AN: I'm back! Hope you all enjoy this next chapter, I know I enjoyed writing it.
~O~O~
Several days had passed and it was finally the night before the big party. Stefan had received the invitation on Tuesday evening and he'd gone over to Caroline's house and showed it to her.
"Please join the Mikaelson family Friday evening at 7 o'clock for dancing, cocktails, and in celebration of the return of Rebekah Mikaelson," Caroline read aloud, as her and Stefan rested on her sofa, munching on some popcorn as they watched a movie.
"It's supposed to very formal. So I suggest you go dress shopping, Forbes," Stefan stated, as he grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it in his mouth.
"Darn. And to think I was planning on showing up in sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt," Caroline said sarcastically, as she popped a piece of popcorn in her mouth. "Ever the sarcastic one, Caroline."
"It's one of my best assets, Salvatore. I'd think you'd be used to it by now," Caroline answered, quirking an eyebrow at Stefan. "Unfortunately, I am," he joked, which caused Caroline to playfully glare at him and throw a handful of popcorn at him.
"But yeah, I do need to go buy a dress. Wanna come with me?" Caroline asked.
"I have work, Care. And besides, what do I look like your gay best friend?" Stefan questioned.
"Well, you haven't been with a woman in a while so I am starting to question your sexuality…," Caroline teased, earning a soft punch on the arm from Stefan. Caroline only laughed in response and turned her attention back to the movie.
As it turned out, Stefan left work early the next day and had accompanied Caroline on a hunt for a perfect dress. It took them countless stores, and countless hours of walking but she had finally picked out the perfect dress.
"It's gorgeous!" Caroline exclaimed, as she exited the dressing room, the perfect dress in her hands. Soon, her hands wandered to find the price tag which rested on the side of the gown. Immediately, she let out a gasp and looked back up.
"Ugh, I can't," she groaned, prepared to hang the dress backup and continue on the search for a new one.
"Why not?"
"It's too expensive," she sighed, as she looked at the dress, a dreamy look in her eyes. Stefan only shook his head in response and walked towards her, grabbing the dress out of her hands and heading to the cashier.
"I'm buying it for you. Think of it as a Welcome present," he replied, seeing her confused face, which immediately shifted to one of pure happiness.
"Seriously?!" she exclaimed, trying not to jump up and down with joy. Stefan nodded, smiling at seeing his best friend so overjoyed.
Caroline's smile grew as she rushed over to Stefan and hugged him.
"Thank you so much Stefan! I owe you!" she exclaimed, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Stefan chuckled and hugged her back.
"You don't owe me anything, Caroline. I want to do this for you," Stefan smiled, as he stepped back from the embrace and looked at Caroline. She looked up at him and smiled.
"You're the best."
"I know."
~O~O~
Now Caroline stood in front of her dresser, various pieces of jewelry laid out in front of her as she decided what to wear for the party.
"Ugh, this is so frustrating!" she exclaimed, running a hand through her blonde curls. She kept pacing back and forth as she looked at the jewelry. Everything she owned was nice and would look okay with the dress, she even had the gorgeous pair of earrings and the bracelet she'd worn on her prom night, but nothing would truly go perfect with the dress. Then, she turned her head to her nightstand. There was one accessory that would match perfectly with the dress. She walked over to the nightstand and opened the first drawer, reaching in and pulling out the Tiffany's box. She opened it and stared down at the bracelet Klaus had gotten her. It was stunning, and the perfect match for her perfect dress. Not to mention she had a pair of earrings that would go with it. She grabbed the bracelet and placed it down on her dresser, next to the pair of drop sapphire earrings that would go with the dress.
"Perfect."
~O~O~
Friday afternoon passed by quickly for everybody. Stefan worked all day at the firm, helping Klaus with the Robinson case, seeing as how they were both in charge of it. Kol harassed them most of the time, constantly whining about how he didn't have a date for the party. Caroline had gotten up at around early in the morning and had gone jogging at Central Park, happy to get some exercise in. She'd spent the rest of the day making sure everything was ready for the party, before heading to the White Oak Bar during late afternoon to see if someone could take her shift.
"Please, Rose. Please please pleaseeee take my shift tonight!" Caroline pleaded, as she followed the red head around the establishment.
"I have plans tonight, toots. Date with some guy my friend Lyanna's trying to set me up with," Rose answered, as she set down the chairs. Caroline rolled her eyes.
"From what you've told me, all the guys she's set you up with have been complete douchebags! What makes you think this one's going to be any different?" Caroline countered, setting down the chairs along with Rose, who only shrugged at Caroline's comment.
"I gotta be optimistic. We can't all be cynics like you," Rose answered, giving Caroline a pointed look. Caroline shot her a glare. She'd informed Rose of her past relationships, and their disastrous endings, and how she had given up on love because all guys were the same.
"It's not being cynical, it's called being realistic," Caroline chimed in as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Whatever," Rose muttered, giving her back to Caroline as she headed to the supply closet. "Oh come on, please Rose! My friend invited me to this really nice party and I really want to go!" Caroline exclaimed. Rose came back out of the closet, cleaning products in hand, as she raised an eyebrow at her.
"Oh, what kind of party?" she questioned. "It's a Welcome party for his boss's party. The Mikaelsons, maybe you've heard of them?" Rose's eyes widened at the mention of the last name, which Caroline took notice of.
"You know them?" she asked.
"One of them," Rose answered, as she began cleaning one of the tables, "and god that was definitely an amazing fuck." Caroline's jaw dropped slightly and her eyes widened before she burst out into giggles.
"ROSE! Which one?!" she asked, a part of her hoping it wasn't Klaus. She knew he wasn't one to keep it in his pants, and though she didn't really care for him, it would bother her to know he'd slept with Rose.
"The oldest one," Rose muttered, moving to clean another table. Caroline's eyebrows raised in surprise, "Elijah? He looks like a stiff."
"Oh, well he definitely had a stiff one. God, that man is sex on legs," Rose groaned, memories of that one night stand rushing to her heard. Caroline raised her hands up to her ears and covered them, shaking her head. "Ok, I don't need to hear about your sexual escapades with Elijah Mikaelson, thank you very much!" Caroline stated. Rose looked at the younger blonde in front of her and laughed. Caroline looked at her once more and shook her head, "you're too much, Rose."
"I wasn't too much for him," Rose continued, waggling her eyebrows. "Stop!" Caroline laughed, pointing a finger at her.
"Ok, I'm done with the sexual innuendos," Rose chuckled, as she continued wiping the tables.
"So will you please cover my shift for tonight?" Caroline asked, giving Rose her most winning smile. The older red head turned her gaze to her and shook her head as a smile formed on her lips. "Fine. But you owe me!" she answered. Caroline let out a delighted laugh and jumped up and down before giving Rose a quick hug.
"Thank you so much! I promise, I'll make it up to you!" Caroline smiled, as she headed for the door.
"Say hi to my dear fuck buddy for me!" Rose yelled after her. Caroline only raised her hand, giving her thumbs up in response before heading out the door.
Caroline hailed a cab and headed home. One she reached her apartment, she rushed upstairs and began getting ready. She undid her ponytail and quickly went to work on her hair, deciding to leave it down and curl it. Once she finished, she applied her makeup, not putting much on for she wanted to look natural. Then, she slipped on her dress smiling as she looked in the mirror. It was strapless with a blue sequined floral pattern and a sweetheart neckline, which showed just the right amount of cleavage. The dress hugged her body and showed off her curves. Caroline then put on her nude pumps, before moving on to her hairdresser where the jewelry was. She put on the sapphire drop earrings and then carefully clasped on the bracelet Klaus had given her. As she reached into her closet to find her sapphire colored clutch, she heard a buzz on the intercom. She pulled out the clutch and quickly rushed over to the intercom, pressing the button before speaking into it. "Stefan?"
"Yes, Care it's me. I'm downstairs already, so hurry up!" he stated. Caroline rolled her eyes, even if he couldn't see her. "I'll be right there Mr. Grouchy Pants." She headed back into her room, placing her cell phone and ID in her clutch and spraying on some perfume before heading down. As she exited the elevator, she saw Stefan looking very handsome and sharp in his tuxedo, leaning against a limo, looking bored. She walked out and Stefan quickly turned to look at her, his mouth opening slightly as she stared at his best friend.
"Wow, Care. You look gorgeous," he stated, as he walked over to her and hugged her. She smiled and looked down at her dress, "Thank you once again Stefan. I wouldn't be able to look this good without you," she teased. "Anytime, Forbes. Now, shall we head out to the party?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. She nodded before pointing towards the limo, "Really?" she questioned. Stefan only shrugged and led Caroline to the limo, opening the door for her.
"What can I say? Mikael wanted to be as accommodating as possible with me and my date," he answered, as he slid in beside Caroline.
"How thoughtful of him," she laughed as the driver began driving to their destination.
Forty five minutes later, they had arrived at where the party was being held. The Mikaelsons had decided to host their daughter's welcome party at their Summer Vacation home, which was outside the city. The limo pulled up in the driveway, and Caroline looked out the window.
"Wow, this place is gorgeous," she said in awe as she took in the mansion. It was a gorgeous, two story cream colored mansion with a balcony facing the driveway. Lights hung from the top of the mansion, illuminating the guests that stood below, chatting and drinking. Stefan stepped out of the limo and Caroline followed after him. As they walked to the entrance of the house, several of Stefan's coworkers waved at him and usually gave Caroline a once over and a smirk. She rolled her eyes at their reactions but couldn't help but laugh as well. She locked her arm with Stefan's as they stepped into the Mikaelson mansion, her jaw dropping slightly as she took in the inside of the mansion. A large crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling, sparkling beautifully. The floor was a beige tile, leading to two curved marble staircases that led to the second floor, decorated with an intricately designed iron railing.
"Nice isn't it?" Stefan asked, as he saw his best friend's expression. Caroline only shook her head, her mouth still open and her eyes wide. "It's freaking stunning! Totally gonna sneak into the house and live here!" she exclaimed, earning a chuckle from a man near them.
"Well my dear, as long as you manage to keep the house clean my wife and I wont object." Both turned their heads to see Mikael standing next to them.
"Mr. Mikaelson," Stefan nodded, "this is my friend, Caroline Forbes. Caroline, this is my boss Mr. Mikaelson." Caroline gave Mr. Mikaelson a small smile, slightly intimidated by the man's stare.
"It's nice to meet you Mr. Mikaelson," Caroline smiled, as she extended her hand out to shake his own. Mikael looked down at her dainty hand before taking it into his own, placing a soft kiss on it. 'Seriously?' Caroline thought, trying hard to not roll her eyes at the ever familiar Mikaelson gesture.
"Nice to meet you as well, Caroline. But please, call me Mikael," he answered, smiling at the blonde before taking a sip of his drink. As Mikael parted his lips to say something, he heard someone calling for him.
"Father! Come here! Mr. Jackson has been asking for you for quite a while," Kol said, a few feet away from the trio. His gaze went from Mikael to Caroline, his eyes raking over her form. Their eyes met and he smirked at her, "Caroline, dear. Looking lovely as always."
"How charming," she stated, rolling her eyes at the younger Mikaelson. Mikael turned to them, excusing himself, before heading over to where Kol and Mr. Jackson were speaking. Caroline then turned to Stefan, an expectant look in her eye.
"So, what do we do now Salvatore? I've never really been to one of these shindigs," Caroline said.
"Well, we could start with me getting us some drinks," Stefan answered. Caroline smiled, nodding in response.
"I'll be right back then. Don't go and find another date, Forbes. Or I'll be sure to never invite you to another party again!" Stefan warned as he started walking away.
"Correction, I was forced to come here!" She answered back, a giggle escaping from her lips. Stefan laughed in response as he walked towards the bar. Caroline looked around the mansion, watching as guests chatted, drinking from their champagne flutes, and all dressed impeccably. Something caught her eye. It was a beautiful painting, hung at the farther end of the house. She looked around for Stefan, and saw him at the bar, getting their drinks while chatting with what she presumed was a co-worker. He'll find me, she thought, as she made her way to the farther end of the house. Once she reached the painting she let her eyes drink in the art piece before her. It was a single snowflake, resting on the ground, surrounded by various branches as the snow drizzled down on it. It was simple, yet so beautiful and haunting. It gave her this feeling of loneliness…something she had become too familiar with after her move to New York. Sure, she had come here to follow her dreams but it came at a cost. She left her mom behind in Mystic Falls, along with the friends she'd made at Richmond. She did have Stefan, but with their different work schedules it was really difficult to come to an agreement and see each other regularly. She only wished she had someone else she could have to talk to.
"Enjoying the artwork, sweetheart?"
She hesitantly turned her head to her right to find Klaus standing there, hands behind his back and a dimpled smile gracing his face. He looked deliciously handsome in his tux and white bowtie.
"It's beautiful. But I wouldn't expect you to know anything about good art," Caroline stated, before turning to look at the painting once more. Klaus chuckled.
"On the contrary love, I happen to know a lot about good art," he answered, as he moved closer to her. Caroline scoffed at his reply. Yeah, right.
"In fact, I happen to know the man who drew this piece," he continued, as he watched her admire the art piece. She looked stunning. The dress clung to her curves deliciously so and he couldn't help but let his eyes roam to the small amount of cleavage the dress showed. It was only when he let his gaze travel lower that he noticed something. She was wearing the bracelet he had gotten her. She was actually wearing it.
"Oh really? Is he here? Who is he? I'd love to talk to him about this piece, since he's somebody who actually has good taste," Caroline answered, giving Klaus a pointed look. Klaus chuckled in response and rested against the wall.
"Are you saying that bracelet I gave you was not in good taste?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Ugh no that's not what I was-! Wait wha- you?" Caroline asked in disbelief, her eyes widening. Klaus smirked and nodded.
"Rich Upper East Side bad boy, who fucks anything with a skirt, is an artist. Shocking isn't it?" Klaus remarked, the sarcasm in his voice evident. Caroline looked down, ashamed of what she'd said. Seriously, who would've known? Stefan had never mentioned that Klaus drew, so that probably meant he didn't know either. Or maybe Stefan thought she would never give Klaus the time of the day. When she looked back up she saw Klaus walking away. She quickly caught up to him.
"When? How?" she asked, genuinely interested. Klaus looked at her, a look she couldn't describe in his eyes. As if he was trying to figure her out.
"I doubt you'd be interested," he replied as he continued walking around the party, Caroline following suit beside him. As a waiter passed by with a tray of champagne flutes, his hand moved up swiftly to grab one and he took a sip from it.
"Try me," Caroline answered. Klaus looked at her, hesitating. Did she really want to know about when he started drawing? Or was she just doing it to make up for what she'd said only a few moments ago? Wait, what did he care? This girl's interest or opinion shouldn't matter to him if all he wanted to do was fuck her…right? But he knew Caroline wasn't any other girl. Their first meeting had surely taught him that. And god, could she stop biting her lip and looking at him like that with those mesmerizing eyes of hers?
"I was 7. It was Christmas morning and my parents bought me a case of 60 colored pencils and a sketchpad. I'd always shown interest in drawing, constantly drawing on the walls with some of my sister's scented markers," he began. He motioned for her to follow him as they walked further into the house. Caroline giggled at the scented markers part. She could definitely imagine a young Klaus running around with a strawberry scented marker in his hand. Klaus looked at her and chuckled, shaking his head as he continued.
"Kol and Rebekah were jealous, of course. They always wanted anything me or my older brother's got," he continued, as they headed out to the backyard.
"At first, my drawings consisted of mainly stick figures and the adventures my brothers and I would pretend we'd go on. Pirates, super heroes, monsters, the works." They walked down the small steps and headed to the tables that were set in the backyard, each having a small candle in the middle.
"With school, my art work improved significantly. I took as many art classes as I could. I was fascinated with what could be done with watercolors and just the sheer beauty of it all," he continued, as they both sat down at a table. Caroline leaned forward, placing her head in her hand as she listened to his story. Klaus was being…normal. There were no witty remarks or sarcastic comments; it was him sharing a part of his life she knew most people probably didn't know much about.
"As I grew older, however my art shifted to a more personal style. It would reflect anything that was going on in my life at the moment. That snowflake one you were staring at was drawn during my high school years," he stated, as he took a sip of his champagne and stared out at the backyard, his mind somewhere else...Another time, another place.
"What was happening then?" Caroline asked. Klaus seemed to snap out of his daze at the moment and turned to face Caroline once again.
"That, love, is a story for another time," he smirked, setting his champagne flute down on the table. Caroline huffed, giving Klaus a semi-annoyed look.
"No fair!" she protested, crossing her arms over her chest. He let out a hearty laugh at her response and shrugged.
"I'm afraid life isn't fair, Caroline. I guess you'll just have to stay tuned for the next episode of the Niklaus Mikaelson Art journey," he commented, giving her a dimpled smile.
"Well, I gotta give it to you. Who would've thought someone like you could be so deep?" she stated.
"What can I say? You can't let just anyone know everything about you. If you do, you're opening yourself up to a world of criticism and pain," he answered, "your darkest secrets exposed. Past events you don't want to relive…everything. That's why I tend to keep a lot to myself."
As Klaus spoke to her, Caroline knew something was on his mind. Whatever had caused him to draw that painting was something that bothered him, something that haunted him. She could see it in his eyes, and didn't want to try and push the conversation any further, so she turned to a lighter tone.
"So you like being the handsome, mysterious bad boy, is that it?" she teased, raising a blonde eyebrow at him.
"You think I'm handsome then?" he smirked. A blush crept up her and neck and rose to her cheeks, making Caroline look away for a second. Damn him.
"No. I was merely stating what I'm sure is a probable consensus between all the women in New York," she answered back. Yeah, that would work.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Caroline. Though I'm sure I would, since I'm handsome and mysterious," he chuckled. Caroline shot him a glare, trying to keep the smile that was threatening to form on her lips from appearing. But it was to no avail. She couldn't help but let out small smile at his comment.
"Damn it, Mikaelson. You just had to go and steal my date, didn't you?" Both Caroline and Klaus turned to their heads to see Stefan reaching their table, drinks in hand.
"Caroline and I were merely having a conversation on how she thinks I'm a handsome, mysterious bad boy. Isn't that right, love?" he teased, turning to Caroline with a smirk in place. Caroline rolled her eyes.
"Do not." Stefan handed her her drink and she took it gladly, quickly taking a sip from it. Stefan laughed at his best friend's actions before turning to his other friend.
"Stop harassing the poor girl, Klaus," he joked. Klaus only chuckled, shrugging as he stood up from his seat. He raised his hands up in mock surrender as he turned to Caroline.
"My apologies, sweetheart," he smiled before turning to Stefan, "I'll leave you to your date now, mate." He turned to leave but quickly turned around once more.
"Caroline?" he asked. Caroline raised her eyebrows in question.
"Save me a dance, will you sweetheart?" he smirked.
"I'll think about it," she countered, earning a smile from Klaus.
"Good enough for me," he answered as he turned around and continued making his way inside the mansion. Caroline then turned to face Stefan, who was looking at her with an amused expression on his face.
"What?" she asked.
"You two seem to be getting along pretty well," he smiled, taking a drink of his scotch. Caroline sighed, placing her arms on the table.
"He's not as bad as I thought. Did you know he painted?" she answered, as she took a sip of her drink. Stefan nodded in response, resting his back against the chair.
"And you didn't tell me?" Caroline all but exclaimed.
"Does it matter?" he asked.
"Yes! It gives a man more depth if he's an artist…it makes him more alluring," she answered.
"So you think Klaus is alluring?" Stefan smirked, as he watched as Caroline's expression turned from a dreamy one to one of embarrassment.
"No! I- Ye- Ugh, I hate you Stefan," she muttered, taking a big gulp of her drink.
"I'm not judging, Care. But just remember what I told you," he responded. Caroline nodded.
"I know, I know. He's not good for me, stay away, blah blah blah. I got it. Now, do you wanna head back inside? These chairs are a bit uncomfortable," she replied. Stefan nodded, both of them standing up and heading back inside the mansion. More guests had arrived, and the room was buzzing with gossip and jokes. A beautiful piano melody traveled throughout the house as everyone continued with their conversation. 'I could get used to this', she thought, a smile on her face as she took in her surroundings. It was then she spotted Elijah, walking towards the front door. 'Maybe I could say hi to him and actually bring up Rose,' she thought, the thought amusing her. But her heart all but stopped as she saw who he was talking to. She looked stunning, the strapless burgundy colored gown clinging to her body, her dark brown hair up in an elegant bun, and a smile on her lips as she greeted Elijah. It was Elena.
She looked up at Stefan, hoping he hadn't noticed too, but felt her heart drop to her stomach as she saw the pained expression on his face. He had seen her too.
"What is she doing here?" he said to himself, but Caroline heard it.
"Are you okay?" she questioned. It had been about 4 years since the Elena ordeal, but Stefan was still not over it. Elena had been Stefan's high school sweetheart and he had given her everything. Caroline had never seen anyone love as fiercely as Stefan had. Seeing her now, hand in hand with Matt, couldn't be easy for him. Hell, it wasn't easy for her. Not only because her best friend had hurt him, but because she had hurt her too. Matt and Caroline had been dating their senior year, and were still going strong during college. Elena and Stefan had been ecstatic for them, seeing their best friends happy together. But somewhere along the lines, Matt began growing distant. He began staying later at school and working more shifts, usually leaving Caroline alone with a cold plate of dinner on the table. Finally, Matt broke up with her, saying that he just wanted to focus on school right now and that maybe a relationship wasn't the best idea. Yet two weeks later, she received the call from Stefan. He'd caught Elena and Matt sleeping together. Matt had gone to New York to visit Stefan, claiming it was to help with the breakup. Yeah, more like help to fuck over his best friend by fucking his girlfriend. It hadn't been easy for either of them, both losing who they considered their closest friends. But they had helped each other to get through it, and well they were still working on it, at least Stefan was.
"I need another drink," he muttered, before walking away from Caroline and to the bar. She watched him walk away, a heavy feeling in her chest. This night was supposed to be fun for them, not depressing. Caroline's eyes scanned over the room, looking for the one person she knew would know what was going on. She spotted him chatting with an older gentleman, his expression serious as he spoke to the other man. Caroline marched over to him, determined. Once she stood behind them, she cleared her throat and plastered on her sweetest smile. Both men turned their heads, and noticed the petite blonde standing next to them.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt. But could I please borrow Mr. Mikaelson for a second? I promise, it won't take long," she said, her voice sickeningly sweet. The older man let out a chuckle and nodded.
"Of course my dear! I should probably be looking for my wife anyways, she's a lightweight that one!" the man chucked heartily before giving Klaus a pat on the shoulder and heading off to find his wife.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Caroline? Here to admit that you do find me attractive?" Klaus smirked.
"As much as I'm sure you'd enjoy that and it'd give you an immense ego boost, no. I'm here to ask you what the hell," she began, grabbing Klaus's face and turning it to where Elena was, "she's doing here." Who the hell was she talking about, he thought. He only saw Elijah speaking to a blonde haired-blue eyed man and Elen-oh. Elena was here, and so was Stefan. Poor bloke, he thought knowing that Stefan probably wasn't faring too well. But what was Elena doing here? It was then he remembered that Elijah had told him he'd invited one of his newest clients to the party. He turned to Caroline, who was giving him a look that said 'yes I'm talking about that backstabbing bitch, now answer me!'. He grabbed her hand softly and removed it from his cheek, relishing in the softness of her hand.
"I'm sorry to say that she's most likely my brother's new client," he answered.
"So, what? You guys just invite your clients to your family's welcome parties? Like so casually?" Caroline questioned.
"We want to make a good impression on them, and what better impression to make on one of your new clients that inviting them to a party consisting of some of the richest people in Manhattan in one of the most expensive houses in this neighborhood?" Klaus replied. Caroline rolled her eyes at his answer.
"What does she need a lawyer for anyway?" she huffed, as she stared at the brunette from afar.
"I did hear my brother say something about her being an up and coming author, and that she wanted to get one of the best lawyers in New York in case anything happened in the future," he replied, following Caroline's gaze. She scoffed.
"Wonder where she's getting the money from," she muttered.
"Maybe she's secretly a drug dealer," Klaus joked, amused at the thought.
"Not funny," Caroline deadpanned.
"It was to me," he laughed. Caroline glared at him, clearly not amused.
"Poor Stefan, I can only imagine what he must be going through right now. Probably drinking himself into a stupor right now, I know I almost did," Caroline muttered softly. Klaus's head immediately snapped back to Caroline.
"What did you say?" he questioned. Did he just hear her correctly? What had happened that had almost caused her to do that.
"Nothing, it doesn't matter. I should probably go find Stefan," she sighed as she began walking away from him, stopping as she felt his hand wrap around her wrist.
"Don't leave me hanging sweetheart, what happened?" Klaus questioned. Why do you care? He thought. It's just Caroline. But that was it…it was Caroline he was talking about. Not some dumb bottle blonde. Maybe he didn't necessarily care for her, but she had gotten under his skin.
"A story for another time," she answered, freeing herself from his grasp and walking away from him.
~O~O~
Stefan sat at the bar, downing his third scotch. This night was not going as planned. Why the fuck was Elena here? Why was Elijah talking to her? Why did he still care? The girl had broken his heart and he had lost his best friend because of it. She had messed up his life, and had left him empty. It had been 4 years…he shouldn't care anymore, but he couldn't help but miss her still. She had been his first love.
"Shit night isn't it?" he heard an accented voice say. He turned his head slightly to find a gorgeous blonde wearing a dark aqua gown that hugged her body, showing off her curves, and her hair in an elegant up do.
"Yup," he muttered, motioning for the bartender to get him another scotch.
"Rebekah Mikaelson," she said, extending her hand out to him. His head quickly snapped to the blonde next to him. This was Rebekah? The 'annoying little blonde brat' that Klaus sometimes talked about?
"Stefan Salvatore," he replied, shaking her hand. She raised an eyebrow as she took a sip of her martini.
"So you're Stefan," she stated. He nodded.
"You've heard of me?"
"My brother mentions you every so often when we talk. I'm sure he's mentioned me," she answered. He nodded again.
"All bad I hope," she smirked.
"Oh, the worst," he chuckled, enjoying the company of the blonde next to him. She smiled before her face turned solemn again.
"So what's got you so down, Mr. Salvatore?" she replied, as she took a seat next to him.
"Long story," he muttered, nodding in thanks to the bartender as he set down another glass of scotch in front of him.
"I've got nothing but time," was her answer. Stefan looked at her questioningly.
"Don't you have a party to enjoy?" he asked. She scoffed.
"You mean this party filled with pretentious old fools who act like they give a crap about me? Please, why do you think I'm sitting at the bar? I'm gonna need alcohol if I'm going to get through this night," she replied, taking a large gulp of martini. He took a drink of his scotch, setting the glass back down and twirling the liquid inside.
"Ex girlfriend," he stated, as he watched the liquid swirl around the glass.
"What about her?"
"I haven't seen her in 4 years. We were high school sweethearts; I was head over heels for her. We move to New York, hoping for a fresh start and kickstart to my career. I go to propose to her and find her in bed with my best friend." Rebekah watched silently as Stefan became mesmerized by the liquid, his jaw clenching as he retold the story. He had been hurt terribly by this girl, and something told her she was probably at the party.
"And let me guess, she's here tonight?" she questioned, resting an arm against the bar. Stefan pressed his lips together, nodding.
"I just don't know why," he muttered, before taking a long sip of his scotch.
"Well, she sounds like a bitch. And you don't deserve for your night to be ruined by the likes of her," she answered truthfully. Stefan turned his head to her and shrugged. "Can't help it."
"If I have any say in this, then yes," she said as she got out of her seat and grabbed his arm, about to pull him from his seat when a voice stopped her.
"Stefan?"
They both turned to see Elena standing a few feet away from them, her eyes widened in surprise. Rebekah felt Stefan tense under her. She let go off his arm and bent down to whisper in his ear.
"Don't let this girl get to you, Stefan. She's not worth it," she whispered. She stood up straight once more, giving Elena a once over before scoffing in disgust and walking away from them. They stared at each other for a few seconds, neither saying anything before Elena spoke up.
"Stef-," she began walking closer to him.
"What the hell are you doing here Elena?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed.
"I-I was invited," she answered.
"You're a guest of Elijah's?" She nodded in response.
"I hired him as my lawyer. I- I just published a book and I wanted to have a good lawyer just in case anything ever happened." She looked at him hesitantly before moving closer to him.
"And you just happened to hire someone from the same firm I work for? A bit of a coincidence isn't it?" Are you just purposely trying to hurt me? Cause if that was your plan, well then congratufuckinglations," Stefan bit back angrily. Elena shook her head.
"The name sounded familiar but I didn't remember that you worked for them. I would never hurt you on purpose, Stefan. You have to believe me," she replied, placing her hand on his shoulder. He immediately recoiled from her touch, letting out a sarcastic laugh.
"Oh that's rich, Elena. You would never hurt me on purpose? Did it occur to you that that's exactly what you did when you slept with Matt?" he said bitterly.
"I-,"
"You knew exactly what you were doing. You made the conscious decision to sleep with my best friend, Elena. My best friend. And not only were you hurting me, but you hurt Caroline too," he continued.
"They had broken up," Elena answered. Stefan chuckled darkly.
"Does that make what happened any better? Does it make it right, Elena? I'm sure in some twisted way it does to you. You sleep with your boyfriend's best friend, in the bed you share with him, and not only was he your boyfriend's best friend but he'd just broken up with YOUR best friend. But no, in your logic that's perfectly okay," he remarked, his tone dripping with pent up anger.
"Stefan, you've been drinking you don't mean to act like this," she said softly, as she moved to touch him again.
"Don't. Touch. Me," he said, "and I have been drinking but that doesn't mean that the way I'm acting is incorrect. You broke my heart, Elena. You ripped it out of my chest and stomped on it, until it was in a million tiny pieces. And you didn't give a damn. You left without as much as a look back," he barked angrily. Various party guests had now turned to watch the argument, making Elena blush furiously.
"Stefan, calm down. People are staring," she said softly.
"Oh, please stop acting like a shy little virgin Elena. That act might've been attractive back when you were 20, but now it's nothing but pitiful to watch." Elena's eyes filled with tears at his words. Soon enough, Matt was at her side.
"Stefan, you need to calm down," Matt warned.
"Oh, well look at who decided to join the party. If it isn't my old best friend! How are ya buddy? How does it feel to have my sloppy seconds?" Stefan remarked bitterly. Matt's eyes became livid and he was about to lunge forward until a familiar face stepped in front of him.
"Don't you dare," Caroline warned, giving Matt and Elena a cold gaze. They were soon joined by Klaus and Elijah who had noticed the argument only a few seconds before.
"Mate, I think we need to get you home," Klaus said, as he moved to grab Stefan.
Elijah looked at the spectacle in front of him and raised his hands in question.
"What is the meaning of this? What's going on?" He asked.
"Pent up feelings, backstabbing friends and exes. And I'm sorry if it's caused a disturbance," Caroline answered, giving Elijah an apologetic stare. Elijah nodded, seeming to understand, though his eyes showed otherwise.
"Elena, when you're done, you and your fiancée may join me outside so you can meet some other clients of mine," Elijah stated before walking away from the spectacle, causing the guests who had been watching to turn away from it as well and continue on with their conversation.
"He needs to watch what he says," Matt said angrily. Caroline scoffed.
"Are you kidding me? I'm surprised that's all he said. Elena broke his heart, Matt. What part of that don't you understand? Actually, don't answer that. Because you didn't give a damn when you broke mine and then went on to hurt me even further by sleeping with my best friend," Caroline answered angrily, her face flushing with anger. Matt looked down, not saying anything.
"Care we're both really sorr-," Elena began but was cut off by Caroline.
"Spare me, Elena. Please, don't waste your breath on apologizing to me. The one who truly deserves an apology is Stefan, and even then you don't deserve his forgiveness," Caroline answered, as she moved to help Klaus with Stefan, who had been listening carefully to their argument.
"It's been 4 years," Elena stated.
"That doesn't make it any less painful. But you wouldn't know anything about that, now would you? You don't know what it's like to feel abandoned or heartbroken because you've always been everyone's first choice," Caroline said bitterly.
"Easy love, you're making a scene," Klaus began, but closed his mouth when Caroline shot him an angry glare.
"No, I'm finishing this now. Because I don't plan on seeing their faces again," she said, before turning to Elena once more, "you never were a good friend. Everything had to revolve around you or you'd throw a fit. You weren't there when Damon broke my heart. No, instead you dated him. You weren't there when my dad left us, instead you constantly said how it'd be cool that I'd have another dad and not to mention brag about the fact that your parents had gotten you a new car. You were never there! But you know who was? Stefan. He's a true friend and a great guy. And you two are nothing but pathetic and pitiful, and I'm glad you're out of our lives." Tears threatened to fall but Caroline kept them at bay, not wanting to break down in front of them.
"Have a nice life," she muttered bitterly, before she motioned to Klaus for them to leave. He nodded quickly following behind her with Stefan in tow. The people who had been watching the spectacle remained quiet, in shock at what had just happened. But the glare that Klaus sent all of them caused them to once again return to their conversations. Once outside, he called for a limo to be sent for them. Stefan was mostly unconscious at this point, the alcohol getting to him, which made it a bit difficult for Klaus to hold him up. But he turned his gaze to Caroline as he heard a sniffle coming from her. She saw a tear making its way down her cheek and he looked away quickly. He hated seeing women cry, he never knew what to do. But with Caroline, it felt different. He felt the need to comfort her…he just didn't know how or why. A few minutes later, the limo pulled up. Caroline slid in first, Klaus following in with Stefan. Once he shut the door, Caroline spoke to the limo driver and gave him Stefan's address. She rested her head against the leather limo seat and turned her head to face out the window. Stefan's head drooped to the side and landed on her shoulder, causing Caroline to turn her head. She looked down at Stefan's sleeping face and smiled sadly. She could feel Klaus's gaze on her and slowly looked up to meet it.
His eyes held something she couldn't really place. Maybe pity? Of course he would feel pity for her. She'd just made a fool out of herself and exposed some personal information to most of Manhattan's elite. But it felt good to let everything out and tell Elena off once and for all.
"Thanks," she said softly, giving him a small smile.
"Anytime, love," Klaus answered, giving a small smile in return. Caroline once again turned her head to face the window, not wanting to look at Klaus. He felt bad for her, and if there was one thing she hated was someone else's pity. It made her feel weak. But at the same time, she wished that he'd comfort her and tell her it was okay. But that was a ridiculous notion, wasn't it? The rest of the ride was filled with silence, occasionally interrupted by Stefan's drunken/sleeping mumbles. When they finally reached Stefan's apartment, Caroline helped Klaus get Stefan out of the limo.
"I can take it from here," she mumbled. But Klaus didn't listen, taking the majority's weight on himself so that Caroline didn't have to carry as much. The elevator ride was quiet as well, making Caroline wish they were already at Stefan's apartment so that she didn't have to deal with him being there. The elevator doors opened and they stepped out into the hallway, making their way down until they reached Stefan's. Klaus pressed in the code to get in and the door unlocked. He opened the door, helping Caroline carry Stefan in and place him on his bed. Caroline took off his shoes before pulling the covers up halfway wanting to make sure he was comfortable. She turned off the light and they both stepped out of the bedroom, heading towards the door.
"Thank you, again. And I'm sorry for what happened at the party I-," she began but Klaus but his finger up motioning for her to stop.
"No need to thank or apologize, love. It's alright," he smiled. Caroline smiled back, opening the door.
"Maybe you're not as bad as I thought, Mikaelson," she said, leaning against the doorway as Klaus stepped out onto the hallway. He chuckled.
"Yeah? So does that make me the not so mysterious bad boy?" he asked. Caroline let out a small laugh.
"Bad? Not so much. Mysterious, yes. You never finished the story you were telling me," Caroline reminded him. Klaus snapped his fingers, as if suddenly remembering that little detail.
"That's right. Hm, well maybe I could make it up to you? Breakfast tomorrow?" He said, giving her a hopeful gaze, or what Caroline recognized as puppy dog eyes.
"Make it lunch, and I'm in," she smirked. Klaus nodded, a dimpled smile gracing his handsome features.
"Perfect. See you tomorrow then, sweetheart. Sweet dreams," he said, moving closer to Caroline and placing a small kiss on her cheek before walking away. Caroline's hand quickly moved to her cheek, running her fingers over where he'd kissed her. She had to admit, he'd left her a little breathless. She shook herself from her daze , shutting the door and heading back inside the apartment. She rummaged through Stefan's closet, slipping out of her dress and into his old football t-shirt which was slightly big on her. She then moved to the bathroom, washing her face to remove the makeup. She'd remembered that Stefan had said he owned a pull out couch, so she headed back inside his closet, quickly finding some sheets before heading into the living room. She set up the pull out couch and climbed in, laying her head against the pillow she'd grabbed from Stefan's bed.
The night had definitely not gone as planned, and she had wanted nothing more than to break down when she got to Stefan's apartment. But Klaus…Klaus had made everything better. Surprisingly enough. She'd seen a different side of him today, and no matter how much she hated to admit, she liked it. Maybe getting to know him wouldn't be so bad.
~O~O~
AN: So, what did you guys think? I'd love some feedback :) Also, I'll put up the links to Caroline and Rebekah's dresses on my profile soon. Hope you all liked it :)