Here's chapter 4. Longer A/N at the end. Thanks!
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.
"Well, this little trip just became a lot more complicated," Rebekah reported as she and Stefan joined Caroline and Klaus in the kitchen Wednesday morning. "Elijah cornered me and begged that we let Katherine come along."
Caroline frowned, knowing Rebekah gave in. "She isn't going to be helpful and he knows that. Why would he even want her to come?"
"He's probably doing it for himself," Stefan reasoned. "No one wants Katherine around so he's taken it upon himself to keep her company and I'm sure that's driving him crazy. People actually like Elijah but they don't want to be around him if she tags along."
"So we have to suffer through an entire day with her?" Caroline complained. "That hardly seems fair."
"I'll just compel her to play nice," Klaus spoke up.
"No, don't do that," Caroline sighed. "That will only piss Elijah off. I guess she can come and we can just threaten her with compulsion by Rebekah if she gets too annoying. Or Bonnie can give her an aneurysm."
"I'm sorry," Rebekah apologized. "I'm not very good at telling him no when he asks so politely."
"It's fine," Caroline shrugged. "I should probably warn Elena though." She pulled her phone out of the pocket of her dress and headed to the dining room.
"Hey," Klaus said, following after her. "I can tell Elijah that Katerina isn't your problem; he should know that anyways."
"It's okay, really," she assured him.
He quirked an eyebrow. "Don't lie to me, love. I know you women take wedding dress shopping very seriously and I don't want her ruining it for you."
"Who knows?" she shrugged. "Maybe her harsh opinions will come in handy when everyone else is telling me I look great in an awful dress."
"You could wear a garbage bag and look better than anyone else in the room," he assured her. "But seriously, Caroline, don't feel bad if you have Rebekah compel her today because she deserves far worse."
Caroline nodded. "I know. If she harasses Elena too much or is criticizing callously, I'll let Rebekah take care of it."
"Promise?" he requested.
"Promise," she replied. "But I do need to call Elena and Bonnie to prepare them."
"Okay," he agreed, backing away.
"Hey, I'm on my way," Elena said when she answered Caroline's call moments later. "Is everyone else already there?"
"No," Caroline denied. "My mom and Bonnie are still on their way, too. But I wanted to tell you before you get here that we have someone else joining us."
"Who?" Elena asked as she drove through town.
"Our least favorite Petrova," Caroline admitted cautiously. "Elijah begged Rebekah to let her come and Rebekah couldn't say no."
Elena made a face. "And you're okay with that? You hate her almost as much as I do and Klaus hates her most of all."
"Well, Elijah's been holed up with her since they got here because no one wants her around and I feel bad for him," Caroline said. "I know he loves her and likes spending time with her but he deserves a break. I don't like spending all my time with Klaus."
"Liar," she heard him chuckle from the kitchen.
"I get it," Elena sighed. "Well, I guess if I can survive a night with Rebekah, I can survive an afternoon with Katherine. Just tell your mom to break out her old wooden bullets."
Caroline laughed. "Thanks for being okay with this."
"It's not about my feelings for Katherine today," Elena reminded her. "It's about finding you the perfect wedding dress. I'll see you in a few minutes."
Caroline hung up and walked back to the kitchen, finding that Katherine and Elijah had joined them.
"Morning, princess," Katherine greeted her. "Are you excited for our big day?"
"Don't make me regret this," Caroline warned. "I'm trying to be pleasant."
"You're doing a nice thing that Katerina appreciates," Elijah told the blonde. "Right, Katerina?"
"Whatever," Katherine muttered. "I'd do just about anything to get out of this house so wedding dress shopping will suffice."
"And you're going to be polite, correct?" Elijah asked.
"God, you sound like my father," Katherine grumbled.
"How would you remember?" Klaus wondered. "I slaughtered him five centuries ago."
"Stop," Caroline pleaded. "This is not how I want this day to begin."
Klaus and Katherine glared at each other for another long minute before he finally looked to his fiancée. "I'm sorry."
Rebekah scoffed. "Can we just go? It's a two-hour drive to D.C. and it's already almost nine."
"The car isn't here yet," Stefan reminded her. "Klaus ordered a driver for you all today."
"You did?" Caroline asked him.
"Of course," Klaus confirmed. "It seemed wasteful to drive two cars so I called for an SUV big enough for all of you. That way when Rebekah gets drunk at dinner, she won't have to get behind the wheel." He skillfully caught the sharp knife his little sister threw at him without even looking.
"Hello?!" Elena's voice rang out moments later from the foyer.
"In here!" Caroline called back. "Hey, guys," she grinned as Elena led Bonnie and Liz into the kitchen.
"Oh, goody," Katherine sighed upon seeing Elena. "How many times will I be required to pretend you're my dull, less attractive twin sister today?"
Caroline closed her eyes in annoyance. "Katherine, I'm letting you come because Elijah asked nicely and I don't want to be mean but if you aren't going to appreciate the gesture, you can stay home and go to the tux fittings with the guys; they're only going to Richmond."
"As difficult as this is to admit, dress shopping with you all is the lesser of two evils," Katherine declared. "I can handle cattiness and bitchy whispers but I'm not in the mood for Klaus and Stefan to harass me all day if I go with them. So I'll go to D.C. and laugh at your terrible taste."
"Why do you like her?" Elena grumbled to Elijah.
He just chuckled. "I imagine you often wonder the same of Caroline and Niklaus."
Elena shrugged. "Surprisingly, he's easier to deal with now but I think Katherine just gets meaner."
"Well, when it's just the two of us in Paris, she's different," he replied. "It doesn't help that everyone here seems to band together against her."
Elena said nothing back.
Klaus looked towards the foyer. "The car is pulling up so you ladies should be on your way."
Caroline grabbed her vintage Chanel bag from the counter. "Elijah, remember what I said about the suits. Klaus and Stefan don't know the difference between dove gray and pearl gray and Matt won't care. It has to be canary yellow for the ties and Klaus' should be different than everyone else's somehow."
"I know, Caroline," Elijah assured her, having had this conversation several times since his brother had officially proposed. "We won't confirm anything without sending along photos."
"Okay," she breathed. "Well, boys, have fun. Stefan, Matt is expecting you at ten-thirty."
While Rebekah and Katherine bid farewells to Stefan and Elijah, Caroline started to follow her mother, Elena, and Bonnie to the foyer before a pair of strong hands grabbed her waist and stopped her in the hallway.
"Leaving without a proper goodbye?" Klaus mused. "Bad form, love."
"It's just a day," she scoffed, secretly pleased he didn't like the idea of spending the entire day apart anymore than she did. "I'll be back after dinner."
He backed her up against the wall and placed hands on either side of her. "I know you sometimes believe you spend too much money but I don't want you to worry about that. Not that you ever need to but least of all today. Rebekah is under strict order to make sure you find the dress of your dreams, regardless of cost, and I'll be sure to send the message along to Elena and your mother, as well."
Caroline smirked. "Don't worry about that. I would never penny pinch over my wedding dress. Besides, Rebekah once told me what you spent on my prom dress so price is the least of my concerns."
Klaus chuckled, thinking back to her senior prom. "All right then." He leaned in to kiss her, reaching up to tangle his hands in her hair. "Enjoy today and don't hesitate to take whatever measures necessary to keep Katerina in line."
"Okay," she breathed, a bit dazed from the intensity of his kiss. "You know, this sleeping apart has its upsides if that's how you're gonna kiss me goodbye."
"Yes, but sleeping together would have many more," he teased, nudging her in the direction of the front door.
"What was that about?" Elena asked her quietly as they walked outside.
"Oh, God, you heard?" Caroline realized, glancing ahead at Liz.
"I only did because I have that ability," Elena replied. "You aren't sleeping together?"
"I said I wanted to stop having sex until we're married and that turned into us not even sleeping in the same bed," Caroline explained. "It's become a stupid bet and we're definitely pushing each other to our limits."
Elena grinned. "What do you mean?"
"Well, the night Stefan and Rebekah stayed with you guys, it was because she flipped the fuse to the air conditioner," Caroline murmured. "And that was only so Klaus would check on me in the extreme heat and find me sleeping in very little clothing to tempt him back to our bed. When he realized what I was up to, he joined the game so the next night, after he'd proposed, I found him swimming naked and he knows how I feel about sex in pools. On Monday night, I had to up the ante so after I'd been in bed for a while, I faked a nightmare about that night with Silas just loud enough that he would hear and come to our room. He sat for a while to comfort me but when I started begging him to stay, he wised up." She sighed in frustration. "And then he almost had me yesterday." She paused. "But I'm not sure it's a story you want to hear."
"Probably not," Nina agreed. "Well, what do you get if you win?"
"Winner picks our honeymoon destination," Caroline said as they climbed into the middle seat of the massive SUV. "I want a beach, he wants museums."
Elena rolled her eyes. "Like Klaus is going to turn down the opportunity to have you all to himself on a beach."
"Precisely what I said," Rebekah spoke from her place in the backseat beside Katherine and Bonnie; Liz sat in front with the driver. "He's only in it now to say he wins, not for the agreed prize."
Katherine rolled her eyes without looking up from filing her nails. "You do realize that his compulsive need to always be the alpha male will eventually result in him winning, right?"
"Please," Bonnie jumped in. "Everyone knows his Achilles heel is Caroline. All she really has to do is pout a little and he'll cave."
"I don't want it to be like that," Caroline told them. "I want it to be a fair fight, not me using his weakness for me against him. That isn't fun. I'm competitive, too."
Katherine groaned. "Is this what you all are going to talk about all day?"
Bonnie looked to her and gave her a brief aneurysm. "Is that going to bother you all day?"
Katherine winced. "I forgot what a bitch you can be."
"You won't anymore," Bonnie replied.
Liz eyed the driver but he just continued to drive, almost as if his eyes were glued to the road. "Does he—?"
"He's been compelled," Rebekah assured her. "Nik told me before we left. It's never safe for anyone to climb into a car of four vampires and a moderately powerful witch if they aren't family or friend."
Caroline saw Bonnie make a face at being referred to as only 'moderately powerful' and laughed. "It's okay, Mom."
"Okay," Liz murmured, looking ahead.
"Where are we going once we get to D.C.?" Elena wanted to know.
"A bridal boutique called Bliss," Rebekah reported. "It's appointment-only and has a waiting list six months out but strings were pulled."
Caroline sighed. "He doesn't have to do stuff like this."
"Nik didn't," Rebekah said. "I did. This is the only place in the city that sells the Monique Lhuillier dress I want."
"Of course," Katherine smirked. "I knew this wedding wouldn't happen without you seeping your way in. And I thought this little excursion was about finding the princess a dress?"
"It is," Rebekah nodded, "but we only have eight weeks before the wedding so we, the bridesmaids Caroline chose to stand beside her, need to be fitted, as well. You can sit and observe quietly."
"Bek," Caroline warned, shaking her head. "Just let it go"
"You're too nice for your own good sometimes, Caroline," Rebekah sighed.
"So I've been told," Caroline smiled.
When they arrived in Washington, D.C., their driver dropped them off in front of Bliss and Rebekah led them inside the swanky boutique.
"Wow," Liz breathed, looking around in awe. "Um, Caroline, I'm not sure I can afford a dress from here. Small-town sheriffs don't make much money."
"Don't worry about it," Caroline told her quietly. "Klaus and I are buying everyone's dress; he insists."
"A mother pays for her daughter's wedding," Liz muttered, "not the other way around."
Caroline took Liz's hand and squeezed it gently. "Mom, you gave him your permission to marry me so he would give you the moon if you wanted it. Don't feel bad about this; Klaus is like, a bajillionaire. He's been investing and making money for a thousand years."
"Ladies, welcome to Bliss," a blonde woman greeted them brightly. "I'm Justine. Which one of you is Caroline, my bride?"
"I am," Caroline announced, stepping forward. "This is my mom, Liz; my maid of honor and future sister-in-law, Rebekah; my bridesmaids and best friends, Elena and Bonnie; and that's Katherine."
Justine looked back and forth between Elena and Katherine. "Identical, right?"
"Yes," Elena answered quickly before Katherine could make a nasty comment. "She's just a bit older than me."
Caroline laughed softly at the age joke. "I'm getting married in eight weeks so we'll need to rush everything."
"Eight weeks?" Justine repeated. "To have everything finished in that short amount of time will be expensive. Very expensive."
"Money isn't an issue," Caroline assured her, annoyed at the implication they couldn't afford the cost. "At all."
"Okay," Justine muttered, though unconvinced. "Well, would you like me to pull some things for you to try? Do you have ideas of what you'd like?"
"I want white, mermaid or fit-and-flare trumpet, and preferably chiffon or tulle," Caroline ticked off. "Our wedding is outside so I don't want anything too heavy."
Justine nodded. "Why don't you ladies help yourselves to some champagne and I'll start pulling things." She smiled and disappeared into the back.
"I don't like her," Katherine declared.
"Huh," Caroline murmured. "We have something in common."
Rebekah grinned mischievously. "You two can fight over who gets to eat her after then."
"No," Caroline snapped. "We will not being snacking on anyone today." She looked to Katherine. "Understood?"
"Fine," Katherine sighed. "God, you're all so vanilla."
"You live with Elijah," Bonnie spoke up. "He's not exactly Mr. Adventure."
"That you know of," Katherine smirked. "We don't associate with you people very often, do we?"
"By our choice," Elena grumbled as Justine returned, pushing a rolling rack.
"Caroline, if you'll join me in the fitting room," Justine requested, "we'll begin."
"Sure," Caroline agreed, handing her purse to Rebekah. She followed the woman into the room and looked through the dresses. "No. No. Maybe. Ew. Maybe. I'll try it. Seriously?"
"Well, let's start with the first 'maybe' then," Justine said, pulling the dress from its hanger. "This is a Vera Wang mermaid style of Chantilly lace."
Caroline stripped down to her underwear and strapless bra and stepped into the dress, allowing Justine to tie up the back. "I don't much like lace; it's a little outdated for me."
"I'm sorry," Justine apologized. "You just said you wanted something light for summer."
"It's fine," Caroline replied. "The dress itself is nice."
"You look lovely in it," Justine complimented her. "Would you like to show the others?"
"Yes," Caroline said.
Justine pulled back the curtain and led her back to her friends and mother. "This is dress number one."
"Oh, Caroline," Liz breathed as her daughter emerged. "It's very pretty."
"It's not awful," Rebekah amended. "But it sort of shortens your torso and it's too old-fashioned for you."
Caroline looked at her reflection in the mirror. "I don't hate it."
"Please," Katherine scoffed from her place on the couch furthest from them all. "It would be fine if you'd met and married Klaus back in the 20s in Chicago."
"Why Chicago?" Justine chuckled. "Was this a popular style dress there in the 20s?"
"I don't know," Katherine replied. "Was it, Rebekah?"
Rebekah glared at the older Petrova. "I can't say I know much at fashion trends then. I haven't studied that far back."
"Is it safe to say this isn't your dress?" Justine asked Caroline.
"Yes," Caroline decided. "It's okay but I'll know when I find the one."
Three hours later, Caroline had tried on seventeen dresses and was nowhere closer to finding the right gown for her.
Katherine, who was getting more and more impatient by the minute, stood up and snuck away to the back room. She was going to find the princess a dress and then they were going to finally eat.
"I wonder if the boys are having more luck than we are," Rebekah muttered as Caroline went back to the fitting room in defeat.
"What the hell is dove gray and how is it different from pearl gray?" Matt grumbled as he watched Elijah consult with the salesman in the tuxedo shop. "Isn't gray just gray?"
"Apparently not," Stefan shook his head. "Caroline tried to show me the difference but I didn't really see it."
"And canary yellow?" Matt went on. "Was Rebekah like this? I just had to show up for that wedding."
"Worse," Klaus spoke up. "See, Caroline is very specific but she's kind. My sister is specific but controlling and a tad bossy."
"Rebekah wanted a perfect wedding, just like Caroline does," Stefan defended his wife. "If I remember correctly, Caroline wore a particularly revealing bridesmaid dress in my wedding that you liked quite a bit."
"She chose it," Klaus remembered. He chuckled. "Come to think of it, it was particularly flimsy and easy to rip off."
Matt grimaced. "I don't need to hear all this."
Stefan patted his back. "Sorry, Matt. How's life?"
"Good," Matt answered. "The team sucked this year but I'll whip them into shape this summer."
"Right, Caroline mentioned you're coaching the football team now," Klaus recalled. "And teaching, yes?"
"Yeah," Matt nodded. "I uhh, teach history. It's weird to be in Mr. Saltzman's old room."
"Ah, Alaric," Klaus nodded. "Are you planning to be Damon's new drinking buddy, as well?"
"Damon and Elena are leaving Mystic Falls at the end of the summer," Stefan reported. "Getting too suspicious for them to not age."
"Yeah, my mom called Caroline out about it at lunch the other day," Matt added. "Said she didn't look a day over 17."
"She's not," Stefan laughed. "She hates that she didn't even make it to legal age. I didn't either but I'm less upset about it."
"You've lived for 155 years," Klaus countered. "Human age eventually becomes irrelevant."
"Do you even remember how old you were?" Matt asked.
Klaus smirked. "I was 24. Rebekah was 20 and Elijah was 28."
"Only 24, huh?" Matt mused. "I'd have guessed 30."
"30?" Klaus repeated. "I was the same age as Damon and I look much younger."
"Gentlemen?" the salesman called over to them. "Mr. Mikaelson has shown me exactly what it is you're looking for and confirmed it with the bride so we'll need to start taking measurements now." He looked to Elijah. "Your bride chose a nice color scheme."
"My bride," Klaus corrected him coolly. "Elijah just happens to wear more suits than I do."
"Than anyone does," Matt whispered, following a tailor back to a fitting room.
"Where have you been?" Elena demanded of Katherine when the older vampire emerged from the back room, carrying a garment bag.
"I found Caroline's dress," Katherine stated triumphantly. She walked to the fitting room and stepped inside. "This is it."
Caroline scoffed. "How would you know?"
"Trust me," Katherine assured her. "If it isn't, Elijah and I will stay in a hotel until the wedding."
"Lazaro," Justine immediately recognized. "Organza and alencon lace but it only comes in ivory."
Katherine faced the women and stared at her, pupils dilated. "I think you can have it done in white, don't you?"
"Yes," Justine nodded robotically. "We can have it altered to be white. Shall we?" she asked Caroline.
"All right," Caroline agreed warily. "I'll try it. It is beautiful," she added, fingering the lace bodice. "I'm not big on lace but we'll see."
Katherine rejoined the others and sat down between Bonnie and Liz. "We'll be eating lunch in half an hour."
"Don't be so sure," Rebekah told her. "Caroline might hate it just to get you out of the house."
"Doubt it," Katherine muttered smugly. "I might not like her too much but I know Blondie's taste."
Moments later, Justine pushed back the curtain to reveal Caroline in Katherine's choice. "Well? Lucky number eighteen?"
"Oh, my God," Bonnie breathed. "Care, that dress is gorgeous."
"It's so you," Elena agreed.
Rebekah stood up and circled Caroline twice, eyeing the gown critically. "Elena's right. It's as if the dress were made just for you."
"Mom?" Caroline asked softly, looking to Liz.
The sheriff had tears in her eyes. "Oh, sweetie. That's absolutely your dress."
Caroline spun back to the three-way mirror. "I think so, too." She caught Katherine's eye in the reflection. "Thank you."
Katherine lifted a shoulder nonchalantly. "I'm just hungry."
Justine lifted the price tag. "This dress is $6,500. Altering it to white, in eight weeks, will add quite a bit more."
"Will you stop assuming she can't afford that?" Katherine demanded. "If you understood who she was marrying, you'd know Caroline could buy this store, fire your ass, and then burn the building, and everything inside, down to the ground just for fun."
"Katherine!" Liz scolded.
"I'm just saying," Katherine reasoned. "I don't care for her attitude."
Justine frowned. "I apologize, Miss Forbes, if that's how I've behaved. I'm just not used to seeing someone so young with such money to spend."
Caroline smiled. "It's all right. My fiancée just has a way with money that's made him very rich."
After taking her measurements, the Mystic Falls group excused themselves for lunch before assuring Justine they would return after for bridesmaid dresses and something for Liz.
"How'd you know I'd like that dress?" Caroline asked Katherine as they followed behind everyone on the sidewalk.
"I saw a picture of you in the dress you wore to your prom once and it reminded me of that," Katherine explained. "And I remembered Elijah telling me that Klaus was the one who bought your prom dress so I figured it was something you'd both like. It's sort of classic and old-Hollywood and that seems to be your style."
"Well, it's perfect," Caroline said quietly. "So really, thank you. That woman never would've brought it to me." She looked down at her hands nervously. "Katherine, do you want to be in the wedding? I could have Klaus add Damon as a groomsman if you want to be included."
"Thanks, but no thanks," Katherine shook her head. "I don't hate you like I do Elena or Rebekah but you're still only barely tolerable."
"But we're going to be quasi-family," Caroline pointed out. "You do love Elijah, don't you?"
"Of course I do," Katherine answered. "But I don't need to marry him to prove that. We're perfectly happy with the way things are in Paris. And I don't need to love his siblings and their spouses and friends either because we aren't around you enough. Couple holidays a year and that's about it. I'm content."
"Okay," Caroline replied. "But you'll be with us for eternity so I'll probably grow on you."
The rest of their time in D.C. went much more smoothly than Caroline's appointment had gone. After lunch, they returned to Bliss to find the Monique Lhuillier dress that Rebekah had selected, along with a pretty Cameron Blake dress for Liz in a soft shade of gray.
"You look beautiful, Mom," Caroline beamed as Liz stared in the mirror.
"It isn't too much?" Liz questioned. "It's certainly the nicest dress I've ever worn, apart from my own wedding dress."
"It's perfect," Caroline confirmed. "Have Justine take your measurements because you're getting it."
"Okay," Liz nodded. "Remind me to thank Klaus when I see him next."
Their driver picked them up from the bridal boutique once more at 5:30 and Caroline was exhausted.
"Could we maybe just head home?" Elena suggested. "I have an early day at the kids' home tomorrow and if we stay here for dinner, we won't get back to Mystic Falls until almost ten at least."
"Yes, just head back," Caroline informed the driver. "I'm not really in the mood for regular food right now anyways."
Klaus stood staring at the half-finished landscape in front of him. He often ended his day in the studio but for some reason, he had little inspiration for the piece. He sighed and set his paintbrush down, oblivious to the presence behind him.
"I like this one," Caroline spoke up from just behind him. "It's pretty."
He chuckled without turning to her. "I'm not really going for 'pretty' here, love."
"Well, it's what I see," she shrugged, standing beside him. "How did tux shopping go?"
"Fine," he told her. "Elijah was very precise in explaining what you wanted and he believes we found it."
"He sent pictures," she said, "and I liked everything so that's good."
"How was your day?" he asked, eyeing her in amusement. "I didn't hear from you so I assume Katerina behaved herself?"
"Katherine is actually the one who found my dress," she explained, messing with the paint on his work table. "She got a little bitchy with Elena a few times but I was able to stop it from going too far." She thought it best to leave out her asking Katherine if she wanted to be a part of the wedding; what Klaus didn't know wouldn't hurt him. "We didn't even have to compel her, though Bonnie gave a brief aneurysm on the way."
He reached over to keep her from mixing his very specifically created colors. "You know I don't like you touching this stuff, sweetheart."
"Sorry," she apologized with a smirk. "Well, I just wanted to let you know that we're home and I'm going to shower before heading to bed early. Rebekah wants to start mapping out the ceremony in the backyard tomorrow and we have to look at florists."
"Should I be involved?" he wanted to know.
"Not unless you want to be," she shook her head.
"I don't," he declared. "I feel safe leaving that to you two."
"Good," she smiled. "Did you eat? If you spend too much time in here, you sometimes forget."
Klaus couldn't help but smile softly at her concern for his well-being. "I ate plenty in Richmond. No deaths," he added quickly.
She reached over to kiss him. "I missed you today."
"And I missed you," he whispered, kissing her again.
"Goodnight," she murmured, hugging him tightly.
He smiled once more as she walked away before suddenly turning back to his painting; just like that, his inspiration had returned.
Hopefully you all liked this chapter. If you did, let me know.
But most importantly, I need your help. I'm looking for the perfect wedding song for Klaus and Caroline to dance to. It will be suggested to them by someone else so it's definitely well-thought and has to really represent what their relationship is. I have a song in my head that I'm like, 80-percent sure of but I'm interested in other suggestions if you've got something better. Also, I'm looking for ideas on what the two of them would get each other as wedding gifts. Gotta be sentimental. If you've got something for me, leave it in a review or you can PM me. I'm open to anything! As always, reviews are the best and I love reading what you all think. Thanks!