DISCLAIMER. not mine.

CHAPTER. game on.

SETTING: 3x9, homecoming.

T-H-E-V-A-M-P-I-R-E-D-I-A-R-I-E-S

Klaus walked around the Lockwood's estate, his eyes looking everywhere and nowhere at once. He was close, he was so close, to having everything. His hybrids, his siblings, and his freedom. If Mikael was truly dead, Klaus was free. Even if Mikael wasn't dead yet, Klaus planned on taking care of that tonight. Everything was going to go perfectly.

Everything had to go perfectly. Klaus had waited too long, a thousand years too long, and now was finally his time. He could feel it. He was on the cusp of something, something great, and nothing was going to stop him from getting it. He had plans, he had power, he was about to truly have his freedom; he was going to have everything he had ever wanted.

Klaus made his way towards the band playing on the stage in the back. He scanned the crowd, trying to keep his thoughts calm. It wouldn't do to overthink anything. Mikael would love to know just how much time Klaus spent thinking about him.

A flash of blonde caught Klaus' attention. His eyes tracked the baby vampire as she made her way towards a keg. Caroline Forbes, he thought, running through what he knew about her. Turned by Katerina, with the stupid Salvatore's blood. Friends with the doppelganger and the witch. Tyler's girlfriend.

The girl next to her said something, and Caroline smiled. Her eyes were bright, her straight white teeth gleaming, and she seemed to glow with an inner light. Klaus watched her for a moment longer. He'd seen prettier girls, to be sure, but there was something about this one.

Tyler came up to Klaus. "Hey," he said.

Tyler was his first successful hybrid, and as such Klaus allowed him a certain indulgence. He would probably tire of Tyler soon enough, but for now he had no problem playing nice with the stupid little Lockwood. Klaus didn't deign to reply to Tyler's greeting, however. No need for Tyler to become overly familiar.

"My mom would seriously freak if she saw all these people here," Tyler said as he and Klaus walked down the stairs and closer to the crowd.

Klaus smiled. "Your mother won't be a problem; I compelled her to go to church and pray for your friends."

Tyler's expression was one of dumb confusion, and Klaus bit back a sigh. Of course he knew he was smarter than the average supernatural being but still, Tyler did seem exceptionally slow. "What are you talking about?" Tyler asked.

In that moment, Klaus realized what he'd been thinking about for a while now. Tyler had to learn that just because he was Klaus' first hybrid, he wasn't that special. He was nothing compared to his sire. Klaus was the alpha here, and always.

And what better way to prove his alpha status than to steal Tyler's girlfriend? Klaus already knew Tyler did whatever the blonde vampire said. It would crush poor Tyler's dull sensibilities if his girlfriend left him for Klaus.

And wouldn't that be fun? It was almost time for Klaus to have some real fun in his life.

But he could think about that later. Klaus turned his attention back to Tyler. "I want you to look around," he said. "There is Bonnie, there is Elena and Matt and there's your pretty little girlfriend Caroline."

Pretty little Caroline.

fin.