Chapter 3
Caroline watched, sandwiched between Rebekah and Kol, as her fellow blonde leaned forward. Before Caroline could warn her that Old Mrs. Snyder did not enjoy having her space invaded when she noticed the strange glint in Rebeka's eyes. She felt Kol's hand lay on her forearm.
"Watch," He whispers.
Rebekah's eyes sharpened; the physical change was barely noticeable. Caroline's mouth opened slightly as Rebekah spoke to the office assistant, "My brother and I would like to enroll in your fine establishment, Mrs.?" The blonde glanced down at the name tag, "Mrs. Snyder. That won't be a problem, will it?"
Mrs. Snyder blinked, "Of course, Dear. Are you eighteen? We need a parent or guardian along with your school records. We can always request them, but that requires parent signature."
Kol snorted, wrapping his arm around Caroline's shoulder, catching Snyder's attention. "We don't really need all that, do we? Our word is good enough."
"Your word is good enough," Mrs. Snyder said, blinking a few times before shaking her head. "Alright, dearies, what are your names?" Caroline watched as Kol's eyes shifted like his sister's did moments ago.
"Rebekah and Kol Mikaelson," Rebekah shot her brother a look to which he shrugged, mouthing something Caroline could not catch to his sister. "It's spelled R-E-B-E-K-A-H."
"How lovely," Mrs. Snyder mumbled. Enrolling Rebekah and Kol Mikaelson into Caroline's year at the local high school took very little. "Now for your records…."
"You will enroll us automatically," Rebekah murmured, locking eyes with the older woman, "Our word is good enough, remember? Our brother will give you what you need later."
"Your brother will give me what I need later" Mrs. Snyder's eyes blinked as if her brain were foggy. The elderly woman then glanced over at Caroline. "Okay, my dears, sophomores?"
"Yes, right alongside the lovely Caroline," Kol teased, earning an elbow from the aforementioned blonde. "Shut up," She hissed.
"Emergency contacts?"
Rebekah immediately rattled off a series of numbers, "Elijah will be able to give your our… what did you call it school records?"
Caroline stood in place, mouth open, watching the youngest Mikaelsons talk their way into high school without any records or a legal guardian. Mrs. Snyder just handed them their freshly printed schedules, sending them off with a smile of dazed expression on her face when Caroline spotted a familiar face.
"I'll be right back, guys, don't you dare run off!" Caroline was so zeroed in on her friends that she didn't see how her companions froze as they zeroed in on where their human friend had walked towards.
"Elena! Oh my god! It's so good to see you," Caroline greeted her best friend with a bone-crushing hug. The brunette hugged the blonde with less enthusiasm and a gentle smile. Caroline frowned at the lack of enthusiasm but ignored it instead of quickly pulling away and checking her friend over. Before Elena could question her, Caroline, without pause, turned to her other best friend, Bonnie, asking, "Is she okay?"
"Caroline. I'm fine," Elena reassured with a calm but exasperated look. Elena frowned slightly as she noticed the strange way the two new students looked at her. Before she could ask, Mrs. Snyder interrupted them.
"Miss Forbes!" The secretary waved her down. "I've located our third new student for you. Are you sure you are okay with giving the tour to all three?" Mrs. Snyder looked towards the unknown student with a smile introducing him as Stefan Salvatore.
Caroline stepped forward with a friendly smile, holding out her hand for him to shake. Kol's eyes narrowed just slightly at the second male making Caroline pause. "Stefan? I'm Caroline. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Glancing over at her favorite pair of siblings, Caroline's eyes narrowed slightly in on how Rebekah's grip on her backpack a lot was tighter than it should be. Did she recognize the new kid? When she spared more than a glance at the third new member of their tribe, Caroline was shocked to notice two things.
He held the same distanced type of beauty as the Mikaelsons. A subtle beauty Caroline was starting to realize the supernatural inhibited. It wasn't a perfection of sorts…but more of a thrall, as if you wanted to get close but didn't know why.
Caroline thought it was a shame they didn't sparkle.
Despite Kol and Rebekah's clear recognition. His eyes held none when he looked at them. Maybe it was an original vampire sort of thing? Deciding that she would ask about the strangeness of the interaction later, Caroline smiled at the principal's secretary.
"Stefan Salvatore," The stranger murmured softly. Looking over at Rebekah curiously, Caroline held back a snort, knowing that the man must have noticed her odd behavior toward him.
"Great to meet you, Stefan! This is Kol and Rebekah. They also recently moved here, so you won't be the only new kid on the block," Caroline said with a smile before motioning all three to follow them.
A cough alerted Caroline that they were still standing near her friends. Blushing, "Apologies. Kol, Rebekah, and Stefan, these are my two best friends, Elena Gilbert and Bonnie Bennett. "
It was like the red sea parted as the three newcomers walked behind Caroline. She allowed herself to snatch their schedules, beginning her tour on how to find their way to their first periods and the quickest way to their second. Caroline ignored the looks of her classmates as she explained some of the more fun aspects of the school, such as the welcome-back party that would happen later that night.
She opened her mouth, never allowing her to shut it for more than a second. Trying to ignore the curious glances of her friends. Did she mention Caroline had yet to tell the two about Niklaus in detail? She meant to speak to them the minute she got back last year. But almost as soon as school started, Matt had asked Elena out, and Caroline's amazing summer was washed away in a mix of teenage hormones and schoolwork.
Besides, what was one summer spending time with a hot older man? When they had their own real-life high school love story right in front of her eyes. That was until Caroline received her first actual letter from Niklaus. In the letter, he spoke of their summer together, wanting to continue getting to know her despite his frequent travels.
Caroline had just finished the quick tour of the main floor, pointing to the classrooms they would be returning to later in the day. That was when her phone lit up with a text from the same man her thoughts kept going back to.
I assume my letter has arrived.
-Nik
Caroline couldn't help but blush, causing her to trip over her words as she began leading the troop towards the doors of the quad into the main center of the school.
Rebekah smirked, "Nik? Is he being disgusting?"
Kol rolled his eyes, "You just wish someone would be that disgusting with you. Care, I assure you your taste in Mikaelson men is terrible."
The third member of their troop looked amused, clearly trying to hide a chuckle. Caroline shook her head, "Don't antagonize your brother, Kol."
'But it's so much fun!" Kol whined; he turned towards Stefan and said, "Isn't that right?"
"Excuse me?" Stefan questioned, almost tripping over his words. Not expecting to be pulled into the conversation.
Kol shrugged, "You look like you know the wonderful realities of sibling affection."
XXX
You've done well, Rebekah. Keep an eye on our rarity until our other business is finished. Don't let it out of your hands.
-Nik
Rebekah shut her phone with a harsh snap, taking a deep breath to avoid showing supernatural signs of agitation. Slamming her locker closed with the textbooks she would need in her bag, silently cursing her brother in every language she knew. Suppose Nik did not get off his high horse. In that case, she would practice her favorite ways to disembowel someone on her favorite brother once he finally graced this town with his ridiculous face.
Laughter could be heard down the hall when her enhanced nose caught a whiff of a pack of teenage boys that looked, they had just returned from the football field. Her nose scrunched as their scent hit her; what the hell did these humans eat these days? Never had she been this disgusted by humans hygiene, and she served as a nurse on multiple occasions! Without plumbing meaning, most people were far filthier than their current descendants.
"Smell something, sister?"
The blonde original gave her brother a dark look, "Did you have anything to do with that god-awful smell?"
Kol shrugged, "It is something called… axe? Supposedly it's supposed to help with the smell of sweat. Some kind of anti-perspiring tool."
Rebekah looked at her brother with a look that clearly spoke of her disbelief in his intelligence. "It smells god awful," She hissed.
Kol smirked, "Humans do an amazing job of shrinking their population all on their own. They don't even need predators."
A familiar laugh caused the siblings to turn to watch as Stefan Salvatore stood next to the latest doppelganger, Elena Gilbert. Rebekah's eyes narrowed on the Tatia-look-a-like, starstruck at her former paramour. The blonde growled when her brother elbowed her.
"Calm the fuck down, sister," Kol hissed. "Unless you want the entire town to know you're a bloody vampire. Besides that loser is not worth it."
"If Stefan wants to drool over the Petrova bitch, I don't care," Rebekah snapped. "I care about if he loses control and ruins our plans before Nik gets his hands on her. He reeks of the animal. Does he think demolishing the Bambi population will help his bloodlust?"
"Are you upset you won't be the one to kill her or the fact it will be your lover's death if he comes in between our brother's goal?" Kol shook his head.
Rebekah snarled at the way Stefan leaned forward against Elena's locker. Seeing the man she had tried to bring with her in her escape from Chicago fawning over the doppelganger slut was disgusting. He used to have class; after all, he caught her attention in the 20s. Back when he had confidence and fearlessness. Rebekah looked away at the vampire her former lover had become. He was a mere shadow of his former self.
Kol snorted, "Be at ease, sister. I doubt he has the strength to attack her."
"Or protect her," Rebekah mumbled, eyeing the new couple in distaste. If there was one thing the two newly revived vampires learned was that one could learn much from high school whispers. The most exciting piece of information was the instant attraction of the returned Salvatore to the female Gilbert sibling.
Just like how her brothers had acted when meeting Tatia or Elijah when meeting Katherine all those years later. "Don't be so jealous, sweet sister of mine. It's unbecoming of a hag like you," Kol teased, bumping his shoulder with hers.
"Her days are numbered at best." His voice was shallow in an effort not to be overheard by Salvatore.
"You think it was a coincidence that the doppelganger was in the same town Niklaus sent us to?" Rebekah finally voiced the question that's been on her mind for the past week.
Kol shook his head, "You know as well as I Niklaus sent us to protect Caroline. Not search rumors for the doppelganger. But the lack of whispers of where she could be is concerning."
Rebekah glanced at her brother, "She and Caroline are friends with a Bennett. They could have shielded her from supernatural sight. A Bennett is powerful enough to shield her from us for a time."
Kol hummed in agreement. Both siblings eye each other with unease at the apparent issue in front of them. "It does complicate matters. Even I can tell Caroline's self-esteem is hollow. When she realizes Nik needs Elena…." Kol drifted off, his voice low enough that the humans could not hear.
Rebekah sighed, "She is going to assume Nik took an interest in her to get to Elena."
Moving against a locker, Kol sighed, "If he had known about the doppelganger…."
Rebekah cursed as her fingers dented the textbook in her hand, "Caroline will never believe the truth."
"Nik was displeased at finding out the doppelganger was a friend of hers," Kol murmured. "The question remains just how close the two are. We've been here a week, and I have barely seen the two interact."
"If this one is anything like the last one, I take it that our brother's girlfriend is used to playing second fiddle," Rebekah snorted. "It's a wonder Caroline has not tried to go against the doppelganger. She is hardly a doormat."
"She considers the doppelganger and the Bennett witch her friends," Kol hummed. "Yet all I've seen anyone do is ask about Elena. Her parents died recently, yes?"
Rebekah rolled her eyes, "At the end of last school year. Yet that is still all anyone can talk about is poor Elena. Her supposed friends haven't even asked her where she's gone these past two summers. Or about her mysterious pen pal. It's not like Caroline's kept it a secret."
"How do you think she is going to react?" Kol murmured.
Rebekah watched the couple, her internal rage simmering just under the surface. Memories of the roaring twenties were still fresh in her mind, and here was a man who even her controlling brother approved of, and he was the doppelgangers lapdog. "Depends on how good of a friend Elena is compared to how good of a boyfriend our brother is. I suppose."
Kol smirked at his sister, "I do believe it has something to do with the noises we overhear in his bedroom. I think our brother is the safe bet."
Rebekah's face scrunched up as if in pain, "those are images I do not need, Kol."
"Just because you can't get laid—" Kol's voice drifted off with the look his sister was sending. "Caroline is capable of distracting him. That's actually a good thing."
Looking over to the latest couple of Mystic Falls, Rebekah frowned. She liked Caroline; the blonde had brought out a joy in their family she thought long lost. But Niklaus would reverse his curse; it's been his dream long before Caroline was even possible. If Caroline tried to get in his way… Rebekah feared what would happen.
XXX
A few months ago…
Kol woke up to silence, only the sound of a heartbeat nearby, along with the familiar slow beat of a fellow vampire. As the former witch pulled himself up from the coffin, his last waking moments came rushing back. Once again, daggered by his elder brother, all because he disagreed over that foul little protegee of his and taking the fall for his sister. A noise to his far left alerted Kol to his eldest brother sitting up in his coffin, looking around, confused.
"Welcome back, brother," Kol chirped, smirking at the way; Finn flinched at the sudden loud noise. Kol thought that perhaps keeping him asleep for so long was a bad thing. His brother was no better than a baby vampire simply because he slept for most of his existence.
"How long?" Finn said with a raw voice, his vocal cords struggling to make a sound after so long of disuse. Before Kol could explain, the smell of fresh human blood hit his nose. The two newly awakened vampires turned towards the door only to see two blondes holding blood bags.
"Well, you've been daggered for about nine hundred years," Rebekah chirped, "Kol here for about a hundred." Rebekah quickly threw five blood bags a piece at each brother, "Drink, losers."
"In a plastic bag?" Kol scrunched his nose in distaste. "We have a magnificent specimen right here."
"How many times do I have to tell you, people? I'M NOT FOOD," Caroline screamed, the last part huffing for breath. Her irritation was palpable.
Kol grinned unruffled as he allowed his fangs to grow, watching how Caroline paled with glee, "This one has a spark. Can we keep her for a little while?"
Finn sat calmly in his coffin, looking over at his youngest sibling before taking a reluctant sip from the blood bag. His gaze turned towards the blonde near their sister was most definitely human, Kol noted. He could hear her heartbeat, beating as if she were being hunted. Not too far off the mark, Kol mused to himself.
Rebekah rolled her eyes, "Considering she is dating our brother. I doubt he would be too pleased if we ate her, Kol."
Finn frowned, "she is dating Elijah? He's never been interested in a blonde before."
Caroline looked at him blankly while Rebekah pinched her nose, "Finn, she is dating our psychotic control freak of a brother."
Finn hummed, "Ah. That makes more sense."
Caroline growled, "Has anyone told you, people, how rude you are?"
Out of the three Mikaelsons, Finn was the one who looked most affronted by this announcement. Rebekah smirked at her while Kol looked like he had found a new puppy he wanted to play with. Kol took his last blood bag and let out a loud slurp causing his siblings to look at him disgustingly.
"Well, if we can't eat her," Kol waved towards Caroline. "Why is she here?"
Eye twitching, Caroline stomped towards the vampire, still in a bloody coffin, mind you, and poked his chest. Her finger pressed his chest as she seethed, "Listen here, buddy. If it wasn't for me accidentally finding your coffins. All three of you would still be sleeping in coffins! For that alone, I deserve not to be referenced as food!"
Kol laughed, "I see why my brother likes you. You might not die once he finds out you let his siblings loose."
Rebekah scoffed as Finn looked between the two, trying to decipher more without communicating with his siblings. When Rebekah handed him strange-looking clothes, the blonde rolled her eyes, pointing to the human, "She says these are what humans wear nowadays."
Caroline deadpanned, "Your psychotic brother has kept your wardrobes up to date. It wasn't that hard once Rebekah pointed out the weird carvings on the door frames were your names."
Finn took the clothes with a solemn nod before turning to where Rebekah pointed out a bathroom with a muttered, "I don't need to see my brother naked now that bathrooms actually exist." Earning a small laugh from the human.
"Now that you lot will not eat me." Caroline pointed to herself, "Friend, not food, remember. I'd like to have my questions answered before I freak out."
At this point, Finn came back, looking down at his arms, where he wore a long-sleeved cotton shirt. "It's the most like what he would be used to wearing, " The female vampire explained to the human.
"Thank you, sister," Finn's deep voice could be heard; the two females glanced as Kol looked gleefully at the outfit Rebekah had tossed him. "For not assembling me like our younger brother."
Rebekah snorted as Kol sped towards the bathroom, leaving Caroline blinking as she tried to figure out where the young man went. "I know better than try changing your fashion sense, brother. You have always been the least fashionable of my brothers."
Finn rolled his eyes and turned towards the blonde human with curiosity in his eyes, "Miss?"
"Caroline," The blonde replied. "Caroline Forbes."
Finn coughed into his hand, "Well then, Miss Caroline Forbes. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. Forgive me, you don't resemble the type of woman my younger brother has preferred…."
Rebekah groaned, "Finn, you don't tell a woman that!"
"But Niklaus…."
Caroline smiled; it did not reach her eyes. "Let me guess, usually went for the most attractive one around? I bet she was usually the richest, to boot."
Finn opened his mouth and closed, "To be frank, yes."
Caroline shook her head, "You really are rude. I'll make sure you get a book on modern manners." The blonde paused, "Or maybe I'll stick to the century before… I don't think you are ready for social media."
"What is social media?" All three Mikaelsons asked.
"Fuck," Caroline shook her head. "Alright, first, Finn. It's Finn, right?"
The eldest, Mikaelson, nodded his head. "Finn, never let any lover of your siblings know what your sibling's usual type is!" Caroline eyed him carefully. "Why were you daggered in the first place?"
Rebekah's mouth twitched. "Let's say we didn't like his girlfriend… and Niklaus and Finn argued."
"And you thought it was smart to judge Nik's choice of date?" Caroline asked incredulously.
Kol opened his mouth.
"No. I think I see your dynamics perfectly," Caroline ordered, raising her hand to signal for the vampire to be quiet, shaking her head.
XXX
September 2009
Klaus let out an annoyed sigh, stepping in front of a parked limo in downtown Atlanta. As usual, the sun shone and glittered off his daylight ring as his fingers slid around the door handle. The original growled at one gawker as they stared at the expensive car. His travels this summer had proved to be fruitless. His favorite witch had determined what Klaus was searching for was not there on his first trip that fateful summer. Opening the limousine door, the blonde vampire smirked at seeing his older brother sitting inside with a glass of his favorite liquor.
"Brother," Elijah nodded, taking a sip of the dark-colored drink, waiting until his brother slid in across from him, shutting the limousine door.
"Care to explain why we are in this particular city? The cuisine is hardly a delicacy " Klaus pursed his lips, taking in the way his brother lounged against the limousine. Elijah's usually tense shoulders were relaxed in a way that only someone who had known him since before the change could notice.
"I thought you would want to know your little runaway has located the moonstone for you. She has yet to procure it but seems to have a plan. I thought Atlanta was memorable. You returned two years in a row," Elijah sipped on his brandy.
"Elijah, if I didn't know any better. I would say that you got up close and personal with Miss. Pierce. Atlanta means nothing to me, brother, and you know this" Klaus let out a long breath as his nose picked up on a fragrance coming off his brother. Holding back a growl, Elijah did get up close and personal with the enemy based on her smell alone.
His brother really did have terrible taste in women.
"I hope she tasted as good you as you remember, Elijah" Klaus looked at his brother with a sneer. "You probably got flees off of her."
"Says the man who is in bed with a weak human whom you're not even drinking from," Elijah sipped on his glass, not faced at all from his brother's verbal lashing.
Klaus smirked, "I thought you liked her."
Elijah narrowed his eyes, "Caroline Forbes has returned our siblings. I find that behavior worth some…merit. Yet that does not erase her delicate state."
Niklaus's eyes narrowed, "Speak plainly, brother. I find my temper rather short in her absence."
"I've heard rumors of the original hybrid….being tamed. I've already started the process of dealing with the particularly ridiculous ones, but they are out there. It's only a matter of time before someone hears that she is human."
"Most of the supernatural community thinks I am a myth," The hybrid snorted.
"We've found the doppelganger; the moonstone is almost procured, and all you really need is a wolf," Elijah regaled him with their current predicament. "Those who realize we are not a myth will only grow once you are cured, brother. And what of our enemies? They certainly have been looking for a weakness for a thousand years."
Niklaus internally growled, "What do you expect me to do, Elijah?"
"Release Caroline before the supernatural world uses her against you, or make sure she has a real weapon at her disposal."
"Like how you tried to save Katherine?" Klaus retorted back. "Caroline has our siblings by her side. She is protected."
"You know very well that will work only so long," Elijah shook his head. "Brother, I'm not trying to take away your happiness. I'm trying to prolong it."
"I won't force this life on her," The younger brother vowed. "Elijah, we can't force it on her. Either you accept it, or you don't. Not everyone is made for vampirism."
XXX
Klaus was irritated his brother had separated him from Caroline for a trip that ended up being a dead end. His brother had been investigating Katherine Pierce's current location. The bitch had been long gone except for a note that mocked him. As amusing as it was, the witch really thought she could outsmart them. He always had tabs on her and knew of her locations until recently. It was only a manner of time before he could locate her whenever he wanted to again.
Her doppelganger descendant had finally arrived based on the rumors. He had a witch or three on speed dial; now, all he needed was the moonstone. Sacrifices would need to be found after that. The brothers frowned as they heard familiar voices with their enhanced hearing.
"Niklaus," Elijah murmured softly. "I didn't know you awakened our siblings."
"I didn't," Niklaus glowered as the pair entered the house., Listening for any number of annoying former contemporaries of his siblings. Not many of them have survived the centuries enough to even contemplate attempting to meddle in the family. No, those who survived understood that survival depended on allowing the Mikaelsons to handle things themselves.
Then who would dare?
That was when he heard the tell-tale sound of a human heartbeat. He had thought for sure that Caroline must have had to leave; the girl was rather particular about not angering her father. Not that the man could truly harm him, Bill Forbes was aware of just who his daughter was spending time with. It amused him that the vampire hunter could do nothing to stop his teenage daughter for fear of her life. Perhaps he prayed that Niklaus would simply get bored.
Thump-Thump
After a heartbeat, Niklaus's face twisted, showing his true vampire nature as Caroline's familiar scent filled his nose. It was fresh; she was still inside the house! He was going to murder whoever awakened his siblings with Caroline still inside the house. The vampire had been gone far too long; he had been sure Caroline would have left him a note before returning to her father's home for the night.
But no, she was inside with vampires that had been daggered for decades. Ignoring his brother's warning, Niklaus raced into the large house. Blue eyes scanned the hall, using his enhanced senses to locate his unhinged brother far too close to his human. So consumed with locating Caroline, Klaus failed to see Elijah's eyes widen, flashing away before Elijah could form a syllable.
That was how Niklaus found himself holding Kol by the neck, his veins prodding against his skin. His fangs practically dripped with venom when Caroline shouted, "NIK, PUT YOUR BROTHER DOWN RIGHT THIS INSTANT!"
"Nik, we weren't doing anything to your precious little human," Rebekah informed her brother. She was thoroughly annoyed that her brothers once again ruined her fun. It was only after hearing his sister's voice mixed in with Caroline's deadly yell that Niklaus noticed the room he was in.
Finn and Rebekah were sitting on a couch with their sister sitting on the ledge, a glass of what his nose told him was clearly his most expensive champagne in her hand. On the table were several pizza boxes. Four paper plates and two empty liters of soda were on his one-of-a-kind table. The pretty blonde he had been concerned about was behind him, her arms crossed. His sister was rolling her eyes, taking a sip of his alcohol, and his remaining brothers were looking on with boredom.
"Brother, I do believe Miss. Forbes means to do you harm if you do not let Kol down," Finn muttered, eyeing the petite blonde with part disbelief and pure exhaustion. The bloody idiot had been asleep for 900 years. He had no right to be exhausted. Hearing Kol's windpipe begin to cave in, he let his grip loosen, allowing for his brother to heal once Elijah threw the brunet a blood bag.
Before any of the Mikaelson siblings could say a word, the human in the room stood up to Niklaus Mikaelson and pointed her finger into his chest.
"Daggering," point, "you're," another stab in his chest, "Siblings" further stab into his chest, followed by an icy glare. "Is wrong."
Naturally, this was not something that Niklaus could stand for, no matter how adorable he found it. Snatching her hand before the blonde had a chance to stab him with her meticulously manicured nail again, he hissed, "I was afraid for your safety."
Caroline rolled her eyes, pulling her hand away, eyes narrowing at the way she had just noticed how easy it was. "So, your conclusion is to choke your brother?"
Nik had been letting her pull away all this time? The way his blue eyes glinted in the light made her very aware of how dangerous this man was for the first time in the year she had known him. Suddenly being in front of him after finding out the secret he had been trying to hide, it was all too much.
"You haven't met my sibling's love," Niklaus murmured. "Kol has been known to overindulge. I can admit perhaps my reaction was a bit much."
Taking a deep breath, Caroline said, "Finding your siblings daggered, clearly straight to the chest, then to find they wake up if the dagger is removed is one hell of a way to find out your secret don't you think?"
Niklaus's eyes widened as Elijah opened his mouth to speak, only to be stopped by Finn, who shook his head. His dark eyes rested on the blonde with an unfamiliar gentleness. He had met this girl a mere few hours ago; if his brother was going to keep the human in front of him, Niklaus would have to fight this battle alone.
XXX
September 2009
"Alright, girls, good job! Now let's run that again," Caroline ordered, her eyes scanning her team.
Finally, her eyes landed on her two best friends. Elena was leaning against her knees, standing next to Bonnie, chest heaving as the two ignored everyone around them. Caroline fought down the irritation she felt building up all day. Elena disappeared for the rest of the summer after leaving Caroline's house. She wouldn't be nearly this out of shape if she managed to do the few basic routines Caroline had suggested when Elena's Aunt Jenna informed her about Gilbert's needing family time.
Caroline understood. Well tried to understand, knew that cheer obviously wasn't Elena's priority right now. But Caroline took the time to ensure Elena wouldn't be far behind if she put in the effort. The first real chance Caroline had to see her best friends, and the two were in their own world. Did they genuinely think Caroline wouldn't be supportive?
Sure, the blonde believed that Elena's extended grieving turned to a dangerous level. That didn't mean she thought Elena should be over it. Yet, the two would share their smiles and roll their eyes at anything Caroline had mentioned all day.
Her father simply left his family. Elena's were taken from her by a freaking accident from hell. It didn't stop Caroline from thinking that neither Gilbert would want their children acting like they were. While Elena was back after having broken Matt's heart, looking forlorn and constantly writing in her journal. What truly irritated Caroline was that the blonde still had not gotten over the brunette.
Yes, Elena broke up with him, particularly after a tragic event, but everyone could see it coming. Caroline loved Matt, but if he didn't try to move on, she was afraid he never would. Caroline's blue eyes danced over to her two best friends, whose conversation seemed to turn sour. Bonnie was giving Elena her patented, I-Disagree-And-Am-Not-So- Silently-Judging- You face.
Caroline loved the girl, but she did not understand how everyone seemed to stop functioning around the girl. Matt was behaving like a lost puppy despite the fact Elena had been slowly retreating from him for ages before the breakup. Now it looked like one of the three new kids was falling into the trap.
It was only the first month of school!
When Elena shared something with Bonnie, and they laughed, the cheer captain tried not to be jealous. Bonnie had disappeared at the same time as Elena; the blonde knew they had been together a decent amount this summer. That was when a loud voice caught her attention.
"Caroline!" Rebekah's elegant voice called out onto the field, looking like a European model gracing them with her presence. The returning members of the football team paused to look the new girl up and down.
Even Caroline's so-called best friends paused to look at the new girl. Rebekah bounced up to her fellow blonde, "I asked around, and it appears you are the one who decides when to hold tryouts" Rebekah pouted, "Why didn't you tell me!"
Caroline blinked; the original vampire wanted to be a cheerleader? She had only known the damn woman for a few weeks! "Bekah, we hold tryouts in a few weeks. I had to give everyone time out of cheer camp to decide if they were continuing or not. So, I can hold tryouts."
Rebekah stopped pouting, unfolding her crossed arms to land at her waist, "When?"
"The first week of October," Caroline said, exasperated as the image of a laughing Kol came into view, walking up from behind his sister. The mirth in his eyes told her that he knew about Rebekah's surprising hobby and didn't warn her on purpose.
Bastard.
"The first week of October," Rebekah repeated with a smile. "Meet me by your locker after school, Caroline. We are driving you home" The blonde didn't wait for a reply before turning on her heel, wrapping an arm around her brother's neck as the duo left the field.
Bonnie and Elena came up to her with matching curiosity in their eyes. "You seem close to the new kids," Bonnie said; her voice was curious, but Caroline could read the hurt undertone.
Caroline always told them everything.
XXX
"So, how do you like it in Mystic Falls so far?" Elena cringed as the question left her mouth.
While not the worst thing she could have said, the brunette could practically see Caroline rolling her eyes if the blonde were to see her right now. Luckily for her, the blonde was busy talking to the other two new students on the other side of the fire. Her dear friend would be muttering that was not how flirted with a man you liked! Caroline would probably go as far as to mutter under her breath how Elena didn't even need to try.
Elena frowned, thinking about her friend; ever since her Aunt Jenna had picked her up from the Forbes, it was like she hardly saw the bubbly blonde. Not that it was genuinely shocking since, for the past two summers, the blonde has spent much of the summer visiting her father and his new paramour in their new home in Georgia.
"Elena?" A pale hand waved itself gently in front of her face. Shaking off her troubled thoughts, Elena smiled at the handsome boy beside her.
"I'm sorry, Stefan, I got lost in my head for a minute," Elena laughed at herself, hoping that the first thing since her parents' death that made her even remotely excited wouldn't run for the hills.
Stefan Salvatore smiled, "I tend to do that too. Do you want to talk about it?"
"It's nothing. I just realized I haven't talked with Caroline a lot lately," Elena admitted guilty, tugging a strand of brown hair behind her ear.
"The blonde one. Who showed me around the school earlier" Stefan nodded, "She is talkative."
Elena offered him a small smile, "That's Care for you. Don't get me wrong, I love her. She's my best friend, but she can be a bit-" The brunette paused as if trying to pick the correct word to describe her friend.
"A bit much?" Stefan finished. The area around him suddenly got a bit colder, and Stefan looked over his shoulder to find the other two new students glowering at him. There was no way they could have heard him. Besides, he didn't notice any daylight jewelry on either of them, so he doubted they were vampires.
They were all the way on the other side of the party as Caroline talked animatedly to the two of them. Turning his attention to the woman who brought him back home, Stefan asked, "Do you mind me asking how the two of you became friends? You two are so different."
"That's a long story, "Elena laughed a little, put out that they were still talking about Caroline. She wanted to know more about him, but talking about her friend was a good start. It meant he wanted to know her, right? She had only spoken a handful of words to him, but already things felt different. He made her want to try to be normal again, and despite running into him at a cemetery, he didn't think she was weird for it.
Elena Gilbert really wanted to get to know Stefan Salvatore a lot more.
A.N: Revision Completed 3/30.