Contingency Plan: A Klaroline Fanfiction (Short)

Chapter 3: Till death do us part

If Stefan wasn't already a dead man walking, Caroline would have killed him. She was frantically pacing the penthouse suite of the Mikaelson's finest hotel in her nude strapless wedding dress with a plunging silk charmeuse bustier and half-tumbled tulle skirt, but even Vera Wang wasn't enough to comfort her. Given that it was her second wedding – and she'd murdered her first husband – they'd decided against a traditional white gown. "Where the fuck is he?" the bride growled as she tugged restlessly at her elongated black chiffon tie accents, Jimmy Choo lace and leather court heels wearing a hole in the carpet.

Given that his bride looked like an absolute goddess, Klaus cared very little where Stefan was. Still, he hated seeing Caroline upset. "Sweetheart, I'm sure he'll show up. Freya has her contacts at the FBI tracing his cell phone as we speak. He's probably just-"

"Running lines is what he's probably doing." She groaned, stomping her foot on the ground in frustration. "I knew I should have brought him with me."

The criminal king snorted, rolling his eyes. "Yes, I'm sure he'd have been quite content to join you and my sisters for hair and makeup."

"You could have babysat him yourself, you know!" she scolded him, wagging a freshly manicured nail at him. "He could have gone with you, Elijah and Kol for massages!"

Klaus shot her a pitying look. "The last time he and Kol were in the same room, we ended up engaged."

"Well, that worked out, didn't it?!"

Klaus smiled at that. He was marrying Caroline Forbes. It was arguably the happiest day in his thirty-one years. It was hard to be upset about anything when his future wife stood before him dressed like a royal princess. His topaz eyes softened as they followed her around the luxurious penthouse. Considering how many murders they'd each committed to get here – and the one they planned to commit still – getting married in a church seemed a bit hypocritical. They were to be wed in the grand ballroom in less than an hour with half of Philadelphia's finest in attendance. One missing cokehead wasn't going to ruin the day he'd been dreaming of for years.

The criminal king really didn't understand why she was so concerned with maintaining the Salvatore empire as it stood. Yes, she had a decent distribution ring and the loyalty of several families, but none of them were up to his standards. Left up to him, he'd exterminate everyone Giuseppe had ever done business with and start fresh. Beyond her lack of quality minions, it bothered him how much she craved the loyalty of those who would turn on her without Stefan giving the approval that she was worthy. He knew it was an attitude that dated back to the days of Prohibition and the birth of organized crime, but a hundred years had past. It would take time, but eventually, he would show her all that the world had to offer.

Caroline was born to be a queen; she just didn't know that yet.

"He'll be dead in three days time," Klaus countered reasonably as he lazed against a chaise lounge, sipping a glass of Cristal. "What does it matter if he misses the ceremony?"

Caroline stopped dead in her tracks, glaring at him with her hands on her hips, layers of tulle bunched beneath her nails. "He has to walk me down the aisle to solidify our alliance. You know how this shit goes. He has to 'give me away' like I'm some kind of prized fucking poodle." Crossing her arms over her chest, she huffed. "That asshole can't die soon enough. Where the fuck is he?!"

"Sweetheart," Klaus began, getting to his feet and pouring her a drink, "you need to relax."

"Get away from me with the liquids!" the bride squealed, swatting at the offered champagne flute. She gestured at her gown. "Spill anything on the Vera Wang and the only one dying here will be you." He barked out a laugh at her vitriol; he loved how feisty she could be.