CHAPTER TEN

DÉJÀ VU

She was incredibly late.

Elijah had given her a very stern lecture when Damon had delivered her at the Mikaelson mansion, and it had taken a while. He had been visibly upset and she was feeling like a misbehaved child, even though she liked the way he seemed to worry about her wellbeing. It made her think of the older brother she had never had and always wanted. It even made her think of her father, the way he had been before he had left the family. Thankfully, Elijah was apparently not upset enough to go back on his promise to take her to the dance, although he had murmured something about spending the rest of the afternoon on the phone, trying to appease Klaus. She supposed that once Big Bad was back, she wouldn't hear the end of this.

She was seriously running out of time now and still not completely happy with her new dress. But there was no acceptable alternative, and she had to get started this instant. She dumped her shopping bags and turned towards the bathroom, when she realized something about the room was different from how she had left it. She whirled around again, and her eyes widened in shock. All the clothes were gone, hanging neatly in her closet the way they had before her fashion skirmish. And in the middle of her bed sat a large taupe box, labeled "Rena Lange", with a silver ribbon around it. Déjà vu. Big time.

Caroline couldn't believe he had done it again. And while being away! Well, he had probably asked Rebekah… But, wait a minute - what the heck! He knew she hated his expensive gifts, hadn't she told him so more than once? What was wrong with this guy, apart from being a psycho Original mass murderer and a bit of a stalker? What on Earth did she have to do to get her message across? Which one? The one where you tell him that you just loved that last dress, or the one where you found no excuse for wearing his bracelet? Or the one where you sit with him for hours, listening to his life story, unable to take your eyes off him?

Carefully, she approached the box, very slowly removing the ribbon and lifting the lid. Grenade! She giggled at her own silliness and lowered her gaze to the contents of the box. Holding her breath, she touched the fabric. What the heck was that? It felt like… metal. Wildly curious, she took the garment out of the box. It looked like a mail shirt of intricately woven, delicate chains, cut into the shape of a woman's top, off the shoulder, with just two slim metal straps to be worn across the upper arms. Not quite as snug as a corset, but somewhat more loose-fitting at the waist. She reached into the box again, producing an ultramarine, floor-length skirt, cut very generously, the way a true ball gown should be cut.

Caroline frowned. What was this supposed to look like? Such a strange combination, she had never seen anything like it. Well, whatever, she was absolutely not going to wear a gift of his again. Good decision. I can do this! Screw him and his damn presents! She was about to put it all back in the box, when curiosity got the better of her. She had to see how she looked in it, just for a minute. She quickly stripped out of her clothes, putting the deep blue skirt on first. Oh God, was this actually silk? She ran her hands over the fabric, delighting at how soft it felt to her touch. She made a quick pirouette, marveling at the way the wide skirt flowed around her. On an impulse, she started rummaging through the closet, searching for a crinoline she remembered she had packed by mistake the other day. She finally found it and put it on, draping the skirt over it. The result was absolutely stunning. The deep blue fabric flowed over the crinoline in shimmery waves, and the skirt now looked like a silken waterfall. Then she slid into the strange top. It reminded her of a suit of armour, but the feeling was not unpleasant. Turning to face the mirror, she studied her reflection.

Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined two such different pieces of clothing to have such a dazzling effect when worn together. The mail shirt fit her snugly at the chest but danced around her waist in thousands of iridescent sparkles. It ended exactly where the high-waisted skirt began, revealing just the faintest hint of skin whenever she lifted her arms. Caroline swallowed. She felt like a freaking princess in this thing. A rather modern one, as there was nothing the least bit conservative about the dress, but a princess nonetheless.

Damn him. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist something like this. I can so not do this! Gah! Annoying, stupid, obnoxious Klaus!

Looking into the box again, she found a pair of satin high heels as deeply ultramarine as the skirt, set off with discreetly gleaming rhinestone in the exact same metallic shade as the mail shirt. Louboutins? Of course.

And a note.

I am more upset with you than you could probably fathom. Still – do me the honour of accepting this little addition to your already exquisite wardrobe.

Enjoy the dance. I am certain you will be utterly stunning.

Klaus

Caroline looked up from the note, not bothering to wonder how he had managed to get it to her. Once more, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She didn't want this to warm her heart the way it did. Once he was back, she was going to have a word with Klaus. He needed to stop doing this. Saying the right words, giving her the right gifts, looking at her the way he did, making her feel so incredibly protected. It had to come to an end, because otherwise… otherwise, she would start liking it.

The second she stepped out of her room after finally getting ready, everyone started complimenting her. Elijah had given her a genuine smile of admiration as he took her arm at the bottom of the stairs, Kol had winked at her and made some seedy remark on how she would have the better part of the male guests drooling over her, himself included, and even Rebekah had given her an appreciative nod. The Original didn't look half-bad herself in a silvery ball gown, off the shoulder, accentuating her curves just the way they should be. She would be attending the ball with Matt, although Caroline still hadn't wrapped her head around how Rebekah had managed to persuade him after what she had done to him.

Once they arrived at Town Hall, the compliments continued. Elena, stunning in a forest green corsage dress, had gaped at her, a big question mark in her eyes. Caroline had just shrugged and mouthed 'Klaus'. Damon had very ostentatiously given her a one-over, and even Stefan had inclined his head and mumbled something about how beautiful she looked. She enjoyed their compliments, but something was missing. Someone was missing. Caroline found herself wishing that Klaus could see her like this… the dress had been his choice after all, and she longed for his gaze, wordlessly telling her how he liked the way she looked.

He stood in the doors, watching her dance with Stefan, and now it was Klaus' turn to be trapped in a moment of déjà-vu. Only that his memory of her standing in the ballroom of his own house, wearing the other gown he had given her back then, paled like a moonstone against a diamond as he gazed at her now. Christ, she was ravishing! He had known that the bohemian gown would be a perfect fit and that she would look spectacular, but nothing had prepared him for the way she carried herself in that dress. She was positively glowing. Her hair was twinkling, and he could have sworn he saw starlight reflected on her face. The skirt's deep blue made her eyes look like the South Pacific and contrasted spectacularly with the matte ruby shade she was wearing on her lips tonight. It made him think of vintage Bordeaux and of how the wine would taste on those wonderful lips of hers. Swallowing hard and forgetting everything he wanted to throw at her for taking off on her own, he made his way over to her, surprised that he wasn't stumbling over his own feet. Thousand-year-old veteran of beauty Niklaus Mikaelson couldn't stop staring.

Caroline and Stefan were just finishing the waltz when a voice came up behind her. A very beautiful voice. A voice she had been thinking about just a second ago.

"Stefan. Do you mind if I cut in?" His voice was as lovely as ever, but there was a steely undertone. Her stomach went berserk. Stefan looked at her, nodded curtly and excused himself. She closed her eyes for an instant, took a deep breath and turned to face him. Which was when her stomach seemed to completely dissolve into a swarm of frigging butterflies.

Not fair. He looks… oh… just plain gorgeous. There was no other word for it. Most men looked dapper in a tux, she thought meekly, but it worked for him in a way she had never seen on any man before, not even Damon. Klaus looked quintessentially regal. The suit fit his strong, lean body to perfection, and he wore it so elegantly it made her want to just stare at him for the rest of the night. He had trimmed his customary stubble to a minimum, which made him appear almost, albeit not quite, clean-shaven. She had never seen him this striking, and it hurt to merely look at him.

"You're back," she breathed. He was silent. "Look, Klaus, I'm sorry. I just wanted…"

He shook his head. "Not tonight, Caroline. We will talk about this tomorrow." He delicately took her hand, and lifting it to his lips, he hovered over her knuckles. She could feel the soft sensation of his breath on her hand, but his lips did not graze her skin. Caroline trembled and dearly hoped he hadn't noticed.

"I like to think of myself as an eloquent man, sweetheart, but right now I am at a complete loss for words to describe how your loveliness captures me to the tips of my fingers," Klaus murmured, velvet voice back, his eyes shining with a sheer, unadulterated relief that would have made her heart give a little start had it still been beating. Could he really be this happy to find her safe and sound?

With a shaky breath, she gave him a tentative smile. "You call that a loss for words?" she replied and pulled back the hand he was still holding so gently. She needed to speak with him about the gift thing and she wouldn't be able to get out a coherent sentence while his fingers were so subtly tracing hers. And can the damn butterflies in there please drop dead or go into hibernation already?

"Klaus, we still need to talk," she said with what she hoped would pass as businesslike determination.

"I am always delighted to talk to you, love. But can we please put off any unpleasant topics until tomorrow? Tonight, I want to just enjoy being here with you."

"Well, it sucks to be you then. I am not postponing this for another minute," Caroline replied sternly, pulling a chuckle from him.

"Let's hear it then."

Caroline took a deep breath. "Klaus, I do thank you for this dress. And for tidying up my room, for that matter. Not that I have any idea how you got back so quickly." He grinned meaningfully at that. "But you really, really need to stop giving me things."

"Why?" It wasn't a mocking or offended question. He genuinely wanted to know.

"Because I am not your girlfriend and this isn't appropriate, point one. Because I can't understand why you are doing it, point two. Because it is just too much, point three. Because I haven't done anything to deserve your generosity, point four. Because you are Public Enemy Number One, and I can't accept any more gifts from someone who tried to murder almost everyone I know, however much you are protecting me right now, point five. Pick one."

She had expected him to be angry, to turn on his heel and storm off, but as always, he surprised her.

"You are right, love." Huh?

"Excuse me?"

Klaus smiled. "You are right. You are indeed not my girlfriend, much as I abhor the word. But where is it written that a man is only allowed to bestow a present on a woman he is in some kind of officially sanctioned relationship with? The entire fashion, flower and jewelry industries would be doomed if that were the case."

"But…"

He raised his hand. "Do let me finish. You gave me your reasons for not wanting any gifts from me, now you will have to hear my reasons for wanting to give them to you."

"Sorry. Democracy. Freedom of speech. Momentarily forgot. Go on." Caroline conceded, trying to sound perfectly blasé and failing miserably. Klaus chuckled again, and Caroline had to swallow at the softness in his gaze.

"Okay. We cleared point one – it is perfectly appropriate to give you gifts despite the fact that you are not my girlfriend." He gave an exaggerated shudder. "Point two – I do it because it gives me pleasure, and at the risk of repeating myself, I do it because I fancy you. No news here. Point three – I have merely given you a dress, not the Crown Jewels or Buckingham Palace. Not that you would actually want to live in that dreadful place. Anyhow, nothing can ever be too much or too good for you, Caroline, and that includes the Crown Jewels and all the treasures you could ever think of, tacky as it may sound to you. Point four – you deserve everything I can give you and more. If I ever hear you saying again that you don't deserve something, the two of us are going to have a serious problem." He paused for an instant, taking a very deliberate step towards her, his dark blue eyes burning into hers with such a fire it made her lightheaded.

"Point five. Look at me, Caroline, and tell me truthfully that you see nothing but a monster. That you are completely and utterly convinced that I am but a sadistic murderer with no trace of humanity left inside me. That I am incapable of any sort of emotion or compassion. If you can look me in the eye and wholeheartedly tell me so, I will let you walk away from me right now and give you my word that I will never bother you again for the rest of eternity."

Caroline stared at him. This was her chance. She could make him back off, because she saw that he was actually serious. She heard the apprehension in his voice. He would leave her alone, and she could finally get on with her life. That was what she wanted. She just needed to say the word. Three letters. Y.E.S.

"No," she whispered, her eyes prickling. With all of her willpower, she forced the tears back down. "No, that is not all I see in you." Geez, she was such a weakling! Why couldn't she just have lied to him? Because he would have seen right through you, you moron.

"Caroline." She just shook her head in silence.

"Caroline, look at me. Please."

Slowly, making sure there was no evidence of the treacherous tears, she lifted her head and met his gaze. Her throat constricted, and the stupid butterflies had now apparently called their Facebook friends to join them in a flash mob, because she could not feel anything anymore but the whirling sensation in her stomach.

Klaus took her hand again and interlaced his fingers with hers. "Thank you, love. You may not believe it, but this means very much to me." He smiled at her, his eyes never leaving hers. Caroline faintly remembered Elena saying about Damon '…he turns me into ash just by looking at me…' She empathized entirely.

God, no. Please. This wasn't happening to her. She did so not want Klaus! She so hadn't missed him! Um-hmm. Course not.

"Well," Klaus said cheerfully, "now that we have successfully mastered the somber part of the conversation, why don't I get us a drink?" Caroline gave a faint nod. She needed to get away from him, to gather herself and shake off the daze.

"I'll be at the ladies' for a second."

"Very well, love. Shall I wait for you over there?" He pointed towards a large potted palm tree next to the grand piano.

"Why not," Caroline replied, suddenly very anxious to be alone. With one last smile, Klaus let go of her hand and disappeared in the general direction of the bar.

Caroline hurried towards the ladies' room, not looking left or right until she finally closed the door behind her. Scanning the room, she spotted a bench with some cushions at the far side of it. She walked over and sank down, burying her face in her hands. What had just happened out there? It had been the perfect opportunity to remove Klaus from her life, and she had let it pass. He had completely disarmed her with that last question of his, for she knew perfectly well there was much more to him than the Evil Overlord, and he knew that she knew. Gah, complicated.

From the very beginning, there had always been something about Klaus that got to her. She did not know what it was, but there could be no doubt it existed, and it had increased monumentally over those last few weeks that she had got to spend more time with him and learned to know him a little better. There were so many appealing things about him. For one, she liked confidence in men, and Klaus definitely had more than his share of that. As much as she hated to acknowledge it, Caroline was inevitably drawn to the tough and the fearless. And Klaus was the freaking Messiah of badassery – duh!

But it was something else as well. There were those split seconds when his eyes softened and his raw humanity was shining through. He was a man with feelings, fears, hopes and dreams, however deep they may be buried in that otherwise pitch-black soul of his. She could deal with everything Klaus had to offer – his intelligence, literacy, confidence, fearlessness, manners, humour, overwhelming physical presence and all the myriads of facets she suspected there were to him. But Caroline was putty in the hands of his vulnerability.

Trying to shake off her bewilderment, she got up from the bench and moved towards the mirror to check if her mascara had been smudged by the almost-tears. Everything looked fine though, so she just quickly touched up her lipstick. She had decided against her usual glossy shade tonight, as something girly like that would never have worked with this incredible dress. Although she initially hadn't been quite sure the matte lipstick suited her, she no longer doubted it now. Klaus had been staring at her lips a couple of times, so it apparently did. "Ugh!" Caroline exclaimed at herself, jamming the lipstick back into her clutch. What the hell was she thinking, prettying up for him of all people?

When she returned to the ballroom, she spotted Klaus standing next to the palm tree in question, casually holding two glasses of what seemed to be champagne, conversing with Elena and the Salvatores. Damon seemed to have nothing but mischief on his mind, if the way he snickered at Klaus was any indication, and that usually ended up in some kind of crazy banter. Stefan's gaze was as a tad less icy as usual, and he did seem determined to keep up the pretense of civility towards Klaus. Elena looked relatively relaxed, not actually scared or overly uncomfortable. It seemed like everyone had started to come to terms with each other to a certain degree. Caroline sighed. Klaus had given a promise to hold the peace, and he had done just that ever since. A man of his word. Another redeeming quality.

Damon saw her approaching the quartet. "As I said, earlier, not bad, Blondie," he crooned in his most enticing voice, giving her a very ostentatious once-over again, "one could almost call you pretty tonight." Caroline rolled her eyes. She knew what he was doing, but to her surprise, it actually did seem to work, as both Klaus and Elena scowled at him. He pretended not to notice and kept goggling at Caroline, who had to do her best not to laugh. How could they fall for this? He was being so obvious, it was a regular riot. But only for so long, as Damon got more than he had bargained for. Klaus cleared his throat.

"Well, mate, I strongly suggest you revert to your usual staring at the doppelganger if you intend to keep that pretty face of yours in one piece," he said pleasantly. None of them was fooled – Klaus' eyes were dead serious.

Damon turned to look at Klaus and snickered. "You think me pretty, oh Mighty Grim Reaper?" His hand shot to his heart, and he gasped mockingly. "But please, be gentle and don't toy with my emotions! I've been hurt before!"

Both girls had to bite down their laughter, and even on Stefan's lips appeared the ghost of a smile.

Caroline sobered quickly, remembering who Damon was actually provoking here, and she turned her head to cautiously eye Klaus, half expecting him to drag Damon from the room and tear his heart out somewhere between geraniums and pansies on the Town Hall's manicured front lawn. Again, she was in for a little surprise, as Klaus unexpectedly played along.

"No, love," he said in a solemn voice, placing a hand on his own heart and looking at Damon with big puppy eyes, "I would never use you ill that way. Please rest assured that breaking your face won't diminish my feelings for you at all. What is between us will never change."

Caroline's eyes widened, and she just couldn't help it. She burst into laughter.

Klaus grinned and handed her one of the champagne flutes he was holding. The others looked at Caroline with different degrees of astonishment. Damon was unperturbed.

"Well, now that we have worked on our relationship issues," he started to say, only to be interrupted by Klaus interjecting "… and entirely without couples' therapy, if I may add. We should be so proud, Damon, darling." That sent Caroline into another round of giggles, earning her an affectionate glance from the Original.

Damon clearly didn't like to be outdone in the smartass department. "Had a standup comedian for breakfast, had you now?" he retorted.

"That from the guy who professed to be the love of my life not two minutes ago? I am hurt. Now who's toying with whom?" Klaus shot back with false chagrin, still grinning. But before Damon could think of a witty reply, he held up one hand and said, "It has been most entertaining, but I believe there is a dance tonight and we should not be wasting our time with idle chit-chat, wouldn't you agree? I for one intend to have a drink and a dance with this extraordinarily beautiful young lady, and I suggest you three do the same." With a roguish smile, he added, "Although I still do sense some dilemma in the lovely Miss Gilbert when it comes to her choice of… dance partner, am I right?"

And with a casual wink, he took Caroline's arm and determinedly steered her towards the terrace.