AN: I do not own TVD or TO or The Princess Diaries.

Elijah and Klaus are not related in this story. I've divided them up. Klaus and Rebekah moved to the states during high school; Rebekah is best friends with Elena and Caroline.

I haven't fully made up my mind yet, but I'm thinking of having Kol stay as Elijah's younger brother.

"Queen Lessons are killing me," Elena admitted. She paced along the length of the bed where Caroline sat reading.

"You love every minute of it," Caroline set her book on her lap. She watched as Elena scoffed by the bed post. "You want to make a difference in the lives of your people, in the face of this world, and the best way to do that is as queen. Queen lessons are not what's bothering you." Caroline tilted her head to watch the brunettes pacing. "The thing that's bothering you is a handsome lord, who's always in a suit… the guy you stepped out of a fountain with."

"He's so arrogant," Elena flopped onto the bed, "that self-assured smug bastard. I just spent the last 30 minutes being lectured by my grandmother."

"I knew we were really talking about Elijah," Caroline marked the page in her book and set it aside. She settled back against the pillows and waited for Elena to continue.

"Did I tell you about my birthday?" Elena rolled to lean on her elbow.

"No," Caroline frowned, "things have been so crazy the last week and a half. You and I have barely had time to talk. Tell me what happened? Was he there?"

"Yes he was," Elena huffed. "I felt so embarrassed, Care. He came to the palace and I recognized him."

"How did you meet him?" Caroline rolled onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows.

"At the ball," Elena groaned. "I had to dance with every eligible bachelor. In between dances I stepped on his foot."

"That sounds like you," Caroline giggled.

"Shut up," she nudged Caroline's shoulder playfully. "Anyway… later on in the evening he saved me from a truly terrible dancer. We danced, and we flirted."

"And you had no idea who he was?"

"None."

"Did you find him attractive?"

"Caroline!" Elena buried her face in the pillow. "I'm engaged."

"To a guy you don't love," Caroline rolled her eyes, "a guy you're not attracted to, but are going to marry anyway. You deserve some happiness, or at the very least some fun."

"Caroline!" Elena scrunched her nose up and lifted the edges of the pillow to cover her ears.

"What?" Caroline shrugged. She felt her shoulders brush her ears. "I'm all for solidarity. I do not like that man because you don't like him… unless of course you do like him? In which case I could eventually get on board," Caroline pressed her hip against Elena's to get her to raise her head. "I get the feeling he likes you… he's definitely attracted to you."

"Care," Elena pushed her hair back from her face and turned her head to stare at her best friend. She thought she could see the path the conversation was going as she revealed what she hadn't told her grandmother, "He kissed me."

"What?" Caroline shrieked. "When did this happen?" She lowered her voice to a whisper, "did you kiss him back?"

"It was today," Elena sighed, "just before we fell in the fountain. He kissed me, and when I realized what was happening I pulled away; we tumbled into the water."

"How long did it take you to pull back?" Caroline wiggled her eyebrows.

"One endless… amazing moment," Elena propped her chin on her arms.

"Oh my…" Caroline gasped. "You enjoyed it… you like him."

"You do see how this is a problem?" Elena rolled over and stared at the ceiling. "What am I going to do?"

"Seems simple to me," Caroline smirked. "Girls likes boy, boy likes girl… sex."

"Profound," Elena blushed. She fixed her gaze on the ceiling.

"Elena?" Caroline noticed the rigid set of Elena's shoulders. "You've done it… right?"

Elena didn't respond. Instead she focused her gaze on the ornate vines crawling towards the ceiling. Her cheeks flamed scarlet.

"Never?" Caroline whispered. "I thought you and Matt had…"

"We did not," Elena cleared her throat. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"And no one since," Caroline felt her eyes grow wide, "how is that possible? I mean I get why you wouldn't tell me if you had… Anyone who happened to overhear the conversation might take it to a tabloid."

"The princess thing tends to intimidate most guys," Elena offered by way of explanation.

"And the ones that it doesn't?"

"I have a very dedicated security team."

"I don't want any more information than that," Caroline shuddered. "I can just see Ric pulling some guy off of you when he got to hands on."

"Laugh it up, Care," Elena groaned, "that actually happened once."

"So," Caroline changed the subject back, "what are you going to do about Elijah? You're clearly attracted to him."

"Nothing," Elena sighed and shook her head. "I'm engaged, Care. And he's trying to steal my throne."

"One of these days, Elena, you are going to have to stop doing what everyone else wants you to do." Caroline reached for her friend's hand. "Promise me that you'll start making a few decisions with your heart."

"I'll try," Elena squeezed Caroline's hand. "Enough about me," she rolled to watch Caroline in the dimly lit room, "what's up with you? How's Nik? What inspired the impromptu trip to Bulgaria? I know it wasn't just for my birthday… Caroline?"

Elena saw moisture fill the blondes sea green eyes. Her lower lip started to tremble as a single tear slipped from her eye over the bridge of her nose. Elena instinctively released Caroline's hand to pull her into a tight hug.

"What's wrong, Care?" Elena rubbed soothing circles on her friends back. "Did you two have a fight?"

"I think it's over," Caroline hiccupped.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Elena thought she wouldn't when the silence stretched on, but then she started to retell the story in between hiccupping breathes.

"Nik?" Caroline called nervously from the bathroom. She peered at her reflection in the mirror. Her wide eyes and trembling lips betrayed her anxiety; she tried to get her emotions under control when she heard her boyfriend turning the doorknob.

"Caroline, sweetheart, what are you doing in here?" Nik stepped inside.

Caroline heaved a sigh before turning to face him. 'just rip off the bandaid.' Her lips pressed firmly together to stop the trembling. Her hand shook as she lifted the stick. Her eyes fell to the screen before rising to his confused blue gaze.

"Love?" Nik furrowed his brow. "What's that?" He pointed to the thin stick she held.

"It's a pregnancy test," Caroline whispered. "I'm pregnant."

"That's impossible," Nik backed up towards the door. He shook his head angrily, "we're so careful."

"Nothings infallible," Caroline shrugged. She leaned against the sink and braced her legs. She couldn't describe the feeling that overcame her when he shook his head. She approached him quickly and forced him to look at her. "Nik, what…"

"No," Nik grasped her wrists and removed her hands from his face. "I can't deal with this right now…" he pulled the door open and walked out of the bathroom, "I need some…"

Caroline felt her heart shatter into a million pieces when the apartment door slammed shut.

"10 minutes later I packed a bag and caught a cab to the airport," Caroline sniffled. "He's called my cell a few times, but I haven't picked up."

"I'll kill him," Elena swore.

"A princess does her own killing?" Caroline hiccupped.

"You make a fair point," Elena mused, "I can have him killed. Ric has diplomatic immunity in like… every country."

Elena smiled when she succeeded in drawing a laugh from Caroline.

"Are you sure he didn't come back? Nik's always been a little hot headed, and he usually takes time," Elena asked a moment later. "Do you know what you're going to do?" She remembered having a few missed calls from Nik as well, but she hadn't had a chance to call him back yet.

"I have no idea," Caroline rubbed her tired eyes. "I know you and Nik are kind of friends, but…"

"When it comes down to it, Care," Elena squeezed her friends shoulder, "I will always be on your side; no matter what happens."

"Is this like the girl equivalent of bros before hoes?" Caroline hiccuped.

"Yup," Elena popped the 'p'. "besties before testes." She smiled when Caroline laughed.

"For what it's worth," Caroline relaxed against the pillows, "I'm on your side to. If you decide you like this guy, and want to blow off your engagement I'm there. If you decide to off him in the middle of the night I'm down for a little maiming."

"Thanks, Care," Elena mumbled as they drifted off, "but I don't think I'll want to off him in the middle of the night."

"Nah," Caroline agreed sleepily, "you'll want him to get you off in the middle of the night."

"Caroline," Elena blushed. She fell asleep before she could properly chastise her friend; and it was definitely not because she knew Caroline was right.

Thoughts?