Ok, so judging from last chapter's reviews, I have a bit of explaining to do:
First of all, whether Klaus is IN LOVE OR NOT with Caroline hasn't been evoked. And even if he was –I am NOT saying he is –I don't believe he would just go out and say it admit that…
Second of all, no worries, Damon WILL make his appearance just at the right time… Spoiler spoiler
Third of all, IMPORTANT: I started writing a Steam (Steffy/Liam from The Bold and The Beautiful) fanfiction that I'm going to post soon so my updates with 'This Time' might get a little less regular.
But just know that I haven't given up on this story and I don't intend to.
However, to make it up to you guys, the chapters will be a bit longer and I promise to do my best to keep the quality up.
Okay enough with my rambling, enjoy the chapter!
"Have you ever been in love?" Caroline asked once Klaus' personal staff was done clearing the table and had left the room.
Klaus looked at Caroline with an undecipherable expression on his face before he looked away to focus on something on the table only he could see.
As a few minutes passed and he still didn't answer, Caroline thought he wasn't going to so she thought
"I have… Back when I was human." He paused still looking away. "Her name was Tatia." He looked up at her for this single following sentence, "She was the Original doppelganger." He directed his gaze anywhere but towards the blonde before him. "She was an exquisite beauty… the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and I fell for her instantly." He swallowed the lump in his throat.
Caroline listened to Klaus and studied his face intently. The latter was clearly back in his human days. The way he talked about this Tatia
"She had this joy about her." He said, the gaze lost, a smile on his face. "One couldn't help but be happy in her presence." Klaus stated before adding in an insensible low voice, "I know I couldn't." He paused. "She…" he struggled to find his words. "She was…"
As she saw him for the first time have an impediment in her speech, it hit Caroline: this was too much for him. The Big Bad Hybrid was feeling helpless.
What on earth did that woman do to you? Caroline wondered as she looked at Klaus with an undecipherable emotion in her eyes.
Caroline felt bad; she felt bad for judging Klaus at first sight like everyone else, without actually taking the time to get to know him and understand what had gotten him there. So the blonde got up from her seat and walked slowly towards the blonde man and held out her hand to him, "Hey…"
Klaus who was completely lost in his thoughts didn't even notice Caroline get up and approach him. As he finally came back on earth, he saw the hand the blonde was holding out to him and looked up at her.
They stared at each other for a while, Caroline carrying a gentle expression, before Klaus put on an impassive expression on his face and took her hand as he got up.
"You don't have to talk about this… her… unless you want to…" she paused and took his chin into her hands and turned him so that he would look at her. "You've done more than enough efforts to please me today." She added with a small half-smile half-laugh.
"I didn't do it to please you." He denied, his eyes burning into hers. "I did it to make you happy… to see a smile on your beautiful face." He ended gesturing with his hands.
At that, Caroline responded to his wishes and put on a genuine happy smile on her face, all the while blushing.
Then, she moved away from Klaus to the Hi-fi system and looked over to the CDs on the table beside. Caroline picked one up and showed it to Klaus, "Seriously?" It was a CD from Demi Lovato.
"Kol's to blame." Klaus merely said causing the blonde to let out a little cluck.
Caroline inserted a CD and got back to Klaus and asked him hesitantly while taking his hand, "Dance with me?"
She led him brazenly onto the dance floor; as she cradled her hand into his, he put his arm around her waist, and she put her other hand on his shoulder and they started moving in a slow pace on 'When you look me in the eyes' from The Jonas Brothers. They were in their own little bubble away from all their troubles.
For the first in a very long time if not ever, Klaus felt at peace; he felt like NOTHING could touch him and he was safe all thanks to this blonde in his arms. And of course, it wasn't worth mentioning that he would do anything to keep her safe.
For the very first time, strangely enough, it didn't feel weird to Caroline to be in Klaus' arms. On the opposite, it felt right… like she belonged right there.
They danced like that for a moment; their fingers intertwined, her head resting against one of his sides.
Until at a specific part of the song, Caroline moved her head to look at Klaus and unwilling locked her eyes with him, his gaze burning into hers. A strange but welcoming feeling overwhelmed the room as well as Klaus and Caroline who were completely and utterly lost in each other's eyes:
Everything's alright
When you're right here by my side
When you look me in the eyes
I catch a glimpse of heaven
I find my paradise
When you look me in the eyes
/
As soon as they got into Klaus' SUV so that he would bring her back home, Caroline checked her phone and saw she had two missing calls from Bonnie. So she called the latter to check on her and though the witch tried to deny it, Caroline could tell by the sound of her voice she wasn't that fine. Therefore, the blonde turned to Klaus and asked him to drop her at Bonnie's as she sent a text to Elena letting her know she would be home within an hour or two so that she wouldn't worry too much. However, Caroline knew –Elena being Elena –that her best friend would still lose her hair out of concern.
"How are things going for you at the Salvatore Boarding House?" Klaus asked Caroline.
Caroline turned to stare at him, surprised, "What?" he asked.
Caroline kept looking at him suspiciously, "Nothing." She answered before she turned back and directed her gaze in front of her. "They are going fine… Thank you."
"Fine?" he repeated, incredulous. "You are living in perfect harmony with two of your best friends and things are going fine?"
"Okay, everything is perfect." She falsely admitted while gesturing with her hands.
They stayed silent for a moment before he spoke again, "You know you can always move into the Mansion if you want." He paused. "I won't bite… not unless you ask me too."
At that, Caroline burst out laughing and when she managed to calm her laughter down, she said, "Yeah right, I'll do that."
Klaus obviously picked up on the irony in her voice and was slightly hurt by it but he didn't say anything and didn't let it show.
/
"Today was amazing… really! I don't even know how to begin to thank you." She told him sincerely. "So… merci… pour tout." She thanked him in French.
Klaus laughed, "Mais je vous en prie mademoiselle." He said leaning his head towards her.
Caroline giggled and leaned to give Klaus a –more or less –kiss on the cheek.
At that, Klaus stayed still for a moment and looked her straight in the eyes wondering if he was having hallucination. As she blushed lightly while smiling at him, Klaus knew it REALLY happened.
"Wow…" he cleared his throat. "Well, I am definitely taking you to Rome the next time."
Caroline giggled. "That's not necessary." She said before walking to Bonnie's door.
"Thank you…" Caroline started as Klaus was about to enter his car, making him turn to face her. "… for opening up to me."
Before Klaus could respond, Caroline turned around and rushed to open the door with the set of keys to Bonnie's house she owned. Indeed, Caroline, Stefan, Elena, Bonnie and Matt all had a key to the others' home, just in case... After all, the town of Mystic Fall wasn't known for its safety…
/
"Wait, you walked in on Jeremy and Kol getting into a fight?!" Caroline made sure with eyes wide open.
"Well, not exactly… I think they were arguing before I arrived." The witch explained. "And then when I walked in, the tension became even more palpable. I think Kol got up to greet me and… I don't know, Jeremy stopped him to prove a point or… I don't know." She ended by bringing her hands up to cover her face and passed them nervously through her hair before she rested them on her neck.
"Do you think they were arguing about you?" Caroline asked Bonnie.
The latter let out an aggravated sigh and cupped her face with her hands.
"Well of course they did. What else would they be arguing about?" the blonde answered her own question.
Bonnie let out yet another sigh, "You know, they used to be friends." She paused. "They met when Elena sent Jer away when things got out of control here."
Caroline quirked an eyebrow, "So what, now you feel bad for breaking up their beautiful friendship?" the blonde asked on a mocking tone. "I don't think they were REAL friends, Bon. Kol was probably just playing him."
"Same way, he's playing me?" Bonnie asked looking up at her with anxiety evident in her eyes, what didn't go unnoticed by her friend.
"Is that what you believe?" Caroline asked her.
Bonnie opened her mouth but had no idea what she even wanted to say. She was completely lost. "I don't know what to believe." She admitted.
Caroline could tell just by looking at her best friend how confused she was and tilted her head to the right feeling sorry for her.
"And I don't want to hurt Jer, Care." Bonnie confessed on a sad tone initiating Caroline to look at her even more sadly.
Indeed, a lot had happened between Bonnie and Jeremy since they had become a pair nine years ago. He had put her through a lot and their breakup had been anything but evident and easy: it had been painful and difficult. But nonetheless, there had always been a connection between them… something that lasted a long time surviving some pretty rough times. It was Bonnie and Jeremy… And Bonnie thought it would always be Bonnie and Jeremy.
Against all odds, she still loved him and she was really starting to think a part of her would be in love with him for the rest of her life. But he had hurt her so bad… Bonnie was really shaken and there was no certainty she would ever really get over it.
"Come here." The blonde asked her friend opening her arms up for her.
The witch moved slightly on the couch to rush into her friend's arms who offered her a warm embrace. They stayed like that for a few instants until Caroline got slightly loose from Bonnie and looked her straight in the eyes to give the latter a piece of her mind.
"Bon, you know I love you, right?" Caroline asked and Bonnie nodded. "This is not me telling you what to do… this is me telling you what I think. I think that you should go on this date with Kol." She paused and studied her friend's face clearly asking for more so she tried to persuade her, "It's just a date: you're not binding yourself to anything." The blonde said shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head. "Look, you told me you don't know what to believe. You don't know if he's playing you. Well, this is your chance to find out."
"Did your date with Klaus help you to see clearer?" Bonnie asked Caroline.
The latter looked down for a moment considering her question, "I'll tell you that tomorrow."
Bonnie let out a low chuckle and nodded.
"Bonnie, you need to let these guys know where you stand with them. You need to decide whether you want to be friends or more with BOTH Jeremy and Kol." The blonde advised her.
"Aren't you being a little hypocrite?" the witch asked half-teasingly while momentarily tilting her head.
Caroline tilted her head as well and frown her eyebrows in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"Well, you're telling me that I should make a decision as to if I want to be friends or more with Jeremy and Kol… and inform the principals concerned… which is true! I totally agree! But you haven't exactly done the same with an Original brother I know." She explained.
"True. And I'm going to… real soon." The blonde told her. "But there's a slight difference between you and me, sweetheart."
"Really?" Bonnie asked surprised with a smile on her face. "What's that?"
"Well, I only have an ambiguous relationship with ONE man at the moment." Caroline stated. "You happen to be leading TWO guys on right now, Bon."
Caroline was standing at the Mikaelsons' front door trying to work up the courage to knock. She still had no idea what on earth she was doing there.
Truth be told, she just wanted to see a certain blonde Mikaelson from the masculine gender… Indeed, their date from the day before had left her wanting for more and had been very disturbing for her and her resolves… So instead of hiding in a hole desperately trying to avoid him and get him out of her head, Caroline decided to act like an adult and come and confront Klaus…
However, Caroline was adamant on finding a buyable excuse justifying her presence there, an excuse other than "I wanted to see you."
When she finally knocked at the door, she heard a masculine voice –but not the one she was hoping to hear –say "Come in." so she did.
"Hi" she greeted shyly stepping into the house.
"Miss Forbes!" Elijah got up to get to her. "Morning, how are you?"
Elijah was genuinely surprised to see Caroline. He knew he would see her again in the following days. Call it the confidence in the Mikaelsons' charm. But he didn't think he'd have that pleasure so soon.
"I'm fine, thank you." She responded. "I'd be better if you started calling me Caroline." She added nevertheless emphasizing on the word Caroline.
He nodded and looked up at her with a smile on his face.
Elijah gestured for Caroline to sit on the couch and followed her more or less closely.
"Can I get you something to drink?" Elijah offered. "Some coffee, tea, champagne… wine perhaps?"
"Uh, a glass of water would be nice, thank you." Caroline told him.
Elijah nodded and directed himself towards the bar to pour Caroline some water. He came back beside her and handed her glass before settling on another couch across the young lady.
"Thank you." She said and emptied half her glass before asking, "Is Klaus here?"
"No. Actually, you just missed him. Rebekah and Kol are out too." He paused. "But please feel free to wait for him: he'd kill me if he heard you came here for him and I let you go before he saw you."
"Well, as long as you keep me company…" Caroline declared.
"With great pleasure." He said with a smile.
She smiled back at him before realizing she might be disturbing him, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"Absolutely not." He replied. "I was just reading a book."
"Really?" she frown her eyebrows. "You've got nothing better to do?" she said putting her glass of water on the table.
Elijah frown his eyebrows as well, "I like reading."
"Yeah, a lot of people do." She paused. "Except that they don't spend all their time doing so." She pointed out.
Indeed, Caroline had learned during her date with Klaus that Elijah spent a lot of time at home in his room or in the living room reading. And when he didn't, he was away on business.
"Where is this conversation going?" Elijah asked utterly confused but his expression not quite showing it.
"Well, Rebekah and Matt are practically glued together, Klaus spends a lot of his time unsuccessfully chasing me, and Kol seems to be after Bonnie…" she paused. "What about you?"
"What about me?" he asked her in a dull tone of voice.
"Well, has anybody caught your eye recently?" the blonde asked. "Recently involves the last five hundred years or so…" she précised innocently.
At that, Elijah's eyes widened slightly and he raised an eyebrow at Caroline. Now, he was utterly surprised and wasn't even bothering trying to hide it.
"Let me guess, the lovely Elena…" he said disbelievingly.
Caroline just shrugged her shoulders, "So what was Katherine up to last time you heard from her?"
Elijah stared at her with widened eyes but then looked away, still completely stunned. How on earth could she be so sure he had heard from Katerina? This was none sense! Klaus had thrown off Katerina's scent after all! Why not him?
"I'm sorry… I'm prying." Caroline apologized.
"Yes, you are." Elijah confirmed looking back at her. "But I don't mind." And strangely enough, he really didn't, he was just extremely stunned before the blonde's shrewdness. Besides, for some strange and unknown reason, he felt like he could trust her.
"Really?!" Caroline asked, totally surprised and happy all in the same. "Great!" the blonde jumped on the couch getting closer to him. "So how's Katherine?"
"How on earth would I know?" Elijah asked in such a genuinely innocent tone of voice one would have actually bought it.
The blonde looked at him as if to say 'How stupid do you think I am?'
"Oh please! Don't give me that! The woman managed to escape you and your brother for five long centuries, you finally got a grip on her and you want to tell me, you let go?" Caroline asked not quite buying the act he was putting on. "You necessarily know how she's doing… Perhaps, you even know where she is."
He looked at her, startled, "My brother didn't succeed in getting a grip on her and heaven knows how determined he has been. What makes you think I have? Why would I have even tried?"
"Klaus is seeking for revenge; you have other motivations." Caroline let him in on her train of thoughts as they came.
Elijah looked at Caroline quizzically as if scrutinizing her soul. He was starting to see in her what his brother saw in the latter: she had this light all about her; she was honest, straight-forward, what you see is what you get… Besides, from what Elena had told him, she was also a very loyal friend who would do just about anything for the ones she loved… Klaus really could use someone like Caroline in his life. He could use HER in his life. And she could be the best thing that would ever happen to him.
As that realization hit him, Elijah looked away from the beautiful blonde to the table in front of him.
She lowered her head trying to make eye contact with him, "Elijah?"
He looked up at her and right into her eyes for a small moment, "How much time have you got?" he asked her simply.
"I'm immortal, aren't I?" Caroline answered with a roguish smile on her face.
He smiled back at her.
"For your information, if this ever goes out, I'm going to have to kill you." He straightened his sitting position and began his narration, "I met Katerina again five years ago… in Italy… by COINCIDENCE. And it was a completely unpleasant surprise… at first…" he lost himself in his memory while Caroline listened to him intently.
Italy 2015
Elijah was at a summer banquet thrown by a close acquaintance. He hated these kind of events and most of the time, he didn't attend them when he was invited but today's hostess was a family 'friend' and had really insisted so he had eventually gave in…
As a waiter passed by him, Elijah took two glasses of champagne and gave one to the lady at his side who happened to be precisely the hostess of the banquet.
"Thank you." She said.
"You're welcome." He assured her.
"Thank you for coming too." She paused. "I know you'd rather be anywhere but here."
"What are you talking about, Eleanore? I'm very happy to be here."
The woman rolled her eyes at Elijah's gentleman self.
"I'm going to take care of the rest of my guests." She told him.
"Ok." He said with a smile.
After Eleanore left his side, Elijah heard a laugh –THE laugh the most genuine he had ever heard, the one he would recognize among a thousand –behind him and his eyes widened. He slowly turned around to make sure his ears hadn't betrayed him. They hadn't.
As their eyes met, their breaths caught.
"Katerina…" his voice came out as a whisper.
Hu uh, it's time for some Kalijah action. Woo hoo!
To all those who are desperate to write a review but don't know what to say just copy-paste this:
Dear antoemati,
I freakin' loved your chapter.
The Klaroline moments were awesome. Oh and the kiss on the cheek melted my heart.
You are an awesome Klaroline writer. Can't wait for the next chapter.
Update ASAP.
Finally some Kalijah! Woo hoo!
Love, your name.
Follow me on Youtube or Tumblr if so is your desire.