Author's note: This was created for the 12 Steps for Klaroline Xmas event (Step 8: Celebrities (actors, musicians, youtubers, etc.) Media mogul Caroline has traveled to Mystic Falls to find out what's happened to Rebekah. Given what her friend has told her about Klaus, it's safe to assume he's daggered her again. Good thing Caroline's not above using Klaus' misguided notion that she's a helpless human to her advantage...

Warning: A tiny bit of smut – enjoy!


"The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy, we can all sense a mysterious connection to each other."
― Meryl Streep


One word from me and I could sic an entire nation of soccer mom book club members on this self-important asshat, Caroline thought disdainfully as she furiously pounded on the elaborately carved double doors of the ostentatious mansion. Although best known for her talk show, Seriously?!, over the past decade, Caroline had built an impressive media empire that was responsible for launching several television networks and movie production companies helmed by women. Her legions of fans knew her to be extraordinarily empathetic — eager to listen and always willing to help her talk show guests' resolve their conflicts and live their best lives possible — they just didn't know that she was aided by her marvelous abilities as an empath.

The Forbes' line of witches, while not known for their power, occasionally did produce gifted empaths, and among her people, it was whispered that Caroline possessed the strongest abilities seen in centuries. Right now, her own feelings of rage and frustration were drowning out everything else in the vicinity, because she could no longer feel Rebekah's spirit. She was a very close friend, and based on Rebekah's stories about her megalomaniac brother, this could only mean he'd decided to dagger her during one of his childish tantrums.

When the door swung open to reveal a scowling hybrid, she couldn't help but momentarily forget her mission when she noticed how ridiculously attractive he was in person. It was absolutely criminal how the pictures on Rebekah's phone hadn't prepared her for those beautifully sculpted features. As his sneer gave way to a mocking grin, her temper flared and she recalled why she was there. "What the hell did you do?!"

Seemingly taken aback by her ire, Klaus raised an eyebrow as he said, "Quite bold of you to appear on my doorstep unannounced, Caroline Forbes. I've done a great many things. You'll need to be a touch more specific."

"You know who I am?" She cringed at the surprise in her voice as she blurted out the question, unable to mask her surprise that this centuries' old creature, a bit of a celebrity in his own right in most supernatural circles, would recognize her.

Klaus favored her with a lazy grin, his tone suddenly flirty as he answered, "Of course I know who you are. I doubt there's a corner of the world that doesn't at least have passing familiarity with you. Quite the influential empire you've carved out for yourself, love."

Caroline blushed at his praise, hating how no matter how polished she'd become at interacting with powerful dignitaries and celebrities, something about this sexy hybrid kept her off-balance. Channeling her irritation, she flatly said, "I'm friends with Rebekah and she's not answering her phone. Given what I know about you, I'm willing to bet my entire fortune your daggers are the reason." She wisely chose not to reveal her empath abilities, realizing she may need to use it on him if he proved as stubborn as he looked.

He looked mildly surprised, inviting her inside with a charming, sweeping gesture. "I wasn't aware that my sister was capable of making friends. She tends to eat those she considers a threat and your ethereal beauty combined with your influence most certainly would raise her ire."

Taking a seat across from Klaus in a study tastefully decorated with rich mahogany panels, she did her best to look unaffected by his compliments. Rolling her eyes, she scoffed, "All of those centuries together and you still don't know a thing about your sister. She wears her superficiality as armor against society and her brothers in particular — because no one ever expected her to be better. We met in Tanzania when I was overseeing construction of a women's clinic and she was on one of those luxury safaris with a handful of hangers-on who got bored halfway through and ditched her for the beaches in Zanzibar. I was arguing with a government councilman in the marketplace because they'd removed the security guards and we lost half of our building materials overnight."

A small choking noise escaped him as his gray eyes shown with amusement. "That's an excellent way to get yourself killed, sweetheart. The political landscape over there is incredibly volatile — I can't imagine you were welcome once you started making waves."

Caroline smiled fondly at the memory of that ferocious blonde creature appearing out of nowhere and gripping the man by his throat, effectively cutting off his feeble excuses. Caroline had been conversing with him hesitantly in Swahili, but based on his condescending tone, she wasn't making adequate progress and she refused to back down when people needed her help. Rebekah not only had compelled the entire council to organize additional security at the clinic, she also accompanied Caroline to a neighboring town to hire additional construction workers so that the clinic opening could stay on schedule.

"Basically Rebekah swooped in to save the day once she heard about the women's clinic. She stayed on to help me oversee the opening and even generously donated to my charity so that we could open another clinic in a neighboring town," she told him, delighting in his obvious gobsmacked expression. While the Original seemed especially adept at guarding his thoughts and emotions, with a small push, she could still pick up on his bewilderment and surprise that his sister had bothered helping anyone, much less a well-known celebrity whose fame could potentially expose the supernatural.

"So, in addition to your sister being my friend, I owe her," she added in her formidable tone that she normally reserved for the few remaining industry misogynists who stupidly tried to mansplain ratings and production schedules to her.

Handing her a bourbon, Klaus gave her an amused grin, his dimples throwing her off-balance as they projected a deceptive innocence she knew couldn't possibly be genuine. "I'm envious that Rebekah can inspire such loyalty, sweetheart. Quite brash of you to face me alone."

Rolling her eyes at his arrogance, she took a large sip, allowing herself a moment to enjoy the warm vanilla and caramel flavors. "Well, it's not like I could bring my entourage. They'd hound me with questions like if I wanted a latte or which meetings need to get rescheduled or why is this Original Hybrid asshat trying to eat their spleen."

"Actually, love, I prefer the liver," he corrected her with a devilish smirk as he clinked the rim of her crystal tumbler with his own. "Out of curiosity, what excuse did you give your minions for your sudden absence? I can't imagine someone like you just flits off on holiday alone, sweetheart."

Tossing back the rest of her drink, she did her best to quash her temper at his bullshit assumptions. In an even tone with just a hint of irritation she told him, "Actually, my staff is used to me taking off by myself every once in a while. One of my favorite things to do is fly to the furthest point I've ever traveled, fully immersing myself in a culture I've never experienced before. I've helped the Changpa herd yaks and goats across the Tibetan Plateau and cultivated date palms with the Al-Mahrah tribe on Socotra Island."

Making an impressed noise, Klaus asked, "I'd no idea you were such an adventurous spirit, love. Tell me, have you ever tried raw reindeer meat in the remote Russian village of Oymyakon? There's something about immersing yourself in the bitterest cold to make you feel alive," he reminisced with a fond smile.

"No," Caroline admitted, leaning forward eagerly to share more stories with a fellow traveler, "but I have driven a dogsled across Ittoqqortoormiit to watch the Northern Lights." She started to tell him more, but then frowned as she realized they'd gotten completely off-topic. "But that's not why I'm here — what the hell did you do to my friend, Klaus," she finished with a low snarl.

Letting out a long-suffering sigh, he revealed, "You are correct that Rebekah ran afoul of one of my daggers. I'm waging a slight battle with some of the Mystic Falls supernatural community who wish to locate the cure for vampirism and then use it against me. Unfortunately, my sister chose the wrong side."

From his smug smirk, she realized they were at an impasse. "And I assume you've no intention of revealing where you've creepily stashed your sister's desiccated body," she asked flatly, accepting his wordless offer for another round of bourbon.

Resettling comfortably in his wingback, his dimples bracketed an impish grin as he told her, "I'm afraid I cannot release Rebekah just yet, love. However, you have my word that once I've destroyed the cure so that my enemies cannot use it against my family, I will restore my sister."

At least I asked first, Caroline told herself, not feeling a twinge of guilt as she pushed her gift further, skin tingling a bit at that first taste of the hybrid's emotions. Amusement, lust and intrigue swirled together, and it was difficult to determine which was his primary feeling for her. She did her best to fight the blush that threatened to stain her cheeks as she went deeper, finally getting a small peek at his thoughts.

Despite his age and obvious skill at guarding his secrets, she heard useful snippets: An attractive little minx. Is that a spark of power? I do believe she's got a bit of witchcraft in her veins. Intriguing. Perhaps after this mess with Rebekah is behind us, she'd be open to exploring...no, must stay focused. Stefan knows. The younger Salvatore will guard Rebekah. Tossing back her drink, Caroline quickly stood, briskly telling Klaus, "I see. While disappointing, I suppose your response isn't unexpected." Glancing at her phone, she accessed her phone's task list, adding, "I've other avenues to explore, so I'm sure I'll see you around, Klaus." Not bothering to wait for his reply, she smoothly made her exit, determined to pursue the lead Klaus unwittingly had given her.


The best part about a small town like Mystic Falls was the fact that everyone knows everyone and their business, so it only took Caroline approaching two separate people before she found the local bar and grill where Stefan Salvatore was known to haunt. She also was pleased to see that without her hair and makeup painstakingly done, no one seemed to recognize her other than a slight frown or furrowed brow when someone was trying to recall why she looked so familiar. From experience, she knew it wouldn't last, and it was best to accomplish her mission fairly quickly.

She inwardly groaned as she crossed the threshold and noticed Klaus sitting at the bar with his younger brother, Kol. She briefly considered ducking out before the stubborn hybrid saw her, but from the knowing smirk on his face, she realized it was too late. Rolling her eyes, she hopped on a barstool next to him, smiling politely as she ordered a beer. (Being an empath didn't give her supernatural alcohol tolerance and she still felt the buzz of the bourbon from earlier.)

"Caroline," Klaus greeted her with a devilish grin, "Fancy meeting you here, love."

She rolled her eyes. No way this was a coincidence — especially based on the heated feelings she was picking up from him that made her own cheeks flush. She noticed Kol was squinting at her, then looking at something on his phone, then squinting back at her again. He opened and closed his mouth several times, practically vibrating in his seat. She recalled from Rebekah's stories what an unpredictable little shit he could be, and she assumed he was preparing to loudly blurt something bizarre or incredibly crude (or both). "Hi," she said, leaning forward to shake his hand, "I'm Caroline—"

"Forbes! Bloody hell, you're Caroline Forbes," Kol shrieked in an unnaturally high-pitched voice. "I care, you care, we all care," he happily babbled, reciting the signature closing she used at the end of every show. A stunned silence followed, with Klaus looking absolutely gobsmacked by his brother's outburst, while Kol seemed horrified and quickly muttered, "I mean, if you like that sort of thing."

Before Caroline could properly process the fact that apparently Kol was a fan of hers and managed to hide it from his siblings until now, a loud commotion of chairs scraping across the floor alerted her to a familiar occurrence. She was about to be mobbed.

"Oh, my god! You're Caroline Forbes!"

"We love you so much!"

"You changed my life — I never thought I'd get to meet you!"

She looked on in amusement as the Originals were shoved around until finally the crowd knocked them off of the barstools in their eagerness to surround Caroline. She was bombarded with requests for autographs, pictures and hugs and she had to breathe through the whirwind of emotions that slammed into her from the enthusiastic fans.

As though sensing her discomfort, Klaus and Kol subtly compelled the crowd to return to their seats, and she could feel her body relax as the flood of intense thoughts and feelings dissipated slightly. "Thank you," she told the brothers quietly, giving them a grateful smile.

"It's the least we could do, sweetheart," Klaus told her with a careless shrug. "Especially considering how my brother is a bit of a fanboy and now I get to pass along that unexpected tidbit to the rest of our siblings."

Coloring slightly, Kol scowled at his brother, muttering under his breath as Caroline felt his inner struggle to save face with his older brother but also really, really wanting to ask Caroline for her autograph. However, Kol managed to resist giving into his impulse and instead adopted a breezy tone as he bid farewell to Caroline and made his exit. She caught a bit of his thoughts as he walked past, surprised to hear that in addition to watching her show religiously, he also had a fondness for her annual Favorite Things List in which she shared with her audience all of her favorite products she'd discovered over the past year. In particular, he always bought the items that she rated the 'cuddliest', so she made a mental note to have her assistant send him the soft snuggle lounger robe she recommended last week and an invite to a show taping.

Turning to Klaus, she accused, "No wonder your brother didn't tell you guys he watched my show — are you always such an insufferable, judgmental ass?"

Gray eyes twinkling, his lips curled into a smirk as he leaned in close. "You know, sweetheart, I've inadvertently come in contact with a few celebrities in my time, but you may be the first to be exactly the same in person as you are on TV. Beautiful. Brash. Fearless."

Caroline couldn't help the way her body responded to his words — cheeks flushing, pulse racing — and from the subtle lick of his lips and the heat in his gaze, it appeared that she wasn't the only one responding to the electricity between them. She observed his strong jawline, finding the scruff along the edges charming and briefly wondered how it would feel against her skin. This is such a bad idea. This is your friend's brother. And then she pushed those pesky thoughts away as she closed the space between them, pressing her lips softly against his.

Klaus' emotions were a jumbled mix of surprise and lust along with a curious bit of longing and she rode that sweet wave of feeling as it flowed over her. He broke away slightly to whisper in her ear, "When I compelled the patrons not to notice you, I compelled them not to notice anything else for that matter, love."

Her blue eyes widened as she realized what he was telling her. He'd granted her an enticing bit of freedom that as a celebrity she'd never had before. There would be no stories about her — nothing online, nothing on the gossip channels — she could do something impulsive. She quickly pulled Klaus in for another kiss, fanning the flames between them as she ran her hands through his dirty blonde curls.

With a sexy little growl, he pulled her barstool closer, his hands sliding down to briefly rest on her hips before his fingertips began to play with the silken hem of her wrap dress. She nibbled on his lower lip, parting her thighs slightly. That first brush of his fingers against her thong nearly made her jump out of her skin, she was wound so tight. At her breathy sigh, he murmured, "That's it, sweetheart. Just let go."

Caroline curled her tongue against his, just as he pushed aside the lace that covered her center. She shivered, hardly believing that she was doing this in the middle of a bar. But there was something about the steady hum of the oblivious crowd around them, their various tangle of emotions threading through the air that made her heart pound as she chased her high. Not to mention Klaus' incredible charisma. She'd have to think about their connection later. For now, he pulled her back into the moment with his sensual strokes, the heat between them rising as she shamelessly bucked into his hand.

Klaus increased his seductive rhythm, just enough to tip her over the edge, and she cried out, not bothering to muffle her orgasm as it swept over her. "Wow," she gasped, "that was..." she trailed off, suddenly a bit embarrassed by Klaus' smug grin.

"Yes, it was," he silkily agreed, tracing an aimless pattern across her thigh. "Perhaps we can continue this in a more comfortable venue, love?"

She considered his offer, hearing his lusty thoughts about taking her against nearly hard surface of his house, and a few positions that she intended to research thoroughly before their next encounter so she could do some yoga beforehand. But she was still irritated at his refusal to give back Rebekah and she was nothing if not loyal to a fault. Standing up, doing her best to ignore her somewhat shaky legs, she swooped in for a quick kiss on his cheek, airily telling him, "Some other time. As I mentioned earlier, I'm on a mission to find your sister and your stubborn refusal to tell me where she is means I've still got some work to do." She swiftly left the grill, delighting in his surprised expression at her unexpected refusal.


Klaus swiped the bottle of Macallan he'd hidden behind the bar, pouring a generous amount for himself as he replayed what just happened. He hadn't imagined the surprising connection between them; he was sure Caroline felt it too. She was a stubborn, enigmatic little minx and he fully intended to pursue her once he'd settled this cure business. Unfortunately, not even the pleasant burn of the delectable single malt soothed his nerves and he found his leg jiggling nervously as he debated flashing after her.

However, the bell over the door jingled, and he looked up hopefully, wondering if she'd returned, but was disappointed to see it was just Kol. Clearly registering his brother's crestfallen expression, Kol scoffed, "Blimey, I know we've been on the outs lately, Nik, but that's no excuse to scowl like that when you see me, mate."

Not bothering to stop Kol as he swiped the Macallan and drank straight from the bottle, Klaus grumbled, "Contrary to your overinflated ego, not everything is about you."

Brown eyes flicking to the sides, Kol's lips twitched into a mischievous grin as he observed, "Ah, can I assume your sour mood is due to a certain blonde celebrity not falling for your tired old lines, hmm, brother?"

"No," he answered quickly, obviously too quickly based on Kol's widening grin.

Tone suddenly commiserating, Kol slid the Macallan back to Klaus, telling him, "Could be worse, Nik. At least you were just a typical bumbling wanker in front of a pretty bird. However, I'm quite certain when she read me I came off like a right nutter."

"Read you," Klaus asked in confusion, pouring a bit more scotch into his glass.

Shrugging nonchalantly, he explained, "I thought you knew about Caroline. She's an empath; a bloody powerful one if you believe the stories about her bloodline combined with her commercial success. Reads emotions and thoughts like Bex reads Vogue."

Thinking back to his conversations with Caroline, the things he carefully left unsaid, he quickly leapt to his feet in alarm. Without another word, Klaus flashed away, anxious to ensure Caroline hadn't found Stefan.


Cursing loudly, Klaus made his way through the narrow passages of the caves that ran under Mystic Falls. He'd found Stefan and compelled him to reveal where he'd hidden Rebekah. While Stefan assured him that he hadn't encountered an attractive blonde, much less the famous media mogul Caroline Forbes, it did little to calm him. It wasn't until he saw her coffin exactly where Stefan said it would be that he forced himself to relax.

His arrogant smirk was short-lived, however, we he opened the lid to find an empty coffin. No, not empty. There was a brief letter resting on the satin pillow that he couldn't help but chuckle at as he read:

Dear Klaus,

Since I was able to easily catch your minion's thoughts from several blocks away, you should really consider getting a better one. Also, what's with the incredibly obvious hiding place? Clearly, an abundance of hair gel doesn't make up for a lack of imagination with broody vampires. And Rebekah and I are taking a well-deserved vacation. I might look you up to finish what we started when I'm done being pissed about your control freak tendencies.

Caroline

P.S. Rebekah says, "Tell that wanker I stole his credit card to fund our little world tour."