Tangled Up in Blue

by idiot-wind89

A year after Elijah and Elena's wedding, Klaus and Caroline are reunited by a tragic set of life-changing circumstances. AH/AU (continuation of Heart-Shaped Glasses)

22. Chapter 22

A/N: Hey there everyone! I'm finally back with an update. I wanted to thank you so much for being so enthusiastic and patient. It means a lot.

Thanks to my beta, livingdeadblondegirl, for being amazing and putting up with this huge chapter! lol

I'm really nervous for you to read this chapter, but I hope you like how things go.

I don't usually suggest songs to accompany my fanfiction, but "Sidewalk When She Walks" by Alexisonfire and "Like Knives" by City and Colour have been inspiring the last part of this chapter since October/November when I was planning it out.

---

She sighed with relief when Meredith stepped out of one of the fitting rooms all smiles in the deep red single shoulder form fitting evening gown.

"It fits you like a glove," she told Meredith, eyeing the material for any last minute signs of imperfections that she might have to mend in the next hour or two before the big event.

Luckily, Meredith's dress was the last one she had to worry about. Mrs. Lockwood had already been by the store the day before to pick up her finished gown. She had spent nearly the whole night before that completing the final alterations.

Meredith was more scrutinizing as she stared herself down in the mirror, running her hands over her hips and then making her sure her hair was in the right place – they had just come from having their hair done at the salon together for the evening. Meredith had her hair curled and pinned to one side while she had her hair curled and pinned up.

"Do you think Stefan will like it?" Meredith asked, her earlier excitement now hinging on – to an extent – her boyfriend's approval.

She scoffed incredulously.

"Of course Stefan is going to like it. What isn't there to like? You look great," she beamed enthusiastically.

It wasn't even the fact that she had made the dress that was prompting her to tell Meredith what she wanted to hear. It was all true. Meredith looked amazing. She herself was envious of the way the dress showcased her perfect hourglass figure. She wished she had more curves.

A smile started to return to Meredith's lips.

"Just make sure you show Stefan how to properly remove it because I'm sure when he sees you, he'll want to rip it off of you," she laughed, feeling envious too of Meredith's relationship with Stefan.

She had no feelings for Stefan, but she wanted a relationship like that some day. She was tired of the occasional date that led nowhere. She was tired of sleeping alone. She wanted to be with someone in the way Stefan and Meredith were together...in the way Elijah and Elena had been together. She wanted that intimacy.

Meredith laughed too.

"The dress is so beautiful I might just keep it on," Meredith joked, continuing to admire herself in the tall mirror. "You should put your dress on too," Meredith suggested. "I'm dying to see it."

She thought about it for a moment before they were both distracted by the sound of someone else entering the store.

It was fifteen minutes until close. She prayed that it was not some disgruntled customer needing a last minute fix for the fundraiser tonight.

Looking towards the front, she noticed April at the counter greeting Damon.

She had planned on getting dressed for the event tonight here and meeting Damon at her old apartment upstairs for a drink when she was ready, but that wasn't supposed to be for another two hours.

As he made his way to the back, she noticed he looked dressed for work – despite having the day off – and he was holding a bouquet of flowers in his hand – purple and pink carnations.

"Hey ladies," Damon said to her and Meredith, looking over Meredith's dress.

"What do you think of her dress?" she asked Damon.

"That it blows my mind not to see you in scrubs," he said to Meredith.

She rolled her eyes.

"What do you actually think of it? Do you think Stefan will like it?" she wondered, hoping Damon's affirmation would give Meredith an added boost of confidence.

"Stefan is definitely a red man," Damon acknowledged. "Though you might want to wear another dress if you actually want to make it to the big event tonight," he laughed.

Meredith scoffed in amusement.

"Unlike you Damon, your brother does have self control," Meredith joked.

"Self-control is no fun," Damon shrugged. "You guys have to live a little."

"What brings you by? I didn't think we were meeting for a while?" she inquired curiously.

Damon looked at her with hesitation. She knew by that expression that whatever prompted his premature visit wouldn't be something she wanted to hear.

Sensing that too, Meredith announced she was returning to the fitting rooms to change so she could bring the dress home and get ready.

"Can we talk?" Damon asked, clearly hinting that he wanted some privacy from April's inquisitive stare from the front of the store, and Meredith, who was likely eavesdropping from the other side of the fitting room door.

She nodded reluctantly and led Damon into the back workspace.

Leaning against one of the tables, she waited for Damon to explain the guilt that was apparent on his face.

"I really hate to do this last minute, but I just got a call from the hospital..."

She sighed with disappointment before Damon even finished his sentence.

"Because of the fundraiser and a few unexpected employee illnesses they are short staffed tonight. They need me to fill in," he explained.

"So you can't go with me tonight," she concluded.

He nodded apologetically.

"Weren't you supposed to speak on behalf of Elijah?" she inquired.

"I was, but I'm going to ask Meredith if she'd be willing to say a few words in my absence," he told her.

She stood there blankly, the anxiety of her plans not unfolding accordingly beginning to set in.

"Look, I feel like an asshole for bailing on you, considering I'm the one who asked you to be my date in the first place and I know how much this night means to you," Damon said. "My boss really didn't give me much of a choice. It was either I work, or Meredith, and she's been looking forward to this night too...she has that dress...and Stefan donated some money to the event, so I don't want to say no..."

Damon's excuse made her feel guilty for being annoyed with him in the first place. She didn't want Meredith's night ruined. She saw how excited Meredith was when she came out of the fitting room in the dress. She also didn't want Stefan's night to be ruined by Meredith's absence.

While she was looking forward to attending with Damon, she admired his thoughtful decision to be the fill in at the hospital tonight.

"It's okay," she smiled sweetly. "I understand."

She might have understood, but it didn't make her feel any less disappointed.

Damon handed her the bouquet of flowers.

"I know these aren't much of an apology, but I wanted to tell you as soon as possible and these were the best I could do on such short notice," he said. "I promise I will make it up to you. We'll go out on a real date...next weekend maybe?" he suggested. "We could go to the movies? I'll let you make me sit through a chick flick. We'll do anything you want."

She accepted the bouquet.

"Okay," she agreed, forcing a small smile.

He flashed her one of his infamous grins and kissed her quickly on the cheek.

"You're amazing," Damon told her. "Maybe you can steal Meredith as your date?" Damon joked, attempting to lighten the mood.

She laughed a little.

"I really am sorry. I hope this doesn't ruin your night completely. I'm sure you will still have a good time," he reasoned.

She nodded, though she wasn't sure she was going to enjoy being the third wheel to Stefan and Meredith, or pushed in Tyler's direction by Carol now that she was dateless.

"Look, I really gotta run and get to the hospital, and I want to talk to Meredith quick before I go..." Damon said.

"It's fine, go ahead," she said, biting the inside of her cheek to hide just how upset she was.

"I will see you next week," Damon reminded her, as though that was sufficient consolation for abandoning her tonight.

Damon disappeared through the door to talk to Meredith leaving her by herself.

Attending the fundraiser alone tonight wouldn't be a big deal – she had attended many events alone being single – but going with Damon had been part of her plan and she had been looking forward to it. Now, she would be left to attend alone, subjected to Meredith and Stefan's romance, Camille's nosey curiosity about why she wasn't with Damon, and Carol's attempts to redeem her son.

As she looked down at the bouquet, a small part of her worried that perhaps Klaus's assumptions about Damon might be coming true.

She eyed the bouquet in her hands with disdain before throwing it in the garbage beside her.

Her mother hated Carnations. One of her aunts had insisted upon them at her mother's funeral, and she had hated them ever since.

Once she heard Damon leave the store, she emerged from the back room. Meredith was at the front counter with April. They both eyed her sympathetically.

"Damon told me the hospital called him into work tonight," Meredith said. "I'm sorry."

She nodded with a shrug.

"I'm a little disappointed, but Damon has promised to make it up for me. I've done these things alone before, it's not a big deal. I'm not worried about it," she assured them. "It just would have been nice to have a date for a change. I was also hoping going with Damon would keep Carol Lockwood off my back about Tyler," she admitted with a frustrated sigh.

"Is there anyone you can call up last minute to be your stand in?" April wondered.

She shook her head, fairly certain she had dated every single guy in Mystic Falls at least once.

"No," she sighed. "It's fine. I'll just have to get you and Camille to help me avoid Carol and Tyler," she told Meredith.

"What about Klaus?" Meredith suggested.

She looked at Meredith with a confused expression.

"What about him?" she inquired.

"Why don't you ask him to go with you?" Meredith shrugged. "As friends," she added, aware of her insistence that things between them were platonic.

There was no way she was going to ask Klaus to be her date to the fundraiser – as friends or not. Sure, things had been amicable between them since the awkward weekend they shared and their disagreement over Damon, but things still felt tense. They had been going through the motions of daily life as normal, but she felt like they were dancing around something – or maybe one another.

"Klaus hates this kind of stuff. He wouldn't go. He probably would have skipped his brother's own wedding if he could have," she shook her head.

"He might go if he knew what kind of a bind you were in...and Stefan is going to be there, so he'd have someone to commiserate with," Meredith reasoned.

"Even if Klaus agreed to go, he is my babysitter for tonight. There would be no one to look after Grayson," she explained.

Meredith sighed disappointedly, seemingly trying to think of an alternative solution.

"I could babysit for you," April offered. "If Klaus wants to go, I'll come over and watch Grayson."

"I don't know," she hesitated, unsure about the idea of leaving Grayson with April, and still unsure about asking Klaus to be her date.

She was supposed to be keeping her distance from him. Bringing him as her date tonight would be doing anything but that. She didn't want to encourage the lingering feelings she was trying so hard to suppress.

"I took a babysitting course when I was younger. I know CPR. I babysat all through high school and even during college. It's how I paid for it," April told her, trying to ease her mind. "Grayson likes me. I haven't seen him in a while. I'd love to watch him for you."

"I couldn't burden you like that," she said guiltily. "I've already made you work all day," she laughed.

April shrugged.

"I have no plans tonight. Besides, he would be asleep most of the time I'm there. It's not like you're asking a lot," April pointed out.

"That could work," Meredith affirmed enthusiastically. "That way you wouldn't have to go alone."

She vacillated over the idea.

"I don't know," she debated pessimistically. "I'll think about it."

---

She entered the house disappointed and anxious with her masquerade dress in hand – a dress she should have already been wearing.

She was disappointed because the night already wasn't going as she planned it. She was supposed to be on a date with Damon to one of the hottest events in town tonight - not that it took a lot to snag that title in Mystic Falls, but events hosted by the Lockwoods were infamous, and she knew as much considering she had helped Carol plan parts of the event.

A part of her wanted to change into her pyjamas and watch a movie, but she knew Carol was expecting her there. She would have to show up alone and suffer the fate of a million questions and Carol's harassment regarding Tyler. She would have to face Tyler himself. She didn't want to be there by herself.

Hence her anxiety and why she had returned home as opposed to getting dressed at the store and leaving from there, as originally planned. She was going to ask Klaus to come with her. She just needed to work up the courage to do it.

The fact that she even had to work up any courage was what unnerved her most. She was just asking him to be her date as a friend. It was nothing more, but then why was she scared of what his response would be? Why did she fear his rejection?

She just had to ask him and explain clearly why she wanted him to go with her so there were no misunderstandings.

When she snapped out of her thoughts, she could hear Grayson's piercing cry upstairs. It wasn't his typical crying over something he wanted or didn't want. He sounded upset. He sounded hurt.

"Klaus!?" she called, slipping out of her flats and running upstairs, nearly tripping over the baby gate as she did so.

The bathroom door was open, and when she reached the second floor, she could see Klaus standing at the counter with a wailing Grayson sitting on the surface balling his eyes out.

"What's wrong?" she asked alarmed, hanging her dress over the railing before stepping into the bathroom.

Grayson was just in his diaper and Klaus appeared to be cleaning up a small gash on his forehead.

"Oh my god!" she cried. "What happened?!" she demanded promptly scooping Grayson up into her arms just as Klaus was finishing cleaning the wound.

"Grayson just had a little accident," Klaus shrugged, smirking a little.

"A little accident!? What kind of accident?" she urged him, annoyed with his vagueness.

She looked over the mark on Grayson's forehead carefully.

"He was crawling around in his room while I was finding him a sleeper to wear after his bath, and he crashed right into the corner of his crib. Clearly Gray doesn't know how big his head is yet," Klaus mused, brushing Grayson's hair with hand.

Grayson cried louder.

"Ah come on mate, it's only a little bump. It needed to be cleaned up," Klaus reasoned with Grayson.

Grayson was not accepting that excuse.

"Only a little bump?" she questioned Klaus, pointing to Grayson's forehead. "It looks like more than a little bump. He was bleeding!" she said nervously.

She looked at Grayson sympathetically as she rocked him in her arms.

"Are you okay, Monkey?" she asked him.

He whimpered.

"He's fine, Caroline. Stuff like this happens all the time. That's how kids learn," Klaus explained.

The rational side of her knew Klaus had a point. It was only a matter of time before Grayson hurt himself like this. She was sure there would be plenty more bumps where this one came from. She just hated to see him hurt.

"It's okay, sweetie," she said soothingly, combing her hand gently through his hair. "You're okay. I got you," she assured Grayson. "I'll kiss your boo boo better," she told him, pressing her lips to his forehead.

His distressed cries died down a little as Klaus watched from the sidelines with intrigue.

"Shhh," she hushed Grayson, smiling to herself as he nestled himself against her shoulder. "Let's go get you in some pj's, hmm?" she suggested rhetorically. "Caroline will cuddle with you," she said, speaking to him with her typical cute third person voice.

She glanced up at Klaus.

"I'll get him ready for bed. Maybe he'll go to sleep early," she stated.

"I'll clean up in here," Klaus said, drawing her attention upon the first aid materials scattered over one side of the counter and the bathtub, which was littered with Grayson's toys and bath time supplies.

Fifteen minutes later, she was busy humming the last part to 'Rockabye Baby' to Grayson who was cuddled next to her in the chair, when she noticed that his eyes were closed contentedly despite it being a little early for his bedtime.

She smiled, observing him quietly as he slept. His hair was fuzzy from his bath and his tiny hands were bunched into fists by his face. He was adorable. She could hardly believe that one day he'd no longer be this small, and he'd no longer want to cuddle with her like this. Examining his features, she pictured Elijah and Elena in her mind, and tried to figure out who he resembled more.

"I think he's starting to look more like him every day," Klaus commented, referring to Elijah with a small smile.

Startled, she looked up to see Klaus standing in the doorway peering curiously at her and Grayson. She hadn't even heard him finish up in the bathroom. She didn't know how long he had been standing there.

Processing his initial comment, she smiled and nodded.

"I think so too," she agreed, "but he has Elena's nose, and sometimes it's a tossup on whose smiling back at me," she sighed.

Standing up from the chair with Grayson, she moved towards his crib to put him to sleep.

"He's out cold," she told Klaus, lowering Grayson into his crib.

"He was going all day today," Klaus explained. "He barely napped this afternoon."

She nodded, placing a second tiny kiss on Grayson's boo boo with her middle and forefinger.

"That's probably half the reason he was so grumpy after his accident," she noted, stepping by Klaus on her way out into the hall.

He closed the door behind them both.

"I didn't mean for it to happen," Klaus admitted guiltily. "I turned around for two seconds and then he was crying."

"I know. It's not your fault," she replied understandingly. "I just overreacted to the sight of him in pain."

Klaus looked at the dress hanging over the railing and back at her – obviously noting the fact that both her hair and makeup were done for the masquerade.

"I thought you were getting ready at the store and leaving with Damon from there?" he wondered.

She frowned and sighed disappointedly.

"That was the plan. Meredith and I had just got back from the salon and I was helping her with her dress when Damon stopped by," she started to explain, hoping she wouldn't know what she was getting at until she finally asked him. "The hospital was short staffed tonight. It was either he worked or Meredith and Damon didn't want to make Meredith go in..."

"So he bailed on you," Klaus concluded.

She nodded.

"I wouldn't have wanted Meredith to miss going tonight either," she conceded. "She has been looking forward to this. I made her a dress and everything."

"So you're going alone?" he asked. "What about Tyler and Carol Lockwood?" he wondered, seemingly concerned.

She had expressed her concerns to Klaus already. He knew she didn't want to be there alone with Tyler present and Carol hovering.

"Not exactly," she said anxiously.

"You're not going at all?" he guessed, surprised by that assumption. "You put a lot of work into the dresses and the event," he reminded her. "I didn't think you were the type to let Tyler Lockwood or his mother get to you, love."

She smiled sweetly at him, flattered by his underlying compliment.

"I'm not...I just don't want Carol hounding me constantly about Tyler, and I really don't want to see him any more than I have to. It would ruin my night..." she trailed off, her mind screaming at her just to ask him. "I would like to go, but..."

He raised his eyebrows expectantly, waiting for her to finish her thought.

"But?" he inquired.

She bit her lip and took a deep breath.

"I'd like you to go with me," she said confidently. "As my date...as a friend. If you want...you don't have to...I know you don't like these kinds of things..." she faltered, concentrating on her feet.

There was an awkward silence, and she avoided looking in his direction.

"What about Grayson?" he asked.

He was considering it, she thought optimistically.

"April offered to come over and watch him. She has babysitting experience and I trust her. I just need to call her if you want to come," she informed him.

There was another pause.

"Okay...I'll go," he agreed.

She looked up at him, a little shocked by his willingness.

"Really?" she said, a smile beginning to form on her lips.

He shrugged.

"Sure, I'm hoping I'll get to see you slap Tyler Lockwood again – or worse," he chuckled, referring to Elijah and Elena's wedding reception.

She giggled at his comment, jumping up slightly, before hugging him without a second thought.

"Thank you," she beamed, completely relieved that he had said yes.

If she was being entirely honest, she was also a little excited.

"I'm not sure I like the idea of being second choice, though," Klaus sighed as she stepped out of the embrace before it got weird.

She regarded him seriously, wondering what he meant by that, until she noticed his amused smirk; he was joking.

"Damon asked me first," she said, not realizing what she herself might be implying by that until she said it.

Klaus looked ready to inquire about her cryptic reply, but she interrupted him before he could.

"Dress code is in effect, so wear your black suit...perhaps with a white shirt and black tie?" she recommended, quickly retrieving her dress. "I'm going to go call April and get dressed," she said, slipping by him to head for her bedroom.

"Caroline?" he said after her.

She turned around and looked at him questioningly.

He was smirking.

"Just so you know, I don't put out on the first date," he laughed.

Her cheeks still reddened even though he was joking. Not wanting to be outdone or for him to think that their past still affected her, she decided to play along.

"We both know that's a lie," she teased.

---

He couldn't believe how quickly his plans for the night had changed.

One minute, he had been anticipating a quiet night alone with his art, ruminating and obsessing over the fact that Caroline was attending the masquerade with Damon.

The next minute, Caroline was asking him to be her date instead, and though it annoyed him that he was merely a back up, how could he refuse her?

He certainly didn't want her subjected to Carol and Tyler Lockwood for the evening if she attended alone.

Truth be told, he wanted to go with her.

He wanted to be her date even if it was illusory.

Since he had returned to his room to track down the clothing Caroline suggested, he hadn't stopped smiling.

They had been somewhat distant the entire week...ever since the night of Caroline's dinner fiasco.

Perhaps this was his chance to make things right between them before things with her and Damon became too serious. Maybe he'd work up the courage to tell her how he felt about her.

He was struggling with his tie when Caroline knocked on the partially open door – nudging it open a bit further.

"April will be here in a few minutes," she informed him, entering reluctantly when she saw that he was still dressing.

He glanced over his shoulder at her, completely in awe. She looked magnificent in her masquerade themed party dress. The purple and black suited her. He loved the lace and the way the short bustled skirt accentuated her stocking covered legs. The bustier-like top gave him a generous view of her cleavage, and he had to look away before his lustful stare became too obvious.

"Okay," he replied anxiously, struggling even more with his tie in lieu of the distraction that she had proven to be

He heard her scowl and walk towards him, stepping in front and snatching the tie from his hands.

Without a word, she began to looping the material, creating the perfect tie in less than a minute.

She smirked up at him triumphantly.

"You look handsome," she complimented, looking back down at the tie as she straightened it.

"I try," he chuckled, holding back a flattered smile.

"Do me up?" she asked, letting go of his tie, turning around and revealing her bare back and a few remaining buttons that had yet to be attached.

He swallowed hard at her request, trying hard to ignore the naughty places his mind travelled to.

All he wanted to do was kiss the back of her neck and undo the buttons that had already been fastened. He needed her desperately.

Despite his baser urges, he complied with Caroline's request, doing up the dainty buttons one by one until the dress was completely secured.

"You look stunning," he confessed, a little too genuinely.

He felt her tense underneath his hands.

"You did a great job on the dress," he complimented quickly, trying to distract from his previous comment as he finished with the last button.

"Thank you," she said, turning around with a smile on her face that could light up the night.

They stood there briefly, the strange but comforting silent recognition interrupted by both the sound of the doorbell and Grayson crying.

"I'll get Grayson. You can go let April in," he offered.

---

When Grayson refused to settle himself back to sleep, he brought him downstairs where Caroline was talking to April in the hall.

She was busy going over a list with April, explaining who to contact if she couldn't reach either of them on their phones, and detailing tips and tricks to get Grayson to settle should he reawaken.

"Text me every half hour with an update," she urged April.

He rolled his eyes at her obsessive behaviour, but found it endearing nonetheless.

Her concern for Grayson came from a very genuine place. He understood how much she cared about Grayson because he felt the same.

He nodded at April from the stairs as he descended them. He really didn't know her that well, but he put faith in the fact that Caroline considered her trustworthy.

As soon as Grayson caught sight of Caroline, he nearly squirmed right out of his grasp to reach her.

"Awe, what's the matter?" Caroline cooed, taking Grayson from him and cuddling him against her.

"Perhaps he knows we're leaving?" he suggested off-hand.

"Is he starting into the separation anxiety stage?" April wondered.

Caroline shook her head curiously.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "He's never like this when I leave in the morning, or when I drop him off at daycare. I think maybe that bump to his noggin threw him off a little," she speculated, bouncing Grayson gently on her forearm.

"Maybe it's another tooth?" April proposed, trying to sneak a peek at Grayson over Caroline's shoulder only to have him tuck his head down to hide. "He's also usually not this shy," she pointed out.

He could tell by the conflicted look on Caroline's face that she was unsettled about leaving Grayson here with April while he was like this. Another part of her was likely counting the additional minutes they would be late.

"We should probably go now if we don't want to be any later than we already are," he suggested to her softly, hoping she would acquiesce.

Grayson would settle down eventually, and if he didn't, that's why April had their numbers.

Still, he empathized with Caroline's apprehension. This was the first night they would be leaving Grayson with a babysitter, he realized. They would have to get used to this eventually.

"Ah, I don't want you leave you like this Monkey, but we're almost beyond fashionably late, and you don't want to keep Carol Lockwood waiting," Caroline explained to a whiny Grayson reluctantly as she handed him over to April.

Grayson became even more fussy and upset as a result.

"Are you sure about this?" Caroline questioned a seemingly overwhelmed April.

April nodded agreeably.

"Of course, I am. It's fine. He'll settle down after you two leave," she assured them.

Caroline gave her a small hesitant smile.

"Please call me if anything goes wrong," she pressed April anxiously.

"Don't worry!" April urged her. "Go, have fun."

After a few more goodbyes from her to Grayson, a few more recitations from her list, and a promise that they would be home before midnight, they were getting in the car to leave for the Lockwood's.

He could literally feel the weight of Caroline's worry when she slumped into the passenger seat quietly.

From the corner of his eye, he could see her wipe away a tear from her cheek.

"We're only going to be gone for a few hours," he told her, hoping to ease her troubled mind.

"Now I understand why Elena was so persistent with her instructions regarding Grayson," Caroline sighed as she clicked her seatbelt on. "She was so afraid something was going to happen to him while they were gone..."

"He'll be fine," he tried to reason.

"I'm not just concerned about him," she admitted solemnly, looking up at him.

She was referring to Elijah and Elena, he knew.

"We'll be fine, too," he added.

"Will we?" she wondered seriously.

"I don't want to consider the alternative," he stated.

---

Given their late arrival, they had to park right at the end of the driveway.

He had offered to drop Caroline off at the front of the stately home so she wouldn't have to walk the distance from their car in heels, but she refused.

She impressed him with her ability to keep up, striding beside him in her purple and black heels that clicked against the pavement.

"April says she got Grayson back to sleep," Caroline informed him, the glow of her phone lighting them a path down the darkened drive.

"Good," he acknowledged. "You should put the phone away now and stop worrying so you can enjoy your evening."

Without a witty retort, he noticed her slide the phone inside of her clutch.

"Once we get in there I completely understand if you want to bail for the open bar or socialize with Stefan," she told him. "Just try to ignore Tyler if he says anything to you...unless he's bothering me, in which case you're more than welcome to interrupt."

He nodded along with her plan, indicating he was amenable to the open bar suggestion, but in reality he preferred to spend the night with her. That would be too obvious though, wouldn't it?

"What about Carol?" he wondered.

"I don't think she'll be too much of a problem," Caroline shrugged. "I'm hoping she'll be too preoccupied with her other guests, but that might be wishful thinking. If she's really persistent about Tyler, just compliment her dress, flash her your blue eyes and dimpled grin and I'm sure she'll drop the topic," she laughed.

He smirked, wondering if those were the features she herself found most appealing about him physically.

Looking ahead to the Lockwood Mansion, he sighed, a nicotine craving emerging as his anxiety rose.

He wanted this night to go well for them, but he found himself second guessing everything...second guessing his feelings, second guessing hers, second guessing them. Fear of rejection was a nasty thing he'd never really experienced before...at least when it came to his personal life.

And while Damon was out of the way, at least temporarily for tonight, there was still the issue of Tyler Lockwood.

To Caroline, he seemed to be an ex-boyfriend relegated to the past.

He, however, felt uncertain.

It was difficult not to recall the way Tyler had affected her only a year ago after their encounter at Elijah and Elena's wedding.

Caroline and Tyler shared a history.

As he stared at the large looming house in front of him, he felt the weight of that history on his shoulders.

Now that Tyler had realized his mistake and was available, would Caroline be able to refuse the safer option? Tyler had everything to offer her now. He had a promising career, a sizeable bank account and trust fund, and well connected parents who adored her.

And while he made a decent living, there was nothing secure about it. His savings were dwindling the longer he resided in Mystic Falls, his parents had revoked his trust fund a long time ago, and they wanted nothing to do with him or Caroline. He really had nothing to offer her next to Tyler Lockwood.

The main doors to the house were opened for them by hired staff as they approached.

He loathed the pomp and circumstance of it all.

This was simply a party to give rich people a generous pat on the back for being generous themselves. It was ridiculous.

That said, he couldn't miss the sparkle in Caroline's eye as they entered and she took in the way the house had been transformed for the occasion.

Purples, golds, blacks, and reds were the dominating colours. Candles in ornate holders and other dim lighting set the mood, along with the music – which Caroline had successfully convinced Carol Lockwood to consist of a contemporary playlist from a DJ.

He waited for Caroline to hand her black trench coat off to another doorperson and then offer up the tickets they apparently needed to enter the exclusive event.

In exchange, Caroline was given two masquerade masks decorated in black and gold.

She handed him one.

"Put it on!" she encouraged lightheartedly, holding hers up to her face.

He had absolutely no desire to wear the mask, but he supposed it was a masquerade themed event, and he did agree to be her date. He didn't want to disappoint her.

So, he secured the mask and held out his hands questioningly.

Caroline laughed amusedly and he laughed back.

He was positively sure he looked ridiculous, but Caroline fit in perfectly with the theme of the party. She looked sexy and alluring and it was all he could do to stop himself from telling her so.

With the mask shielding part of her face, he was immediately drawn between her hypnotic blue eyes and her raspberry painted lips.

"Caroline! You're here!" he heard an unmistakable high-pitched voice say from behind him.

He turned around to see Carol and Richard Lockwood approaching them.

Carol's masquerade mask was gold to match the champagne colour of her dress – the dress Caroline had made.

"Carol," Caroline greeted her with an underlying hesitancy.

"You look gorgeous," Carol complimented her as they embraced in a polite hug.

"And so do you!" Caroline acknowledged her in return.

"She couldn't have done it without you," Richard said to Caroline, referring to the dress.

Carol nudged him in annoyance while Caroline blushed.

"Really, though, you did a marvelous job on the dress, Caroline," Carol assured her. "Everyone has been commenting on it," she said excitedly.

"I'm glad you like it," Caroline told her.

It was inevitable that Carol and Richard would begin to eye him with curiosity as talk of Carol's dress waned.

"Klaus, it's nice to see you again," Carol said to him with some reluctance.

"Likewise," he affirmed.

"Forgive me, but I thought you were attending tonight with Damon Salvatore?" Carol questioned Caroline confusedly.

"That was the original plan, and why I'm a little late," Caroline sighed. "Damon got called into work last minute, so, I asked Klaus if he wanted to come with me in his place. I didn't want to come alone. Everyone seems to be attending with a date."

"Who is with Grayson?" Carol asked, almost judgementally.

"April, my intern that the store offered to watch him so Klaus could come with me," Caroline explained quickly, clearly intent upon ensuring that Carol knew they had ensured Grayson was taken care of.

Carol frowned.

"Oh Caroline, you should have told me sooner. Tyler would have come by to pick you up. He would have loved to escort you tonight," Carol lamented.

He had to bite down the acid that rose in his throat and stop himself from rolling his eyes.

"That's very sweet of him," Caroline lied.

"He's around here somewhere," Richard said, glancing around the room.

"I'm sure he would love to catch up," Carol said with a bright-eyed smile on her face.

That was the last thing Caroline and Tyler needed to do, he thought bitterly.

"I'll keep an eye out for him," Caroline told her.

He could sense the annoyance and discomfort in her voice.

"How has the night been so far?" he asked Carol and Richard, stepping in to change the topic.

"I think we'll break donation records this year," Richard boasted proudly.

Caroline glanced at him thankfully.

"The donated items to the silent auction are of excellent quality this year," Carol added. "Ladies have been lining up to win a chance for you to make them a custom dress, Caroline," she informed them. "And Klaus, the painting you donated is certainly generating buzz."

Well at least his work was generating 'buzz' if not income, he mused to himself.

He noticed Caroline shoot him a quizzical look. She hadn't known that he had donated some of his work to the event.

"Your parents even donated to the fundraiser," Carol said to him happily. "They were so regretful that they couldn't attend. They've been wanting to come and visit Grayson since...the funeral...but you two have been too busy?" she stated, almost in a question.

Scowling on the inside, he affirmed Carol's inquiry. Mention of his parents made him seethe. He was sure the donation on behalf of his parents was a saving face tactic and something to remind both him and Caroline of their lingering presence.

"We have been busy. Grayson keeps us busy. It's hard to make time, and we're still getting used to the schedule and routine," Caroline explained to Carol, despite the fact that her excuses were entirely false.

They had been well adjusted to a routine for weeks now.

"Raising a little one isn't easy," Carol smiled. "Your mother and I had quite the time with you and Tyler," she reminisced. "That's probably why we only ever had one."

Richard agreed with a hearty laugh.

"It will be tough for you once Klaus returns to New York," Carol stated, eyeing them both curiously, attempting to gauge their reactions.

Both he and Caroline began to stammer.

"Oh look! Stefan and Meredith are just arriving, too!" Caroline said with an unmistakably relieved and grateful tone, pointing out the close and smiling couple at the door.

"We should go say hello," he suggested.

"If you don't mind," Caroline said to Richard and Carol in her best well-mannered tone, linking her arm with his and practically dragging him towards their convenient means of escape, barely giving him a chance to nod respectfully at the Lockwoods.

Stefan and Meredith were busy looking over their masquerade masks when they approached.

"Thank god, you're here," Caroline said under her breath just in case anyone else heard.

They both looked up, clearly not just surprised by their presence, but by the fact he was even beside her in the first place.

"Mrs. Lockwood on your case?" Meredith wondered, smiling as she waved to Carol in the distance.

"Klaus and I just got here and already she's mentioned Tyler," Caroline rolled her eyes.

Meredith and Stefan gave her incredulous looks.

"I didn't expect to see you here tonight," Stefan commented to him with an intrigued expression.

"Meredith probably told you that your brother got called into work," Caroline cut in. "I asked Klaus to come last minute."

Meredith seemed absolutely ecstatic with the development and despite Damon being his brother, Stefan looked pleased.

"Yeah, I'm the backup date and Tyler repellant," he joked, earning him a small offended glare from Caroline.

Even Stefan was glaring at him as though he said something he shouldn't.

"Any sign of Tyler yet?" Meredith wondered, ending the short awkward silence with an equally awkward topic.

Caroline shook her head thankfully.

"The place looks great," Meredith acknowledged as she surveyed the house and its decor like he had done earlier.

"It was mostly Carol that put everything together," Caroline acknowledged. "But it looks like she did consider some of my input."

"The parking arrangements could have been a little better," Stefan complained, but only half-seriously.

He smirked and nudged Stefan's shoulder playfully.

"Well, perhaps you shouldn't have been the last ones to arrive, huh mate?" he said to Stefan jovially.

"Well, I think we had a good excuse," Stefan retorted, a grin emerging on his lips as he and Meredith swapped smiles.

Both he and Caroline scowled at the same time.

"Spare me the details please," he cringed at the implication of Stefan's enthusiastic tone.

"Do you want to tell them or should I?" Stefan asked Meredith.

"How about you don't tell us anything," he laughed.

"I think we have a pretty good picture of why you were late," Caroline agreed.

Stefan and Meredith erupted into laughter.

"The both of you need to get your minds out of the gutter!" Meredith shook her head amusedly. "We weren't late because of that!"

She extended her left hand and the glimmer of the diamond on her ring finger caught his eye.

"OH MY GOD!" Caroline gasped excitedly, snatching her hand in hers to examine the ring more closely. "It's beautiful! I'm so happy for you!" she beamed, bringing Meredith into a hug, and then Stefan.

He still had his reservations about the entire thing, despite how sure Stefan had been about it when they spoke, but he had to acknowledge that they both looked undeniably happy.

"Congrats, mate," he told Stefan, patting him on the back and then offering his congratulations to Meredith with a small hug.

"How did he propose?!" Caroline demanded.

"He didn't exactly," Meredith sighed guiltily.

"What does that mean?" Caroline wondered.

"It means when I asked her to grab me my suit jacket tonight without thinking, she noticed the weight of the box in my pocket and decided to investigate for herself," Stefan explained with a joking annoyance in his voice. "I really had no choice but to propose then, even though I was planning on doing it later tonight."

"So, he proposed to me in our bedroom closet," Meredith laughed.

Caroline laughed alongside her and he couldn't help but crack a smile at the thought of Stefan down on one knee in a cramped closet – though he knew their closet was more like a small bedroom.

"That's cute, though," Caroline said. "You'll never forget it."

"No, I suppose we won't," Meredith agreed, Stefan kissing her on the temple as she leaned against him. "I guess this means I'm in the market for another dress," she hinted to Caroline.

"I would love to make your dress!" Caroline said giddily.

"I'm not sure how you're going to top this one though," Stefan wondered, admiring his fiancé.

Caroline shrugged confidently.

"I already have some ideas!" Caroline said enthusiastically as she stopped a passing waiter with a tray of champagne flutes. "We need champagne to celebrate!" she reasoned.

She handed Stefan and Meredith two glasses, before passing him one and taking one for herself.

"Congratulations guys! I wish you all the happiness in the world together. You deserve it!" Caroline toasted them, raising her glass.

The all clinked glasses and took generous sips of their champagne.

Soon after, Caroline was grabbing Meredith by the hand.

"Come on! Let's go find Camille and show her that huge rock on your finger," Caroline squealed.

---

Caroline and Meredith were still off somewhere, likely spreading the news of Stefan and Meredith's engagement.

He and Stefan had retreated to the bar for more celebratory drinks.

"That's quite the ring you got Meredith," he commented. "Are you sure you're not compensating for something?" he said teasingly.

Stefan glared at him before shoving his arm back.

"Very funny," Stefan groaned sarcastically.

He tipped his glass towards Stefan's with a mischievous smirk on his face.

"Really though, I'm happy for you," he told his long time friend.

Stefan arched a disbelieving eyebrow in his direction.

"I find that a little hard to believe," Stefan mused, "considering you tried to talk me out of proposing."

He laughed.

"I was only encouraging you to think seriously about what you were planning to do. Marriage is a big commitment. I didn't want you to make any hasty decisions," he shrugged innocently.

Stefan didn't seem entirely convinced.

"Look, the idea of marriage does nothing for me, but I get that you don't feel the same. You and Meredith are good together. If she makes you happy, then I can't really argue with that and I'm really happy for you," he assured Stefan.

"She does make me happy," Stefan confirmed with a satisfied grin, as they both noticed Meredith in the distance showing off her ring to Carol and a few others.

Caroline was no longer with her and he quickly found himself discreetly scanning the area for any sign of her. His worst fear was that she was off somewhere being wooed by Tyler Lockwood.

"So, what about what – or who - makes you happy?" Stefan inquired suggestively.

He took an eager sip of his drink, avoiding Stefan's question. They hadn't spoken about Caroline since the car ride back from the lake house last weekend.

Stefan's persistent glare was unavoidable.

"What do you mean?" he asked, playing dumb.

"You know exactly who I'm talking about, Klaus," Stefan scoffed. "Considering she was still planning on attending with Damon tonight before he got called into work, I'm going to assume you still haven't talked to her yet?" he pushed.

He shook his head, confirming Stefan's suspicions.

Stefan shot him a disappointed look.

"What's stopping you?" Stefan pushed.

"Maybe I'd rather avoid inevitable rejection?" he replied pessimistically.

"How do you know she's going to reject you?" Stefan countered. "She brought you here as her date tonight, didn't she?" he pointed out.

"As a friend," he emphasized quickly.

"Maybe she fears your rejection and that's why she's keeping her distance?" Stefan suggested. "She's certainly entitled to feel that way given all the circumstances."

He frowned and growled bitterly under his breath, knowing that Stefan probably had a point. Between the way he had left things with them a year ago, and the way he had been acting since he returned to Mystic Falls – particularly with Vicki Donovan – he hadn't exactly given Caroline any reason to put her heart on the line for him.

"Call it fate, or whatever you want, but there's a reason you're here with Caroline tonight instead of Damon," Stefan said. "This is your chance. Are you going to let your fear of her rejection prevent you from going after your happiness?"

"I planned to talk to her tonight," he said in his own defence.

"Then why the hell are you standing here wasting time talking to me?" Stefan chuckled critically, nodding his head to the other room where the silent auction items were on display.

Caroline was on her own, sipping from a nearly empty glass of red wine, staring curiously at his painting.

"Go talk to her," Stefan urged. "What are you waiting for?"

---

He approached her cautiously and nervously, a fresh glass of whiskey in one hand for himself and a full glass of red wine to replace her empty one.

"More wine?" he inquired, offering her the glass.

She gave him a small appreciative smile, taking the full glass and setting the empty one on a nearby side table.

Her eyes returned to the painting.

He didn't know what to say. When he was approached by Carol Lockwood and agreed to donate one of his paintings he had been working on to the silent auction, he thought it would be a separate event apart from the masquerade. He didn't think Caroline would ever see it, having assumed that the silent auction would be a closed event restricted to all the Lockwoods' wealthy friends.

His face went a little hot with embarrassment wondering how he should best explain himself.

"This looks familiar," Caroline spoke up, nodding towards the painting on display.

She looked over at him, a small unsure smile playing on her lips before she refocused on the painting tentatively.

He followed her gaze, daring to take a look at what he had painted. Another wave of self-conscious embarrassment rained down on him.

The painting was one he had finished that week. It was one of those paintings he couldn't stop himself from painting. It was where his inspiration had led; he had tried to stop it but failed. He had never painted something like it before. He was used to abstract landscapes and lone individuals, not darkened scenes of shadowed lovers in bed. The woman was astride the man, sitting in his lap, while the man looked up at her in what he considered to be adoration – though his expression was indiscernible.

What was discernible – and the most colourful – however, was the pair of red heart-shaped glasses on the nightstand.

"I...uh..." he stammered.

"So this is where your inspiration led you?" she questioned curiously. "To me?"

It always led to her these days it seemed, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.

"You're an inspiring woman," he said with a shrug, meaning it innocently, entirely unprepared for how it sounded.

He saw her hold back a smile as her cheeks began to redden.

Say something, his mind urged him. He saw Stefan and Meredith by the bar pretending not to stare, both of them silently encouraging him to as well.

"I'm not sure if I should be offended that you're giving it away," she frowned.

"Art is meant to be shared," he told her.

She smirked before breaking into laughter.

He looked at her confusedly, curious to know what was causing her laughter. Was she laughing at him?

"What's so funny?" he asked, almost defensively.

"Rumour has it that Tyler Lockwood has put in the highest bid," Caroline informed him. "Carol says he's become quite the art connoisseur and is in the middle of decorating a new condo he's just purchased."

He snorted at the idea of Tyler Lockwood ever knowing a thing about art. Nevertheless, a devilish grin formed on his face as he thought about Tyler Lockwood having the winning bid on his work – especially this piece.

Tyler Lockwood would have a painting of his ex-girlfriend bedding another man – him – hanging somewhere in his home. He would see it every day. His friends would compliment him. He would brag about it, never knowing the true identities of the subjects depicted.

One day, perhaps he or Caroline would tell him, but not until then.

The look he imagined on Tyler's face when he discovered the truth was priceless.

"Are you going to tell him?" he questioned.

Caroline shook her head decidedly, taking a sip of her wine before setting it on the table with her empty glass.

"I kind of like the idea of him hanging this painting somewhere in his condo. I never did get an opportunity for revenge," she said with a devious grin.

He liked that she was on the same wavelength as him in regards to the painting.

Looking back to the bar, he no longer saw Stefan and Meredith, but he did see Tyler Lockwood, and it appeared as though he had seen them as well.

"Speaking of Tyler Lockwood," he said lowly, setting his drink down, gently clasping Caroline's wrist, pulling her into the main room of dancing guests, hopefully throwing Tyler off their path.

Couples eyed them with annoyance as they seemed to interrupt the romantic ambiance of the slow music and dancing with their laughter and urgency.

They settled down as they realized the disturbance they caused and the short distance between them.

Mustering some courage, he cleared his throat and offered Caroline his hand.

"May I have this dance?" he asked her sincerely.

Her expression was hard to read. She looked nervous and excited, but he couldn't be sure which one.

She nodded with a small anxious smile, taking his hand.

He led her out, closer to the centre of the room, before turning to face her and placing his hand modestly around her waist.

Not in a million years had he ever expected he would be dancing with her again like they had at Elijah and Elena's wedding. Sure, thoughts of it had crossed his mind from time to time, but he hardly thought he would see her again, let alone dance with her. Yet, here they were.

He admired the sight of her hand in his. He liked the way hers fit into his. He liked the way his other hand felt against the small of her back, and the way her other hand felt clutched against his shoulder.

As they began to dance, he was reminded of how effortless this was with her. She was Miss Mystic Falls, he reminded to himself amusedly. She really was an impeccable dancer, and he found himself silently thanking his wretched mother for forcing him into those dancing lessons with Rebekah.

Caroline's eyes were wandering busily around the room. His were trained upon her, taking her in, admiring her beauty, savouring the scent of her perfume.

Looking over her forearm, he noticed the goose bumps on her skin.

"Cold?" he asked her with a smile.

She glanced at him briefly.

"Conflicted," she replied vaguely.

"About?" he wondered.

There was a delay in her response before she shrugged nonchalantly.

"About whether or not I should call April and check in on Grayson," she admitted, though he got the impression that's not what she originally meant. "April hasn't responded to my texts."

Despite his suspicions to the contrary, he went along with her answer.

"Maybe she's not replying because she's doing her job," he proposed rationally. "When did you text her?" he asked.

"Just before you started talking to me in the other room," she revealed, "like fifty times."

He snorted.

"Sweetheart, one message is just effective as fifty, and that was barely fifteen minutes ago. Just relax. Grayson is fine. If he wasn't, April would have called you," he attempted to reassure her.

The contorted expression on her face suggested that she still wasn't satisfied.

"April probably thinks I'm crazy," Caroline sighed.

"There's no such thing as caring too much," he told her. "Though, Grayson might think so when he's older," he laughed.

A smile cracked on her lips as his comment likely triggered the same image in her mind of her as an obsessive mother.

"Do you want me to call April?" he offered.

Though he wouldn't admit it, he was also a little concerned about how Grayson was doing.

Caroline's eyes lit up.

"Would you?" she asked. "I would call, but I already sent her all those texts. I really don't want to actually want her to think I'm crazy."

"I'll call her," he decided.

Caroline nodded thankfully.

"You were really good with him tonight," he told her. "It probably would have taken me an hour to get him to settle down," he admitted. "You're becoming a great mother to him."

She gave him a modest and insecure look.

"Do you really think I would have been able to apply first aid to Grayson without becoming a mess half-way through?" she questioned rhetorically, offering him a compliment. "You're becoming an amazing father to him – which is something I didn't think I would ever be saying," she laughed, "but it's true."

Her unexpected words made him smile and his chest tighten with anxiety, fear, and pride.

"Oh and for the record, when he's older, you get to tell him all about puberty," she stated with a smirk.

"That's fine," he chuckled, "I'll just tell him that he should probably talk to you about it."

She glared at him with an unimpressed but entertained expression.

"We'll see about that," she said disapprovingly as he raised a challenging eyebrow.

They continued to dance silently, passing Meredith and Stefan a few times in the process. It was almost painful how metaphoric their dance really was. As they danced around the room, they danced around all of the things left unsaid between them.

Tonight, after they returned from the masquerade, he would talk to her.

When the song came to a close and another slow song began, he was surprised to find Caroline quite content to continue dancing with him.

That was until a cleared throat interrupted them.

"Mind if I cut in?" that familiar self-assured voice said.

Tyler Lockwood was standing beside them expectantly, a cocky grin on his face, waiting for an answer.

"Tyler..." Caroline said with surprise and hesitation.

He looked to Caroline, confirming her unsure reaction.

"Sure," Caroline said reluctantly, giving him an apologetic smile as she released his hand for Tyler's.

Gritting his teeth, he tried to conceal his displeasure in an effort to match Caroline's politeness. The last thing he felt like being was polite. Caroline should have refused Tyler. She was too nice for her own good sometimes.

He turned back for the bar, preferring not to watch as Tyler tried to work his charm on Caroline.

"Klaus! It appears as though my son has abandoned me as a dance partner and my husband is nowhere to be found," Carol said. "Would you dance with me?"

Dancing with Carol Lockwood was not something on his list of priorities. He wanted to get out of this room altogether, but he knew how his rejection would look. Swallowing down the urge to make up some excuse as to why he could no longer dance, he offered her his hand begrudgingly.

"Enjoying the evening so far?" he asked her, making polite small talk.

"Oh yes, it's been wonderful. I think Richard is right; we should surpass our fundraising goal this year," Carol said excitedly.

"That's great," he said, feigning enthusiasm.

She nodded.

"Thank you for donating that painting by the way. You are very talented. Mikael and Esther must be so proud," she said.

If only she knew the truth about his parents beyond the facade they conveyed.

"Tyler is hoping to decorate his new condo with art. He put in a bid for your work," Carol informed him.

He nodded interestedly, attempting to hold back the laugh he wanted to release.

They continued to dance, and he continued to avoid looking for Caroline and Tyler in the room.

"After his break up with Hayley he's really trying to start anew...perhaps tonight will be the start of that for him," Carol said optimistically, her eyes staring over at Tyler and Caroline adoringly.

He cringed.

"He knows he made a foolish mistake. I hope Caroline can forgive him. They were always so good together. Tyler deserves a good girl like her," Carol sighed.

But what about what Caroline deserved? She deserved more than Tyler Lockwood – someone who would always put her second, someone who knew nothing of commitment and loyalty.

Sure, he may have not had much experience with those things either, but he knew what they meant. He had never betrayed them.

"Caroline will need a man around once you've left for New York...someone to take care of her and Grayson," Carol continued. "Grayson needs a father figure."

He tensed and rage nearly overwhelmed him. Caroline didn't need someone to take care of her, and she already had someone to help her with Grayson. Grayson already had a father figure.

"Not that you aren't a father figure...I just meant that Grayson will need someone more permanent in his life," Carol backtracked, having realized the implication of her words.

What if Grayson were to live with him primarily? He thought to himself.

"Tyler is in Washington," he stated.

Carol shrugged.

"Oh, Caroline and Grayson could move. They would be closer to New York that way for you too," she said, as though it was no big deal. "Caroline wouldn't have to work. She could make dresses as a hobby."

He couldn't believe he was actually hearing what he was come from her mouth. Caroline would never want to move to Washington. She would never give up her job.

Carol smiled innocently, laughing lightly.

"But I suppose I shouldn't get ahead of myself," she said, as the song came to an end.

"No, you probably shouldn't," he said as agreeably as possible. "Excuse me," he said, mustering the best fake smile he could before darting off quickly towards the bar.

---

"Scotch, neat," he ordered from the bartender.

Having recognized him from earlier, the bartender studied him for a moment, looking for any visible signs of intoxication before proceeding to fix his drink.

He definitely wasn't intoxicated yet, but that didn't mean he didn't plan on becoming that way soon.

The bartender handed him the drink and he nearly ripped it from his hand, he was that eager.

At least there was one good thing about this event: the open bar.

He savoured the taste, longing for its numbing effect.

"I take it you're not a big fan of these either?"

He turned around to see Camille standing behind him.

She was smiling anxiously at him, her hands wrapped securely around a glass of white wine.

"How could you tell?" he inquired, taking another generous sip of his drink as he caught himself looking over Camille in her black and white cocktail dress.

They weren't even together and Caroline was making him feel guilty for something he wouldn't have given a second thought about doing a few months ago.

"Why are you here?" he asked, deciding to engage her in some harmless conversation.

Perhaps it would make the time pass faster. Or, maybe he it would take his mind off where Caroline currently was with Tyler and what they could be talking about.

"My cousin works for Mayor Lockwood. His boyfriend is out of town on business. He needed a plus one," she shrugged. "I also couldn't miss seeing the dresses I helped Caroline work on in action. They look incredible."

He nodded in agreement.

"I hear Caroline has a wedding dress to design," Camille noted.

With his mind caught between Damon Salvatore and Tyler Lockwood, Camille's mention of Caroline designing a wedding dress unnerved him, until he realized who she was referring to.

"Meredith and Stefan look so happy tonight," she added.

"They do," he said, not really sure what to say.

"But you definitely don't," she laughed.

"Well, discretion isn't one of my strong suits," he admitted.

He had been enjoying himself up until the moment Tyler had decided to show his face

"It was nice of you to come for Caroline after Damon had to bail," Camille commented. "Though, by the looks of things, you aren't doing a very good job as her date," she pointed out, nodding towards the other side of the room where Caroline was talking with Tyler and his parents.

The four of them were smiling and laughing and his jaw clenched bitterly at the sight.

"She couldn't avoid him the entire night," he shrugged. "This is his parents' party and their house."

Camille seemed to accept his point but was still dissatisfied.

"He doesn't deserve the time of day from her after what he did to her," she said. "Caroline is a good person. She deserves someone who isn't going to be so careless with her heart."

He tensed, unsure if she was implying something about him. His self doubt got the better of him.

"She does," he agreed, gazing longingly at the vibrant blonde beauty across the room, rather than the one standing next to him.

Despite the fact that Carolne was smiling and giggling at whatever Lockwood and his parents were rambling on about, he still found himself grinning. She was truly infectious.

"You know, when Caroline first told me that she was going to be raising Grayson with you, I thought it was going to be a disaster," Camille confessed. "But you two have this really great friendship dynamic going."

He was only half paying attention to what Camille had said, still somewhat entranced by Caroline. However, he had heard the last part of her comment quite clear. He and Caroline were friends.

No longer feeling social, he swallowed the rest of his drink without so much as a wince.

"Speaking of Grayson, I'm on babysitting the babysitter duty," he said with a slight chuckle, attempting to brush over his frustration and annoyance over Camille's innocent observations and Tyler's not so innocent efforts to win Caroline back.

He removed his phone from his pocket to bolster his claim.

Camille rolled her eyes amusedly.

"Caroline's texted April a million times tonight; she's paranoid," she said, laughing slightly at Caroline's obsessive behaviour.

"Which is why I need to go make this call to April before Caroline gets on me about it," he told her.

"She's my boss. Trust me, I know what that's like," Camille said understandingly.

---

After getting off the phone with April, he removed his mask and bummed a cigarette off of another unfamiliar guest who was waiting to be retrieved by a cab.

He had opted to make the call out front as there were festivities going on out back despite the weather still being a little chilly.

April had just gotten Grayson down to sleep. He'd been awake since they left, apparently. He assured her Grayson wasn't normally this way. She didn't seem upset or annoyed, but he doubted she would ever be volunteering to babysit Grayson again. He felt bad. He knew Caroline would feel a million times worse. He decided not to tell her until she asked. Hopefully she'd forget and he wouldn't have to dampen her night until it was over.

As he took a drag from his cigarette, he considered sitting out on the step for the remainder of the night.

It was quiet and he didn't have to be confronted with Tyler and Caroline. He was sure Caroline was only acting, but for a part of him, the ease with which she conversed with Tyler was too real. Or, perhaps he was just being paranoid.

He put the cigarette out with his foot and threw the butt out in one of the flowerbeds.

If he had been thinking ahead, he would have asked the person he grabbed the smoke off of for a mint or gum. The second he met up with Caroline again he knew she would be able to smell it on him and she probably wouldn't let up about it either.

He was about to go back inside, deciding to find a way to cover up his lingering habit before he forgot, until he heard that cocky voice he loathed approaching from the side of the house.

Expecting Caroline to be with him, he was surprised when Tyler was with a guy instead. They appeared to be friends.

Tyler hadn't noticed him from where he was sitting; a potted plant shielded him from his view.

"Thanks for coming out Uncle Mason, it was good to see you again," Tyler said, giving the other man a hug.

Mason Lockwood, he thought. Now he knew why the guy had looked somewhat familiar. Mason was closer in age to Finn and Elijah. They attended high school together.

"Let's not leave it this long next time," Mason told him. "I gotta come up to DC sometime."

"Nah, I'm definitely coming to visit you in Miami," Tyler shook his head decidedly. "Women and warm weather, what more could you want?" he laughed.

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists together. According to Carol Lockwood, her son had full intentions of reclaiming Caroline's heart, and here he was planning a questionable trip to Miami.

Mason pointed an accusatory finger at his nephew.

"Aren't you supposed to be in there getting Caroline to forgive you?" he snickered.

"I'm not her boyfriend again, yet," Tyler shrugged confidently.

"Yet?" Mason repeated.

"Did you see us in there? She was eating out of the palm of my hand," Tyler mused. "She was practically begging for me to take her back."

Mason arched his eyebrow questioningly.

"I got this," Tyler told him. "Hell, she'd probably sleep with me tonight if Klaus wasn't lurking and she didn't have a kid to go home to."

"That kid is gonna be around if you intend on getting back together with her," Mason pointed out.

Tyler shrugged again indifferently.

"I know, but that's Caroline's thing, not mine," he said.

He was about to jump up and slam Tyler's face right into the pavement but an unfamiliar girl came running out of the front door demanding that Mason wait for her as another taxi pulled up.

"So that's why you didn't want to take one of the guest rooms," Tyler grinned, as the semi intoxicated woman draped herself against Mason.

It was obvious the pair had just met.

"Let me know when you wanna come down to Miami," Mason told Tyler as he helped the girl into the cab.

"Yeah for sure!" Tyler replied, shutting the back door of the cab as Mason slipped inside.

As the cab began to pull away, Tyler started in his direction.

He was fuming at Tyler now, furious that he could talk about Caroline like she was a doormat and enraged that he could talk about Grayson like he was a disposable piece of garbage. Tyler and Damon were two peas in a pod. How could Caroline fall for it?

Acting on liquor, rage, and adrenaline, he stood up from the steps, taking Tyler completely by surprise.

"Evening, mate," he said casually.

Tyler's face was ghost white.

"Klaus...I didn't know you were out here," Tyler replied hesitantly.

"Clearly," he said as the muscles in his face tightened bitterly.

It was obvious Tyler was trying to carefully determine what his next words would be.

"I guess I should probably let you get back inside," he said to Tyler, stepping side. "I'm sure Caroline is waiting to eat out of the palm of your hand and beg you to take her back some more," he spat sarcastically. "You know, before she has to go home to that thing."

His confirmation that he had heard everything Tyler said to Mason only made Tyler grow paler.

"Look, you don't know what you're talking about," Tyler stammered. "Just stay out of it Mikaelson," Tyler warned before cowardly attempting to return inside.

That's when he threw the first punch, slamming his fist squarely against Tyler's jaw.

"I think I know exactly what I'm talking about, Lockwood," he hissed, throwing another punch as Tyler lunged at him.

Tyler's fist brushed his forehead, and he could feel a ring Tyler had been wearing slice his skin open.

They both backed up briefly to regain their bearings. He could feel his forehead bleeding, and he could see crimson dripping from Tyler's nose.

"So that's what this is? You're jealous aren't you?" Tyler laughed breathlessly. "Caroline is never going to want you. She knows what you are. She knows how pathetic you..."

Before Tyler could finish his sentence, he threw himself forwards, punching Tyler again, sending him staggering back onto the front driveway.

"You will never be anything to her," Tyler baited him as he wiped his nose with his hand.

"This has nothing to do with me," he growled. "It has everything to do with you and what a blind fool you are. You don't deserve her and she knows that. She wants nothing to do with you."

Tyler lunged forward once more, knocking him backwards against the front steps. Tyler's fist crashed against his face in one angry blow disorienting him as he hissed in pain.

He shielded his face with his arm and Tyler's second punch went for his ribs.

"Tyler, what the hell are you doing?!" he heard Caroline's voice demand as Tyler connected his foot with his stomach.

Caroline provided an effective distraction, catching Tyler off guard and giving him the chance to stand and tackle Tyler to the ground.

He heard Caroline's heels clicking frantically as she drew closer, but he disregarded her, pinning Tyler to the ground, delivering several hits to Tyler's face.

"Klaus! Get off of him!" Caroline pleaded behind him, grabbing the back of his suit jacket in an attempt to pull him off Tyler, but he didn't let up. "Klaus! Stop!" she yelled, this time using enough force to separate him from Tyler.

He staggered as he attempted to stand. Caroline helped him regain his balance.

Tyler was still on his back on the ground, his face red with blood.

He approached Tyler once more.

"Klaus you've done enough!" Caroline scolded him in protest.

Despite Caroline's protests and efforts to hold him back, he kicked his foot against Tyler's side and spat in his face.

With that, he turned around, glancing at a very angry Caroline as she brushed by him for Tyler.

He scowled bitterly, bringing a hand to his face to inspect his own injuries. He could feel the blood against his cheek and he could taste copper in his mouth.

"Tyler, I'm so sorry. Klaus...he..." Caroline started guiltily.

He watched as she kneeled down and attempted to help Tyler up.

Tyler rebuffed her.

"Don't touch me," Tyler spat, attempting to stand on his own. "Get your fucking boyfriend under control. Better yet, get him off my parents' property before I call the police."

"He's not my..." Caroline started as Tyler ignored her and started for the house. "Tyler, please. I'm sure this was just a misunderstanding," she continued, trying to do damage control, following after him.

Tyler spun around to face her, in a way that almost seemed threatening.

He moved closer instinctively, the urge to protect Caroline from Tyler's aggression.

"When I told you to leave, I meant it," Tyler spat rudely.

Caroline stepped back, likely in shock at Tyler's reaction.

"It was a mistake coming back here for you," Tyler shook his head at her dismissively.

Caroline scoffed at him incredulously.

"You're right, it was. You obviously didn't listen the first time when I told you I wanted nothing more to do with you," Caroline hissed, turning on her heel for the driveway.

He raised his eyebrows at Tyler triumphantly.

"You heard the lady, mate," he mused.

"You son of a..." Tyler started.

"Klaus, shut up," Caroline interrupted Tyler, chastising him as she stormed by.

Both he and Tyler grovelled under their breaths, Tyler turning back for the house and he for an infuriated Caroline.

---

"Sweetheart, where are you going?" he called after her as she walked determinedly down the driveway towards the road.

"Home," she said bitterly.

He tried to jog after her but his side was in pain from the kick to the stomach he had sustained from Tyler.

"You're not sober enough to drive," he reasoned.

"I'll walk," she answered flatly.

There was no way she was going to be able to walk back to the house from the Lockwood's. It was too far.

"In your heels? You don't even have your coat," he reminded her.

"I'll be fine!" she persisted as she reached the road.

He had finally caught up to her.

"Why are you following me?" she demanded as he continued to walk behind her.

"Well, in case you didn't notice, I also got kicked out of the party, love," he pointed out.

She scoffed.

"And I only got kicked out because of you!" she said accusatorily.

"Tyler started it!" he said defensively.

Caroline laughed mockingly.

"You sound like a five year old!" she groaned.

Ignoring her, he called for a taxi, explaining to dispatch their location on the road that led to the Lockwoods. Luckily, his phone had not been damaged during his altercation with Tyler.

They walked silently towards town as they waited for the cab to find them.

When he noticed her shivering from the cool night air, he removed his dirty suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

She offered no words, but he noticed her clutch the jacket closed in front of her.

The cab arrived before he could say anything, pulling off to the side of the road to let them get in.

It was a quiet ride with both of them avoiding the small talk the cab driver was attempting to make.

Fortunately, the cab driver hadn't noticed the blood on his face and shirt that was beginning to dry.

Caroline climbed out of the cab quickly when they pulled up out front of the house, leaving him to pay the cab fare.

"You were smoking outside weren't you?" she said, breaking the silence as he followed her up the walkway.

He didn't confirm or deny it.

"I can smell it on your jacket," she said. "So, because you decided you needed a cigarette, this whole night ended in disaster," she lamented.

"I don't think my cigarette was the cause of Tyler being a pretentious asshole," he argued. "He was the one who..."

"Yes, yes, he's the one who started it," she rolled her eyes. "That doesn't mean you had to stoop to his level," she retorted.

"But..." he protested.

"But what?" she countered as she opened the front door. "Because of what you did the night is ruined and you probably just sabotaged any future business relationship I could ever hope to have with Carol Lockwood. I should have never asked you to come," she sighed in frustration.

"Well whose fault was that?" he snapped back.

She scowled loudly, kicking off her heels and heading into the kitchen where a curious and confused April had appeared.

He stormed upstairs, quieting only when he noticed Grayson's bedroom door closed.

The last thing he needed right now was for Grayson to wake up.

With the trouble he gave April, he knew wouldn't be easy to get him back to sleep.

He went to his room first to strip himself of his bloodied clothing and find a remedy for his pounding head and throbbing side.

Opening one of Elijah's desk drawers, he was rewarded with the bottle of whiskey he had come across one of the first weeks he had gotten here.

He reached for the dark bottle and twisted off the cap eagerly, taking a swig. This would surely dull the pain, at least for now.

Faintly, he could hear Caroline's fake chipper voice talking to April as she saw her out. They were talking about Grayson, but he couldn't decipher their exact words. He did hear April refuse to accept any money for babysitting and Caroline firmly insisting. April said goodnight and Caroline told her that she would see her on Monday.

After that, the door closed and he heard Caroline lock up and begin to climb the stairs. He half expected her to burst into his room and start yelling at him again, but she didn't.

She entered her room and shut the door behind her.

Upon helping himself to another shot of liquor, he began to fight with his blood stained tie. Once that was successfully removed, he started unbuttoning his dress shirt.

A few minutes and another sip of whiskey later, he heard Caroline return downstairs.

He listened as he draped the ruined dress shirt and tie over the desk chair. They were most likely garbage. There was no way those blood stains were coming out. Even his undershirt had been touched by blood that had seeped through the material.

Groaning in annoyance, he pulled that shirt off too. He might as well just have a shower before bed to wash off the blood and clean out his wounds.

Once he pulled his shirt over his head and looked up, he was surprised to see Caroline standing tentatively in the doorway.

She had changed, now dressed in a white cotton and lace camisole along with purple and pink plaid sleep shorts. Her hair had since been let down and it framed her face in messy curls. The intense make up she had been wearing for the party had since been removed. She looked beautiful and it was torture.

Holding up her hands, he noticed what appeared to be a first aid kit and a wet cloth in one, and an ice pack in the other.

"It's a good thing you left this out," she said, referring to the first aid kit.

"I'm fine," he told her, pointing to the liquor bottle.

She scoffed and welcomed herself into his room.

"You look terrible," she said.

"Thanks," he said sarcastically as she set the items she had brought with her on the desk beside him.

"Those cuts need to be cleaned, and that gash on your forehead definitely needs to be cleaned," she stated.

"I was getting to that," he explained.

She handed him the ice pack.

"I noticed you clenching your stomach on the way home. Tyler got you pretty good," she said as he sat on the edge of the desk.

He nodded and winced as he placed the cold object over his side.

"There's going to be a good bruise there," he shrugged.

"Does anything feel broken? Maybe we should have gotten Meredith to take a look?" Caroline suggested.

He shook his head.

"It's fine. I'm fine," he repeated to her, annoyed by her concern.

Ignoring his assurances, she moved in between his legs and lifted the cloth to his face.

Sitting quietly, he concentrated on the ice pack as Caroline began to wipe away the dried blood, ignoring how close she was to him. He could reach out and pull her into him if he wanted. He griped the edge of the desk with his free hand in response to his thoughts.

"Could you maybe be a little gentler?" he hissed.

Caroline glared at him and continued to clean, obviously still angry with him.

He knew this was definitely not how Caroline expected her night to go. He felt guilty.

"I'm sorry for ruining your night," he apologized.

"Don't be," she said flatly, moving the cloth to his cheek.

"I'm sorry for not making sure you were okay earlier," she said.

"Don't be," he replied.

Caroline sighed, dropping the cloth and rummaging through the first aid kit.

"Tyler said some awful things. I was defending you," he tried to explain without wanting to go into any detail about what Tyler had said.

"I know," she said softly.

She avoided his eyes, looking down in the kit instead.

"I'm not some damsel in distress who needs to be saved," she pointed out.

"I know," he told her.

"I don't need you to look out for me," she said sternly, looking him in the eye.

"I'll always look out for you," he told her defiantly, echoing what he had already made clear to her a few weeks ago.

Caroline gave him a small knowing smile, raising her hand once more to his face.

"Ow! What the hell?" he lamented as Caroline began to apply some ointment to the wound on his forehead.

"Shhh Grayson is sleeping!" she chided.

"That hurt!" he protested, trying to swat her hand away from his face.

"Do you want me to help you or not?" she asked. "It's antibiotic. It's not even supposed to sting. Stop being so dramatic," she scowled as she rolled her eyes.

He huffed impatiently as Caroline finished applying the antibiotic.

As she placed the small tube back in the kit and searched for something else to torture him with in retaliation for her ruined night, she began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" he asked defensively, under the impression he was the butt of some inside joke.

She shook her head, trying to hold back her laughter.

"You and Grayson are twins now," she shrugged, referring to the wound on his forehead.

He raised his eyebrows incredulously.

"What? It's cute," she mused. "We'll have to take a picture of the two of you tomorrow."

"So you can send it to Kol and Rebekah and humiliate me?" he concluded.

She smirked guiltily.

"No," he refused.

"Come on," she cajoled, shoving his shoulder playfully.

"No," he repeated, a small smile forming on his lips.

"Okay fine," she shrugged. "I'll just tell them how much of a baby you were compared to Grayson – the actual baby."

"I think my injuries were a bit more serious, love," he argued.

"Please," she chuckled. "They're bumps, cuts, and bruises. You're fine," she countered.

"Grayson cried the entire time," he reminded her.

"You whined and complained the entire time," she retorted. "You're also supposed to be the adult."

He scoffed.

"And now you're pouting!" Caroline observed with amusement. "You are a bigger baby than Grayson!" she confirmed. "Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?" she said, mocking him with a fake pout of her own. "Come here, I'll kiss your boo boo better too," she laughed, pulling his head down with her hands on either side of his face to kiss the wound on his forehead jokingly.

Despite the comedic context of her actions, his body couldn't help but tense as she pursed her lips animatedly, moving from his forehead to kiss the bruise and cut on his cheek.

Her laughter quieted and he noticed her body still. Her hands remained stationary against his face as she pulled back slowly, staring into his eyes with uncertainty.

The mood had shifted and they were both acutely aware of it.

He expected for her to stammer, to apologize and pull away, but she remained in place, her eyes darting between his eyes and the cut to the corner lip – the remaining wound to his face she hadn't yet kissed.

Remaining completely still, afraid any sudden movement would scare her off, he waited for her.

His heart was pounding like a relentless drum and he wondered if she could hear it.

She lowered her face towards his, bringing him closer with her hands.

He sucked in a surprised breath as her lips brushed against his cut hesitatingly.

She was barely touching him, but his body was ablaze with lust.

Pulling back slightly, her mouth mere inches from his, she eyed him searchingly.

Leaning in once more, she kissed his bottom lip.

She repeated this action a few more times guardedly, pulling back and then leaning in, each time deepening the kiss a little further, letting her mouth linger against his.

Before long, she was parting his lips with her tongue and her kiss grew more desperate.

He was going desperate as well, having allowed her to explore him without any reciprocation. He didn't want to pressure her.

Unable to resist any longer, he curled one hand around her hip pulling her body into his, while the other dropped the ice pack and tangled itself in her hair keeping her lips close.

She whimpered as their tongues met eagerly.

He kissed her longingly, still in disbelief that this was actually happening. He had been yearning to taste her lips since the moment he left her the first time. No kiss shared with anyone else had come close to this feeling.

Reversing their positions, he lifted her up speedily, sitting her on the desk.

Her hands pawed at his naked skin while their mouths made up for lost time.

His own hands revelled in the soft feeling of her bare thighs as he encouraged her to wrap her legs around his waist.

Their bodies were flush against each other.

But the hypnotic friction wasn't enough for either of them.

The clothes still separating them were too much. He craved to feel her bare flesh pressed up to his.

She slid off the desk, stepping forward, pushing him towards the bed as their lips fought hungrily.

When he felt the mattress behind him, he sat down obligingly, pulling Caroline down with him.

She straddled his waist, grinding her hips down upon him ardently.

His body shook in response to the pleasurable sigh she released against his lips.

He outlined her face lightly with his fingertips to confirm he wasn't dreaming.

While his mouth planted kisses down her neck, his hands wandered down her back and over the curve of her bottom, and then up to the curve of her breasts. He couldn't get enough of her.

He caressed the tender mounds delicately much to Caroline's approval.

As his mouth descended along her collarbone, he tugged her shirt down slowly, revealing her bare skin.

Her hips moved against him more intensely and her hands entwined themselves in his hair, encouraging his mouth towards her breasts.

She was breathing frantically when he cupped the swell of her breast in his hand and grazed the other with his mouth.

His free hand guided her hips as they rocked against his aching arousal.

They were barely touching and yet, he was already beginning to feel lightheaded, intoxicated with desire for her; the pleasure was becoming almost unbearable.

Swirling his tongue around her left nipple, he could hear her own heart pounding rapidly.

Before long, her whimpers and sighs grew into full fledged moans of delight.

He continued his movements, eager to make her come undone.

It took him a few moments to realize, however, that Caroline had stopped and she was motionless against him.

Her body was no longer moving with his, and she was completely quiet.

He peered up at her curiously.

She had tears in her eyes.

"Caroline..."

Before he could ask her what was wrong, she slid off him unexpectedly, pulling up her shirt frantically as she stood.

"I'm sorry," she stammered.

"Caroline, what's wrong?" he asked confusedly, reaching out for her as he stood.

"Nothing...I didn't mean to. We shouldn't have done that," she faltered, turning away from him shakily.

He didn't understand.

"Is this about Grayson?" he asked. "You're worried about Grayson?"

"I'm not just worried about Grayson," she said bitingly.

"Talk to me," he urged desperately, brushing his hand over her shoulder.

"Don't touch me," she cried, shirking at his touch as she spun around to face him, tears pouring from her eyes, her body trembling.

Instinctively, he moved closer in an attempt to comfort her, but she backed away.

"Don't!" she said. "Please don't," she begged. "This was a mistake. I shouldn't have let this happen."

"Caroline," he pleaded.

"I'm sorry," she said, scurrying for the doorway, leaving him standing there utterly dumbfounded.

He heard her bedroom door slam shut.

Her sobs echoed through the wall and cut through his heart like a knife.

---

A/N: Sooooo...stuff and things happened...maybe not exactly the way you wanted, but they definitely happened. What did you think? What is Caroline thinking? Did their "first" kiss live up to your expectations? I suppose I've been outdone by seeing the real thing on TVD 100, lol. I understand.

Next time: Klaus and Caroline attempt to deal with the aftermath of their encounter. Hurt and confused, Klaus attempts to slip back into old habits and Caroline attempts to follow suit. Klaus's efforts are impeded by someone unexpected who forces him to make some significant realizations. Caroline also makes some important realizations of her own. Their realizations have stunning implications for relationships and the future when they are acted on.

Any ideas or speculations?