Crossroads - The Cutting Edge (1992)

Caroline is a famous but difficult figure skater who can't keep a partner due to her control freak tendencies and Klaus is a former ice hockey player who can't play anymore due to an eye injury. Two opposites coming together under sufferance but can these two stand each other long enough to win a World Championship and Olympic Gold medal?

For the lovely Melissa - goldcaught, Miranda - livingdeadblondequeen, Ashlee Bree - austennerdita2533, Dani - littlebirdofthenorth and Kennen - childoftimeandmagic who have all at some point championed this idea for a fusion : ) Sorry it took so long.

Words from the film in italics, title from the soundtrack….What better time than the Winter Olympics to publish this : )

It Ain't Over 'till it's Over - Part 1

"What do you do, shower once a week?" She hissed as they held their final position on the ice, post routine. He didn't smell, in fact it was more like an enticing mixture of soap and spicy aftershave, but if there was any opportunity to insult him, Caroline would take it every time.

"Is that an invitation?" Caroline rolled her eyes; maybe he did smell that bad after all. Smug bastard. Just when she thought he couldn't get any worse, Klaus Mikaelson had to go and prove her wrong.

"You are so insufferable, Mikaelson," she hissed, pushing him away roughly and skating towards the rink boundary to retrieve her water bottle. "You need to be neutered to save mankind from all ruin."

"With all of this super sperm, love?" He teased, skating towards her and flashing those annoying dimples in her direction. "Not bloody likely..." before he could continue, he was face first on the ice. She couldn't help but feel a sense of enjoyment from his subsequent fall.

"Toe pick," she grinned, reminding him yet again about the difference between ice skates in figure skating and hockey.

"If only you two could skate as well as you bicker," Enzo growled, looking between them in frustration as Klaus made his way slowly back onto his skates frustratingly. "That World Championship would be in the bag. You know the one in Montreal that's only four weeks away?"

"Well..."

"That wasn't an invitation to argue back, Forbes," Enzo shot back. "I thought we all agreed that you were going to try and play nice, children?

"Well, that was before she tried to trip me up before the double thing," Klaus argued.

"Oh like you did during the Layback Spin? And it's called a double axel; you might want to study up on your terminology if you're going to at least pretend to be a figure skater."

"I'm not a figure skater," he growled. "I'm a hockey player."

"Then what are you doing here wasting my precious time?"

He was the bad boy of professional hockey that had a reputation for bedding multiple women on tour and for some reason her coach thought they'd make a good pairing to compete in the World Figure Skating Championships. Caroline was starting to believe that she was drunk, or stupidly ignorant, when she made that particular decision but after her previous partner supposedly broke his leg during practice, she really had no other choice given the championships were looming.

"I have no bloody idea, princess," he muttered. "If I'd known I was signing up for babysitting duties, then maybe I would have reconsidered."

"How about we take a time out?" Enzo interrupted, knowing just how volatile the situation could become with their fiery personalities. "And possibly a sedative washed down with some straight vodka for the long suffering Enzo."

"Third person again Lorenzo, I mean really," Rebekah drawled. "It's not always about you, believe it or not."

"That's rich coming from you, darling," he muttered, watching as Klaus' sister and publicist approached. "Why do you insist on interrupting my practice yet again?"

"Last time I checked you needed skaters to practice," she said gesturing to the now eerily, empty rink. It was like they couldn't wait to get away from each other. What the hell had he signed up for? "And I was actually here to see Niklaus but obviously just missed him. I suppose I'll just have to wait here and annoy you in the meantime."

"Why am I not surprised?" He growled. "I suppose one extra person to annoy me today won't make a difference."

"It's that bad huh?"

"You have no idea," Enzo sighed, taking a swig of water. "They can't stop bickering long enough to practice and the worst part is that they're both so talented and their chemistry is electric, well until they open their mouths."

"I have to say I was dubious, Niklaus only ever wanted to be a hockey player and after his injury ruined that dream I never thought he'd do this. I mean he has an allergy to sequins and bright colours, amongst other things," she shared. "But then I realised something."

"Let me guess, he secretly loved sequins and bright colours?" She chuckled, her melodic laughter causing a few unexpected feelings to stir.

"I won't tell him you said that, there's only so much grouchy Klaus Mikaelson I can take at a time," she smiled knowingly. "No, I realised that he really missed the ice, it's home for him. This is his convoluted way of trying to stay connected to it and as much as he pretends to hate figure skating, I know he wants to be here."

"Sounds like our couple have more in common than first thought," Enzo murmured. He'd been coaching her since she was fifteen and even though she was temperamental, Enzo knew she loved the ice just as much, if not more.

"Meaning?"

"She's not injured, well physically anyway," he mumbled, before changing the subject purposefully. "Fancy a sedative, chased down with some vodka?"

"Is that how you get women?" A scowl from the brunette was enough to tell Rebekah she'd gone too far with her teasing. "Fine, but you're buying, St John."

2 weeks later...

"You're insufferable."

"Any way you could use a new adjective for once, love," he snapped. "You know, just saying."

Klaus skated around her in circles, his crimson lips curving into a cheeky smirk as he took in her appearance. Active wear had never looked so good on someone. Her figure was lithe and toned and he knew it intimately by now from all their lifts but it was a pity she was so damn closed off and uptight. Ever since they were introduced, Klaus was trying to work out her deal but the only conclusion he'd drawn was that she was indeed uptight and had a multitude of personal issues.

"Even the thesaurus agrees there's not many words to describe your stubborn ass."

"On the contrary..."

"Please feel free to share every other word, it's not like we have anything better to do right now," she baulked, skating away but not before leaving a shower of ice in her wake for his benefit as she came to a stop.

"Mature," he spluttered, rubbing the icy remnants from his face.

"Says the word snob." He chose that very moment to skate forward before falling forward onto his face. Caroline chuckled. "Toe pick." He begrudgingly made his way up from the ice, his scowl evident.

"You realise the more times you say that, the less cute it is?"

"Excuse me for trying to aid you in those pesky skating endeavours."

"Oh god please, enough," Enzo growled. "Just when I think you can't get any more childish, you go and surprise me." Both Caroline and Klaus made an attempt to object before he interrupted.

"This is your last shot, both of you," he growled. "No one wants to partner you anymore, Caroline," before she could respond, he raised his hand up to silence her objections. "And no one even knows who you are anymore, Niklaus." For once the rink was eerily quiet, the skaters paused in their positions. "Fight all you want but remember that no one cares if you succeed, except me as your long suffering coach. I don't care if he smells bad or she offers her opinion too much but maybe you could extend some courtesy my way."

Klaus stood there quietly, obviously trying to work out what to say next. This wasn't his dream by far but it was the end of his career and he was willing to make it happen, no matter the consequences. "What do you want?" He asked, dreading the coaches' response.

"You're going to move in together," Enzo replied without a beat. "I want you two to bond and don't bother coming back to this rink otherwise." Klaus would rather poke out his eye and by the looks of her blue eyes, Caroline felt the same way.

"I have my boundaries," she scowled.

"Well, tell them to your roommate, because right now they don't concern me," Enzo shot back before stomping away. They both looked at each other curiously from across the ice dubiously.

"Can I bring my pillow? My chiropractor has certain requirements."

"Fine, as long as you're fully clothed," she sighed, skating away purposefully. "I only have one bed." Klaus would be lying if his cock didn't quiver, she obviously could sense his excitement before shutting him down. "But you can have the couch."

Fast forward two days and Klaus was struggling to sleep on the lumpy couch she'd offered so graciously.

It was 5am according to his bedside clock as Klaus watched Caroline creep towards the door, shutting it quietly behind her. Klaus was no stranger to booty calls but it seemed a little too late in his estimation. He didn't waste time, throwing on his clothes and following her. If Klaus could catch her out maybe he could get out of this ridiculous partnership.

TBC?