Hi Guys, thanks again for your lovely comments, especially all my regulars (you know who you are). Just a note in relation to Bonnie, I know a lot of you like her and Kol as a couple. I do too but I realised in this story it just doesn't work. Although I definitely plan to make them a couple in my next story, so stay tuned.
Chapter 17: Collision Course
12:00pm: July 13: Mayfair Hotel London
Caroline's eyes fluttered open slowly adjusting to the morning light streaming through the hotel room window. Her head was pounding and her mouth completely parched. Ah the joy of a hangover, Caroline really was too old for this.
She attempted to sit up but the dizziness overtook her sending her reeling back onto the pillow. She thought back to all the shots and cocktails she'd consumed the previous night feeling absolutely sick. When she was actually able to move Caroline was going to kill Katherine.
She turned over slowly attempting to block out the invading sunlight that was making her headache worse. She laid there momentarily feeling sorry for herself when a particular memory from the previous night came flooding back.
She'd told Klaus she loved him and if that wasn't bad enough he'd said absolutely nothing in response. It certainly wasn't the way she wanted to tell him but the pain of his rejection had hit her hard causing her to drink her way through the bar's vodka supply in order to compensate.
She really had to remember for next time that alcohol didn't help; it just made things a lot worse, especially the morning after. Caroline groaned this latest memory making her debilitating hangover that much worse. She placed the pillow over her head trying to block everything out and willed herself to sleep, at least then she didn't have to think about him.
July 12: Sanctuary Spa, Covent Garden London.
"Well that was relaxing." Caroline murmured sarcastically to Bonnie as they lay in the sauna their bodies sweating in the extreme heat.
"Yeah I'll say, those two just wouldn't let up." She agreed. "I think they butt heads because they're so damn similar."
"Don't ever tell Katherine that." Caroline laughed.
"No I value my life thank you very much."
The girls were relaxing at Sanctuary Spa in Covent Garden, part one of Caroline's Bachelorette Party apparently. Although the treatments so far had been reinvigorating Katherine and Rebekah had found ways to insult each other wherever possible, Caroline was surprised they still had ammunition left to use against each other. Elena, Bonnie and Caroline had long given up trying to play referee attempting to distance themselves from their petty arguments.
Although Caroline was far from happy about Rebekah tagging along she knew the blonde wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Rebekah was now sort of with Stefan and as much as she tried to forget, her sister-in-law, for about the next three months at least.
Caroline's stomach dropped at the thought of her marriage ending so soon. She had only recently connected with Klaus and she wasn't ready for it to be ripped away. Caroline shook her head; she didn't want to think about that yet. She knew she loved Klaus and hoped he would return her feelings before their time together ran out.
"Honestly we need to get those two muzzles." Elena muttered entering the sauna. "I came in here to try and get some peace."
"I think the only thing we can do is get some alcohol into them, the sooner the better." Caroline said while Bonnie and Elena nodded in agreement.
"So you seem rather relaxed Care." Elena said a smile playing on her lips.
"Well I am in a sauna; that might have something to do with it."
"Oh stop avoiding the subject Caroline that look on your face screams I've just had the best sex of my life." Elena said knowingly.
"Oh really that's what my face is saying." She replied cheekily.
"Yep that I've been totally f***ed look." Bonnie sighed. "Thank you Caroline you've certainly made my job a whole lot easier."
"How is that exactly?" Elena asked.
"Let's just say when Klaus is getting some he is happy and a happy Klaus means a happy Bonnie." They all laughed at her comment. "I'm jealous as hell by the way if you hadn't noticed, it's been way too long."
"Well we might need to do something about that tonight Bonnie." Elena said a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"Yeah I have this annoying thing unfortunately where I can't sleep with randoms, I have to actually like the guy which would explain the prolonged drought."
"Well I noticed there was a certain guy that seemed to catch your eye in Mystic Falls." Caroline said casually. Bonnie was silent, a telling sign that Caroline was right.
"Who in Mystic Falls?" Elena jumped in excitedly. Bonnie's already flushed cheeks turned bright red, obviously caught off guard by the question. "Oh come on Bonnie you can tell me." Caroline laughed at the awkward situation unfolding.
"Thanks Caroline." She said rolling her eyes.
"Hey I'm sorry but it was pretty obvious you were into each other at the Grill that night."
"What you think he was in to me?" She asked suddenly interested.
"Who was interested? Come on guys don't leave me hanging like this." Elena whined. Bonnie paused momentarily trying to work out how to tell Elena she liked her brother.
"I sort of like Jeremy." She said quietly her gaze downward playing with her hands.
"Jeremy who?" Elena shot back without thinking.
"Jeremy Gilbert Elena, how many Jeremy's do you know?" Caroline said shaking her head. Slowly their comments seemed to sink in and a look of realisation washed over Elena's face.
"You like my brother?"
"Seriously Elena don't make me say it again." Bonnie said clearly embarrassed her face beginning to turn pink again.
"Wow I never saw that one coming." She said in disbelief. "How did I miss all of that at the Grill?"
"You were too busy snogging Damon half the night remember?" Caroline said making it Elena's turn to blush.
"Ah yes now that was one hell of a night." She smiled. "Wow so you and my brother hey?"
"No there is no me and Jeremy. I just thought he was so nice and we seemed to get along really well"
"But you'd like there to be more and by the sounds of it Caroline thinks there could be something there."
"Yeah the sparks were definitely flying." Caroline nodded knowingly.
"Well I'll have to make sure I have a chat with my brother then and suss him out for you."
"No Elena, don't." Bonnie said suddenly very self-conscious about the whole situation.
"Okay I'll hold off for now but I'm going to have to talk to him at some stage considering he's coming to visit Katherine and me in LA next month."
"Jeremy is coming to visit?" Caroline asked. "Well Bonnie that sounds like perfect timing to me."
July 12: Arch Angel Kensington London
"Seriously you've never pole danced before?" Audrey their dance instructor asked Caroline her face in shock.
"Never, although I think I'm going to have to take up pole dancing it's so much fun." She giggled sliding down the pole already slightly affected by the alcohol she'd consumed on the way to High Street Kensington for their class.
"Trust Caroline to be the top of the class she always had this way of being annoyingly good at everything." Katherine joked.
"Really sounds just like Niklaus." Rebekah said drinking her martini. "He was always so competitive too."
"Oh he's still ultra-competitive." Caroline noted thinking about their bet.
"Hey you can talk Caroline." Katherine said rolling her eyes. "You had to be the best at everything you did I seem to recall."
"I did not." She cried petulantly even though she knew deep down it was true.
"Well sounds like you two are a match made in heaven." Rebekah laughed. After numerous shots in the limousine followed by some cocktails at Arch Angel, Rebekah and Katherine were beginning to thaw, albeit slowly, but Caroline figured it was progress at least.
"So are you going to teach any of your newfound moves to the hubby?" Bonnie asked wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
"Maybe, I actually have a feeling there was a few he'd like in particular." She smirked earning a horrified look from his sister in the process.
"Ew Caroline, that's my annoying brother you're talking about." She cried in disgust.
"She can hardly help the fact that you're related Rebekah." Elena added.
"So how would you all feel if I started talking about Stefan and his special talents in the bedroom then hey?"
"Ew!" Katherine, Caroline and Elena cried.
"None of you are even related to Stefan and you react like that, now you know exactly how I feel." She said vindicated. "Now how about some more drinks to liven up this party?"
"Wow for once we agree on something Mikaelson." Katherine said shaking her head.
"I think that's the first time you have ever called me something other than the wicked witch or the ice princess."
"You're forgetting my personal favourite the blonde bitch." She snorted. "Trust me there's been a whole host of names you aren't even aware of but in the spirit of Caroline's Bachelorette Party I'm willing to go easy on you."
"Wow I feel so honoured Gilbert." She replied curtly. "I'm happy to agree to a détente for the night but I can't promise anything past that." Caroline rolled her eyes these girls were unbelievable and as Bonnie put it so stubbornly similar.
"Okay I'll get the next round anyone want to help me out?" She asked as Bonnie and Elena got up and followed her to the bar. Caroline looked over at the blonde Mikaelson a budding question playing on her lips.
"I can't believe I'm going to ask this but why Stefan?" Caroline asked curiously. Given the fact everyone seemed more relaxed she couldn't help but ask. She had been shocked to find out they were sleeping together considering Klaus told her Rebekah's previous conquests included a Russian Count, a billionaire hotelier and an Olympic Skier amongst others.
She was struggling to understand their connection, considering how different they were, and was desperate for an explanation. Caroline realised it was probably because their situation brought up a lot of unanswered questions she had about her and Klaus.
"What do you mean why?" She asked scrunching up her nose.
"Well I know you've gone out with some more high-profile, wealthier people in your time and I guess I'm just wondering why you chose Stefan, and please no more information about his bedroom skills."
"Look Caroline I think if anybody you would know the answer to that question it would be you."
"I don't understand." She said the confusion evident.
"What made you become friends with Stefan in the first place?"
"Well I guess for starters he's intelligent; I mean we love talking about literature and he can quote almost every classic known to man." Caroline said thinking about his tendency to use quotes and apply them to real-life situations.
"Oh you mean… 'What incensed him the most was the blatant jokes of the ones that passed it all off as a jest, pretending to understand everything and in reality not knowing their own minds'…" Rebekah recited dutifully.
"Oh yes don't tell me, um that's Ulysses by James Joyce…." Caroline said recognising one of Stefan's all-time favourite quotes.
"Page 655." Caroline and Rebekah said in unison both falling into fits of laughter.
"Only Stefan would have memorised the page number as well." Caroline smiled at Rebekah. "He's also witty, not to mention pretty funny at times, but don't tell him I said that he'll just get a big head."
"Okay witty and charismatic I'll pay but funny remains to be seen. Have you heard his terrible dinosaur joke?" She asked her eyes wide.
"Oh no not the one about the sleepy dinosaur?" She said not quite believing he'd tell Rebekah Mikaelson of all people that little gem.
"Yep the stega-snore-us." She smiled shaking her head. "Basically he's an absolute nerd but a really cute and caring one."
"So this isn't just an arrangement then between consenting adults?" She asked using Rebekah's terms to describe their relationship.
"Well yes of course it is Caroline." She stuttered.
"Oh come on Rebekah it is so obvious you have feelings for Stefan." She said inhaling sharply. "And if he told you that stupid joke I'm thinking the feeling must be mutual."
"I highly doubt that I mean I'm definitely not his type." She said brushing it off. "We couldn't be more different."
"Truthfully I'm not really sure what Stefan's type is Rebekah because he hasn't had a serious girlfriend since I've known him." She said shrugging her shoulders.
"I don't know sometimes I feel like he's too good for me." She said quietly almost ashamed by her admission. Caroline couldn't believe the conceited fashion model in front of her was just as insecure as everyone else on the planet.
"Well that's just silly Rebekah." She said dismissively. "Look the reason I was so surprised by your little arrangement is that casual sex just isn't Stefan's thing, which leads me to believe that he must like you." Rebekah's face lit up excitedly.
"Well I think the same could be said for you and my dear brother." Caroline blushed.
"Oh well I think our relationship is slightly more complicated than that, I mean we are married." She laughed awkwardly.
"Well I don't think the fact you're married is complicating things at all you two are just using that to hide behind your true feelings." She said knowingly.
"Oh and if you're such an expert what are our true feelings Rebekah?"
"You love him and as far as I can tell he's pretty close, if not already in love with you too."
"How do you know that? I mean you've barely spent any time with us." She choked unnerved by the blonde's boldness.
"I don't need to be with you every day to know this Caroline, I mean he is my brother give me some credit." She scoffed. "He's never been like this with anyone before that's why it's so damn obvious."
"It's really difficult to read him though." She mumbled. "I have no idea what he's thinking and to be honest it's absolutely killing me."
"I hear you." She said obviously referring to Stefan. "I think with Klaus you just need to give him some time to adjust, I mean this would all be pretty new to him and I know how much he hates change." She joked.
Caroline nodded thinking how true Rebekah's words were, although she wasn't sure how long an adjustment would take. Maybe if Caroline told him how she felt it would help bring him out of his shell. It was just whether she had the nerve to do it first, rejection was tough and after everything she'd been through with Tyler, Caroline wasn't sure she was feeling that game.
1:00am July 13: Mahiki Bar, Mayfair London
"So Kitty Kat anyone take your fancy?" Caroline giggled as she finished yet another pina colada. The girls had passed their pole dancing class with flying colours, even Elena who had some interesting moves of her own, and were partying at a popular Mayfair bar called Mahiki. The bar resembled a tiki beach hut you'd find on a deserted tropical island.
Caroline adjusted her coconut bra that seemed to be rubbing a lot less now she'd had so many cocktails. When the girls said they had an outfit for her they hadn't been joking. At first she'd been shocked unable to comprehend going out in it publicly but after some convincing and a few tequila shots Caroline was running around quite happily in her bra and blue grass skirt. It also helped the bar was having a theme night so they fit right in, she was a little worried about what might happen if they decided to go elsewhere though.
Caroline looked over at her sister-in-law dressed in a green grass skirt dancing with Bonnie and Elena in matching purple and yellow outfits pleasantly surprised she had agreed to dress-up without arguing. Although if she was being truthful Rebekah was probably too drunk to object. Caroline decided she liked drunken Rebekah and wished she could visit more often.
"Nah there's no one." Katherine replied suddenly finding her drink very interesting. Caroline nearly laughed aloud, there was a hoard of guys waiting to try and chat up the gorgeous brunette but she seemed oblivious of the attention she was attracting.
"How about that guy over there in the yellow Hawaiian Shirt." She said. "He's pretty cute." Katherine glanced over briefly and looked back at her friend.
"He's wearing a Hawaiian shirt Caroline." She said totally unimpressed.
"Well I guess that means none of these guys would interest you considering they're all wearing Hawaiian shirts."
"Well they have to be the worst thing ever invented; I mean what were they thinking?" She said rolling her eyes dramatically.
"Katherine we're at a Tiki Bar in dress-up, I don't think they wear those shirts on a daily basis." She replied. "I mean do you usually get about in a red grass skirt?" She asked gesturing to her friend's outfit.
"Of course not, although there was this one guy who liked to role play and I do recall a grass skirt being involved." She said reliving the memory.
"Of course you had sex in a grass skirt." She said raising her eyebrows at Katherine. "Anyway not the point, tonight you are going to break your drought and from what I can see there are plenty of fine candidates to choose from." Katherine attempted to interject. "And before you say anything I'm happy to vet them first about their views on Hawaiian shirts."
"You're hilarious Caroline."
"And you're avoiding the subject." She countered. "Come on Katherine what's gotten in to you."
"Nothing." She said quietly. Caroline continued staring at her friend waiting for a truthful response.
"I told you Caroline I've lost my mojo and I really don't want to talk about it here or now for that matter." She snapped.
"You have not lost your mojo." She replied a little too loudly earning strange looks from some fellow club goers.
"Caroline did you want to say it any louder; I don't think they heard you in Chile." She shot back her face slightly pink from the unwanted attention.
"Sorry about that." She said sincerely. "Look you have not lost anything Katherine that's just an excuse."
"An excuse for what?"
"For what happens to be the real problem. Ever since Klaus's birthday party and your little altercation with Elijah you seem to have lost all your confidence, which isn't at all like the Katherine I know."
"Trust me that idiot is not responsible for this." She shot back her anger rising to the surface.
"Oh really? So you're saying that what Elijah said had no effect on you whatsoever?" She pushed.
"I don't know, maybe." She trailed off. "I don't think I've had anyone speak to me like that before, I guess it just hurt."
"If it helps I don't think it was personal Katherine, apparently Elijah has a tendency to be quite brittle with most people. I guess you could call it his natural charm." She said attempting to lighten the situation.
"Well someone needs to teach him some manners."
"I'm not justifying his actions at all but honestly I think it's a bit of a defence mechanism, all the Mikaelsons seem to have it. " She said thinking about her earlier conversation with Rebekah and the way Klaus used his charms to avoid anything too personal.
"Ah let me guess daddy issues? Abandonment perhaps?" She asked doing her best impersonation of a psychologist. Caroline looked at Katherine, her grave expression giving her away immediately.
"I guess you could say all of the above."
"Wow really?" She asked and Caroline nodded. "Well I guess that explains something although I still think that's no excuse for lack of proper decorum." She said her face softening slightly. Caroline cleared her throat.
"Yeah well no matter what Elijah's issues are I refuse to let him ruin your night. Hey look at the gorgeous blonde over there, notice his plain white shirt." She said pointing in his direction.
"I take it you didn't notice his Hawaiian print shorts Caroline." She muttered taking a sip of her drink. Caroline rolled her eyes, talk about being hard to please.
2:30am Mahiki Bar, Mayfair London
"Hello Husband." Caroline cried into the phone breaking into giggles.
"Why hello there Mrs Mikaelson to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I just wanted to check you were behaving yourself."
"You know I would never misbehave Caroline." He replied and she could tell he was grinning when he said it.
"Yeah but Kol would." She said suspiciously
"I can handle my brother." He laughed.
"Well I hope so Klaus. I mean I would hate there to be any media leaks about half-naked girls or anything like that." She mumbled desperately pushing for further information about their activities. The thought of a stripper near her husband was too much to bear, especially in her drunken state.
"What would you define as half-naked? I think we're looking more at three quarters at the moment but there's still more clothing to be shed." Klaus said.
"Oh really? I guess that's only fair considering we've had our fair share of strippers tonight." Caroline shot back jealously.
"I'm going to kill Katherine Gilbert." He muttered as Caroline started to laugh uncontrollably.
"You'll be happy to know I learned some great moves tonight that I'm dying to show you."
"Well that certainly sounds interesting." Klaus gulped his voice suddenly taking on a husky tone.
"Yeah it turns out I'm a natural at pole dancing." Caroline said seductively.
"Well I'd definitely like to see those moves." He stuttered.
"Oh you will." She promised sending him into an absolute spin.
"Caroline you're driving me so crazy, I want you now." He moaned and she could tell the desire was building inside him threatening to errupt at any moment.
"I want you too baby, god I love you so much." She groaned into the phone. The resulting silence on the other end of the line from Klaus was deafening.
Caroline realised straight away she shouldn't have said it, especially in her intoxicated state, but the fact he hadn't responded told her more than she ever wanted to know. She was madly trying to backtrack even though she knew once something was out there it was virtually impossible to take back. Caroline noticed Katherine motioning to her from the bar and realised that was her only way out of escaping this embarrassing predicament. After what seemed like hours of awkward silence Caroline spoke.
"Hey I've got to get going Katherine is beckoning me over to the bar for some more shots." She said trying to sound as normal as possible but probably far from it.
"Yeah of course, I'll speak to you tomorrow." Klaus said sounding quite rattled no doubt due to her unexpected profession of love.
Caroline disconnected the call and placed her head in her hands, of all the stupid things to say. She could have kicked herself for being so careless and losing control like that. Caroline meant it of course but she never imagined it would come out like that or this soon.
She furiously swiped at the tears that were beginning to fall down her face. She felt her stomach clench in agony, her anxiety levels skyrocketing. She realised the only thing worse than saying that to Klaus at that moment was the fact he didn't reply, his silence spoke volumes.
She looked over at her friends who were laughing and dancing realising she needed to pull herself together. She wiped away a few stray tears and walked towards them thinking that a few vodka shots should help numb the pain of rejection.
2:00pm July 13: Mayfair Hotel London
Caroline woke up with a start the sound of her mobile phone ringing loudly next to her bed, which was doing nothing at all for her persistent headache. Half asleep she grabbed her phone and checked the screen through squinted eyes.
Her stomach dropped at the sight of his name on her caller ID. What was she going to do? She couldn't ignore him because then he'd know something was wrong. Why couldn't she have made a complete fool of herself in front of a total stranger, at least she'd never have to see them ever again unlike her husband. Caroline had never been so torn but she knew what she had to do.
"Hello." She said quietly, her voice still raspy from sleep.
"You sound about as good as I feel." He replied and she could tell he was smiling slightly.
"Yeah I'm definitely way too old for a hangover like this." She moaned in pain.
"You're telling me, I have no idea how I used to be able to consume so much alcohol before."
"I hear you. There was just way too many shots not to mention the cocktails oh and the vodka." She shuddered the mention of the alcoholic beverages making her want to vomit.
"We drank so much last night, you should have seen Kol he could barely talk, let alone walk by the end of the night." He laughed.
"And here I was thinking he'd be the bad influence."
"Yeah I think Elijah and Stefan were ready to kill him he was being that annoying. I mean even the girls wouldn't go near him by the end." He said rambling away. Caroline could tell how uncomfortable he was and she knew it was because of what she said. Caroline knew she had to try and rectify the situation otherwise it was going to be a very long and extremely awkward few months ahead of them.
"Well I can definitely sympathise with your brother, I was so drunk last night as well."
"Really?" He asked the surprise evident in his voice. "I didn't think you sounded too bad on the phone."
"Yeah I was actually, you should ask the other girls I kept telling them and whoever would listen that I loved them." She lied, the guilt eating away at her.
"So you're telling me you were so drunk you were in love with everyone last night?" He asked his tone serious.
"Yeah so if I felt the need to include you in that during my drunk dial I'm sorry. People should really learn to cut me off before I start blubbering and getting way too affectionate."
"Sounds like they should." He said quietly his voice unreadable. "Um well I'm on my way back to London so I guess I'll see you back at the hotel soon."
"See you then." Caroline said quietly disconnecting the call.
Before she could stop it a flood of hot salty tears were streaming down her cheeks. How had she misread the situation between them so badly? Caroline thought she'd been upset about her break-up with Tyler but that didn't even compare to the absolute devastation she felt now.
The one and only person she wanted didn't want her back and it hurt like hell.
A/N: I'm sorry! I never post anything at the end of my chapters but I felt the need to apologise. It wouldn't be me if there wasn't some angst but all I can say is stick with me and you won't regret it -SC