Notes: And here's the final February section! Thank you so much for your lovely reviews from the last chapter. Friendly reminder that The Klaroline Awards nominations are happening right now! You can nominate your favorite fics/graphics/videos/etc until Saturday at the klarolineawards Tumblr!

FEBRUARY – THURSDAY

CAROLINE:

Caroline's been awake since 5 AM, mostly because of work. Her brain is full of plans and lists and all the things she has to accomplish for Saturday night's gala to go off the way she wants it to - flawlessly.

And maybe a little bit because of Klaus. Sue her it had been a good date, okay?

Caroline had forced herself to stay in bed. Her alarm was set for 9 AM and she kept her eyes closed and her breathing even as her mind had worked, rationalizing that she should try to get a little more rest to prep for the next few days. They're bound to be long and tiring. She's almost managed to drift back off when she hears Kol's door creak open. She listens carefully. Kol's a roll out of bed and go kind of person, hops in the shower and is usually out the door in under a half hour. But he heads to the kitchen, not the bathroom. Meaning he doesn't have to go to work. Caroline regrets her decision to try to sleep in.

She's been masterfully avoiding Kol for almost twenty four hours and now that effort is down the drain. He'd been at work when Klaus had escorted her home yesterday morning. A good thing because Klaus might have scrambled her brain when he'd kissed her one final time before leaving. Caroline did not want to hear whatever comments Kol would have been unable to resist making at the probably dopey smile she must have worn as she'd shut the door after Klaus. And she'd purposefully hung out in her room in the evening to avoid the questions Kol would begin lobbing at her the next time they were in the vicinity. Cowardly? Maybe. But she'd been productive, at least. Had a plan of attack for her and her staff all ready to go.

Besides Caroline was having lunch with Rebekah today. That was enough prying (and possibly gloating) for one day.

Caroline hears a couple of quiet clangs, cupboards opening and closing. She consoles herself with the knowledge that that at least she'll get a good breakfast along with her interrogation as she hauls herself out of bed.

Caroline's optimism is short lived when she hears a knock at the door. And it takes another blow when she immediately recognizes the female voice of their early morning visitor. It would be hard not to with the way Kol replies. She can't quite make out the words but the bickering tone is unmistakable.

Ugh, she'd thought she had a couple more hours to mentally prepare for Rebekah.

She briefly contemplates escape routes. Uselessly, since the window's not viable and unless she manages to weave an invisibility cloak or develop the power of teleportation in the next thirty seconds slipping out without Rebekah or Kol noticing is impossible.

She's stuck. Caroline could try to wait them out – take a leisurely shower and contemplate her outfit like it was the one she was going to be buried in, waste their time in hopes they'd give up. But both Kol and Rebekah rivaled her in stubbornness and they'd decided to ambush her for a reason. Best not to start out by dawdling. They'd take it as a show of weakness and Caroline couldn't have that.

Blowing out an aggravated breath Caroline reaches for her robe and puts it on. She pulls her hair up (so she can't fidget with it) and leaves her room. "Morning!" she calls cheerfully, padding up to the kitchen island.

Kol lets his eyes run over her, and a smirk curls his lips, "Why Caroline, don't you look positively glowing this morning? All recovered from your impromptu sleepover? I do hope Nik made you comfortable while you rode out the storm."

That almost blows her plan of acting like everything's hunky dory. She's itching to Perv Jar him for the emphasis. And the leer that accompanies it. She could get at least two dollars, maybe three, out of him.

Caroline resists, barely a falter in her step.

It's something Kol would take as a victory and Caroline knows that she needs to set very clear boundaries with him, and with Rebekah, if this thing with she and Klaus have is going to move forward. And she wants it to.

She keeps her face neutral, and nods. "He was great. Beat me at Monopoly but I have plans for a rematch. Now that I know his strategy I can adjust mine accordingly."

Kol seems disappointed by her failure to take the bait. Point: Caroline. She turns to Rebekah, smiling warmly, "Rebekah, so nice of you to join us for breakfast. What's the occasion?"

Rebekah doesn't fidget, merely crosses her legs and swings around to face Caroline, expression set to bland pleasantness. Caroline's immediately reminded of the Rebekah she'd first met at college and the mean girl games they'd played for weeks before managing to become friends instead of enemies. It almost makes her smile when Rebekah drawls, "Can't a girl just visit her best friend and her brother for the most important meal of the day?" before taking a dainty sip from a mug, pinky aloft and her eyes on Caroline.

"You never have before," Caroline points out. "And Kol's lived here for months."

Only the slightest narrowing of Rebekah's eyes betrays her annoyance that Caroline had so easily called her bluff. "Yes, well," she replies briskly, "I thought it was time to change that. Perhaps I'll make it a habit."

"Please don't," Kol interjects, pointing a spatula at Rebekah. "You always hog the bacon."

"I'm a guest. I don't hog anything," Rebekah sniffs, shooting Kol a lethal glare. "Besides, I'm afraid I'm going to have to skip our lunch today so I thought I'd…"

Ah. That explained a lot.

"Mosey on over here and ask about how my date with your brother went?" Caroline interrupts dryly, helping herself to her own cup of coffee. She has a feeling she was going to need it. "Instead of waiting a few days?"

"I wanted to…"

"Pry? Because you assume I'm an easier target than Klaus is, right?"

Rebekah and Kol exchange furtive glances, and silently seem to be urging the other to speak first. They've both lost some of their smugness, and Caroline mentally awards herself another point. Kol evidently loses their battle of wills, "Well, Nik is a bit less… amiable than you are, darling."

"Not to mention ridiculously tight lipped about his personal business," Rebekah adds, lips thinning in irritation. "Honestly, I am his only sister. It's just not right that I not be consulted about important issues."

"Consulted?" Kol parrots incredulously. "It that what you're wishing to call it? Because I would use vastly different words."

She considers poking at that remark. Rebekah looks indignant and Caroline is fairly certain that she could incite a fight, that an innocent inquiry or two would do it. She could have Kol and Rebekah heated and flinging insults with a few will picked words. And then Caroline would be free to slip away quietly, having neatly derailed their purpose for organizing this behind her back.

It would be too easy.

Unfortunately, neither Kol nor Rebekah were dumb. They'd come at her even harder once they realized what she had done. So, reluctantly, Caroline draws them back to the topic at hand. "My date with Klaus went well. There will be a second one. Yes, I did spend the night. But anything that happened, or did not happen, is none of your business. Either of you." She speaks firmly, meets both of their eyes in turn, attempting to convey that she means what she's said.

Caroline recognizes that they've both been encouraging her to pursue Klaus, in their own ways. And she's grateful, but she's got it from here.

Rebekah lets out a huff, tossing her hair back, "I think not. I lived through months of your nonsense, Caroline. The pining. The flirty eyes when you thought no one would notice. It was nauseating. I think I deserve more information than that."

Caroline grits her teeth to hold back the snappy remark that had wanted to come shooting out. She knows Rebekah's not here just for the gossip, that she does genuinely care about both Caroline and Klaus. And that the list of people Rebekah does care about is relatively short. She tells herself that she really needs to dig deep and cut Bekah some slack. "And I disagree," she tells Rebekah evenly. "I've said a million times that I don't want my relationship with Klaus to affect your relationship with either of us. And I stand by that."

Rebekah straightens, ready to argue, "But…"

"Nope," Caroline says, cutting Rebekah off. She can't budge. It will set a bad precedent. "No buts. I had my reservations about you dating my very good friend Stefan, remember? But I swallowed them because you assured me that you really liked him. It won't kill you to do the same here, Rebekah."

It's a card she's been holding on to for a long time.

And it's pretty clear that Rebekah's not happy it's being played. Caroline watches her carefully, sees various emotions flit across Rebekah's face. For a moment it almost seems like Rebekah's going to push a little more, but she seems to think better of it, relaxing her posture and turning to Kol. "Well? What's for breakfast? Besides bacon, of course."

Caroline wants to grin, maybe do a victory dance. But she keeps her cool and lifts an expectant, if a little wary, eyebrow in Kol's direction. She might have neutralized Rebekah (for now. She knows it's possible Rebekah will regroup, come up with a new strategy. Probably a sneakier one) but there's still Kol to contend with.

Luckily, she has a trump card or two in mind for Kol too. One of them is kind of a dirty one but Caroline has always been a win at all costs kind of girl.

And it's always served her well. And Kol had given her the ammunition all on his own.

He doesn't acknowledge Rebekah's question, shoots his sister a look laced with something like betrayal. "That's it? Really? I am so disappointed in you, Rebekah."

Rebekah rolls her eyes, pointedly holds out her cup. Kol makes no move to refill it. Caroline reaches across the island and picks up the carafe. Good hostessing was ingrained in her and Rebekah had just done her a solid. It was the least she could do. "Yes, Kol. What are you making? It smells good."

"Mini frittata. I thought you could take it with you to work."

Sweet. And suspicious.

"Thank you," Caroline says slowly, on guard.

"You're welcome, darling. When will you be seeing Niklaus again?" he asks.

And she'd been right to be suspicious. Caroline fights not to sigh. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. "Sunday. For dinner."

Kol lets out a contemplative hum in response, turning back to the oven.

He wants her to ask what he means. Caroline knows it. It's really, really hard not to. Kol glances at her over his shoulder, checking for her reaction, and testing her resolve. The kitchen's silent for a long moment, their battle of wills silent. Rebekah watches with mild interest, gaze swinging between her and Kol.

It's Kol who speaks first, "I'm curious, Caroline. Do all your roommate rules go both ways? There were quite a number of them."

"They certainly do," Caroline replies pleasantly.

"Comforting," Kol muses. "I've no desire to walk in on Nik in flagrante. Again."

It's another attempt at bait. Juicy bait. And Caroline kind of does want to know the story there. She pushes her curiosity aside, "Then I guess it's lucky that he has his own, very private, apartment, isn't it?" she remarks lightly. "Should things continue to go well."

Kol looks aggravated, and the pan he's fished out of the oven hits the stovetop with more force than necessary. "Caroline," he grumbles. "Give me something. You've both been highly entertaining so far. Please don't tell me you're determined to be dull now."

Caroline shrugs, ducks her head to hide her smile. Kol just had to press, didn't he? She keeps her tone conversational, props her chin up on her hand. Carefully avoids looking at Rebekah as she drops the bomb that will make Kol's life a little more difficult. "Maybe. As far as you're concerned at least. Maybe you should focus on your own love life, hmm? How's Bonnie the Caterer? Any more dates lined up?"

"Dates?" Rebekah exclaims. "With a caterer?"

It's exactly the reaction Caroline had intended. Kol had frozen just as Rebekah had leaned forward, nose wrinkling in distaste. Caroline loved Rebekah but she had been subjected to more than one rant about gold diggers and Kol's awful taste in women over the years. The fact that Bonnie owned her own business might mollify Bekah but she doubted Kol would think to point that out. He wouldn't want to justify himself, would go right after Rebekah for meddling.

The way Kol shakes his head at her before sniping back at Rebekah suggests that Caroline might have instigated a small war.

Oops.

She can't bring herself to regret it. It was totally Kol's own fault.