First legit time jump in the story. I know it might've been fun to see all the planning and craziness but it's so much filler stuff that I just skipped ahead. Lots of people assumed that mentioning Camille last chapter would mean something and you were right; she's around. I didn't really adjust much to incorporate what happened in ep 4x20 because this is AU so it doesn't really matter. This chapter sort of leads into the bachelor/bachelorette parties and from there, probably only three chapters left? I'm not quite sure yet but it won't be much longer. As always, I love reading what you think so let me know. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

Klaus watched in amusement from his studio as Caroline, Rebekah, Elena, Bonnie, and-to his surprise-Katherine hurried around the backyard, preparing everything for the wedding. June 30th was only a week away and there was still so much to be done. When he'd offered to help, however, the girls had simply turned him away, telling him to focus instead on his vows.

"Uh, Klaus, you have a visitor," Stefan said, sticking his head into the room.

"I do?" Klaus replied, wiping the acrylic paint off his hands as he headed for the foyer. "Who?"

"Me."

Knowing that voice, his head shot up quickly. "Camille, what are you doing here? The wedding isn't for another week."

"Well, I thought I'd come early, see this Mystic Falls that Caroline always spoke so highly of," the New Orleans resident explained, looking around. "Your house is beautiful."

Klaus eyed her quickly. She looked much the same, though older, and he knew Caroline would not like seeing her so soon.

"Well, we're very busy this week, which I'm sure you understand, but I'd be happy to have Marcel come up early to keep you company," he offered her.

"Oh, I think I'll find ways to occupy myself," Camille assured him with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Now, come on, give me a tour."

Outside, Caroline looked in the direction of the house. "Did you guys hear that?"

"A girl," Katherine confirmed. "But who?"

"No idea," Rebekah shook her head. "We aren't expecting anyone."

Caroline listened closely as the female voice inside spoke again. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me." She dropped the chair she'd been carrying and flashed up to the doors.

"This studio is much bigger than the one you had in New Orleans," Camille said to Klaus as he showed her around the house. "More light, too."

"Yes, it was the room I spent the most time on when I built the house more than ten years ago," he remembered.

"I like it," she grinned, stopping in front of a painting that was only half-complete. "What's this going to be?"

"Caroline's wedding gift," he answered. "But don't tell; I've kept it under cover for weeks now."

Camille frowned at mention of the blonde vampire. "Where is the blushing bride?"

"Out back with my sister and friends, preparing the ceremony space," he replied. "Would you like to say hello?"

"I think we both know the answer to that question," Camille replied, turning back to him.

"Too bad."

Camille's quickly looked in the direction the voice had come from and saw Caroline standing just behind her. Klaus just smirked.

"What are you doing here, Camille?" Caroline asked, stepping into the room. "I specifically told you and the rest of our New Orleans guests to come in Friday night."

"Well, you always talked this town up so much so I thought I'd come early and check it out," Camille explained nervously. "I am a psychologist, after all. I've spent my adult life studying the abnormal and Mystic Falls is a hotbed for it."

"Ahh, yes, your adult life," Caroline repeated. "Because you are an adult now. And someday, you'll be middle aged and then a senior citizen and then six feet under."

He knew it was wrong but seeing Caroline this way, strong and intimidating, was a definite turn-on. She often teased him about being the alpha male but in her interactions with Camille, Caroline was certainly his equal in that aspect.

"I didn't come to stir up trouble," Camille told Caroline.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Yes, you did. You wouldn't have come a full week early if you hadn't. What is it you thought you'd accomplish, Camille? You'd show up, old and aging, and he would suddenly forget that he's been in love with me for eleven years? Please. Why don't you do us all a favor and find some nice, boring accountant to settle down with?"

"Okay, sweetheart, that's enough," Klaus murmured, standing directly behind his fiancée. "You should head back outside to finish setting up."

"No need," Katherine spoke from the doorframe. "We're finished."

"Katherine," Camille mumbled, suddenly feeling cornered.

"Camille," Katherine nodded. "You're looking...old."

"I'm thirty!" Camille cried. "How is that old?"

"Well, I'm seventeen, Kat is nineteen, and Klaus is twenty-four," Caroline shrugged. "And we always will be while you continue to age until you die."

"I could've turned, you know," Camille interrupted. "Marcel offered once, just before you all came to New Orleans but I refused; I didn't want that life. But I bet you wouldn't be so confident if I were a vampire, too, would you?"

"Why?" Klaus asked her, addressing her for the first time since Caroline had joined them. "Do you think that if you had been a vampire, I might've shown more interest? Camille, you were lovely and I enjoyed your friendly company, but you being human had nothing to do with me rejecting your advances. It took me over a thousand years to fall in love and I'm not about to let her go."

Caroline smirked triumphantly. "Now, why don't you find a hotel in Richmond and go until the wedding?"

Camille looked between the three of them before leaving the room silently.

"I always wondered what it would take to get on your bad side and now I know," Katherine chuckled as she backed out of the room, too. "Just throw myself at Klaus."

Klaus raised an eyebrow as Caroline faced him. "That was entertaining."

"Did you know she was coming early?" she demanded.

"Of course not," he denied.

"Are you sure?" she asked, stepping towards him. "Is this your way of getting back at me for inviting Tyler and running into him around town?"

"No," he said once more. "Caroline, I did not send for her early. Why would I do that?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I'm just stressing out, I guess. We only have a week and I still feel like there's so much to do."

He placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "From what I understand, there really isn't. If there was, Rebekah would be running around, more frantic than you are, and she's fine. You're just worked up about our unexpected guest."

Her eyes darkened again at mention of Camille. "I hate her. I hate her stupid French name. I hate that she's a psychologist and thinks she can analyze anyone. I hate that her hair is the color of dirty dishwater and she thinks it looks good. But most of all, I hate that she likes you so much."

"Why? Are people not allowed to like me?" he teased.

"The way she does?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. "No, only me."

"I allow Tyler to like you," he reminded her.

"He does not," she scoffed. "Not anymore. You're just always going to hate him."

"And you won't always hate Camille?" he mused.

"Of course I will," she smirked. "But she'll die before I'd ever consider forgiving her. Tyler won't."

"How wonderful," he deadpanned.

"Can you two break apart for like, ten minutes so we can confirm plans for tonight?" Stefan asked as he walked into the studio.

"Let's do this in the parlor," Klaus suggested. He didn't like people being in his workspace; he even tried to keep Caroline out usually.

When they reached the parlor, they found the rest of the family sitting around, along with Elena and Bonnie.

"I just need to know what time I need to be back here for the bachelorette party," Bonnie explained. "I agreed to meet a patient for an emergency session at four."

"Dinner reservations are for seven-thirty," Rebekah told her. "But that's in Richmond so we're leaving no later than six-thirty."

Bonnie nodded. "I'll be here by six-fifteen." She picked up her purse. "I'll see you guys then."

"I'm gonna head out, too," Elena added. "Damon wants to start planning our move so we have to decide where we want to go." She waved to them once more and followed after Bonnie.

"No," Klaus and Rebekah warned at the same time once Elena was gone.

"What?" Caroline demanded, locking eyes with Stefan.

"You're both about to ask if Elena and Damon can join us in London," Klaus filled in. "I'd rather they not."

"I second that opinion," Rebekah nodded without looking up from her phone.

"Just for a little while," Stefan reasoned. "It's been sort of nice spending time with my brother when we don't hate each other. And Elena is one of Care's best friends. You should do it for her."

"You're her best friend," Klaus stated.

"But I miss her," Caroline admitted. "I got very little time with Elena after she turned her humanity back on."

"Don't, Nik," Rebekah said quickly. "Don't let her take advantage."

"Oh, shut up," Caroline laughed once. "You wouldn't care if it was just Damon coming."

"You're right," Rebekah agreed. "I don't mind Damon. But Elena is whiny and annoying."

"People could say the same for you," Katherine muttered. "And they'd be right."

Rebekah glared at her. "No one asked you."

"Just let them come until Christmas," Caroline requested. "That's only six months."

Klaus frowned and looked at Elijah. "A little help, brother?"

Elijah continued reading his book. "It doesn't pertain to us, Niklaus. We're returning to Paris next Sunday."

Caroline sat down beside Klaus on the couch. "Please, Nik? You can handle six months of Damon and Elena. That house is so big, you won't even have to see them if you don't want to. Please?"

"Don't think batting your eyelashes will work in your favor here, sweetheart," he told her.

"Fine," she pouted, standing back up. "I'm going to take a shower then."

"God, you're an imbecile," Rebekah grumbled at her brother as Caroline stomped up the stairs. "There's no way in bloody hell you won't give her what she wants."

Klaus lifted a shoulder and looked at the fireplace. "I like to make her happy, just as she does for me."

Rebekah sighed. "I know." She looked up at her husband and couldn't help but smile. "Just until Christmas."

"Thank you," he smiled back at her.

"Yeah, thanks, Bek!" Caroline yelled from her and Klaus' room.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "One Salvatore is bad enough but both of them together? I'd rather take off my daylight bracelet and stand on South Beach for half an hour."

"That can be arranged," Klaus assured her.

"You and your empty threats," Katherine shook her head. "I've befriended your girl now, Klaus. And you wouldn't kill one of her friends, would you?"

"I wouldn't, no," he denied, "but I have plenty of friends who would. You're not very well-liked, Katerina. The only reason you live now is because of Elijah's misguided love for you."

"Leave her alone!" Caroline called down.

Katherine laughed softly and stood up. "I think I'll go take a swim. Nice chatting with you."

When she was gone, Rebekah looked to her oldest brother. "I don't know what you see in her."

Elijah only chuckled. "Then I suppose it's a good thing you don't have to."

Rebekah made a face. "How mature."

Klaus glanced at Stefan. "You mentioned discussing our plans for the evening."

"Yes," Stefan remembered. "Damon thinks we should go into Richmond, too. The only actual bar here is the Grill and it's not really suitable for a bachelor party."

"So Richmond?" Klaus mused. "I suppose it would give us more variety. All right."

"Do we want to do dinner, as well?" Elijah wondered.

"Probably not," Klaus shook his head. "I don't want to put on the pretense of needing human food this evening."

"Caroline won't like it if you go on a killing spree in Richmond, Nik," Rebekah pointed out.

"That isn't my intent," Klaus denied, "but as it is my bachelor party, I would like fresh blood from the vein. Stefan won't let anyone die."

"Damon probably knows people in the city who will let you do it willingly," Stefan spoke up. "He likes to keep up with the idiots around here."

Klaus laughed once. "Because he is one?"

"Definitely," Rebekah seconded.

"He's not as horrible as he used to be," Stefan defended his brother.

"Yes, he is," Klaus told him. "You just don't see it anymore because you're no longer fighting over Elena."

Rebekah smirked. "Thank God for that."

"Okay, get your Damon and Elena digs in now cause in a few weeks, they'll be living with us and you'll have to be more pleasant," Stefan said.

"I'll accommodate them because you and Caroline asked politely," Klaus explained. "The house there has 52 rooms so I can go weeks without seeing them if I choose. And that's exactly what I plan to do," he declared, standing up. "Stefan, Elijah, plan to leave around nine." He was gone from the room before they could respond.

Caroline stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered, and found Klaus lounging on the bed, sketch pad in hand. "What are you doing?"

"Sketching," he smirked without looking up. "I came up to tell you that Rebekah gave in and agreed to let Damon and Elena join us in London until the holidays so it seems I've been overruled."

Caroline lit up as she tightened the knot on her fluffy, white robe. "So Elena is coming to live with us for a while?"

"So it seems," he sighed.

She climbed into the bed and leaned against him while he drew. "Thank you."

"We haven't talked much about the bet in a while," he stated.

"You're right," she realized. "I've been so stressed by all the wedding stuff that I've fallen asleep over plans nearly every night. And you haven't tried tempting me in a while. Why?"

"I know you've been worked up and I didn't want to irritate you," he replied.

She cuddled further into him and ran her foot up and down his ankle. "I miss this."

Klaus set his sketching aside and wrapped his arms around her. "I do, too. In one week and one day, we'll have two full weeks of just this on our honeymoon."

"Mm," she hummed in contentment, "on a private beach somewhere."

"Well, that's still to be determined," he chuckled.

"But if we go on a stupid museum tour, we'll be around people all the time. The best part of a private beach is the privacy part," she whispered in his ear.

"So there's no one around to hear me scream?" he joked.

She rolled over to straddle him. "Think about it for just a second. Close your eyes." She waited until he did as told before continuing huskily. "We wake up early and have breakfast before spending the day by the water; even though I don't need it, I'd let you rub sunscreen on my shoulders." She emphasizes this point by placing his hands inside her robe on her soft shoulders. "And then you could sketch me for a while as I lounge around." At this, his hands travel down her body to rest on her thighs as they tighten around his torso. "Maybe we'd take a swim at some point and I'd let you get me out of the seriously tiny bikini I'd be wearing before you carry me back to the sand and have your way with me, knowing no one is around to see." Caroline leaned forward to press gentle kisses on his stubbly jaw. "Just me and you, husband and wife, total bliss."

Klaus growled before capturing her lips with his. "Now how can I deny that?" he asked between kisses.

"Be awfully hard to," she smirked.

In a flash, he flipped them and pressed down on top of her. "All right, fine, you win. We'll go to a private beach and I will have my way with you."

"Please do," she panted, completely turned on in the moment.

He ran his hand up her leg slowly, taunting her. "But I still want to win the bet, love."

"Why?" she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "To prove you're forever the big, bad alpha hybrid?"

"Of course," he confirmed. "You know, you certainly displayed similar characteristics with Camille today."

Caroline frowned and pushed him away. "And I'm over this. Why bring her up? She ruins perfectly good moments."

"It was sexy," Klaus assured her. "That was the main reason I liked having her around in New Orleans. You're always so alpha female in her presence."

"It's not about being the alpha female," she denied. "It's about letting her know that you're mine and she needs to stay away. I didn't like sharing candy at recess when I was six and I certainly don't like sharing your attention."

"Sweetheart, we could be in the middle of a war and you'd still have my full attention," he told her, pulling her back to him. "You're the only person in the entire world I'd ever take the white oak stake for."

"Stop," she interrupted him. "You know I don't like to talk about that."

"Okay," he nodded, changing the subject. "What do you ladies have planned for your after-dinner activities?"

"No idea," she admitted. "I told Rebekah to plan everything. Maybe a couple bars? Or a strip club? Are you all going to a strip club? I wouldn't mind if you did."

Klaus simply laughed. "Can you imagine Elijah in a gentleman's club? And while you might be accepting, do you think Rebekah would be? Or even Katerina?"

Caroline giggled at the mental image of Rebekah and Katherine finding out the guys went to a strip club. "No, I guess not. Is it just you, Stefan, Elijah, Damon, and Matt?"

"I believe so," he said.

"Well, I hope you have fun," she yawned. "What time is it? I think I'll take a nap before I get ready."

Klaus looked over at the clock on the bedside table. "It's 3:45." When he got no response, he looked down to see her sleeping peacefully, curled as close as possible into his side.

Despite his previous statement just moments before, Klaus sighed and settled in beside her before letting sleep overcome him, as well, thus giving Caroline the victory in their bet. For as much as he liked winning and for as well as he'd persevered so far, there was nothing quite like sleeping beside the perfect blonde angel and he was tired of missing it.

When Klaus woke up two hours later, Caroline was straddling him again, a brilliant smile on her face.

"I win."

He laughed sleepily. "Yes, I suppose so. Congratulations, love."

"I'm sure you think that since I've won that I'll now give in and give you what you want but we've held off this long so I figure, what's another week?" she smirked. "I'm just happy that I'll come home tonight and you'll sleep in the same bed as me."

"Maybe," he shrugged noncommittally.

Caroline gasped. "You'll totally be in here and you know it! This bed is divine and that guest room bed is awful."

"And you don't like having things dangled in front of you and taken away," he added knowingly.

"That, too," she grinned. "Come on, it's almost six so you have to get out so I can get ready. If we don't walk out the door by six-thirty, your sister will kill me."

Though he knew it was just a figure of speech, Klaus didn't even like jokes about Caroline dying. But he crawled out of the king-sized bed and walked to the door.

"Hey!" Caroline called to him.

Klaus looked back at her as she headed to the bathroom. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"I love you," she smiled.

"And I you," he replied softly, leaving the room.

"Do you ever wonder what the thousands of supernatural beings around the world who tremble at the sound of your name would do or say if they ever saw how completely whipped you were by Blondie?"

Klaus froze at the sound of Damon Salvatore as he descended the stairs moments later.

"I mean, you're supposed to be the big, bad Original Hybrid, the scariest man on earth and yet, you're putty in the hands of a perky, blonde toddler," Damon went on.

Klaus turned to the elder Salvatore brother. "I let you live after I found out what you did to Caroline in the past and I agreed to let you and the doppelgänger stay in my home in London until Christmas but don't mistake those acts as kindness. I did both to appease Caroline."

Damon made a face. "What makes you think we want to live in your house?"

"If you don't want to, so be it," Klaus replied, walking past Damon, "but I'm sure Elena would like spending the time with Caroline."

Damon opened his mouth to reply but shut it quickly, knowing the hybrid was right. Elena talked often of how she missed her blonde friend and if he was being honest with himself, he didn't hate reconciling with his brother.

"I thought as much," Klaus chuckled as he went to his studio and shut the door behind him.

At just about six-thirty, Caroline emerged from their bedroom, ready to go. She'd put on a lacy white minidress, black stilettos, and had curled her hair and applied her makeup to perfection.

"Wow," Katherine murmured as Caroline descended the stairs to her awaiting friends. "Nice dress."

"Thank you," Caroline accepted. "You all look nice, too."

"The driver is here," Rebekah announced impatiently, snapping her clutch closed. "Boys, we're leaving!"

From what seemed like the four corners of the mansion, Klaus, Stefan, Elijah, and Damon emerged to say goodbye.

"Don't stress tonight," Stefan advised his wife, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "Just relax and have fun."

Rebekah smirked. "I can do that."

"Can you?" he teased, leaning down to kiss her softly. "Be pleasant and be nice."

"I will try," Rebekah said. "That's all I can promise with Katherine and Elena around."

"That's still so weird," Elena muttered as she and Damon watched Stefan and Rebekah. "And now we're going to live with it for six months."

"We don't have to," he denied.

Elena eyed him. "Yes, we do. I miss Caroline and Stefan so I'll put up with Klaus, Rebekah, and Katherine. And you will, too. Now, don't kill anyone tonight, please. I understand you'll want to drink from the vein but show some restraint; it doesn't take much to send Stefan over the cliff."

"Scout's honor," he joked as she pressed a kiss to his lips. "Don't spend too much at the strip club now. I'd like to keep buying my expensive bourbon."

Elena just rolled her eyes and shoved him away.

"I hate having to pretend we're sisters," Katherine grumbled to Elijah, referring to Elena. "It's bad enough she's a distant descendant but twins? It's insulting to let people think our genetic makeup is identical."

Elijah placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "It's only for a bit longer. And think, at the wedding next week, you'll get to be in costume so you won't look alike. That will be fun for you."

"More like it'll be fun for you," she corrected, snaking her arms around his neck. "It's like playing dress-up."

Elijah laughed. "If you think I would rather have a stranger in my bed at night than you, you're mistaken, Katerina."

"We'll see about that," she murmured, backing away from him slowly to meet Elena, Bonnie, and Rebekah at the door.

"Don't find us tonight," Caroline told Klaus. "Bachelor and bachelorette parties are meant to be separate."

"All right," he sighed. "But what if you're being harassed by a drunken college boy?"

She smiled. "You're so cute when you worry. But if that happens, I have three very capable vampires with me and a witch who could burn the bar down with the blink of an eye. You go, have fun, and be waiting in bed for me when I get home."

Klaus kissed her. "Have a good time, love."

"I will," she whispered, walking away from him. "Stefan, if any girls throw themselves at him, take care of it," she added without looking at her best friend.

"Will do," he grinned.

"A limo?" Katherine scoffed as the girls made their way outside. "How tacky."

"Like that top you're wearing?" Rebekah shot back.

"Not tonight," Caroline declared. "All I want is a memorable bachelorette party with my friends so if any of you think you won't be able to abide by that rule, back out now." When the other four remained silent, Caroline beamed. "Good. Now, let's go."

The ride to Richmond and dinner once there were pleasant enough. A tad awkward at times but Caroline was a pro at filling the silence so it never got too uncomfortable.

"There's a bar a couple blocks over that seems worth checking out," Rebekah reported after she'd paid the bill (with her favorite brother's credit card, of course). "It's called Fanny's."

"I know it," Bonnie nodded. "It's nice."

Caroline looked to her hometown friend. "Then lead the way, Bon."

The bar itself was nice. Two floors, with a dance area on the first level and more privacy on the second, Caroline liked the venue. It was swanky without being too trendy and once she and the other three vampires had compelled their ways inside, she smiled.

"This place is incredible," she gushed.

Something over her shoulder caught Katherine's eye. "I think that's all about to go downhill very quickly."

Caroline spun and as she zoned in on what Katherine had spotted, she felt her entire body start to shake with rage.

"Camille."

I've noticed around the site that a lot of people are wildly unhappy/angry/in full-on rage about what happened in the backdoor pilot and I gotta say, I don't get it. It's one episode and it's the generic pilot at that. I don't like the baby storyline much either but you can't assume it's going to be total crap by one episode. I watch A LOT of TV and have seen some really fantastic shows come from really bad pilots (Parks and Recreation immediately comes to mind). I would advise people not to judge so soon. There's been so much talk of crossover between the shows that jumping to the conclusion that this is all the end for "Klaroline" seems a tad rash. I don't think they'd build us up for a season and a half to let it fall apart before anything ever really happens. The shows are filming on neighboring sets; wouldn't be too hard for characters to make appearances on either show. Before you declare The Originals to be the worst thing to ever happen to television, give it a chance to develop.

Okay, I'll step down from my soapbox now. Sorry.