Hey everyone just a quick house keeping note. You'll notice that my pen name changed from Mistress of the House to drabblesinklaroline. I switched to have my tumblr and FF handles be the same so it is easier for people to find me.

Second, today's drabble is actually a preview of my upcoming Klaroline story The Last Days of Summer. It was formally entitled The Oxford Courtship. Anyway because I love you all so much I wanted to give you a sneak peak of it. This is the first chapter unedited so the final edit might be different. Enjoy and tell what you think! I'll start publishing it in April.

Summary:

The arrival of Silas creates a series of events no one in Mystic Falls could have predicted. In an attempt for normalcy and safety, Caroline, with help from Klaus, gets accepted into Oxford University.
Europe is unlike anything Caroline could have prepared for; the supernatural world outside of Mystic Falls is full of power hungry vampires and unforgiving politics. Caroline finds help navigating this world in the form of Rebekah.
In discovering this new world, Caroline has the constant presence of Klaus to deal with and what he means to her. Klaus, who switches his time between England and New Orleans, is doing his best to keep his family in power and keep Caroline alive. As they grow closer the threat of Silas grows stronger.

Sneak Peak, Chapter 1:

It had been exactly three months since the disaster at Nova Scotia. Three months since everything changed and the world fell apart. So far only the supernatural world had noticed the changes and hopefully it would stay hidden for just a little longer. Caroline closed her eyes, a hand to her heart to push back the tears in her eyes. The age of innocence was over and she could do nothing to stop it, all her efforts to soothe crying hearts were in vain.

The soft breeze through trees and the faint smell of Spanish moss caught in the air calmed her breaking her heart. She thought after all this time, tears would stop falling but some deaths she would never be over. She wasn't even supposed to be here but the need to say good bye was too great. Being in the cemetery at night was creepy enough as it was when she was human always nervous about the monsters of the night and now she was the monster of the night. At least she hadn't been caught yet.

"Saying good bye I see," his accented voice carried over to her.

Caroline wiped away the errant tears and turned to see Klaus lurking against the trunk of the old oak in the moonlight, the broken headstones at its base almost overtaken by creeping kudzo. He seemed to fit right in with the location, his eyes betraying how old the hybrid truly was. She watched him silently approach her, his face growing more concerned as he saw the fresh tear tracks on her face.

He reached her and turned down to look at the grave she had placed the lilies and rosemary on. Fresh ones were placed on the grave almost every day, something he knew Caroline was responsible for. From the tentative friendship they had created since February all the way through graduation, Klaus knew the Caroline was falling apart. All the others were so caught up in the doppelganger that he was the only to see her downward spiral.

The death had changed everything for everyone and now she was the last one in Mystic Falls, everyone else already scattered to the four winds. Now it was his turn, he had to venture to New Orleans. He had already been several times in the last month, finally deciding last week that he just needed to be there for awhile. Marcel was trying to keep his little kingdom in line but the whispers in shadow were drawing strength, people starting to get nervous. After the attempted death plot by the were-slut Hayley, Klaus had grown closer again with his old protégé rekindling their friendship.

Marcel needed him in New Orleans; the presence of an original was the only thing that could dispel the tittle-tattle circulating behind closed doors. Silas has returned the shadows taunted, witches are falling to expression they warned. Even those who practiced simple voodoo for the tourists knew the danger of those words. If Klaus was going to make friendly with the witches again, the French Quarter was the place to do it.

Caroline still had no response for him, she didn't want to admit that she was saying good-bye but Klaus was right that was what she was doing. She was almost nineteen, she shouldn't be saying good-bye to so many people this young, vampire or not.

"What time does the plane leave?" she asked, she wasn't going to say good-bye, not yet.

"You need to leave in the next ten minutes to catch the plane," he responded.

Caroline shook her head, turning away from the grave. Putting the sadness behind her she pouted at Klaus, "This seriously isn't the way I planned for college to go. They don't even have football or cheerleading! I'm mean what kind of college does that?"

"They most certainly do have football."

Caroline rolled her eyes, annoyed she let herself walk right into that jab, "Soccer is not what I meant and you know it."

Klaus just shrugged as they reached the car, opening the door for Caroline she popped in without another word. The drive to the airport was tense and quiet, too much had happened but neither knew what to say to the other. Caroline tried several times to engage Klaus but the stern look he had while staring out at the road made her stop every time. Why was it so complex between them? She didn't even know what they were to each other because enemies were no longer the appropriate term but nothing else fit either. They were just them, one boiled up confused mess.

"I still don't see why I need do this, I told you before I can take care of myself."

Klaus smirked, the tension in his face finally easing, "Separation was what we all decided would be the best for everyone."

Caroline scowled, "Then explain to me why Elijah and Rebekah are going with you?"

Klaus growled, "We are not arguing about this again."

Again an eye roll from Caroline, "Oh please, I don't buy that originals-making-a-stance-crap."

A sudden screeching from the brakes jolted Caroline forward the only thing keeping her in her in seat. They stopped just in front of the little plane at Mystic Falls' small airport.

"What the hell Klaus, that was completely uncalled for!"

Her eyes were burning into his the daggers there just as harsh as her voice sounded. Klaus was equally trying to intimidate her, his face cold but eyes raging. "You would do well sweetheart to remember who it is we are dealing with. You best chance at survival is obscurity at the moment, the vampire world outside your home is harsh and cold. Despite knowing me, that will not be enough to save you. You want to live more than anything, so I'm giving you this chance to do so."

Caroline wanted to be upset with him but he was right. It still didn't mean she was happy with the situation but when even her mom ganged up on her, saying it was a good idea. She walked around to the back of the trunk, pulling out her luggage, Klaus helping her. Most of her things had already been loaded on the plane, someone gathering her boxes earlier. Now the awkward part, saying good bye.

She gripped her handbag and turned to Klaus his face completely unreadable. She wanted to reach out and touch him but stomped down that thought. Their last fight was still fresh in her mind; they had royally messed up whatever they were. Instead she gave him a sad smile and turned to the plane but his hand was instantly around hers. Caroline stared at his loosely gripping hers, the action begging her to look at him. Familiar heat spread from his hand and over her skin.

Reluctantly she drifted away from his hand and journeyed up his body, across his stubbled face and meeting his piercing eyes. His face was still stone cold but she knew now he was wearing a mask to hide real emotion. There were so many things that could have been said but now wasn't the time. She wished things had worked out differently, so much death and pain. It scared her to know it was just beginning.

"Rebekah will be there after Christmas," he reminded her.

Caroline cringed but nodded what a joy that was going to be. Rebekah was still in her wanting to rip out Caroline's intestines phase at the moment. But she was a fish out of water where she was headed and having at least a familiar face around would be nice. Maybe once enough time had passed she could call her friends and find out where each of them ended up.

"It's Oxford, it can't be that bad." she quipped trying to lighten the mood, pulling her hand away from him.

Klaus frowned, "Don't be fooled by the academics and ancient halls."

Caroline rolled her eyes, "I'm a big girl Klaus."

With that she pulled away from him and walked up the stairwell. Her breath caught looking around the cabin; Klaus insisted that she use his family's plane for the trip the plane just big enough to make it across the Atlantic. It was magnificent completely state of the art and clean. Caroline squealed in girlish delight the first time she felt excited all day and ran to a hair sinking into the plush leather.

Looking out the window as the plane began to taxi down the tarmac she glanced and saw Klaus still standing there waiting for her to disappear from sight. His sullen face wasn't enough to sink her spirits thought; she was caught up again in the fact she was going to be moving to England. It was her time to finally see the world.