It's been a day since her lunch meeting with Klaus. And Caroline is dying to tell someone about it, and the first person she thinks of is Elena, her best friend. Bonnie's still off traveling, otherwise she'd talk to both of them. She's a little nervous because she knows how Elena is going to react, she's going to freak out. I mean, it is Klaus, after all.

But she pushes her apprehensions aside as she arrives at the front porch of Elena and Damon's house.

She knocks as she opens the door, "Hey, Elena, I'm here."

Elena calls from the other room, "I'm in the kitchen, Care. Come on in."

Caroline enters their house and heads to the kitchen to meet up with Elena. She smiles as she sees Elena at the stove, stirring something in a pot.

Elena looks up from the stovetop and smiles at her, "Hey, I just put on some coffee and I'm just working on dinner for tonight. Damon's been craving chili, so I decided to make it for him. What's up?"

Caroline tries to settle her nerves as she speaks calmly, "So, there's something I need to talk about, and you're the first person I thought of..."

Elena smiles as she places the spoon in her hand on the countertop and walks over towards Caroline. "Sure, Care. What's up? Is everything okay?" She pauses, her voice changing, reflecting her concern, "Did something happen with the girls?"

Caroline gives her a large smile, "No, no. Eveything's fine. The girls are fine. I... uhhh... just wanted to tell you..." She paused as she gestured to the kitchen nook, "Why don't we sit down?"

Elena obliged Caroline and sat down across from her as her face grew with worry, "Are you sure everything's okay? You're acting kinda strange, Care."

Caroline placed her hands on the table, "Yeah, I'm sure. I just wanted to tell you that I had lunch with Klaus yesterday..." Her voice trailed off as she waited for Elena's reaction.

Elena's eyes grew wide as she tried to comprehend what her best friend just said, "I'm sorry, you what? You had lunch? With Klaus? As in Niklaus Mikaelson, the original hybrid asshole?"

Caroline retorts, "Hey, you and I both know that ever since Hope was born, he's changed..."

Elena interrupted, "And how exactly did this happen?"

Caroline blushes as she hesitantly responds, " Uhh... I asked him."

Elena is in complete shock as she continues, "Seriously, Caroline? What on earth compelled you to do that?"

As Elena finishes her thought, Damon walks in and interrupts, obviously eavesdropping, "Or should we say, who?"

Both Caroline and Elena turn to Damon and respond in unison, "Damon!"

Elena looks at her husband, crossing her arms as she speaks, "Damon, I told you that Caroline was coming over coffee. And that it was going to be a girls's day. Meaning you were supposed to not be here."

Damon smirks at Elena, "Well, I chose to ignore that. Which clearly was the right choice. Otherwise, I would have missed out on this fascinating conversation." Damon pauses as he turns to face Caroline, giving her a wink as he continues, "So blondie, what happened? Did you two 'do it' in the bathroom?"

Caroline immediately blushes at Damon's remark as Elena sternly responds, "Damon. Go."

Damon teases as he gives Elena a pouty face, "Oh, come on. Let me stay, I promise I'll behave."

Elena looks to Caroline to see how she feels about their "girls' day" being crashed and she just shrugs.

Elena knows Caroline would rather Damon leave, and she's about to give him another angry glance when he interjects, "So... It's totally a date."

Caroline blushes again as she tries to brush it off,"No, it's not. It's just two friends meeting for lunch."

Damon smirks again as he looks to his wife, "C'mon Elena, back me up here. It's totally a date, right?"

Elena's nervous because she doesn't want to get in the middle of this, but she agrees with Damon. That's what she was already thinking, so she quietly responds, "I dont know, Care. It kinda does sound like a date."

Caroline crosses her arms in disgust, "Ughhh. You two are no help."

Damon leans closer to the women as he gives his signature grin, taunting, "You know we're right. You just don't want to admit it. Because if you do, then you have to admit to yourself that you actually enjoyed spending time with him."

Caroline is trying to stand her ground, "I told you. It's just two friends meeting for lunch."

Damon, mocks her as she says the last part, "Okay, tell me this, blondie. Did he pay for lunch?"

Caroline is flustered as she responds, "Well yes. But he's loaded and he's always trying to impress me..."

Damon interrupts her, "Date."

Caroline trying to deny the truth, "That doesn't mean anything. If the two of us went out for lunch and you paid, does that mean it's a date, too?"

Damon teases her, "Caroline Forbes, I am a married man. How dare you ask me out on a date. I am utterly appalled at such scandalous behavior."

Caroline rolls her eyes, "C'mon Damon. I'm serious." She pauses as she crosses her arms, "I'm telling you though, it's not a date."

Damon smirks, "Okay, blondie. Keep telling yourself that. But mark my words, you'll soon realize it's not just friends having lunch. I mean, that man basically said he's waiting for you..." He pauses before adding, in a dramatic voice as he's walking out of the room, "However long it takes..."

Caroline picks up a book off the table, throws it at Damon leaving the room and turns to Elena, "Seriously, Elena?! You couldn't keep that to yourself?!"

Elena has a guilty smile on her face, "Sorry, Care. But he's my husband, we don't keep secrets from each other."

Caroline crosses her arms again, giving Elena her signature pout, "But I'm your best friend and this was a really important secret.

The coffeemaker makes a small sound, letting them know that it's ready. Elena gets up and grabs two mugs out of the cabinet and sets them down on the counter and begins getting them coffee. She goes into the fridge and grabs the creamer as she tries to redirect the conversation, "So, how exactly did this happen though?"

Caroline smiles as she responds, "Well, he had called me last week, asking about Hope. And how she was doing in school."

As Caroline finishes her thought, Elena walks back with the mugs in hand and sets them on the table, she can't help but smile, "Awww, that's so sweet, he's worried about his daughter."

Caroline blushed as she takes a sip of coffee, "Yeah. It's been really hard on him. Losing his entire family, including Hope. All because of that evil spirit called the Hollow."

Elena blows on her coffee before taking a sip, "Really? That's terrible."

Caroline sets her cup down, tracing the outline with her fingertips, "Yeah, it's kinda complicated what happened, exactly. But, basically he's not allowed to have any contact with the rest of his family, so the Hollow doesn't come back, which includes Hope. That's why Hayley brought her here. For a fresh start."

Elena sets her mug down too, "Oh okay. So, what made you suggest lunch?"

Caroline blushes again as she contemplates her response, "I don't know... I felt bad for him and I thought it might cheer him up. I brought some of Hope's schoolwork and paintings for him to see."

Elena smiles at her best friend, "Ohh, that was really sweet of you."

Caroline grins back, "Yeah, I just thought about how I would be if I were in his position, and I wasn't able to see the girls. I mean, I know technically they're not mine but..."

Elena grabs Caroline's hand across the table as she interrupts, "You've raised them Caroline. You are their mother."

Caroline squeezes Elena's hand, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks."

Elena smiles brightly back at Caroline as she goes to take another sip of coffee, "So, are you going to see him again?"

Caroline does the same before responding, "Yeah. I told him we should make it a regular thing, so I'm seeing him next Thursday."

Elena teases her, "Oooh, a second date."

Caroline gives her a look, as her cheeks redden, "Seriously, Elena? Haven't we been over this? Why is everyone so convinced that it was a date?"

Elena smiles as she retorts, "Oh, I don't know, Caroline. Maybe because we all know you have feelings for him. You just won't admit it."

Caroline crosses her arms, "You sound just like Damon."

Elena blushes slightly, "Well, in this case, I agree with him." She gives Caroline a serious look, "C'mon Caroline, admit it. You've liked him ever since he came to Mystic Falls. I mean, you did sleep with him in the woods..."

Caroline is completely embarrassed as her cheeks are beet red as she tries to brush off her Elena's remarks, "Elena! C'mon that was over eight years ago. That doesn't mean anything..."

Elena gives Caroline a smirk, "We both know that it totally does. I mean, you remember how long ago it was. That says something."

Caroline brushing her off, "No, it doesn't. All that says is that I'm good at remembering dates. Which I am." She crosses her arms.

Elena smiles, noticing Caroline's obvious dodginess, as she takes another sip of coffee, "Okay, fine. Whatever you say, Caroline."

Caroline takes another large sip of coffee as she contemplates what to say next, "He really has changed you know."

Elena traced her coffee mug with her fingers, "I know. " She pauses, trying to come up with right words to reassure her friend, "But you know, it's okay to fall for the 'bad boy,' right? I mean, I did. And there's not a day that I regret it either. Besides, Damon's changed so much over the years."

Caroline nudges Elena's arm, "Well, that's because of you. You bring out the good in him."

Elena smiles as she nudges Caroline back, "And I can already tell that you do that with Klaus. All those years ago when he was here in Mystic Falls, I could see how different he was around you. You are the light to his darkness, Care. And he needs that now, more than ever. Especially, since he's without his family. Without Hope."

She pauses as she grabs Caroline's hand, squeezes it lightly as she teases, "So, I say 'Go for it'. Besides, Klaus is really hot."

The women break out laughing after Elena finishes her statement and they continue to talk over their coffee for the rest of the afternoon.

And Caroline starts to really consider taking Elena's advice, because she has always liked Klaus. So perhaps when they meet for lunch next Thursday, she'll suggest an actual date for them to go on...

R & R are always appreciated. Sorry, it took so long for the update, but I hope you like this chapter. I thought it would be a fun change from the other ones. But next chapter will definitely be Klaroline-centric. I'll be working on it soon. Hope you all are enjoying this story. :)