Fallen
Chapter Five
A.N. Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the last chapter! I'm glad Declan and girls' night was entertaining for you to read, and I have to say that I am loving hearing all of your theories in regards to Caroline and her little storytelling moment. Really, just all of your feedback on this story is great, and I love reading them.
There's not much Klaroline interaction in this chapter, but I hope you enjoy the moments they do have.
Thanks to Becky, Miranda, and Leah for their help with this chapter.
I hope you enjoy!
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"You know, most men fantasize about walking into a room and finding three women entangled in a glorious heap on the floor, but this one just makes me uncomfortable."
Caroline moaned softly under her breath as she shifted, lifting a hand to slowly come to rest against her throbbing temple. Even the small movement sent her stomach reeling, and she cringed, prying open her eyes when a multitude of similar moans echoed at both of her sides.
Bonnie was curled on her side, her hands splayed across her face as she rolled onto her back, her long hair a dark curtain around her shoulders as she shook her head. She was resting on a bed comprised of the couch cushions, and her lithe legs were entangled in the blue afghan from the back of the chair, one pant leg rolled up around her thigh.
Rebekah was lying face down in a sea of comforters, hands tangled in her hair, a near primal growl leaving her body as she kicked her feet angrily. "Go away, Kol," she muttered, her words muffled by the rug beneath her. She groaned, wrapping her hands tighter around her head and seeming to curl in on herself as the sunlight finally hit her face.
Kol's amused laughter resonated through the room, and the door shut quietly behind him as his footsteps came further into the apartment. There was a jingle of keys as they hit the small bowl that rested on an end table by the door, and then there was a contented sigh as his sturdy form collapsed into an armchair.
"Honestly, if you ladies are trying to show that you are of the utmost class and dignification, I'm afraid this isn't the way to go about it," he cajoled, nudging Rebekah's calf with his boot and snickering when she kicked blindly at him. "Perhaps you lot should learn to hold your liquor a bit better. The morning after might not seem to drab."
"Says the douchewaffle who can't even stomach three beers," Caroline sighed, throwing an arm over her face and and resting a soothing hand against her stomach.
"Oh, telling stories are we, Bonnie darling?" Kol crooned, his feet hitting the floor as he suddenly shifted on the couch. "Did you recall the tale of how our sordid affair started? What with the handcuffs and the haze of booze..." He sighed happily, shaking his head. "What a magical night it was. Almost as magical, dear Caroline, as the night of three times, in the boiler room of the hospital. Do you remember, Bonnie?"
If Caroline weren't feeling like death, she would have been impressed with the way Bonnie shot up, a warning glare on her face as her hand shot out to smack Kol across the chest. She was muttering something under her breath, the words "no sex" and "you'll regret it" hissing out, but the smirking Mikaelson only laughed, snatching her wrist with his hand and pulling her until she nearly kneeled in his lap, capturing her protesting lips with his for a good morning kiss.
"Will the two of you please snog somewhere else?" Rebekah moaned, now on her back and grimacing at the canoodling couple. "I'm having a hard enough time as it is keeping last night's dinner down without the image of your tongues mating."
"Don't be bitter, Bekah," Kol grinned, brushing a strand of hair from Bonnie's cheek before winking at her and settling back into his seat. "We'll find you a nice bloke, with low inhibitions, who doesn't mind a boozy fashion designer with no morals at all."
There was an undignified huff that came from Rebekah's general direction, and Caroline couldn't help but giggle quietly at the stream of accented swear words that tumbled from the blonde's lips as she pulled herself into a sitting position. She quickly followed suit, giving herself a moment to adjust to the slight spinning of the room, before bracing a hand against the coffee table and pulling herself to her feet.
She kicked the blankets off from around her legs, shuffling in her still socked feet around Bonnie's outstretched legs as she rested a cheek on Kol's lap, his hand rubbing soothing patterns against her back, and she smiled, rubbing a hand across her tired eyes as she made her way towards the bathroom.
In the back of her mind, there was a fuzzy recollection of a round of storytelling last night, and a nerve wracking staring contest with her roommate. She knew she should be concerned with the results her loose tongue could present. She always did talk too much when she was drunk.
But as she closed the door to the bathroom behind her and hit the faucet to the shower, steam quickly building in the small room and fogging up the mirror, she told herself that if it was hazy for her, then perhaps it was even more so for the two who had heard her tale. People said all kinds of things under the influence. To them, it would be nothing more than a silly story.
And yet as she stepped under the stream of hot water, dousing her hair and closing her eyes, the image of Bonnie's gaze boring into her own was front and center, and no amount of words or consolation could make it disappear.
xxxxxxx
"Kol, give me the bloody coffee before I knock out your teeth!"
Caroline shook her head as she rounded the corner into the kitchen, her head tilted to the side as she ran a towel through her damp hair, and a smile spread across her face when she saw the two siblings wrestling in front of the sink.
Rebekah stood flush against Kol, her arms straining to reach around him to where he was holding a steaming mug behind his back, his face split into a grin as she huffed and pushed at his shoulders. He was clearly enjoying the torment of his little sister, and Caroline was reminded of Bonnie's comment the previous day about Kol's displeasure of Rebekah spending time with Bonnie while he wasn't invited.
Kol finally relented when Rebekah socked him in the stomach, lowering the mug to her outstretched hand as he laughed. He sidestepped around her as she leaned against the counter, bringing the mug to her lips, her long blonde hair now hanging in a braid over her shoulder. He made his way over the kitchen table where Bonnie sat nibbling on a piece of toast, grinning when she rolled her eyes, and pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
"Ugh, vomit," Rebekah muttered. She caught sight of Caroline lingering in the entryway, and she lifted her mug, raising her eyebrows in a silent question. Caroline nodded gratefully, tossing the towel over one of the kitchen stools and making her way over to her. She helped herself to the freshly brewed pot, pouring the steaming dark liquid into a clean mug and closing her eyes as she inhaled the rich aroma.
"Okay," Bonnie yawned, sliding off her stool and bringing her plate to the sink. She ran a hand through her hair a she turned on her heel, stretching her arms over her head. "I'm going to shower and wash the hangover off my skin."
Kol grinned as she spoke, falling into step behind her as she made her way towards the bathroom. "I'll give you a hand."
"I can manage just fine," Bonnie retorted.
His arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her back a step and into his chest, his face nuzzling the side of her neck as she laughed. "Yes, but I can get that spot on your back you can't ever seem to reach..."
They both disappeared down the hallway giggling, leaving the two blondes to stare after them, one in amusement and the other in disgust, the silence settling around them when the door the bathroom slammed shut.
Caroline kept her gaze on the coffee mug in her hands, feeling Rebekah's gaze on her as they stood in quiet companionship, before the other blonde set her mug on the counter, turning to gaze out the kitchen window.
"I can see why my nephew is so taken with you."
She looked over at her, seeing Rebekah still fixated on the street below the window, but a contemplative look rested on her face. The words weren't spoken with disdain or resentment, but more of a reflection, as if she was finally coming to a realization or decision.
She shrugged, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "He's a sweet kid," she said softly.
"He is," Rebekah reiterated, glancing over at her. "He's very sweet, and very trusting. Which is really the sole reason for the girl's night last night. Not that it wasn't fun, or that I wouldn't have wanted to meet you eventually. But you have to understand that I needed to see you for myself and quell any worries or doubts I had about you."
She smiled when Caroline's brow furrowed in confusion. "Our family is very close knit. And Declan is very much the focal point of it. He means the world to me. And when he just kept going on and on about his new friend, Caroline-someone I'd never heard of before...well. I guess you can say my overprotective instincts kicked in."
"So you wanted to make sure I wasn't some psycho kidnapper?" Caroline asked with a smile.
She laughed. "Mostly. Though I also wanted to see the face of the woman who put an honest to God smile on my brother's face for the first time in years."
Caroline narrowed her eyes slightly, a smile tugging at her lips as she shook her head and laughed under her breath. "What?"
"Don't tell me you haven't noticed. He doesn't socialize very often, Caroline. My brother is, for all intents and purposes, a hermit when he isn't at his gallery or with Deck. He doesn't stick around to have idle chit chat or anything like that. And yet that's just what he does with you, anytime you're at the bar when he comes to get Declan." She watched the other blonde stare at her incredulously for a long moment, and she scoffed, shaking her head. "You truly have no idea, do you?"
Caroline gaped at her, running a hand through her hair, attempting to squash down the faint fluttering she could feel in her chest. There was a heat rising to her face, and she could only pray that it wasn't as visible as it felt, though from the way Rebekah's lips tugged up into small smug smile, she had a feeling it was. She shook her head, running a hand hastily through her hair as she dropped her gaze to the coffee smug still clenched firmly in her hand.
Rebekah laughed, shaking her head as she crossed her arms over her chest and pushed away from the counter. "Well, my brother's next visit to the bar should be interesting, shouldn't it?" she teased, tossing her braid over her shoulder as she headed towards the kitchen table.
Caroline watched her as she snatched her beaded purse from the under the table, slipping the strap over her her shoulder and digging around inside before pulling out a ring of keys. Her grip was tightening around the mug in her hand as the other blonde lifted her jacket and draped it over her arm, slipping into a pair of blue stiletto heels before heading towards the front door.
"Rebekah?" she called out.
Rebekah stopped and turned towards her, smiling with an inquisitive brow arched, and Caroline sighed, slinking back against the counter. "I'm no good for him," she said quietly.
Rebekah's ice blue eyes stared at her for a long moment before they softened, her head tilting to the side as her smile seemed to grow. She shrugged, reaching behind her to twist the door knob and pull open the door. "I think you're wrong," she stated plainly. "And I guess we won't know which of us is right until you find out. Will we?" She grinned, winking, and in a whir of blonde hair she waltzed out the door, closing it with a quiet click, and leaving Caroline to stare after her, a weary sigh escaping her lips.
xxxxxxxxx
"It's always been pretty complicated, you know? I mean, it started as simple. But somewhere along the line, between it changed from 'let's just have fun' to...whatever it is now."
Caroline looked over at Cami as she meticulously stacked the highball glasses on the shelf behind the bar, turning and twisting them unconsciously until they all faced the same direction.
The bar was relatively quiet, a few back tables crowded with college aged regulars who preferred early evening booze binges to studying sessions in the library. The chords of a Bob Dylan song thrummed from the jukebox in the corner, and the clank and thunk of a mild game of pool resounded from across the room.
Their conversation had covered everything from Cami's college course load to how she'd landed a job as head bartender, and had shifted to her less than simple relationship with Stefan Salvatore.
Caroline shrugged, turning back to the glasses. "You two seem pretty crazy about each other to me," she said, smiling. "I mean, he was pretty moon eyed that one afternoon he stopped in here. And I'm pretty sure it was reflected in your baby blues too."
Cami sighed, wiping her hands on a white hand towel and swiping at a strand of hair that slipped from beneath her headband and fell into her eyes. "Well, you'd never know from Stefan. I mean, actions can speak louder than words. Don't get me wrong there, but a girl sometimes needs the words, you know?" She shook her head. "Anyway, it's not like I'm complaining. I mean, not really. Stefan never has been one to just pour out his emotions like he's on some daytime talk show. Stems back from a childhood of withheld affection and a father who taught that it meant you were a sissy if you shared your feelings. I mean, their father's strictness and his whole view on his childrens' relationships is what spurred his older brother to run off with his girlfriend to some hick town in Colorado. It's textbook."
"Says the Psych Major," Caroline giggled. "Come on. Stefan is nuts about you. Anybody can see it. Maybe you just need to give it a little more time. You never know...people surprise you."
Cami nodded, perching a hip against the counter and turning to look at her, her gaze faltering on something just over her shoulder. A smile tugged at her lips, and she shrugged. "Maybe take your own advice?"
Caroline glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of Klaus sitting at the far end of the bar with an older dark haired man-one of the men she'd seen sitting with him the first night she saw him-their heads turned towards each other as they conversed quietly. Her gaze drifted over him, from his unruly dirty blonde curls and down across his strong chiseled jaw, the stubble covering his chin. His lips were turned up in a smile as he laughed, his blue eyes sparkling even from their distance.
She'd seen him come in earlier, and had tried her best to subtly ignore him, jumping to the aid of customers who strolled past the bar. His eyes had followed her as he'd moved to a seat at the bar, and with every second that his gaze stayed on her, her skin seemed to tingle. Rebekah's words had followed her for the past two days-the unspoken dare she'd seemed to let linger between them that morning after the girl's night.
She nibbled on her lower lip as she turned back to Cami, dropping her gaze to floor and shrugging her shoulders. "There's no advice to take," she said quietly. She looked back up, seeing Cami looking at her dubiously, and she laughed, throwing her arms out at her sides. "What? There isn't. Why everyone keeps saying there is..."
"Is probably because it's obvious from a mile away," Cami laughed. "Come on, Caroline. You've been here for about a month now. You're settling in. And you've caught the attention of Niklaus Mikaelson, the one guy in all of New Orleans who doesn't even browse the crowds of singletons anymore. There is no harm in just finding out where things lead. Unless you have a reason they shouldn't?"
Caroline stared at her. There were a dozen reasons why she shouldn't. There were a dozen reasons why she should just scoff and shake off Cami and Rebekah's comments and badgering; why she should just continue to ignore Klaus and his sexy little smirks and the way he looked at her as if he could see right into her soul.
There were a dozen reasons why she shouldn't. And there was a large part of her that wanted to ignore every one of them.
Before she could even open her mouth to reply, a loud thump on the counter made them both jump, and they turned to see Kol settling himself onto a bar stool, hands flat against the counter top as he grinned at them.
"Well, good evening, my lovely ladies," he crooned, resting his weight on his elbows and leaning towards them. "It's a lovely season for a party, don't you think?"
The two blonde bartenders exchanged a glance, rolling their eyes before returning their attention to the grinning man on the other side of the counter. "What are you going on about, Kol?" Cami asked.
"Well, Camille, in case it's slipped your mind, and you, Caroline, since there's a good chance you may not know, Saturday is Bonnie's birthday. It's quite the big deal, because even though she's only going to be 24, a rather dull and drab birthday, if you ask me, it also marks the second year she has willingly decided to spend at my side. Which, in all honestly, really requires a parade in and of itself."
"It's good you realize what a sacrifice she makes to be your girlfriend, Kol," Caroline said, smiling.
"Anyway," Kol continued, mock glaring at her before letting out a dramatic sigh. "It's going to be quite the celebration. Saturday. 8 o'clock sharp. The Hotel Monteleone. Surrounded by history, class, and let's not forget the carousel bar, which I have no doubt my family will put to good use." He shrugged. "Consider this your invitations." Grinning, he sent them a wink before spinning on his stool and hopping to his feet. He patted the bar once more in passing as he made his way to the end of the bar where his older brothers sat, each of them rolling their eyes when he slapped their backs and slid in between them.
"Hotel Monteleone," Cami said, clicking her tongue as she tightened the strings on her apron. "Don't let anyone tell you the Mikaelson's do anything lowkey."
"What's Hotel Monteleone?" Caroline asked.
"It's this huge historic luxury hotel in the middle of the French Quarter. Very rich in history and class and price tags. It's gorgeous, but it's very high end. Executive suites with valet parking, a rooftop pool and a million other things. It's gorgeous, but like I said, it caters to a very certain kind of clientele. And the Mikaelsons, coming from the old money that they do, very much fit that clientele."
Caroline nodded. Old money made sense. While the three Mikaelson siblings she'd met didn't exactly flaunt their apparent wealth, they carried themselves with the poise and confidence that came with it. Add to that the obvious designer clothes all three of them sported-Rebekah most prominent-and it was an easy conclusion to come to.
"Anyway, any family gathering, whether it's a birthday or a reunion or just a ball because Rebekah 'got a fancy' for one, it is a high profile event. Everyone's dressed to the nines and the champagne flows like waterfalls. It's very hoity toity without too much of the snobbiness, if that makes sense at all. And since Bonnie and Kol have been together for a couple years, she's as close to family as she's going to get without taking the last name, so her birthday is sure to be the biggest shindig we've seen in awhile."
"Dressed to the nines," Caroline murmured. "So it's a real fancy thing? Like...Cinderella and ballgowns and all that?"
Cami nodded, shrugging as she reached for the clipboard that sat tucked behind two large bottles of whiskey and bourbon.
Caroline sighed, leaning against the bar and crossing her arms over her chest. "A ballgown is a problem." When Cami frowned over at her, she shrugged. "I didn't exactly think to pack one before I headed this way. And I'm pretty sure dresses for this kind of venue come with a pretty price tag that I just can't swing right now."
"Well, it's no big deal," the bartender said as her eyes perused the list in her hands. "I'm sure Bonnie has something lying around you can borrow. Because I can guarantee that if you try to get out of this party for something as silly as not having a dress, you're going to be met with some serious conflict on your roommate's end."
She nodded, murmuring a quiet "yeah," though the clearing of a throat behind them stopped her from saying anything more, and she turned, her breath catching in her throat when she saw Klaus standing on the other side of the bar. He was wearing his signature smirk, his hand resting on top of his wallet on the bar counter, a golden colored credit card between his fingers as he held it out towards her.
"Settle my tab?" he asked quietly, and Caroline saw his brothers shuffling into their coats behind him.
She could practically hear Cami crowing next to her as she shook herself from her daze, breaking her eye contact with his and stepping forward to quickly snatch the card from his hand. His smirk only seemed to grow with her actions, and she couldn't help the smile that pulled at her own lips at the quiet laughter she saw in his eyes. She shook her head, turning and making her way towards the cash register, glaring at Camille and muttering a half hearted "shut up" under her breath, the sound of her heartbeat thundering in her eyes, Klaus' gaze burning into her back with every step she took.
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The next morning, Caroline came into the living room of her apartment surprised to see Bonnie sitting on the couch in her purple pajamas, her long dark curls in a messy ponytail and bowl of cereal in her hands, her eyes transfixed on the television. They'd been living together for over a month now, and she was almost positive this was the first time she'd seen her roommate "lounging."
Her confusion must have been visible, because Bonnie smiled and shrugged, shifting her socked feet under her legs. "Three day weekend. They're a very rare occurrence, so I don't waste any time. I've got a week's worth of The Dead Files on DVR to squeeze in, and not nearly enough good food to compensate for the swill the hospital serves in the cafeteria."
Caroline laughed, running a hand through her disheveled hair and making her way towards the kitchen. "Gotta love that you have your priorities straight, Bonnie," she said. "By the way, Happy early Birthday."
Bonnie laughed, smiling. "Thanks. I take it you heard about the party from Kol?" When Caroline nodded, she rolled her eyes. "I've told him he doesn't have to make a huge deal out of it. It's just another day of the year, but he insists on creating this huge spectacle that I sadly have no say in, despite it being for me. And Rebekah's hands are in the cookie jar too, so really it's for my own safety that I don't put up a fight. But you're coming, right?"
Caroline stood in the doorway of the kitchen, her fingers fidgeting with the drawstring ties to her pajama shorts. "Yeah," she said, smiling uncertainly. She truly did want to go, and by the way Bonnie's smile seemed to grow and her face brightened, she knew there was no way she would ever back out on it now. Because despite her reservations about developing any attachments to a town she didn't know she'd even see again, she was quickly coming to think of the other girl as a friend.
She was just about to bring up her lack of a dress problem when Bonnie interrupted her, motioning towards the kitchen table with her spoon as she turned her attention back to the television. "Oh, before I forget, there's something for you on the table."
Caroline frowned, looking over her shoulder to see a pale blue box sitting in the center of the table, a sparkly ribbon tied neatly around it. She walked further into the kitchen, taking in the envelope that had her name neatly scrawled across it. "Who's it from?" she asked, sliding the card from beneath the ribbon and turning it over in her hands.
"Kol brought it over this morning on his way to Elijah's," Bonnie replied, furthering Caroline's confusion. Had Kol bought her a present?
Her fingers slid under the flap of the unsealed envelope, pulling out a piece of parchment paper, her eyes traveling over the short sentence that was written on it in the same handwriting as her name:
Save me a dance.
Fondly, Klaus.
Klaus...The gift was from Klaus?
She pushed away the sudden tightness in her throat as she set the card down on the table, her fingers tugging at the ends of the ribbon and untying it carefully. She slowly slid the box of the lid off, peeking beneath the tissue paper that crinkled under her touch, and she gasped quietly when she saw that dress that lied beneath it.
It was a dark blue, almost cobalt, with a ruched bodice and thin see through shoulder straps. The upper body was framed with an embellishment of beads, woven into an intricate pattern that seemed to cinch around the waist and come to a point just below the bosom of the dress. The skirt of the dress was floor length, layered in hues of gray that only made the blue so much more vibrant. It was extravagant, and clearly expensive.
And from Klaus.
There was a sudden irritation that sparked within her, and her eyes narrowed as they continued to stare at the dress. She wasn't quite sure where her irritation was coming from: the fact that Klaus had clearly eavesdropped on her conversation with Cami yesterday, or that he had the audacity to just assume she would take his handouts.
"Seriously?" she hissed, shaking her head and looking over at Bonnie, who was peering at her with interest. "It's a dress. From Klaus. A dress." She shook her head, scoffing under her breath as Bonnie set her bowl down on the kitchen table, hitting the pause button on the remote before standing to her feet and hurrying into the kitchen, her eyes widening when they saw the brilliant blue dress. "He bought me a dress."
"It's gorgeous," Bonnie said, reaching out and carefully running her hand along the beaded artwork. "Wow, Caroline, this is beautiful."
"This is ridiculous," Caroline corrected, settling the lid back on the box once Bonnie had withdrawn her hand. "He had to have overheard me talking with Cami last night about not having anything to wear to your party."
"They all have ears like bats, it's weird," Bonnie mused, laughing when she saw the disgruntled frown on Caroline's face. "What's the big deal? So he bought you a dress for the party. It's nice."
"It's presumptuous." She lifted the card in her hand. "'Save me a dance?' What, so he buys me a dress and I'm just supposed to...what, fall at his feet?"
Bonnie took the card from her, her lips turning up in an impressed smile as she nodded. "Who knew Klaus had so much game?"
Caroline was glaring at her as she snatched the paper from her hands, crossing her arms over her chest and shifting on her feet, ignoring the laughter that seemed to sprinkle from Bonnie's lips.
"I don't see what the big deal is. So he bought you a dress. Yeah, he was super rude for eavesdropping on your talk with Cami, but I think this is pretty harmless. Crazy, out of this world gestures are kind of a Mikaelson trademark, Caroline. Believe me, he probably thinks nothing of this and just wanted you to have something nice to wear to the party tomorrow. He knows we're friends, and by association, Kol too, and he just wants to make sure you don't miss out. And the card is just, you know, harmless flirting."
"It's a weird Cinderella fetish, is what it is. Helping the poor little soot covered girl turn into a princess for the night? There is no way..."
"I think you're reading too much into this, Caroline," Bonnie said. "Because one: I can barely picture you covered in soot." She smiled when the blonde seemed to agree with that statement, her lips curling up distastefully. "And two: It is just. A. Dress. A dress and a flirty little request. It's not a proposal or a proposition. He's just being nice."
Caroline sighed, tapping her foot against the floor as her gaze settled on the closed box, her fingers tracing the slanting curves of Klaus' writing on the card in her hand. Bonnie was right-it wasn't a huge deal. It wasn't as if he was giving her an ultimatum. He was simply asking her to save a dance for him, and giving her the most extravagant gift she'd ever received.
"Yeah, well, there's a fine line between nice and creepy," she replied, looking back at her.
"The Mikaelson family motto," Bonnie laughed, turning and heading back towards the couch.
Caroline watched her go, her teeth worrying her lower lip as the thoughts ran through her head. She loved the dress-anyone would. It was beautiful and elegant, and the finest article of clothing she'd ever had. But there was a discomfort that was settling in her stomach with it, a feeling like she was being bought off with this dress.
It wasn't a feeling she relished in.
It wasn't a feeling she'd ever thought she'd be forced to feel again.
She sighed again, turning to face Bonnie in the living room. "Where does Klaus work?"
xxxxxx
The knock on his office door tore Klaus' attention away from the crate of painting on the floor, and he looked up to see Dean leaning into in the doorway, his hands resting against the door jam, fingers tapping nervously. He lifted his brows in question, frowning when Dean seemed to shift on his feet out in the hall.
"There's a very angry blonde here to see you, and it's not Rebekah."
A smile spread across Klaus' face as he quickly ran through the list in his head of blonde's a regularly associated with. It not being Rebekah narrowed it down to two, and since he knew for a fact that Camille was spending a lazy morning with Stefan, it only left one other option, and it as the one he'd often hoped would one day happen.
Though angry wasn't ever an aspect he'd entertained.
He pursed his lips, slipping the painting back into its assigned slot in the crate, and nodding towards Dean. "Bring her in then."
Dean stared at him for a moment, his fingers continuing their nervous prattle against the doorframe, before he sighed in resignation, nodding once before disappearing down the hall.
Klaus had barely slid the cover over the crate before the sound of angry footsteps thundered towards his office, and he looked up to see Caroline fly into the room in a rush of blonde hair and blue eyes, a familiar blue package clenched tightly in her hands. He felt a sigh escape him when his mind managed to connect the dots, and he smiled at her as she approached his desk, lifting his eyebrows and holding his arms out at his sides. "This is quite a surprise, Caroline," he greeting jovially, his smile growing when her eyes narrowed and she slammed the box down on the desk.
"What is this?" she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest and shifting her weight onto one leg.
He clicked his tongue, his eyes darting down the ribbon wrapped package. "Looks an awful lot like a box."
Her glare was withering in return, and he pressed his lips together to hold back the chuckle he could feel welling in his throat. She was trying to appear so intimidating, but he found her stance to be nothing more than completely adorable. Not to mention the lovely way her skin seemed to flush as her anger grew...
"I'm serious, Klaus, what the hell is this?" she asked again. "Do you make a habit of going around and eavesdropping on private conversations and then buying super expensive ballgowns and leaving them on people's doorsteps?"
"Technically, it was hand delivered." Her eyes narrowed, and he sighed, shrugging his broad shoulders. "I overheard your dress woes and thought I would help you out. It was a friendly gesture. Consider it a welcome to New Orleans gift, it you will."
Caroline held up a finger, taking a step towards his desk. "Okay, it was an invasion of privacy, first of all. And what, I'm just supposed to forget that little fact because you bought me a pretty dress? Life doesn't work that way, Mikaelson. I'm not your charity case. My life doesn't change because you got me some extravagant present. You can't just snap your fingers and get whatever you want."
It doesn't make things different, she added silently, steeling herself against the memories of countless little trinkets left here and there whenever apologies needed to be made.
"Apparently not, because if I could, you would be saying a simple thank you right now as opposed to reprimanding me," he retorted, crossing his arms over his chest as he sighed. This certainly wasn't how he pictured this scenario playing out. "Caroline, if you've interpreted this to be anything other than me giving you a simple gift, then I apologize. I overheard your dress woes, and I would have hated for you to miss the party simply because you lacked something to wear. It would have been a disappointment to your roommate, not to mention my brother and sister...and admittedly, myself."
Caroline froze at his words. It wasn't the first time the thought had been put into her head. Hadn't she fancied the idea herself, not long after meeting him? A split second, when she'd forgotten what she was running from and who she was, and let herself entertain the thought of a whirlwind romance with a handsome man in a magical city? And even after she'd shaken those thoughts off, hadn't Rebekah and Camille put them right back in with their words? Even Bonnie. They'd all told her there was something there. But to hear him say it now...
"Klaus," she sighed, shaking her head.
"It's just a dress, Caroline. It's a gift."
She huffed, throwing up her hands. "I don't want your gift! I can't take it."
"Why?" he asked, coming around the side of the desk, his hand tracing the edge of the box as he approached her. He watched her take a step back, and his own halted, an amused smile playing on his face at their obvious game of cat and mouse. She certainly wasn't making this easy.
"I just can't, okay?" she said. "Look, it was nice of you. And the gesture is appreciated, but I just...can't take it." There was an edge of desperation in her voice, an almost panicked resolution that had him frowning for a moment before he shrugged, pursing his lips.
"Well, I have no use for it," he said, motioning towards the box with an outstretched arm. "And really, it would be a shame for such an exquisite dress to go to waste." He arched his brow as he smiled at her, his eyes shining as they perused her flushed face and fiery eyes. There was something just so...beguiling about this woman. Her own gaze was meeting his own head on, never wavering, so determined to stand strong in her argument. It was admirable, he couldn't deny that. She was dedicated, and fierce, and he found himself even more drawn to her now.
He took another step towards her, and she held up a hand, a groan of frustration escaping her lips as she stomped her foot. "Ugh, just...you and your...expensive clothes and flirty romantic notes just leave me alone," she gritted out, spinning on her heel and storming towards the door, her yellow sundress fluttering around her legs with every angry, determined stomp. She nearly crashed into Dean as she fled into the hall, stumbling back a step before muttering a half hearted "sorry," and continuing on her way.
Klaus stared after her, a low amused chuckle tickling his throat, and his smile widened once he saw the look of relieved panic on Dean's face when he turned to him. His assistant was letting out a low breath, his hands fiddling with the collar of his shirt as he glanced over his shoulder.
"Hell hath no fury, huh?" he asked, turning back to him. "What did you do to piss that one off, boss?"
Klaus merely laughed, shaking his head as he unbuttoned his suit jacket, shedding it and tossing it over the back of his chair. "Upped the game, it would seem," he said, turning back to the younger man and motioning towards the box that still sat on his desk. "Do me a favor and make sure this leaves with Kol when he stops by this afternoon, will you?" Dean nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket to make a quick note. "I'll be in the back then, if you need anything."
He slowly made his way to the door on the other side of the room, his hands suddenly itching for the paint brush and canvas he hadn't touched in months.
It would appear that a certain fiery eyed bartender was quickly becoming his newest muse.
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The sound of Matt's voice was one of the few things that managed to calm Caroline down after a rampage, which is how she found herself four blocks from Sire Studios at a Public Library, her back pressed to the cement wall with the handle of a payphone pressed to her ear.
She'd listened as once again he told her it was too risky to be calling him, and even though she'd chose to do it somewhere other than she had before, it didn't matter. But once she'd told him quietly that she just needed to hear his voice, Matt Donovan had merely sighed, as he always did when she busted out the big guns.
"The Grill's doing great," he told her, the hushed sounds of a busy patronage echoing behind the closed door of his office, and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep him long. "We brought in some local garage bands the other weekend, and people seemed to be pretty into it."
"Live music," Caroline mused quietly, her eyes following the movements of the parents and children who crossed from one row of books to the other. "You should make it a weekly thing. You know, bring in some fresh clientele."
"Yeah, we're thinking about it," he replied, the line going quiet after he spoke. She found herself nibbling on her lower lip, her mind voicing the question her voice couldn't form, and she nearly sighed with relief when Matt seemed to read her mind. "Things are quiet around here, Care. No one's been around asking questions in awhile..."
She hesitated before speaking, turning against the wall so she faced the payphone, her voice dropping to a low murmur. "So no one is looking for me?"
"I don't know," Matt answered honestly. "It's kind of like limbo up here. I mean...it's like everyone just stopped wondering out of nowhere. I don't know, Care. Things are just...different right now. Since you left, everything just changed."
Caroline sighed, her cheek resting against the cool brick of the wall, her eyes taking in her reflection in the large automatic glass doors ahead of her. "Tell me about it," she said, quiet exasperation lacing her words, and she frowned when there was brief pause on the other end before a quiet chuckle sounded. "What?"
"That's the tone you only use when you're at your wit's end," Matt laughed. "When you're so frustrated you feel like your head is going to explode. So what's eating you?"
She never could get anything passed Matt. He'd always told her she was a lousy liar, her voice always giving her away. "It gets higher when you're trying to overcompensate," he'd tell her, before saying she lacked the ability to bluff as well, a sad fact that led to far too many foiled plans and botched coverups in her time. "You're a lousy liar, Caroline," he'd laugh. "I always know."
But he didn't always know...that was the real kicker, wasn't it? Maybe she had been a better liar than either of them thought...
Caroline sighed in frustration, running a hand down her face against the unwanted memory and Matt's uncanny obversation. "It's just...this guy."
"This guy?" he echoed, and she sighed again as she launched into the tale of Klaus and the dress that had sparked her fury. She told him about her roommate and the other people who had all told her exactly what she knew, but refused to believe, and how he'd done nothing but smile and flirt and refuse to take the dress back when she'd stormed into his office.
She'd expected her oldest friend's support when she finally stopped to catch her breath. She was caught off guard when she heard his laughter instead.
"Caroline, seriously, you need to chill out," he told her, and so clearly in her head she could see him laughing and shaking his head, his all American smile bright on his face. "It's a pile of material, and a piece of paper with some words on it. It's not that big of a deal."
She opened her mouth to argue, but he continued on, well aware of her intent to dispute with him.
"Look, you wanted to start fresh. You wanted to become someone new. This is your chance, Caroline. You can't be afraid forever. You can't keep looking over your shoulder. You need people. You're seriously the most social person I know, and I know it's gotta be killing you not to be right now. And it sounds like you've got people there that can...I don't know...maybe help you start rebuilding what you lost here." He was quiet for a moment, before his voice softened. "Don't let yourself stay lost. That would be a worse crime than anything else we've ever done."
xxxxxxx
Matt's words followed her the entire way back to her apartment.
They hadn't said much else after Matt told her to keep fighting for who she used to be. A long silence had stretched between them before an older gentlemen had made his way towards her, a few loose coins twisting around his fingers, his wrinkled face smiling at her as he asked if she was about finished. She'd returned a hesitant smile, telling Matt that she'd be in touch again whenever she could, wishing him good luck and a whispered goodbye.
The pang in her chest as she hung up the phone had been piercing, a constant fear that perhaps she wouldn't speak to him again. Things could change so quickly...she knew that better than anyone.
The apartment was quiet when she came home, the tv off across the room and Bonnie's dirty dishes soaking in the sink. She'd tossed her keys onto the side table and pulled off her denim jacket, hanging it across the coat rack behind the door. She ran a hand through her hair as she surveyed the apartment, taking a step towards the back hallway before her eyes fell on a familiar package sitting on the kitchen table once again.
"Seriously?" she said quietly, her feet dragging across the floor as she made her way into the kitchen. It sat just like it had that morning, ribbon retied and the familiar card tucked nicely underneath, though this time there was an additional sheet of paper lying neatly on top.
Don't be such a Debbie Downer.
Wear the frock and suck it up.
There's fun to be had.
-The Other Brother
Kol's sloppy handwriting pulled a smile from her as she skimmed the note, a quiet laugh escaping her lips as she set aside and let her fingers trace the loops of the ribbon. Matt's words echoed in her head once more.
"Don't let yourself stay lost."
The package slid off the table and into her hands as she sighed, turning and making her way towards her room, a renewed determination in her step.
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So, once again, sorry there wasn't a ton of Klaroline interaction in this one, but I can guarantee the next chapter will be chalk full of them. But hopefully you enjoyed the Kennett scenes as much as I enjoyed writing them, and my brief play on canon details. Next up we have Bonnie's birthday party, which is sure to be a good time. We'll also be meeting the rest of the Mikaelson clan, we'll see a bit more Declan, and Klaroline galore.
Do leave me your feedback and let me know what you loved-or hated. I always enjoy reading them.
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