Chapter Four – The First Outing

Elena was going out on a limb; she knew that. She knew it was a big risk, and she also knew that she was far more likely to fail than to find success, but she had to try. She brought Bonnie along with her, as backup. And together, the two of them drove over to Caroline's house on Friday night.

Caroline answered their knock on her front door with a smile. "Hey."

"Hi, Care."

Bonnie smiled at her friend but said nothing; she was letting Elena do all the talking, since this was her idea. Bonnie wasn't even going to the party anyway.

Elena toed the porch as she spoke. "We were just wondering if you were going to the party tonight."

Caroline scoffed and repressed an eye roll. This, again? "No. Duke is a major jerk. This party is just a stupid excuse for him to hit on high school girls because he can't get college girls. And it's an excuse for the rest of us to get free, unlimited access to beer. Everyone will be drunk and touchy and making out. No thanks."

Elena's face fell and she wouldn't look up from her feet.

"Is that the only reason you came over?" Caroline asked. "To see if I changed my mind about this party?"

Elena gave a reluctant nod. "I was hoping you had reconsidered."

Caroline kind of felt bad for upsetting her friend, but she refused to be forced into going somewhere that she did not want to go. "Well, I haven't. I have to start studying for my math test."

"On a Friday night?"

Caroline put on a fake smile and held her head high; she knew how lame her Friday night plans sounded. "No time like the present." Her smile faded as she said good night to her friends. "I'll talk to you guys later."

Caroline shut the door and Elena stepped back and turned to face Bonnie.

Bonnie sighed. "She's obviously not going."

"Guess I'm not either," Elena said, dejectedly.

"She isn't wrong, you know. The party will be alcohol-filled and chaotic. And Duke really is a jerk." Bonnie said these things partially in an attempt to cheer Elena up, and partially because they were all very true.

"Are you and Jeremy going?"

Bonnie shook her head. "We're gonna stay in and watch movies. You're welcome to join us."

"Watch movies with my brother and his girlfriend, who happens to be my best friend?" Elena laughed. "No thanks, Bon. I'll stick to my agreement with Caroline and maybe do some school-related work."

Only a few minutes had passed since Caroline had closed her door to Elena and Bonnie when she heard another knock on her door.

"Seriously?" Caroline muttered to herself as she walked to the door. "Was my previous answer not definitive enough?"

She flung open the door and instead of seeing Elena and Bonnie again, or even just Elena, there stood Klaus.

"What are you doing here?"

He smiled at her, despite her rather rude greeting, and stood still, with his hands clasped behind his back; the shock of him showing up was plainly obvious on her face. "Just your friendly, neighbourhood stalker checking in on you this evening."

Caroline didn't respond right away, but sensed that he was waiting for a reply. "Is that some kind of British humour I don't understand?"

He chuckled. "We agreed upon nine o'clock, did we not? Last night, at karaoke."

Caroline was too stunned to respond.

He shrugged. "I'm early."

He gave her a bright smile as those blue eyes glittered with joy. It almost made her feel guilty for being such an ass to the one person that seemed to be the most patient with her. Almost.

"Fine," she said, reluctantly, as she regained her senses. Yes, she hadn't actually agreed when he suggested nine o'clock, but she hadn't disagreed either. And he was here, right now, after all. And actually on time. "I'm driving." She looked down at the clothes she was wearing, satisfied. Her everyday, regular ensemble was good enough for one of Duke's parties out by the falls. She grabbed her coat, phone, and keys before leaving the house.

Klaus was perfectly fine with Caroline driving; the inside of his truck wasn't fit to be seen by her — if he wasn't in class, sleeping, or, as of recently, spending time with Caroline, he spent his time inside his truck. He did whatever he could to avoid going home, and because of his reputation, most business managers in town didn't appreciate him loitering about their establishments.

Caroline sent a text to Elena as she walked to her car: "Changed my mind. Going to the party. Meet you there?"

Elena's response came almost immediately. "Absolutely! Thank you, Care!"

Caroline pulled into the make-shift parking lot and quickly got out of her car. She didn't want to be in such a confined space with Klaus for one moment longer.

She immediately saw Duke, standing on the invisible boundary between the parking area and the party area. He was greeting everyone who was attending: he gave handshakes and back claps to the guys, and hugs and creepy/inappropriate touches to the girls.

Caroline shuddered. Klaus noticed her apprehension as he rounded the front of her car.

"This way, love," he said. He put his hand on her lower back and led away from Duke the jerk. Caroline noted that his touch was neither creepy nor inappropriate feeling; it had an oddly soothing effect. They walked past some cars, around a couple of large trees, and entered the party area away from Duke's watchful/pervy gaze.

Thank goodness.

It seemed as if at least half of the school's population was now in this area near the falls. This was the normal tradition for a party in Mystic Falls: a bonfire, lots of alcohol, and the possibility of a one night stand. All of the people Caroline had known since childhood were drinking and laughing away by the firelight, the distant pounding of the water creating a dull roar in the background.

Caroline pushed her way through the crowd, looking for Elena and seeing who else was there. Klaus didn't follow her; he stayed on the edge of the partiers.

She made her way across the crowd and came across the gathering of jocks. Right in the centre was Tyler. He was downing shots in between mouthfuls of beer amid the whooping and hollering of the jocks surrounding him.

She immediately tried to turn around and leave the area, but Tyler saw her. He rushed over and blocked her departure.

"Looking good tonight, Care Bear."

Caroline scoffed and crossed her arms against her chest. "You'd better watch your alcohol." She glanced down at his stomach briefly before returning her eyes to his face. "You're starting to get a beer belly, Tyler. And I don't mean a six-pack."

Tyler dropped his beer cup and placed his hands on his stomach. Caroline rolled her eyes at his cluelessness and vanity and used his distraction to get away from him. She was successful this time.

Caroline went back to the near-centre and got a cup of beer. She sipped it slowly as she said hi to some of her classmates and friends. She had just finished the beer when she spotted Elena coming towards her.

"Care, hi!" Elena pulled her in for a quick hug. "Thank you so much for changing your mind."

Caroline shrugged after she pulled away from the hug. She wasn't going to tell Elena that Klaus stopped by and that's the real reason why she was here at the party.

Right as she thought about him, Caroline caught Klaus's eye from where he stood near the tree-lined edge of the party. She noticed that he didn't have a beer in his hand. He smiled at her and Caroline found herself smiling back at him before looking away.

She refocused on Elena again. "Did you get groped by Duke on your way in?"

Elena shivered in disgust. "Yes. Super creepy hug."

Caroline noticed Elena's empty hands. "Do you want a beer?" Caroline's question caused Elena to stop craning her neck as she looked around at the other partiers.

"Yea. Where's the keg?"

"I'll get you one," Caroline offered. "You can stay here and look for Damon." She smirked.

Elena grimaced slightly. "Am I that obvious?"

Caroline shook her head. "Only to your best friend."

Caroline weaved her way to the keg area and filled another cup with beer. She only filled one; she decided against getting a second one for herself so quickly after her first.

She was halfway back to where she left Elena when she caught sight of her friend. Only, Elena wasn't alone. But she wasn't with Damon Salvatore, either.

Caroline felt her blood boil beneath her skin when she saw Tyler lean in and whisper into Elena's ear.

Elena smiled and pulled back slightly.

Caroline stomped over to them. "Leave her alone, Tyler."

"Now why would I do that?" Tyler asked as he put his arm around Elena.

Elena shrugged Tyler's arm off of her shoulders and stepped away from him. Caroline took half a step forward and threw her nearly-full cup of beer in Tyler's face. A few people around them gasped in shock. Tyler looked furious.

"Leave us alone, or you will have more to worry about than being covered in beer."

Tyler walked away. Elena seemed upset. "Caroline, what the hell!"

"How could you, Elena? Tyler, of all people! Seriously!"

"He's my friend, Care. So what, because you dated him and it didn't work out, I now have to stop being friends with him?"

They were both yelling now. The partiers around them were turning to pay attention to the argument. Some of the guys were probably anxiously anticipating a cat fight.

" 'Didn't work out'? 'Didn't work out'?! You have no idea what you're talking about, Elena."

"Maybe I would if you would just open up and tell me!"

Caroline moved to take a step closer to her friend when Klaus appeared at her side. "Easy, love," he said to Caroline. "You're making a scene."

Elena glared at Caroline and walked away.

"How did I become the bad guy?" Caroline asked absentmindedly.

Before Klaus could respond, Caroline turned away. At that exact moment, a guy walked by with a collection of shots and offered one to Caroline. She took it and downed it immediately. He handed her another two shots, which she gladly accepted. "Drink up, sister!"

Caroline downed the second one as Klaus spoke to her. "What's this?" He gestured to the two shot glasses in her hands, one empty and one full.

"I'm just drinking. Isn't that the point of these parties?"

"Pace yourself, sweetheart. Let me have this one." He reached for the one that still contained alcohol, but she stepped back.

"No way," Caroline said. "This one's mine." And she pushed through the crowd, moving away from Klaus.

Since Caroline threw the contents of the beer onto Tyler, Elena had to get her own beer. She slowly made her way to the centre of the party, scanning the people as she walked by. She wouldn't even try to deny it; she was looking for Damon.

After receiving Caroline's text, Elena had immediately texted Damon to tell him of her change of plans.

"He should be here by now," she said to herself as she grabbed a cup of beer. She wondered if she should get two, but decided against double fisting. Just in case he didn't show up. But hopefully he would make an appearance. And soon.

She took a drink from her beer cup, hoping to numb or evade her feelings of doubt and insecurity. And impatience.

She turned around to walk through the party again and nearly collided with the person standing behind her. She took a step back out of shock. That was when she saw who she almost collided with, and she felt a huge smile come onto her face.

"Damon."

"Sorry for running late." His apology was accompanied by a sheepish grin. "I had to wait for Stefan to finish his endless journaling and then shape his hair for this party." He rolled his eyes as he remembered his brother's actions and preparations.

Elena laughed. "It doesn't matter; you're here now. But we do have to stop meeting up with this — you know, literally bumping into each other."

"We do have that tendency, it seems."

"Yea, except this time, I'm the one holding the cup." Elena lifted her beer cup up slightly to emphasize its existence.

Damon glanced at it quickly before returning his gaze to Elena's. "Then I'm very glad I didn't spill your beer on you."

"That would have been disastrous."

"As well as a terrible start and a quick end to our evening."

Elena smiled. "Wouldn't want that."

Damon looked around their immediate area. "So, do I get to meet the friends I have heard so much about? Bonnie and Caroline."

Elena groaned slightly. "No. Bonnie isn't here; she's having a night in watching movies with Jeremy."

"Your brother and her boyfriend?" Damon's question wasn't really a question — Elena had already filled him in on all the details of her life — but he phrased it like a question to show that he remembered.

"Yes. And Caroline is here, but we just had a big fight, so I won't be introducing you to her."

"Too bad," Damon said. "I wanted to thank the person who made it possible for you to be here without ruining your friendship with her forever. Perhaps another time."

Elena nodded. "Tell me about your told town." She wanted to change the focus of their conversation from her now obviously foolish deal with Caroline to something more interesting.

"What's to tell?" Damon said with a shrug. "It was a small town, not unlike this one."

When he didn't offer any more information, Elena pushed. "What were you like?"

"Exactly as I am now. I haven't changed my awesomeness." They began walking away from the main party area, chatting as they moved.

Elena giggled. "You know what I mean. What did you do, who did you hang out with?"

"Oh!" He smirked, feigning finally understanding the direction she wanted to take this conversation. "I don't know. I hung out with almost everyone, at some point."

"So you were Mr Popularity?" Elena asked with a laugh.

"Oh, definitely!"

"Were you a jock?"

Damon shook his head; he tried to avoid classifying himself. "No, but I did play football."

"Were you any good?"

"I was great! Starting lineup." The pride was evident on his face.

Elena nodded as they reached a wooden bridge. "Didn't Stefan join the team here? Why don't you?"

"Organized high school sports really aren't my thing anymore."

"So what is your thing now?"

"Getting to know you," he said with a smirk and a wink, fully owning up to how cheesy that line was.

Elena laughed and lightly shoved his shoulder.

"Or are you afraid that everyone will think Stefan is the better player in your family?"

"Please," he scoffed. He stopped walking; Elena stopped, too, and turned to face him. "He wishes. I taught Stef all he knows about the game. But," he paused, being dramatic, and leaning forward against the railing on the bridge, "not all I know."

Elena laughed and touched Damon's arm lightly and she leaned against the railing too.

Tyler stood a few feet away, still in the party area. But from where he was standing, he had a clear view of Damon and Elena. And he was pissed. There was no way he was going to lose his chance to sleep with Elena because of some new guy.

Tyler looked around and saw Klaus standing nearby. He stormed over to Klaus and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Dude! It's about time."

Klaus didn't respond. He was trying to ignore Tyler, but it was challenging when the guy was right in his face.

"How'd you do it?"

"Do what?" Klaus asked reluctantly, wanting to be anywhere but here.

"Get her to show up and, I don't know, act normal."

Klaus shoved Tyler off and walked away from him.

Tyler was in such a good mood, despite the obvious flirting he had just witnessed between Elena and the stupid new guy — he had spent some quality time flirting with Elena before that loser had arrived at this party — that he didn't even mind too much that his ex-girlfriend had thrown a beer at him. It was a warm night and his dark shirt didn't show the stain.

But when he saw Caroline a few moments later, standing alone, he just had to confront her about it.

"That was a bold move, Care, throwing your beer on me."

"And I'd gladly do it again. Leave Elena alone."

"Yea, sure. Whatever you say." He raised both his hands up in the air, feigning the innocent he certainly didn't have. "But I can't guarantee that she'll stay away from me."

"She will if I tell her to."

Was Caroline Forbes threatening Tyler Lockwood?

Oh, hell no!

"But you won't. Little Caroline Forbes's word against the mighty and incredible Tyler Lockwood's? No one will believe you. And you wanna know why? Because you're stupid. And shallow. And useless. Just another throw-away dumb blonde." He stepped even closer to her, making sure she could see the truth of his words in his eyes. "You're an insecure, neurotic, bitchy little twit. Don't forget it."

He smirked at the hurt look on her face before he walked away. She may have thrown the contents of a beer cup at him, but he got the last word. And he got his way.

He always did.

Caroline walked away from the area where she had her third unwanted encounter with Tyler. She was downing shots and mouthfuls of beer as fast as she could grab them.

She found Klaus not too long after. He was near the edge of the party area, sitting on a horizontal tree trunk. He still didn't have a drink in his hand — he hadn't touched the stuff all evening, but Caroline had no way of knowing that. He stayed sober to keep an eye on her; he could tell she was spiraling and he wanted to make sure she made it home safely.

He immediately recognized the smell of cheap alcohol that was emanating off of Caroline as she walked closer to him. He clenched his jaw as flashes of his father came to his mind; he always drank when he was angry, and he always seemed to be angry. Klaus hated alcohol — well, the cheap stuff that his school mates were currently indulging in; the only alcohol he could stand to drink was whiskey because it was the one drink his father detested.

She sat down next to him.

"Am I shallow?"

He masked the thoughts of his father with a sly smirk — not that Caroline would have noticed; she was far too drunk. "I don't know, love. This sounds like a trick question. I hardly know you."

"Then why have you been so persistent in asking me out?"

He shrugged, buying himself some time to come up with a decent answer. Again, not that Caroline would have noticed because of her intoxication level. "I'm fascinated by you."

She laughed at his answer — she wasn't sure why it was funny, but it made her laugh — and he laughed, too. It was then that she noticed how amazing his smile was and how he had an addictive laugh; it made her laugh even harder. He didn't seem to share either of these traits very often with people.

"I don't mean to be. Shallow. I wanna be deep. I wanna be like, the abyss deep."

Klaus shifted slightly, turning to face Caroline more directly as he spoke. "Perhaps deep isn't your thing; there's nothing wrong with that."

"But if it's not my 'thing,' then I am just shallow. I'm worse than shallow. I'm like a kiddie pool."

She made a sound that was caught somewhere between a laugh and a sob. But she refused to cry any more tears regarding Tyler Lockwood — unless they were tears caused by laughing too hard — so she quickly changed to just laughing. She laughed at herself and her situation. She threw her head back as she laughed harder, but the motion sent her further back on the tree trunk than her centre of gravity was prepared to handle. She slipped backwards off the tree trunk, hit her head on a nearby tree, and landed butt-first on the ground with her feet still slightly hanging over the tree trunk.

"Ow," Caroline said as she struggled to sit back up. "Good thing I'm not wearing a dress."

Klaus grabbed her arm and pulled her up until she was sitting again. "Or a skirt."

"Ha ha. That's true." She rubbed the newly-formed sore spot at the back of her head.

"Are you okay?"

Caroline waved a hand at him. "I'm fine. I'm…" As she tried to shake his hand off her arm, she slipped backwards again. Her other hand, the one that wasn't attached to the arm he was currently holding, shot out and grabbed onto his jacket, pulling herself closer to him.

"You are clearly not okay."

Caroline caught Klaus's gaze and stopped breathing for that moment.

Then she dropped his gaze, let go of his jacket, and grabbed her head. "I think I need to lie down for a while."

"Sorry, love. I can't let you lie down; you'll go to sleep."

"I know. Sleep is good."

She tried to lie down on the horizontal tree trunk, but Klaus pulled her to her feet. "You need to stay conscious. You may have a concussion after hitting your head. Let's take a walk." He started leading her towards the parking area.

Caroline leaned into his side as they shuffled along. "Like you'd care if I died."

"I would care."

"Why?" She began rubbing the sore spot on her head again.

"Because then I'd have to start taking out girls who actually like me."

She looked up at him with a slight glare. "As if you could find one."

"See that? There. Who needs affection when I have blind hatred?"

The glare suddenly faded from Caroline's face as she stopped walking and stopped allowing him to lead her along. The movement of walking was making her stomach churn. "Just let me sit down."

They had reached the parking area by this time, so Klaus helped Caroline sit on the hood of the nearest car. Good thing no one in small towns ever installs car alarms.

"How's that?"

Caroline smiled and looked up at him. "I feel like an idiot."

"Why do you let him get to you?"

"Who?"

"Lockwood." Klaus turned and leaned against the car's hood, right next to her.

He saw the look that formed on her face whenever she saw Tyler Lockwood, or whenever his name was mentioned.

He wasn't good at comfort. He didn't offer soothing words or sage advice. He had learnt that showing emotions — especially ones like compassion — were weaknesses, ones he couldn't risk suffering anymore. But as he saw that look form in that moment on her face — a look caught somewhere between hurt and loathing, with maybe even a little fear mixed in — he wanted nothing more than to be able to offer just that to her.

Caroline scoffed, looking straight ahead as she spoke and not at Klaus. "I hate him."

"I've noticed. But I think throwing beer on him will only make things worse, sweetheart; he'll probably just absorb the alcohol into his system through his skin and clothing, making him even more of a colossal ass than he currently is."

"Oh," Caroline said, thinking about what Klaus had said. "I never thought about that…" She sighed and turned to face him. "You're right; he is a colossal ass."

"I know. But I don't think you getting drunk will affect him in any way."

She half-shrugged in her drunken way as she turned to look to the trees in front of them. "I was trying to be cool and laid back."

"I would have guessed you were better than this."

"When in Rome…"

"I never pegged you as the need-to-fit-in type."

She let out a non-humourous 'ha' at that. "I'm the head cheerleader — isn't it in my job description to be desperate for popularity and attention?"

"I imagine that job description merely requires you to be cheerful. And perhaps flexible." He winked at that last part.

"Oh, so now you think you know me?"

"I'm only beginning to."

Caroline scoffed. "The only thing people know about me is that I'm a snobby perfectionist who needs to control every little thing."

Klaus turned and looked at her — he really looked at her. "Well, I'm not exactly a picnic either."

Caroline looked back at him and realized that they both hid behind a façade.

She tore her eyes away from him to look down at the ground. She laughed, and suddenly, her head was spinning and pounding insanely.

"I need to go home."

"I'll take you," he said as he slowly pulled her to her feet. He put her arm over his shoulder and pulled her into his side. Eventually, he found her car.

Caroline suddenly found some energy when she saw her car. She walked quickly over to it, opened her door, and sat down in the driver's seat. Klaus leaned in and took her keys from her.

"Cute," he told her.

After Caroline was settled into the passenger seat and had her seatbelt buckled, Klaus drove her home. The drive to the party had been a silent one; the drive home was not silent.

Caroline fiddled with the radio dial. She found a song she liked and smiled.

Klaus quickly changed it. "I'm driving, so I get to pick the music."

Caroline changed it back. "It's my car."

Klaus changed it again. "And I'm the one driving it."

Caroline swatted his hands away and changed it back to the song she liked. "But I'm the one who owns it. And besides, you're driving, which means you should be focused on the road, not on the radio."

Klaus chuckled at her. "You are surprisingly logical when you've been drinking."

"Does that mean I'm not logical when I haven't been drinking?" She scrunched her nose at her own double negative. Had she said that correctly? She couldn't even tell; the alcohol was definitely affecting her brain.

Klaus didn't have an answer for her, so he smirked and returned his focus to the road.

"Where were you last year, when you were gone?" She was referring to his 'mystery' year when he missed almost the entire year of school.

"Wow, you're chatty, love."

She ignored his comment and returned to her question. "Where were you?"

"Busy."

"Were you in jail?"

"Maybe." His answer came immediately.

She glared at him. "No, you weren't."

"Then why'd you ask?"

"Why'd you lie?"

Klaus didn't answer. Instead, he frowned and turned up the music.

When Klaus pulled her car up to the curb in front of her house and turned off her car, they sat in silence for a few moments. He handed her keys back to her. She didn't take them; she stared straight ahead, through the windshield, looking at nothing in particular.

She took a deep breath, altering Klaus to the fact that she was about to break their silence. "Do you ever feel like there's not a person in the world that loves you?"

Klaus chuckled, drawing Caroline out of her reverie. "That's a more profound conversation than one we should be having while you're completely wasted."

Caroline gave him a look. "I'm not completely wasted," she told him as she grabbed her keys from him. They both laughed.

"Life can be a little rough, at times," he conceded to her earlier topic.

"I just wish…" she trailed off with a sigh and made no suggestion of continuing.

"You wish what, love?"

She shrugged, a little. "I wish that life was different, sometimes. More, somehow."

"Me too," Klaus mused. The smile soon faded from him face as he immediately caught himself, noticing how easily he lost his focus whenever he was around her. He hadn't intended to speak so seriously and so personally with Caroline. That would lead to getting attached, and that could not happen.

And it shouldn't happen, either. He would be a terrible match for someone as amazing and wonderful as Caroline Forbes.

"You know," she said slowly, pulling him away from his thoughts. "You're really not as vile as I thought you were."

Caroline moved in, wanting to kiss him. She closed her eyes, but Klaus turned his head and pulled away at the last moment.

Not like this, Caroline. It can't be like this.

"Maybe we should do this another time."

Caroline opened her eyes and stared at him. She was hurt but she wouldn't let him see that; she refused. She covered the rejection with a glare before turning about, getting out of the car, and slamming the door shut behind her as she stormed into her house.