I'm back! Thanks for your patience while I was away and your reviews, I agree about the rating for the story and have changed it as suggested by one reviewer. Without further ado here's an extra-long chapter five.
Collision Course: Chapter 5
"You know you don't scrub up too badly." Klaus said his eyes roaming over her body fitted snugly into a little black dress.
"Wow you know you're quite the charmer, I can see why women flock to you in droves." Caroline replied sarcastically.
"Well you know what they say treat them mean keep them keen." He said wisely.
Caroline and Klaus were on their way to dinner at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant in a limousine. She had never felt so overwhelmed by a media pack or almost blinded by so many flashing cameras. Klaus had taken it all in his stride placing his arm firmly around her waist and guiding her through the massive hoard.
Klaus was an actor so pretending was second nature to him but Caroline felt like a fraud posing and smiling with her new husband. She did have to admit that she liked having his arm securely around her waist and even felt a little lost when he finally removed it.
"Please don't feel the need to pass on that little gem to Oprah tomorrow." She said raising her eyebrows in his direction.
"What? You don't think Oprah's viewers would appreciate some love advice?"
"I hardly think that would be classed as love advice." Caroline scoffed.
"Well it's always worked for me." Klaus smirked. She shook her head surprised that his enormous ego could fit in the car with them.
"Speaking of Oprah." Caroline started choosing to ignore his comment. "We need to get our stories straight."
"We've been through this like ten times already Caroline." He said his frustration clear.
"Well we can't all be actors Klaus, come on humour me?" She pleaded thinking back to their earlier conversation.
"We need something credible, I don't think a chance encounter at The Ivy will suffice." Bonnie said tapping her fingers on the desk.
"How about a mutual friend or acquaintance?" Elena suggested. "It would be more believable if we could say someone introduced them."
"I hardly think we move in the same circles." Caroline said raising her eyebrows disapprovingly in his direction.
"Yeah thank god for that, I'd probably die of boredom." Klaus shot back.
"Enough you two, remember you're supposed to be married." Damon said a smile playing on his lips.
"Don't remind me." Klaus muttered earning a dirty look from his wife.
"Come on you guys surely there's someone you've met at one point that you both know."
"Can't help you with that Elena I don't socialise with sluts or womanisers." Caroline snapped.
"What as opposed to you Little Miss Perfect with your Barbie doll friends and your Ken lookalike former boyfriend." Klaus spat. Caroline's head shot up at his comment. Klaus barely knew who she was when they first met how did he know about Tyler?
Tyler Lockwood was the love of her life, or so she thought. They met at a film première a few years earlier and after a whirlwind romance even moved in together. The media had touted them the next Brittney and Justin and Caroline had never been happier until she came home a day early from a video clip shoot to discover him in bed with a D-list reality television star.
Management on both sides had advised a mutual break-up announcement, something along the lines of conflicting schedules. Caroline had agreed to it mainly due to her deep humiliation while Tyler had agreed to keep his squeaky clean reputation intact.
Caroline couldn't believe she thought she was in love with that bastard. Unfortunately he had not only broken her heart but had severely dented her confidence making her swear off men, that was until her little drunken wedding in Vegas of course.
"Okay ignoring that insult about her friends." Elena snarled sending him a dirty look and placing her hand over Caroline's for comfort she continued. "Have you maybe been to the same event in the last six months?"
"Good idea." Damon said. "Well Klaus was at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and the Oscars."
"That's no good Caroline wasn't there, how about the VMA's or the American Music Awards?" Elena suggested.
"Klaus doesn't really go to many music events." Bonnie said.
"Well I wasn't at the awards but I did end up at the same venue as Usher's AMA after-party." Klaus recalled a smile crossing his face. "Now that was a great night complete with an amazing red-head."
"You were at the Roosevelt that night?" Caroline asked surprised she didn't remember seeing him.
"I'd had dinner at Katsuya with some friends then moved on to the hotel bar for a few drinks. I didn't even realise the after-party was being held on the roof until I arrived." He said shrugging his shoulders.
"So how did you end up at the party?" Bonnie asked.
"I didn't go to the party. I met a Philadelphia Eagles player at the bar that was going but we got talking and ended up blowing it off and heading to Chateau Marmont instead."
"This is all sounding too familiar; it wasn't their star quarterback by any chance was it?" Caroline asked her interest suddenly peaked.
Elena looked at Caroline the realisation hitting her. "Matt!"
"Yeah Matt Donovan, great guy. I've been meaning to catch up with him again but he's always busy travelling around for games." He said. "Wait a minute, do you know Matt?"
"Well at least I know why he stood me up now." She said realising that his excuse about getting 'held up' was due to Klaus.
"He actually mentioned he was supposed to be meeting one of his best mates."
"That would be me." Caroline muttered still annoyed. She and the twins had grown up with Matt in Mystic Falls; they had dated briefly during freshman year but remained good friends.
"This is perfect we couldn't have planned it better ourselves." Bonnie cried clapping her hands together gleefully.
"But they never even showed up to the party." Caroline said confused.
"Most of the party guests were probably too high to even remember Caroline." Bonnie replied confidently.
"Matt is one of my clients so I'll give him a call." Elena said pulling out her mobile. "I'd suggest you call him Caroline but I have a feeling you're still annoyed by that look on your face."
"Sorry I stole your date love, no hard feelings." Klaus said a cheeky grin on his face. "Don't worry he pulled a hot blonde later in the night so he didn't miss you too much." Caroline scowled at him.
"So Matt Donovan, our mutual friend, introduced us at the AMA after-party and it was love at first sight." He said dramatically.
"I really hope you say it like that to Oprah I can totally see her buying it." Caroline said rolling her eyes.
"Well I like to think I'm a damn good actor so if they don't believe us the problem won't be me." He replied defiantly.
"I'll be just fine don't you worry about that."
"Seriously love you really need to relax you're supposed to be head over heels in love and married to the love of your life." Caroline snorted at Klaus referring to himself in those terms.
"Oh what I'm not good enough for you princess?" He sneered.
"You said it."
"You forget that we're doing this little sham marriage for your benefit Caroline, you should really start being nicer to me."
"Where would the fun be in that?" She said looking directly into his blue eyes slightly unnerved to find him gazing deeply into hers.
"Oh now it all makes perfect sense." He said the realisation sweeping over him. "You have it bad for me."
"Oh you wish." She shot back.
"No you do. When I was in kindergarten there was this girl, Olivia James, she used to insult me all the time not to mention hit me but it turned out she had the biggest crush." He said knowingly.
"Oh please I think your over-inflated ego has skewed your sense of reality."
"I don't think so but that's okay you have six months to give into your feelings love." Caroline could only shake her head in response.
The car pulled up outside The Paris, Caroline took a deep breath preparing herself for the onslaught that was waiting on the other side of the car door. Klaus plastered on his trademark smile and grabbed her hand sending shock waves up her arm. Caroline inhaled sharply not expecting his touch to have such an effect.
"Wow it's only the first night and you can't help yourself already, I'd make a bet but it would just be too easy." He chuckled.
"Fine what did you have in mind?" She asked fairly confident in her willpower, even if it was waning slightly.
"Well when I win you have to clean my entire house and wash my car in nothing but the smallest string bikini you've got."
"That would be right." She said thinking how predictable he was. "Okay if I win you have to clean my house too...in a dress and make-up." Klaus blinked in disbelief momentarily losing his confidence.
'Well it's not like you're going to win anyway." He said his cockiness returning. Opening the car door he looked back at her in anticipation. "It's show time love."
Caroline inhaled deeply wondering what the hell she had gotten herself into.
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"Caroline, sweetie." Katherine called out as they approached the table. She had never been so happy to see a familiar face in her life. She gave her friend a hug taking in a whiff of her Chanel No 5. She smiled over towards Elena who was seated by her sister's side.
"Wow you two look exactly the same." Klaus said.
"Didn't I tell you how smart he was?" Elena said rolling her eyes at Katherine.
"Elena what a pleasure to see you again." Klaus muttered thinking the complete opposite.
"So this is the famous Klaus Mikaelson?" Katherine asked looking him up and down.
"The one and only." He said confidently puffing out his chest.
"I thought you'd be taller." She said dismissively immediately turning her attention back to Caroline. "Darling you look so hot in that little number hopefully after tonight that ghastly floral dress will long be forgotten."
"I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who hates that dress." Klaus said feeling somewhat vindicated.
"Gee you've been married not even twenty-four hours and you're already telling her what to wear." Elena said motioning for them to sit down. "So how was the media?"
"The same but about a hundred times worse, I honestly didn't think it was possible." Caroline sighed.
"You didn't mention anything did you?"
"No Elena your instructions were very specific." Klaus said signalling at the waitress in desperate need for a whiskey.
"Can I get a Johnnie Walker Blue?" He said giving his best smile to the shocked girl, no doubt completely in disbelief that she was serving Klaus Mikaelson and his new wife Caroline Forbes not to mention Katherine Gilbert.
"My kind of drink, can you make that two?" A male voice said walking over to their table. Klaus looked up curiously as Caroline launched herself at the tall brooding stranger.
"Stefan I'm so glad you're here." She said gratefully lowering her voice slightly so the surrounding diners couldn't hear. As much as they wanted a private room their publicists had insisted on a table right in the centre of the restaurant.
"I would have been here sooner but was held up by some commotion in the lobby." He said without going into further detail. "Well at least you have good taste in whiskey not to mention women." Stefan said gesturing to Caroline.
"Ah the manager who wants to kill me." Klaus said in realisation. "You'll probably have to wait in line for the privilege."
"Good maybe you'll end up dead and I won't need to get my hands dirty." He replied curtly. "Just don't hurt a hair on this one's head in the meantime and we should be fine." The waitress returned with two glasses of whiskey on her silver tray. Damon sauntered over with Bonnie in tow.
"And here I was thinking we'd be having tequila to celebrate." He said a big grin on his face. "What, too soon to joke?" He asked as six pairs of eyes shot him dirty looks.
"Damon and Bonnie this is Caroline's Manager Stefan." Klaus said introducing them.
"Katherine Gilbert." Damon said looking at the brunette and then to her sister. "You really do look-alike."
"That's the other bright spark I was telling you about." Elena said shaking her head.
"What a happy little group we make." Katherine said sarcastically. "That only leaves the ice princess to grace us with her presence."
"Did I hear my name? I really do prefer she-devil or the blonde bitch but that will do I guess." Rebekah said narrowing her eyes in Katherine's direction.
Klaus stood up giving his sister an obligatory peck on the cheek. "Sister how lovely to see you."
"Oh please brother you've never been pleased to see me in your life, no need to start pretending now." She replied tartly taking her seat at the head of the table. She looked around her gaze stopping at the brunette to her left.
"Really Damon there's something they invented called a razor you might want to use it sometime." She said taking in his dishevelled look.
"Nice to see you too Rebekah. You'll have to excuse my appearance; jumping on a plane to Vegas this morning took slight precedence over my morning routine as I'm sure you'd understand."
"Oh yes you had to rush over to celebrate your client's nuptials to dear Carly here." She said gesturing towards Caroline who couldn't believe the nerve of this bitch. Before she could bite back Bonnie jumped in.
"It's Caroline actually Rebekah" She said attempting to ease the tension. "You know that."
"Oh yes whatever." She said distractedly waving her hands in the air trying to summon the waitress. "I think this calls for some champagne." She said merrily almost like she was enjoying humiliating her brother.
"I think I'm going to need another whiskey to deal with this all night." Stefan muttered finishing his drink with one gulp and signalling to the waitress for another.
"Great idea count me in." Klaus said downing the rest of his drink.
"You might need to order me two so I can catch up." Damon added.
"I think getting drunk is what got us into this mess in the first place." Caroline hissed trying to be discreet.
"Hey that was all you and Klaus Blondie, we missed out on all the fun." Damon laughed a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
"Hell yeah bring on the champagne." Katherine cried getting into the spirit. Bonnie and Elena just looked at each other not quite sure how to deal with the unfolding events.
"It's you!" Rebekah cried suddenly squinting across the table at Stefan. "You're the arse who wouldn't let me into the elevator before; I had to wait at least two minutes for the next one."
"Oh poor little princess Rebekah had to wait for something. Maybe if you weren't making a scene and screaming like a banshee I would have let you in." Rebekah looked at him in shocked by his comment and unsure of how to respond. "What don't tell me you're lost for words that surely has to be a first?"
"Yeah I'll vouch for that since we were young Rebekah has always had a comeback." Klaus agreed.
"What is this gang-up on Rebekah?" She scoffed. "Here I was thinking we were celebrating Niklaus's drunken Vegas wedding." She said purposely at the top of her voice.
"Come on Rebekah you know how juvenile men are when they get together." Bonnie said trying to calm the situation before it got out of control.
"Yes exactly, how about that champagne?" Elena added giving Bonnie a nervous smile, maybe alcohol was exactly what they needed.
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"So are you going to be Caroline Mikaleson now?" Katherine asked jokingly. Caroline almost spat out the mouthful of champagne she had just sipped.
"Well I personally think it has a nice ring to it." Klaus said eavesdropping on their conversation.
"Yeah you would." Caroline said rolling her eyes. "No I'm perfectly content being Caroline Forbes thank you very much."
"Well I hope that now you're married you won't get all dull and boring on me." Katherine said a serious look crossing her face.
"Not a chance honey, Wednesday night still has your name on it."
"Oooh what happens on Wednesday night?" Klaus asked excitedly.
"Girls' night Mikaelson meaning you're not allowed." Katherine said poking him on the chest.
"Sounds like that's right up my alley." Klaus grinned visions of them having pillow fights in their skimpy pyjamas racing through his mind.
"Get your head out of the gutter." Katherine said shaking her head knowing exactly what he was thinking.
"Trust me Klaus girls' night is not somewhere you want to be." Stefan said seriously. "Imagine facials, soppy chick flicks, not to mention all the incessant bitching about the opposite sex."
"Well maybe we need a boys' night to balance things out." Klaus suggested.
"You don't need to ask me twice." Damon chimed in to the conversation.
"I can just feel the testosterone levels rising now." Elena said arching her eyebrows at him.
"Well isn't this sweet." Rebekah drawled taking it all in. "You realise this isn't real don't you?" She said gesturing towards Klaus and Caroline. The table went silent momentarily processing her comment.
"Louder Rebekah I don't think they heard you in London." Stefan said sarcastically.
"I'll do exactly as I please Stefan. Last time I checked you weren't my manager. You might want to keep a closer eye on your own clients considering recent events."
"Right that's it Rebekah." Caroline cried. "What gives you the right to come in here and judge everyone, you're hardly an angel."
"Honey I don't need to explain myself to someone like you." She snapped. "At least I don't get so drunk that I marry a complete stranger."
"Oh really?" Caroline replied about to launch herself across the table at the blonde.
"Caroline you might want to calm down considering we're in a very public place right now." Klaus said quietly placing a reassuring hand on her arm. Caroline tore her eyes away from Rebekah and back to Klaus, his eyes pleading with her.
"Fine, but when we're in private I can't promise that I won't scratch her eyes out." She replied the anger flashing in her eyes.
"Well just because you won't doesn't mean I can't do something." Katherine said standing up from her seat and throwing the contents of her water-glass at Rebekah. The blonde spluttered as the liquid ran down her face. Everyone at the table were frozen in shock unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"You bitch!" She cried mopping the water from her face with her napkin.
"Well I've certainly been called worse." Katherine shrugged, the insult just rolling off her back.
"Okay Rebekah let's get you to the ladies and clean this up." Bonnie said coming to the rescue yet again. Rebekah stood up her face red with anger.
"Don't think this is over." She spat at Katherine then turned on her heel and stormed off towards the bathroom.
"Katherine Gilbert! I don't think angering Rebekah Mikaelson is going to help our plan, do you?" Elena hissed trying to keep her voice low.
"Whatever Elena, she was asking for it and everyone here knows that." She replied completely unapologetic.
"Yeah I'm with Katherine on this; I was this close to climbing over the table myself." Caroline said giving her friend a look of approval.
"I was right behind you." Stefan laughed.
"You are supposed to be a responsible manager Stefan!" Elena cried.
"Oh I think that's highly overrated." Stefan said chinking his glass with a bemused Damon.
"Trust you to find this funny." Elena accused him.
"Hey I've wanted to do that for years to the she-devil, props to your sister for actually going through with it."
A few minutes later Bonnie walked over a forced smile plastered on her face obviously trying to hide the immense stress she was under. "Well consider yourselves lucky, I managed to talk her out of going to the press for now but you are going to have to talk to her." She said looking directly at Caroline.
"Me?" She squeaked. "Why do I have to do it?"
"Well considering she said something like don't even think about sending in my good for nothing brother I think you're our best hope."
"Unbelievable." Caroline muttered standing up and stalking towards the bathroom.
"I can't believe they sent you in here." Rebekah said looking at Caroline in the reflection of the mirror.
"Yeah talk about feeding me to the wolves." She said unimpressed by the situation. "I think most of them are scared of you."
"And what you're not scared of me?" She asked curiously.
"No Rebekah I'm not, I just don't think you're a very nice person."
"You and everyone else." She muttered reapplying her mascara.
"Well you know you can change that."
"Why would I do that?" She said turning around to face Caroline. "This way I get everything I want." Caroline shook her head; Rebekah was nothing more than a conceited brat. She went to walk out before Rebekah spoke again.
"I must admit Niklaus has done a lot of stupid things in the past but given his extreme hatred for the institution, marriage was not something I ever imagined for him."
"Well I think we can blame the excessive amounts of alcohol for that smart decision."
"Yes perhaps you're right although it doesn't quite explain why he's choosing to stay married to you does it?"
"It's all for his career Rebekah. Klaus needs to show Hollywood that he's cleaned up his image so he can get the best movie roles."
"Being the bad boy is what has gotten Nik to where he is today and if you hadn't noticed already he doesn't give a damn about what people think of him." Caroline looked at Rebekah realising she had a point. "And why would he choose to spend six months with a complete stranger who quite frankly isn't even his type." Rebekah said studying her carefully.
Caroline had never thought about it that way. Why was he choosing to just give away six months of his life to play the role of her husband for no obvious benefit? She shook her head to dislodge the thoughts racing through her head, Rebekah was no doubt trying to manipulate her somehow.
"You don't have to remind me how completely different we are Rebekah."
"Yeah you actually seem to have a brain unlike most of those girls he consorts with." Rebekah said a smile playing on her lips.
"Wow was that a compliment Rebekah?" Caroline asked incredulously.
"No the only person I compliment is myself." Caroline rolled her eyes, she should have known this girl's vanity had no bounds. "Now I suppose we should get back, just make sure to keep your charming friend away from me."
"Katherine has a habit of doing and saying exactly what she thinks." Caroline explained realising the two girls were more alike than she thought, not that she'd ever tell Katherine that.
"So I've noticed, that one needs a leash and a muzzle." She snapped and Caroline couldn't help but laugh aloud.
"Look Rebekah I really would appreciate it if you didn't go to the media." She said sincerely.
"Oh I have no intention of doing that I'm having far too much fun keeping Niklaus on his toes." She said an evil glint in her eyes.
"He must have been a horrible older brother."
"Well we fought like most siblings but he was always quite protective of me that is until he got older and became the arrogant and belligerent arse he is today." Caroline could detect a hint of sadness in her voice.
"That certainly sounds familiar and I have six months of that to look forward to."
"You never know Caroline I think marriage might be just what he needs." Rebekah said a twinkle in her eye.
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"Would it be completely wrong of me to say seeing you almost kill my sister was pretty hot." Klaus said arching his left eyebrow suggestively.
"Yeah kind of." Caroline replied shaking her head at his immaturity. They had finished dinner without too much drama. Katherine and Rebekah had managed to keep their claws to themselves, for now anyway, but Caroline knew their feud was far from over.
"I'm stuffed." Klaus said letting out a loud sigh.
"Yeah it's certainly been an eventful twenty-four hours." Caroline agreed.
"Well at least they upgraded us to the honeymoon suite so we can give the king size bed a workout." Klaus said wiggling his eyebrows.
"Seriously do you ever stop?"
"Where would be the fun in that love? Anyway I have a bet to win; you might as well just give in to me now."
"Well truthfully I was thinking about it at dinner and decided we might as well have some fun if we're going to be stuck together for six months." Caroline said widening her blue eyes in his direction.
"Oh really?" Klaus asked surprised by her sudden change of heart.
"Well why not?" She said huskily. Caroline slid over so that she was sitting within inches of his face.
"Yeah why the hell not?" Klaus reiterated his voice slightly breaking. He licked his crimson lips preparing himself for their first real kiss. Caroline leaned in slowly watching him close his eyes in anticipation; she raised her hand and slapped him on the cheek watching his eyes pop open in absolute shock.
"Idiot! As if I would ever stoop to your level." She cried a triumphant smile gracing her features.
"Well it certainly didn't stop you before sweetheart." Klaus shot back dejectedly.
"I was drunk so it didn't count; now I'm fully conscious and sober I can't believe I even went there."
"Don't worry love the feeling is mutual."
"Oh really? It didn't seem like that a minute ago." She said arching her eyebrows.
"Hey everyone has needs honey I'm just trying to fulfil mine; it's already been too long since the last time."
"You know there are other things in life other than sex Klaus."
"Oh really Dr Forbes? Please enlighten me." He scoffed.
"Oh I don't know how about love and commitment maybe?"
"Oh you mean like marriage? Marriage is nothing but a farce that makes people feel trapped not to mention deeply unhappy." He cried. "Take our little union for example."
"Well I hardly think you can compare our situation to a real loving and committed marriage."
"Trust me Caroline marriage is nothing but a prolonged death sentence."
"Oh that's just charming Klaus." Caroline said remembering her earlier discussion with Rebekah. She knew there must have been something that happened in the past to make him so bitter and resentful. "Well for everyone's sake please do not share those delightful views with Oprah tomorrow."
"I was thinking about it but really who am I to crush their unrealistic beliefs?" He said a slight smile tugging on his lips.
"Mmmm we certainly wouldn't want that now would we?" She said sarcastically as the limo came to a complete stop. "Looks like we're here, only one more media pack to get through, well for today at least."
"You know it will stop eventually." Klaus said placing his hand comfortingly on her leg. Caroline smiled at his caring gesture, she was beginning to realise there was definitely more to him than she first thought. "Don't worry, tomorrow there'll be another scandal and we'll be old news. Lindsay will probably break the law again and end up back in rehab."
"Or maybe tonight's little catfight will end up on the front page instead." Caroline laughed.
"We can only hope." He agreed looking out the window at the waiting media. "I have an idea." Klaus said mysteriously, she looked at him wondering what he could possibly mean. "We should just give them exactly what they want." He opened the door slowly and helped her out of the car. She plastered on her fake smile and waved happily to the throng outside the Palms.
Klaus suddenly pulled her towards him so their bodies were rubbing against each other. He placed his hand gently on her head and smoothed down her blonde waves fastening a loose tendril behind her ear. He gazed into her eyes tracing invisible circles over her cheek with his thumb. Caroline inhaled sharply his touch reverberating throughout her body.
Klaus lent in slowly kissing her gently at first his lips slowly discovering hers. The kiss then deepened becoming harder and faster making Caroline dizzy with longing. She instinctively arched her back trying to get as close as she could forgetting momentarily they had an audience.
Caroline felt him break away his blue eyes opening slowly meeting hers. He smiled warmly taking her hand in his and steering her through the crowd, Caroline barely noticed she was still dizzy from their kiss. Once inside the confines of the elevator the buzz had finally worn off and she hit him on the chest.
"What did you do that for?" She cried.
"Ouch Caroline!" He groaned rubbing his chest. "That's what they wanted, didn't you notice that as soon as they got their photo they left us alone."
Caroline felt the heat creeping up her neck and over her cheeks realising she was far too affected by their kiss to notice anything. Klaus smirked reading her mind.
"This bet is going to be far too easy to win."