2.

"Hey Care, you want to come over after practice and help me with my Bio project?" Rebekah had the locker right next to Caroline's so they often talked between classes.

Caroline had spent the past three weeks trying to avoid situations that left her alone with Nik. She had made her choice clear to him and it wasn't that she thought he would disrespect her decision, but she was afraid of her own reaction to any more advances.

He didn't stop being attractive to her just because she turned him down, it was the exact opposite, but she still held firm that she wouldn't let her desire for him jeopardize her friendships.

With a small smile Caroline nodded, "Sure, but do you mind if we do it at my house? I have…uh…laundry to do."

Rebekah just gave her a side ways glance, "Sure, I'll just let Nik know that we'll walk home then."

Caroline's next class was French, so as the bell rang she collected her books and headed off towards the back of the school.

"Bonjour classe."

"Bonjour Madame Burns," the class answered in unison.

This was Caroline's second year of French already and she couldn't get enough of it. While studying the language she was also learning the history and culture of the French people, she dreamed of going there one day, perhaps even living there, but for now she was stuck in a classroom in a tiny town.

"Tu es magnifique."

Caroline looked behind her from where the voice had come and rolled her eyes.

Tyler Lockwood.

Star of the soccer team, son of the mayor, and school playboy. He was a year a head of Caroline and she had heard rumors that he like to prey on the underclassman because he preferred to be a girl's first, not that he hung around long afterwards.

She muttered a quick Merci and then turned back to face the teacher. She couldn't be bothered with him; she had too much on her mind as it was, the last thing she needed was another boy chasing after her.

Then the light bulb when off.

If she could distract herself from thinking about Nik by showing interest in Tyler that may also let Nik know that she had moved on and he could go off the college a free man.

Acting quickly, so she couldn't talk herself out of it later, she wrote her number down on a piece of loose leaf paper and passed it back to him with a coy smile. She knew that he understood when she heard him hum in approval.

Since it was still too cold out to have cheer practice out on the field, the ladies were working on their routine in the gym.

The basketball team was using the court and the soccer team was in the weight room, which meant that the cheerleaders had the small area that was created when the bleachers were pushed back.

After changing out of their school clothes and into shorts and tee-shirts the ladies filed out of the girls locker room and got into formation.

"Hey Nik, how about you take your eyes off the cheerleaders and come spot me."

Nik was on the varsity soccer team with his brother and they always made sure to keep up with their conditioning. He was standing in the doorway of the weight room, looking out over the gym as Caroline led the girls in their stretches. He couldn't get her off his mind.

Tyler came up to stand beside him, "They are fine to look at, aren't they?"

Nik just smiled, he knew that Tyler was a man-whore and he had more than warned his sister and Caroline about the younger boy's ways, he just felt bad for any girl that fell into Tyler's trap.

"I just got the digits of that blonde one today." He pointed across the gym towards the group of girls.

Nik stood up straight, "Dude, that's my sister."

Tyler hit him on the arm playfully, "No man, I know she's off limits, I meant the other blonde."

"Caroline?" Nik thought that he was going to see red. He couldn't imagine what would drive her to give Tyler Lockwood of all people her phone number, but then it hit him. "She's off limits too." He said between gritted teeth.

"Let me guess, you have dibs?" Tyler laughed, looking at him slyly. "Oh man, don't tell me that you've hit that already? How was it, she seems like she would be a spit fire in bed."

This time Nik did see red, before he knew what was happening his fist was connecting with Tyler's face. He got a few good hits in until guys from the team pulled them apart.

"What the hell man? I was just messing with you. If you've already had her then she not my type anyways."

Nik lunged at him again, but the coach finally came over. "Cool it Mikaelson! Go take a walk and clear your head."

Walking for the door he picked up his jacket on the way out. He went across the gym towards the cheerleaders.

They were running through their newest cheer but they all stopped when he approached, "Sorry ladies, but I was wondering if I could steal Caroline for a moment?"

Elena, the team captain and a girl that Caroline had known in middle school smiled widely at him, "Sure, take all the time you need Nik." She winked at him before bending over to stretch, but really was just trying to show off for him.

Caroline looked like a deer in headlights as Nik approached her. He gestured towards the door that led to the lobby and placed his hand at the small of her back, having to give her a little push.

As soon as the doors closed behind them he started to pace. Caroline just watched him, not knowing what was coming. After a few minutes she was starting to get cold, the building was old and the glass doors didn't hold in much heat. She started to rub her arms to keep warm.

Seeing that she was uncomfortable, Nik stopped his pacing and walked over to her, placing his jacket over her shoulders. She pulled it tight around her, enjoying the warmth and the scent of Nik that lingered in the fabric.

"If you aren't going to talk, I'm going back to practice." She finally broke the silence.

Nik knew it was now or never, "Tyler Lockwood…really Caroline?"

Shit, she cursed herself. How had he heard about that already, her plan was falling apart.

"You know what kind of guy he is," he paused, the next topic making him uncomfortable, "what he will do to you, yet you encourage him?"

Caroline was shocked by his bluntness, "What I do and who I see is no concern of yours."

He scoffed, "You are always so stubborn."

She just glared at him.

"If this is about us…"

"There is no us," she cut him off.

"So you keep reminding me," he said under his breath. "You know I care about you, and though I can't have you as I would like, I will still protect you the same way I would protect Bekah. Tyler is bad news, he will only hurt you." He took a step towards her, standing mere inches from her, "You deserve so much better than what he is planning for you. Your first time should be with someone you love, and that loves you in return…"

Caroline blushed then rolled her eyes, "What makes you think that he will be my first, that there hasn't already been someone else?"

Nik reached up and grazed the pad of his thumb over the apple of her cheek, "Caroline, I know you better than that."

Her breath hitched with his closeness, she feared he might kiss her again, "Why do you care?"

They looked into each other's eyes, neither one of them wanting to back down, his lips set into a firm line as the battle raged in his head, should he lie or tell her the truth.

"Because it should be me, and you know it."

She could have fainted right then and there. All of the air was sucked out of her lungs and she started to see spots. His words had stopped all higher function and she could just stand there and stare back into his stormy eyes.

His words echoed around in her head, her first time should be with someone who love her, and wanted it to be him; Nik loved her and all she could do was stand there, in total and utter shock.

"I have to be get back," she was finally able to mutter and as she blinked she was released for the spell he held over her. She quickly turned towards the door and went back to practice without another word, throwing his letterman jacket on the ground as she went.

Nik punched the wall closest to him; his already bleeding knuckles breaking open in protest. He wondered how many more ways could he screw things up with Caroline before she completely wanted nothing to do with him.

Back in formation, Rebekah looked over at her friend with concern mouthing, 'What was that about?' and getting a 'We will talk about it later' in return.

The girls bundled up and set out of the mile walk to Caroline's house. The snow was no longer on the ground but the air still held the late January chill.

"So what did Nik want?"

Caroline sighed, her breath showing in the air, "I kind of gave Tyler my number."

Rebekah looked confused, "Tyler from World History? Why would Nik care, Tyler is a nice guy."

"No, not Tyler Wells," Caroline confessed, not able to ever lie to her best friend, "I mean Lockwood."

"You are kidding right?"

Caroline just shrugged.

They were silent for the rest of the way; Rebekah didn't want to make a scene on the sidewalk, the people in this town liked to gossip, but anger was stewing within her.

Once inside the Forbes' house Rebekah let her friend have it. "What were you thinking? Lockwood? You know his reputation!"

She knew this was coming, "He can't be all that bad, girls still flock to him like flies to honey."

"And that doesn't concern you?"

Again Caroline didn't have an answer for her friend. She couldn't tell Rebekah the real reason why she was considering Tyler, Rebekah couldn't know.

"Look Bekah, it's been a while since a guy has shown interest in me and I'm not stupid, I'll be careful. I'm not some child that needs protection, I can make my own choices." Her words were a little harsh but she wanted to get off the topic.

Rebekah had the decency to look ashamed, "I'm sorry Care, I know that you are able to take care of yourself…I just don't want you to get hurt." She went to hug her friend, "Hell, at this point I would rather see you with my brother," she commented off handedly.

Caroline stiffened in her friend's embrace. How had she found out? She was starting to panic and laughed nervously, "Why would you say that?"

"Kol has been chasing after you since last summer, even though I think that he does just to get a rise out of you."

Breathing a sigh of relief Caroline laughed with her friend, "Let's hope that is true and not that he actually likes me." She was having a hard enough time keeping one Mikaelson at arms length; she didn't think she could handle two.

Despite both Rebekah and Nik's warnings, when Tyler called her a few days later she had agreed to go out with him that Saturday night. She didn't think there was any harm in one date and if they hit it off, she might just have a Valentine this year.

So as she stood in front of the full length mirror up in her room, smoothing out the yellow dress she had chosen for her date, she started to rethink the whole thing. Sure she had started the flirtation to get her mind off Nik, but now she was really going through with this date…with a guy who had a reputation of hurting girls.

Thinking it was too late to back out now, she grabbed her purse off of her bed and headed down to the kitchen to grab a glass of water before Tyler picked her up.

"You look nice sweetie." Her mom commented, "What are your plans tonight?"

Caroline had gone over in her head if she would tell her mother about her date, but seeing on how he was suppose to be on her doorstep in less than five minutes she didn't see the choice. "I'm going to the Grill with a boy from school."

"Oh, tell me about him." Liz inquired, trying to have some interest in her daughter's life, plus she wanted to make sure it wasn't anyone she had ever arrested.

Hoping that his reputation was only known among her fellow classmate, Caroline told her mother the truth, "It's Tyler Lockwood."

"Oh." Liz was not thrilled with this news. Even though the boy was the son of the mayor, she had heard from another officer down at the station that Tyler was very promiscuous. "Caroline, we've already talked about sex before, but I just want you to know that you can come to me…about anything." She hated to embarrass her daughter, but she had to restate her concern.

Caroline turned red up to her hairline, "Mom it's only a date…and anyways, I have more respect for myself than to give it away like that." It was Caroline's turn to smile as she made her mother uncomfortable.

"I know sweetie. I'm also not blind to the fact that some of your friends might be having sex already, but I just hope that you come to me when you start to think about it so that we can take the proper precautions." She had seen so many domestic fights happen between young people forced together by an unwanted pregnancy.

Just then the doorbell rang causing Caroline to jump in surprise. When her mom got up from the kitchen table to go answer the door, Caroline stopped her, "Don't get up, I'll get it."

Liz wanted to size up this boy and let him know in a subtle way that she knew what he was up to, but instead she trusted her daughter. Caroline had never given her any reason to think other wise, she was a good kid, with a solid sense of logic; over all she was blessed to have such an amazing young woman as a daughter.

"Be home by ten," Liz called as Caroline rushed towards the door.

"I will," she called back, seeing Tyler standing on her porch through the window on the front door.

With a smile, which he returned, Caroline opened the door, "Hey," she breathed out, "you ready to go?"

"Yeah," Tyler answered, looking behind Caroline into the entry of her home, seeing her mom, Officer Forbes standing there, giving him a pointed glance.

He knew that getting Caroline to let down her guard and let him work his magic on her was going to take some effort with Mikaelson and Fearsome Forbes on patrol, but he always enjoyed a challenge.

AN: Hope everyone is enjoying this. I'm having tons of fun with it. Leave me some love and feedback. ;)