A/N Thank you all for reviewing!

FORBES RESIDENCE

Be yourself. Not Klaus. Be Nik. You want her to like you? Show her the real you. She's a person, brother—treat her like one.

Klaus exited his car with his sister's advice ringing in his ears. He shut the door behind him with a sigh and leaned against it as he looked up at the Forbes house.

"Treat her like one."He echoed quietly, pocketing his car keys as he pushed away from the car.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Klaus stoped in his tracks at the shrill toned question. He rolled his eyes heavenward, the prickles of annoyance emerging.

Oh, bloody hell.

He turned around to face Caroline who stood behind him with her arms folded over her chest. She elevated an expectant eyebrow at him, scanning him from head to toe with a curled lip.

"Well?"Caroline pressed with an irritated sniff. She retreated a step when Klaus stalked forward.

"I am simply looking around the town that was once my home."

She narrowed her eyes dubiously."And that entails you stalking my home like a creep, does it?"

"I was not―"

"You sat in your car for a whole ten minutes."Caroline interjected with a pointed look at his car."Yeah, I watched you, whatever."

He levelled her with a vicious smile."Isn't that a bit creepy, love?"

Caroline stepped up to him with a glare, hands journeying to her hips where she clamped them down. She lifted her chin when his eyes glinted amber.

"I was making sure you're here for what I think you're here for."She rushed out in one breath."And now that I do, i'm not happy about it. You have to go."

"Do you have any clue who you're talking to?"

A flash of panic appeared in Caroline's eyes, but she held her ground."I do. That's why I don't want you anywhere near my home, let alone my sister."

"Isn't that her choice to make?"

"Like you know anything about letting someone you love make choices."Caroline retorted with a scoff."I've heard what you've done to guys who wanted to date your crazy sister."

A growl came from Klaus at the mention of his sister and his fingers curled into his palm at the insult. Caroline swallowed, scolding herself for the insult towards Rebekah as Klaus' jaw tensed. Klaus' hand came up and shot forward.

"You..."

Caroline flinched with a tremulous gasp, bracing herself for those fingers being around her throat. She sucked in a deep breath, only to gape at Klaus when he merely wagged a finger at her.

She felt sick as a smile crawled onto his face, and he took a step away from her with a chiding tut.

"I'm a thousand years old, I rarely get played for a fool."

Caroline's swallowed."W-What?"

"Silly girl."Klaus chuckled, shaking his head in amusement."I know how much your lovely sister loves you and i'm already having a hard time finding a moment with her."

Klaus let his hands fall back at his sides, smile still on his face.

"Now, tell me, sweetheart,"Klaus started, meeting Caroline's eyes with a glint in his eye that made her shift uncomfortably."Does your sister prefer chocolates or flowers?"

"What?"Caroline repeated, heart still racing in her chest.

"I'm sure the heart of her sister in a box won't work, so I have to think like a human to charm a human."

Caroline's face flushed sheepishly, but she raised her chin defiantly.

"What makes you think she'll give you the time of day?"

"Because I see how worried you are."Klaus replied, smile still fixed on his face."If I didn't have a chance with your darling sister, love, you wouldn't be so worried about me."

"Of course i'd be worried about a psycho..."She folded her arms across her chest."sniffing around my sister."

She recoiled when she caught a glimpse of his double fangs as he opened his mouth to reply. Only for them to retract when the Forbes' front door opened—the two whirled around in time for Cherie to ramble out onto the porch.

"You again?"

Cherie remained where she was stood, eyes flickering curiously between her sister and the Original. She wordlessly observed her sister for any signs of harm.

"Is everything—"

Caroline brushed past Niklaus with her hands raised, and bounced up the porch stairs to meet her sister. Klaus watched her go silently, glare searing into Caroline's back. It warmed, however, when his eyes redirected back to Cherie.

"I'm fine, Cher."Caroline reassured her sister with a sweet smile."Everything's fine. I think he was skulking around in hopes to catch you. Ew."

Cherie visibly relaxed, as did her features which brightened measuredly when she settled her gaze on Klaus. She turned around to face him head on. As she did, Caroline side stepped so she was positioned over her sister's shoulder protectively.

"You're everywhere, you."Cherie's tone altered playfully. She leaned against the porch pillar."You're like, um, like-"

Klaus' own features lit up."Like God?"

"No,"Cherie crooned with an amused roll of her eyes."like a dark cloud."

Klaus' rumbled chuckle floated up to her, and Cherie's gaze wavered shyly when it strirred a prowled his way up the pathway and came to a stop at the bottom of the porch steps.

"You have spirit. I like that."

Cherie pressed her lips together, unsure of how to respond to the admiration in Klaus' eyes. She didn't understand.

"Uh, thank you?"

Caroline's concerned expression soured into a glower when she recognised the awe in her sister's voice. It was not good. Still, she maintained her steely silence. Until Klaus lifted his booted foot and ascended the first porch step.

Caroline's reaction was instant and out of pure instinct. She was rushing out from behind her sister in a flash and appeared in front of Klaus.

"No!"

Having been too engrossed in enjoying in Cherie's smile, Klaus hadn't foresaw Caroline's figure hurtling toward him. So he lost his momentum and blinked in surprise when she was suddenly blocking his view of Cherie.

"Stay away from her."

His smile twisted into a smirk at the venom being hurled at him. He relaxed against the porch railing with a click of his tongue.

"If I wanted her dead, love,"He breathed the endearment with as much venom Caroline had thrown at him."she'd be dead."

"I know,"Caroline spat at him, spider veins crawling beneath her eyes."that's why I want you far away from her. You wanting her is a death sentence."

A growl ripped from Klaus' throat when Caroline refused to back down. Instead she glared back at him with all the hate he levelled her with.

"Caroline."

Eventually, a gentle hand came down to rest on Caroline's shoulder. Caroline blinked, eyes shining blue again and looked away to peer up at her sister.

"There's some cake in the kitchen."Cherie softly said, playfully catching chin with a wink."Why don't you go and cut some up for us? By the time you're done, we'll be finished."

Caroline gasped her protest with a shake of her head.

"Cher—"

"He'll go by the time the cake is cut up."Cherie insisted with a nod of her head."Will you?"

She lifted her head and looked at Klaus over Caroline's shoulder, her smile still in place. She arched an eyebrow when he blinked at her at first.

"Klaus?"He wordlessly nodded in the wake of his name rolling off her tongue smoothly.

"Fine!"Caroline relented with a sigh. She wielded a pointed finger in Cherie's face. but i'm not happy about it."

Cherie nodded, smiling at Caroline."I'll be fine. Like he said, i'd be dead if already if that's what he wanted."

She served Klaus' a scathing glare one more time as she climbed the porch steps and entered the Forbes house. Cherie watched after her sister until the door closed. Then she turned around and graced Klaus with the same, sparking smile she previously wore.

"Why are you here?"

"I came to see you."Klaus answered without a second thought, and with all the sincerity he could muster.

"I got that when you looked like you wanted to kill my sister. Why are you here to see me?"

"You regaled me last time we met."

He plastered on his wonted, crooked smile. Only for it to wither slightly when she tipped her head at him blankly.

"Is that because I didn't swoon when you gave me a minute of your attention?"

Klaus sniffed a laugh, bowing his head to hide his tender amusement. Cherie caught a glimpse of it, however, and she smiled happily to herself.

"I admit that, yes, I am not used to being rebuffed. But…"He looked up at her with soft, awed eyes."you didn't look repulsed by me even with all your sister has told you about me."

Cherie danced her fingers along the pillar of her porch as she looked down at the Original. She'd noticed that he hadn't made another attempt at getting closer to her and she wasn't sure how to make of it.

"So it's all true, you're ancient?"

Klaus pulled a face, playfully indignant."I wouldn't call a thousand years old ancient, love."

Cherie's eyes rounded comically. She gasped in awe, rocking on the heels of her feet.

"A thousand? Huh, Caroline was right!"

All traces of shyness gradually disappeared in the wake of her exclaim. Cherie rocked forward again, looking tempted to close the distance between them but she remained rooted in her spot. Klaus noted this with pursed lips, eyes flickering upwards, lingering on her delighted grin.

"Hey! Is anything about Dracula based in truth? Did you wear bellbottoms? No, wait—did you go to Woodstock?"

He inched closer, daringly hovering by the bottom step."I'd love to tell you."

Cherie noticed his hovering and bit back a laugh. She snapped her mouth shut to keep more questions of his life at bay. The smile still played at her mouth, though.

Finally, she settled on one question."What do you want?"

"Have dinner with me."

Cherie blinked in surprise and, going by her expression, Klaus expected her to outright refuse.

Instead she narrowed her eyes at him."With you, alone?"

The Original noted the hesitance in her voice and sifted through his mind for something to ease her.

"If it would make you feel safer, we could have it at the Grill. Neutral ground, if you like."

"Can I bring a weapon?"She candidly asked, descending a step with no fear."I know it wouldn't work on you, but...well, it'd at least give me a two second head start, right?"

"If it makes you feel safer, love, i'll bring one for you."

Cherie nodded in appreciation. Her arms dropped and her fingers tangled in front of her.

If I do go to dinner with you,"She let herself enjoy the way Klaus' eyes illuminated hopefully."will you give me your word that you won't hurt my sister again?"

He nodded without hesitation, hand flattening over his heart.

"I give you my word So, Cherie,"He crooned her name around his smile."would you have dinner with me?"

Cherie's face brightened again, and she descended the final step so she was at eye level with Klaus.

"Yes, I will have dinner with you."

Thank you for reading!