I'm back, thanks to the lovely Cindy (MsCindz) for the inspired title and to other lovelies for all their wonderful suggestions.
Southern Comfort
Chapter 12: Sparks Fly
7 July 2016 – 124 days till the General Election
Nik stirred his sauce around the saucepan, willing it to cook. He'd meant to organise their meal sooner but one of his newborn calves was sick and after the vet had paid a visit he'd spent most of the day checking on her. While he was worried about his calf, he selfishly hoped she'd be okay so dinner with Caroline wouldn't be interrupted.
Nik couldn't believe he, of all people, was excited to spend time with someone. Usually he couldn't get out of their beds fast enough but Caroline Forbes was different. She intrigued him and Nik found himself greedily wanting to know more, especially after the other night.
3 days earlier….
July 4 never meant that much to him being English but the first year he lived in Texas his father had taken him to see the fireworks at his special place, as he liked to call it. Apparently the owner was never around on Independence Day, something Jimmy took advantage of given he had a key when he looked after the place years earlier. Jimmy's cancer had recently spread and he was undergoing chemotherapy, but insisted on watching the fireworks like always. He always was a stickler for tradition.
Nik remembered it like it was yesterday and found himself going there every year. He figured if his father couldn't do it anymore the least he could do was keep up the tradition. He'd headed into town before the fireworks began hoping to run into Caroline. After Elijah's snake bite things between them had cooled and Nik was hoping to change that.
He couldn't help but smile when he spied her in a blue Matt Donovan t-shirt, only Caroline would look that beautiful in something so ugly. Her commitment to the cause certainly was commendable.
What Nik didn't expect was her curiosity about his mystery spot for the fireworks and offering to show her, that place had always been for him and him alone. Mainly so he could honour his father but when she asked for some reason, he wanted her to share it with him.
"Isn't this like breaking and entering?" Caroline hissed, checking there was nobody around.
"Not when you have a key, love," he grinned, inserting it into the lock and pushing open the door.
"How have you got a key to the hardware store? Don't tell me you have a second career I didn't know about?"
"It was given to me," he answered, not wanting to go into further detail about his father. "Bill Jones, the owner, goes away every year for the holiday."
"And he just lets you use his shop?"
"Not exactly,"
"So, how do you have a key?"
"You ask far too many questions," he observed. "Just trust me on this, the view from the roof is unbelievable."
Without thinking, he grabbed her hand so he could guide her through the darkened shop towards the stairs. What Nik wasn't expecting was the spark he felt as her fingers curled around his. What was this woman doing to him?
"Wow," she murmured, taking in the view around them as they stepped onto the roof. "You can see the whole town from here."
"I told you it was spectacular and the fireworks haven't even begun yet," he said, gesturing to the two sun loungers so they could sit. "I have some beer but if you don't like that I brought…"
"Of course I like beer," she replied, taking one of the bottles from his outstretched hand. "There's nothing better on a hot summer's night. Cheers." He removed his cap and clinked his bottle with hers, his eyes never leaving her face as he did. That would be rude after all.
"I didn't take you for the beer type," he remarked, after taking a sip of his drink.
"So, what type do you think I am?"
"The Cosmopolitan type?"
"You've seen too many episodes of Sex and the City I think," she teased. "I'm curious now, what else do you think I am?"
"Bossy, opinionated and stubborn, I think that pretty much sums it up."
"Gee thanks, Mikaelson. You're hardly a picnic yourself. So, are you going to tell me how you came to find this spot?"
"Did I mention nosy in that list?"
"Blame my father for that particular trait."
"Do you miss him?" He blurted out, thinking how fitting it was to be talking about fathers at this particular time.
"All the time," she admitted. "But some people never get to know their fathers so I consider myself pretty lucky I had him for all that time."
"That's true," he agreed, thinking just how right she was. Maybe he didn't know Jimmy his whole life but at least they'd had some time together and now he was carrying on the farm for him. For some reason he wanted to tell Caroline that his father brought him here, but before he could explain they heard a loud bang just as an array of bright colours filled the night sky. The fireworks had officially begun.
"Thanks for bringing me to your special spot, Nik," she grinned, placing her hand in his, the sparks he'f felt earlier returning with a vengeance. "This is definitely the best seat in the house."
"It certainly is," he replied squeezing her hand and settling back to enjoy the show. Nik always thought it was best watching them alone, but being here with Caroline he was starting to realise just how wrong he was.
They'd watched the fireworks in a mostly awed silence, except when Caroline wanted to point out her favourite patterns and colours. She'd lean in closely so he could hear her above all the banging, her breath tickling his ear just as her skin would rub up against his, not that he was complaining.
Unfortunately, it was all over before it began. Lexi had called to find out if she was ready to go and she'd left in a hurry, but not before brushing a lingering kiss on his cheek and telling him she was looking forward to dinner. It was such an innocent gesture but Nik was finding it difficult not to think not so innocent thoughts. That's when he knew dinner had to be amazing and that started with cooking something edible.
Nik broke out of his thoughts as a burning smell infiltrated his nostrils. He looked down realising his sauce had caught on the bottom of the pan, Klaus figured when the recipe called it a burnt butter sauce, it wasn't meant to be literally burnt. He threw it in the sink in frustration realising he'd have to start again and Caroline was due in thirty minutes.
He decided to change before re-making his sauce not expecting it to be such a difficult decision. His cell rang out and Nik thought about what poor timing this person had. Unfortunately the number was blocked, so he picked up just in case it was the vet.
"Nik Mikaelson," he said into the phone. Picking up his blue shirt from the bed.
"Brother, how are you?"
"Elijah?'
"No, it's Kol," he shot back.
"Look, it's really not a good time," he admitted, throwing on his shirt with one arm.
"What? Because of your date?" Nik shut his eyes momentarily, thinking just how gossipy everyone around him was. He purposely hadn't told anyone about it because this was exactly what he was trying to avoid.
"Who told you?"
"Rebekah."
"She doesn't even live in the same country! I swear she must have planted listening devices in my house last time she visited," he growled.
"Apparently Stefan told her."
"I'll kill him," he muttered. Stefan's great grandmother had handed down a book of Italian family recipes so he'd subtely asked to borrow them yesterday. Obviously it wasn't so subtle and now the whole world knew his business.
"Katherine told me as well."
"I'm assuming Caroline told her."
"No, it was Emma."
"I've never known a five year-old to know so much about everyone and everything," he grumbled. "Anyway, I didn't know you and Katherine were so tight, Elijah."
"We're not," he baulked.
"How was the flight? Hopefully better than your last one together," Nik joked. Turns out their departing flight from Jefferson was the same and they'd all joked about whether they'd get through it without killing each other.
Although since Independence Day they'd been playing nice, Nik was fairly certain his brother was smitten with the feisty brunette but he wasn't quite sure how she felt. He hoped for his sake it was mutual because Elijah had a tendency to be rather abrasive when he wanted to be and his charm was pretty much non existent.
"It was fine, in fact we shared more than one flight."
"I thought you were going to London?"
"I decided to make a stop over in Los Angeles, you know for business."
"Oh yeah sure for business," he scoffed. "I think big brother has a little crush."
"I do not, Daisy, uh Katherine..."he corrected while Klaus tried not to laugh aloud at how obvious his brother was. "...And I are just friends."
"While I'm glad to hear that you and Daisy are such good friends and you're in LA strictly for business, I have to finish getting ready."
"Behave yourself Nik, Caroline Forbes is not one of your conquests," he warned.
"Gee, thanks dad," he groaned. "I'll have you know I've been the perfect gentleman."
"Well, I hope so."
"Just because you and Katherine are now friends," he teased again, "doesn't mean you get to be all protective. Now I have a burnt butter and sage sauce to prepare for my pumpkin and goats cheese tortellini."
"What have you done with my brother Niklaus?" He joked.
"Very funny, enjoy all that work in LA. Just remember though all work and no play makes for a very dull Elijah," he disconnected the call before he could argue back and busily dressed, hoping his shirt and jeans combination would be okay.
xxxx
Something the complete opposite of okay was Caroline looking stunning on his doorstep, red wine in hand. Her white dress, accentuated her tanned skin, her golden waves flowed freely down the back of her denim jacket and she'd finished off her look with the cowboy boots he knew so well. Country life really suited Caroline. Then Nik realised that in a few months she would go back to the city and Jefferson would be forgotten.
Nik wouldn't admit it to anyone but the thought of her not being around hurt, just a little. Every fibre of his being was telling him to run away in the opposite direction but he couldn't stay away if he tried, she was that alluring. He assumed when she did leave he'd survive, after all he'd survived through more than that in the past four years.
"Don't worry, I didn't make the wine, so you're safe," she promised, sending him a dazzling smile.
"I'm glad to hear it," he replied, matching her grin and ushering her inside.
"So, this is the bachelor pad," she murmured, looking around curiously. "This wasn't what I expected."
"What did you expect? Oh let me guess a giant tv screen, games room, centrally located lighting and music controls?"
"No I was thinking more along the lines of a revolving bed and mirrors on the ceiling," she quipped.
"If you want to see my bedroom that badly, all you have to do is ask, love," he smirked, knowingly. Nik had to admit the telling blush that crossed her cheeks was pretty adorable. He loved that he had that affect on her.
"So, what's for dinner?"
"Way to change the subject, Forbes," he teased, guiding her towards the kitchen. Nik used any opportunity he could to touch her because the sparks she caused were addictive and he greedily craved more. "How about I pour you a glass of wine and we can have some antipasto?"
"Antipasto?" She asked, incredulously. "There is more than one course?"
"I never do things by halves, love. Help yourself," he offered, gesturing to the kitchen bench where an array of delicious snacks were laid out on a large wooden chopping board. "So, apparently the whole town knows about our little dinner. In fact the news has even gone international."
"International?"
"My sister in London knows because Stefan told her and then Rebekah told Elijah, who funnily enough is in Los Angeles right now with Katherine."
"That little sneak, I had no idea. They wanted to kill each other only days ago, I know they were getting along after they left but to go to LA together?" She asked, picking up a green olive and taking a bite.
"According to Elijah he's there for business but given he was originally going home to London it's questionable. Either that snake venom has messed with his head or he has a crush on your friend."
"Did he say that?"
"Elijah is like a vault, he'd never openly admit it."
"They are polar opposites but I've never seen anyone get to Kat as much as your brother, so maybe there might be something there? Although they do live far apart so it might be difficult." Klaus noticed her eyes drop downward as she said the last part it wondering if she was talking about Katherine and Elijah anymore.
"Nothing is impossible," he murmured, watching as her blue eyes met his. Klaus wasn't sure where that came from, it was just something she brought out in him. "Apparently our favourite little five year-old told Katherine about our date." Caroline's mouth dropped.
"How does she know so much?"
"I think James Bond should watch out," he joked, handing her a full wine glass and clinking it with hers. "To an enjoyable evening."
"Cheers to that," she agreed, taking a sip. Klaus was trying to ignore just how pink her lips looked. "So, what's for dinner?"
"Again with the questions," he smiled. "Don't you ever just like a surprise?"
"I'm a control freak, what can I say?"
"But yet you work in politics, surely when it comes to professions that has to be one of the most surprising."
"True, but that's why we have phone canvasing, polling and surveys to give us an insight into what the community are thinking."
"How's Matt doing then?"
"It's too early to say," she replied. "His profile in Jefferson is high obviously but not so much in the surrounding areas. We've been to a few but when Lexi's mom got sick we had to abandon the tour and rightfully so. We need to get back now the holiday is over though."
"You work hard, Matt is lucky to have you."
"So do you. Is this where I say the cattle are lucky to have you?"
"Well, maybe not all the time, one of my newborn calves isn't feeding from her mother at the moment. The vet was here earlier and managed to get a little milk into her by bottle though."
"So, why are you here entertaining me when you should be helping her?"
"We can only wait and see how she goes," he answered. "So I figured we might as well eat in the meantime."
"What are we having again?"
"How about we eat so I don't have to answer any more food questions?"
xxxxx
"You seriously made this tortellini from scratch?" Caroline asked for the fifth time, as she cleared her plate.
"For the fifth time, yes, what's the point of having pasta if it isn't homemade?"
"I guess I'm just suitably impressed."
"Because you can't cook," he teased, before sending her an apologetic glance. "I'm glad you liked it though."
"I'm sure there's some potential buried very deep down inside me," she conceded. "Not sure fresh pasta is a good starting point though."
"I'll teach you," he offered, again wondering why he keep blurting these things out. It was like Caroline had cast a spell over him and Klaus wasn't quite sure how to handle the feelings.
"Well, how can a girl turn down that offer?" Nik felt his chest constrict slightly as he gazed into her eyes across the table. He began to clear the plates, checking his watch in the meantime. As great as the evening was the niggling worry about his calf was weighing on his mind. The vet he'd seen today wasn't his regular one because she was stuck at a call out four hours away from Jefferson.
"I think we should check on your calf," Caroline suggested, almost like she could read his mind.
"We?"
"Yes, we," she reiterated.
"It's okay."
"No, it's not," she insisted, standing up and walking towards the front door. "Let's go." Nik faltered slightly, wishing he hadn't said anything in the first place but realised he was powerless to stop her when she was on a mission.
The calf was in the barn and as they made their way towards her pen Nik noticed she was lying on the ground, he ran towards what seemed like her lifeless body and checked her eyes and mouth as required. She was still alive but it was obvious her lack of feeding had caused dehydration. Klaus knew he needed his normal vet because she would know how to treat her.
"What can I do?" Caroline asked, looking sympathetically at the calf as he ran his hand along her coat soothingly.
"You don't have to stay, Caroline."
"Well, too bad because I'm not going anywhere."
"Okay. Please just stay here and keep her comfortable, I need to call the vet and prepare some milk," he instructed. "I'll be right back."
After he left Nik got his usual vet on the phone and explained her symptoms, she was worried it could be pneumonia which could manifest itself after a stressful birth, which would make sense. She promised to get there but was still two hours away. He busied himself making up some milk and hoping she'd feed on it, even just a little bit. Nik couldn't believe Caroline wanted to stay and help, if anything it made him like her so much more.
"Looks like the vet won't be here for two hours," he explained, making his way into the pen as she nursed the helpless calf. "I don't expect you to stay that long, I can handle it from here."
"If I'd known any better I'd think you were trying to get rid of me."
"No of course not, but this isn't your problem."
"Well, that's where you're wrong, I've grown very attached to this gorgeous girl and I never leave a dinner party until I've had dessert."
"You might be here for a while, then."
"I think that will be okay, what's for dessert anyway?"
"Given your hatred of surprises I'll come clean and say it's Tiramisu."
"Oh, now you're never getting rid of me," she promised. "I'm here for the long haul." She obviously meant for the night but for some reason Nik wasn't completely averse to anything past that point, not that he'd admit it of course.
