Notes: Back to Caroline's POV. A little peek into her head before she squares off with Klaus. I toyed with making the other person in this chapter Stefan, but it just didn't flow. Enter Enzo, who was mentioned briefly before. Thanks for the reviews! I love hearing your thoughts.

THURSDAY – NOVEMBER

CAROLINE:

When her office door opens Caroline's head snaps up and she's about to unleash the full force of her temper (the one that had made football players, and decorating committee members alike, cry in high school). But she deflates, once she sees who it is, and lets the 'Knock, much?' she'd been about to bite out die in her throat.

"Hello, Gorgeous," he drawls, in that smugly charming way she'd long since become immune to.

"Enzo!" she greets warmly, because she is actually happy to see him. "I didn't expect you back until next week."

He drapes himself over one of her guest chairs, like he owns the place, and shrugs unconcernedly, "Nantes got dull, I guess. I brought you back some of the obnoxiously pastel macarons you like."

Caroline makes gimme hands at the pink bakery box, happy for the pick-me-up, "Thank you! Even though between these and Kol I'm going to have to seriously up my treadmill time."

"I had brought you a mocha, put the peppy one at the desk confiscated it. Said you're going to give yourself an ulcer. Want to tell me what that's about?"

Caroline avoids his gaze, but quickly curses herself for the easy tell, "It's nothing," she tells him, even though she's sure he won't believe her. She'd made fast friends with Enzo shortly after she'd moved to the city. She'd been slaving away as an underling to a senior event planner, he'd been doing grunt work for a sought after photographer. Their gazes had connected miserably throughout the day at an incredibly elaborate engagement photo shoot. They'd gone out to drown their sorrows at the end of an excruciatingly long day and he had been one of the most solidly dependable people in her life ever since.

When she glances back at him, he's got his arms crossed, and his head cocked to the side. The expression on his face dares her to try and to lie to him again.

"Ugh. Don't make a big deal. It's just been a weird couple of days and I didn't sleep well last night." Or at all the night before, due to her all-nighter, but she wouldn't tell him that. Caroline had woken up periodically to reach for a notebook by her bed to jot down a thought about The Originals or a question for Klaus.

"The new flatmate troubling you? Do I need to have a chat with him?" Enzo asks, cracking his knuckles dramatically.

Caroline rolls her eyes at that, "Don't be a douche, Enzo. I don't need you to solve my problems. And Kol's fine. Well, fine-ish. We're still working out the kinks but he's been on his best behavior." For Kol, at least. And hey, she was probably going to earn a tidy profit off of the Perv Jar. Maybe not enough for another pair of Loubie's but enough to splurge on something a little higher end than usual.

"He's one of Rebekah's passel of brother's? The one I've never met because he gallivants about Europe, right? If he's anything like the blonde harpy I don't know how you've not pushed him out a window."

"The thing you and Rebekah do where you pretend you don't like each other is kind of adorable, you know."

Enzo scoffs, "I'm the furthest thing from adorable, Caroline. I'm far too virile."

"Ew," Caroline says, wrinkling her nose, "I think you and Kol might get along just fine, actually. Fair warning: if you get arrested, do not call me."

Enzo laughs, "Oh, you'd be my one call, Gorgeous. And you'd come fetch me, don't lie. You're loyal to the bone."

Caroline glared at him. He really did know her far too well, as he proved when he raised a brow at her expectantly, "Well? Not that I don't enjoy our repartee, because I do, but are you going to tell me why you've been imbibing caffeine to such excess? And why you've got those bags under your eyes?"

Caroline brought her hand up to her face self-consciously. So much for the extra ten minutes she'd spent with her concealer this morning, "Oh don't fret," he consoled, "You know you look fantastic. I only notice because I know you, and because I spend far too much time around models and makeup artists."

"Yes," Caroline replies dryly, "that sounds like such a hardship for you."

"'Tis my cross to bear," Enzo shoots back with a smirk, "Now, do stop trying to change the subject. I'm nothing if not tenacious."

Caroline leans back with a resigned sigh and eats a macaron to steel herself, "Have you ever heard of 'The Originals?' It's a graphic novel."

"I have, as a matter of fact. One of the digital artists I just worked with is quite obsessed. Never read it myself, though."

"Me either. Until this week."

"I'm a bit lost, darling. You're upset over a comic book?" Enzo asked skeptically.

"No! But also, yes."

"Sure those coffees you've been mainlining weren't Irish?" Enzo looked confused.

Caroline couldn't really blame him. She was clearly running on too little rest and too much coffee to be coherent, "I haven't been day drinking! 'The Originals' is actually Rebekah's brother, Klaus', work."

"Not the posh lawyer. The one with good taste in bourbon and a low tolerance for small talk."

Enzo had only met Rebekah's family once or twice in the nearly three years they'd been friends, so that was an accurate description as any, "I guess? Anyway, tons of the characters are based on real life people."

"Ah," Enzo drawls, "Including you, I'm guessing?"

"Including me a lot. My character, Violet, is all over the last twenty issues. And usually it's at least a little subtle. But not me. It's the exact color of my eyes, the way I curl my hair and the freckles I usually try to cover. The kind of clothes I liked in college."

"And…" Enzo prods.

"And it's weird!" Caroline exclaims, unable to help throwing her hands up, "I thought he hated me! Sometimes I would check to make sure I didn't smell weird, or something, because he was always so unapproachable."

Enzo lets out a short laugh, "Yes, I can see how that would bother you."

"What," Caroline snaps, "is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing bad," Enzo's quick to reassure her, smiling at her fondly, "you just like people. And usually people like you."

"Well, Kol's got this crazy idea that he likes me likes me."

"Hmm," Enzo hums noncommittally, eyeing her shrewdly.

"What?" she asks, "Do you think so?"

"Gorgeous, I don't know the guy. I do know a thing or two about muses, though. You either hate them or you love them. There's nothing in between."

Caroline nibbles on another macaron as she processes that, "Well, he said he didn't hate me. But no way does he love me. He doesn't even know me."

"I don't care how he feels. How do you feel? Do you like him like him?" Enzo asks, his tone turning mocking at the juvenile words.

Caroline can't help but shift uncomfortably under Enzo's knowing gaze, "Ah, the plot thickens," he says with a grin.

"It does not," Caroline insists immediately.

"That's a hasty denial," Enzo notes, tapping a finger to his chin, "Now what is it they say about denial…"

"Please do not start listing clichés. Even if there is a hint of interest on my part. A very small hint. I'm done being the girl who has to make all the moves, who's left analyzing texts trying to figure out what they really mean. I'm over cryptic. I'm not interested in someone who can't express a little interest back, you know?"

"And if he did?"

Caroline shrugs. Part of her tossing and turning had been that very question worming it's way to the forefront of her mind and her ruthlessly squashing it before it could take root. "I don't know. I'm not super pleased that he splashed my face all over his very successful art project and didn't give me a heads up. Every time a guy checks me out I'm going to be wondering if he's seeing Violet. And that's creepy, because she's in high school."

"He was quite handsome, if I recall correctly. You've done worse."

"Oh my god, Enzo. I'm fully aware of your feelings regarding some of my less than stellar exes. Let them go."

"Never. You know I like to say I told you so."

"Ugh. Why are we friends again?"

"Because you couldn't live without me, Gorgeous, and you know it. Now, what's your plan?"

"My plan?"

Enzo shoots her an, 'oh please' look, "You're Caroline Forbes. You always have a plan. Your plans always have back up plans."

"He agreed to give me free reign to ask him questions."

"Brave of him," Enzo teases.

"And," Caroline continues, ignoring the jab, "Kol gave me his number so I'm going to text him and set up a meeting tomorrow after work."

"And then you're going to make the Spanish Inquisition look like a casual chat between mates?"

"Exactly!" Caroline declares, unable to help relishing the thought.

"I almost pity the man," Enzo proclaims with a wink, "but I think he deserves the vexation, truth be told, for messing with your mind as he has."

Caroline can't help the wide smile that splits her face. As aggravating as he could be, Enzo was a kick ass guy to have in your corner.