A/N: Sorry its been a few days! Couldn't figure out how to write this one and I'm still not thoroughly pleased with it, but it got the lesson across so it is what it is! Enjoy, and if you have a minute, please review:)

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries.

Lessons of Love, Chapter 5: Caroline to Klaus, Part 3

"Somehow, not only for Christmas but all the long year through, the joy that you give others is the joy that comes back to you. And the more you spend in blessing the poor and lonely and sad, the more of your heart's possessing returns to you glad." John Greenleaf Whittier

Caroline stood outside in the snow, alone. She sighed as she could hear the laughter and chit chat that was going on inside the Lockwood's mansion. It was Christmas Eve and the Mayor threw a party every year and every year Caroline hated going. The only reason she did was because it made her mom happy, and happiness was often hard to come by these days in Mystic Falls. But somehow, in the spirit of the holiday season, everything supernatural stopped and that in its self was enough to bring everybody together in relief. It was a relief for humans like Elena and Alaric who could never catch a break. Because of that, Caroline thought she should be happy.

But she wasn't. Caroline thought that this was the farthest from happy she had ever been. It was Christmas Eve and she was standing outside, by herself, when she would rather be at home watching some Christmas classics. Her friends still hadn't talked to her. Well, she took that back, Elena was nice to her. She at least acknowledged Caroline.

She heard the door open behind her and readied herself for whomever it was who was going to try to talk to her.

"Hey," Elena said, coming to stand beside her.

"Hi."

"Some party…who am I kidding? The Lockwood's Christmas Party is one of the most boring things I've ever been to!"

"I guess the silence of the Vamps probably has something to do with it. I can't remember the last time we went to a normal party or dance," Caroline said with a smile and Elena laughed.

"I'm pretty sure it was freshman year. Or maybe eight grade when parties consisted of pajamas and sucky teen romance movies."

"Elena, why are you out here?" Caroline asked. She wasn't trying to be rude, she just really wanted to know. "I mean, why is Damon letting you anywhere near the 'Barbie Traitor?'"

"He doesn't really know I'm with you. I just said that I was going outside and he gave me his jacket," Elena said with a shrug. "Why are you out here?"

"Oh. I… I just don't feel like I belong in there anymore. It just feels like nobody in there sees me the same anymore since what happened with Matt. Even the people who don't know about all the supernatural crap look at me differently."

"Well, I want you to come back inside. For me? I want all my friends together and you are still my best friend, Damon can get over himself. No one deserves to be alone on Christmas."

Caroline rolled her eyes but smiled. "Okay, okay, I'll come."

"Speaking of alone, where's Klaus?" Elena asked as they walked to the large double doors.

"I don't know. Home with the blood-slut, probably."

"Rebekah is here. She came with Stefan, but he was invited," Elena said.

"Oh," Caroline whispered. She stopped as Elena opened the door and walked through. She turned back around when she didn't hear Caroline's heels clicking on the floor behind her.

"Care?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, 'Lena, but I have to go."

Elena creased her brows together. "Why?"

"You said no one deserves to be alone on Christmas and I think I know, we both know, somebody who's alone right now."

Elena smiled. "Okay, go. I'll cover for you but you owe me a catch-up date sometime soon. I want to hear about all the dirty details," she said with a wry smile.

"There are no dirty details, I can promise you that! Merry Christmas, 'Lena!" Caroline said as she sped off into the night.

"Merry Christmas, Care," Elena said with a smile.

Klaus stood alone in his sitting room. The fire cracked and burned as he downed glass after glass of whiskey, bourbon, you name it. He had always hated Christmas. He had never had anybody to share it with. Which ever of his siblings he had un-daggered, if any, at the time had always found a way to desert him. Rebekah had been no exception seeing as she had run off to the Lockwood's party with Stefan.

Oh, sure, Klaus had been invited but he didn't think it wise to go. Besides, if Christmas was the season of giving, he thought that all his presence would give would that of discomfort and anxiety. Better to let the humans have their night free of this supernatural war that the whole town found themselves in.

Klaus growled as he heard someone walk up the stairs to the front door. He could tell it was a girl because of the clicks her heels made as they walked up and into his house. Surely, Rebekah would not be home yet, knowing her, she would go home with young Mr. Salvatore. True to Kol's words, his sister was a 'strumpet'.

"Hey, you."

Klaus turned around to see Caroline standing at the threshold of the sitting room. He looked at her confusedly. "What are you doing here, love? Isn't there some sort of festivity at the Mayor's house tonight?"

"Yeah, but there was one last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and before that, and since before I can remember. So, I'm sure there will be on next year and the next. I think everyone there will get over me leaving."

"I doubt it, you are Miss Mystic Falls," he said, pouring himself another glass of bourbon.

Caroline snorted. "Right, I may have forgotten to sign some autographs," she said, walking further into the room and plopping down on a couch. "Why didn't you come? Elena said that Rebekah came and you were invited."

"Ah, I felt as if the mayor was simply extending formalities and that my presence was not exactly desired there, if you know what I mean," he said, handing her a tumbler half full of bourbon.

"Well that makes two of us."

"But you said the doppelganger was talking to you."

"She was the only one so I figured that I would come somewhere where at least I'm acknowledged."

Klaus raised his eyebrows as he sat next to her. "You and I both know that's not the full story, love. So let's spare the drama and spill," he said with a smirk.

"Fine. You are even pushier when you're drunk, Klaus," Caroline said, snatching his drink and finishing it herself. "I'm cutting you off."

"What was that bit I said about sparing the drama?" he asked, reaching for his tumbler.

"I'm not being dramatic. I just cut your drinks off. I'm really surprised that you and Damon don't get along with all of your drinking and brooding and whatnot. Sobriety will do you some good."

He laughed. "Fine, I'll stop drinking, for tonight…as long as you tell me why you really came."

Caroline looked straight into his blue eyes. "Because a friend told me that no one deserves to be alone on Christmas."

Klaus just looked at her, trying to keep his face drained of the surprise that was slowly making its way through him. She had left a party full of people that she had grown up with, that were her, more or less, friends, to come see him. Klaus smiled.

"Thank you," was all he said.

And Caroline knew that that as all that needed to be said.

And, for once, in Klaus' thousand years and Caroline's eighteen, both of them spent a Christmas filled with a little more hope.