Caroline Forbes, former Miss Mystic Falls, was in the graveyard. Why would such a girl be is such a dismal place you ask? She was paying her respects to Mrs. Lockwood. Since Tyler wasn’t there to do she would do it for him, someone should. Caroline was standing in front of the head stone in her stylish jacket and jean combo. “Hi, Mrs. Lockwood, I um just wanted to tell you how I was um doing. I know we weren’t really close and all when you were he but um I just wanted to tell you about Tyler. He came for prom. He was very handsome,” Caroline’s voice turned wistful as she remembered that wonderful night that Tyler was waiting for her and the whole world had disappeared when they were dancing.
Caroline had started to reenact their dance when all of the sudden her daydream was shattered by a crunch in the woods. “Hello?” she called expecting to find one of the Salvatore brothers or Bonnie with more bad news of danger that they would soon have to deal with. Instead she saw the smoldering face of Klaus former ‘bad news’. Caroline crossed her arms providing little defense between her and the Original. “What are you doing here,” she asked cold and harsh trying to push him away and make him seem less tempting. She tried to remember all the bad things that he had done it helped a little that Mrs. Lockwood was right behind her. “Hello, Caroline.” He smirked as if they had planned to meet there. “What are you doing?” She asked again hoping to get an actual answer. He walked closer before answering, “Same as you,” he said not looking at her but the headstone of Mrs. Lockwood. Caroline was about to snort in disbelief when she noticed the flowers in his hands. He put them on top of the headstone. They were even in a little vase. Klaus turned to look at her and gave her a cross of an exasperated and amused look. “Really now, Caroline, is it so hard for you to believe that I could show remorse for my victims?” “Yes” she said as she started walking away.
She was starting to feel good about herself. She had resisted the charms of the one man who she should truly hate with her whole heart but she just couldn’t. She knew he was just trying to soften her up for some grand romantic gesture that he no doubt had planned. She was about to enter the woods surrounding the cemetery when she heard another snap. She whipped her head around expecting to find Klaus stalking after her. She took a couple more steps when she was silently grabbed from behind and pushed up against a tree with a hand on her mouth. It was Klaus. She tried to struggle and shout for a couple seconds before Klaus made her stand still quietly. She could tell by his eyes that he was concerned. He was looking around surveying the scene when Klaus was shot in the arm by a grotesque ancient looking arrow. He turned to where the arrow must have been fired from. His face lighted up in a smirk. The hunt was on. He took off like a shot from the place where he stood only seconds ago. Caroline just leaned against the tree in a daze for several seconds before deciding to chase after Klaus and their unknown attacker. She didn’t even want to think about how it felt to be pinned up against a tree by Klaus.
Klaus had obviously already caught the attacker before Caroline reached them and was surprised to see that Klaus hadn’t ripped out his thought. They were however in a tight bro hug. What the hell is going on? They both turned to look at the same time. Apparently Caroline had not said that in her own head as she intended. Klaus gave a silent look to his friend as if apologizing for Caroline’s behavior. “Tristan” he said addressing the new comer “this is Caroline”. Klaus seemed almost to look into her soul when he was introducing her. Tristan actually bowed in greeting to her. All Caroline could do was stare at them until a question escaped her lips. “What the hell is going on?” “Tristan this is Caroline. I’m Tristan’s sire, I made him.” Tristan at this point stopped staring at Caroline and now looked at Klaus with a look of like pleased cat. “Why did he shoot you?” Caroline asked perplexed. The boys now both grinned from ear to ear. “Inside Joke” Tristan answered. Klaus now turned to Tristan whilst addressing Caroline “If you’ll excuse me, love but Tristan and I have a lot to catch up on. We haven’t seen each other for, what is it eight centuries now.” The males started to head towards the Michelson Mansion while Caroline still stood there with a look of ‘what the hell’ still plastered on her face. After she regained enough of her composure she started towards Salvatore house to inform them of the new vamp in town.
When she finally escaped the multitude of questions that Stefan and Damon thrush upon her about Tristan; Caroline decided that Mystic Grill was the place to cool off. She had just passed the alley next to the Grill when Tristan stepped out of the shadows. “Tristan, what are you do-?” That was all she could get out before he snapped her neck. Before she came to she could feel her arms a legs being restrained and her daylight ring being taken off. When she finally opened her eyes she saw Tristan across from her sitting backwards in a chair sharpening a stake. “You remember that arrow I shot Klaus with?” he asked rhetorically not taking his eyes off his work. “It was meant for you. Clearly I underestimated his feelings for you.” “Why would you try to kill me I don’t even know you!” Caroline shouted, the weight of the situation finally pulling her out the confusion of having your neck snapped. Still he continued with his work. “You make him weak,” Tristan stood up now trying to make his words have an impact on the fledgling blonde. “He could kill a hundred mothers and not even blink an eye and now he’s bringing flowers to their graves. He could make a plan and not have to worry about the collateral damage.” He paused as if remembering ‘the good old days’. “You’re crazy” Caroline whispered. “Am I?” He thundered “He let your werewolf boyfriend live. He hasn’t’ taken you for his own yet. The Nicklaus I knew would have made you his prize after making you witness as he killed your beloved. Knowing you has made him soft.” He went back to work on his stake before finishing his little tirade. “Do you know how much pain he has caused since he’s been here?” Caroline countered hoping that somehow she could make him change his mind and spare her. “Trust me princess” he smiled all the while sharpening the almost finished stake, “you haven’t even scratched the surface of the pain Nicklaus can inflict on this pathetic town.” He had finished the stake. “Well Caroline I almost hate to do this but, who am I kidding I am going to love this.” He smiled and before he could even try to lunge for her he was thrown across the cave where he had brought her the wooden stake clattering out of his hands. Where he had once stood was now Klaus looking powerful and yet pained at the same time. Tristan was slowly trying to pick himself up from the rubble that had been made when he crashed into the wall. Klaus swiftly picked up the stake but before he could plunge it into Tristan’s heart Tristan tried to speed past Klaus to the exit of the cave. Klaus of course smacked him down like the hand of God and before he daggered the broken vampire he spoke softly in to his ear “You were my favorite,” and then Tristan was no more.
Klaus held Tristan for moments afterwards until Caroline spoke “Thank you” was all she said. She with her vampire hearing had heard what Klaus spoke to Tristan. She knew that if Klaus hadn’t killed Tristan he wouldn’t have stopped until she was dead. He had saved her life by killing someone who he considered family. He really did love her. Klaus rose from his spot on the floor and untied Caroline from her chair. All the while the both looked into each other’s eyes; both afraid to look away so as not to break the spell that had been cast over them. Klaus helped Caroline stand still with his eyes trained on her. Caroline broke the spell by taking her eyes of his and embraced him. Klaus was of course momentary frozen. Here was this girl who hated him the whole time he had been here giving him the one thing that he had been hoping for. His momentary emotional battle lasted only a moment before he enveloped her as well. They stood like that for what seemed like eternity and that was how Tyler found them.
