A/N: I apologize again for the wait for the update. I had three tests this past week (Sept. 23nd-27th) at school and a test last week, and I recently (in the past couple weeks) have read 5 books which is a big accomplishment for me because I usually find reading books to be tedious. Also, I got stuck with a couple 8 hour shifts at work instead of my regular 5 hour shifts that I get 3 times a week. I'm not going to promise any quick updates any time soon because my weeks are becoming unpredictable, but I will try my absolute hardest to get chapter 12 up in less than 2 weeks. I know this one's short but it's kind of a filler chapter. I hope you enjoy it anyway :) Thanks guys!

P.S. I've decided not to do the Kol and Hayley fan fiction. Instead, I'm going to be doing a straight Klaroline one. I started messing around in a document a week ago and now I have a fairly good start to a chapter for it, so that's what I'll do instead :)

After finally getting out of the house, without the accompaniment of either of the two boys who were probably fighting the second she left, Caroline was finally free to think whatever she pleased without being questioned. Their baby sister Rebekah, however, would most likely be just as nosy. She was never fond of the blonde Original, but if she were going to be with Kol, she'd have to learn to put up with her for a while.

They were currently browsing around one of the malls downtown, looking for new things to wear. Neither Caroline's nor Rebekah's ideal day was to spend it shopping with each other, but they'd make the best of it. They both loved shopping anyway. Caroline's mission was to find something absolutely stunning to wear around Kol. She wanted heads to spin.

"Caroline, why did my brother want you out of the house? He seemed urgent." Rebekah looked up at Caroline who was holding up dresses to herself in one of the mirrors of the store.

"He said something about wanting to talk to Kol in private, and he wanted to give me a chance to get out of the house, away from the two of them."

"I can imagine how much of a pain it must be to have been stuck in a house with my brother for a few days," Rebekah smirked at Caroline slightly.

"It wasn't really like that actually. We weren't stuck in the house. Kol took me out a couple times."

Rebekah seemed a little surprised. She hadn't expected Kol to even try taking her out of the house. Surely he would've just kept her there and annoyed her. "Like a date?"

"Yeah, I-I guess that's what it was. Yeah, a date."

A smug grin came to the Original's face. She was impressed and surprised that Caroline would even dare, what with her supposed feelings for Tyler and that undeniable tension between her and Klaus. "How cute! So that's why you're looking at all these marvellous dresses."

Caroline didn't say anything; she just smiled earnestly at the Original who was now watching her almost instinctively, not removing her eyes. Soon though, Rebekah's enthusiasm died down and her smile was replaced by a bit of a scowl. She'd realized that if Kol and Caroline... but they couldn't be, could they?

"Caroline, you and Kol aren't together are you?" Her voice was hardly a whisper, but her tone was high and sharp.

The slightly lanky blonde was quiet for a minute, hesitant on answering, but that was answer enough for Rebekah. "I-yeah we are." Her head hung low as if she'd done something she weren't supposed to do. But she wasn't ashamed of being with Kol. No, she'd never be ashamed of Kol. "Does... does that bother you?"

"It's not me it bothers. What about Nik? I just thought..."

Caroline furrowed her brows slightly. Was everyone going to scorn her for being with Kol? Why were Klaus' feelings more important than Kol's? Why did anyone even care? She wished there were a way to make everyone happy, but she knew it was wishful thinking. That would never happen. There would always be complications and whatever decision she made, she'd have to live with it; deal with it.

"Look, it's confusing for me. I didn't understand anything; about how I felt, for the longest time. It was me and Tyler for a while, then when Klaus chased him out of town I started questioning everything. The way I felt about Tyler changed. There was something there with Klaus, but I never knew what exactly it was. And after the past few days with Kol... I don't know, I just... he's made me see a side to him I haven't seen before. He's actually good."

Rebekah smiled graciously, realizing the predicament that Caroline is in. She'd never had that problem but she felt like she could relate to her in a way. She'd always respected Caroline, and maybe after some bonding they could even become friends. "Want to know what I think?"

Nodding gently, Caroline sat down next to Rebekah and prepared herself for what she was going to say.

"Klaus knows you love Kol. Otherwise he would've had him daggered back in a coffin the second he found out you were together. He's jealous, yes, but with good reason. You're beautiful and you give him a challenge. My brother is so used to getting what he wants and for the first time in his life, he can't. And he's fallen in love with you, so he'll never compel you to feel the way he wants you to feel. Everything between you two is real and I know that you know exactly what I'm talking about. Nik can't be selfish with you. In the end, everything he does is for you, despite what he leads everyone to believe."

"Honestly, I know Klaus is in love with me. I know that being with Kol will hurt him. But right now it's what I want. That's all that matters."

It was quiet between the two girls. Rebekah had nothing else to say. She'd spoken her mind to Caroline and that was all she could do. As much as she hated choosing between her brothers as to who she felt deserved Caroline more, her brother Klaus had loved her much longer than Kol and Rebekah knew that Caroline could possibly be the best thing for him.

It wasn't much later that the blonde vampires headed back to Klaus' estate. It was fairly late in the day and Caroline wanted to see how Kol was doing. She'd said things earlier she sort of regretted; not because she'd said them, but because they weren't for Kol's ears. What she'd said with Klaus was between her and Klaus only. It wasn't fair to Kol. She wasn't being fair to him.

When Rebekah and Caroline went inside, the home seemed cleaner than how they'd left it that morning, which wasn't something Caroline had expected. Both of the girls had predicted that the two brothers would've had a dispute and settled it in an uncivilized manner if they were left alone. They'd proven them wrong. In fact they were impressed, proud even.

Caroline left the blonde Original to attend to her half brother while she went to check in on Kol. He was sound asleep in his bed, his hand gripping a small piece of paper. She gently slid the paper out from his fingers and unfolded it to read.

Caroline,

There's a vase of flowers in your room on your vanity that I picked for you. I picked one flower for every time that I thought of you.

Of course, Caroline was curious about the flowers so she ventured down the hallway to her room and peered inside. Sure enough there was a vase on her vanity, but only one single tulip sat inside it. There was another note attached to the vase. She sped over and pulled it off to read it.

I'm sure you're wondering why there's only one flower for you. I only picked one because the thought of you hasn't yet left my mind.

Caroline smiled gently at the thoughtfulness of the flower. It was simple and sweet. Besides, Caroline was a sucker for tulips.

In almost an instant, someone flashed up to the blonde and kissed her cheek. "Do you like it?" The familiar voice chimed happily from behind her. "The flower, I mean."

"Yes, Kol. I love it." She turned to face him and snaked her hands around his neck, smiling at his bed head and foolish grin. Their lips joined each other's again, but this time it wasn't needy and hungry. It was soft, sweet, simple. It was innocent and pure. A feeling that she hadn't shared with anyone in a while.