Epilogue - "I finally chose one of the good ones." - "It felt really good to kiss him. So, then, I kind of, sort of... had sex with him."

The sun is shining brightly over the plantation, lighting the immaculate gardens in front of the house and creating a cheerful atmosphere as it glances over rows upon rows of white chairs organized neatly to flank a wide center aisle. The aisle leads up to a gleaming white arch, blooming flowers wound in delicate spirals around the wrought-iron construct. Everything looks perfect, as if it has been pulled straight from a wedding magazine into reality.

"Did I not specifically state that I needed ivory Ducher roses?" Caroline steps up to the arch, her eyes glaring daggers as she enunciates every syllable in a crisp, professional tone into the phone pressed to her ear. "Then why am I looking at an arch wrapped in plain white Iceberg roses?" Her eyes narrow as she listens to the excuses from the other end of the line.

She raises her chin and stalks away from the arch towards the catering table that has been decorated with the same type of roses. "At least you were consistent in your mistake." She ends the call with a vicious stab of her thumb and strides across the grass and gravel back to the house.

Caroline hovers inside the door to the groom's parlor. "Are you sure you're ready for this?" Her eyes are filled with warmth as she looks at the man standing in front of the body-length mirror, fixing the cufflinks on his tux.

Matt turns around with a nervous smile. The lines around his eyes are a little more pronounced than they used to be and any trace of childhood softness in his cheeks has long since yielded to a strong jaw. His eyes roam over Caroline.

She's wearing a business suit meant for a woman in her thirties, but even with the clothes and a heavy layer of professional make up she doesn't look a day over seventeen.

"Ready to grow old while everyone I care about is stuck in time?" He shakes his head and spreads his arms. "I don't think I'll ever be ready for that."

Caroline steps into his arms and hugs him fiercely, taking care not to get her make up on his tuxedo. "You look amazing." She grins as she pulls back to fix his bow tie. "But seriously, you're not going to ruin my wedding with a case of cold feet, are you?"

Matt chuckles. "Your wedding?"

Caroline smirks. "Well, technically it's yours and Rebekah's. But really, I'm the one who put all the work into this. You two just have to look good, walk down the aisle without stumbling and say your vows without muttering." She narrows her eyes and yanks at his lapels, straightening them out. "You can do that, right?"

He grins. "Yeah, I think I can do that."

"Good," she says with a nod and steps back. "I'm going to go check on the bride." She gives him a quick peck on the cheek and a pat to the chest. "See you in a bit."

The bridal salon is filled with chatter when Caroline steps inside. The bridesmaids are clustered around Rebekah like a flock of hens and Caroline shoos them out in much the same manner she would get rid of birds.

Rebekah looks stunning in her ivory wedding dress. The ballgown skirt billows around her, overflowing the low bench where she sits in front of the mirror.

"I look like a cream puff." Her expression is hyper-critical as she stares at her reflection.

"Shut up." Caroline crosses her arms and stands behind Rebekah, glaring firmly at the girl in the mirror. "You picked this dress out of the one hundred and thirty-four you tried on. You knew it would look like that every time you sit down, so don't sit down until you change into your other one and you'll be fine."

Rebekah pouts and continues to stare critically at the puffy folds of her skirt, even as she raises her hand towards Caroline.

Caroline rolls her eyes and grabs her hand to pull her up into a standing position. She kicks the seat away and fixes the skirt into a waterfall of folded silk. "There, see. You look gorgeous."

Rebekah smiles at herself in the mirror, but suddenly her brows furrow and she starts to chew on her bottom lip. "Caroline, there's um, there's been a bit of a change of plans."

"What?" Caroline freezes. "No, there's not." She tugs at the corset at the back of Rebekah's dress. "I didn't change anything. And I'm the wedding planner. So unless I decide it, there is no such thing as a change of plans."

"Stop hyperventilating, I'm not changing my mind on the wedding."

"Oh." Caroline expels a huge breath and lets go of Rebekah's corset. "Geez, then don't scare me like that." She tugs a few more bits and pieces into place, turning Rebekah like a mannequin to smooth her fingers over the intricate up-twist of her hair. "So, what is it?"

Rebekah looks anxious, searching Caroline's face. "Klaus is going to walk me down the aisle."

Caroline blinks. She stares. She licks her lips. "Klaus is here?"

Rebekah nods. "Upstairs, getting changed. He arrived while you were dealing with the caterers."

"Okay." She takes a step back, her eyes flicking back and forth. "Okay, I can deal with that. He knows how to match steps, right?"

"Caroline." Rebekah moves towards her, reaching out a hand.

Caroline rears back. "No, it's okay, really. I can work with it. As long as he doesn't mess up the walk." She starts to retreat. "It's one-two step, one-two step. You've got about an hour to teach him." She takes a few more hasty steps back. "And I've got about a million things to do." She's breathing rapidly. "He did bring a black tux, right? We'll have to get him a boutonniere. That damn florist is going to be the death of me, because I just know if I ask for Iceberg now he's going to get me the damn Ducher I wanted in the first place. Urgh. No. I'll just pick one from the catering table."

"Caroline!" Rebekah tries to reach out one more time, her hand falling short.

Caroline's eyes are bright with panic as she takes the last step backwards towards the door. "I have to go." She disappears with a whoosh of displaced air.

The ceremony goes over without a hitch. Rebekah glides down the aisle next to Klaus, more elegantly than any human being could ever hope for. Matt looks delirious with happiness. Everyone says their lines perfectly, and without muttering.

Caroline manages to not make eye contact with Klaus even once throughout the whole thing and have it look completely natural.

Her successful avoidance tactic crashes to an unexpected halt when she gets caught up just a moment too long, berating the caterer for his ineptitude at serving crab legs.

"Some things never change." The smooth drawl behind her back sounds amused. "Hello, Caroline."

She closes her eyes and chews on her bottom lip. "Klaus." A painful expression flickers across her face before she consciously replaces it with a beauty pageant smile. She primly folds her hands in front of her and turns around to face him. "Long time no see."

"Fifteen years?" He cocks his head to the side with a smirk. "Not that long, really." He looks devastatingly casual, holding a bottle of champagne in one hand and two long-stemmed glasses in the other. "Would you care to join me for a glass to celebrate my sister's blissful union?"

Caroline arches one brow as she looks at the champagne flutes dangling from his fingers. "Drinking from actual glasses?" Her smile twitches nervously. "Some things do change, I guess."

Klaus follows her gaze, then raises his eyes to her face. His expression is guarded, but he watches her intently. "Perhaps."

The silence between them stretches out awkwardly as neither one says anything.

Caroline breaks first. "But what if they didn't," she blurts out. "Or what if they did for someone, but not for someone else? And what if that someone else just really needed to be sure if things did or didn't change so she – or he – can adjust her – or his – plans accordingly and not create a huge unnecessary scene at a perfectly planned wedding that has, so far, gone off without a hitch, Iceberg roses notwithstanding."

Klaus just looks at her. Then the guarded expression on his face cracks and the corners of his mouth start twitching. He sighs with a laugh, slightly raises the glasses and chucks them into the grass with a fond smile.

"Relax, luv." He pops the cork on the champagne. The volatile liquid foams up and spills over his hand. "Have a drink." He steps closer and raises the bottle between them. "Nothing's changed."

Caroline looks at him warily as she snatches the bottle around its neck. She closes her eyes and raises it to her mouth for a few quick gulps. She nearly drops the bottle when his fingers close over hers.

"Hey. Sharing is caring." He is so close that the breath of the softly spoken words tickles her ear.

She snorts, barely manages to keep in a mouthful of champagne behind her hand, and turns her head to glare at him. "Call me a hog, I dare you."

Klaus snickers as he pulls the bottle from her fingers and wraps his free arm around her back. "Nah, I value my life." He takes a quick sip from the bottle before he lowers it again. "So-"

Caroline cuts him off with a hasty kiss. She keeps her lips firmly pressed to his and when he opens his mouth to say something she pushes her tongue in to stop him. She wraps her arms around his shoulders, one hand combing fingers through his hair, holding on tight.

Klaus looks dazed when he's finally allowed to come up for air. The bottle is still in his hand, but his back is up against an old oak tree that they've somehow staggered their way into. His other hand has a firm hold on Caroline, keeping them pressed together.

She throws a look over her shoulder, grinding their hips together as she leans back in the direction of the wedding reception. "They're a little too close for comfort."

Klaus raises his brows, a wicked spark in his eyes. "We can fix that." He drops the bottle on the ground and grabs a hold of Caroline with both hands, lifting her up off the ground.

She squeals and giggles into his mouth as they disappear into the woods with a burst of vampiric speed.