Thanks again to some of my regulars xxvampiresgreatestweaknessxx, mycutehamlet, HelloCutePanda, Kristine W, Suzypyong, thexlittlexlisa and NikMik, your reviews always make me smile.
Note: You'll notice a familiar song in this chapter which was inspired by my love of episode 2.16, with some necessary Klaroline changes. So thank you to the Vampire Diaries and Julie Plec for the great song choice.
Collision Course: Chapter 11
June 11, Mystic Falls Virginia
"Bonnie Bennett! What are you doing all the way down here in my home town?" Caroline asked shocked to see her walking along the main street.
"Well I had some business with one of my clients in Richmond so figured I might as well drop by and see how things were going." Caroline gave her a look that plainly said she didn't believe her.
"Really Bonnie? That's the only reason you're here?"
"Okay truthfully I was a little concerned about leaving Damon and Elena in charge considering their um history and penchant for bickering." She said a slight smile playing on her lips.
"Well they seem to be playing nice at the moment, but who knows when things might change." She laughed. "Elena tells me Katherine has graced us with her presence so if you want to come over later we're having a girls' night."
"Who do you think drove me here?" She said a wide grin on her face. "I have no directional sense whatsoever and without her would have ended up god knows where."
"So how did you find the drive with Katherine?" Caroline asked slyly knowing what the answer would be.
"Well she drives like an absolute maniac but I imagine you'd know that already."
"Yeah I have no idea how she passed her license test but have a feeling it had something to do with her feminine wiles, if you know what I mean." Bonnie nodded knowing exactly what she meant.
"Well at least we got here fairly quickly although I could have done without all the information. Let's just say I know Katherine Gilbert a lot more intimately now. "Caroline chuckled.
"Well you'll fit right in at girls' night then, I'll text you my address." She said. "I guess I should probably get going." She started reluctantly walking away.
"Sounds like you're really looking forward to going somewhere. Let me guess it's the obligatory visit to your old annoying great aunt?" Bonnie asked knowingly.
"Unfortunately not. I'm actually trying to get up the nerve to go and see my mum, our visit last night didn't go so well."
"Klaus wasn't being Klaus was he?" She asked instantly annoyed.
"No he was actually on his best behaviour for once." She said. "It was actually me that got upset and stormed out."
"She's not too happy with you I'm assuming?"
"That's an understatement. She'll go along with the plan but is so angry at me still."
"I'm sure she just needs some time."
"You sound just like Klaus." She laughed.
"It's good to see he's been learning something from me." She smiled. "Look to be honest my mum and I aren't exactly close but even when she's mad I know she still cares."
"Yeah I know but she was so angry last night, the only good thing to come out of it was Klaus, he was really supportive." Bonnie shook her head unsure of what she was hearing.
"You mean Klaus Mikaelson right?" She joked.
"Yes the very one, although I'm not sure it got him any brownie points with my mum in the process." She said. "Anyway afterwards I was ready to leave town but he told me I needed to stay and deal with this because I only have one mother." Bonnie nodded at the blonde realising exactly what Klaus meant by that.
"Well I can't believe I'm going to say this about Klaus but it sounds like some good advice."
"Yeah it's been going around in my head all morning so I thought no time like the present." Caroline said nervously.
"Well don't let me keep you; I hope it all goes okay." She said smiling at the blonde.
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"Caroline?" Her mum asked the surprise evident in her voice. She was walking down the front driveway when she noticed her daughter loitering nearby.
"Mum." She cried her hand on her chest. "You scared me!"
"I scared you, were you coming in to see me?"
"Well yeah, were you just about to go out?"
"I was but I was actually on my way over to see you." She said quietly. "I wanted to talk about last night."
"I don't want to fight mum, really I don't think I could handle another argument." She said her voice shaking.
"No I don't want to fight either Caroline." She said smiling slightly. "I was angry yes but it wasn't right of me to take it out on you or Klaus."
"I'm sorry I let you down mum you have to understand it's the last thing I ever wanted to do. You don't know how angry I am at myself for what I did." She cried.
"Oh I know you feel bad and I didn't make matters any easier by yelling at you. I guess I just didn't understand why you have to go through with this sham marriage."
"Mum if there was anything else I could have done trust me I would have." She began to explain.
"But you need to save your career." Caroline looked at her mum completely confused by her change in attitude from the previous night.
"Yeah I do unfortunately, even if it includes a fake marriage to a complete stranger." She winced as she said the words.
"I don't think I'll ever understand how Hollywood works to be honest."
"Yeah it certainly took me a while to adjust to it all." Caroline said her eyes wide.
"Look Caroline it's hardly an ideal situation but I'm beginning to realise there's not much we can do about it."
"So what exactly are you trying to say?" Caroline asked still puzzled by her change of heart.
"I'll go along with it all as promised but I'll also stop giving you a hard time about it, seems like you've been doing a good enough job of that as it is." She said pulling her daughter in for a big hug. Caroline smiled the familiar and comforting scent of her mum filling her nostrils. She pulled back to look in her eyes.
"Thanks mum; you don't know how much this means to me."
"Just don't expect a wedding present and you can tell Klaus the same thing." She joked.
"I'll let him know." She laughed. "I'm sure he'll be happy we managed to work things out after what happened last night."
"I'm sure he will be." She smiled. "You know I thought you'd scraped the bottom of the barrel with that one but he certainly proved me wrong." Caroline looked at her mum her interest peaked.
"Really?"
"Well anyone who's willing to stand up to me looks good in my book."
"I guess." She replied confused. They had barely spent any time with her mum how could she have developed all these opinions just from that? "Although I'm a little surprised considering he barely got a word in between our arguing."
"Not then Klaus came to see me this morning." Caroline inhaled sharply; he'd never mentioned visiting her mum. Why did he visit her and was her mum's change in attitude due to him? She felt slightly dizzy, her head clouded with all the unanswered questions she had.
"Well what did he say?" She said almost too scared to ask.
"He was very convincing not to mention extremely protective of you. I honestly couldn't believe you'd only met a month ago considering how well he seems to know you." Caroline was floored; she couldn't believe he would do that for her.
"He was a lot more mature than I'd expected as well. It must have been his mum's passing at such a young age that forced him to grow up so quickly."
Caroline looked at her mum in shock unaware that his mother had even died. She immediately felt bad for burdening him with her trivial problems. His words about not knowing what might happen one day echoing in her ears.
"Caroline?" Her mum asked looking at her daughter strangely.
"Oh yeah sorry mum." She stuttered still in disbelief about what she'd just heard. Caroline realised she knew absolutely nothing about her own husband and it wasn't a good feeling.
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"So truth or dare Elena?" Katherine asked a devilish smile on her face.
"This is so immature you guys, I mean we're not sixteen anymore." She said obviously trying to dodge the question.
"Oh come on Elena we've all done it, it's only fair you have your turn." Caroline said her eyes sparkling.
"Fine, truth I suppose." She grumbled.
"Okay so do you like Damon?" Katherine asked, Elena rolled her eyes obviously not happy with the question.
"Oh come on you guys you know I don't..."
"The game is called truth or dare Elena, so you have to be honest." Bonnie said shaking her finger at the brunette.
"Plus we can tell when you're lying so you might as well just fess up big sister." Katherine said rolling her eyes.
"I suppose so." She said weakly.
"You suppose so?" Caroline asked. "What kind of answer is that Elena? Look its fairly obvious to everyone that you that you like him, a lot. "
"Okay fine you're right, even if he does annoy the hell out of me at the same time." The rest of the girls cheered in celebration at her admitting what they all knew anyway. "It doesn't change anything though."
"What is that supposed to mean, surely now you've admitted you have feelings for the guy you'll want to take it to the next level." Katherine said wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
"Is that all you think about Katherine?"
"Yes." She shot back immediately. Elena shook her head wondering why she'd even asked.
"Look we both need to work together, especially now, it just isn't professional for us to be anything but work colleagues."
"Seriously Elena?" Bonnie said. "Right now this weird bickering not to mention your obvious sexual tension is making the work situation more problematic if anything. If you don't believe me ask you client over there."
"Yeah Elena it's true I'm sorry." She said frowning slightly. "Look what Bonnie means is that if you guys got together you might find the working relationship a lot easier." Caroline suggested thinking about their disastrous road trip. "I think we all would."
"Well even if that's true, I have no idea how he feels about me." The three girls started laughing unable to hold it in.
"Are you serious Elena? Damon has told practically anyone that will listen how he feels about you. Just ask Klaus." Caroline said.
"Or me." Bonnie said raising her hand. "I'm the poor shmuck that has to work with him."
"Or Stefan, he's ready to kill Damon. Not to mention what he told Jeremy yesterday." Katherine said rubbing her hands together with glee.
"What does Jer have to do with this, he doesn't even know Damon."
"He does now; apparently Klaus accidentally spilled the beans when he and Damon were at the Grill yesterday." Katherine said.
"So then it's settled." Bonnie said triumphantly.
"What's settled?" Elena asked nervously.
"Let's get these two together. How about a trip to the Grill, the boys are going to be there tonight." Caroline said secretly hoping she'd see Klaus.
After what her mum had told her Caroline was eager to thank him for what he did. By the time she had returned from her mum's house he was already out with Matt and Damon. She hoped maybe she could find out more about him while she was at it but knowing Klaus that would be difficult.
"How about some tequila ladies?" Katherine asked mischievously.
"That never ends well; I think Caroline's wedding is case in point." Elena said pointing to the blonde in question.
"Hey I'm already married so what's the worst that can happen?" She laughed.
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"How is it that we're not allowed to crash girls' night but for some reason you can all show up here?" Klaus asked looking at them all but Caroline in particular. She was dressed casually in dark skinny jeans, a vintage Rolling Stones t-shirt, her hair falling in waves down her back, but by the way his eyes were roaming over her body she could tell he was impressed with what he saw.
She looked away scared that his penetrating gaze might make her melt. She had never felt so many conflicting emotions for someone at once. She knew she was attracted to him sexually, that went without saying, but she was beginning to see a more softer and considerate side to him that just made him all the more attractive.
"Well speak for yourself Mikaleson but I'm pretty happy to see all my favourite girls in the one place." Matt laughed jovially placing his arms around the twins. "It's just like old times."
"Yeah it's like we're all sixteen again." Elena said happily looking around the bar.
"Yeah but what's with this boring band, seriously Jer what is going on in your bar?" Katherine cried.
"I know but apparently it's what the locals like."
"Maybe they'd appreciate some home-grown talent?" Bonnie suggested approaching the bar. Jeremy looked up noticing Bonnie for the first time her natural beauty sending him into a trance.
"I like where you're going with this." He smiled back at her his brown eyes meeting hers.
"Caroline Forbes come on down." Matt cried out like she was on a game show.
"Oh no that's not what they want." She said self-consciously as Elena and Katherine attempted to push her towards the stage.
"Seriously Blondie would you just sing already, this place needs some livening up." Damon added.
A feeling of what seemed like stage fright had totally overwhelmed Caroline and she suddenly felt very shy. She could sing in her sleep and this crowd were nothing compared to the big stadiums she'd performed at but Caroline realised she'd never sung in front of Klaus before and for some reason the thought terrified her.
She looked over at Klaus his blue eyes shining brightly urging her to sing. Caroline shook her head trying to remove all her doubts and walked onto the stage. She whispered to the band trying to work out a song they both knew and turned around her stomach doing flips. She breathed in deeply as the music began to play.
"Close your eyes, give me your hand, darlin' do you feel my heart beating
Do you understand do you feel the same
Am I only dreaming is this burning an eternal flame"
As Caroline sang she slowly looked into the crowd her eyes falling on only one person. Klaus stood there mesmerized by her performance unable to look away. She felt her stomach flutter equally with nerves and desire at the pure intensity of his gaze. She looked away quickly her emotions getting the best of her.
"I believe it's meant to be, darlin' I watch you when you are sleeping
You belong with me do you feel the same
Am I only dreaming or is this burning an eternal flame."
As she finished the last note the sound of rapturous applause echoed throughout the room. She bowed her head gratefully and stepped down. She could sense Klaus looking at her but was too scared to look given the strong feelings he was stirring up inside her.
"Nice one Care, but we want more." Matt said to cheers from their friends.
"Yeah encore!" Katherine cried hoisting her drink in the air.
"Maybe later guys, I think I need a drink first." She said her throat dry, although she knew it wasn't only from the singing. Matt put his arms around her and pulled her towards the bar, Caroline could still feel his eyes watching every move making her shiver with desire.
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Caroline was feeling much more relaxed thanks to the copious amounts of tequila she had drunk. She noticed Elena sitting at the bar, a look of pure fear on her face. She walked over hoping to alleviate her worries, no doubt due to a certain brunette.
"Hey sweetie, you doing okay?" She asked.
"Um yeah sure." She mumbled taking a shot of tequila.
"Yeah it certainly seems like it." She laughed. "He likes you so there's nothing to worry about."
"Well that's what you say but I can't help the little part of me that is scared of rejection. I mean I've hardly been that nice to him have I?"
"Well no but that was partly him provoking you. Elena have a look at him." She said pointing towards the brunette his shoulders slumped over the bar, the only one of the group who didn't seem to be having fun. "He likes you so much he's miserable."
"Not really the effect I wanted to have on someone." She said sarcastically.
"Well if you moved your arse over there maybe he wouldn't be so sad anymore." She said bossily. "Neither of you would be." Elena looked at her processing what she'd said. The brunette stood up quickly almost falling back down the alcohol making her dizzy, a look of determination crossing her face.
"Go get him tiger." Caroline urged as she walked over toward the bar.
"Um Damon could I maybe speak to you about something?" Elena said quietly.
"Seriously Elena I don't want to talk about business tonight." He growled obviously not in the mood.
"Okay um well how about we um..." She stuttered nervously. Damon peered at her a look of surprise flashing in his green eyes.
"What don't tell me Elena Gilbert is stuck for words, now this has to be a first." He laughed.
"Well no I don't talk that much; sometimes I don't talk at all well usually when I'm sleeping or..." She rambled nervously.
"I spoke too soon." He joked she looked at him closely her frustration growing.
"You are so annoying." She cried. "All I'm trying to do is tell you something and you are teasing me about it." He smiled at her obviously enjoying the conversation immensely.
"Fine I apologise. What do you need to tell me?" He asked smirking.
"Well what I'm trying to say but you are making it very difficult for me is that, um, um..."She stumbled.
"I like you too Elena." He said quietly his green eyes searching hers. Elena froze unable to say or do anything his comment taking her by complete surprise. She finally responded hitting him on the arm with a whack.
"Ouch Elena, seriously woman." He cried the whole bar descending into silence.
"How dare you!" She cried. "That's what I was going to say and you got in before me." Elena was quite competitive and hated the thought that someone would beat her to something.
"Well you were taking too long." He whined a smile tugging on his lips. "You can say it now if you like; I promise I won't tell anyone I beat you to it."
"Well considering the whole room heard you I don't think that's possible now." Matt piped up. Elena looked around momentarily humiliated that their conversation was public but then she smiled broadly.
"Oh f**k it." She laughed putting her arms around his shoulders and pulling him in for a long-awaited kiss. The room erupted in cheers and wolf whistles.
"Can I just say finally!" Bonnie laughed and Caroline nodded in agreement.
"Okay is it just me or is anyone else slightly disturbed by this scene?" Jeremy asked coming up between them.
"You know I'm not much of a PDA fan but in this case it's long overdue." Caroline said.
"Although I can definitely see why her own brother wouldn't want to see that." Bonnie said laughing.
"I'm Jeremy by the way seeing as we haven't been properly introduced." He said gazing into her eyes as a slight blush crossed her face.
"Oh I'm so sorry you guys, how rude of me. Jeremy is the twin's brother obviously and owner of this fine establishment and Bonnie is Klaus's publicist." Caroline said observing the obvious spark between the two.
"Honestly I am good at my job Klaus just has a habit of not doing what I tell him, although he's slowly getting better." She laughed.
"Nothing like a drunken wedding to straighten someone out." Jeremy laughed; Caroline smiled thinking how true it was.
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"Ahh tequila the ultimate social lubricant." Klaus laughed.
"You can say that again." She muttered thinking back to their drunken wedding night. "Did you notice Jeremy and Bonnie hitting if off as well?"
"Really?" He asked surprised. "I must have missed that one but if it makes her less uptight and angry at me all the time then I'm pretty happy." Klaus joked. The group had decided to call it a night after one too many drinks and Caroline and Klaus were walking back to her house a few blocks away.
Although Caroline had been the one who wanted to speak to him earlier she had been avoiding him, scared of her growing feelings. It didn't help that every time he looked at her Caroline's legs went to jelly. She was trying to regain some of her control but now that he was so close she could smell his aftershave and could feel her willpower slowly slipping away once again.
Caroline had been asking herself all night why he hadn't told her about his mother. On the rooftop in New York she has asked him about family and he hadn't mentioned it and there was obviously a reason why she just wasn't sure exactly what that was. She spoke again her voice shaking with nerves.
"My mum told me you came to see her this morning." Klaus nodded his expression unreadable. "You didn't have to do that Klaus."
"I know Caroline but you guys were so angry with each other and considering I sort of caused this mess I felt like I should at least try and help." He explained his gaze focused solely on the road.
"Well it definitely worked." She said brightly his eyes looking up to meet hers, a big smile on his face.
"Really? You guys sorted everything out then?"
"Well she's never going to be happy about the whole drunken wedding thing but she's agreed to help us out and stop giving me a hard time which is the best part." She smiled.
"Well I'm glad to hear it."
"She actually had a few nice things to say about you."
"Yes I've always had a good way with mothers." He laughed earning a whack from Caroline.
"Well she's definitely seen you in a new light so what you said must have done the trick."
"Must have been my charming nature, most women can't resist it." He replied cheekily.
"Yeah that must have been it." She said sarcastically. "Actually she did mention something about your apparent maturity which surprised the hell out of me. I mean I thought it was virtually non-existent."
"Yes well I know it comes as a surprise to some people but I don't always act like a child, only maybe fifty percent of the time." He chuckled.
"She actually said it had something to do with losing your mother so young." She said quietly hoping she hadn't gone too far.
"Yeah I suppose so." Klaus stuttered obviously surprised by her comment.
"My mum wasn't being nosy by telling me I just think she thought I'd already know."
"Yeah I'm sorry I didn't mention it, I guess it just happened so long ago it didn't seem um relevant." He explained feebly.
"She was your mother though Klaus, I can only imagine what it would be like to lose my mother and at such a young age too."
"Yeah it wasn't the best." He said going deathly silent again. Caroline realised Klaus was shutting down again, exactly what he did when things became too personal.
"I'm so sorry." She said sincerely. He nodded continuing to look at the ground. After what seemed like five minutes she spoke again. "Were you close to her?" He coughed nervously clearing his throat obviously trying to work out how to articulate his feelings.
"Um yeah I guess you could say we were close." He said quietly. "Elijah, Kol and Rebekah used to tease me because they thought I was her favourite." He said almost proudly.
"It must have been difficult to lose her when you were so young."
"Yeah it was." He said his voice breaking trying to keep his composure. "It was a car crash. A drunk driver lost control of his vehicle and ran head-on into my mother's car. She was killed instantly." He choked.
"Oh I'm sorry." She cried immediately wanting to pull him into her embrace and never let go.
"Yeah it um wasn't too good." He said sadly his shoulders hunched over and his hands shoved into his pockets. Caroline noticed a few stray tears gathering in his eyes. "Having someone so close to me ripped away like that was tough."
"I didn't mean to make you feel bad by dredging up the past."
"No it's okay, you'd think after ten years I'd be over this." He said almost ashamed of himself. "It's just so hard especially around this time of year." Caroline suddenly realised that was why he'd been so upset and moody lately, including on his birthday.
"If you don't mind me asking is that why you don't like to celebrate your birthday? Did she pass away around this time of year?"
"The anniversary is actually in about a month's time but we had the biggest fight on my birthday and never really made up properly before she died." Caroline could feel the sadness in his voice and her heart broke for him.
"I'm sure she knew you didn't mean it."
"But I did Caroline." He cried tears spilling down his cheeks now. "I told her I hated what she'd become. She died thinking I was ashamed of her." Caroline put her arms around Klaus unable to hold it in any longer. He wept freely as she rubbed his back trying to sooth him. After a while his crying abated and he pulled himself from her embrace his face red and full of embarrassment.
"I'm sorry I don't know what's happened to me. I think we can blame the tequila for this show of emotion." He said trying to lighten the situation.
"It's okay." She whispered tears rolling down her own cheeks now. "Where was your dad in all of this, wasn't he around to help you through it?"
"Are you kidding, the only person he likes to help is himself." He said bitterly. "He was actually what we were fighting about on my birthday. They were separated at the time and my mum invited him to my birthday party that year even though I said I didn't want him there."
"Why didn't you want him at your birthday?"
"My dad was a pig to my mother; he had countless affairs when they were married only to leave her for a much younger woman six months before my birthday." Caroline nodded slowly beginning to understand.
"So why did she invite him then, wasn't she angry about what he'd done to her not to mention you kids?"
"I think she thought she was doing what was best but I was so angry at him for what he'd done that I took it out on my mother." He said shaking his head. "It was like she hadn't accepted what had happened and he was still a complete saint in her eyes."
"She was in denial about everything." She deduced and he nodded.
"Yeah. She hadn't thrown out any of his stuff, she'd kept it all exactly where it was I think hoping he'd come back to us." He said wiping the stray tears from his face.
"Your poor mother." Caroline said sadly.
"Yeah I know that now but at the time I was so upset with her for putting up with it and letting him get away with everything."
"So how about Kol, Rebekah and Elijah?"
"Well because he was older Elijah saw everything and I think that's why he understands how I am and lets me go. Rebekah and Kol were so young at the time, I doubt they'd even remember that much." He said shrugging his shoulders. "I don't say anything; the last thing I'd want to do is upset them."
"So where is your dad, do you see him at all now?"
"No he lives in England still but I don't have anything to do with him." He said dismissively.
"How about your brothers and sister?" She asked.
"Elijah feels the same as I do but because Kol and Rebekah were younger when everything happened they give him a bit more time." He said his forehead creasing into a frown. She stopped walking and slowly turned towards him placing her hand affectionately on his arm.
"Thanks for telling me all of that Klaus, I know it wasn't easy for you." She whispered looking him deeply in the eyes and reaching forward to place a soft lingering kiss on his cheek. It felt like time froze for those short seconds they were both lost in their thoughts and each other. "If there's ever anything you want to talk about you know where to find me."
Klaus slowly took her hands in his and squeezed them affectionately gratitude reflected in his eyes.
"You don't know how much that means to me Caroline." He said smiling slightly.