"Nine Ladies Dancing"

"Klaus." Caroline said shortly as she opened the door.

"Caroline." He drawled easily, his hands neatly behind his back.

Caroline pursed her lips.

The world was ending.

She couldn't, for the life of her, think of a snarky comment.

"I brought you a gift." Klaus smiled, revealing his hands and a present wrapped in snowman paper.

Caroline took it into her hands, "Did you run out of sophisticated wrapping paper?" She asked, looking at him.

Klaus grinned, "This gift isn't exactly sophisticated."

Caroline was about to tear it open, when her mother appeared behind her.

"Klaus, hello!" She greeted warmly.

Caroline looked at her suspiciously.

"Good morning Sheriff Forbes." Klaus returned politely.

"Please, I'm off work until Tuesday, call me Liz."

Klaus nodded and Caroline continued to stare at her mother.

"I just wanted to thank you for the breakfast you arranged yesterday; it was very thoughtful of you."

"Mom…" Caroline said lowly, knowing where this was going.

"What do you have planned today, spending time with your siblings?"

Klaus shook his head, "We're spending Christmas separately, New Year's we'll all be together."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Mom…"

"So, since you're not doing anything, do you want to come in?"

"Mom!" Caroline exclaimed, steam nearly blowing out from her ears.

Liz gave Caroline a warning look, which Caroline knew very well.

Caroline rolled her eyes, and then gave Klaus a big fake smile, "Yes, Klaus. Would you like to stay?" She said, enunciating every syllable.

Klaus chuckled, "I'd love to."

As he followed Liz into the house, he made sure to give Caroline a smug smile of victory.

Caroline rolled her eyes and followed the pair in, closing the door behind her.

Caroline sat with her head propped up at the bar in her kitchen.

Listening to Klaus and her own mom,

Talk about things.

Liz excused herself with a laugh, "I need to finish some Christmas shopping, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"Of course, I'd much rather eat here than at home alone." Klaus responded.

"Excellent, I'll be sure to pick something up on my way home."

Caroline smiled as her mother walked past her and then it instantly fell once she was out of sight.

"Did you compel her?" She snapped at Klaus.

Klaus just laughed, "Is it not that I'm charming?"

"No."

And then Caroline laughed, "And now you're staying for dinner?"

Klaus shrugged and stretched his arms out, "All the hate aside, most people love me."

"Sure, sure…whatever you say." Caroline said with a smile.

"You must open your gift now; I'd like to see your reaction."

Caroline eyed him suspiciously, slowing pulling the rectangular box toward her. "What is it?" She asked, turning it over in her hands.

"Open it."

Caroline sighed and began pulling the wrapping paper off the present.

"Just Dance 4!" She exclaimed happily, immediately turning it over and reviewing the songs on the back, "This is supposed to be the best one, I have the second and third and I played this at the mall when it first came out and it's really just so awesome!"

Klaus grinned as she excitedly chattered.

"And I'm seriously so good at the other two, because once you memorize the steps it's basically the easiest game ever…"

"Do you want to play?"

Caroline looked at Klaus suddenly, "Now? With you?" She blinked and cocked her head, "You want to play Just Dance?"

Klaus shrugged, "I have a pretty decent understanding of modern technology, and I have a moderate ability to keep rhythm…so I don't see why not."

Caroline, momentarily stunned, gaped at him.

She regained herself, "I mean, okay, but I'm like really good."

"I can probably keep up."

"It's kind of hard at first if you've never played."

"I don't think it will be as bad as you say."

Caroline shrugged and put her hands in front of her in defeat, "Fine, but just a warning, I'm going to destroy you."

Liz let herself in through the front door.

"Son of a bitch! How do you keep beating me!" She heard Caroline whine.

Klaus laughed, and tried to find the words to console her.

"Seriously! That's the second time in a row!"

Liz smiled as she glanced into the living room, somehow unnoticed by the vampires.

"Okay, 'Good Feeling', let's go, I'm going to kick your ass!"

"Perhaps I'll go easier on you, love."

Liz walked away shaking her head as Caroline playfully shoved Klaus.

"No! I want to win fairly!"

She could still here their playful arguments from the kitchen, although, it was refreshing to simply see Caroline acting like a teenager for once this year.

Maybe Liz had misjudged Klaus after all.

A/N: I know I have to double update today, yeah yeah yeah…I had to work forever yesterday, so I'll be posting the next chapter as soon as I write it.

OH, and guess who has to work tomorrow on Christmas Eve? Me.

Take pity on me.