Inspiration struck! AU Post 4x22. No Bonnie death and no Stefan/Silas doppelganger. Inspired by Gossip Girl 5x13.


But it's you who brought me here

It's you and all your cheers

You who brings a fear

You, through all these years

Time moves slow

Time moves slow

Time moves slow

Time moves slow


Caroline stared at her herself in the floor length gilded mirror, her eyes darting over her figure taking in all aspects of her reflection. Her dress was perfect, and while she normally didn't approve of compulsion she needed to have the soft strapless A-line gown with multi-layered Chantilly lace designed by the one and only bridal goddess Vera Wang. She had seen it a store window while on her trip to Paris and decided she couldn't leave the city without it. Her hair was up in an elegant and sleek updo with peal-encrusted pins holding it in place. Her makeup was done flawlessly giving her pale skin a healthy human looking glow.

It was her wedding day and she had followed all the human traditions that were demanded of her. She had something old (her hair pins), something new (her dress), something borrowed (her mother's earrings), and something blue (her new lacey lingerie). Everything had been planned perfectly from her fondant wedding cake with vanilla custard filling to the DJ's playlist for the reception. All the food had been chosen with careful consideration along with the marriage site and yet despite all these preparations her heart wasn't in this wedding.

Her fiancé, and soon to be husband was a three hundred year old vampire she had met a few months after the "New Orleans disaster". She had been broken hearted and in her weakness she had let herself become too attached to him, too dependent. It had been a whirlwind romance, yet she knew she didn't really love him the way she knew he loved her. She had already given her heart away to another only to have it ripped out in the cruelest of ways when she thought they could finally be together. She tried to hold back the tears as she recalled the day she had finally given in to her heart's desire and went to New Orleans. It hadn't take her long to find him in the bustling city and as she started to approach him in Hadin Park the sight of him playing with a young child halted her in her tracks. Even worse was when she saw Hayley join them together on the grassy knoll. He had moved on and by the looks of the child's age it was disturbingly clear that is was pretty quickly after he had left her in Mystic Falls after graduation. Unable to stomach the sight of them together, she fled across the Atlantic determined to heal her shattered heart in the belly of the romantic beast – Paris.

She had met Colin Beaufort at Pierre Herme when they both fought over who would get the last "Infiniment Chocolat" macaroon on a warm June evening. It ended with Colin's resignation in exchange for a date, which Caroline accepted apprehensively in spite of knowing his true nature. The next evening he had picked her up from her studio apartment in the 11th arrondissement in his 1956 Jaguar Roadster to bring her to his vineyard for a home cooked meal. What turned into one date led to another at the opening of a new exhibit at the Louvre and after a few months he asked her a very important question. When he got down on one knee during one of their early evening strolls through the grape vines and presented her with a brilliant four-carat diamond ring (stolen during the siege of Versailles) she said yes. And it was at that exact moment that Klaus's face came to her mind. In the months she had spent with Colin she had been able to bury her feelings for the hybrid and actually managed to convince herself that she was making the right choice. After all, she had to move on as well and she would do it despite the hollowness inside her chest.

A gentle knock at the door startled her out of her reminiscing and without turning around she called the person in as she moved to her vanity table to put on the last of her jewelry. The time was drawing near and she suspected her mother wanted to get in a few last moments before she walked her down the aisle. As she looked up from putting in her pearl earrings she gasped at the sight in the mirror. It was Klaus; he had come at the eleventh hour dressed sharply in a Hugo Boss suit his expression wounded in the mirror's reflection.

"What are you doing here?" Her tone was as exasperated as it was guarded as she took in the sight of him. It had been a long six years and he still looked the same somehow. However, she didn't need to see him here, flaunting his new life in front of her.

"I got your invitation," his accented tone was matching hers but his words had a more biting edge to them.

"I didn't send you one," she shot back standing up from the vanity table in a quick motion. "And I don't need you here to ruin my day because I deserve this after what you did to me!" She said scathingly.

"What I did? Sweetheart, I have done nothing but wait for you for the last six years!" His tone was louder and even angrier than hers as he moved closer to her in the small room.

"I know about your child with Hayley! You got what you wanted: a family, a throne, and a queen! So don't you dare try to take away from me what you already have!" she snarled getting into his face, as she was more level in height with her white heels on. His eyes were wild and bright as she gazed into them and her own chest was heaving with unnecessary breath.

"The child isn't mine and Hayley was nothing more than a pawn in a game that I didn't want anything to do with," he said more calmly now as he took a few calming breaths. "She and the witches in New Orleans played me and my family for fools. The child's father is Tyler as I discovered a few years ago," he said more quietly.

Caroline was shocked into silence, torn between disbelief and a raging feeling of hope that blossomed unwillingly in the cavity of her chest.

"You are the only woman who could ever be my queen, Caroline. It's always been you in spite of everything. You're the one."

His words were infinitely more tender now and his hands cupped her damp cheeks. He leaned in as if to kiss away her tears when the door was knocked on again and her mother entered the room abruptly.

"Caroline, it's time," her mother sounded upset as she said the words blushing slightly at the obviously intimate moment she had interrupted between the two immortals.

"I have to go," Caroline said before tearing herself out of Klaus's hold to follow her mother out of the room. She didn't bring herself to look back as she felt more tears stream down her cheeks as she kept on walking.

The wedding procession consisting of Elena, Bonnie, April in matching pale lavender gown who were waiting for her at the entrance to the main room at Fell's Church. As Caroline took her place with her mother by her side she tried to calm herself despite her raging thoughts and feelings. One by one the girls made their way down the aisle with their escorts and at the cue of the opening notes of "Moon River" Caroline followed them down the peonies lined pathway. She was halfway there where her mother whispered, "I sent Klaus the invitation."

"What?" Caroline hissed, trying to keep a smile on her face as they kept on walking at a slow pace.

"I knew more than you thought about the two of you and I know that you're using Colin as safer option. I know you're in love with him sweetie, and I want you to know that I will support you no matter who you chose," Liz's speech ended as she gave Caroline a kiss on the cheek and left her at the altar to join hands with Colin who was giving her an anxious look which she tried to smooth over with a smile that she knew looked more like a grimace.

As Caroline tried to focus on the words of the priest she couldn't help but look back at the congregation to see Klaus standing by the doors watching her. When the priest asked Caroline to repeat her vows after Colin said his she found herself at a complete loss for words. Glancing back she saw that Klaus was still there watching and waiting the agony and tears were clear on his face. Instead of saying "I do" and she could say was a frantic "I'm sorry" before turning and running down the aisle to the shock and awe of her guests.

She met Klaus at the exit door, his face split into a wide smile of pure happiness that she knew was reflected in her own expression. Without hesitating she took his hand and together they sprinted out into the sunlight ready to make a new start with one another to make up for the mistakes of the past and to make plans for their future. It would be one that neither would ever be able to walk away from ever again.


Review my wonderful and beautiful lovelies, xoxox!