A/N: First and foremost I need to thank all of you for your patience. I needed a little break from this story to regain my inspiration. I also needed to deal with certain realities of life. Again, thank you for understanding and HUGE thank you for all the supportive responses I received for the last two chapters.
I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter yet, but I kind of just wrote what came to me as I followed my general plan. I think I incorporated all your favourite things and characters though, so I hope you like it.
As for the next update, I'm not sure when that will be. It's entirely a blank slate at this point, although I do have a few vague plans for its direction.
Admittedly, I have been cheating on this fan-fiction by taking a bit of time to develop another idea for a two-fic Klaus/Caroline story. It's definitely new for me as it's AU/AH. It would be loosely based on a movie I watched the other week Life as We Know It. I have the first chapter to the first part written, but I'm debating whether to post it and proceed. I'm going to take my time with it. I've also been considering delving into Klaus/Stefan territory because I have a weak spot for them after Klaus and Caroline :D. Love Interruption is still my top priority though, but I find writing new ideas often gives me inspiration for the works I'm already in the middle of.
Please ignore any spelling errors or other inconsistencies, I edited this as best I could, but I didn't want to make you wait any longer for an update! Enjoy and let me know your thoughts. :D
She awoke to the sound of her cell phone alarm going off. Sitting up, she surveyed the room and reminded herself where she was.
It didn't take a lot of reminding to realize she was still in Klaus's room and not in hers. The luxurious cotton sheets and heavy blankets were enough to tip her off; everything else in the large master bedroom were just added bonus hints.
A second take of the room alerted her to its disarray.
The blankets on the bed were completely mussed; clothes littered the floor; furniture was moved; glasses and plates covered the table in Klaus's sitting room; Klaus's art supplies were strewn about. Some of it had been that way prior to her arrival, but much of it was the product of the past day.
No, this was not the morning after the events at the Founder's Hall; it was the morning after that.
She had spent a day and two nights self-confined to this room with Klaus's company. As much it was done to hide from her new reality, it was also done to embrace it; part of that new reality being Klaus.
They had spent the entire day locked in his room on purpose. He had only left the room a handful of times to retrieve them food.
Some of his siblings had come and gone during the past day, namely Elijah, but they hadn't crossed paths with any of them.
The previous day had started with them in bed together. She told him she wanted to forget about the drama in her life for a day and he had set his mind to accomplishing just that for her. All talks and thoughts of her friends and the implications of their new relationship ceased. He had even gone so far as to hide her phone from her for the day - but not before texting her mother with a vague message about her being okay.
They talked about where they would go when they left Mystic Falls. He told her stories of Tokyo, New York, London, Venice, Paris, Sydney, Amsterdam, Prague, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Cape Town...the list of cities that he told her about went on and on, but she listened so intrigued. He had been everywhere it seemed and she was fascinated. He told her to pick any place she wanted, but she couldn't decide. The prospect of leaving Mystic Falls was overwhelming and exciting all at once. She told him to surprise her.
Their fanciful day dreams of the world ended with another passionate embrace. They moved effortlessly from indulging in each other's minds to each other's bodies. She couldn't get enough of him; his lips; his eyes; the feel of him pressed so intimately inside of her. It was so primal yet so imbued with meaning for her.
That moment of bliss was proceeded by a much needed shower that they shared together.
Without any intention of leaving his room, she helped herself to his clothes, opting for a pair of boxers and a white button-up shirt, much to Klaus's dismay. He had urged her to go without clothes primarily for his viewing pleasure, but she sheepishly refused.
He himself had followed his advice, dressing only in a pair of pants; his beautifully defined torso exposed for her enjoyment.
They spent a few hours watching ridiculous daytime movies on television that gave her - and even Klaus - a few moments of laughter.
While she scanned through the now repaired shelves full of books and his music collection, he painted and sketched.
They dined on blood that night and then on each other.
His bite was fatal to her, she knew, but the intense wave of pleasure and warmth she felt as he drank from her was too great to ignore.
He explained to her the significance of blood sharing between vampire lovers which in turn explained why she felt so connected to him when they did it.
The fact that he had referred to her as his lover made her quiver with excitement and lust.
They ended the night lost in each other's arms once more.
It was unbelievable to her how much she yearned for him despite having already been sated by him several times over.
She had never been in this kind of relationship before. It felt different. She didn't feel self conscious with him. She didn't feel the need to hold back. She was at ease with him. He had ignited a spark within her sexually, emotionally, intellectually; it was an amazing and addictive feeling.
Now, as she struggled to silence the alarm on her phone, he began to stir restlessly beside her.
She went to climb off the bed, but his hand had grabbed her wrist.
In an instant her wrists her pinned above her against the pillows while he hovered above her.
She shrieked playfully as he stared down at her unimpressed.
"I knew I shouldn't have given you back that irritating piece of technology," he complained groggily, snatching the phone from her hands.
"It was my alarm," she informed him.
"Alarm for what?" he asked.
"To wake up, silly," she joked.
He frowned in frustration without the answer he was demanding.
"I'm going to school today," she explained.
He scoffed at the idea.
"School?" he asked in disbelief.
She nodded.
"Why?" he groaned.
She laughed.
"Because the last time I checked attendance is not optional," she mused.
"All your 'friends' are there," he reminded her. "You know the ones who practically disowned you the other night..."
She stared up at him persistently.
"That's exactly why I'm going," she said decidedly.
He sighed in defeat.
"Perhaps I don't want you to go," he challenged, pressing his lips against her neck.
"You can't always get what you want," she retorted with a smirk.
He hissed.
"Yes, I can," he stated, capturing her lips in a hungry kiss.
As much as she loved the taste of his lips, she was determined to go to school today...on time.
She pressed up on his bare chest, pushing him to break the kiss.
He groaned.
"Come on, love. What can I do to convince you to stay?" he asked.
She laughed at his obvious efforts to bribe her.
"Nothing," she assured him as he dipped his lips above her chest.
He looked up at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"I can be very convincing," he urged her.
She shook her head.
He ignored her protests and kissed her lower in between her breasts.
"Let's see," he said against her skin as he moved lower.
She began to shiver as her self-control began to buckle.
"Klaus stop," she pleaded, pulling at his shoulders.
Still, he went lower.
He glanced up at her with a devious smile before parting her legs.
"Klaus," she chastised weakly, knowing she wouldn't put up a real fight.
She was already aching for him and he had barely even touched her.
He kissed the insides of her thighs teasingly, before brushing his breath against her centre.
She was melting like butter against his hot touch.
His tongue lightly stroked the sensitive flesh between her thighs and she gasped heavily.
"I need to get ready," she whimpered in feeble protest.
He dragged his tongue lazily over her clit.
"Just a few kisses..." he pouted, draping his forearm over her torso effectively preventing her from moving. "You know this won't take long," he said cockily, before drawing the aching little dot of flesh into his mouth.
She shrieked as her back arched off of the mattress.
He was right; it wouldn't take long. He'd have her coming undone in mere minutes against the velvety feel of his tongue. She'd be seeing stars.
Relenting completely, she spread her legs and ran her hands through his hair encouragingly.
"Good girl," he cooed seductively, inserting a finger inside of her.
She almost came right then and there.
Her hips bucked against his hand and lips as he slipped another digit inside of her.
His tongue drew circles around her clit at a steady pace as his fingers hit all the right spots.
When the hand across her stomach found its way to her nipple, any lingering hesitation was destroyed as the familiar tingle of her orgasm ripped through her body.
She cried out breathlessly as her hands dug into the skin of his shoulders.
"Oh my god," she sighed contentedly as he rose from in between her legs.
He licked his lips before rubbing the remaining evidence of her orgasm from his face with his forearm.
"I told you it wouldn't take long," he repeated proudly.
She flipped him over unexpectedly so that she was astride him.
Grinding her hips down against his, she could feel that he was already hard for her.
He growled under his breath excitedly as he gazed up at her lustfully.
Her hair draped over him as she leaned down to consume his lips with her own.
She could still taste her sweet and sour flavour on his tongue.
Before she could deepen the kiss, he pulled her away from his lips by her hair.
"Don't you have to get ready for school?" he questioned her.
"I'll skip the shower," she said, kissing him again.
He broke the kiss once more.
"You'll still be late," he pointed out, taking a turn to kiss her.
"Not if you give me some of your sister's clothes to borrow so I don't have to stop at home," she mumbled, reclaiming his lips. "Are you seriously going to argue me on this?" she groaned.
She smiled against his neck as her hand grasped the thick length of his manhood.
He shook his head as she began to trail kisses down his chest.
"Not while you're holding me like that, love," he said huskily as one of his hands began to wander through her messy hair while the other cupped her bottom appreciatively.
She murmured from the combination of his touch and the delicious feeling of her breasts grazing over the flat of his chest.
She inhaled deeply taking in the lingering musky but sweet and citrusy scent of his body wash as she lowered herself down his torso, intent on repaying him for morning treat he gave her – even if she had been unwilling to receive it at first.
This was her first time going down on him, she realized. She hesitated unnoticeably for a few seconds as she debated whether or not to proceed. Surely he had not grown conservative in his old vampire age – he had gone down on her twice.
Gazing up at him as she moved lower she noted his bated breathing and the skin tighten around his jaw as he stared down at her with hooded eyes.
No, he definitely wasn't going to stop her.
She was glad for it. She had never been this excited to go down on a guy before. It had always seemed like such a chore – something to do because guys expected it. Tyler enjoyed it but he was anything but enthusiastic or appreciative. If Klaus's other bedroom behaviour was any indicator, she could be certain that this would play out very differently.
Positioning herself in between his legs, she continued the path of her tongue over the ridges of his abs as she caressed the soft skin of his shaft.
She moved lower, barely touching the head of his cock with her lips.
In response, his hand griped her hair tighter.
"You know, you're quite the tease," he hissed.
He soon ate his words as she slowly drew him into her mouth completely.
She grinned as his entire body tensed and he fought the urge to suppress a moan.
Her heated tongue dragged up the underside of his manhood before swirling around his tip while her silken fingers stroked him.
He released a loud growl through his gritted teeth.
She took him into her mouth again, following her hands down to the base of his cock with her moist lips and tongue.
As he held onto her hair tighter he thrust his hips against her mouth, pushing his manhood against her throat.
She quickened the pace of both her mouth and hands; both working in sync to coax out his orgasm.
Looking up at him for reassurance, she saw his face contorted into the most pleasurable of expressions; his eyes clenched shut and his lips curled together.
Feeling her eyes on him, he looked down at her.
"Don't you dare stop," he ordered, his demanding tone of voice prompting her to shiver delightfully.
Without a word, she obliged him by taking him into her mouth once more.
His breathing was ragged and his entire body was motionless as he stiffened against her lips.
She withdrew him from her mouth slightly, knowing he was about to cum any second.
"I'm gonna cum, sweetheart," he warned her, giving her the chance to retreat if she desired.
Keeping her lips firmly around him, she dragged her tongue over his head, urging him to let go.
He groaned loudly and wasn't long before she could feel the warm salty liquid of his cum spurt against her tongue.
She swallowed all of it, keeping her lips around him to collect any remaining drops.
Before she could even say anything, or he could say anything to her, the bedroom doors busted open behind her after a very brief knock.
She shrieked in surprise, gathering up the sheets at her legs to cover herself and Klaus as he sat up.
Klaus's face was red with anger.
As she turned to sit up against the headboard beside Klaus, she saw Kol standing smugly in the doorway.
Her face was beat red as she concluded that Klaus's brother has more than likely just seen her naked and in a very compromising position between Klaus's legs. The look on Kol's face was only added confirmation of this.
Klaus's body is tense now – not from pleasure, but from anger, and she knows he wants to lunge at his brother, but his current state of undress has rendered him helpless.
"What the hell are you doing?" Klaus demanded through gritted teeth. "I told you never to enter my room, under any circumstance," Klaus chastised.
Kol smirked.
"Well, Elijah wanted us all to have breakfast before I leave town again, and I thought I'd personally invite you," he explained. "But," he said looking directly at her. "I take it you two have already eaten," he snickered.
She blushed, but Klaus merely smirked, as if to accept Kol's challenge.
Klaus kissed her lips unexpectedly before turning back to Kol.
"Indeed; and what a fine meal it was," he observed.
His words painted her cheeks red, but she felt satisfied when she noticed Kol grimace.
"You're only leaving now?" Klaus asked. "I thought I told you to be gone the other night?"
Kol shrugged.
"Bekah is still angry with you, so I decided to keep her company. Besides, you know I can't come through this town without sampling some of the local cuisine," he remarked, quite obviously referring to the local people.
She frowned.
"Surely my brother can't be that satisfying Caroline, perhaps you'd still like to join us for something more appetizing?" Kol proposed.
- "She's has to go to school," Klaus interjected, saving her from having to reply.
She nodded confirming Klaus's statement.
Kol chuckled.
"Well isn't that cute," he mused.
She scowled.
"Leave, now, Kol. I'll be down in a minute," Klaus growled.
"As I'm sure you already were?" Kol laughed, making a sexual innuendo.
Before Klaus could say another word, Kol was already slipping out of the doorway.
"And you might want to think about getting that lock fixed," he remarked, as he shut the door behind him.
She fell back against the bed with a loud huff. Now she was more angry than embarrassed.
"You're brother really is a pest," she groaned. "Does he forget to use his sensitive hearing?" she muttered.
Klaus chuckled as he rose from the bed.
"He never forgets, sweetheart. That's precisely why he was in the doorway at that exact moment," he explained nonchalantly as he dressed into a pair of track pants from the floor.
Her eyes widened with disgust.
"Ewww," she complained. "I thought you old vampires retained some of your old-world manners," she pointed out.
"Kol never possessed old-world manners to begin with," he laughed, heading for his door.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"To retrieve some of Rebekah's clothes for you to wear; unless you'd prefer to wear your dress from the other night?" he mused.
She nodded appreciatively.
He returned rather quickly with a pile of clothes he likely picked from her closet haphazardly. Most of the clothes still had their original store tags on them.
"It looks like Rebekah hasn't even worn these yet. Help yourself," he offered as he dropped the clothing on the bed.
She threw together an outfit while Klaus changed in his closet.
Since their size in pants differed, she opted for a grey pencil skirt that was easier to fit, finishing it with a black button up blouse. She was tempted to sneak into Rebekah's room for a belt to wear, but the outfit would work. Her heels from the nice before would also match nicely. She didn't make a habit out of wearing heels to school, but she hoped the casual nature of the outfit would distract from her previously worn heels and the fact that she would essentially be doing the so-called "walk of shame" while at school.
She dashed past Klaus and into his bathroom to fix her hair. Luckily, she always carried a few random hair pieces and makeup in her purse for emergencies. She cleaned up the best she could before applying some light makeup and throwing her hair back into a messy bun. When all was said and done, she was rather impressed with her quick work.
"I see my sister's clothes sufficed," Klaus noted from the bathroom doorway as she brushed her hands over the material self-consciously.
She nodded.
He was dressed now too; a simple white t-shirt and jeans. While she would never come right out and say it, however ironic it seemed, she preferred him in white from time to time.
"Shall I see you out?" he asked.
For a few quick moments his question made her apprehensive. For a few quick moments things grew awkward between them. Could they pick up from where they left off in this room if she left him? Would it be the same? Or would he become detached once more?
"Sure," she said, suddenly hesitant as she approached him.
She was foolish to think she would just be able to walk by him without any consequence.
He stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him before kissing her.
As he tried to deepen it, she sighed against his lips and pulled away reluctantly.
"I really need to go to school this time," she smirked as she collected her things.
She didn't want to leave. The cowardly side of her wanted to stay cooped up in Klaus's mansion for a few more weeks, revelling in the choice she had made without having to deal with any of the consequences. But she knew this was not something she could procrastinate on. She needed to carry on, and she needed to remedy things with her friends before she embarked on a new life with Klaus.
Stepping out of the room, she descended the grand staircase anxiously as she could hear both Kol and Elijah talking. Klaus followed behind.
While she didn't mind speaking to Elijah, she hadn't had a proper conversation with him since before Klaus's reappearance, and she wasn't about to start one with Kol in the vicinity.
Before she could reach the front doors undetected, Elijah cleared his throat from one of the adjacent rooms.
"Caroline, good morning," he called to her.
She passed him a friendly smile and approached him, despite the fact that she was already running late.
Elijah was seated at a circular dining table with a variety of breakfast foods on display. He was dressed in his regular suit attire.
She hesitated when she noted Kol standing at the far window with a Cheshire grin planted across his face.
"Morning, Elijah," she said politely.
"Join us for breakfast?" Elijah offered, extending his hand to the chair beside his.
She frowned and bit her lip. This all seemed too weird...too domesticated. A few weeks ago she was trying to kill these people and now Klaus's brother was inviting her to share breakfast.
"She can't brother, Niklaus has already made her late for school," Kol interjected, glancing past her towards Klaus who she could feel behind her. "Bekah has already left. She told me to remind you about the Prom Committee meeting," Kol added.
"Thanks," she said unsurely.
To be honest, she had completely forgotten about the Prom Committee. It was just another thing to add to her list of things and people she would have to confront. In addition to her friends, it seemed there was no way to avoid Klaus's sister.
Elijah seemed just as amused as Kol did with the idea of school but he smiled at her, nonetheless.
"Well brother, perhaps you'll have to be more mindful of Caroline's schedule," Elijah mused to Klaus.
Kol snorted.
"Sorry I can't stay," she apologized.
Elijah nodded.
"Another time," he said.
She nodded back.
With that settled she turned to leave once more, stopped only by the presence of Klaus behind her.
Deciding to play with both Kol and Klaus, she smiled at Klaus sweetly, taking him by surprise as she kissed him lightly on the lips.
She knew Klaus was uncomfortable with the display of affection, but she did it anyways.
His lips barely moved against hers but it still counted as a kiss.
Kol looked bitter and unimpressed and Elijah was trying to hide a smirk having obviously caught on to her intent.
"Call me later?" she said lowly to Klaus, who was aflame with embarrassment and intrigue.
He gave a quick nod and she headed for the foyer.
"Oh Klaus?" she stopped. "Can I borrow a car? Wouldn't want anyone to catch me vampire speeding around town in broad day-light," she said.
Judging by the look on Klaus's face, she was clearly testing her limits with him.
It was true though. She had come to his place without her car the other night. She couldn't just speed to her house in the middle of the day to get her car.
"Keys are in the garage, take your pick," he muttered with his back turned to her, obviously annoyed.
She half expected him to offer to drive her, but with Elijah and Kol both watching their interaction curiously, Klaus wasn't about to take that step.
"Thanks," she said, waving in Elijah's direction.
All three of them listened for the door to the garage to slam shut.
Kol was snickering under his breath and even Elijah had a smirk planted on his face.
He scowled.
"What has the two of you so amused?" he asked them threateningly as he picked at some of the fruit displayed on one of the breakfast platters.
Elijah shrugged, but he knew Kol would willingly oblige him with a snide reply.
"Who would have thought that a little blonde baby vampire would have you so whipped," Kol mused.
"Shut your mouth," he warned.
Kol chuckled.
"Really Kol, Niklaus was only being a gentleman to Caroline. I hardly think that to be considered being 'whipped' as you call it," Elijah remarked.
He sneered at Kol, as if his elder brother's defence granted him victory.
"Yes Kol, a gentleman, something you would know nothing about," he said to his younger brother.
Kol shrugged.
"Well brother, tell sweet Caroline that when she grows tired of Niklaus the gentleman that I am more than willing to do a number of un-gentlemanly things to her," Kol beamed.
Without hesitation Klaus picked up one of the knives on the table and threw it in Kol's direction, but it hit nothing save for the wall. Kol had darted out of the house at vampire speed before he had a chance to retaliate.
Elijah seemed unimpressed by their juvenile bickering as he walked over to the far wall of the room where Kol had been standing and removed the knife from the wall.
He left the room immediately following that to avoid an Elijah lecture. He showered first and then preoccupied more of his time by clearing the mess in his room as opposed to having a compelled hired helper do it for him. His sensitized smell still picked up their lingering scent of their passion and sweat in his bedroom, and he couldn't help but smile to himself as he made his bed.
When he wasn't thinking about the unspeakable things he wanted to do to her body, he was wondering what kind of day she was having in the shark tank like atmosphere of her high school. Either her friends were blatantly confronting her again, or they were going through the passive-aggressive motions. He had attempted to text her, but he soon discovered that she had left her cell phone behind with him. That was unsettling to him, but he disregarded it.
The rest of the afternoon he spent downstairs in his study working on another painting. He had asked Caroline yesterday if she would pose for him so he could paint her, but she refused his request with a shy smirk. He knew he would get her to come around eventually.
Until then, with his spirits lifted, the themes of his paintings were lifted as well. This painting he would entitle Lovers in the Meadow even though it was far from being complete.
An hour or so into his work, he heard Elijah enter the room and he waited for Elijah to bring up his altercation with Kol.
"You would do well not to take Kol so seriously, Niklaus," Elijah advised. "You know he is only trying to push your buttons."
He finished a few more brush strokes before setting his paintbrush down to acknowledge Elijah.
"Brother, he purposely incites me. If it's a reaction he wants, then a reaction he shall get," he declared. "I will not tolerate his blatant disrespect. The joke has gone far enough. He harassed Caroline the other evening, he invades her privacy, he makes her uncomfortable," he complained.
Elijah smiled.
"Does that amuse you?" he asked his brother.
Elijah shrugged nonchalantly.
"Not at all; forgive me; it is simply refreshing to see this side of you," Elijah confessed.
His eyebrow arched at Elijah as he took a seat at the desk and placed a newspaper on its surface.
"What side of me?" he asked.
"Your humanity; leaping to defend someone other than yourself," Elijah clarified.
He was tempted to feel offended by Elijah's insinuation that he was self-absorbed, but a part of him knew that it had been true.
He smirked at his brother.
"Well I'm not inclined to make a habit out of it," he mused.
"Perhaps then an exception for Caroline?" Elijah suggested.
"Indeed," he responded almost shyly as he resumed painting.
"So judging by the fact that you've been holed up in your bedroom for the past day, I suppose it is safe to assume that your conversation with Caroline following my departure went well?" Elijah asked.
He nodded, uninterested in providing Elijah with every detail – particularly the naughtier bits.
"And did you heed my advice?" his brother inquired further.
"Rest assured Elijah I told Caroline what she needed to hear," he replied.
"I can only hope that it was genuine," Elijah said.
"It was," he said simply, beginning to become agitated with Elijah's inquiry.
Silence soon came between them and he continued painting while he waited for Elijah to continue with his mental list of questions.
"So what are your plans now Niklaus?" Elijah wondered. "I'm sure it will only be a matter of time before the Council figures out you're not dead..." he noted.
Setting his brush down once more he clasped his hands together decidedly as he looked at Elijah.
"I think it would be in all of our best interests if we got the hell out of this town. I was thinking I'd take Caroline to New York, or perhaps to our manor outside of London," he answered.
"London may not be a wise choice since I am fairly certain Kol said that's where he was headed next," Elijah informed him.
He scoffed.
"Well, nevertheless, I want to leave before my cover is blown," he stated.
A look of concern crossed Elijah's face.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
"Have you discussed this with our sister or Caroline?" Elijah questioned. "I don't think Rebekah will want to leave until she has completed her studies, and it was my impression that Caroline felt similarly," Elijah explained.
He hadn't really thought about what Caroline might want. Being that she was still so firmly attached to her human life, he knew that milestones like prom and graduation were important to her. His only focus was that she had agreed to follow him when he left Mystic Falls, but they had never discussed a specific timeline over the previous day. They had been much too preoccupied with each other.
"I'll take it up with Caroline, but I think our safety is paramount," he asserted.
Elijah nodded in agreement.
While he wasn't afraid of the Council itself from a physical threat standpoint, he knew the humans who comprised the group were malicious. He was most concerned about Caroline.
He returned to his painting when Elijah began to scan the Mystic Falls newspaper.
"Tell me brother, what boring news does Mystic Falls have to report today?" he wondered sarcastically.
At first Elijah chuckled at his comment but he soon fell suspiciously quiet behind him.
"Actually, it says that Tyler Lockwood was attacked last night outside of the Grill..." Elijah informed him.
She pulled up in the school parking lot in Klaus's black SUV. It was the only relatively indiscriminate vehicle out of his entire collection. She was tempted to drive the bright red Ferrari but the last thing she felt like doing was drawing more attention.
Before she got out of the car she gave herself a mini pep talk. She could do this. She could go to school and carry on like normal as if the direction of her life and the people in it had not recently and drastically changed. She had to do this. Hopefully her friends would come around.
First period was math with Matt, Bonnie, and Tyler. After she apologized to the teacher profusely – she was extremely late– she took her regular seat behind Bonnie and in between Matt and Tyler.
Bonnie's eyes alone looked like they could cut like a knife as they met hers.
She forced a faint smile, hoping Bonnie would warm up to her, but the disgusted stare on her face remained.
Matt eyed her solemnly and she was just about to whisper a hi to him believing it to be appropriate, but he turned away and looked down at his textbook.
Turning to Tyler's seat, she noticed he was absent.
The class continued with the math lesson and then was followed by a half hour of independent study time to work on questions from the textbook. She couldn't concentrate on any of it. The only other contact she had with either Matt or Bonnie was when Bonnie passed her back a sheet of extra problems the teacher had assigned for homework. She thanked Bonnie but she said nothing in return.
When the bell rang Bonnie shot up from her seat and scurried out of the classroom before she even had a chance to say anything.
She sighed in frustration as she gathered up her things. Matt was still at his desk doing the same. She looked over at him and he looked at her. It was then that she noticed a bruise on the other side of his face.
"Hey," she barely squeaked out.
He nodded, but left the room before she could utter another sentence or ask him about what happened to his face.
The next period was biology which she shared with none of her former close friends so it gave her a chance to relax and be herself.
It was the next class she was worried about; English. She shared that class with Stefan, Elena, and Tyler. She arrived to the classroom early so it would be Elena, Stefan, and Tyler who would have to be confronted with her instead of the other way around. It was then that she had the inclination to check her phone for texts – perhaps from Klaus or her mother – but as she looked through her things she soon realized she had forgotten her phone at Klaus's.
She groaned out loud causing some of the other students in the room to give her awkward stares.
Elena and Stefan soon entered the room together. Stefan was behind Elena with his hand on the small of her back.
When Elena noticed her she froze and turned towards Stefan, as if she was actually debating whether or not to attend the class.
It was like she had some disease that none of her supposed friends wanted to contract.
She was tempted to listen in on Elena's conversation with Stefan but in an effort not to extend her guilt any further, she just watched passively from the opposite corner of the room.
Whatever Stefan had said to Elena was enough to convince her to stay, and she turned back for the desks and took her usual spot next to Stefan a row over from her.
Unlike Bonnie and Matt, Elena completely avoided all eye contact with her.
Stefan on the other hand was more forgiving. When Elena was preoccupied with her things, he took a moment to look her way.
Obviously Elena had filled Stefan in on all the gory details so she didn't read too much into his glance.
She gave him a conciliatory smile, hoping that her friendship with him would somehow be the eventual key to reconnecting with Elena and her other friends.
Again, Tyler was a no-show and she no longer chalked up his absence to sleeping in. Maybe he was just skipping all the classes he shared with her to avoid her, she thought.
After English it was lunchtime as well as Prom Committee. She really wasn't interested in prom at this point, but she was actually thankful for the meeting – even if Rebekah would be there – she really didn't feel like eating in the cafeteria by herself.
She entered the meeting room to find Rebekah already there with a chipper smile on her face.
"Caroline, so glad you could pry yourself away from my brother's bed to attend the meeting, in my clothes no less," Rebekah chided with a smirk.
As her face flushed slightly she scoffed and took one of the pieces of paper Rebekah handed to her, disregarding it and Rebekah's snarky comment.
"I bet today has been interesting for you," Rebekah said. "Seeing as everyone you care about here hates you. It seems I was right about Elena and Bonnie – they have turned their backs on you."
She frowned.
"Well I guess I know how it feels to be you," she retorted. "Nobody likes you either."
Rebekah's jaw clenched.
Admittedly, she did know how it felt to be Rebekah now and it was terrible.
"That was quite the scene the other night at the Founder's Hall," Rebekah pointed out.
Caroline rolled her eyes as she tried to read the brainstormed list of ideas Rebekah had prepared.
"I'm glad you could find entertainment in my misery," she said sarcastically.
"You must at least be happy to know Nik is alive," Rebekah continued.
She nodded.
"Of course I am," she agreed. "As I'm sure you are."
Rebekah shrugged.
"Nik and I are kind of on the outs," Rebekah explained.
"He told me what you did to the leftover doppelganger blood he had," she informed Rebekah.
Rebekah scoffed and started to go through one of her binders.
"I suppose you're here to scold me for Nik," Rebekah remarked.
She shook her head.
"Actually, I stuck up for you," she admitted, laughing at how ridiculous it sounded.
Rebekah looked up at her a little surprised.
"I basically told him you were justified to be upset with him after keeping the fact he was alive from you and Elijah; that I was mad he hadn't told me either. And I so much as said that I was happy you destroyed the blood," she elaborated.
She could see a little smirk begin to form at the corners of Rebekah's lips.
"And did Nik try to snap your neck in retaliation?" Rebekah asked.
Rebekah's comment bewildered her a little bit. Obviously when Klaus had said he and Rebekah had a little sibling dispute, that's what he had meant. It unnerved her a little.
"No..." she replied.
She could almost see a hint of jealousy cross Rebekah's features as she rolled her eyes.
"Well it seems as though you are becoming my brother's little weakness," Rebekah mused. "So now that Elena is no longer an issue, what now? You and Nik go riding off into the sunset?" she muttered.
She shrugged at Rebekah's question.
It was really beginning to sink in for her just how serious this was; how serious they were. Leaving with Klaus meant eternity, no less. It was a commitment.
"I'd like to finish high school and make amends with my friends; but when your brother decides to leave, I'm going with him," she answered.
Proclaiming it to someone else other than Klaus; being able to admit it, gave her a sense of comfort.
"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Caroline," Rebekah warned. "Nik is a handful."
She nodded.
Without warning, Rebekah lunged at her and slammed her against one of the blackboards.
"Let me make myself clear. If you ever, ever, hurt my brother, not only will you have to deal with Niklaus's wrath, but mine as well. Do you understand?" Rebekah threatened.
She nodded slightly as Rebekah's fingers dug into her neck.
"Excellent," Rebekah smiled brightly, releasing her from her grasp.
Falling away from the wall, she soothed her neck with her hands. She watched apprehensively as Rebekah returned to her papers as if her little outburst had never happened.
She thought about confronting Rebekah, but she knew it was a losing battle.
Rebekah and Klaus may have been on the outs, but she admired the strength of their bond.
While she was still angry at Rebekah over what she did to Elena and Matt, she almost understood where Rebekah had been coming from.
She knew she would have to be more conciliatory towards Rebekah if she was going to be with Klaus. All her friends hated her and she didn't need Rebekah of all people on that list too.
A change of topic was in order.
"So congrats on being nominated for Miss Mystic," she spoke up, hoping her compliment sounded sincere enough.
The grin forming on Rebekah's lips as she mentioned Miss Mystic was unmistakeable. Sometimes she had to remind herself that in many ways, Rebekah was still a girl at heart.
"Thanks," Rebekah replied, instantly lightening the tension between them.
"Are you nervous?" she asked, hoping to keep Rebekah's attention off of more controversial topics.
Rebekah shrugged.
"I have a lot of work and volunteering to do in the next couple of months if the committee is going to take me seriously," she admitted.
She nodded in agreement and things quickly went silent for a few moments.
"Actually...I...uhm...I was wondering if you could give me some advice, seeing as you've been through it," Rebekah said, as though she was swallowing her pride. "Just with the interview process," she finished.
While it was flattering to be asked for help – particularly by one of Klaus's siblings – a part of her still loathed the idea of helping Rebekah with anything.
But she knew it would put her further in Rebekah's favour and get her off of her back.
"I figure you probably owe me since you borrowed my clothes without asking," Rebekah smirked.
She rolled her eyes before relenting with a sigh.
"I guess I could help you," she said with a hint of reluctance.
Did she really want Rebekah Mikaelson to take the title of Miss Mystic Falls from her?
Rebekah smiled sweetly.
"Good and when you're done with my clothes kindly wash them and return them to me," Rebekah practically ordered.
Not wanting to create more tension, she simply nodded before turning her attention back to the paper Rebekah had handed her earlier.
"So is this the list of brainstormed ideas for prom?" she asked, carrying on with the main concern of the meeting as a few other committee members came through the door.
Rebekah nodded.
"Everyone brainstormed a few ideas via Facebook and I just put the best ones together, but I've already decided the theme of the prom," Rebekah stated bluntly.
Her eyebrows rose with Rebekah's bold admission.
"Oh? Then what's the point of the meeting?" she asked.
"Execution," Rebekah said simply. "We don't have time to waste debating the theme. The date is just around the corner," she reminded her.
She crossed her arms, unimpressed with Rebekah's ability to take over yet another high school event that she was supposed to have control over.
"So what's the theme then?" she wondered.
"Eighteenth-Century Elegance," Rebekah beamed. "Seeing as I missed the decade dance and there's no time left on the school calendar for another, I decided we would focus prom on one of my favourite centuries," she explained.
She scoffed.
"Well it's not like we could do the twentieth then seeing as you missed most of it," she mocked under her breath.
Rebekah's eyes narrowed and she could tell that she had heard her, but she did nothing with the rest of the committee members filing in.
And just like that, a friendly moment between them turned sour. She had a feeling her relationship with Rebekah would be defined by bittersweet moments for the rest of eternity.
The rest of the day moved along at a snail's pace. She considered skipping class a few times, but she didn't want anyone thinking they had gotten the better of her.
By the time the final bell rang, signalling the end of the day, she bolted to her locker to collect her things, and eagerly headed for Klaus's car.
She needed to go home; she needed to get out of Rebekah's clothes, she needed a shower, she needed to feed; she needed the comfort of her bedroom.
At the same time, she dreaded going there; her mom would more than likely have something to say about her absence.
After piling some homework into the backseat of the vehicle she slammed the door shut only to be confronted and surprised by an intrigued Stefan Salvatore standing behind it.
"Stefan," she exhaled. "You scared me."
"Sorry," he said plainly. "You looked like you were in a hurry. I wanted to catch you before you left," he explained.
She glared expectantly at him.
"Look Stefan, I'm sure Elena filled you in on everything that happened the other night, and I know your reaction is probably the same as everybody else's, so can we please just skip the guilt trip?" she requested sternly. "This whole day has been a guilt trip," she muttered.
Stefan nodded.
"I'm not here to guilt trip you," he reassured her.
"Good," she replied.
"I see Klaus lent you his SUV..." Stefan remarked casually. "So what's the deal between you two? Are you his girlfriend now?" Stefan asked.
She frowned at the tone of his questions.
Stefan held up his hands innocently.
"I'm serious Caroline. I'm not trying to mock you. I'm just trying to figure out where you stand; where Klaus stands. Elena really didn't tell me much, aside from what happened that the Founder's Hall," he clarified.
She leaned against the body of the car and looked away from Stefan in annoyance. Regardless of his promise of impartiality, she could feel his judgement already. It gave her no desire to respond to him, but deep down she wanted to believe that his approach was a good sign; that she still had a chance with her friends. In an instant she could feel herself becoming emotional.
"I love him, Stefan," she admitted freely. "I love, Klaus," she said almost helplessly as her cheek rested against the cool glass window to look at him.
She scoffed and looked away as she saw Stefan's perplexed reaction.
"Listen, I know what I did to Tyler was wrong. I'm sorry; I'll be sorry for that for the rest of my life. I'm sorry for lying to everyone," she said. "But I'm not going to apologize for my feelings," she told him defensively. "My feelings may be uncomfortable and inconvenient for you and everyone else, but that doesn't mean they're wrong," she argued shakily.
"You're right," Stefan conceded reluctantly.
She looked at him a little dumfounded by his reply, but she felt the need to go on.
"I tried, Stefan. I tried so hard to ignore Klaus and ignore my feelings for everyone's sakes. I never wanted to feel the way I do about him. If it was as easy as denying my feelings and moving on, don't you think I would have done that? It would have made my life so much easier," she explained.
Stefan shrugged.
"Well you can acknowledge your feelings without acting upon them," he proposed.
Snarling at his comment she glared at him.
"Come on Stefan, you know how ridiculous that sounds. You knew that by continuing on with Elena you'd be causing problems for her, you, everyone, and yet you still did. You know how miserable Damon is now that he's acknowledged his feelings for Elena and he can't act on them," she argued.
She noted Stefan flinch at her mention of Damon.
"Don't try to sell me on a circumstance that is neither preferable or one you yourself can bear to live under," she scolded. "You guys have every right to hate me for what I did to Tyler, but I honestly get the impression from everyone that you're madder about who I chose to cheat on Tyler with rather than the fact I cheated," she complained.
Stefan sighed while his eyes wandered searchingly before returning to her intense stare.
"I guess we're all just trying to figure out how you could love somebody as cold-hearted and calculating as Klaus, Caroline," Stefan acknowledged. "He's caused so much pain and suffering for you and all of your friends; me," he listed specifically.
Her brows furrowed at Stefan as she grew more frustrated.
"That's only one side of him though, Stefan," she groveled, "Your bias; your hatred for him only allows you to see that one side. There's another side to him; his humanity."
Stefan stood there contemplating her words.
"I mean, if anyone should know about individual complexities Stefan it's you. Your past is just as ruthless as Klaus's, and yet everyone acknowledges the good in you," she said further. "Should Elena not love you because of your past?" she wondered.
The sympathetic look on his face suggested to her that she was slowly getting through to him; she was making progress.
"I don't condone the terrible things that Klaus has done, but I understand it. I understand him. I love him, and I hate feeling like I have to choose between him and my friends," she said weakly, tears forming in her eyes as she imagined the possibility. "But you don't know how it feels to never be someone's first choice and then to finally find someone who only wants you. He loves me, and I don't want to have to sacrifice that," she cried.
Before she knew what was happening, she found herself carefully confined by Stefan's arms as he brought her into a small hug.
"While I still have my reservations about Klaus, I really want to give you the benefit of the doubt," Stefan admitted. "But I think it will take a while for Elena and everyone else to come around," he added.
She nodded.
"I know."
"I'll try and talk to Elena, but she's been having a rough go of it lately in terms of her transition, so I don't want to add more stress," Stefan said.
"I understand," she replied.
She wanted to ask Stefan about Elena, but she felt like that might be taking things too far too soon.
They stood there silently for a few seconds as though Stefan was trying to recall another reason for his initial approach.
"So judging by your faith in Klaus, I would assume he didn't have anything to do with the attack on Tyler and Matt then?" Stefan asked.
Her face quickly contorted into one of confusion.
"What? What attack!?" she questioned dumbfounded. "No one told me!" she said exasperated.
Stefan seemed taken aback that she had not heard the latest news. She supposed being kept in the dark is what she got for keeping her friends in the dark.
"I thought someone would have said something to you. Last night Tyler was attacked outside the Grill. He was more than drunk, so he doesn't remember much, but he recalls feeling paralyzed and he thinks whoever attacked him stole his werewolf venom. Matt tried to intervene, but was basically tossed across the alley," Stefan told her. "There were a few witnesses to the end of the attack so Tyler's mom has him in the hospital to recover from his injuries."
She gasped at this latest news.
"Oh my god," she reacted, searching for a possible explanation. "If Klaus was behind the attack why would he take Tyler's werewolf venom when he has his own?" she wondered.
"That's what I said to everyone," Stefan agreed. "I don't think it was Klaus."