anyone so rude could have that face with those dimples, especially with the air of entitlement that seemed to waft off of him. "I don't believe you were part of the delivery service," he started, and she really didn't like the way his gaze raked over her body, assessing her like she was a delightful prize.

"It clearly states in contract-which you should have gotten-you know if you didn't eat whoever was here before which I'm kinda thinking you did-that move in time is between 10 and 4. You're well past the suitable hour and taking up the elevators for the rest of us. Have some class and don't be a pompous ass. It's tacky." She watched his eyes darken as she spoke before he arched a brow, apparently caught between confusion and amusement as to what was happening.

She didn't really care. She'd said her piece and had an elevator to catch before more of his goons decided to try and take it for themselves. Caroline turned on her heel, blonde curls whipping around her and headed out of the apartment and toward the elevator, glaring at the man who was currently holding it open and preventing it from descending.

"Quite the temper you've got there, love," the annoying one started, and Caroline whirled back around, noting that he was following her.

"Only when its needed. Like to rude people who think so highly of themselves and don't care an iota for everyone else's plans." Caroline turned back, ready to compel the man out of the elevator and take it down to her floor to pick up Stefan and enjoy a night out with her bestie.

"And yet, you're being awful rude in not introducing yourself. Rather unneighborly of you," he continued, and she rolled her eyes at that, stepping into the elevator and hissed at the human who promptly stepped out.

"I have no intention of ever seeing you again so I really don't see the need to offer that up," she replied, hitting the door close button. She hadn't expected him to stop it with his hand, didn't like the way his lips curved into a predatory smile. This one had Alpha male written all over him and god she'd dealt with that enough a decade ago when she'd been into the Lockwood pup. She was so over that attitude.

"I insist." He stepped into the elevator with her, waving off the men who were approaching with more boxes.

"I don't care." She hit the lobby button, but had a feeling it'd end up on her floor anyway if Stefan was still waiting for her. Which he better be. She hadn't gotten them an elevator only for him to not be there.

"I won't be asking so nicely for it a second time." She really didn't like the threatening tone and glanced over at him, refusing to show any fear. She wasn't some newbie vamp anymore. She had nearly twenty years under her belt and like hell was she going to let some oldtimer scare her. "Come on, love. One word and I'll let you descend to whatever soiree you're in a hurry to get to." She opened her mouth to answer, thinking of giving up Bonnie's name or maybe Katherine's for a moment. "And don't lie. I'd hate to stain those rather remarkable shoes in a shade of red. Won't quite go with your outfit."

"Caroline." She jabbed the lobbey button again before motioning for him to get out of the elevator.

"Don't you want to know mine, Caroline?" The bastard did not just say her name like it was some kind of gentle caress.

"Don't really care. Now I gave you my name so its time for me to go. Or are you going to add liar to the list? Because I already have rude, thinks he's an alpha male, and pompous ass to my list. Really not looking to add another descriptor." She hit the button again, thankful when he stepped off of the elevator and the door began to close.

"See you around, Caroline." She was never so happy for the smug smile to disappear than she was in that moment.

Stefan wasn't at their floor but she wasn't about to get off to retrieve him. She'd simply call him when she got downstairs and make him take the stairs so they could go enjoy themselves and forget about the new resident.

Thankfully when the doors opened to the lobby, Stefan was standing there, looking slightly frazzled and thankful to see her. "Our new neighbor is an ass," Caroline informed as she strode out heading toward the door.

"Care...you do know who that was, right?" Stefan started, and she shrugged, not really caring who the jackass was if he didn't hog the elevators again. "Klaus Mikaelson. As in the Klaus Mikaelson. Original Hybrid. Biggest bad around."

"Are you telling me that I just talked back to the most powerful person in the world and you didn't stop me?" She looked over at her best friend, watching him nod as he held open the door for them to head out to the street. "Ugh. Why do I even keep you around, Stefan?!"

"Because I let you drag me out to sing karaoke once a week?" he offered up, linking his arm with hers as they started down the street. "So you told off Klaus and lived to tell the tale? Impressive for a baby vamp."

"You cannot call me a baby vamp anymore. I'm almost twenty! My baby vamp days are over," she pouted, hating that she'd probably forever be known as the baby vamp of their group.

"Once you've reached fifty maybe that'll happen," Stefan told her and she shoved him, laughing when he nearly entered the street.

"You suck," she murmured, already putting the events with Klaus out of her mind. She'd deal with them later if she had to, but figured if he'd really wanted to kill her he'd have done so in the elevator.

Though...she wasn't so sure what to do about the fact he'd said he'd see her around. But oh well. She had a karaoke night to win and she wasn't about to let some posturing Hybrid ruin that for her.