AN: Hey all! Wow, so I got a lot of good feedback from the first chapter and I got around to writing the second one...or technically the first since this is the beginning of the story. As someone mentioned in a comment, I forgot to mention this was AU/AH. They're human, everyone's normal no supernatural beings! Hope you all enjoy this chapter.

"Come on, Klaus!" Stefan exclaimed, throwing his hands up in frustration, "The White Oak is a nice bar. It's got a good ambience, the food is great and the girls are gorgeous." Stefan grew more frustrated by the second, as he tried to convince his friend to go with him.

"I'm sorry, mate. But Brooklyn isn't exactly somewhere I want to be," Klaus answered. Stefan rolled his eyes at his friend's answer. "Stop being a little bitch, Mikaelson. I never knew you to take your years of high society upbringing to heart." Klaus quickly turned and faced his friend, glaring at him. Stefan raised an eyebrow at his friend, cocking his head to the side as if saying 'yes, I said that. What are you going to do?'. Klaus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had been raised in the Upper East Side of New York, his parents having been extremely wealthy. His father owned a law firm and his mother had her inheritance. They had four children: Elijah, Finn, Klaus, Kol & Rebekah. They all divulged in their high society lifestyle, but out of all of them, Klaus was the one that hated it the most. It's not that he didn't like being rich, but it got dull and just plain ridiculous at times. If there was one thing he hated, was the mentioning of his upbringing and being too much of a rich boy.

"Fine, Salvatore," he relented, "but if anything happens to me my blood will be on your hands." Stefan chuckled at his friend's remark. "Don't worry, I'll be your knight in shining armor if anything happens, rich boy."

"Don't make me regret my decision."

"Trust me, you won't," Stefan answered, grabbing his jacket and heading out the door with Klaus.

After a long cab ride, they reached their destination. A crowd of people stood outside the bar, drinks in their hand and mindless chatter in the air. The girls all wore dresses which were two sizes too small, and most of the guys had their eyes glued to their breasts. Klaus rolled his eyes at the sight before him, which Stefan quickly took notice of.

"Trust me, it's better inside," he said, motioning for them to head to the interior of the building. Once they were inside, Klaus looked around and decided that Stefan was right. The bar had a very warm feeling to it, a fireplace at the far end and various tables and stool scattered around the place. Both men headed to the bar and ordered their drinks.

"So, what was so important that you had to drag me with you?" Klaus asked, taking a sip of the bourbon he had ordered.

"I'd heard nothing but good things about the place, and a good friend of mine just started working here. I wanted to come and surprise her. She'd already asked me to come see her a bunch of times but I was always working late at the firm," Stefan said, as he took a sip of his beer. Klaus nodded in response as he took another swig of his drink.

"She's a great girl, and I wanted to introduce you to her," Stefan answered. Klaus only nodded in response and continued to sip his drink. Really, Stefan was trying too hard. The last time he'd tried to set him up with a girl had been with that brunette…what was her name? Oh, Haley. She'd been quite a bore, minus the sex. Yeah…the sex was definitely unforgettable, Klaus thought; a smirk appearing on his lips as he remembered countless places they'd fucked on.

"Oh, there she is!" Stefan exclaimed, which snapped Klaus out of his thoughts. He followed his friend's gaze to see a beautiful blonde heading up to the stage, and god was she stunning. She wore a blue tank top, which hugged her body and accentuated her curves and a tight skirt that reached mid thigh; showing off her long beautiful legs. Her blonde curls bounced with each step she took and she had sparkling light sapphire colored eyes. The crowd of people in the bar clapped for her as she finally set foot on the stage, making her way to the mike.

"Hi everyone!" she said happily, a smile on her face, "I'm Caroline. As you know, every Tuesday we have karaoke night. Each time, the new employee has to start off the night. And since this is my first week working here, tonight's my turn!" she exclaimed nervously. The crowd clapped for her and the men whistled. Caroline let out a delighted laugh and grabbed the mike once more.

"Thank you guys!" she smiled, as the tune of the song began playing. She grasped the mike with both hands, pressing her lips together as the tune played. The bar was quiet, everyone watching her intently.

"Are they really going to let the poor girl make a fool out of herself?" Klaus questioned in disgust. Stefan only laughed and shook his head. "Just listen." Klaus was about to answer, when he was cut off by a soft sultry voice coming over the speakers.

"Feet don't fail me now; take me to the finish line. Oh my heart breaks every step that I take, but I'm hoping at the gates they'll tell me that you're mine," Caroline sang. Klaus's gaze immediately turned to her, his eyes stayed glue to her. He certainly didn't expect her to have such a fantastic voice. He felt Stefan shove a napkin at him, and Klaus looked at him questioningly.

"For the drool," he remarked, laughing at his friend's reaction. Klaus muttered something in response and turned back to Caroline.

"Come on take a walk on the wild side, let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain, you like your girls insane. Choose your last words, this is the last time cause you and I, we were born to die," she continued, her eyes scanning over the crowd, enchanting all the guys in the audience, including Klaus. God, she really was something. And how he'd love to have those long legs wrapped around him, he thought a smirk on his face as he pondered the thought. Caroline continued the song, and once it was over the crowd erupted in applause and whistling. She smiled at everyone and bowed, "Thank you guys! If anyone else is brave enough, come on up! Hope you enjoy the rest of the evening!" she chirped happily, before heading off the stage and walking over to the bar, not noticing Stefan or Klaus.

"Mike, a shot please! I'm a nervous wreck!" she exclaimed at the bartender. Mike let out a hearty laugh and went to make her drink.

"Why would you be worried, Forbes? You know you're a great singer," Stefan smiled, resting an arm on the bar counter. Caroline immediately turned her head and saw Stefan, a smile appearing on her face as she rushed over to him, enveloping him in a tight hug.

"Oh my gosh, Stefan!" she squealed happily, as Stefan's arms wrapped around her, "I can't believe you came! You said you were busy!" Stefan laughed in response, before placing his friend back down. "Well, I wanted to surprise you."

"You did! I'm so happy you're here!" she smiled.

"So how's the city been treating you?" he questioned. Caroline let out a sigh and laughed.

"It's definitely a big change; I mean Mystic Falls is like middle of nowhere, Virginia. And coming here is just like bam! You're at the heart of New York!" she said, quickly taking a shot, rejoicing in the burning feeling it gave her.

"Yeah, New York certainly is a big change from good ole Mystic Falls," Stefan replied.

"You can say that again."

Klaus cleared his throat, interrupting their conversation and effectively reminding Stefan of his presence.

"Oh, my bad. Caroline, this is Niklaus Mikaelson, my boss's son," Stefan acknowledged, presenting Caroline to Klaus. Her breath hitched slightly at the man standing before her. He was tall, and though not very muscular, the Henley shirt he wore accentuated the muscles he did have. His short blonde curls, golden stubble, and captivating blue eyes making Caroline forget how to breath for a moment. Klaus smirked, taking notice of her reaction to him. He grabbed her hand softly and placed a kiss on it.

"A pleasure to meet you, Caroline," he said charmingly. Caroline nodded in response, before turning to Stefan.

"So, you're wining and dining the boss's son, Salvatore? You should've come out to me sooner, Stefan! Then I could've taken you shopping with me this past weekend!" she joked, feigning shock. Klaus let out a hearty laugh while Stefan smiled but rolled his eyes at his friend's remark.

"Very funny, Care. As it so happens, Klaus and I became friends before I started working at his dad's firm."

"Oh, so you only started your affair once you started working there?" she teased. Stefan rolled his eyes once more.

"I'm joking, Stefan! Lighten up a bit!" she laughed, playfully punching his arm.

"Forbes! We need you back out on the floor! The people want their drinks!" Caroline let out a heavy sigh as she heard her boss calling her. "Well that's my cue," she muttered, setting her drink down on the marble counter top. She raised her eyes back up at the two men standing in front of them and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I get out at 12," she began before looking down at her watch, " so that's in about an hour. Think you guys can wait for me and I'll join you once my shift is over?" she questioned, looking at them with a hopeful gaze. Stefan smiled and nodded.

"Of course, Care."

"We'd be honored," Klaus added, a smirk on his lips as he stared at Caroline. She turned her gaze to him and looked him over once before a smirk graced her lips.

"I'll see you guys later," she said as she walked away from them. Klaus watched, mesmerized, as her hips swayed from side to side. Stefan stared as his friend ogled Caroline and let out a chuckle. Klaus immediately turned to Stefan and raised an eyebrow in question.

"You look like you're stranded in the desert and Caroline is the only water bottle in sight," Stefan remarked, taking a seat on the bar stool.

"Well, she is stunning, isn't she?" Klaus answered, taking a seat down next to Stefan, his eyes never leaving Caroline.

"She certainly looks good walking away from you," Stefan smirked, looking at his friend. Klaus rolled his eyes at his friend's answer and shook his head before ordering another drink from the bartender.

An hour later, Caroline appeared behind Stefan, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"So, Salvatore, ready to blow this joint and show me the town?" she asked, raising a perfect blonde eyebrow. Stefan chuckled, and turned to answer his best friend when he spotted a familiar brunette entering the bar, surrounded by friends.

"Woooooooo! Give it up for our friend Elenaaaaaaaaaaaa!" one of the girls exclaimed, seemingly drunk.

"Tonight's her last night as a single gal, ladies and gentlemen!" a shorter brunette exclaimed in return, which Stefan and Caroline quickly recognized as Bonnie. The group continued making their way into the bar, heading for one of the booths. Caroline's gaze quickly shifted to Stefan, placing a comforting hand over his own, which was clenched into a tight fist.

"You alright?" she asked softly, her eyes grazing over him. He looked down, pressing his lips together, before looking back up at her. His eyes were hazy, and she saw the emotions that laid there: resentment and pain.

"I'm just gonna go outside for a bit," he muttered, rising from his seat and walking away from his two friends. Once he left, Caroline let out a loud sigh and turned to Klaus.

"So I'm guessing that's the infamous Elena Gilbert?" Klaus asked. Caroline scoffed and nodded, "The one and only. Stefan told you?" He nodded in response, shifting his body so that his back was pressed against the bar.

"Of course, love. High school sweethearts, madly in love. They move to the big city so Stefan can realize his dream of becoming a lawyer and they plan on getting married. Then the day he goes to propose to her he finds her in bed with the quarterback of the football team, a good friend of his if I'm not mistaken" Klaus answered, grabbing his drink and swirling the liquid around the glass.

"Yeah, Matt," she muttered, as she turned to look at the booth where Elena and her friends sat. Klaus followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow in question.

"He told me you and her used to be good friends."

"We were best friends. We'd known each other since we were in diapers," she stated, staring at her old friend absentmindedly, "we always said we'd be each other's maid of honor when we got married." She shook her head and looked down at her lap.

"What made you choose Stefan?" he questioned. He didn't know why he was bothering to ask her all of these questions, really. All he had wanted to do since the moment he saw her was bury himself deep inside her. But he saw the sadness in her eyes as she looked at her old friends and mentioned her old life, and it struck a chord with him.

"He was there for me when she wasn't. Elena changed in high school…especially after dating Stefan's brother our freshman year. He became a better friend to me than she ever was, and when it came down to it I chose him because he'd been there for me at my lowest…and I wasn't going to leave him when he was reaching that point," Caroline answered, meeting his gaze. Klaus nodded, before finishing his drink and placing money on the bar. He stood up from the stool and looked at Caroline, "I think we'd better start heading out, love. I'm afraid Stefan isn't in his right mind right now," he chuckled. A small smile formed on Caroline's lips, as she stood up from her seat as well. Klaus stepped back, motioning for her to go before him.

"Ladies first," he smiled. Caroline let out a small laugh as she nodded in response. As she began leading the way, a familiar voice called out her name.

"Caroline?! Oh my god, Bonnie it's Caroline! Care, over here Care! Caroline!" she heard Elena yell. Don't look at them, Caroline. Don't look at them. But it was too late; she had turned her head slightly and saw her old friend, the one she'd practically considered a sister, waving at her, a smile gracing her delicate features. She felt a lump form in her throat and she shook her head, turning to look forward and rushing out of the restaurant as fast as she could. Klaus followed close behind, not wanting to lose sight of the blonde. Once they were outside, Caroline let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding as the cool night breeze blew softly around her, making her feel more at ease.

"Stefan, mate, where are you going?" Klaus's voice immediately snapped her out of her daze, as she looked up to see Stefan about to get inside a cab. Stefan sighed looking up at his friends who looked at him questioningly.

"I want to be alone right now. I'm going home. Klaus, if you could, take Caroline home. Care, I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you," Stefan said, giving his friend a sad smile. She nodded and gave him a sad smile in return.

"It's okay, Stefan. I understand," she answered. Stefan pressed his lips together and waved at the two blondes before heading inside the cab. As the cab drove off, Klaus turned to Caroline.

"So it looks as if I'll be your chaperone for the rest of the night, love," he smirked. Caroline rolled her eyes as she hailed a cab.

"You don't need to take me home, you know. I'm a grown woman," she answered. Klaus let out a deep chuckle and walked towards Caroline.

"But I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I didn't sweetheart," he countered.

"You don't look like the gentleman type," she returned. Klaus raised an eyebrow in question. "Oh, then what do I look like love?" he asked, stepping closer to Caroline, their faces inches away from each other. She raised her eyebrows before giving him a once over, then meeting his gaze.

"Rich Upper East Side bad boy who likes to fuck anything with a skirt," she replied coolly, before returning to the task of hailing a cab. Klaus stood next to her, mouth slightly open in shock, as he took in her answer. As a cab finally reached the sidewalk, Caroline turned to him. "Stefan tells me everything, sweetheart" she smirked, mocking his term of endearment, as she opened the cab door and slid in. Klaus didn't waste a moment before sliding in beside her.

"Seriously?" she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and sliding to the far end of the cab. Klaus only smirked in response, enjoying the way her skirt rose up slightly as she crossed one leg over the other. She looked at him before rolling her eyes and giving the cab driver the direction to her apartment. The rest of the cab ride was silent; with only Caroline throwing Klaus annoyed looks and Klaus smirking in response. After 20 minutes, they arrived at their destination.

"Finally," she muttered, giving the cab driver the fare as she rushed out of the cab. Klaus followed quickly behind her.

"Leaving in such a rush, love?" he asked, following her up to the entrance of her apartment building. Caroline spun around, hands on her hips. "Last time I checked, you're not my babysitter or anything. So can't you just go home and leave me alone?" she asked.

"I can," he began, stepping closer to her, "but not without saying goodnight to such a beautiful woman like you." Caroline let out a loud laugh, rolling her eyes at his response.

"God, do those lines really work on girls?" she laughed. Klaus stepped forward, making her step back, only to realize she was pressed against the door; as he placed his arms on either side of her. She felt the blush creep up her neck as she looked up and met his intense gaze.

"I don't know love, do they?" he said softly, his breath warm against her face. She looked into his deep blue-grey eyes, feeling her insides turn to mush as he looked at her with a lustful gaze. She bit her bottom lip as he inched his face closer to hers, until their noses were touching. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt him move even closer to her, his lips grazing her own. She could've sworn he was about to kiss her when-

"Excuse me." They both turned around to see a middle aged woman with her child, looking at them disapprovingly. They stepped away quickly, letting the woman pass through and head inside the apartment building.

"Now, where were we?" Klaus smirked, ready to return to their previous position. But his smirk faltered as he saw Caroline opening the door.

"No kiss goodnight, love?" he teased, leaning against the other closed door.

"Leave me alone," she muttered, as she went inside, slamming the door behind her. Klaus smiled at the girl's antics before heading back to the cab and giving the driver his address. He rested his head against the seat as a small smile formed on his lips. Originally, Caroline was just going to be another notch on his belt. But as he talked to her, he became more interested in this girl, this witty, beautiful, and interesting girl. There was something about her that intrigued him…and he was willing to get to know her and find out.

AN: So this is where our story really begins! I hope you all enjoyed it and I would love to read your feedback. The song that Caroline sings is "Born to Die" by Lana Del Rey. Remember, reviews are lovely!