Sorry for the wait. Only a few chapters left in this little short story guys, thanks for sticking along for the ride.

Terrible Love

Chapter 7: Just Friends?

In the end he remained outside the door to the bathroom waiting on his father -who continued sending him for 7UPs- for the entire night. Camille left eventually and he didn't get his dance. This was most certainly karma for putting his father in that position.

Klaus stepped down the stairs, the smell of breakfast filling his nose. He joined his siblings who were gathering in the dining room.

Finn was the first to greet him. "Morning brother."

Freya came up behind him and nudged him. "Care to join the family? Mother and I are making breakfast."

"I'd love to." Klaus replied and pulled the chair out to sit next to Henrik who looked thrilled to be seated next to him.

"How this takes me back," Rebekah commented as she took a seat next to Kol. "Henrik was but a mere baby back then."

"He still is." Freya joked while ruffling his hair.

"Am not!" Henrik protested with crossed arms.

"Nothing like good eggs and bacon." Kol added as he fiddled with the taser gun he never returned. He sent a mocking look at Finn. "Finn, dear brother, perhaps you should take some eggs back home. Heaven knows you don't have any."

"A shame what you lack can't be found in any store." Finn replied while tapping the top of his head where the brain was.

"Behave yourself," Elijah scolded the two. "Mother is in the other room for God's sake." Reaching over he snatched the taser gun from Kol.

"Hey!"

Elijah placed it in his pocket. "Does this look like a shooting range? I won't even ask where you got this. Now you'll get it back once breakfast is done with. I don't trust you with this around Finn."

"Guilty as charged I suppose. You will be handing that back though."

"Listen to Elijah. It's too early for your crap." Rebekah grumbled.

Kol swung his arm around Rebekah. "But Bekah you love the banter between me and Finn! Look at us, it's just like we were ten years ago. Pretty nostalgic no?"

Rebekah smiled at the fond memory. "Nice save."

"Oh, hey how was your night Nik?" Kol asked having remembered about it. "I trust you gave Camille one to remember? Surely you did, right?"

"Speak your mind Kol for it's not like there's a child present." Finn sarcastically said.

"Don't waste your breath Finn. He can't comprehend that fact." Elijah added while shaking his head.

"Don't get your tie all in a knot. Henrik doesn't know what I'm talking about. Well Nik?"

Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Sorry to disappoint you but nothing happened. I had to take care of father for the entire night."

"Hahah you are so hopeless!"

"Poetic irony coming from you brother." Finn said with a laugh. "The only thing hopeless here is your future."

"Hey I can get into any college I want! Whether it's here in Virginia or out of it."

"Perhaps Georgia is where you ought to move to. They have a nice college called Spelman that seems like the perfect fit for you." Finn suggested innocently.

"Maybe I will!" Kol barked only to receive laughs and chuckles from everyone at the table but Henrik. "And what the bloody hell is so funny?"

"Spelman is an all girl's college you tool!" Rebekah answered through laughs.

Kol flushed with embarrassment. "I- I knew that!"

"Can we all pretend we don't despise one another?" Elijah cut in with a small chuckle. "It appears I'm the only one who came home for the reunion bit."

"I don't despise you Elijah." Henrik stated with a grin.

"Thank you for being the adult here Henrik."

"Hope you're hungry," Freya called as she brought some plates.

"Like a bear who's been deprived of food!" Kol answered as he eyed the food.

Finn stood from his chair. "I'll help you with those dear sister."

"Thank you Finn." Leave it to Finn to come to her aid. They were inseparable growing up. "That reminds me, are you still free to help me with the shopping?"

"Of course. You know I'll always have time for you."

Kol scoffed. "Suck up."

"Don't be jealous you can't be of use."

"I'm not taking that from you!" Kol snapped before turning to Freya. "I'll be helping too sister. And then we'll see who's more dependable around here Finn."

Freya could only laugh at how easily he got worked up. Only Finn could get Kol to do some housework.

"What's the agenda for later?" Rebekah asked.

"Father's firing up the grill for a barbecue." Freya answered. "Although If he's still not feeling well it'll be up to us. I'll make sure to get him something while we're out. Poor guy was sick the whole night."

No one noticed how Kol and Klaus looked away guiltily at the mention of their father.

Klaus cleared his throat. "Might I suggest bringing him some 7UPs."

"So my family is holding a barbecue and I thought I'd invite you," Klaus spoke into the phone. "After all I wanted to make it up to you for the way things ended last night. What do you say Camille?"

"That sounds good to me. I'll drop by."

"Wonderful. Finn, Kol, and Freya are out getting the stuff and I'll be helping get things ready over here; why don't I text you when it's all set?"

"Perfect!"

With that Klaus bid goodbye and tucked the phone back into his pocket. Today was the day. He will no longer be in the friend zone after this day. Smirk on his face he headed out to the yard to help the rest of the family set the place up.

Once his siblings were back with the stuff (and a pack of 7UPs) it didn't take long for the banter to start.

"Isn't it funny how you're named after coal?" Finn exclaimed while holding said object. "Seems fitting."

"Oh haha how funny!" Kol faked a laugh. "You're named after a fish's body part!"

"You're also a brand too Kol," Rebekah added.

"Hey!" He retorted in defense. "That is spelled K-O-H-L-S and therefore it only sounds similar."

"Can we not do this?" Elijah groaned. "Let us enjoy this nice day."

"Yes, come watch how good I am at the grill." Lucien said while flipping the meat over and donning a ridiculous 'kiss the cook' apron.

The doorbell rung and Rebekah was off. "That must be Marcel!"

"And Davina, yes!" Kol shouted as he chased right behind her.

Klaus only stood when he received a text from Camille letting him know she was here. Eagerly he went to the door and was relieved to find she was by herself. No guests or friends to ruin this for him. Nope not a chance. "Delighted you could make it Camille."

"I'm glad you called." She said and reached up to kiss his cheek, causing Klaus to get a brief whiff of the nice perfume she wore. If only she'd noticed the flash of a dreamy expression then.

Upon reaching the yard Klaus was bombarded with an object smashing against his face with a loud 'pop' and he was drenched in water.

"Sorry that was meant for Finn!" Kol yelled an apology as he came out of his hiding spot carrying a bucket of water balloons. "We were lying in wait."

"We?"

At that moment Henrik popped out prepared to fire his super soaker water gun but stopped when he noticed it wasn't the target. "Huh?"

"Stand down Henrik, false alarm." Kol said as he held his fist in the air the way solders did. "Don't—"

His words were cut abruptly when a water balloon was tossed against his face.

"Nice shot Rebekah!" Finn said as he now stood outside the yard.

Rebekah smirked proudly. "Thank you brother. No hard feelings Kol but I saw a water balloon and it was too tempting."

"You're going to regret siding with Finn, Bekah," Kol playfully said before picking up his super soaker and firing at her. "Get them Henrik!"

"Bombs away!" Henrik shouted as he threw a water balloon and splashing Finn. "Yes!"

Finn ducked another assault from Kol and turned to Elijah who looked to be enjoying this. "Don't just stand there Elijah, help me!"

"I'd rather not get soaked."

"Too late!" Kol warned before soaking him with his water gun.

Meanwhile Klaus and Camille were laughing amongst themselves at the water fight.

"Your family is really well knitted." Camille exclaimed as she watched Kol grab Rebekah from behind and pull her up in the air. This causing Marcel to jump to her defense. "You're all so close."

"Yes they can be quite the pain on occasions but I do love them. I'm stuck with them. Always and forever."

"This is nice isn't it?" Camille added after taking a bite from her burger. "I used to come here all the time back when we were kids. Everything seemed so simple back then."

"How's your uncle?"

"He's making a full recovery and getting back to his feet."

Like always her smile left him mesmerized.

"You're a great person to be around Camille. And you value family as much as I do."

The tune of the ice cream truck had Henrik stopping his assault on Finn. "Ice Cream! Come on Kol! Elijah come help so we can bring for everyone."

Elijah grabbed Henrik and sat him over his shoulders just as he used to do. "As you wish brother."

Kol grabbed Davina's hand. "Come on love!"

"Kol you're going to get water on me!" Davina laughed as she followed him to get ice cream.

After hours of enjoying a relaxing, peaceful evening it was eventually time to call it a night. Everyone agreeing that it should be done again.

"Thanks for inviting me over Klaus. I had a really great time."

"The pleasure was all mine love. I'll walk you to your car."

"Actually, I was thinking I could stay over like I used to."

Klaus smirked. "That can be arranged."

"Your room hasn't changed a bit!" Camille pointed out once they were in his room. She hopped up on his bed and swung her feet back and forth. It was such a Camille thing to do.

They stayed up watching movies in his room until midnight.

"Shall we call it a night?" Klaus said when he noticed her stretching her arms out and yawning.

"Yeah."

He took one of his shirts out for her to sleep in. Not like they would be doing much sleep. She came out of his bathroom wearing his shirt and desire burned inside him. It burned even more when she laid beside him on his bed.

This was it. No more games. No more friend zone. There was nothing stopping him.

Kol was sleeping so he wouldn't interrupt. His father was already feeling better and was sleeping too so no chance of Klaus having to take him anymore 7UPs.

Her back pressed up against his chest.

Yes. This truly was it. Who cares about how she'll react tomorrow or how awkward things will be!

That thought alone had coming to a complete stop. Dread filled his body like a virus.

And he pulled away.

"Klaus? Is everything okay?"

He coughed to try and stem the growing tension and awkwardness. "Everything is fine." Reaching to his side he flicked his small lamp off. "Goodnight Camille."

"Goodnight Klaus." She sighed lowly.

The next morning he was rudely awakened by his door swinging open. Leave it to Kol to enter a room without knocking. It's as if he were raised in the jungle.

"You up yet Nik?"

"Have you no common courtesy?" He growled angrily.

It was hard to tell if Kol had even registered any of what Klaus said for he stood jaw dropped by his door.

Klaus tossed a pillow at him to snap him out of his trance. "Get out imbecile!"

Kol's intrusion held some uses though like reminding him that it was morning. Thankfully no one but Kol had seen Camille. He'd hate for his parents to see and even more so if Elijah had caught them. He could already imagine Elijah berating him on how Camille was a sweet girl and deserved better.

Kol was at his face once he was back upstairs. "You plowed Camille didn't you? Nik you loveable bastard! Come here!" He embraced his brother tightly. "I've never been more proud of you."

"Nothing happened you oxygen thief! She simply spent the night with me."

"Wait," Kol murmured in confusion. "So you only... slept together? As in, literally just slept together?"

"Yes."

He anticipated the thunderous laughter that followed.

"Niklaus you are one sorry human being!"

"Instead of worrying about me you should worry about your own pitiful love life."

"Mine is perfect unlike yours. Davina is madly in love with me," He aimed his thumb to his chest. "Kol Mikaelson."

"Is that so brother? Because I caught her in a cafe with a young boy carrying a violin." He was lying and Kol was falling for every bit. "Seemed pretty comfortable around each other to me."

That had him scrambling down the hallway and yelling for Freya.

"Freya you lied to me about that little runt Tim! You said they were just friends!"

Brainless fool. The only reason he even knew who that boy is was because he saw a picture of Davina with him hanging in the wall of Marcel's house. Got rid of the nuisance that is Kol so it helped.

He needed to see Lucien now.

Author's Notes

And now the big picture is put into place. Does Klaus only want to get out the pesky friend zone he's always been on with Camille or has it evolved into something more?