The days between Caroline and Klaus's engagement party and their wedding day slipped through Caroline's fingers like running water. Where had the hours gone? How did she have so little time left to belong to herself?
Caroline had hoped to keep out of the planning of her own wedding completely. She wasn't ashamed to say that she had been one of those little girls who flipped through magazines and fantasized about her dream wedding. She didn't hold much interest in the actual marriage part, but she dreamed about the perfect gown she'd wear, about each tiny detail of the decor, about the big white tent in her parent's back yard, and the jazz band that would play in the corner.
She didn't want to break the heart of the little girl she'd once been by betraying the dream that she'd spent so much time thinking about. This wasn't her wedding. This was just another day in her life that she had no control over.
It was easier to leave all the decisions up to other people. After all, if her father had decided who she was going to marry he might as well decide what the centerpieces were going to look like.
The only thing she couldn't avoid was the dress. The last-minute nature of this engagement meant that everything had to be done at lightning speed, so whatever dress she picked would have to be pinned precisely to the shape of her body and altered within a week instead of the months upon months that the process would usually take.
Caroline would have been satisfied to walk into the one bridal store in town and grab the first dress her fingers touched, but as usual, that choice was taken from her.
"Mikael has informed me that his daughter will be arriving from Britain shortly" Bill informed Caroline on one of the rare moments that they passed each other in the halls of the grand house.
"He thought it would be nice if she came dress shopping with you. It would be a good chance for you to get to know your future sister-in-law"
Caroline thought it comical that her father was concerned with her getting to know a random member of the Mikaelson family when she knew next to nothing about the man she was supposed to promise herself to for the rest of her life.
She rolled her eyes at her father's statement. An action like that would have usually resulted in a swift slap but with the wedding fast approaching, Bill had been conscious not to be rough with his only child. The eyes of their world would be fixed on Caroline on her wedding day, and Bill couldn't afford for any rumors to swirl based on a swollen lip or a bruise that wasn't quite healed.
If Caroline was going to be forced into playing dress-up with her fiance's sister, she wasn't going to do it alone. She'd invited the Gilbert twins to accompany her and had even extended an invitation to Bonnie, wanting as many people as possible to act as a buffer between herself and the only Mikaelson girl.
Rebekah was standing outside the bridal shop by the time that the car carrying Caroline and both the Gilbert girls pulled up to the front. The scowl on the striking blonde woman's face let Caroline know that this wasn't going to be a pleasant experience.
...
The pop of the champagne was a welcome sound to Caroline's ears. The tension between Rebekah and herself was so thick that it made the room they were in feel like a cramped closet too small to hold the both of them.
"Could I offer you, ladies, a glass?" the bridal stylist offered, gesturing to a tray of flutes.
Caroline accepted the glass offered to her instantly, hoping the bubbles would calm her nervous stomach.
"Oh yes Caroline, by all means, take advantage. It seems to be one of your favorite past times." Caroline had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from snapping back at the girl. Rebekah had been slipping in snide comments at every opportunity. It was clear that she, like her brother, seemed to be under the impression that Caroline had jumped at the chance to rise above her station in life by hooking her claws into one of the elusive Mikaelson men.
Rebekah had already settled herself on the couch in front of the vast mirror that the brides to be stood in front of to assess their gowns from every angle. Katherine stepped forward as if she were about to take the seat next to Rebekah and dumped her entire glass of freshly poured champagne into the girl's lap.
Rebekah gasped, jumping to her feet in shock, instinctively trying to brush the liquid off her.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz" Katherine simpered sweetly. " You should probably go wash off"
Rebekah stormed away in a huff in search of the bathroom.
"Could I get another glass please?" Katherine called as she plopped herself down on the couch, holding out her champagne flute.
"That was amazing" Caroline admitted, knowing that she should feel guilty, but unable to conceal a smile.
"What is with the British barbie anyway? Does asshole just run in that family DNA?" Katherine continued as she raised her freshly filled glass to her lips.
"Maybe" Caroline conceded, "But I think its more that she thinks I'm a gold-digging whore who has conned her brother into marrying me"
Katherine snorted into her champagne. "Yeah because you were such a popper before, thank god they're saving you from poverty"
"She seems a little jealous" Elena mentioned, going to sit down by her sister. Katherine gasped.
"Do you think it's like an incest thing?"
Bonnie had arrived just in time to hear Katherine's comment.
"Woah, I feel like I've walked into something I'd rather not hear" Bonnie joked as she gave Caroline a hug.
The stylist approached their group once again.
"Alright, I've pulled some options. Are you ready to start trying?" the woman asked, expecting Caroline to respond with enthusiasm. Caroline offered a false smile that she let fall from her face as soon as the woman's back was turned to her.
She began to undress as the stylist worked on unlacing the back of the first dress she'd selected for Caroline to try on. Caroline didn't even want to look at herself in the mirror. It didn't matter what the gown looked like, it wasn't her wedding dress, it was just fabric draped over her body on the last day of her life.
She had shown the group a few options, Bonnie and Elena gushing over each one, Katherine giving honest feedback, not concerned with hurting feelings, and Rebekah mostly staying silent except for the occasional snide comment or look of disapproval.
After trying on four dresses Caroline was ready to close her eyes and choose whatever one her hand touched first.
"Care?" Came a soft voice from behind the door to her dressing room. Elena slipped into the room, a dress draped over her arm. She held up the garment for Caroline to appraise.
"You don't have to try it but it sort of reminded me of"
"It looks just like my mom's" Caroline finished her friend's thought. Bill and Liz's wedding photo had sat on the mantle of the living room fireplace ever since Caroline could remember. That image of her mother in a simple sheath dress that flowed down to brush the floor was burned into Caroline's mind.
She reached out, running her fingers along the edge of the soft fabric of the dress. If there was one thing she'd need on the god-forsaken day that her wedding would be held on, was her mother's strength.
"I'll take this one," Caroline told the woman who had been helping her, as she held the dress that Elena had brought her up to her chest.
...
"This is pointless" Caroline muttered under her breath. Coerced by her father once again, Caroline had spent the whole morning at the Mikaelson estate. Mikael had extended an invitation to attend brunch, and Bill had insisted that the two of them attend.
So after a painful hour of forced chit-chat amongst their two families, Mikael had suggested that his third son give Caroline a tour of the grounds. It was a blatant attempt to throw the two of them together as many times as possible before their quickly approaching nuptials.
It was clear to anyone in the same room as the forced couple that the two had no positive feelings towards one another and in hopes of selling the act, their fathers were trying to force a connection between the two of them.
This was how Caroline found herself wandering around the pond on the outskirts of the estate with her soon-be husband and current annoying acquaintance by her side.
They'd been stalking around the grounds in silence, just wanting to waste enough time in order to not cause suspicion when they returned to the house.
Caroline's phone buzzed in the pocket of her jeans for what felt like the millionth time. She was ready to snap. Tyler had been calling and texting nonstop. She wasn't sure how much more she should take.
Caroline had expected this reaction. She knew the moment her father ran the announcement in the paper that she'd have hell to pay. After the last time she had seen him, Caroline didn't care about Tyler's feelings. He had no right to be upset really, they hadn't been together. The two of them hadn't been a proper couple since senior year. Tyler had wanted freedom in college, but he never granted her that same opportunity. He wanted to spread his wings while keeping her safely locked in a cage.
When she finally picked up the phone a few days after the announcement ran, Tyler had been seething.
"Is it true?" He had demanded through the phone. Caroline could see the fury on his face as clearly as if he had been standing in front of her.
"It is" Caroline responded cooly. She'd already turned her emotions off. There was no point giving Tyler any more of her energy.
"How could you do this to me?" Tyler snarled. Caroline could hear the sound of his car starting in the background.
"I didn't do anything to you. None of this is about you, Tyler" Caroline spat, letting a hint of her irritation seep through her calm exterior.
"I'm coming over there" He stated.
"There's no point. He's not going to let you in, and I don't want to see you" Tyler had hung up the phone without saying anything else. Moments later there was an aggressive banging on the front door of the Forbes manner.
Caroline had walked out to the top of the staircase in time to see her father make it to the foyer, confused at the ruckus. Bill looked up at his daughter, instinctively knowing that the noise at the door had something to do with her.
"Just leave it" Caroline stated, too tired to deal with much more. Her father nodded at her, turning to his office to make a call. The banging stopped soon after. Being dragged off to property didn't stop Tyler from driving by her house every day, or calling and texting her every hour of the day or night.
After the world's more awkward brunch, and the intense emotions being caused by her quickly approaching faked wedding date, she had reached a breaking point. She pulled her phone from her pocket and pressed accept on the call.
" STOP CALLING" She shouted into the phone, without thinking, she chucked the device as far as she could into the pond in front of her.
"Could you not have just blocked the number?" Klaus inquired, half incredulous and half-amused.
"Oh shut up" Caroline stated, starting to walk forward again. She heard Klaus begin to follow her.
"You know if you're trying to get me to like you, the dramatics probably aren't the best way to do it" He called from behind her. Caroline whorled around.
"Who said I give a shit about you liking me or not?"
"Hmm, well I suppose you got what you wanted either way," He said condescendingly.
"Ugh, like you're such a prize? Get over yourself. I had everything I needed before I ever met you and now I have nothing"
'Hmm, right" Caroline saw red. Without thinking she leaped forward and shoved with all her might against Klaus's shoulders, sending him sprawling backward into the muddy water of the shallow pond edge.
"Fuck you" She spat, turning on her heel and sprinting back towards the house.