entitled: the stars are brightly shining (o' holy night)
summary: For brief moments on a chilly November evening, a grieving artist and a
struggling young woman change each other's lives. But they part ways before exchanging names and don't see each other again until a silent Christmas eve. Will this Christmas eve bring the miracles that they both so desire?
pairing: klaroline, with a side of kennett
rating: t
disclaimer: own nothing.
notes: This is in dedication to the amazing Leah (approvesomuch) who has made three of the most beautiful fanfiction covers for me. I do apologize for this being so late.
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Caroline Forbes is having a bad day. A very, very bad day.
First, she woke up to the hot water pipes frozen in her dinky little apartment, the heat having been turned off since her rent was two days late. Her landlord was basically a real douchewad. She ran over to her friend Bonnie's apartment to shower and wound up walking in on her with some guy with beautiful brown eyes that were the color of dark honey.
So that was out.
After finally getting cleaned up, she was running ten minutes late, missing her bus in the process. She ran all the way to work, her long blond hair flying behind her in the chilly morning air. She thanks Pete above that it's only two blocks.
"Forbes, you're late," comes the voice of her boss as she throws herself through the employee entrance door.
"I know, I know," she says as she begins to strip off her coat and over shirt. "I'm not even going to bother to tell you what happened this morning because you're not going to believe it."
"You're right, I'm not," says her boss as he approaches her. "But I will tell you this. If you screw up out there again today, you're gone. Do you understand? I like you, kid, but you are not meant to work in a restaurant."
Caroline had known this was coming for a long time. Her life was so screwed up right and then losing her job on top of that-jeez.
"Yes, sir," she murmurs, her eyes downcast.
"Okay," her boss replies. "The breakfast rush is beginning so please get out there."
So she did.
Klaus Mikaelson wasn't exactly sure how he ended up at this little restaurant. He and his family usually never dined in any place like this. Only the finest restaurants in town for them.
But now, who cares?
Of course, this place was actually right down the street from that stupid blank wall. The blank wall where that dumb old mural was supposed to go. Weeks ago he had been given this one job, this one simple job to paint the town Christmas mural and have it ready by Christmas eve.
Only now, he had a block. He didn't know what the hell to paint because-
Well, because he didn't want too.
"Okay, food. Food. Something to eat might clear my head," he mutters to himself as he begins to walk.
The restaurant's bright lights catch his eye as he walks, drawing him in like a moth to a beckoning flame. He doesn't really pay attention to the name as he walks through the doors, finding a small table in the far corner of the lowly lit dining room.
"Hello there, I will be your waitress this afternoon," comes a voice from somewhere above his head. As he looks up, he finds himself looking into a pair of sea green eyes and a gentle smile that seems so out of the ordinary because it's reserved just for him.
His eyes look for a nametag and find none.
"Hello," he replies, shifting in his seat.
"What can I get for you?" the young woman asks, pulling her notepad from her pocket.
"Uh, coffee is fine. Black."
"Anything else?"
"Just that for now, if that's all right?"
The woman smiles again. "Of course. I'll be right back." She jots down his order and dashes off, her long dark blond braid bouncing on her back.
He watches her go, feeling a slight shift of surprise at her gentleness that was directed right at him. If she knew the truth she wouldn't even be able to look him in the eye.
Caroline nearly trips over her own feet as she tumbles into the kitchen, slapping the order onto the nearby wall. She heads for the coffee machine and begins to dump coffee into the strainer, not noticing how heavily her hands are shaking until a gentle pair of hands take it away from her.
"Easy there," says Bonnie. "What happened?"
"Sorry," Caroline murmurs, stepping back to allow her friend to finish preparing the coffee. "I think I just lost my head out there."
"What do you mean?"
"Hot guy. Okay, Greek god is more the word for it."
Bonnie chuckles softly, pouring the now piping hot coffee into a tall mug. "How does Hercules want it prepared?"
"Just black," Caroline says, taking the mug from her. "When did you get here?"
"About twenty minutes ago. I was late too."
"That guy that was in your apartment, is he still there?"
"Kol?" Bonnie says. "No, I booted him out before I left."
"Will you see him again?" Caroline asks as she heads for the sliding door to the dining room.
Bonnie shrugs. "Yeah, probably. He tells me he's got an older brother who's single. Maybe I could fix you up?"
Caroline rolls her eyes. "I cannot believe I am saying this but Caroline Forbes should not be dating right now."
Bonnie gasps dramatically, clutching at her chest for a second before her lovely face sinks into a smile once again.
"I understand, sweetie. But sooner or later, you are going to have to get back up on the horse. There are plenty of horses out there and not all of them are like Damon."
Caroline sighs. "I wish I could be as happy as you, Bonnie."
With that, Caroline steps through the revolving door and returns to the dining room.
To find that handsome stranger not there.
Caroline walks to the now empty table, unable to fight the slight disappointment that she felt. Something white catches her eye. A piece of paper sticks out from underneath an empty water glass. Caroline picks it up, carefully unfolding it to find an lazy but almost elegant script and a few bills.
Five one hundred dollar bills.
Caroline tries not to squeak and fails miserably. Her fingers scramble at the note, her eyes trying to focus on the hastily scribbled words.
To the young woman who so kindly waited on me, I had to leave due to a sudden emergency. I am sorry for leaving abruptly. But please accept this tip because you were so gentle. And thank you.
"Caroline?"
Caroline turns towards Bonnie, holding the now crumpled bills between her fingers so that Bonnie sees them. Bonnie's eyebrows nearly disappear into her hairline as she takes them in.
"Is that what I think it is?"
"Five hundred dollars," Caroline whispers, finding her head once again. She stuffs them into the front pocket of her apron where she keeps her tips, not needing anyone else seeing. "I can make my rent now."
"But why would Hercules leave you a five hundred dollar tip for a cup of coffee he didn't even have?" Bonnie asks as she begins to clear the table. "Sheesh, it's like you gave him a lap dance or something."
"Bonnie!" Caroline yelps, scandalized.
"Oh, Caroline," Bonnie says, rolling her eyes. "Come on, lets get back to work before the boss has both of our heads."
Three days had passed since that chance encounter with the beautiful blonde at the restaurant and Niklaus Mikaelson can't really understand what is happening.
Since that cold November afternoon, he has been able to work. An idea had finally fallen into his head about what to do for the town mural and he was slowly mapping it out. A piece that he had had due for a class he had finally finished and turned in, earning full marks for 'the attention to detail and the precision of it's lines', whatever that means. He used to know what all that meant before his own personal hell had begun months before. Now, he just didn't care.
Something had happened that afternoon at the second hand restaurant. Something good.
Also, he had had to listen to his younger brother jabber on about some one night stand named Bonnie that he was looking to turn into a two night stand.
"She's got a friend," Kol had said. "Some blond friend that just divorced her asshole husband and is looking to find another fish in the sea."
"And why would I care about any of this, brother?" Klaus asks as he continues to work on one of the many sketches for the mural, not even bothering to glance at his brother.
"Because you need to have more of a life besides this," Kol replies, pointing at the sketch in his hand.
"What sort of a life should I have, Kol?" Klaus asks, finally looking at the younger Mikaelson.
Kol was still so young. At the tender age of 20, he was barely out of his teen years but his mind worked so much faster than many other people his own age. Perhaps growing up in their household was part of it, Klaus wasn't really sure.
"A life of your own that isn't centered around your work," Kol says tentatively, knowing he is treading on thin ice. "Henrik wouldn't want that."
"You have no idea what Henrik would want," Klaus snaps, slamming his sketchbook shut. "You were not here, watching him waste away to nothing at the ripe old age of fourteen!"
"Yeah, because nobody told me he was sick!" Kol snaps back, unabashed. "Listen to me, Nik-Henrik has been gone for almost a year now. His death wasn't anybody's fault, it was something that happened. And you need to move on or -"
"Or what?" Klaus growls, his normally sad blue eyes becoming like two chunks of ice.
That's when Kol wisely chooses to shut up, swallowing the words that were forming on his lips. He swallows, shaking his head in defeat.
"Never mind." Kol then turns on his heel, slowly striding out of the studio with his shoulders slumped.
Klaus's heart is heavier than it's been in the last few days, watching him go. The light and the small bit of joy now forgotten as the pain sets in once again.
Getting fired sucks, no matter how many times it happens.
Caroline can't say that she didn't see this coming after all, with the multitude warnings she had received for her mistakes. And well, she can say this. She was a terrible waitress. No matter how nice she was to the customers, there would always be one thing or another that would go wrong.
She had earned another job though - as a waitress in a coffee shop down the block from the restaurant. Aw hell, it never escapes. Maybe this will be her life. The proverbial waitress.
She'd sooner jump off the Brooklyn bridge.
"It will be all right," Bonnie says to her as she dresses to go to her first day. "This will work out."
"I'd probably do a better job making donuts and hot dogs," Caroline groans, pulling her long hair into it's usual ponytail. "Wish me luck."
Bonnie smiles sadly, waving a long fingered hand as Caroline exit's the apartment with her black jacket draped over her arm.
Because of that $500 tip from the handsome stranger, Caroline was able to keep her apartment. And that is something she marked down in her book of blessings.
The walk was easier, only a half a block this time. Caroline eyes the darkening sky tentatively, wondering if the first snowfall of the season is about to happen. As she walks, she spies a large blank wall right across the street from the shop, a young man standing in front with one hand brushing against his chin.
The back of the man is awfully familiar...
As Caroline gets closer, she realizes it's not him but the man that she had walked in on in Bonnie's apartment. Kol.
That's when Kol spies her, greeting her with a crooked smirk and a half-wave.
"Hey there. Caroline, right?"
Caroline swallows the rising lump in her throat and manages a forced smile in reply.
"Yeah, hi. Sorry, I thought you were someone else for a minute," she says, glancing down at her watch.
"I seem to get that an awful lot. Say, can you pass along a message for me?"
Caroline rolls her eyes, already knowing what is about to come out of his mouth.
"If you wanna see Bonnie again, just call her, okay?"
Kol's ears turn slightly pink, his smile becoming a bit bashful. "That obvious, eh?"
Caroline just shakes her head fondly. "Just a bit. Listen, I have to get to work. See you later."
"Bye, Caroline."
The holidays were drawing ever nearer.
Thanksgiving had been easy to avoid. He had spent it alone anyway, disregarding the constant invites from Elijah and his family and ignoring the nagging from Kol. Finally Kol had left on his own to do the one hundred mile drive to Elijah's home, meeting up with Rebekah and her new husband Matt along the way.
Christmas was another story. Unbeknownst to him, Kol had invited the rest of the family over to their tiny apartment for Christmas eve. When he had found that out, to put it bluntly, a few things had broken. Kol hadn't backed down, though.
And now Klaus was making a plan to escape the apartment before the rest of the family got here on Christmas eve.
There had been a time that he loved spending time with his family. His whole crazy family with the dozen nieces and nephews, all of his brothers and irritating little sister.
But not now. And he doubted he ever would again.
Working at the coffee shop was turning out to be much nicer than the restaurant. Maybe because there wasn't as much pressure or maybe because people liked each other just a little bit more here but Caroline was happy.
Christmas was right around the corner and the decorations that were going up around the café were amazing. They had this beautiful touch of life and joy that Caroline hadn't known in quite some time. She knew it was being trapped in that horrible marriage that took away her love of color and light.
She began seeing Kol around her place a lot more. Mostly it was her running into him leaving or sneaking into Bonnie's apartment late in the evening or early in the morning.
The big empty wall across from the coffee shop? She sees the beginnings of one of the most beautiful murals she has ever seen. It's the touch of the city at Christmas time. And it reminds her of the beauty she once knew before her life got so screwed up.
That mysterious man who had saved her that night at the restaurant, he plagued her thoughts. She wanted to know who he was and how he knew. She wanted to thank him.
Caroline doubted she would ever see that man again but -
She would say a prayer for him. A prayer for a Christmas that would bring him the peace she knew that he deserved.
Christmas Eve
The mural was finally finished.
Klaus wasn't really sure how he felt about it. He knew it was good work, if he did say so himself. But there was something missing.
"Nik, stop being such a bore," Kol chides him. "If you just relax, you'll realize that this is your best work yet."
Klaus rolls his eyes but truthfully? His brother's words mean the world to him.
"Come on, we have to be at the 'unveiling' in twenty minutes."
And he finds himself being yanked out of the apartment so quickly that his head spins.
"Caroline? Earth to Caroline. Hey Forbes!"
That does it.
Caroline looks up from the latte she is staring into to see Bonnie peering at her from the other side of the counter.
"Come on, woman. You're on."
How the hell did she agree to this? Thanks to Bonnie's big mouth, she was going to be performing 'O Holy Night' at this public concert that was going to be propping up the 'unveiling' of the mural. She didn't want to sing, she didn't want to have all of those eyes on her. And the next chance she got, she was going to kill Bonnie.
Bonnie's gloved hand wraps around hers and pulls her towards the door.
"Trust me," she says with a secretive smile. "You won't regret it."
"Hello Niklaus."
His shoulders tense for a brief moment at his brother's voice.
He breathes out.
"Elijah."
Elijah's hand snaps out and grips his tightly, not letting him escape into the throng of people.
"Do not shut me out," his older brother whispers. "Not now."
Klaus slowly raises his eyes to meet Elijah's.
And sees nothing but hope.
Something he can't turn away from this time.
"Okay."
The buyer for the mural was there and his heart was hammering in his chest.
Some idiot had decided to turn this whole shebang into a public Christmas benefit of some sort so he would have an audience when he unveiled the mural. Not that he wasn't used to people inspecting his work but this was different.
And then again...
Only Elijah had come. The rest of the family was waiting at home and for that, Klaus was grateful. He wasn't exactly sure if he could handle the whole crazy group. He loved his family very much but ever since Henrik's death, things had changed.
Tonight, he felt some hope. He did hope that things could slowly go back to normal.
Someone had turned on a boombox. Gentle Christmas music is playing. He recognizes 'This Holiday Night' by Margo Rey. A song that Rebekah and Henrick had both loved with all of their hearts and played over and over again.
A hand comes to rest in the center of his back and he turns, seeing Kol.
"Look, brother," he nods towards the tittering crowd.
Klaus glances in the direction of where his brother is pointing and sees it.
Oh, actually, her.
It's her. Oh my God. It's her.
Caroline sees him across the lot, standing next to the drape covered mural. She would recognize that ruby haired head and those blue eyes anywhere.
This kind of thing only happened in the movies. But it was happening now.
Kol and Bonnie were wrapped around each other, twin smiles on their faces. Caroline had the tiniest of suspicions that maybe they knew all along.
And she begins to smile too.
He nearly trips over his own feet in an effort to get to her.
She's just as he remembers, with that long blonde braid and those rainbow eyes. That smile that holds so much emotion that he only wishes he could understand once again.
She meets him in the middle.
Her gloved hand takes his, their eyes finding each other's.
"Hello," he murmurs.
She returns that smile, her fingers gripping his tightly.
"Before something separates us again," she says. "What is your name?"
His smile spreads even wider, true and feeling ever so wonderful that is almost hurts.
"My name is Nik," he whispers. "And you?"
"Caroline."
The sheet is pulled off and Caroline sees it.
Or actually, them.
Caroline had seen bits of the mural before but she hadn't seen this.
Everyday people passing by of course but the faces that are captured are faces of innocence and joy.
She even sees herself in the mural. A capture of who she once was and who she hoped to be again.
'O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining
this night, of our dear savior's birth
Long lay the world, in sin and error pining
till He appeared, and the soul felt it's worth'
Happiness is always possible. A person just has to want it bad enough.
'A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn'
After being in a marriage with an abusive husband for nearly five years. After being told how worthless she was and stupid and shallow, Caroline had a hard time believing that finding happiness was actually possible. That it was worth it. That she was worth it.
Nik Mikaelson blamed himself for his little brother's death. He had caught on to Henrick's symptoms too late and by then, there was nothing that any of them could do. It didn't matter how many times he was told that Henrick being ill was just something that none of them could control. He would always blame himself.
But maybe tonight, he could let go of a little of that guilt.
'Fall on your knees, oh hear the angel voices
Oh night, divine, oh night when Christ was born'
Maybe that old fairy tale was true.
Maybe Christmas was a time for miracles.
'Oh night, divine.'
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Every time that I opened this document up, I would stare at the blinking cursor for twenty minutes and then close it. I am truly sorry for the lateness of this because I was really looking forward to having it posted at Christmas. At the rate I was going, it would be, just Christmas of 2014.
Special thanks to the wonderful Klaroline-Fantasies for the adorable cover.
Reviews?