Yes I couldn't help myself. I was a little restless so had to start a new story (don't worry I'm still writing Keeping Up Appearances). I hope you like my modern day take on a Shakespeare classic.

Have to thank my fantastic beta Justanotherfiveminutes for her help with this.

Also Happy Halloween (well in Australia anyway). Hope you get a lot of treats and not too many tricks.

Family Ties

"Two families, both alike in dignity, in fair Mystic Falls, where we lay our scene." (WS)

Act 1: #1 Crush

"I would die for you, I would die for you. I've been dying just to feel you by my side. To know that you're mine." - (Garbage)

June 11 2016, Mystic Falls Virginia

Klaus Mikaelson parked his motor bike outside the highway bar and pulled off his helmet slowly. He was deliberately stalling his return to Mystic Falls and also knew he was going to need a whiskey or ten to deal with the ensuing family drama.

He used to frequent this bar when he lived in Mystic Falls for his own general privacy so he could get away from everything. You couldn't go to the Mystic Grille without running into everyone you knew, including all his nosy siblings.

He walked inside noticing a fair amount of activity in the corner where a large pool table was located. He'd won some big money there back in the day hustling older guys who had underestimated his talent. He sat on a stool and gestured to the familiar looking barman.

"Well hello there stranger," Alaric greeted. "Haven't seen you in these parts for a while."

"Well you know I try to avoid Mystic Falls as much as possible," he muttered greedily picking up his glass and downing it in one go. "I'll have another."

"Trying to gather the courage to go home then I'm assuming?" He observed.

"You have no idea, the best thing I ever did was leave this place five years ago."

Klaus had multiple college options given his impressive GPA and had enrolled at Harvard studying business as an undergraduate before following it up with Law School. He'd just completed his first year and still had a few more to go before he was fully qualified. Boston was a vibrant city that he'd immediately warmed to but the best part was it wasn't Mystic Falls. He had too many bad memories and while they still haunted his dreams at least he didn't have to be around all the reminders on a daily basis.

He was looking forward to a relaxing summer and would have much preferred to vacation in Europe but his family had other plans unfortunately.

"So what brings you back to town?"

"I'm surprised you're asking me that considering the size and expense of this outlandish wedding," he joked.

"Well you know we don't run in the same circles," Alaric said matter-of-factly. Klaus inwardly groaned thinking how the pathetic rivalry in this town never changed. "I'm hardly expecting an invitation."

"You can have mine," he teased. He had always known that when Rebekah married it would be a huge affair and she hadn't disappointed. According to Kol the Mikaelson manor had been turned into a construction site to accommodate the wedding of the decade.

He heard a melodic laugh that sounded eerily familiar. So much so that he swiveled around in his stool to find out where it was coming from.

"You've got some competition in the pool stakes," Alaric laughed.

It couldn't be, could it? There was a large crowd assembled and he couldn't see through all the people. He was on his feet before he realised and made his way to the other side of the bar, his heart beat increasing with every step.

Then he heard it again, that unmistakably, sweet laugh that he dreamt about all too often. He moved his way through the crowd not expecting the sight in front of him. Caroline was more beautiful than he remembered. Her blonde hair cascaded down her back in waves and her blue eyes twinkled mischievously as she chatted away.

Thinking about her was one thing but seeing her in the flesh was another. Klaus felt his chest constrict not prepared for the barrage of emotions that enveloped him all at once. Being away from her had managed to dampen his feelings somewhat, but the mixture of love and desire that was pulsing through his body had reignited everything instantly.

The uncertainty of where she was and what she was doing had tortured him over the years but Klaus knew it was better not to ask anyone from Mystic Falls. It was safer that way. Although now she was standing in front of him he wanted to know everything.

What he couldn't handle was the leather fabric she was trying to pass off as clothing. He could see the swell of her creamy breasts peeking out from the strapless dress and the entire length of her shapely, milky legs was on full show.

Every male in the place was ogling her, including him right now. He shook his head determined to focus on his next move. They hadn't seen each other in five years and it probably wasn't his place to intervene but he couldn't help himself.

"Caroline," he murmured watching her eyes shoot up in surprise.

"Well well, look what the cat dragged in," she drawled after recovering from the initial shock.

"Well hello to you too," he said wishing he wasn't having the first conversation in five years in front of the whole bar.

"As much as I'd love to visit memory lane, I'm in the middle of something right now," she shot back her blue eyes blazing with something resembling anger. Obviously she was still pissed, not that he could blame her.

"Yeah man, she's in the middle of something," her opponent reiterated leaning closer and rubbing his hand along her arm. Who the hell did this guy think he was?

"No I think she's finished mate," he replied through gritted teeth. "We're actually about to leave."

"Who are you to tell me what I can and can't do? We haven't dated in years, if you hadn't noticed."

"That's got nothing to do with it," he growled growing increasingly impatient with her stubborn attitude. There was no way in hell he was leaving without Caroline.

"Yeah buddy I think you need to get over it," the guy standing entirely too close to her joked. Klaus knew he had to apply a different tactic because typically head strong Caroline didn't look like she was going to budge.

"If you're not going to come along nicely, how about a game?"

"Are you serious?"

"I'm deathly serious love." Klaus watched as she shivered momentarily hearing his favoured pet name for her.

"Fine, what are the stakes?"

"I thought we were playing?" Her opponent asked throwing up his hands.

"I'll be right with you when I wipe the floor with my ex-boyfriend," she said emphasizing the word ex which was like a knife to his heart. He knew she was upset after they broke up but he didn't expect so much hatred after all those years.

"Well when I win you have to come with me, no arguments."

"And when I win you have to leave me the hell alone and crawl back under the rock from where you came." Klaus chose to ignore those particularly harsh comments and busied himself setting up the table.

The game was close, closer than Klaus expected. She'd obviously honed her talents over the years. Klaus could remember their tutorials in this same bar like they were yesterday. They'd begin seriously and with the best of intentions but it would generally descend into a grope fest as Stefan liked to put it.

Thinking about his best mate made him smile. They hadn't seen each other in a while but that was definitely the one thing he was looking forward to on this visit.

One of his biggest fears about coming back was running into Caroline, mainly because of the feelings she induced. He was already struggling to concentrate as she leaned across the table almost losing her poor excuse for a dress in the process.

Klaus could feel himself begin to stir as delicious memories of their past encounters flashed through his mind. He had to regain his concentration otherwise she'd be left here at the mercy of these idiots.

Obviously sexuality was a big part of her game plan but Klaus knew two could play at that. He paused to take off his jacket and watched gleefully as she gulped taking in the body she had known so intimately.

After his jacket came off his game improved considerably and all he had left to pot was the eight ball. Caroline had two balls left so Klaus knew he had this. He did teach her everything he knew after all. She could sense victory was near and sauntered around the table with an exaggerated wiggle just for his benefit.

As he leaned down to make his hopefully last shot she nestled into him closely. Her familiar floral perfume was intoxicating and he closed his eyes trying to focus.

"Don't miss," she whispered her hot breath tickling the stray curls on the nape of his neck. He took the shot missing everything, damn her for throwing him off. One thing Caroline had always been able to do was press his buttons and she hadn't lost that skill.

She sent him a triumphant smile and took her turn potting one ball so they were equal. With her second shot she managed to do what he couldn't and sunk the eight ball winning the bet. This was where he was supposed to crawl back under his rock as she so eloquently put it but Klaus had no plans to keep his promise.

"I guess you know what that means," she cooed.

"Schooled by a girl and your ex girlfriend no less," the annoying guy with the smart mouth teased. "Now it's my turn honey."

"Maybe you didn't hear me before," Klaus growled his eyes firmly trained on her. "I'm taking Caroline with me."

"Enough with the caveman act Klaus, it's getting really old," she scowled. "Just do us all a favour and disappear."

"I'm not leaving you here, especially in that scrap of material you're calling a dress, I mean people would think you're nothing more than a…"

"Unbelievable," she groaned interrupting him before he could call her something resembling a slut. "For starters I don't take fashion advice from you, and secondly I don't care what people think. If there's anything you should remember it's that."

Klaus knew that much was true after everything they had had to endure all those years ago. He held her gaze feeling an overwhelming and familiar sense of gravity pulling him towards her. This is why he had left town, to try and get her out of his mind but yet here they were back where they started.

Without thinking he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder and strode towards the exit purposefully. She was shocked at first but it didn't take long for her to start kicking and screaming like a petulant child. He noticed her dress riding up dangerously high and pulled at the fabric trying to stretch it down as far as possible.

"Night Alaric," he called out.

"Glad to see nothing has changed with you two," he chuckled.

It was pitch black outside but the stars were out in force tonight. The one thing he loved most about Mystic Falls was how clear and bright the stars appeared from this part of the world.

"Put me down, you oaf!" She yelled as he finally did just that.

She was angry and flustered and Klaus would be lying if he said it wasn't arousing every fibre of his being. All he wanted to do was pin her to the nearest flat surface and kiss every inch of available skin, and that was only the beginning.

"Oaf? This isn't the olden days Caroline."

"Yet that's exactly how you're acting," she spat. "I'm going back inside."

"No you're not Caroline, I'm going to give you a ride home," he said gesturing to his bike.

"Is that the line you're using these days?"

"You know I don't need any lines love," he shot back thinking about their first encounter.

Most girls at Harvard would just fall into his bed at the first sign of his dimpled smile or British accent. He'd had a steady stream of women but none ever lasted much past one night. Klaus preferred it that way. He couldn't bring himself to move on from Caroline because he still loved her. Seeing her tonight had simply confirmed that, not that he'd ever admit it.

"Why are you doing this?" She sighed defeatedly.

"I want you to get home safely is that alright?"

"No it's not alright," she scoffed. "We broke up do you remember that? Oh yes of course you do because you were the one to do it. You have no right to act like you care after so much time has passed."

"Of course I still care."

"Well I beg to differ," she muttered. "Just go please, I've been fine without you for years and I'll be fine once you leave again."

"Just get on the bike."

"No," she huffed her arms crossed over her chest.

"Okay you've forced me to do this," he muttered, his patience wearing thin as he scrolled through the contact list on his cell phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"A certain cousin of yours," he replied finding the letter M. "I bet the town sheriff would love to know what his little cousin has been up to and with whom."

"You wouldn't risk it. If you do that then I'm not going to be the only one in trouble," she said her eyes wide.

"I think my father has done pretty much everything he can to me," Klaus murmured trying to block out the bad memories. "I'm willing to risk it if it means you get home safely." He was bluffing but Klaus could tell she was weighing up the options in her head.

"Fine," she groaned shivering slightly in the cool night air. Klaus handed her his jacket which she took, albeit reluctantly. "But after this we don't speak, got it?"

"So what's new love?" He chuckled remembering too well how they had to behave in public when they were secretly together.