Note: A quick update, because I'm excited to be wrapping up this section! A little bit of a heavier one (a VERY little bit!) before we move on. Thanks so much to everyone who's reviewed! I do love to hear your thoughts and ideas, especially as we move on to more romantic pastures (though the friendship elements will remain strong).

January – Wednesday

Kol:

He's trying very hard to be quiet – it's just about midnight and Caroline has to work in the morning. And sleep deprived Caroline is the scariest, and most short tempered, of all Caroline's.

So really, it's just self-preservation.

He's only seen her in passing, since Monday. Kol's been sticking around after his shifts, hanging back with the cooks in the kitchen, one of whom is prepping to appear on Chopped, discussing strategies and throwing out weird and distasteful ingredient combinations and trying to make something palatable out of it.

It's been fun, so Kol has barely even noticed the late nights and early mornings. Has just brewed his coffee extra dark and barreled through the more tedious parts of the day.

Like getting his arse pinched by octogenarians who don't even have the decency to tip well afterwards.

His attempts at stealth are unnecessary, because when Kol opens the door, the kitchen light's on, and Caroline's perched on a stool at the island.

He gives himself mental bonus points for his roommately consideration, however. He thought he was picking it up the niceties rather well.

Caroline glances up when he walks in, hurriedly closing a notebook she'd been looking down at, and tapping her pen across the cover. "Hey! You're home late." She greets, before her voice drops and her eyebrows rise, "Hot date?"

"Incredibly hot," Kol tells her, walking into the kitchen. "Six blokes, prairie oysters, bird's eye chilies, and raisins."

Caroline's nose wrinkles, "I'm not sure I want to know the context behind that."

"Culinary adventures, darling."

Her eyes widen in understanding, "Oh! That makes more sense than what I was thinking."

Kol tsks mockingly, "I'm sure you could find something pornographic online, if that's your taste. No judgement."

She rolls her eyes, a hint of a smile on her face, "No thank you. Pretty sure that would traumatize me."

Kol eyes a pan, sitting on the stove, then turns to look at Caroline questioningly, "Though it seems I'm not alone in my experiments with edibles this evening. What is that?"

She looks a little sheepish, nodding at the empty bowl beside her, "Slutty Brownies. Elena's Aunt Jenna invented them when we were in high school. The second time Elena and Stefan broke up. Cookie dough, plus brownie batter plus extras. I used peanut butter cups and M&M's and made a sundae."

That explained the chocolate sauce on the counter. Probably a good thing, because Kol's not sure he'd have been unable to stop himself from making a joke about it. One that would have cost him at least a dollar.

And he's been doing so well lately.

"I can't decide whether that's disgusting or genius," Kol muses. "I shall have to try it for myself. For science."

"Help yourself," Caroline offers, gesturing to the freezer.

Kol pulls out two cartons of ice cream (vanilla and chocolate) and pulls down a bowl of his own. He sneaks a peek at Caroline, who's back to doing the nervous tapping, "Are you going to tell me why you're eating your feelings now?"

"I'm not…" Caroline begins to deny, though she puts little effort into it.

Kol cuts her off with a disbelieving look, "I have a sister, remember? I know what wallowing looks like. You're quieter than Bekah is about it, I'll give you that. So come on. Tell Uncle Kol all about your boy troubles. Or, if you'd like, I can guess."

Not that guessing the origin of Caroline's turmoil would be at all difficult for anyone with more than a handful of brain cells. Or functioning eyeballs.

Caroline tugs her sleeve down over her hand, avoiding Kol's eyes, "I am not wallowing. I'm just thinking."

"Overthinking," Kol mutters, though not especially quietly.

Caroline looks up and glares, "Okay. That may technically be accurate. But overthinking is what I do. I've made my peace with that particular quirk."

"What are you so afraid of?" Kol asks, because he is genuinely curious. "It's just Nik."

"Easy for you to say."

"That's not an answer," Kol can't resist pointing out.

Caroline groans, tugging at her hair absently. "God, what aren't I afraid of?" She props her chin on her hand, and Kol feels a twinge of concern when he notes how exhausted she looks, her eyes red tinged and shadowed.

He finds himself wishing Rebekah were here. Because she'd be able to strong arm Caroline into going to bed. Would possibly be willing to plot with Kol to stuff Caroline full of turkey and warm milk and other sleep inducing things, if the bullying didn't manage to work.

Caroline lets out a deep sigh, slumping further, "Let's see. Where to start? A not at all complete list of things that freak me out about being more than friends with Klaus. First, what if the chemistry that seems to be there just isn't, when if we actually go for it? Then I'm right back to feeling uncomfortable around him. Not a state I want to go back to. And then I think, what if things go well, in the beginning, but then go horribly, terribly, wrong, down the line? I can't lose Bekah. I don't even want to lose you, but he's your brother so I couldn't, wouldn't, expect you to pick me. And you've read the graphic novels, Kol. What Klaus seems to feel for me? It seems big. And that's scary even without all the other stuff. I've never had much luck with big."

Kol sits, having made himself a sundae, and digs in, rolling her words over in his head. "But no risk, no reward, right? Big can be good."

Her face turns exasperated, "Kol, what would you even know about that? I mean this in the nicest possible way, but you've never even signed a lease. You've literally spent your entire adult life running from big."

He should probably be offended, and maybe he would have been, months ago. But he's done plenty of thinking, mostly at work, where he's usually miserable, about his life's trajectory lately. Self-reflection is tedious, but a necessary evil, so he recognizes that Caroline has a point and he'll chalk up her bluntly stating it to her tiredness.

And pat himself on the back once again, this time for his magnanimousness.

"I'm thinking about applying to culinary schools," Kol says casually.

Caroline's head snaps up, and her mouth drops open. Kol holds up a hand, "Don't get too excited. I said thinking. And frankly, the idea of having to go to Elijah or Nik or Bekah, and ask them to foot the bill until I have access to my accounts again, is tremendously unappealing."

Caroline shifts on her stool, and he can see her struggle to keep her face neutral. She probably wants to hug him, if he's learned anything about her. That she's managing to rein in the urge is impressive, and Kol's grateful for her effort.

He clears his throat, shifting back to the topic at hand, before she can lose the struggle and get touchy feely. "Besides, we barely even like Nik, most days. So you don't have to worry about us shunning you, if you two break up and become one of those awkward couples who can't be in the same room together anymore."

She smiles weakly, "I appreciate the attempt at levity, Kol. But I know you guys, remember? You only pretend not to like one another. It's actually pretty freaking adorable, once you get used to it."

"Don't call us adorable," Kol tells her, pointing with his spoon, "we are nothing of the sort."

"Agree to disagree," Caroline retorts. "Do the brownies meet your ridiculously high standards?"

"They're delicious," Kol tells her, allowing the subject change. Because all this deep conversation was making him antsy. "Kudos to Aunt Jenna. Why the name?"

Caroline shrugs, "Because the brownies get with everything. There might have been a little underage drinking involved. We giggled like idiots."

"High school Elena sounds like way more fun than present day Elena," Kol can't help but say, thinking back to the incredibly boring dinner he'd sat through earlier in the week. "Not exactly a scintillating conversationalist, that one. Unless you happen to find the elder Salvatore fascinating. Which I do not."

Caroline snickers, "She's not that bad."

"Agree to disagree," Kol deadpans in response.

"She's not!" Caroline protests. "She's just… never really left Virginia. And never really wanted to. She means well."

"You don't have to defend her, darling. I'll never tell a soul that we besmirched her good name. I promise."

That, at least, pulls a genuine sound of amusement from Caroline, though her laughter is far too brief. Caroline stills, as it trails off, and looks down at the countertop contemplatively. "I kind of envy it sometimes, you know? How happy she is. How sure. I don't get the Damon thing, like at all. But she's sleeping soundly right now, and I can't even make a simple decision about a hypothetical date."

There's an edge of bitterness there, and it makes Kol wince.

He finishes the last bite of his sundae, goes to put his bowl in the sink, "Look, Caroline, for what it's worth? I don't think Nik's going anywhere. You don't have to beat yourself up over this."

There's a thunk, and a quick glance over his shoulder shows him that it was likely her head hitting the countertop, a small groan spilling from her, "Ugh. I know that. Intellectually, at least. But it's not fair for him to be waiting around when I'm a mess. He's great, and successful and super-hot. I'm sure he gets offers all the time and I don't want him turning down something that could be awesome for him because of me."

"Did you ask him to?" Kol asks patiently.

"No," Caroline sulks, "and it's weirding my out that you're the voice of reason here."

"You and me both. But Nik's the most stubborn person on the planet, trust me. He's not about to do something he doesn't want to. You can't make him date someone."

Caroline reluctantly agrees, "I guess you're right." Kol hears her stool scraping on the tile, and her feet shuffling. He turns just in time to catch her smothering a yawn, "Going to try to go to sleep. Good talk, Kol."

"Let's not make it a habit, alright? My quota for sentimentality is small."

Caroline shakes her head, as she turns to go, but she pauses, and whips back around, "If you decide to go for the school thing, let me know. I'd be happy to help out with talking to Rebekah or one of your brother's about the money, okay? I totally think I can be very convincing. And if I get a vote I think you should go for it. You love it and you're amazingly talented, in my opinion."

Kol's mouth drops open, and he blinks at her in shock. Caroline leaves before he can manage to spit out the 'thanks' that he knows he should.

But he thinks Caroline knows, and is nearly certain that her quick exit was deliberate, to save him from trying to verbally express gratitude.

Kol will have to work on it. Because he's certain his siblings will be much more open to his request with Caroline in his corner.