Hello! New update! I don't know how you feel about this story, I have trouble with it really, and I tend to change my mind every two seconds, and I'd like to pinpoint that it's my first multi-chaptered fic in English, and I have no beta! But I hope you enjoy it anyway!

Thank you for taking time to read what I write! The thought only makes me happy :)

Tyler Lockwood loved to talk about himself. He really did. And Caroline was educated enough to listen. Thankfully, her cheeseburger was delicious, so she had something to get focused on while Tyler talked about how he became quarterback.

She rolled her eyes internally, asking herself how a few years back she could have been the happiest girl on earth, her, the cheerleader on a date with a quarterback. What a delightful cliché.

She sipped her white wine. At least he had great taste in restaurant. (And yes she took white wine with a cheeseburger, don't judge her.)

"So how's work?" Tyler asked.

She raised her head to look at him with her mouth full. She took her napkin and got rid of ketchup on the corner of her mouth. "Good, actually."

Tyler laughed, and flexed his pecs, Caroline didn't know if he did on purpose, but she enjoyed the view anyway. "Yeah, I know Klaus can be an ass."

Caroline smiled. "He is not that bad."

"Really?"

Caroline shrugged, not believing she was defending her boss. "He has his moments."

Moments where he was an absolute, arrogant ass, and moments when he was… well, a sexy piece of cake, and he was not afraid to show it (still arrogant though).

– They were friends, fine, but she wasn't prepared when she entered his office as a familiar flash appeared.

His muscles tensing, his groaning, muttering. A naked chest, ready to be touched (licked if she dared to think). Caroline shook her head at the mere thought she had. No. You will not have those kind of thoughts about your boss.

"I am so sorry!" Caroline said, slapping a hand on her eyes – trying desperately to hide something she's already seen.

Klaus raised his head to look at her. "I –"he muttered. "I spilled coffee on my shirt."

"Do you need help?" Caroline asked, still avoiding even a glimpse of his chest.

"Is it a real offer?" Klaus wiggled his eyebrows – even if she couldn't see him. He could use help, for example, I don't know, to quench his sexual frustration.

Caroline rolled her hidden eyes, and groaned something. She then approached his personal closet and handed him one of his shirt – all with her eyes closed.

"Thanks, sweetheart."

Caroline nodded before leaving his office.

She always asked herself – Did he do that on purpose?

Her phone buzzed in her bag, bringing back from her thoughts. "Sorry", she said before rummaging to find it. When she saw the caller ID she rolled her eyes. "Excuse me."

She stood up and went to the bathroom, taking the call. "Mr. Mikaelson."

"Ms. Forbes, I need you at the office now." The accentuated voice told her on the other side of the line.

"What for, it's 9PM", she lamented, checking her watch.

"It's an emergency." He said before ending the call.

Caroline regretted her promise to be less vulgar when the word was at the tip of her tongue.

She met Tyler at their table. She took her bag and apologized, "I am sorry", she showed her phone "Emergency call."

Tyler dryly smiled "Let me guess, Mr. Mikaelson."

Caroline huffed, "Yeah, I am so sorry."

Tyler stood up, letting a few bills on the table and took his jacket "Well let's hope he won't call for our third date."

Oh, yeah, right. The third date. They were quick for the second date since Niklaus Mikaelson decided to, once again, ruin their night. She started to think he did it on purpose.

"I'll give you a ride then"

Caroline nodded with a smile, "Thanks."

The ride was completely silent. And Caroline hated silence. But for once in her lifetime, she didn't know what to say. She had a great time, yes, the food was great, but it was just nice, key word being just. Simply.

When they finally arrived in front of the huge building welcoming The Original's office, she silently sighed in relief. When he stopped the engine she turned around with a small smile.

But she lost it as soon as she saw Tyler closing his eyes and getting closer to her in a clear attempt to kiss her.

Her eyes widened suddenly and she backed away, her back against the car door. With her hand she searched for the handle in a hurry. "It was really nice but I should go", she said in one sentence without breathing before quickly getting out of the car.

She ran to the office without looking back. She didn't want to kiss him. It felt rushed and it was not a good time. She just didn't want it. He was a great guy, but something was missing. Something she didn't feel.

She opened the door to her office and fell on it, holding her chest, heavy from her harsh breaths. She felt like a shy teenager, running away from the first guy asking her to go out with him.

It's just when she felt calmer that she noticed the eyes watching her perplexed.

Klaus, Katherine and Elijah looked at her frowning, the girl panting who rushed inside. She responded to their gazes with a toothy grin.

Klaus looked at her, head to toes but still avoided her gaze, looking at the floor. Her little black dress hugged her curve perfectly and her legs were even longer with the T-strapped high heels. Her hair was tied in a high bun, showing her long and delicate neck – he already kissed, licked.

Trying to focus again on the task, he scoffed to take attention. "Good, everyone's here."

Katherine crossed her arms and looked at her phone, "Yes, Klaus, and what do you want?"

Klaus looked at all the people in the room and started pacing. "We're changing tomorrow's cover."

"At 9PM, Niklaus? It is impossible." Elijah spoke, finally detaching his eyes of the blonde tornado.

"We have to. We are doing a full cover of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign."

Katherine's eyes lit up. It was her domain. People tended to think she worked at the fashion edition but showed how wrong they were. She was a super model with a brain, and a particular liking for crushing powerful men's careers. She interviewed the most important person of this planet. She had the power to make any politicians liked or dead – and she was sexy as hell, and wore designer brands. Yes you can do both.

She smirked fully, knowing what she had to do. "I know what to do." She translated her mind.

Caroline looked at her confidence and strength and was really amazed by it. But unlike her, Caroline had no idea what she had to do. "And why am I here, Klaus?"

Elijah looked at her with a frown. He was stunned because no one called him Klaus here, even his previous assistant called him by his full name even though everyone knew he had an inappropriate relationship with her – and he talked about it with Niklaus, but apparently, he didn't say a word to her.

Klaus looked at her brother, noticing his frown as he remembered their previous conversation. His brother tended to think about etiquette more than anything else. "You both know what to do." He stated, nodding at Katherine and his brother. "I'll talk with Caroline."

Katherine nodded. "Sure, you'll talk with Caroline." She turned her head slightly to look at Caroline, who looked back, and left, not without a wink for the blonde, her Jimmy Choo clacking. Caroline bit her lower lip – well, she promised she won't tell, but she didn't say she won't have fun with this piece of information.

Elijah observed – his frown still present, like permanently printed on his forehead – her leaving before pulling his sleeve and checking his link cuff. "Fine, Niklaus. I'll be in my office." He said before hastily following Katherine's steps.

"You know you'll never win if you keep calling me when I have a date." Caroline closed the door behind her, looking at Klaus seating on his leather chair.

Klaus didn't laugh or reacted. He avoided her gaze and rummaged the papers on his desk.

"What do you need me for?" Caroline asked, taking a step towards him, her hands behind her back.

"You are my assistant, therefore, I need assistantship."

Caroline rolled her eyes. He was in his asshole mood. "Fine. What can I do for you? Bringing you coffee?"

"Actually yes, because that's your job, Caroline." And nothing more, she added in her mind when she heard his word. And she lowered her eyes, knowing she shouldn't feel that way – mocked, foolish, and humiliated almost – but she uncontrollably was. "And call me Mr. Mikaelson from now on. Especially when my brother's here."

Caroline frowned. She wasn't going to be hurt by him. Especially when she thought their relationship was great, especially since she talked to Katherine – they cleared sex out of the table – that they could almost be friends, when he was actually friendly. "What has gotten into you?" She asked dryly, without thinking.

"What has gotten into me Caroline?" he stood up abruptly. "You don't act professionally Caroline, you barge in here, call me Klaus when you should call me Mr. Mikaelson." Klaus was angry and truth is he didn't even know why. He's been on the edge for days and he couldn't have sex to relax since his secretary made a stupid deal with him. His day has been horrible. "I am your boss, Caroline. I won't pat your back. I am not your friend." And to add oil on his furious fire, she was on a date with Lockwood, who had the amazing idea to send flower at her office, like branding a warning flag that she was his. And he hated that.

He looked at her, her face seemingly hurt by his words, and he wanted to swallow them, make her forget how he just acted. He wished he could take back what he said. He has never been friendly with a girl he had sex with, it was new to him. He didn't like the way he felt.

Caroline looked down, truly offended by his words. She wanted to yell and rant at him but he was her boss – Nothing more. "I'll bring your coffee, Mr. Mikaelson." She said, turning around to leave.

As soon as she took the door handle, Klaus's words stopped her. "And bring me your paper about women of power, it might be a great input."

Caroline frowned realizing he was changing his heart once again. This man was not stable. He changed of mood like socks. And it unraveled her.

"Stop doing that."

"What?"

"Being mean one second and gentle the second."

"I am not." – He just wanted to make her forget his words.

"Oh, yes you are, Mr. Mikaelson. You keep telling me nice things and the second after you push me away. Or vice versa."

If Caroline didn't know better she might think he was doing her best to keeping her at a distance pleasurable for him, afraid of her being too close or too far. But the question was why?

"I am not." He repeated, accentuating every word, trying to persuade her, or perhaps himself.

"Yes you do." She took step closer to him, and crossed her arms over her breast. "You keep doing that, putting me at a distant place once, and suddenly bring me closer." She took another step, hearing him breathe loudly. He nervously loosened his tie as she kept approaching. "You don't like when I am too close, but too far away neither."

She was really close now, she felt his breathe on her face, and his eyes slightly flutter.

"I don't know what you are talking about." – He knew exactly what she talked about. And she was saying the truth. It's what he did, he controlled, and he loved to know where everything's place is, even if he had to put them here himself.

Caroline chuckled, "Oh, yes you do."

She was too close right now – he could almost taste her, touch her. Her eyes on him, saying words she didn't want to say. Her arms accentuating the swell of her breast – breast he knew, he sucked eagerly. He could see it, the little mole on her breast.

It was Caroline's turn to pant, seeing as his eyes got lower. Oddly, she liked that. She wanted to feel the desire he had for her, how she made him aroused – just like he did to her.

Without acknowledging it, they were even closer, his mouth brushing her own, their gaze plunging into each other's.

He needed one more push and he could fully kiss her, just like he did that night. He could almost feel her taste on his tongue, a reminder of her peachy flavor.

But he didn't.

She did.

She grabbed his neck and lowered his head so that she could fully kiss him. Her lips pressing against his own. He opened his mouth wider to welcome her tongue.

It was familiar to kiss him, to caress his stubble, feel the angles of his jaw line against her fingertips.

Oh she shouldn't be doing that. She just had a date with Tyler. But he answered her kiss so fervently, and she craved it. She saw him every day, and she wanted to do that from day one. – What is wrong with you?

He gripped her waist, flushing her even closer as he fell deeper into the kiss. He didn't know he was this frustrated until she kissed him, he wanted more, like an everlasting starving man. He wanted more from her – definitely more. He wanted to feel her skin against his fingertips, he wanted to taste her body (again).

She kept repeating Katherine's words – why do you care? Why? It felt so good.

But – What did you do that? He just reminded you he was your boss. And nothing more. But it felt so good to kiss him.

Her thoughts were rushing inside her mind, battling between the goodness of the kiss and the reason why it was such a bad idea – but his tongue, caressing her own, kept blurring everything. But no. Caroline was a girl of reason. Not of heart. Not anymore.

She didn't want to be this girl, she cared about what people thought, even if it was stupid, useless, and could only lead her to get hurt, but she did. She used to be all about reputation, and she still was. She couldn't be the girl sleeping with her boss, she couldn't lose her job, she needed to earn this job, to deserve it – and having a sexual relationship with your boss seemed like a shortcut from what she wanted, an undeserved shortcut.

She pushed him away. Her hands on his chest – another mistake, as she felt his muscles tensed. "I am sorry, Mr. Mikaelson".

And on that note she left, panting, wanting – needing more.

She stared the mark, the round, brown mark on the kitchen countertop. And she decided it was time to kill it for good. She kept appearing, every morning when she put the coffee pot on this exact spot, leaving an annoying mark of coffee.

A sponge in one hand, cleaning product in the other, her delicate (and manicured) hands protected by yellow gloves, she attacked the stain.

How she wished it was that easy for her life. A good jerk of your hand, a good product and the stain disappears. But no, she had to keep putting the freaking coffee pot on the exact same spot – just like she had to kiss Niklaus Mikaelson (again), as if she didn't have enough trouble dealing with the fact she slept with her new boss. Before she took the job though. She just had to create troubles, to make things worse.

Everything was different now. The comfortable – would she dare say – friendship they fell into crushed, their professional relationship ready to tumble. They didn't share lunch anymore, they didn't talk without reason, they didn't discuss. They were strangers – coworkers. And if it should reassure Caroline, it also made her sad – she didn't know and didn't want to know why – but she was.

She missed him.

So she was stress cleaning – more like sad cleaning – their kitchen, a Saturday morning. And that was definitely not in Bonnie's plan to be woken up so early by Caroline's angry whispers directed to herself.

"Hey" the brunette said with a growl, grabbing a bowl to put cereals.

Caroline crinkled her nose at Bonnie's morning habit. Dipping a spoon of peanut butter into chocolate cereals, and eating the whole thing.

Caroline was more classical, a cup of coffee and a donut, waffles or pancakes.

"Good morning Bonnie." Caroline said, maybe more dryly than she wanted, still preoccupied by the brown stain.

"Why are you stress cleaning?" the girl said, her mouth full of her mélange.

"I am not." Caroline hastily answered – maybe a little too much, but she didn't want to complain or even say what happened with him.

"You are."

"No."

"I think you do too."

Caroline frowned at the deep and masculine (and weirdly familiar) voice. A tall, brown haired guy was standing in their kitchen, wearing only a boxer, and his hands disheveling his hair and rubbing his eyes.

"Hello?"

"Kol."

"Kol." Caroline repeated shaking his hand. She nodded to Bonnie is appreciation – he was hot and smelled like sex.

"Kol Mikaelson."

Bonnie face palmed. He was indeed hot – and great in bed – but he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"Mikaelson? As Klaus or Elijah Mikaelson?"

"Oh, you've met my way less handsome brothers?"

Bonnie elbowed his side, urging him to shut the fuck up.

"Oh, yes I did." Caroline answered, directing her gaze towards her so called best friend who was being really judgy about her 'relationship' with Klaus when she was screwing his brother – it's not the same, but still. "I didn't know you two – "

"Can I take a cup of coffee?" Kol cut her off.

"Sure but don't – "put the coffee pot on the kitchen countertop, she wanted to add – but too late.

"So, how did you meet my brothers?" Kol asked, leaning against the countertop, sipping his fuming cup, unaware of the grave mistake he just did.

"She's working with them." Bonnie answered before taking a spoon full of peanut butter.

Caroline nodded and got rid of the sticky gloves, making her hand clammy.

"And could you put a shirt on Kol? We're not exactly alone."

"If we were alone, I'd be even more naked, Bon Bon." He smugly said, before going to Bonnie's bedroom, leaving her a wink.

Caroline rolled her eyes and sat in front of her friend, putting both elbows on the table. "I should be mad at you – and for various reasons. But I am not going to judge, I'll be happy for you, you who got laid." Caroline smirked.

"If you hadn't your stupid deal, you could too, honey."

"Thanks for the reminder." Caroline grabbed Bonnie's bowl and took a handful of cereals, eating them one by one.

Bonnie groaned and took back her bowl of delicious cereals.

"So, what do we do today? It's my day off!" she sang wiggling in her seat.

Bonnie suddenly lowered her eyes, weirdly focused on her peanut butter.

"Bonnie?"

Caroline grabbed the jar which seemed more important than her, forcing Bonnie to look at her.

"I am going out with Kol today. And probably tomorrow."

"You're giving up on me for the Lord's Day?" she demanded, falsely pained by her abandon.

Bonnie chuckled, knowing full well that Caroline went to church maybe once in her lifetime, and she actually protested at the taste of sacramental bread. Good ol' times.

"Yeah, I am sorry Care. I just… kind of like him."

Caroline smiled back, seeing her friend blush – but refrained to say it was certainly a Mikealson trait, something to like about them. Because it was not true. No.

"That's okay, Bon. I should call my mom anyway." And it was going to be painful, a teary moment, and she preferred to be alone for it.

Bonnie hummed, nodding at the same time. "How is she?"

"Well, she is Elizabeth Forbes, always saying everything is fine."

"Just like her daughter."

Caroline lowly chuckled – indeed.

"Hey mom!" Caroline greeted on her phone.

"Hi sweetie. How are you?"

"I should probably be the one asking you that." Caroline chuckled, seating on the couch, a drink of white wine in her hand.

"Everything is fine, Caroline."

Caroline rolled her eyes – of course everything is fine, she is just dying of cancer.

"Sure." She said, defeated by her optimism, which she in fact inherited.

"So, how's New York treating you, honey?"

"I have a new job, actually."

"Great!" Caroline heard a low whimper through the phone, and she rubbed her eyes, hating the fact that, on the other side of the phone, her mom was in pain – and she wasn't here to help, to soothe her. "I am so proud of you Caroline. Do you like it? What do you do? And your boss, is he or she nice?"

"Yes, it's great, I don't really have an important place in the journal, but I can go higher."

"Every job is important, Care."

The blonde chuckled. "Of course. And my boss – "is someone I had sex with and randomly kissed just yesterday "is nice."

"That's great. New boyfriend?"

"Come on mom, you were never the kind of mother asking me about boys."

She heard a light chuckle, and it made her heart lighter hearing her mom laugh.

"How's Mystic Falls?"

"Calm. You should come, Matt would be pleased to see you."

She didn't really want to go back to Mystic Falls, but she had to, for her mom, and friends who chose to stay there. "I'll try."

"But your job is more important." Of course, Liz Forbes always promoted hard work and accomplishment, and Caroline younger self learnt it the harsh way – her mother choosing work over everything else. But Caroline knew it was for her, to live, to give her daughter a good life, and be a good example – and she was really. So Caroline hummed in agreement.

"About the chemo – "

"I sent you a – "

They said both at the same time.

"I sent you a check mom, to pay for your medical cares."

"You don't have to, honey. I'll take care of everything."

"No, I'll help you, that's the least I can do for you mom."

"I don't – "

"I don't want to talk about it, I'll help you the best I can."

She heard a huff from her mother – a sign of resignation. Caroline always had the last word, and didn't give up, which often led to little spat with her mother (and Caroline won).

They talked about a lot of things – omitting her boss and their previous encounter of course. Her mother's life in Mystic Falls, her dad and other trivial things, and truly, it felt so good to not care for once, and enjoy her mother's laugh.

She hung up with a smile, it was good to know there still was Mystic Falls for her to go back to, to know that she started a whole new and exciting life here, but she could always go back to this familiar place with her mom and her childhood friends. It was good to know that whatever happened in New York didn't determine her in Virginia, she was still the cheerleader, former Miss Mystic and party girl there. And nothing else (not the girl who screwed her boss).

She cringed at the thought – you shouldn't care. She tried to keep Katherine's words in mind. But she was not Katherine Pierce. She was the insecure, almost paranoid and perfectionist Caroline Forbes.

She poured herself another glass of wine and turned on the TV, checking the hour, not too late, and Bonnie wasn't back and she certainly wasn't going to sleep here.

She thought about Bonnie, she was happy for her, to find a guy (and she hoped he was a good one) but the coincidence was too important, her boss's brother was dating her roommate. It meant complication in her mind.

She heard a knock on her door as the end credit of Outlander rolled. She stood up, put down her drink and opened her door wide.

She should have checked before opening as she gasped. "Klaus."