Notes: I feel like this is the fastest I've managed another chapter in ages! We've got two more to go after this one. Next chapter will be a Klaus POV of the party and I'm betting it will run long. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

MARCH – THURSDAY

CAROLINE:

Klaus (5:36 PM): Just got to your street. Will be on my way up shortly.

Ordinarily, a text like that from Klaus is a signal for Caroline to start wrapping up whatever she's been working on. His schedule is flexible and he usually meets her if they're spending the evening together. They'd worked out a system after he'd ended up cooling his heels in her guest chair the first few times he'd swung by. He'd claimed not to mind, joked about needing the time to catch up on his Twitter feed, but she'd felt guilty still.

It's not always an easy process to extricate herself – sometimes because her clients aren't the sort of people who are used to being rushed, sometimes because of her own obsessive perfectionist tendencies – but it is today. She has no events to run this weekend, has grand relaxation plans.

Assuming tomorrow night goes smoothly. Which is hardly guaranteed.

Her boss is out sick, their usual pre-weekend touch base cancelled, and Caroline had found herself with some extra time on her hands. Her usual lunch with Rebekah had been kind of alarming and Caroline had been grateful that she could justify slacking off.

While waiting on Klaus she's been hunched over her phone, doing some emergency recon on all her social media apps, preparing for tomorrow's 'Congrats, Kol!' dinner.

Hopefully her efforts will be enough to thwart Rebekah's evil plans.

Kol's bringing a date, Bekah's not pleased, and Caroline's thanking her lucky stars that their previous friendship had saved her from the full chill of Rebekah Mikaelson's distrustful disdain of her brother's potential paramours. She'd tried to talk sense into Rebekah over their shared sandwich but hadn't made much headway.

After leaving the café she'd known a Plan B was necessary, that she'd have to be sneaky.

Caroline's been doing a deep google stalk, intent on learning everything and anything she possibly can about Bonnie the Caterer. Someone's going to need to be a buffer tomorrow night and she's totally the most qualified. She's assuming Rebekah's doing her own digging, searching for a bomb to drop. Caroline has her fingers crossed that she's got an edge in knowing a little more. She's still got Bonnie's card, had filed it with the rest of the caterers in her Binder of Good Vendors (the physical and the digital copies). She has a last name and she hopes Elijah's smart enough not to let Rebekah weasel it out of him should she start asking questions.

From what Klaus has said (echoed by Kol's complaints, Bekah's too over the years) Elijah's something like their very own great and powerful Oz. Mysterious, but all knowing, able to neatly dissect their personal business, solve problems and diffuse squabbles at the drop of a hat.

Honestly, she's not sure how the poor guy has managed not to go insane but, if he's as good as the younger Mikaelsons say, he must already know about Kol's personal interest in the caterer he'd once hired.

She's got her fingers crossed that he's less of a snob than Rebekah. Bekah had totally ignored Caroline's excellent points about how much Bonnie and Kol had in common at lunch – namely that Kol also works in the service industry, and is soon to be a business owner so clearly they'll be good for each other – choosing instead to grumble about how Kol's been keeping secrets from her.

In Caroline's opinion Bonnie's cute as heck and has backbone to spare. She hadn't immediately latched on to Kol. She'd made him work for it, prove that he could be boyfriend material, and Caroline respects that.

Maybe she's still in her new relationship bubble of contentment but is it a crime to want her roommate to be happy? Caroline thinks not.

Six months ago she would have been the captain of Team Get This Nice Girl Away From Kol Mikaelson. Now she's determined to make sure Rebekah doesn't manage to run Bonnie off before the new and improved and getting the hang of adulting Kol can actually be a boyfriend.

She's already planning on convincing Klaus to help.

The intercom on her phone buzzes and Caroline smiles in anticipation as she hits the button even though she knows Megan's about to be annoying.

"Caroline!" Megan chirps, in her perkiest tone. "You have a visitor."

"I'm aware."

Megan ignores her. "It's your boyfriend! He's looking good, bee tee dubs. Haircut? Does great things for his jaw. You know what they say about a strong jaw…"

"That's not a saying," Caroline interrupts.

She's given up on trying to get Megan to act like a normal assistant. She's still awesome at her job even if she's a little too interested in Caroline's personal life. It's harmless, at the end of the day. Klaus even seems to find her amusing - Caroline expects the flattering nicknames have earned Megan leeway.

His ego remains healthy and she teases him about it but she's not about to claim that his confidence isn't sexy.

"I can make it one," Megan replies, her glee ringing through loud and clear.

Caroline fights down her first instinct, swallowing a snappy reply. She's kind of hoping her Kol-management techniques will eventually succeed with Megan (and thank god Kol's never needed to stop by her office because introducing them would cause Caroline all sorts of headaches) and she'll eventually give up if she gets no reaction. Unfortunately, not reacting is so not Caroline's strong suit.

Caroline hits the button again after taking a deep breath; making sure she sounds bland and pleasant and unbothered, "Send him in, please."

Klaus appears a few seconds later. "She was grumbling about how you're no fun," he says, after he's eased the door shut.

Ha! Caroline awards herself a mental point. "I'm winning. Slowly but surely."

"Of course you are, I'd expect nothing less." Klaus smiles indulgently and scans her office, notes her desktop, empty save for her purse. "And you're ready to go? Impressive."

Caroline smiles up at him as he comes closer, rounding her desk and leaning against it. She tips her chair back to look at him, "I finished up early. Have been working on a tiny personal project."

"Oh?" Klaus seems intrigued. Which is good for her. She wants him on her team.

"Do you think it would be weird if I stole Kol's phone and got Bonnie's personal number? I know his passcode. And he doesn't know that I know it. So he'd never know if I were to call her up for a little bit of girl talk."

Klaus's brows lift and his lips press together, like he's holding back a smile. "It might be a bit odd," he murmurs, carefully tactful. "Haven't you hired her? Surely you have a means of contacting her?"

"I only have her business number. I called and a guy answered. Said Bonnie wasn't available, that she had consults all day, and I had to make up questions about plate prices for a dinner party."

She crosses her arms, still annoyed that she'd been thwarted. Still, at least she has a new arrow in her quiver. If Bonnie's company has a staff and that much client interest they're clearly not struggling. Rebekah can keep her gold digger quips to herself.

"Why the urgency?"

Caroline sighs, sags back into her chair. "I'm meddling. I know I shouldn't because it's none of my business and blah blah blah…"

Klaus doesn't seem overly concerned with her disregard for boundaries. Not that Caroline's surprised. He ignores them too when it's beneficial. "This is about Kol, correct? Sweetheart, meddle away."

"He kinda deserves it, doesn't he?"

Klaus expression conveys his agreement. "Needs it a bit too, I think. It bothers him less coming from you."

A fact that Caroline's also noted. She considers her next question carefully. Kol's not super fond of emotional discussions (unless sufficiently liquored up but then he's kind of hard to follow). Until recently she would have been hesitant to pry too deeply with Klaus. If she can't do it now, when she's got a bottle of shampoo in his shower and clothes stashed in his closet, then things aren't as solid as she feels they are.

She just has to get the nerve.

She swivels so her leg rests against his, "How often did you see Kol? Before he moved in with me, I mean."

He takes a moment to answer, his eyes lifting to look out her window. "Once, maybe twice a year. Elijah managed to get him over here for one holiday a year. A few times, if I was travelling, and he was nearby, we'd arrange to meet up."

"Can I ask why?" Caroline ventures. "I mean… I could understand if you guys just didn't have anything in common but it's not like you struggle to find a topic of conversation."

Klaus' fingers start to drum, a sure sign he's uncomfortable. Caroline braces for him to shut her down, change the subject. It'll hurt a bit, she knows, but she can't force him to open up. Doesn't want to.

"Do you remember when you asked me how much of The Originals was real?"

Caroline nods because of course she does. That night had been pretty unforgettable. Kind of life changing, in a very good way, when she looks back on it.

"The relationship between Einar and his father was one of the few things that was very personal. I began drawing it after Mikael died, having not seen him for many years, and I suppose it was a bit cathartic. Finn's never forgiven me for airing the family's dirty secrets so publically."

It's on the tip of her tongue to apologize – because she truly hadn't meant to bring up that kind of hurt on a Thursday evening – but Klaus shakes his head, his lips twisting wryly. He reaches out, tugging at one of her curls. "Don't feel badly, love. I can see it in your face. I'd not have said anything if I didn't want you to know."

She relaxes, leans into his hand for a moment, "For the record, I think Finn's a jerk."

Klaus laughs softly, bringing his hands to rest on his knees. "Trust me, if you ever meet him you'll be using words that are a touch stronger. I don't regret our estrangement."

"But you do regret things with Kol?" Caroline asks.

He exhales loudly, his head rolling back. "I don't regret leaving. Or even staying away. It was what I needed when I was eighteen. Neither Rebekah nor Elijah would let me get away with disappearing on them. They chased me."

Ah. She's beginning to see things more clearly. "And Kol didn't."

Klaus' expression grows pained, "As the first born Finn could do no wrong. Elijah was always sort of a perfect son. High achieving, obedient. As the only girl, Bekah was doted on. Mikael was harsh with me, dismissive of Kol. When I left things for worse for him. I didn't think about that at the time but I should have."

"No one thinks that far ahead when they're eighteen."

She can tell her words aren't especially comforting but she hopes it's not the first time he's heard them. Maybe, with repetition, he'll even come to believe them. "Kol left as soon as he could, just like I did. He just went farther, didn't settle. Did little more than send sporadic postcards in the beginning."

A memory comes to Caroline, of Rebekah packing in a frenzy, complaining stridently about a wayward brother Caroline had yet to meet. She'd skipped half a week of classes but had been satisfied when she'd returned.

Caroline grins up at Klaus, "Until Rebekah caught up to him and bullied him into calling and visiting occasionally."

"As grating as her methods are I can't argue against their effectiveness."

In another life Rebekah would have been a fantastic evil genius.

She nudges his leg with her knee, waits until he looks at her. "I'm glad things are better now." It's kind of mind boggling that Caroline's immensely grateful that Kol had managed to spend himself into a giant hole, and been forced to move into her apartment, but she totally is.

"I am too," Klaus says simply. "But I think we wandered away from your original point, hmm?"

Caroline rolls with the subject change. "Yep. But your sister's… special skills and insane overprotectiveness is right on topic."

"Kol invited his caterer friend to dinner, did he?"

There's something distinctly knowing in his tone and Caroline's curious. There's no way Kol would casually chat with Klaus about the woman he likes – he's far too paranoid about sabotage. Rightfully, given his constant taunting months ago when she and Klaus were dancing around each other. "How'd you know that?"

"I suggested it."

He sounds proud and well, isn't that just the freaking cutest? She stands, easing in between Klaus' legs. She reaches out, grips the lapels of his jacket. His eyes flick down to her mouth and Caroline seriously considers breaking her 'no making out in the office' rule.

She's so tempted, dips her head until her lips just brush his.

But no. That would be a bad precedent. They can always use Klaus' private studio in his apartment should the need for hot desk sex to arise.

Now that the idea has entered her head Caroline's pretty sure she's going to have to suggest they give it a shot later tonight.

She presses a quick kiss to his cheek, knows she needs to lighten the mood ASAP. "So you're into matchmaking now?" she teases. "In-ter-est-ing. We can totally spin this to our advantage. I have a bunch of friends who would offer me all sorts of perks and pretty things if I set them up with Marcel."

"Tell me about these perks," Klaus says, his hands smoothing over her hips.

He pulls her a little closer and her fingertips slip into his collar to tug idly at a necklace. "Well, my friend Katherine works in PR. Can get us tickets to concerts or shows and backstage passes. Kat's a little… intense though. And I like Marcel."

"My livelihood would be negatively impacted should he get his heart crushed," Klaus notes.

She tugs on a leather cord in reprimand. "Plus, he's your friend and you want what's best for him."

"Naturally. What else have you got?" He's slowly untucking her blouse and it's super distracting.

She closes her eyes, running through a mental list, "Ooh! I have a friend who inherited a cabin on some lake upstate. I'm not really a nature girl but a weekend alone, no one else for miles, has some appeal."

He makes a noise, low and contemplative.

Caroline smirks, pulling away. She reaches behind her to smooth out her clothes. No need to supply Megan with ammunition now that Caroline's making progress in getting her to back down. "You totally just pictured me naked in front of a fire on a furry rug, didn't you?

"Close. We were swimming nude in the lake." Klaus shows not the slightest hint of embarrassment.

"Ah," Caroline drawls, nods seriously. She doesn't let herself dwell on the image but she files it away for later contemplation. She does like how Klaus looks when he's wet. "Also a classic."

"I am a man of simple tastes."

She pauses in collecting her bag, throws him a disbelieving look. "I cannot believe you managed that with a straight face."

"I've been attending my media training dutifully."

Those lessons had been written into the contact he'd signed when he'd agreed to an adaptation of The Originals. He's going to be trotted out to meet the press, talk about his graphic novel and the show, come fall. He hates them with a fiery passion, all the perky spin tactics they're telling him he needs to master.

Caroline' sure that when the time comes he'll manage to be charming enough to get away with saying just about anything. And if not he's at least got his distracting hotness to fall back on.

Not that she's biased or anything.

"Well, maybe you can put some of those skills to the test tonight."

He stands and joins her when she heads to the door, his palm coming to rest on her back like it usually does. Megan's going to give her an eyebrow wriggle but Caroline can ignore it. The gentlemanly gesture always gives her the warm and fuzzies. "What did you have in mind?"

She outlines her plan as they make their way to the elevator – Caroline's going to tackle Rebekah, redirecting and smoothing where she can, while Klaus works his magic on Bonnie, distracting and talking up Kol's good points.

Klaus agrees, helps her refine her strategies over dinner.

Caroline's not even a little bit surprised that they're a kick ass team.