Sorry about the delay, readers! I've been away from the computer for about a week now, but I wanted to get a chapter out soon. I hope you'll forgive me for the lateness, since the chapter is pretty long! I do not own the Vampire Diaries.

Caroline twirled around in a slow circle, letting the fabric of the dress flow around her ankles. Klaus was nodding approvingly. But he did that with most things that she'd tried on. Caroline, on the other hand, wasn't satisfied. She needed something spectacular—something that would more than top the blue ball gown.

Klaus had said that it would be a formal affair, but Caroline couldn't figure out why. It was just a dinner with the other originals, not another ball. But she'd decided that if it was fancy he wanted, then by gosh, she would impress. Maybe it was pathetic of her to care about his opinion, but she couldn't help it.

She now had her eye on a black dress that she would have found horrendously drab and dark had it been any other event. The lace overskirt was practically goth, but she had a feeling that Klaus would appreciate it. The fabric from the shoulders to the sleeves was a black nylon material, with swirly black designs, and a black lace overlay which curved just over her breasts.

Caroline took the dress to the salesgirl, who had a pinched nose and pretty blonde hair. She swiftly wrapped the dress and placed it in a box, while Caroline blocked it from Klaus's view.

"I've decided on what I want." Caroline announced. She clutched the box containing the dress in her hands. Klaus, who had been waiting for her on a chair in the front of the store, uncrossed his hands and walked with her to the entrance.

"I trust that you found something satisfactory?"

"She looked beyond beautiful." The saleswoman gushed. Klaus smiled, adoration plain on his face.

"She always is."

A strange expression crossed over the woman's face, then it brightened. "You're that girl! The high schooler who's getting married… And this must be your husband-to-be!"

Caroline's mouth went dry. She could feel herself grow pale, and Klaus gently lead her away after thanking the woman.

They went to his car, where Caroline admitted quietly, "I don't want to be that girl."

"And what girl might this be, exactly?"

"The girl who gets married in high school. The one who everyone thinks is ruining her life, and that she's rushing into something that she doesn't understand. The one that everyone thinks is knocked up because she's getting married."

"But you are none of those things. And anyone who believes that is foolish, and not at all worth your time. You are above them, Caroline. You are a jewel among stones, and do not ever forget that."

As Caroline and Klaus left the shopping area, she let out a squeak of horror.

"What is it, love?" He asked, alert. She extended one finger and pointed down the street… to where Elena was drinking coffee with Stefan at a table.

"Hide me, hide me!" She said, trying to duck out of sight. Klaus seemed torn between chuckling and being exasperated. He settled on a combination of both.

"You shouldn't have anything to fear, Caroline. You haven't done anything wrong. In fact, you've done the entire town a great deed. You shouldn't be running away from the likes of Elena Gilbert." He said this with a hint of scorn, but she couldn't bring herself to really be outraged on behalf of her friend.

"Elena is my friend," she said, "But she wouldn't understand. I thought that everyone would… but after everything's that's happened, I don't think that anyone knows who to trust." Least of all me, she thought.

"So you're going to avoid her in the tiny town of Mystic Falls?"

Caroline blushed at his skepticism. "Well, I… I hadn't planned on sticking around for much longer."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'd hoped to be off to Rome of Paris or something soon."

Klaus was silent for a long time, and she wondered if he was having second thoughts about their arrangement.

"Caroline," He finally started regretfully, "I'd like nothing more than to whisk you away and immerse you into the life that you truly deserve… But I cannot take you away from Mystic Falls when you still have regrets. When you have unfinished business with your friends and family. When we go, I want you to be completely free and utterly mine."

She made a sour face. "So basically, you want me to kiss and make up with everyone."

He chuckled. "Something like that."

"If I do, then you have to, too." She countered stubbornly.

"They all hate me." He smirked like this fact amused him.

"Then change their minds. I can't make peace with them if you don't make them understand that you're sincere. I want them to understand our relationship—not that there really is one, of course." She said.

"Very well, Caroline. I accept your terms. But that battle will have to be fought another day, because tonight, we're dining with my family."

"It feels like I'm coming out into society for the first time, or something." She joked.

"In a way, you are. It's an introduction into the Mikaelson family."

Caroline paused before asking, "As what exactly, Klaus?" She was a little worried about his answer.

"Hopefully, before long… As my wife." He regarded her solemnly.

She was silent. She didn't want to think of the implications of marrying Klaus. The idea scared her for many reasons, besides the obvious being that he was a murdering psychopathic hybrid who'd tried to kill her friends on numerous occasions. She was too young. Caroline hadn't even contemplated marriage beyond the fairy-tale, prince charming fantasy. To share her life with another person when she could barely take care of herself… she didn't think that she would be ready for that in a thousand years.

.

Elena Gilbert wanted to moan at her reflection. Her eyes were puffy and swollen, dark circles prominent. Her hair was dull and mousy brown. Stefan had commented that she'd lost weight over the last few weeks. She was a sad shadow of the brilliant and lively cheerleader that she used to be. She turned away from the mirror and tried not to allow herself to cry anymore. She felt hollow and numb.

Losing Caroline had been more than difficult. Even though she'd read the letter that Caroline had written to her mother, she didn't believe it. She didn't understand how Caroline could give into Klaus's demands. He wasn't to be trusted—everyone knew that. He was the enemy. Elena felt sick to her stomach since Tyler had been to visit her only days before Caroline had gone to be with Klaus. Elena never would have expected the blonde to do something like this. It was reckless, short sighted, and sparked by misguided passion—in other words, completely Damon's style. Although the self-sacrifice was undeniably a hint of Stefan, too.

She'd wanted to bust into the manor to save her the moment that she'd found out. Damon had ben beyond pissed, and he'd found some choice words for Caroline's apparent stupidity. Bonnie watched from the edge, somewhat indifferent. Stefan only spoke up to point out her naiveté. He hadn't been surprised that Klaus had been able to manipulate her—after all, he'd been successful in screwing all of them over at one time or another, and they were as innocent as Caroline.

After Elena had calmed down, she knew that there was no way of confronting the originals on their own turf. They just weren't strong enough to stand up to a family of original vampires.

Not without help, anyway…

.

When Caroline descended the staircase, she didn't miss how Klaus's eyes traveled down the lengths of her legs. She went down a few steps slowly, but then she sped down the rest. Klaus offered her an arm, which she took.

"You look lovely." He said honestly. And she did. She was striking, elegant, and incredibly beautiful. He wished that he could kiss her right on the staircase, but he knew exactly how Caroline would feel about that.

"Thank you. The dress is pretty old-fashioned, so I'm not surprised that you like it." She returned playfully.

"You mock me, but it is only because of my old-fashioned upbringing that you have remained so innocent while underneath my roof."

She stared at him open-mouthed, not sure how to respond. This was the first time that Klaus had been so blunt about anything sexual between them. So far, he'd been nothing but candy and sweetness. A shiver went up her spine, and she didn't say anything at all.

Klaus led her to a large dining room, with a chandelier hanging from the painted ceiling. It was rather demure otherwise, with dark colors and paintings on the walls.

Caroline felt her undead heart pound at the sight before her. At the long table, Esther was seated at the head, with Finn and her right and Kol on her left. Rebekah had her arms crossed sourly beside Kol.

Food was already on the table, but Caroline had a feeling that it was just for show.

She forced herself to move to the empty seat next to Finn, and Klaus sat beside her. She couldn't look up into Rebekah's eyes, for they were darker than she'd ever seen them.

"Now then… since we're all here now, shall we dine?" Esther waved a hand.

She may have been a captive in the original's manor, but she was still Caroline Forbes, so sloppiness was not an option. She was careful to use the correct knives and forks, and to place the embroidered napkin in her lap.

What scared her more was that Klaus was smiling. A lot, actually. All throughout dinner she would catch him watching her, with a small smile curving his lips. He wasn't even attempting to hide his observance. She took a sip from her wine glass, only to sputter at the thick consistency. She realized with horror that it was filled with obviously-fresh blood. She didn't let her repulsion show. Kol and Rebekah were sharing smirks, as they'd noticed her discomfort. They lived to torture Caroline, after all.

And she wanted to punch herself for thinking that it tasted so damn good.

"I must say, I am very curious about this girl that my brother has taken such a fancy to." Kol said first. "How is it that you two met?"

"He was trying to use my best friend as a bloodbag, I think." Caroline said, stabbing into a carrot that was on her plate. She kept a straight face.

"And then he ordered my ex-boyfriend to kill me by biting me. Only to later change his mind and save my life."

Kol let out a booming and taunting laugh. "Brother certainly does know how to charm a lady, doesn't he? If only mayhem was the way to a maiden's heart."

"Mayhem is the quickest way to a heel to the crotch." Caroline said.

Klaus cleared his throat, and Caroline reeled in her language. Kol didn't seem offended at all though.

"I like you very much, Caroline. I hope my brother has learned to play better with others in the last few hundred years—maybe he's even gotten better at sharing."

Klaus growled, but Caroline interrupted him. "Klaus wants what he can't have… and what no one else would be able to handle."

Everything was all well and good, until a certain blonde bimbo decided to open her mouth.

"I haven't seen your little boyfriend around recently." Rebekah said.

Caroline swallowed, aware that all eyes were on her. She didn't know what she was supposed to say, but tried to sound flippant, "I'm over it."

Klaus's brow raised a bit, but he said to Rebekah, "Sister, I think this sort of conversation is entirely inappropriate at a civilized dinner."

"Well, I disagree, brother. Don't you want to know exactly where a stray has been before you take it into your home? After all, you wouldn't want it to drag in something unsavory."

Caroline's face was burning, and her hands were clenched under the table. She didn't even dare whisper an insult though, because she was surrounded by killers who could murder her in a flash. There was no way she could fight an entire family of originals. Caroline had to swallow her pride and her temper, which was no easy feat. Sticks and stones. On the other hand, maybe if she egged them on enough, they would put her out of her misery... No, she decided, that would be giving in. And Caroline Forbes did not give in to anyone.

"Not another word, Rebekah, or your tongue will find a home on my plate." Klaus snarled.

His sister stood, eyes flaring. "How dare you say that to me? You're defending a whore who's been with half the town, and is now defiling our home!"

Kol laughed at this. "That's the pot calling the kettle black, sister. You and Caroline have more in common than you want to admit!"

Both Rebekah and Klaus glared at him, and Caroline wanted to shrink herself down to nothing. At any moment, she expected on of them to reach across the table and snap her neck.

"That is enough! I am ashamed of you all. Caroline is our guest. Where are your manners?"

Everyone Mikaelson stared abashedly at their mother, whose mouth was downturned into a frown.

"I'm sorry, Caroline. Perhaps my family needs a lesson on how to treat another with respect. They've spent too long in coffins." Caroline couldn't stop a smile.

Rebekah's face twisted into a frightening expression. "I love you, Mother, but you have no right to order me around. I'm your daughter."

"And Caroline will soon be my daughter as well. I want this family to come together. And that means welcoming Caroline with open arms, because she makes Klaus truly happy. You want your brother to be happy, don't you?"

Rebekah was silent, but she was obviously seething.

She turned and glared at Caroline. Klaus was eyeing his sister and holding Caroline's hand protectively.

"This is all your fault." The Original blonde vampire hissed, before disappearing with her speed. A door slammed a second later.

"I'll go after her, Mother. After all, we wouldn't want our dear Rebekah to fall into too much trouble, would we?... Or fall into another's bed."

Esther frowned. "Klaus, why don't you take Caroline to her room? I don't think that any polite conversation will be achieved tonight."

"Very well." He agreed. He took Caroline's arm and they went upstairs. Caroline tried to ignore the fact that she was shaking. When she was back in her Pink Paradise, she grinned weakly at Klaus and said, "That could have gone worse, couldn't it?"

To be continued! I was going to write about Elena and Esther's meeting, but I decided to leave it until next time. I'll get Tyler deeper into the story in the next chapter, too. Review please, I love them!