The Long Con

25. The Last Supper

The siblings all greeted each other fondly before sitting around the table together. The women all gushed over Elena's ring while Kol and Klaus congratulated their brother. Rebekah glared at Elena a few times, and the brunette's heart pounded but so far she had kept her mouth shut. 

"I can't believe you're actually engaged!" Rebekah grinned at Elijah, trying to be happy for him despite the knowledge of his fiance's deception. "I'm so happy for you, brother." Elena smiled lovingly at Elijah and he returned it. 

"Have you picked a date for the wedding?" Caroline asked, trying to contain the many questions that were threatening to burst out of her head. 

"Not yet," Elena informed her. "We haven't had much time to plan the details. We've been uh...celebrating." She blushed and Elijah chuckled before placing a kiss on her forehead. 

"Who all is coming to the party tomorrow?" Bonnie wondered. It was the first time Bonnie and Caroline would be interacting with anyone from their pasts and they were concerned with what might come up in conversation.

"All of the Mikaelsons of course. And my family." Elena told them.

"Plus, my mother has invited some of our business associates," Elijah added. Kol cringed at the idea.

"Are you sure I have to attend?" He groaned dramatically. "Mother's friends are much too friendly." He shuddered.

"Oh shut up." Rebekah rolled her eyes at him. 

"Plus think of how much worse the wedding will be," Klaus added with a mischievous grin.

"Protect me, Bon!" She shook her head at him. 

"You two are too cute." Caroline gushed as Bonnie and Kol flirted with each other. 

"You should've seen them on the couch." Rebekah cringed at the memory while Bonnie blushed, burying her head in Kol's shoulder. 

"You're just jealous." Kol retorted. Before Kol could make a quip about Rebekah's lack of love life, a waiter came by to take their orders.

"So Caroline, Niklaus tells me you are quite the party planner." Elijah began. 

"I try," She bit her lip, a slight pink tint to her cheeks.

"While our mother would love to have the event planned by a professional, Elena and I would prefer to have a more intimate ceremony," Elijah explained and Elena gave Caroline a knowing smile. 

"Caroline, will you help plan our wedding?" Elena asked. Caroline was about to cry or jump over the table to hug her best friend.

"Yes yes yes! I would love to!" The blonde beamed, grabbing Klaus's arm in an attempt to contain her excitement.

"And Rebekah, I was hoping you would do me the honour of designing my dress." Elena bit her lip nervously as she proposed the idea. Rebekah was clearly upset with her, and for good reason. 

"I would love to." She smiled genuinely. Everything was falling into place. Elijah smiled lovingly at his future bride. 

"I think it's time for a toast." Klaus held up his glass and the others followed suit. "To Elijah and Elena, may the next chapter of their lives be full of love and happiness."

"To Elijah and Elena!" The others repeated with the exception of the happy couple. 

"To family and friends," Elijah added. They all clinked their glasses together and drank.

After dinner, Klaus and Caroline went back to Elijah and Elena's. 

"It seems like Elena has grown on you." Caroline teased after they got into the guest room. 

"I have decided to ignore my doubts for Elijah's sake." He shrugged though she could tell it was something more. He was finally starting to accept her friend.

"I like her." Caroline grinned. Klaus still wasn't aware of her history with Elena and she wasn't sure he ever would but, she hoped the pair would be able to act like friends again. She loved her life in Chicago but she did miss Bonnie and Elena more than anything.

"I would hope so, you are planning her wedding." Klaus pointed out, sitting on the edge bed.

"Thanks to you." Caroline draped her arms around his neck, standing in between his legs. He rested his hands on her hips. "I love you, Nik." She leaned in and kissed him. He smiled against her lips.

"Nik?" She blushed slightly. She had only ever called him Klaus. 

"I don't know. I know that's what Bekah calls you but I just kinda like it. Is that okay?" She bit her lip nervously and he reached up to cup her cheek. She meets his eyes as his thumb ran across her lip.

"I love it." He assured her. 

"What's next for us, Nik?" He looked at her, confused by the implications. "Elijah and Elena got engaged, Bonnie and Kol moved in together, what's next for us?"

"Well, I don't think you should be comparing our relationship to those of my siblings, I am thankful you didn't mention my sister's breakup with Marcel. Glad that's not a prospect for you." Klaus teased. 

"I'm serious!" Caroline lightly shoved him and he pulled her down with him. 

"What do you want?" Klaus asked her as she hovered over him on the bed. 

"I asked you first." Klaus shook his head at her but knew she was too stubborn to fight with about this. He flipped them over so he was on top of her. She was still looking at him sternly, waiting for an answer. 

"Caroline, I want to reach big milestones with you but on our own time, not because other people are. I want to give you everything you want in life but it has to be when we're both ready." 

"So you do want a future with me?" Caroline hated that she was insecure but after everything she had gone through, she needed some reassurance. 

"Caroline, I intend to be your last love." Caroline was so consumed with love for Klaus after hearing those words. "Of course, if you wanted we could always fly to Rome or Paris or Tokyo to elope."

"God, you're perfect. It's almost infuriating." She reached and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down so she could kiss him. Things quickly escalated until a loud knock on the door told them they weren't as quiet as they thought they were. 

"Remind me again why we didn't book a hotel room." Caroline teased as they cuddled up under the sheets. 

"Something about family bonding." Klaus shrugged.

"See, I was hoping we could do more bonding of our own." Caroline grinned seductively.

"I think you might be the perfect woman."