Hello, my lovely readers. This is the missing chapter which I meant to write a long time ago. Better late than never. On with the show…

Chapter 5: Who Needs a Date to the Ball?

Somewhere in the Woods:

After finding Klaus Miklaeson, Bonnie and Stefan had been wandering, aimlessly, without a clue where Caroline could have gone and Bonnie had had enough of Klaus. He kept stomping around, just like he did in Mystic Falls, and trying to order her and Stefan around. It was time to put a stop to it.

"Klaus, we're not in our world, so I suggest you shut the hell up!" Bonnie snapped, her hands on her hips.

Klaus turned to her, his eyes narrowing and he strode over, to stand in her face, and glare down at her. "Do you really think I am incapable of making you suffer, witch?" he demanded, his words coming out in a hiss that would have scared the girl she used to be. Not anymore.

"I'd like to see you try!" Bonnie snarled back, narrowing her own eyes, ready to fight Klaus if she had to.

"Uh, guys!" Stefan said.

"Not now, Ripper. I'm about to show Miss Bennett how to show some respect," Klaus retorted, his eyes beginning to glow yellow.

Bonnie jutted her chin out, her fingers curling as she searched for her magic in this land. She had to be a witch here, right? It would just suck if she didn't have some kind of powers.

"Guys!" Stefan shouted, grabbing Bonnie and turning her around to face a man who came riding toward them on a horse. "There's someone coming," Stefan told them.

"We can see that," Klaus snapped.

"Oh, really?" Bonnie rolled her eyes.

Klaus' gaze slid to Bonnie before moving back to the man on the horse. "Excuse me, sir. You didn't happen to see a young lady out here, did you?" Klaus offered the stranger a smile full of innocent charm and Bonnie wanted to stake him. She really, really did.

The man on the horse looked down at the trio. Then Bonnie's jaw dropped. This was not good. "Stefan, do you remember him from somewhere?" she whispered.

Stefan shook his head. Peering at the blonde man on the horse; he began to nod. "Uh-oh. Isn't that Galen Vaughn?"

"Uh-huh." Bonnie took Stefan's hand and they began to back away.

"I did find a young woman. She had hurt her head. Took her back to see the doc, back at the castle. Is she your sister?" Galen asked Klaus, sliding off the side of the horse. "You'll be pleased to know that she will have the pleasure of meeting the Prince tonight, at the ball, for all the kingdom. Our prince might even chose her to be his bride."

"He what? What kingdom? Where is it?" Klaus had moved forward and had ahold of Galen's shirt collar.

"Klaus, let him go!" Bonnie cried.

Klaus let out a snarl. "You will tell me where you sent Caroline, or I will rip your face off!" He thundered, his temper getting the best of him and his fangs sprung outward.

Galen pulled out a sword and stuck it through Klaus who let out a cry of pain before Galen shoved Klaus away. Vaughn leapt on his horse and took off.

"That's great, Klaus!" Bonnie shouted. "Now everyone in the palace will think we're some kind of monsters."

Growling, Klaus looked at his bleeding wound through his shirt. "Yes. That is our biggest problem." Shaking his head, he stripped off his shirt and pressed it to his wound. "We're going to go to the palace, get Caroline, and find a way out this infernal place, once and for all." Taking a step, he groaned and Stefan moved to help him walk. Oh, yeah, this was just getting better and better.

~0~

Time passed and none of them knew how much further they had to go before they made it to the palace. Klaus did not look so good. He'd been bleeding for some time now. Stefan was now half-carrying his nemesis/quasi-friend through the woods.

When a carriage stopped nearby; Bonnie looked up in shock. "Elena?" she cried as Elena came out of the carriage, looking like freakin' Cinderella. "Oh, my God! You look so pretty!"

"Thanks, Bon!" Elena said, spinning and allowing Bonnie to admire her gown. "Are you going to the ball, too?"

"Yeah. But I have nothing to wear," Bonnie said, glancing down at her jeans, tank top and jacket. Not exactly fitting for a formal occasion.

"Right." Elena shook her head. "Um, Fairy Godmother!" she called.

The air shimmered and Esther Mikaelson appeared. "Hello, Elena, how may I help you?" the baddest witch of all time asked with a sweet smile.

"Mother?" Klaus groaned. "What kind of nightmare is this?" he muttered, his eyes glazing over.

Elena ignored him. "I need a tiny favor. My friend, Bonnie, needs a dress for the ball. Do you think you can go "Poof," and she'll be ready, too?" Clasping her hands together, Elena gave Esther a pleading look while Klaus began to curse and turned to scramble away from his mother while Stefan held him in place.

"Of course, dear." Esther turned to Bonnie. Waving her hands, Esther smiled and Bonnie looked down to see she was now sporting a long green gown. Thankfully, she did not look like one of the evil step-sisters, or something else creepy, which she kind of expected since Esther was behind the magic. "How is that?" Esther asked.

"Nice," Stefan said, one arm around Klaus' neck as the hybrid tried to bite him. "You think you can help us out with our own formal wear dilemma. Oh, and, can you fix Klaus, because Elena might look weird in a coach lined with blood. And Klaus here might drip on her dress."

"Yes, it would not be nice to not go to the ball with Evil Psycho blood on my gown," Elena said, smiling.

Klaus growled as Esther waved her hands. Standing up straight, Klaus examined his wound. It was healed and he was looking like a member of the royal court in his new outfit. Too bad he would be the villain in a prince costume. Poor Care, Bonnie hoped that she was not falling for this fairy tale nonsense.

"Is everyone ready? I don't want to be late," Elena called, already getting back into the coach.

"Sure," Bonnie muttered. "Let's get this over with." And away they went, to the castle.

Back at the Palace:

Damon felt nervous. He hoped that Elena would find her way here. He really missed her. And they hadn't been separated all that long. But it felt like a century.

"Are you alright?" Caroline asked, coming to stand beside him.

Damon glanced at Caroline, who also looked nervous. His parents seemed to be impressed with her manners and baring. He just hoped he wasn't forced to marry the amnesiac version of his one-time girlfriend, who, once she realized who he was would probably try to stake him, human or not.

"Nope. Just waiting for my girl to show," Damon whispered to her. Too many of the women here kept eyeing him up. It's not that he minded the attention; it's just they weren't Elena. For once, Damon would admit there was only woman who fit the role of who he wanted in his life. He wasn't going to settle tonight.

"Oh, there is a girl?" Caroline looked pleased.

Damon nodded. "Yup. A friend of yours."

"I have friends?" Caroline now looked even happier. "How many? Oh, don't tell me. I want to be surprised." Beaming, she watched the crowd more closely. "When do you think she will arrive? What does she look like? Are we very close? Is she my closest friend in the entire world?"

"Slow down, Care Bear," Damon whispered. He couldn't help but smile. It was nice to have someone around who was as excited to see Elena as he felt.

"Sir, you should be mingling," Alaric said, coming to stand beside him. "Your parents would like you to meet as many of the young ladies of the kingdom as possible, before choosing your bride."

"Thing is, Ric, I already chose her," Damon replied.

"This young woman?" Jenna inquired, coming to join them and smiling at Caroline. "Your parents will be pleased. You will have lovely children."

"Please? No! Not her!" Damon waved at Caroline, who let out an un-lady-like snort. "She's on her way. Should be here any time now." Looking at the clock on the wall, Damon sighed. Elena, would you get here already?

~0~

Still in the Palace:

Caroline did not know who her friends were, or who she was, other than the tiny bits that Damon was willing to offer up. She thought he was a jerk, but was trying to be polite and not tell him so. Besides, if she were thrown out of the palace; where would she go?

Sighing in annoyance, Caroline walked across the floor of the palace and stopped near the door. Perhaps there was more than one prince coming to the ball tonight. Maybe the other prince would sweep her off her feet.

When the doors swung open, and a young woman with long brown hair came through the doors, the crowd stilled and quieted. Turning her head, Caroline saw Damon stop his talk with Alaric and then he was striding through the crowd. They parted for Damon as he approached the woman. Caroline's friend. She began to smile and headed toward them.

"Elena," Damon was saying, picking Elena up from the floor, making a display of kissing her. Well, no one had to guess who he intended on making into the princess now.

"Hi," Caroline said, waving at the girl in question.

"Caroline!" Elena cried, pulling away from Damon and hugging Caroline. Caroline wished she could say that a wave of memories filled her, but they did not.

"Caroline!" another woman said. Caroline turned and found herself being hugged by the new stranger. "We've been looking for you. Look, Stefan's here!"

A handsome young man smiled and waved to Caroline. She smiled back. Then she caught sight of a prince behind Stefan. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Klaus Mikaelson, darling," the prince moved forward and took Caroline's hand in his. He kissed the back of it. Looking up, and into her eyes, his gaze made her react in a not-very-true-to-fairy-tales manner. She wanted to launch herself at him and rip his clothes off. Some tiny memory wanted to edge itself into her mind.

"Dance with me, Caroline?" Klaus said, holding out his hand to her.

"Okay." Caroline took his hand and he led her to the dance floor. "We've done this before, haven't we?"

"A time or two," Klaus replied.

"Are we in love?" Caroline whispered, examining Klaus' face. She thought she might be in love with him. If she wasn't, then she was blind or stupid. She thought he must be the love of her life. A grand and sweeping love story, full of adventure, heartbreak, and redemption for a man with a broken soul which she worked, tirelessly, to mend. Yes, their love was deep and would last even past death.

"I believe I am. Are you, love?" Klaus inquired, tucking one of her curls behind her ear and gazing into her eyes.

Caroline leaned forward, to answer him with true love's kiss when chaos broke out and their heads snapped in the same direction. "Pirates!" Caroline cried.

Klaus let go of her and moved in front of her. Backing away, Caroline looked for somewhere to take shelter. Klaus, Damon and Stefan would fend off the pirates. It was her job to stay out of the way. No, that didn't sound right.

Watching Elena and Bonnie turn to fight off the pirates, Caroline thought she should join them, but some part of her was afraid she couldn't help them. Not in this state. What state? Caroline was so confused. What had she been? Why couldn't she remember?

Sighing, Caroline decided to join the fight; if she had to. Right now, she needed to figure out which tale she was in, and whether she would get a happy ending, or if pirates were going to abduct her. Was that one leering at her? Oh, crap.

Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.

Peace,

J