I stepped out onto the white sand and looked out towards the perfectly blue water, and then up at the equally perfect blue sky, which was without a single cloud. If I'd been human, the hot sand and sun would probably be burning me, but they just felt amazingly warm on my cold skin.

I unbuttoned my modest bikini cover-up to reveal the tiny black halter bikini that Klaus felt the need to buy on the way down here for $500. I didn't see the appeal of paying so much for what was basically two scraps of fabric, but he wanted desperately to see me in it, so I had no objections.

That, and our departure from Mystic Falls didn't leave me with enough willpower to fight. We'd arrived here in an almost deserted part of Florida, which I didn't think was possible, almost three days ago and Klaus had left again immediately to go back to Mystic Falls. He'd left the car and there was a witch that stayed at the house during the day to take care of it. I suspected he had her compelled.

I sped right out to the cool blue water and didn't hesitate to immerse myself completely. The water was warmer than I'd expected, and in this area was almost salt-free. I swam far out, far enough that the small waves breaking on the shore didn't disturb me at all, and laid back on top of the water.

I closed my eyes and it almost felt like I was being rocked to sleep. It was a wonderful experience that I'd never had. When I'd lived in Richmond I was only two hours from Virginia Beach, but I never wanted to go. I'd always been too self-conscious.

Now, not only was there nobody around, but I honestly didn't give a dâmn anymore. If they saw me, they saw me; I would dress and behave how I wanted.

That thought reminded me of something Klaus had said before, about me becoming more like him. Now I really was, what with not caring about anything and leaving everyone.

"Miss Taylor!" I looked towards the shore to see Klaus' witch standing there. "Klaus is on the phone!"

I quickly flipped onto my stomach and paddled to shore. I took the phone and said "Thanks..."

"Katie. Shall I prepare you something to eat?" I nodded and she hurried inside.

I put the phone to my ear and said "I didn't realize your witch was also your maid."

"She had multiple purposes. I saved her family from a vengeful vampire in exchange for her services." So he didn't compel her.

"Well, isn't that just lovely...Are you still in Mystic Falls?"

"No, I'm on my way there right now." My heart nearly jumped to my throat. "As a matter of fact, I should be arriving quite shortly. I hope you haven't run amok in my absence, Dani."

"I've either stayed in the house or gone out on your private little beach...Except once I ran to the

store while your witch Katie wasn't here. Apparently I'm some kind of hot commodity here as well as Virginia." I heard Klaus grumble.

"If anyone did anything to you..." I resisted giggling at his childish jealously.

"Nobody did anything, and I didn't see any vampires either...How long will it take for you to get here? I need to know you're safe..." Despite my calm demeanor, my stomach had been tying itself in knots the entire time he was gone. He was without me in Mystic Falls, and it couldn't bring anything but trouble.

"I'm talking to you right now, aren't I? I will get there in a few minutes and we can hug and kiss and do all those naughty things I know you've come to love. I even have a small surprise for you."

"Then hurry and get here already..!" Klaus chuckled at my whiny tone. "Please?"

"Alright love, I'll hurry. Be waiting on the porch for me." He hung up and I retrieved my cover-up and went back inside. Katie was in the kitchen making something on the stove so I just went right onto the big porch to wait for Klaus. I didn't bother getting dressed, because I knew he'd want to see me in the bikini since he couldn't before he left.

Katie stuck her head out to let me know she was making gumbo, some recipe that her family from Louisiana handed down. I nodded and she went back inside and I started to pace the porch, anxious that Klaus wasn't back yet.

And what surprise was he talking about? He'd brought me to a private beach house with someone to attend to all my needs; what else could there be?

Not 10 minutes later, right before I would've started to pace a hole in the floor, I saw the glint of a silver sportscar kicking up sand in the distance. I stepped off the porch onto the pathway and ran onto the sand-covered road, waving my hands in the air.

I could see Klaus grinning as he pulled up in front of me, and I nearly jumped on him when he got out.

"Whoa...Someone seems excited."

I hugged him tightly and said "Because you didn't die in that god-forsaken town...And you come back in this!"

He laughed. "I would have been back last night, but I had to have this car...I happen to be an avid fan of the James Bond films, you know." I pulled back, grinning.

"Who's your favorite?"

"Daniel Craig, but Sean Connery after that."

"Well, I guess those Scots certainly have something going for them..." I laughed as he made a face. "Was this the surprise?"

"Not entirely, no." Klaus let me go to reach into the open window and handed me a small wooden box that had a bit of weight to it. "This is your surprise. You might want to sit down to open it."

I scoffed. "Nothing is that amazing that I'd pass out...Trust me." Klaus simply smirked as I unlatched the box.

I had to blink back tears as the sun flashed in my eyes, and I could see the enormous diamond ring that glittered within the box. I stared at it, unable to comprehend what was going on.

"Dani, you must remember to breathe..." I looked at Klaus oddly until I realized I'd been holding my breath.

I sucked in a jagged breath and asked "What...is this?"

"I believe it's known as an engagement ring. Unlike the car, I simply compelled the employee of the store to bring it out to me engraved and gift-boxed..." I lifted it out of the box and looked inside the platinum band.

It simply said Niklaus in a neat, fancy cursive, but the gesture made me sob.

I managed to force out "This is...an...engagement ring? You...you want to..." I couldn't even finish.

I nearly fell to my knees crying but Klaus caught me and hoisted me up into his arms. As he carried me inside he said "I said you should've sat down."

"But...I didn't know you were going to propose! Is that what this is? Are you proposing?!" I couldn't keep the panic from making my voice all high-pitched and screechy, but then I remembered to take another deep breath and it went back to normal.

"Yes love, I'd have to say I am." Klaus sat me down on the wicker chair in the parlor and gently pried the ring from my fist. "But I think I should do it properly." He knelt down and held both my trembling hands as he spoke. "Dani Taylor...Despite my best efforts, I have fallen madly, passionately in love with you over these last few weeks together...And I would love to know if you would have the pleasure of becoming my wife."

"Oh my god...oh my god, oh my god, oh my god..." I couldn't manage to say anything else, but I hoped dearly that he got the mental yes I was trying to send him.

He simply laughed and put the enormous ring on my finger as I continued babbling. "Glad to know you're excited. You incoherently babbling is a yes, right?"

I launched myself at Klaus, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck as I pressed my lips to his.

"Yes! Yes, yes yes yes yes!" I kissed him again and again, all over his face and any area of his head I could reach, and he laughed. "Oh my god I love you so much..!" I stopped momentarily as I realized that was the first time I really said it aloud, but then went right back to violently kissing and hugging him.

I did stop again once I exclaimed "Oh! I know what could make this moment even more perfect!" He looked at me questioningly. "Give me your phone."

He took it out and I went to the camera. I held my left hand up beside Klaus' face and he smiled, and I snapped a perfect picture. I immediately sent it to Stefan's phone with a few choice words attached.

"That should hold them down for awhile...Oh! You never told me how it went!"

"You never gave me the chance, not that I mind. Stefan insisted that I bring you back so they can use the cure on Elena, and he wanted me to remove my compulsion on him. I didn't, of course. They threatened to desiccate me and lock me in the cellar again, but rescinded that particular threat when I reminded them that I was the only one that knew of your whereabouts."

"Way to work the enemy...How did Rebekah take the news that you're disappearing with me?"

"She lost it, and called you a few undesirable names...She's lucky Stefan still has those daggers hidden..." His face darkened along with his voice on that last part, and I stroked his cheek reassuringly.

"Don't worry, her names can't do any damage to us here. None of them can. It's just me and you..." Katie had left just before Klaus made his proposal, thankfully. I didn't want her to be around for any of this. "We can stay here as long as we want or we can travel the world, and there's not a dâmn thing anyone in Mystic Falls can do about it."

Klaus seemed to like that idea, because his demeanor lightened and he grinned once again.

"What do you say to getting married in Notre Dame? Perhaps we can honeymoon in Spain or Italy or Germany or just go everywhere. Oh, I hear Iceland is wonderful in the springtime." I giggled.

"We can go everywhere...but not before we make a stop in Mystic Falls first." He raised an eyebrow. "I think I'm becoming you in the facet that I really want to rub this ring in their faces...literally. It's diamond, so I'm sure it can do some damage, even to a vampire..."

"Alright, we'll make our stop. When would you like to go?"

"Tomorrow morning. I still have some things I didn't manage to grab, and I won't have your sister trying to steal them...I happen to be very territorial about my things."

"I've noticed all of you women are...I don't know if that's a gender thing..." I smacked Klaus' arm and he laughed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Klaus' PointOfView)

Dani stood straight as we exited my car and stood before the Salvatore house. She looked uncomfortable, but I took her by the hand and we went up to the front door.

She surprised me by kicking it open and saying "Knock knock, anybody home?"

"Well, I didn't expect that...Remind me of when you became my female version?" She rolled her eyes and we entered the house. Stefan was in the parlor with Tyler and Jeremy, and they all froze when Dani kicked the door in and we entered. "Well, isn't it nice to see my three least favorite people gathered together here. Though there seems to be one missing..."

Stefan stepped forward and said "What are you doing here?"

"You asked for Dani and I'm only complying with your wishes...Dani darling, why don't you tell Stefan why we're here?" She stepped forward with a devious smile.

"We've come to get the rest of our things from the mansion, and to tell you all we've decided to have the wedding in Paris." Tyler and Jeremy's jaws dropped, which meant Stefan hadn't told them about the picture Dani had sent him. "Stefan didn't tell you? Klaus and I are to be getting married soon."

She held up her hand and showed the ring off like a trophy, and I felt incredibly proud. I was finally helping her to grow out of the childishness she'd had when she first returned to Mystic Falls. She was learning how to handle things on her own.

I took Dani's raised hand and said "We'll be downtown having some celebratory drinks before we leave for the airport. Feel free to join us."

We turned and exited the house and Dani asked "Are you sure it was smart to say that? They may try to attack you in public."

"I have this handled...I still have several of my hybrids left that they don't know about, and I intend to put them to use."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Dani's PointOfView)

I was beginning to think Klaus' open invitation was too big of a risk for him. Not long after we arrived, so did Caroline, Elena and Bonnie. Just a little after them Stefan, Jeremy, and Tyler showed up from the house. I guess word must have gone further than them, because Elijah and Rebekah came as well. Matt was busing tables, openly trying to avoid coming to the bar where Klaus and I sat, but I didn't see Klaus' hybrids anywhere.

I tugged his sleeve and asked "I though you said they were going to be here?"

"Oh, they are. I won't have them announce their presence until absolutely necessary though..." Klaus looked past me towards the front door. "And it seems it is immediately necessary."

I turned and looked and saw an unfamiliar face making his way to us. The others were stunned when they saw him as well.

"Who is he?"

The man got to us, and he and Klaus stared darkly at each other. This new person had brown hair and brown eyes and was about the same height as Klaus.

When Klaus didn't answer me, the new man stuck out his left hand and said "Kol Mikaelson...Klaus here is my older brother." I tentatively shook his hand, and he studied my ring. "So it is true. My brother has not only found the only other half-breed besides himself, but he's managed to fall in love with her. How pitiful."

I jerked my hand away and said "If you're going to be like that, than you can leave. My fiancé and I are enjoying our last day here in the states before we leave for Paris, and we don't wish to be interrupted."

"Well frankly, I don't give a dâmn." Kol was purposefully making a scene, attempting to embarrass me. "You, my brother, and your sham of a marriage can all go rot for all I care. I've only come for one reason, miss half-breed."

I didn't back down from his threat. Klaus compelled the bartender to go in back, probably knowing what was coming next. "You've come to find out what I can do, and to see if I'm a threat to you. Well, in that case, you might not want to feed on me or my blood might just turn you into a human."

Kol froze; it seems he hadn't heard that part of the information from whoever was speaking to him.

"And I can't be compelled, so don't even bother trying to wheedle any information from me that way. You're out of your league if you think you can come in here and try to ruin my engagement party like that." Kol smirked, almost the same way Klaus did. The thought made me want to gag.

"You aren't the nubile young woman I expected you to be, from what my source has been telling me...Nonetheless, you aren't the only one who's out of her league here, Dani. Not only could I kill you before my brother has the chance to blink, but I could just as easily kidnap you and prolong the torture. And I wouldn't lose you to the Salvatore brothers either. How many times did you lose her Klaus? Twice?"

Klaus grumbled and stood. "I suggest you leave little brother, before things get very bad for you."

"You don't have the daggers or the stake, you couldn't kill me if you wanted to."

"Now, who said anything about that?" There was a gust of wind and Kol disappeared. "Dani, we need to be going again."

"Where this time?" I finished my drink and hurried past the shocked eyes of the people inside to follow Klaus out. "We haven't got all of our things yet..."

We went into the parking lot and witness five men struggling to hold a squirming Kol. Klaus went over and snapped his brother's neck, allowing the men to throw his body in the Jaguar's trunk.

"We're going back to the mansion. If Kol has come to town, it isn't good for any of us. We have to keep him somewhere he won't be able to interfere with anything."

"So...we're not going to Paris?" Klaus sighed. "We won't be getting married?"

"Of course we are! We just cannot go right now. Whoever has been helping my brother may try to raise him, unless we are careful about what we do. Come, let us go back to the house."

I took Klaus' hand and sighed. "I think we' should've stayed in Florida...Or just went directly to Paris...I should've never asked to come here."

He raised my hand and kissed the back of it tenderly. "It's alright, it's not your fault Kol decided to enter the game now. We'll just have to keep a close watch on him now, and if he tries anything..." I noticed he didn't finish his sentence.

"Wait...you're not thinking of curing him, are you? What if something goes wrong and he...dies?"

"He's an Original, love. I highly doubt that will happen." I could tell Klaus was lying. There was anguish clear in his voice, and it made my heart hurt in my chest. He was worried that he would kill his brother, and he didn't want to admit it.