A/n: Hello everyone! This was a drabble requested by the awesome kcer4life Thanks so much for the votes and signal boost about my design entry! I hope you like it!

If it wasn't for Bekah. He wouldn't be going to this blasted abomination.

A high school reunion for the three years above and below her year. How absolutely tedious.

He wasn't going.

It was a ludicrous idea in the first place, and unlike Bekah, he didn't have fond memories of Mystic Falls High School. That place had been the closest thing to penitentury that he'd ever experienced, and he'd dash it if he was going to wander back in so that dilapidated hell hole could have another go at him.

No. He absolutely, 100% was not going.

That was until his sister arched on golden eyebrow at him and with that infuriating smirk on that bint's face she said. "Caroline's going to be there."

Bullocks.

Damn it all to hell.

So that was why he was currently dressed in a suit that he wore only when a meeting required it and a name tag with Hello my name is written in Red. A large glass of bourbon in his hand and frazzled to the end of his wits. He was going barmy. Bonkers. Straight round the bend.

This was ridiculous.

He shouldn't have come.

He had no idea if Caroline even wanted to see him. He had no idea if she'd even remembered who he was.

Because why would an angel, the new girl who ended up being head cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, dating the captain of the football team and had once stood up for him deign to remember the boy with the stutter.

He had a stutter alright?

And it was something that, with a lot of work, and a lot of determination he was able to overcome. During his time in Secondary, he had chosen simply to not speak. He knew the cruelty of those around him. That the moment he tried to open his mouth they'd be answered with the chorus of his laughing classmates. Taunting him. Mocking him. It was the anxiety of it all. He never stuttered at home with his family, but the moment that he would open his mouth to speak in front of other's the prospect of stuttering was all he would think about. And the panic from not wanting to stutter caused his stutter to become worse.

But he wasn't like that anymore.

He wasn't mum-mum-mumbling Mikaleson anymore.

He was a Set Designer for Universal. He was THE set designer for Universal. He shouldn't' let his past, these people, unsettle him. They weren't in high school anymore, and as much as he had once thought so. They were no better than he was.

Except Caroline truly was.

He remembered the first time he saw her. She sat down next to him in class, he'd been drawing something, not even paying attention to Mr. Saltzman lecture on about the Civil War. She gave him a kind smile, and he remembered thinking that he hadn't seen her around before. But that was all the thought he'd given her before he turned back to his art work.

That was until his name pulled him out of the swirling precipice he was sketching.

"Mr. Mikaelson? What do you think the answer is?"

It was a classic teacher ploy, to single out the person not paying attention. He froze, his breathing becoming labored, the heat rising within him as he stared at the expectant man before him.

"Whu-whu-whu-what?"

The class laughed. Klaus turned bright red to the tips of his ears. His face was burning, he looked down at his desk.

"Stop that all of you should be ashamed of yourselves."

He chanced a look up at her. At the outraged look on her face.

One of the football players, Tyler, leaned forward leering at her.

"Come on Caroline it's just a joke."

"I don't find it funny. And I'm sure he doesn't either." Klaus was frozen where he sat, unable to speak, unable to look away from the glorious girl beside him.

"Why does it matter, the kids a geek?" Lockwood drawled.

"My father has a speech impediment, and I doubt you'd be thrilled if I decided to start making joke about something you couldn't help. Like what a terrible tight end you are."

Lockwood's jaw dropped. He sputtered.

Caroline gave the poor kid a sarcastic smile. "Oh wait, you can help that can't you?"

And echoing chorus of Oooooooooooh's surrounded from the other classmates as Lockwood flushed and sat forward, his face set in a murderous line.

Mr. Saltzman finally stepped in, putting a stop to the nonsense and trying to steer them back towards the battle of Gettysburg. "That's enough."

Caroline gave him a soft smile. The kindest he'd ever seen and his heart stuttered in his chest. As far as stutter's go, he didn't seem to mind that one. He couldn't speak, just nodded a little, and finally when he was done putting the final touches on the twisting tornado he was penning he scrawled a quick note across it and slid it to her.

All it said was Thank you.

She beamed at him.

And that's how Klaus Mikaelson fell arse over tea kettle in love.

Things went up for Caroline after that. She was gorgeous, incredibly gorgeous, and it wasn't long before she was attracting attention from everyone. She was elected Miss Mystic Falls, head of the cheer squad, all things to line her college application with enough extra-curriculars that she could go anywhere. But that was never what attracted Klaus to her, sure she was beautiful, and smart and popular. But she was kind to everyone, fiercely protective, she was insanely smart, organized, and most of all she was talented. And try as he might to dissolve from her attention she never forgot about him. Bouncing up to him and asking for his help on art work for school posters, for help with campaigns. She offered to pay him, but he'd never accept it, and though he couldn't manage a clear sentence to her when he spoke to her, she never rushed him. Never laughed at him.

He had thought that she was one of those girls that simply joined the drama club because that was what attractive girls were supposed to do. He had been building the sets for the towns plays for a good four years now, so when she walked up on stage, her hands shaking slightly to audition for the lead role in The Wiz he paid it no mind. He continued on with the painting of the Wiz's throne, letting her shuffle lightly as the music started. Then she opened her mouth.

And he heard her sing.

Dear god, if he thought he was in love with her before.

She got the part. Of course she did. They struck up a tentative friendship after that. She'd always light up when she saw him on set, bustling over to ask him about his day and the sets and if he'd help her rehearse lines.

He almost thought… well he almost thought that she might like him.

Despite the fact that she was dating Matt sodding Donovan.

So here he was, at a place he swore he would not be, waiting for a girl who probably didn't even remember he existed.

He caught site of her when she entered. In fact he was pretty sure the entire room stopped and watched her scanning the crowd.

His breath caught in his throat. He felt the words well up within him, just like they always were, broken, jagged. Stuttered.

This was a mistake. This was a huge mistake. He had to get out of here.

He turned setting his drink on one of the tables, hoping to slip out of one of the side entrances and claiming that he had another engagement to be getting too.

He turned, chancing one more look at her. One look so that he could remember the girl had been a friend to him when he had no one but family.

His eyes met hers.

She was grinning.

His feet were cemented to the wood of the gym floor.

She moved through the crowd, it parted as she walked her heels clicking against the ground. Body glad in a gorgeous white dress, curls framing her face, Yellow cardigan over her shoulder. And she was looking at him.

She was sunshine. Even in the dead of night.

"Klaus!" She said when she finally got close enough to him. She didn't stop, instead moving forward and pulling him into a hug. It took him a moment to recover from his initial shock to wrap his arms around her. She smelled like Vanilla and Honeysuckle.

"Caroline." The words came out fluid. Perfect. Her grin brightened.

Then it dropped as she smacked him on the shoulder.

He recoiled.

"You graduated and didn't even say goodbye to me!? I thought I had a whole other year of you refusing to take money from me and I come back and find out you were a senior the whole time."

He let himself smile. His stomach filling with warmth.

"My apologies sweetheart. How can I ever make amends?"

"I wouldn't mind dinner while you're in town. If you aren't busy." The words were soft, and dare he say a little shy.

And he be damned if he'd keep her waiting any longer than he had.

"I'm famished. How does now sound?"

She moved, hooking her arm in the crook of his elbow and motioning towards the door.

She didn't answer.

She didn't have to.