A/N: Hey there! As usual, I apologize for the delay. This took a while to write. I also got a little sidetracked with a smutty one-shot and then 4x16 happened.
Anyways, I appreciate all the amazing reviews I received for the last two updates, and thank you to those who have recently just started reading and have added me to their story alerts, or their favourite story/author lists.
So this is the prom chapter. Be warned: there is smut, fluff, and a cliff hanger.
When you're finished reading, I would love to know what you think. Review me maybe?
She stormed into Klaus's study on one foot completely enraged.
Slamming the door behind her as she entered, she startled him from his entranced glare at the computer screen.
When he seemed to disregard her clear signs of distress, she scowled loudly, propping herself up on the edge of the desk as she inspected her bare foot.
Finally, she heard the lid of his laptop close.
"Is something the matter, sweetheart?" he asked nonchalantly.
She glared at him from over her shoulder.
"Obviously. Your sister is the matter!" she complained.
He chuckled calmly, as though he was used to his sister being completely psychotic.
"You know I had intended in locking myself in my study for the duration of the day for this very reason. I want nothing to do with your prom drama," he mused.
It was true. He had warned her the night before that he refused to get in the middle of the two girls when they would inevitably butt heads on this day.
At the time, she had assured him that wouldn't happen.
Over the past few days leading up to prom she and Rebekah, along with the other committee members, had become a well-oiled machine; everything was organized and everything was in place for today to run smoothly. She didn't foresee any problems.
Of course, she hadn't anticipated the volatile variable that was Rebekah Mikaelson, coupled with both of their type A personalities.
On a stressful day like today, those were disastrous combinations.
She rolled her eyes at him and sighed in exasperation.
"Could you go out there and reason with her? She's crazy!" she cried
The defeated look on Klaus's face suggested he would take the bait she had laid out.
"What did Rebekah do?" he groaned.
Her eyes widened as she prepared to recount everything.
"Um well for starters, one of her tantrums with the party company resulted in a shattered glass vase, half of which ended up in my foot," she whimpered as she sat on the edge of the desk and rested her right foot across her left knee.
Shards of glass were dug snugly into the bottom of her foot as beads of blood tried to escape from the wounds.
It was made even more painful from the fact that her vampire abilities were trying to heal the wounds with the glass still lodged in her skin.
He stood up with an amused grin and walked around the desk to inspect her foot for himself.
"This isn't funny!" she barked, as she attempted to pull out one of the shards.
Sure, she was probably being a little over-dramatic about how much pain she was actually in - her vampire abilities had given her a higher pain tolerance after all - but it still hurt.
Moreover, she still did have somewhat of a weak stomach, especially when it came to wounds like this.
"You're funny," he corrected as he knelt down and took her foot in his hand.
She arched a disapproving brow while he extracted some more glass.
"When you're angry your forehead wrinkles," he teased.
"I'm serious," she scoffed angrily.
He shrugged digging his fingers painfully hard into the arch of her foot to remove what felt like the final piece.
She winced.
"Stop being dramatic, love," he mused. "It was only a little spat. You and Rebekah will be over it come tonight," he stated confidently.
He kissed the bottom of her foot lightly.
"I'm not being dramatic," she protested.
Her face was burning hot with anger and emotion.
"Your sister is the one being dramatic," she accused, trying to ignore the fact that his lips were now on her ankle rather than the location of her injury.
"She won't let me make any of the final decisions," she complained as he stood on his knees in front of her.
"That's terrible," he said, feigning disgustas his lips settled upon her calf while his hand began to inch up the modest pink peasant skirt she was wearing.
She nodded in agreement
"She's rearranged the final table floor plan we agreed upon three times today," she listed.
"How rude of her," he mumbled.
Both of his hands were on each of her calves. His lips had reached her knee.
"She changed her mind about the floral arrangements," she added, trying to steady her breathing as her long skirt now rested atop her thighs.
"What a pity," he sympathized.
With his palms on her knees she was too consumed by her thoughts that she barely noticed him push her legs open.
"Are you even listening to me?" she demanded, glowering down at him as his lips brushed the inside of her thigh.
"I'm listening," he assured her with a smirk against her skin.
She felt the blood she had recently consumed rush to her centre as he drew closer and hiked her skirt up higher.
With the garment bunched up around her waist, her lacy pink thong was perfectly on display for him.
Still, she tried to ignore it.
"Add that on top of the fact that Adrian still hasn't arrived with my dress and the stress of trying to pack for New York. I don't think I'm being dramatic," she concluded.
"We're only going there for a few days," he reminded her as one of his hands slithered up her thigh while his mouth moved closer to her throbbing core.
She looked down at him incredulously.
"You're not a girl, you wouldn't understand," she stammered.
"I think you need to relax, love," he murmured before nibbling her thigh lightly with his teeth while his fingers raked along her other leg.
"I can't," she sighed, swallowing hard as her hooded eyes fell closed.
His hands clasped the skimpy elastic band of her thong.
"Let me help you," he offered seductively.
She found herself raising her hips obligingly so that he could free the undergarment.
"I should really go find your sister," she breathed as he pulled the damp piece of material down her legs.
"Take off your shirt," he instructed, disregarding her second thoughts.
She looked back down at him to find him staring up at her expectantly.
With a deep inhale, she relented, lifting the white off the shoulder t-shirt over her head before letting it fall onto the desk.
When the shirt slid off the surface and onto the floor any chance of her going back was removed. Klaus cast the top aside, ditching it across the room.
He grinned up at her admiring the sight of her cleavage that peeked out over the white and baby pink cups of her bra.
While his hands gripped her thighs he kissed both creases of her thighs teasingly.
"Let me see your breasts," he requested.
She hesitated at first, her earlier stresses still consuming her, but she pinched the clasp of her bra undone nevertheless, too intrigued to stop now.
It dropped onto the desk beside her.
Klaus's eyes travelled up her body lustfully and she quivered.
"God," he murmured, "you are so incredibly sexy," he admired.
Her face blushed instantly as heat flooded her core with his words.
His hands roamed over her stomach while his mouth lingered dangerously close to her centre.
He forced her to support her weight with one palm on the desk as he lifted the other to her chest.
"Touch yourself. Lay back and touch yourself. Think only of how good it feels," he told her.
She knew he wasn't compelling her, her eyes had been closed in that moment, but still it felt as though he was.
Lying back slowly, her back rested beside his computer and overtop some of his papers.
Bringing both of her hands up, she fondled her own breasts and teased her fingers over her nipples.
Very quickly, thoughts of her stresses and responsibilities began to fade as the new stimulation clouded her mind and made her entire pussy throb harder for attention.
"Does it feel good?" he asked.
"Yes," she whispered.
He pushed her back further onto the desk, enabling the tips of her toes to perch themselves along the edge.
"You're so kissable," he said as he tortured her with a few soft kisses to her outer lips.
She bucked her hips suggestively towards his face, whining quietly under her breath while she continued to touch herself.
"I want to feel you lose control around my fingers, Caroline," he stated, as though it was simply an everyday request. "I want to taste you as you cum. Would you like that?" he asked.
Delightfully frustrated at this point, she nodded frantically as she tried pushing his lips closer to hers with an encouraging hand in his hair.
"Just lick me," she pleaded, "please."
His hands caressed the insides of her thighs and she watched as his mouth inched closer and closer to her aching flesh.
She moaned appreciatively when the tip of his tongue brushed a stroke from her slit up to her swollen bud.
"Yes," she whined as he repeated the action several times.
His wet tongue lapped against her folds hungrily before his lips settled gently around her clit.
When his tongue darted out against the sensitive bundle of nerves her back arched up involuntarily and it was all she could do to continue teasing her breasts herself.
She tensed in anticipation when she could feel two of his fingers drawing circles at her opening, coating them in her juices.
He continued to lick and suck on her clit as he pushed both of his fingers inside of her slowly.
She accommodated them readily and sighed contentedly as he began to move them in and out.
At this point she couldn't remember why she was even angry with Rebekah. Even the pain in her foot had settled into a dull ache.
The only thing on her mind now was how delicious his mouth felt against her folds; how his fingers always managed to find that spot inside of her that sent her reeling; how hard her nipples were under her own manipulation.
He pulled away much to her chagrin in lieu of his earlier stated desires.
Her distress was short lived, however, when he stood up slightly and dipped his face back in between her legs as his fingers continued to pump inside of her.
His new position enabled him to reach up her torso.
She pulled his hand over her breast and mewed at the sensation of his manly palm fondling the sensitive erogenous zone.
Her other hand had since ceased its ministrations and now served to stifle her moans.
Peering down at the sight of him reveling in the taste of her was the unexpected last straw.
It ignited a spark in her that quickly built to an explosion.
She squeezed his hand as it curled around hers.
"Nik," she gasped, her grip on his hand tightening as her entire body began to quake. "Don't stop, I'm cumming!"
She could feel herself gush around his fingers as her orgasm ripped through her in the form of a handful of euphoric muscle contractions.
And when she expected him to stop, he still didn't.
Keen to her ultra-sensitivity, he continued to worship her clit with his tongue, triggering pleasant aftershocks while at the same time prepping her body for another speedy follow up release.
She muttered a series of incoherent curse words while her fingernails dug into the palm of his hand in an effort to hold on for another.
With a final firm flick of his tongue, a guttural moan escaped her lips as she fell from another peak in a matter of a few minutes.
She let her legs fall off the desk clumsily as she tried to inhale as much air as she could to recover from a breath she hadn't even been aware that she was holding.
He kissed her centre lightly before kissing her thighs, and then he sucked her juices from the fingers that had once been buried inside of her.
Still holding his hand lazily, she pulled him towards her, prompting him to mark her torso with his lips.
Releasing his hand, she propped herself up on her forearms before sitting completely upright as she had been.
He tucked a few loose strands of now sweaty hair behind her ears and then outlined the curve of her face.
She kissed him eagerly, still tasting her own flavour on his tongue.
"I love it when you say my name like that," he said against her lips.
"Like what? When I call you 'Nik'?" she inquired.
He laughed.
"That too; but how you say it," he clarified, "like I'm the only thing you need."
She wrapped her legs around his waist and draped her arms around his neck.
"Because you are," she said plainly before she claimed his lips in a kiss.
As their kisses grew more passionate, she slipped a hand between them to unbutton his jeans. Unexpectedly, he swatted her hand away.
"You should probably get back to my sister," he said.
"But..." she was about protest.
He kissed her.
"I told you what I wanted, and you gave it to me," he assured her. "How do you feel now?" he wondered.
She responded with a drawn out exhale.
"I feel great," she exclaimed, knowing she was well under the influence of endorphins.
He smiled slyly.
"Good; that was the intent," he informed her. "We'll continue this later tonight after prom," he smirked, admiring her dishevelled state one final time before picking up her bra and handing it to her. "Do you recall our agreement?" he asked.
She smiled playfully as she slipped off the desk, letting her skirt fall back below her knees as she put her bra back on.
After she located her shirt from half-way across the room, she noticed Klaus playing with a small grey box.
She put her shirt on and tried to ignore her curiosity as she headed for the door.
He nudged the box towards her on the desk as he opened his computer.
"It's for you, for tonight," he explained.
She chewed on her lip, feeling hesitant, before taking the box and opening it.
Gasping in annoyance and elation, a conflicted expression crossed her face as she eyed the beautiful earrings inside.
The teardrop earrings featured an alluring light purple stone encrusted with small diamonds, which continued up the stem of the earring, to the clasp where the diamonds circled a dainty pearl.
"It's a purple diamond," he informed her, half occupied by his computer likely in an effort to avoid her reaction.
"They're beautiful," she sighed. "But I can't accept these," she protested uncomfortable with their cost - whatever that might be.
She saw him roll his eyes.
"They aren't blood diamonds, so to speak, if that's what you're referring to," he mused.
While it was comforting to know that he had not killed anyone for them, she was still uncomfortable.
"Where did you get them?" she asked.
He shrugged.
"I ordered them made...through the jewellery store downtown. They have connections to more prestigious jewellery retailers from surrounding cities," he explained.
Her mouth was agape and she promptly closed it.
"You got these for me?" she said out loud.
He glared at her incredulously.
"Clearly, sweetheart," he mused.
She shook her head.
"I mean especially for me," she corrected.
He nodded.
"I can't take these," she protested, earning her a frown from Klaus. "It's too much. You don't need to buy me things," she said nervously.
He groaned as he reclined against his chair.
"Once upon a time, wearable items like jewellery, gloves, and the like were customary gifts," he told her. "Ladies would acknowledge and wear the gift as a sign that her suitor's affections were reciprocated. It was considered an honour to receive such a gift, and an honour to have such a gift accepted," he explained. "Do you not reciprocate my affections?" he wondered with a bemused grin.
She rolled her eyes and snapped the box closed.
"I'll be waiting for you upstairs at midnight," she confirmed as she headed for the door, the small box firmly in her clutches.
Somehow she and Rebekah had made it through the rest of the afternoon without ripping each other's heads off.
The entire scene was set for the prom.
Both the foyer and the ballroom were decorated to perfection.
She supposed this resembled the theme of eighteenth century elegance that Rebekah had been aiming for from the beginning.
It was almost romantic looking.
In the ballroom the already hanging chandeliers created the perfect ambience when dimmed, coupled with the white fabric that was draped from the ceiling.
The windows were decorated with embroidered white and gold drapery while the upholstered chairs at the circular dinner tables around the perimeter of the room were almost a perfect match. The long damask table linens accentuated the both the chairs and the centrepieces.
Tall and ornate candle holders sat at the centre of each table while a variety of colourful flowers circled them.
Flowers and candles were not just confined to the tables. There was not a part of the room that was not decorated with them. Purples, blues, yellows, reds, pinks and whites; the flower assortments and colours were breathtaking. Candles of varying shapes and sizes outlined the perimeter of the room and accentuated the artificial light.
The eighteenth century artwork that Rebekah had decided to display for the occasion provided an enhanced legitimacy to their efforts to adhere to the theme.
Even though they were pressed for time and still had yet to get ready, both she and Rebekah took more than a few minutes to admire their work come to fruition.
"It looks flawless," she sighed in relief and admiration.
Rebekah nodded proudly.
"It does," Rebekah said with a mystified smile.
"Mystic Falls has never had and never will have a prom like this again," she commented with certainty.
"Do you think?" Rebekah asked hopefully.
She nodded.
"You did a great job. Prom wouldn't have looked like this without you," she admitted, a little begrudgingly.
It was true, though. Even if she had her tense moments with Rebekah, most of this would never have become a reality without her resources.
"It wouldn't have looked like this without you either," Rebekah admitted. "Thanks for putting up with me."
She nodded appreciatively, smirking a little at the last part. She could only imagine how hard it was for someone like Rebekah to say that.
With the prom ready to go, both she and Rebekah rushed to Rebekah's room to get ready for the event. Another perk to 'putting up with' Rebekah was having access to the hair stylists and make-up artists she had hired especially for the occasion.
It was nice having someone else look after the stressful things. All she had to do was show up.
If the compelled hair-stylist wasn't being so rough with her hair, she could have probably taken a nap.
The stress never really went away though. She was anxious about what her hair would look like and she was terrified that Adrian would be late bringing her dress.
"Are you excited for tonight?" she asked Rebekah, needing a distraction from her worries.
Rebekah sighed as she looked straight ahead into the bathroom mirror.
"I'm nervous actually," Rebekah laughed lightly. "This is the first high school dance that I might actually get to go to."
She enjoyed sharing in Rebekah's normal experiences that she had taken for granted as a human teenager herself. Really, it wasn't that long ago when she was attending her first high school dance.
"With a date no less," she smiled, excited that Matt had seemed to sway his opinion on Rebekah, at least enough to escort her to prom.
Rebekah grinned.
"I hope he likes my dress," Rebekah thought self-consciously.
She scoffed and flashed Rebekah an eye roll.
"Matt really isn't into fashion," she said.
A worried look crossed Rebekah's face.
"But he's a guy. He's going to love the way you look in your dress," she assured her much to Rebekah's satisfaction.
"It's a shame that Nik can't be your date tonight," Rebekah said.
She shrugged dismissively, even though there was a part of her that was disappointed.
"He's not really into this stuff anyways, and I mean I'll still see him around..." she pointed out.
"Yeah, but you won't get to dance with him; he's a teacher chaperone after all," Rebekah reminded her.
She laughed at Rebekah's failed efforts to try and make her feel better. Friendship social skills were still something Rebekah was learning to grasp.
"Sorry," Rebekah said.
"It's okay. Besides, I don't want Stefan brooding all night while Damon and Elena are here," she said.
Rebekah nodded.
"You are a good friend to Stefan," Rebekah told her. "It's funny how both you and Nik have befriended him," she mused.
"Do you ever resent your brother at all for compelling Stefan to forget you in the twenties?" she asked, curious to know Rebekah's answer.
"I did at first," Rebekah sighed, "but Nik was doing it to protect Stefan as much as he was us. I understand that. When Nik undaggered me I had to accept that Stefan had moved on and move on myself, which I'm doing. Stefan was and is eternally pining after the doppelganger," Rebekah groaned. "I don't understand why you insist on trying to return to her good graces."
She shrugged with an annoyed stare in Rebekah's direction.
"I stopped insisting on it a while ago. It's Elena who has been making the effort this week," she told Rebekah. "Elena and I were best friends since we were babies. I don't want to just give something like that up, especially now," she explained.
Rebekah looked at her curiously through the mirror.
"Because soon you'll be leaving with Nik and you want to retain some of your old life while you still can..." Rebekah assumed.
She supposed that was an accurate way of putting it. Beyond valuing Elena's friendship, she didn't want to close this chapter of her life with an unhappy ending. She wanted to look back on her memories with Elena without the taint of a permanent falling out.
"I guess you could say that," she said finally.
"Are you nervous about leaving with Nik?" Rebekah asked bluntly.
Glaring at Rebekah through the mirror she laughed a little dismissively at her question before nodding slightly.
"Of course I'm a little nervous. I've never been outside of Mystic Falls, and I've never been completely alone with your brother for more than a few hours. If you take the cure and stay behind, and Kol and Elijah decide to head in different directions, it really will just be me and him," she explained.
Rebekah gave her an understanding smile.
"We can still talk," Rebekah said. "I can still verbally disparage Nik when he gets out of line."
She nodded solemnly and Rebekah quickly caught on.
If Rebekah was returned to her human state now, they really wouldn't have that long from a vampire's perspective; a handful of decades at most, just like Matt, just like her mom, just like Elena once she took the cure.
They sat there mostly quiet for the rest of the time it took for the stylists to get their hair and makeup just right. Admittedly, when they were done, it had been worth the pain and the time. They both looked great.
Rebekah's hair was half up and half down in loose curls, with much of it sitting atop her head in a toned down style reminiscent of those belonging to prominent eighteenth century ladies. She also had a few ornate feathers clipped into her hair for decoration.
Her own hair was similar to Rebekah's, save for the fact that it had been put up entirely and she had pale pink flowers pinned into her hair instead of feathers. She could already feel the weight atop her head and she knew by the end of the night she'd be letting her hair down literally.
Their eye makeup was fairly simple aside from the black fake eyelashes that had been applied. Their cheeks were pink with rouge, and Rebekah wore a dusty rose lip colour while she opted for a more subtle pink.
Once the stylists were gone, they helped each other into their dresses.
They started with Rebekah's first because tying the corset at the back was a process in and of itself.
"You know, I should probably be thanking you," Rebekah said.
"You already did," she pointed out, referring to prom as she admired the soft blue of Rebekah's dress and the detailed corset.
"Not for prom, I mean for my brother; about what we were discussing earlier. If I take the cure, it will be because of you; Nik will let me have it because of you and I'll be ready to take it because you'll be here with him when I'm gone," Rebekah explained.
Her hands tensed around the ribbon of the corset.
"You're welcome," she said, still a little taken off guard.
Rebekah nodded as they transitioned into an awkward silence as they often did after a personal moment between them.
She finished tying Rebekah's corset and she traded places with Rebekah so that she could fasten her dress.
"You're going to love New York," Rebekah said finally, switching to something more lighthearted. "I implore you to drag Nik along Madison and Fifth Avenues. You'll be in shopping heaven and Nik will be in hell the entire time," Rebekah chuckled.
She laughed, picturing herself dragging Klaus into Saks or Tiffany & Co.
"You have to see a show on Broadway, visit Times Square, and I'm sure Nik will take you to the MET Opera and the Museum of Art. Go to Central Park, ride the subway, and eat street meat," Rebekah listed. "And no, I'm not talking about homeless people," Rebekah laughed.
Nodding with an amused smirk, she began to make a check-list in her head.
"Don't worry, my brother will have it covered," Rebekah assured her as she slowly pulled the zipper up on the back of her dress.
She sighed as she appraised herself in front of the mirror.
Everything about it was perfect; she admired the crystal embellishments on the sweetheart neckline, then the form fitting ruched bodice and then she let her eyes fall upon the bustled skirt.
"If the dress was a little whiter, you could pass for a bride," Rebekah teased.
She scoffed laughingly at Rebekah's suggestion of marriage.
"Don't tell that to Klaus," she mused.
Marriage was never something she foresaw with Klaus, at least in the traditional sense of the word. She believed they had already subtly committed themselves to one another; and that was enough for her. That was all she ultimately wanted anyways; not a wedding.
However, she was happy prom gave her the chance to dress up and picture what she might look like.
Once in their dresses, they both sought out their jewellery.
She watched as Rebekah secured both the ornate diamond earrings and necklace, before she herself fastened the bracelet that Klaus had given on her on her birthday to her wrist. Her neck was going to be left bare, she decided. She liked the simplicity of that, besides, the earrings would be enough, she thought as she reluctantly opened the grey box.
"I was wondering if Nik had given you those yet," Rebekah said. "He showed them to me the other night. I've been dying to tell you," Rebekah laughed.
Rebekah quickly noted her reluctant expression as she put the earrings on.
"You don't like them?" Rebekah asked with a frown.
She shook her head instantly.
"I love them. I just wish he would stop buying me gifts like these," she sighed.
Rebekah shrugged.
"Most girls would slap you for complaining," Rebekah pointed out with a grin. "It's what Nik does. As you know, he's not exactly the most emotive person, so he buys gifts instead. Who do you think got me this necklace?" Rebekah mused as she fingered the jewellery.
She looked at Rebekah questioningly.
"The fight was so long ago now; I think it was over our siblings. He gave me this as an apology," Rebekah informed her. "Plus it's not as big of a deal to him as it is you. We've lived through times when gifting jewellery was quite customary for those who could afford it," Rebekah explained.
"That's what he said," she replied as she fixed the second earring to her earlobe.
"It's affirming to him if you accept his gifts," Rebekah said simply. "Now come on," Rebekah urged, handing her the heels she had picked out earlier in the week.
She slipped into her white open-toe shoes, while Rebekah fastened the silver ones she had selected.
With their heels on, they grabbed their boutonnieres for their dates and Rebekah pulled her by her arm towards the door excitedly.
"The prom can't start without its queen," Rebekah teased smugly.
Looking down into the foyer from the second floor, some of their fellow students were beginning to arrive for the dinner portion of the evening.
She noticed her mom at the front entrance, keeping an eye on those who were entering for any signs of drug impairment while one of the teacher chaperone's, Ms. Conn, was keeping track of the guest list.
Before she could look for Stefan or Klaus, she was interrupted by a clearing throat.
"Well don't you look radiant," Kol said, looking straight at her.
Rebekah scowled.
"You look okay too, Bekah," Kol said indifferently, much to Rebekah's chagrin.
She smirked, knowing Kol was only messing with her.
Kol then turned in a circle.
"How do I look ladies?" Kol asked smugly at the foot of the stairs.
He was dressed in a tux.
"What the hell do you think you're doing Kol?" Rebekah demanded.
"I recall Nik saying they were short a few chaperones. I am here to save the day," he beamed. "Now if you'll excuse me, there's a certain witch goddess I need to track down," he informed them.
"Bonnie has a date already, Kol," she told him. "Jeremy Gilbert," she added.
He shrugged as he held out both of his arms to them as they approached the stairs.
She linked her arm with his reluctantly, as Rebekah did the same.
"A little friendly competition never hurt anyone," Kol winked. "Jeremy and I were best mates in Denver."
Rolling her eyes, she concentrated on the task of descending the stairs without falling down them. The last thing she needed was to trip on her dress as she and Rebekah made their entrance.
She noticed that Matt was now talking to her mother. Looking over at Rebekah, she saw her grow visibly nervous as they reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Look at all these lovely ladies," Kol admired, scanning the girls as they walked by in their dresses.
"I thought you had eyes for Bonnie?" she laughed as he released both her and Rebekah's arms.
He flashed a devious smirk before disappearing into the slowly building crowd.
Rebekah's eyes were planted firmly in the direction of Matt and her mother.
"Let's go over," she said to Rebekah.
Rebekah followed her hesitantly.
"Hey," she said, grabbing their attention.
Matt looked to her and then to Rebekah, while her mom's eyes widened at the sight of her.
"Caroline, honey, you look amazing," her mom admired. "The dress looks fantastic on you."
"Thanks mom," she smiled, happy that her mom had now seemed to forget her previous concerns over the dress's expense.
In the midst of her conversation with her mom about remembering to take pictures, she overheard Matt and Rebekah exchange words. He told her how beautiful she looked and she anxiously told him how handsome he looked. She found herself blushing for the both of them as Matt placed a pale blue flower and feathered corsage on Rebekah's wrist, and she awkwardly pinned the boutonniere to his suit lapel.
"I'm going to show Matt the ballroom," Rebekah informed her.
She nodded to them both before returning to her mother.
"Have you seen Stefan or Klaus?" she asked.
"I think Klaus is shirking his chaperone responsibilities in the parlour with Stefan and Elijah," her mother mused. "They look very handsome tonight," she added.
She smirked.
"I should go find them," she said.
"And I should get back to work. Have fun tonight, sweetie," her mother said.
She smiled and nodded before escaping through the foyer towards the parlour.
The doors were closed but inside the room she could hear Klaus, Stefan, and Elijah mulling over new plans for tracking the hunter. They were considering the possibility that perhaps he had fled from Mystic Falls.
She knocked briefly before opening the doors.
"Is my date in here?" she laughed, looking to Stefan who was relaxing on the sofa with a drink in hand.
He was dressed in a black suit and tie with a white collared dress shirt underneath. She was sure he would give Damon a run for his money tonight.
Elijah was sitting across from him, dressed predictably in a suit himself, looking no less handsome than Stefan.
Klaus had his back to her as he leaned into the fireplace mantel, but quickly turned when he heard her voice.
Stefan and Elijah both stood upon her entrance as Klaus stared her down.
She couldn't help but feel self-conscious under his intense gaze.
It was a surprise to her to see him dressed for the occasion. His own suit was modern and unique, seemingly inspired by the eighteenth century. He wore a plan white dress shirt with no tie and black pants. His black coat was longer than the traditional suit jacket and featured a high collar, cuffs, pocket flaps on each side and silver buttons down the front. She almost had to shake herself from the similar gaze she was giving him. He looked impressive.
"You look lovely tonight, Caroline," Elijah said, looking across to Stefan, who smiled and seconded Elijah's opinion before glaring at Klaus.
"She looks stunning," Klaus said before lowering his drink glass from his lips as his eyes remained fixed on her.
She smiled at the three of them and complimented their formal attire before approaching Stefan with his boutonniere. Ignoring Klaus's annoyed stare and bitter jokes about accidentally stabbing Stefan with the pin, she successfully attached the simple white flower to his lapel before he slipped the soft pink and white flowered corsage he had gotten her on her wrist.
"I think dinner will be starting soon," she informed Stefan. "We should probably get out there."
Stefan looked reluctant as he swallowed down the remainder of his alcoholic beverage.
"All right, let's go," he sighed, extending his arm to her as he headed for the entrance to the parlour.
Stefan smirked at Klaus in a playful way as he linked arms with her. She nodded to both Elijah and Klaus before giving Klaus an apologetic and sympathetic smile.
She knew that he knew deep down that going to the prom with Stefan was not her first choice or anything for him to be concerned about. Truthfully, she wanted it to be Klaus that escorted her to prom, who she danced with, who bought her the corsage. He had to know that.
When they arrived to their table, she was surprised to see all the familiar faces. This was not what she and Rebekah had agreed upon and she glared at Rebekah with distaste.
At the large circular table sat: Rebekah, Matt, Bonnie, Jeremy, Damon, and Elena.
Stefan looked annoyed.
She was sure she looked mortified; not for herself, but for Stefan.
Here she had convinced Stefan, against his better judgement, to be her date to prom despite Damon and Elena's attendance, and now he would be confronted by them throughout dinner.
Putting on a good show, they greeted everyone and Stefan politely pulled out a chair for her to sit.
She could tell Stefan was already on edge, and she wished this wasn't a teenage prom, because then at least he could have some more alcohol to calm his nerves. Perhaps they could return to the parlour later to grab a drink.
They sat directly across from Damon and Elena.
"I love your dress, Caroline. It's gorgeous," Bonnie commented, quickly attempting to relieve the awkwardness.
She smiled and admired the strapless lavender gown Bonnie had chosen for herself.
"You're dress looks beautiful too," she said to Elena, complimenting the pale green dress she was wearing.
She was trying insanely hard to mediate between her mending friendship with her, and being respectful of Stefan's discomfort with the situation.
Elena thanked her appreciatively.
Damon raised his water glass with a mischievous look.
"Well if there's one thing we can agree on tonight, it's that all the ladies at this table look fantastic," he mused, staring at Stefan as he tipped his glass towards him.
Everyone toasted quietly to that and much to her relief dinner was set to be served before their table could fall into a deafening silence.
The dinner was buffet style so everyone had options; it didn't consist of pre-selected courses like Klaus's birthday. After all, they had to cater the prom primarily to teenagers, not old world vampires. There were various meats, pastas, salads, and desserts to choose from.
They all ate their dinner quietly. She only grew anxious when they started to finish their desserts and she noticed the others growing restless.
"So where's your teacher boyfriend?" Damon asked curiously. "Has he found the hunter yet?" he remarked critically.
Elena nudged him with her arm disapprovingly as everyone else glared at him.
"Feel free to say all of that a little louder, Damon," Rebekah scowled sarcastically.
She shrugged in Damon's direction.
"He's around with Elijah somewhere," she replied simply. "He's working on another plan for the hunter," she said lowly.
"Is that before or after you jet set to New York?" Damon countered.
Stefan groaned under his breath.
"Give it a rest Damon. They're only going to be gone for a few days. Klaus has me looking into some things while they're gone," Stefan piped up.
Damon raised his eyebrows.
"Oh really? Good to know," Damon muttered.
"You're going to New York?" Bonnie interjected, as she shot Damon a dirty look.
She smiled in Bonnie's direction with an excited nod.
"Yes, we are. It's for Klaus's birthday," she said.
"New York is so much fun," Elena commented. "Jer, remember when mom and dad took us there?"
Jeremy laughed.
"You guys almost lost me in Central Park," he muttered.
Everyone smirked at the lighthearted story.
"That's because you wouldn't stop feeding you popcorn to the birds and you kept falling behind," Elena reminded him.
"Maybe you could lose Klaus in Central Park when you go?" Damon suggested to her with a grin.
She rolled her eyes.
"Maybe you could shut your mouth?" Rebekah said, "Or perhaps you'd like me to shut it for you," she hissed.
"Unfortunately for you, I'm taken now," he said smugly as he put an unwelcome arm around Elena who seemed completely uncomfortable with the situation.
"Shut up, Damon," Matt said in Rebekah's defense.
Damon's eyebrows rose and he feigned fright as he recoiled in his chair.
Rebekah looked towards Matt with an impressed smile.
"How about we talk about something else," Elena proposed, "like how great this place looks," she said, shifting her focus in between her and Rebekah.
"Thanks," Rebekah said proudly, cutting her off before she could speak. "It was a lot of work."
"Well it looks amazing," Bonnie said as she looked around the room.
Elena nodded.
"I don't think Mystic Falls High has ever had a prom like this before," Elena pointed out much to Rebekah's delight.
"Caroline helped too," Rebekah said with a playful grin.
"Helped?" she scowled laughingly. "More like helped you plan the entire thing," she corrected.
"Fine, however you want to word it," Rebekah relented.
Damon snorted.
"Well whoever planned the seating assignments did a great job," Damon said sarcastically as he stood up from his chair as the music from the DJ grew louder and the lights began to dim in preparation for the dance portion of the evening.
Elena looked at him curiously.
"I'm gonna go track down some of Klaus's liquor supply. I need an adult beverage," Damon informed them.
"Good riddance," Rebekah groaned.
Everyone else at the table seemed to be smirking at Rebekah's comment save for Elena, who, for obvious reasons, was uncomfortable.
Empathizing with Elena, she excused herself from the table and grabbed Elena's hand.
"Come on, let's go dance. We need to get people out on the floor," she said with a bubbly tone, hoping it would rub off on Elena.
Nodding reluctantly, Elena took her hand and stood up from her chair and followed her.
"I'm sorry about Damon," Elena quickly apologized once they were alone.
She shook her head.
"You don't have to apologize. Everyone knows how Damon can be," she said.
"He's just uncomfortable because of Stefan," Elena pointed out as they started to move to some dance remix.
Luckily, others soon began to join them.
She smiled sympathetically at Elena.
"Let's just try and have a good time tonight, okay?" she suggested.
Elena nodded enthusiastically as Bonnie approached.
"This is our senior prom. We've been dreaming about this since we were kids," she laughed.
"I'm glad we could be here together," Bonnie said, looking to her and then to Elena, subtly referencing their recent troubles.
"Do you guys mind if I ask Rebekah to join us?" she said to Bonnie and Elena. "She looks like she's stuck in the middle of male bonding time," she mused, nodding her head towards their table, where Stefan, Jeremy, and Matt were laughing about something while a bored Rebekah looked on.
Bonnie shook her head and even Elena seemed somewhat receptive to the idea.
Rebekah willingly joined them and they danced like that for a while as the DJ pumped the crowd up with several upbeat songs right in a row.
By the time a slow song started she had received quite the work out trying to keep up to the pace of the music in her heavy dress.
When Damon approached Elena to dance, she quickly made her way over to Stefan.
She didn't want him to be sitting alone. Moreover, she didn't want to be sitting there alone with him.
"Come on, you're my date!" she cajoled him. "You have to give me one slow dance at my senior prom," she argued.
Stefan laughed and accepted her hand, before pulling her to the opposite end of the dance floor where Damon and Elena were.
"Rebekah must have changed the seating assignments at the last minute to stir the pot. I'm sorry tonight has been awkward," she apologized to him as they began to dance.
Stefan shrugged.
"It's not a big deal. Damon and I live under the same roof, we can handle sitting at the same table for a few hours," he chuckled.
She nodded.
"It must be a little uncomfortable living together," she inferred.
"It's not necessarily a permanent thing," Stefan said, "just until we get the cure..."
"And Elena decides what she wants," she said, filling in the blanks.
Stefan laughed lightly and shook his head.
They danced quietly for a few seconds before Stefan spoke again.
"Thanks for being my date tonight," she said.
"You're welcome. To be honest, it's nice. I've never actually been to a prom even though I've attended high school a few times," he chuckled.
She smiled.
"I don't think Klaus appreciates me being your date, though. He's been watching us like a hawk with Elijah since we started dancing," Stefan mused.
Tensing suspiciously, she glanced around the room until she saw Klaus standing with Elijah eyeing her from the far entrance.
She smirked.
"What do you think he would do if you put your hands a little lower?" she laughed jokingly.
Stefan erupted into laughter with her.
"Either his head would explode instantly, or he'd rip mine clear off my shoulders," Stefan supposed.
She noticed Klaus scowl.
"He's listening to us," she pointed out.
"Of course he is," Stefan said.
With his cover blown, she watched as Klaus disappeared into the other room with Elijah.
"So you're really leaving with him once the hunter and the cure have been dealt with?" Stefan inquired.
She nodded unapologetically.
"I am," she said confidently. "I want to see the world with him."
Stefan smirked and nodded back politely.
"I know," he said. "I want that for you. I want you to be happy."
His words made her smile.
"Thanks for saying that," she said.
"I'm not just saying it, Caroline. I'm being sincere," he assured her.
"You know if things don't work out with Elena, you could always meet up with us," she offered.
Stefan laughed.
"Klaus kind of offered me the same deal," he said hesitantly.
She knew why he was hesitating, Klaus had told her.
"But you're hoping Klaus will let you have the cure," she said. "Klaus told me."
He nodded.
"And that's what you want? To be human, and not just for Elena?" she confirmed.
"I've wanted to be human long before Elena," he affirmed.
She sighed, feeling conflicted. Stefan taking the cure would mean someone else she would eventually lose in a few decades.
Covering up her hesitation with a smile, she nodded.
"Then I want that for you. I want you to be happy," she said back to him.
"I'm just not sure that's what Klaus wants for me," Stefan mentioned.
She shrugged.
"I think he misses the friendship you two once had. He doesn't want to lose that for good. I think he'll come around though," she said, trying to restore his hope.
Truthfully she didn't know what Klaus would do with the cure when they found it. Sure, he would cure Elena, but he hadn't said definitively one way or the other if he would make the cure available to others who may want it - namely Stefan and Rebekah.
"How about we don't talk about the hunter, the cure, or Damon, or even Klaus," Stefan suggested. "Let's just try and enjoy ourselves. We don't get many opportunities to," he added.
She smiled in agreement.
They returned to their table after the dance and she was surprised to see Jeremy return alone.
"Where's Bonnie?" she asked Jeremy as he sat down as another slow song started to play.
"Kol thought he would cut in," Jeremy replied bitterly. "That guy's an asshole."
She smirked at Jeremy's insult.
"He seems pretty interested in Bonnie," Stefan noted, nodding his head towards the dance floor.
First she spotted Rebekah and Matt, then Damon and Elena, before she finally placed Kol and Bonnie. They were dancing closely and he seemed to be whispering sweet nothings in her ear, likely feeding her every line he could think of. Bonnie didn't entirely seem to mind either.
When the song was over and the upbeat songs returned, Rebekah pulled her back out onto the dance floor.
She really wanted to check-in with Klaus, but Rebekah brushed her concerns aside, arguing that she would have lots of time to "check-in" with him after prom was over.
A dance break came after a few more songs so they could take their prom pictures in the foyer. There was still no sign of Klaus.
Afterwards, they danced some more and she listened to Rebekah squeal however how cute Matt was, and what a perfect gentleman he was. It was cute to the point of being annoying at times
Eventually, Elena and Bonnie joined them for a few more dances, and before they knew it, it was already ten o'clock and the DJ was turning down the music in preparation for the announcement of Prom King and Queen.
She was not surprised to hear Rebekah and Matt's names announced. Rebekah had been spreading the word like wildfire around the school to vote for her and Matt was basically a shoe in given his status as varsity quarterback.
Surprisingly, she wasn't disappointed. She was actually happy to see Rebekah practically run up on stage, dragging Matt behind her, to accept her crown.
Rebekah was overjoyed and she found herself smiling at the two as they were crowned king and queen of the prom.
Even though Rebekah had a way of getting on her last nerve, after everything she had been through Rebekah deserved this little life experience.
She took this moment as her opportunity to search for Klaus.
He had seemed to be MIA all evening and now, while everyone was distracted, she decided to look for him.
Stepping out into the hall off the ballroom, she pretended to be perusing the eighteenth century art that had been put on display as her eyes scanned for Klaus.
She stopped in her tracks when she saw her mother talking to the vice principal in the distance.
Instead of heading back the other way, she decided to wait until they disappeared from view. She kept her attention occupied by one painting in particular.
It was a portrait of a woman, obviously of some importance. She was dressed almost in what appeared to be a man's outfit or military uniform. It intrigued her.
"Marie Antoinette," Klaus's voice said from behind her.
She jumped a little, sucking in a sharp breath. He had startled her.
He stepped beside her, keeping a professional distance.
"I didn't mean to frighten you," he mused.
She smirked and returned her attention to the painting.
"She kind of looks like a man," she pointed out.
He laughed.
"She's dressed in ladies hunting attire; that's why," he explained. "She was actually fairly beautiful in real life," he added.
"You knew her?" she asked curiously.
He shook his head.
"No not really. Rebekah attended court at Versailles a few times during Marie's reign though. This is one of her favourite paintings. I obtained it for her in Vienna," he said.
She wondered what he meant by the use of the word, 'obtain.'
"I think Rebekah likes it precisely because she looks masculine in the painting. She looks strong, commanding. She seems to be subverting gender roles," he described. "Rebekah had feminist ideals long before they were popular," he chuckled.
She nodded and re-examined the painting with a newfound appreciation.
"You remind me of her," he said.
"Rebekah?" she laughed.
He laughed with her.
"Well you can be as hard-headed and stubborn as her, but I meant Marie, just in the way you're dressed tonight," he told her.
"Will you be my Louis then?" she mused, garnering another laugh and dimpled smile from him.
"I don't particularly feel like having my head chopped off by a guillotine," he joked. "I'd rather be Fersen - her lover," he grinned, pulling her suddenly by the arm.
She shrieked as he tugged her into the dining room and she hoped no one seen or heard them.
He shut the doors to the empty room.
She could hear the slow music playing loudly in the other room for Rebekah's dance with Matt.
When he extended a hand to her she looked at him curiously.
She took it reluctantly as she studied his mischievous eyes and he quickly brought his other arm around her waist. Instinctively she grasped his shoulder.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Dance with me," he requested.
She laughed awkwardly as he began to lead their movements.
"My sister won the title of Prom Queen. Think of this as your consolation prize," he mused.
She smiled at his thoughtfulness and her movements loosened as she overcame the initial embarrassment of dancing in an empty room with him.
"This is better than a consolation prize," she told him, before kissing him lightly on the lips. "You look handsome tonight...sexy even," she admitted shyly against his ear.
She felt him smirk approvingly against her cheek.
"You really do look stunning tonight," he said, reciprocating her compliment. "And it pleases me to see you wearing the jewellery I gave you," he added.
She laughed nervously.
"Thank you," she replied, "for the jewellery, the dress, tonight, everything," she emphasized.
"It will always be my desire to treat you as a queen, Caroline," he reassured her. "Never question that."
Sighing contentedly, she rested her head on his shoulder.
"You're safe with me," he said.
"I know," she said confidently.
She felt safe.
His words had instilled a relaxing calmness in her. It eased her worries and senseless paranoid reservations about their future together.
They danced quietly for the remainder of the song.
At some point in their relationship she no longer felt the need to interrupt silence when she was with him. She could just be with him like this. Nothing needed to be said.
With the slow song coming to an end, the fast music quickly resumed and the bass started to pound against the wall.
"You should probably get out there and congratulate my sister and find Stefan before they begin to wonder where you are," he said, lightly kissing along her bare shoulder and neck.
She sighed reluctantly.
Prom was not where she wanted to be.
He chuckled when she stayed firmly glued to him.
"We can't hide in the dining room for the remainder of the night, sweetheart," he mused.
With the idea implanted in her mind, she playfully pushed him into the nearest wall at vampire speed.
He released a throaty laugh that made her skin shiver.
"We could," she argued, pressing her lips temptingly to his neck.
She kissed hungrily up his jaw before he took the bait. He grabbed her chin forcefully as he pulled her face to his and consumed her lips in a penetrating kiss.
Moaning gratefully against his mouth, she was startled when he reversed their positions and pinned her against the wall with his hands shackling hers.
He littered frantic kisses down her neck and onto her cleavage as she let the heat of the moment overtake her.
His lips returned to her ear and that's when his hands released her unexpectedly.
"I'll see you at midnight," he whispered seductively before heading for the doors as she was left a panting mess against the wall.
He knew how to play the game so well.
After she regained her composure and waited a few minutes to avoid suspicion, she re-entered the hallway and went searching for Rebekah.
In the process she passed Bonnie playfully rebuking Kol in the foyer and she had to wonder where Jeremy was in that moment. Sure, he and Bonnie were just friends now, but still. She didn't want Kol causing problems. He could definitely be an instigator when he wanted to be.
She walked back into the ballroom to have her questions answered.
Jeremy seemed to be getting fresh with Michelle, one of the other prom committee members, on the dance floor.
She shrugged and shook her head.
Damon and Elena were also dancing, thankfully out of Stefan's sight.
He was at their table with Matt, and Rebekah was off in another corner displaying her Prom Queen crown for all those who wanted to see.
She returned to the table with an enthusiastic smile.
"Congratulations," she said to Matt, nodding her head towards the king crown atop his head.
He laughed almost embarrassingly.
"Rebekah doesn't want me to take the damn thing off," he muttered.
She smirked.
"You look cute," she teased.
"Where did you disappear to?" Stefan questioned.
"Bathroom?" she proposed innocently.
Stefan gave her a knowing smile.
After just barely being able to bring up Bonnie to ensure that Kol had not been up to anything too troublesome, Rebekah pulled her aside to show off her Prom Queen crown.
She humoured Rebekah with dramatic excitement and interest before they both returned to the dance floor to live out the remainder of their senior prom.
Upon working up a sweat on the dance floor, she gave in and headed for the beverage table to retrieve drinks for her and Rebekah to cool off.
Their prom was almost over and the both of them had convinced Matt and Stefan to dance to one more slow song before the night was out.
A familiar voice called after her as she retrieved some punch from the server.
It was Dean.
She scoffed under her breath.
Klaus did say he would have his hybrid security detail in full force tonight in lieu of the event and the hunter's continued ability to evade capture.
Admittedly, she still felt a little guilty for that whole kidney extraction thing Klaus had put Dean through.
"Dean," she greeted him.
He was dressed in a plain suit like most of the other teenage boys here. Klaus had obviously wanted him to fit in with the crowd.
"You look pretty tonight, Caroline," he complimented.
She tried hard not to roll her eyes, knowing that his compliment was either something Klaus had suggested, or something Dean had felt was necessary to please his sire.
"Thank you," she said, nonetheless.
"Klaus wants you to meet him out back," he said.
She gave him a confused look.
"He told me to tell you that there's been a change in plans," Dean said. "He said something about repeating the other night."
She blushed as she realized what Klaus had been referring to when he spoke to Dean.
"Okay, I'll go find him," she agreed, proceeding to step passed him.
Dean held her wrist gently.
"Klaus insisted that I escort you," he said.
She rolled her eyes.
"Did he threaten to have you rip out your kidney this time too if you didn't follow his orders?" she wondered.
He chuckled.
"Something like that," he answered.
She exhaled disapprovingly before relenting to Dean out of guilt and curiosity to see what Klaus had in store.
They stopped at her table first so she could drop Rebekah's drink off. She also informed Stefan of what was happening and released him thankfully from his prom date duties. He seemed relieved and ready to leave.
Elijah was in the hall talking to her mother as she and Dean attempted to make their escape.
"Where are you off to?" Elijah asked, looking at both her and Dean suspiciously.
She laughed innocently as she glanced at both Elijah and her mother.
"Klaus needs to see me apparently," she informed them, looking to Dean for back up.
"It's important," Dean reiterated.
Elijah nodded with a knowing smile, much like Stefan had earlier.
Her cheeks went red before focusing on her mom.
"Well I'll be leaving in a little while sweetie, so enjoy the rest of your night," her mom said simply.
She said goodnight to both her mom and Elijah before following Dean through to the back of the house.
He opened the door for her and she stepped out onto the back terrace.
"He's waiting down at the patio," Dean informed her.
She nodded and stepped ahead, descending the stairs for the stone patio.
There she encountered two people she had not been expecting to see; who she had only realized now, had been absent from prom the entire night.
"Tyler? Hayley?" she said confused.
That's when Dean grabbed her from behind.
A/N: DUN DUN DUN
Don't hate me please?
Feel free to send me your thoughts and predictions.
The next chapter may have a little of Caroline's POV, but most of it will be from Klaus's, so get ready.