Caroline knew her quest to reconcile her friends with Rebekah would be akin to pushing a boulder uphill. Based on her own reluctance to get to know the other blonde vampire, Caroline fully expected to be met with some resistance when she brought up the idea of sympathizing with the Original blonde. Only she had severely underestimated how much her best friends despised Rebekah -with very good reason. There was really little she could say to convince them.
Caroline could still hear Elena's vehement voice in her head: "Just because Matt was crazy enough to accept that bitch as his girlfriend does not mean I am going to be just as crazy and accept her as MY girl friend."
Caroline had silently listened to Elena while the brunette enumerated all the horrible deeds Rebekah had committed against her, unable to muster any reasonable defense for the Original. Caroline really couldn't blame Elena for wanting nothing to do with Rebekah. Supposing Elena was somehow able to forgive her for most of the things she'd done, the woman had literally killed her. Now, how exactly was she supposed to get past that?
Eventually, after a two-hour conversation, impassioned arguments, and the mention of Matt's name a zillion times, Caroline eventually got Bonnie to promise she would make an effort to get along with Rebekah. Caroline suspected the witch's affinity with Kol had somehow influenced her decision. Stefan had told Caroline earlier in the morning that Bonnie and Kol had danced more than once the evening before, much to Jeremy and Elena's despair.
Elena, on the other hand, proved a far more challenging nut to crack. Despite Bonnie's support, Caroline was only able to get her to agree to a solitary outing with Rebekah. The chasm between Elena and the Original seemed insurmountable, and Caroline couldn't help but wonder if Matt had truly sent her on an impossible quest.
oOoOoOo
Caroline steadied her nerves, inhaling the fresh, pine-scented air as she approached the imposing front door of the Mikaelson mansion, brushed with aging oak and adorned with metallic embellishments that told tales of a bygone era. Feeling as though she was about to enter a gateway to uncharted territories, she reluctantly knocked, the sound echoing through the silent mansion, the air heavy with expectancy.
The door opened to reveal Klaus, his presence a tempest of charm and danger. His eyes, deep pools of enigma, sparkled with genuine surprise and unfiltered joy.
"Caroline," his voice, a melody of unconcealed desires and playful tones, wrapped around her name, "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"
Caroline, battling the fluttering symphony within her chest, kept her reply light. "Uh, I'm actually here to talk to Rebekah. Is she around?"
Klaus's eyes flickered with a mix of surprise and intrigue, but he withheld his questions. His gaze lingered on her, longing shrouded in those ocean blue eyes. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since last night." He confessed in a sultry whisper.
"Then may I suggest you find a hobby?"
His chuckle was a deep, melodious sound, wrapping around her like a warm embrace.
"I have one, Caroline…" he trailed off. "Drawing. And it hasn't helped me get you off my mind."
Caroline's cheeks flushed a delicate pink in spite of herself. "I really am here to talk to Rebekah, Klaus." She was impressed at how steady she was able to keep her voice.
Klaus smiled knowingly and holding her gaze with his own, he called out to his sister, "Rebekah! You have a visitor."
Short moments later, Rebekah emerged, her surprise evident in her expressive eyes. "Caroline. What do you want?"
Caroline snorted. "Good afternoon to you too, Rebekah."
Rebekah rolled her eyes and softly wet her lips before she gave the young vampire a meaningful look, silently letting her know she did not have infinite patience.
"I was hoping I could talk to you."
"So I surmised." Rebekah shot back with a sarcastic edge. "What can I do for you?"
Caroline glanced nervously at Klaus.
"I believe that's your cue to leave, Nik." Rebekah pointed out, her brother raising a quizzical eyebrow in response. She sighed dramatically and added a reluctant, "Please."
With a tender smile and subtle nod directed at Caroline, Klaus silently retreated.
"So" Rebekah started once the two girls were alone. "What are you doing here?"
Caroline grimaced and mumbled, "Excellent question," under her breath. She took a moment to reconsider everything and gather her fragmented thoughts before she spoke again, "Look, I don't like you and I am positive you don't like me either. Bonnie is quite indifferent to you… although I don't think your death would not delight her. And Elena, well, it's no secret that you two completely and utterly loathe each other."
"Okay. Thank you, Caroline, for stating common knowledge." The other blonde responded before getting up in an attempt to leave the room.
"Sit!" Caroline ordered. She was seriously losing her patience which she didn't have much of to begin am I even doing here?She thought to herself.
At her command, Rebekah gave Caroline an amused look and fought back a laugh, but she really wanted to know what exactly was bringing the other blonde to her home, so she did sit.
"Like I said, the girls and I don't like you, and up until now you have properly returned the favor." She paused. "But then again, we don't know you and you know us even less. So perhaps it wouldn't be the worst idea to try and see past everyone's mistakes and actually get to know each other before proclaiming that we hate each other."
Rebekah listened to Caroline intently before she asked a question she already had the answer to, "Matt put you up to this, didn't he?"
"Yes." She saw no point in denying it. "But I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't feel like it and didn't see the point."
"What about your two girl friends? Do they share this newfound perspective?"
"Actually, they do not. But I can be very persuasive" Caroline paused.
Rebekah's brow arched in mystification. "You do remember I killed Elena, right?"
"Yes, I do." Caroline responded, her voice cold as ice. "And more importantly, so does she, so be a dear and refrain from reminding her tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"We are going shopping tomorrow and we would like you to come with us."
Rebekah took a moment to consider Caroline's offer. The truth was she felt like she could use a female friend, and from what she had observed and what Matt had told her, she could do much worse than Caroline Forbes. Besides, this outing could give her some insights as to where Caroline stood with Klaus.
Though she didn't quite understand why on earth her favorite brother was attracted to the young vampire of all people, Rebekah believed Klaus hadn't taken a liking to Caroline for no reason. Klaus had bedded more than his fair share of women throughout his long existence, but he never actually experienced or even expressed the will to experience a genuine relationship, not after the Tatia chapter. There had to be something special about Caroline that caught and retained Klaus' attention and Rebekah saw this shopping spree as an opportunity to unravel the mystery that was Caroline Forbes.
"I would love to." Rebekah eventually responded.
"Fantastic." Caroline replied, eager to leave. She had no desire to stay in that house any longer than she needed to. "We will pick you up tomorrow around 3. Sounds good?"
"Sounds good."
"Alright. I'm going to go now." With that, she stood up.
"Should I show you out?" Rebekah offered.
"No, it's okay, thank you."
"Well, then" Rebekah replied as she stood up as well. She bid her farewell with an unexpected peck on the cheek, and Caroline proceeded to navigate her way to the front door of the Mikaelson Mansion.
oOoOoOo
"Allow me to walk you out, love" Klaus offered unexpectedly, opening the door for Caroline.
She responded with a delicate smile and gracefully glided through the opened door, with Klaus shadowing her every step closely. They proceeded down his picturesque driveway enveloped in a somewhat uncomfortable silence, neither knowing what to say.
As they reached her car, Klaus finally spoke, "Thank you."
Detecting Caroline's cloud of confusion, he elaborated, "For being willing to get to know Rebekah. I know I have absolutely nothing to do with your decision but still. I appreciate it, so thank you" he paused, his gaze both intense and tender. "She could use someone like you in her life."
"Sure" Caroline responded, unwillingly locking her gaze with his. With every passing second, the air thickened until she finally severed their visual connection, putting a damper on their serious sexual tension and cleared her throat awkwardly, "Goodbye."
"Wait" Klaus said as he gently took a hold of her arm to make her face him, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. "I am glad that you came by. Even though it wasn't to see me; at least, I got to see you."
Caroline, her cheeks painted with the soft blush of a blooming rose, delicately reclaimed her arm, deciding it was high time for her to leave before surrendering to urges she was unprepared to contend with.
She bestowed upon him a timid, yet heartfelt smile before pivoting to her car.
Before she could think better of it, Caroline admitted softly "You know I could've just called…"
Then, she drove off and quickly vanished from Klaus' view, leaving him rooted to the spot, stunned.
After a moment, the meaning of her words slowly dawned on him and Klaus walked back into his home with a grin stuck to his face.
She could've just called indeed. But she chose to come… because she wanted to see him…
oOoOoOo
The next day was one of shopping for Caroline, Bonnie, Elena and Rebekah.
The journey to the mall unfolded in profound silence, the atmosphere so dense and strained it seemed to stretch the quarter of an hour ride into endless hours. Rebekah had a feeling the tension was merely a preview of the impending day's events. The shared space of the car felt like a funeral procession.
Elena, with her sharp words and sharper glances, frequently aimed biting remarks at Rebekah, each one intercepted by either Bonnie or, more predominantly, by Caroline. Rebekah, determined not to give the doppelganger the pleasure of seeing she was actually getting to her, never retaliated, surprising all the girls in the car with her calm and restraint.
Caroline punctured the silence occasionally, her inquiries directed at Rebekah being the singular attempts at genuine conversation.
Rebekah was in a fitting room, trying on potential acquisitions, while the other three girls went through the array of clothes on sale. The four of them had already robbed half the department of the mall they were in: Caroline and Elena had three bags full of clothes, Bonnie held two, and Rebekah beat everyone with five. Things were going rather well and it seemed as though the silent agreement to sideline their differences was holding its ground.
Elena took a cloth off the rack and showed it to Bonnie, "This would suit Bekah perfectly, don't you think?" she asked, her voice dripping with contempt as she referred to the Mikaelson woman using her affectionate nickname.
Caroline who was standing a few feet from them turned around to assess the item from a distance.
"Elena, this hardly covers anything" She discerned the scant material.
A smirk played on Elena's lips "I know. My point exactly."
"Very funny." Caroline sarcastically replied before returning her attention to the stack of clothes she was checking out.
A reproachful gaze from Bonnie met Elena's indifferent shrug.
Bonnie approached Caroline and handed her a beige sleepover, "Let Rebekah try this on. It'll go beautifully with her complexion."
Caroline gave the cloth a look and expressed her silent approval before she headed to the other blonde.
Once she reached the cabin Rebekah was in, she knocked lightly and spoke, "So… does the dress fit you?"
"Well" she paused and stepped out of the cabin. "I don't know, you tell me."
Caroline's gaze lingered over the figure before her, a murmur of astonishment dancing on her lips. "Wow, you look… amazing." She eventually settled honestly. "You're keeping it." She decided.
"Thank you." Rebekah felt a flicker of warmth, catching a fleeting glimpse of genuine admiration in the other blonde's azure eyes. "Um… what's that?" Her gaze fell upon the fabric Caroline clutched gently.
"Oh, um, Bonnie thought this hue would embrace you." She extended it towards Rebekah, "Here."
Rebekah gratefully took the sleepover and asked, "What about you? Have you found anything interesting for yourself?"
"Um, yeah, I found a couple of nice things but I don't know if they'll fit, so I won't buy them…"
"Well, try them on."
"I can't." Rebekah raised her eyebrows in confusion so she elaborated, "Elena's thirsty…" she paused. "She forgot to feed this morning, so we need to get going."
Rebekah nodded in understanding. Of course, they were leaving. Elena was thirsty, so the world just had to stop spinning. The doppelganger obviously couldn't go back to her place by herself. No, her little servants had to accompany her.
Rebekah actually felt sorry for Caroline and the witch. Elena really did treat them with the utmost lack of consideration as far as she was concerned. Yet, Rebekah kept quiet. Her bond with Caroline and Bonnie was nascent, and sharing her thoughts on the matter seemed misplaced. It wasn't her place to say anything after all. Caroline and Bonnie were far from being her best friends and she did not owe it to them to let them in on her thoughts.
When Rebekah didn't reply, Caroline added "We were thinking we'd go back home and grab a blood bag before heading to the Grill to have a bite… not literally of course."
A laugh, genuine and light, bubbled from Rebekah's lips. "Let me change and we'll be on our way."
"Okay. We'll be waiting at check-out." Caroline said before turning around, leaving the older vampire to get changed.
oOoOoOo
The detour to the Salvatore Boarding House had been a brief interlude, allowing Elena the sustenance she desperately craved. During this fleeting visit, they stumbled upon Stefan. His expression masked his genuine surprise at seeing them not just alive but without a single drop of blood staining their clothes; 'yet', he had thought. A sweet kiss between him and his girlfriend, and the quartet of girls were back on their journey.
They now found themselves encircled around a cozy table at the Grill.
"So Bonnie, why don't you tell us about you and Kol?" Caroline inquired. "Nobody let me in on that!" she threw Elena an accusing glance.
"Nobody knew!" The latter responded defensively, rolling her eyes. "And you are to talk, Caroline!"
Rebekah lightly cleared her throat. This was getting uncomfortable. When the hell had her brothers become the topic of discussion? Bonnie, feeling cornered and hoping to evade the question, directed her eyes to her lemonade, cheeks painted with a shade of embarrassment, attempting to become invisible.
"Actually, we all thought she was getting back together with Jeremy." Elena pointedly declared, intensifying her gaze on Bonnie, causing the witch to shrink further into her seat, yearning for an escape from the suffocating atmosphere and the accusatory glares.
"Whoa, wait. Does Kol know about your history… past and present with Jeremy?" Caroline probed hesitantly.
"Of course he does." Elena responded instead of Bonnie. "Whenever did that kind of 'detail' stop a Mikaelson?" she commented meaningfully, staring at Rebekah, accusation filling her eyes.
"Elena…" Caroline intervened in a calm but warning voice.
"What? What is it?" Elena's fuse was ignited, "Why are you even defending her? You know you could've told me she was your new BFF. How dare you take her side? She and her kin have been the architects of our misery! She killed me. She went after Stefan, refusing to take no for an answer. I mean what more do you need to get that she is the devil incarnate?!"
After a nice day shopping, it was time for reprisals.
Rebekah's calm façade up until that point finally cracked. "Well, excuse my family and me for knowing what we want and doing everything in our power to get it. I am not going to apologize for going after Stefan, Elena. I own my choices and actions; that is a family trait. It might be some news to you, but some people are not that much of a hypocrite to mess around with two brothers, not daring to make an actual choice, all the while pretending to be a paragon of virtue!" She threw at Elena.
"Girls…" Caroline's placating voice was a desperate attempt to ease the situation once more before it got completely out of hand.
"I never said I was perfect, Rebekah… I never said I was close to perfect. At least, I don't act like a whore and a total bitch 24/7. And I'm not the one walking around with psychotic brothers."
As they kept on with the verbal Ping-Pong, Caroline buried her head in her hands.
"No, that's right. You're the one walking around with a desperate one." Rebekah sneered.
"Kol asked me out on a date." Bonnie blurted out, her sudden confession acting like a hand grenade, silencing the war of words between Rebekah and Elena.
Caroline instantly straightened her head, and Rebekah and Elena immediately stopped throwing accusations at each other. Shock painted all of their faces.
"What?!" the trio exclaimed in unison. "When?!" they asked simultaneously once again, all three of them utterly dumbfounded.
"At the Founder's Party… Most of you had already left."
"What did you say?" Caroline inquired, her eyebrows arching in curiosity, every fibre of her being leaning into the revelation.
Elena's expression was utter bewilderment; she seemed anchored in a sea of speechlessness, her words imprisoned by her shock. Bonnie remained enveloped in silence, her voice a captive of the tension in the air.
"You said no, didn't you?" Rebekah inferred. As Elena and Caroline looked away from Bonnie to stare at her in confusion, she explained her reasoning, "If she had said yes, I would've heard about it by now. Kol is not known for his discretion regarding his romantic pursuits."
Elena and Caroline, processing her logic, nodded and redirected their expectant eyes towards Bonnie.
"Actually, I didn't exactly give him an answer yet." The witch eventually spoke.
"And you are waiting for…?" Elena prodded, her words soft yet tinted with a hint of antipathy.
Bonnie, her fingers nervously tracing patterns on her glass of lemonade, admitted, "I wanted to sleep on it."
"Well, whatever you decide, I support you." Caroline told her.
"Well, of course you do. That'll ease your guilt. You won't be the only one of us falling for a Mikaelson man." Elena threw off with causticity.
"Oh, for Christ's sake, Elena, be quiet!" Rebekah admonished, her voice a mixture of exasperation and plea, a final attempt to quell the storm.
Just to be clear, this is NOT going to be an anti-Elena story. I'm trying to keep things realistic, but that doesn't mean Elena will alienate all her friends and become the town's bitch. That is not the plan.
I hope you enjoyed reading the chapter. Please share your thoughts. What did you think about the Caroline/Rebekah interactions? The Klaroline moments? The quad's dynamic?
Until next time, take care and stay safe :)