Two Years Later...

He would have to make a note to not allow Rebekah to fill Caroline's head with her version of good ideas.

Klaus could barely stand it. He hadn't seen Caroline in nearly three days. Three long miserable days where he was subjected to poking and prodding, questions and conversations, forced familial interactions-all without Caroline there to distract him from the monotony of it all with her smile and her laugh and her uncanny ability to make him forget everything but her.

All because of his darling little sister, who insisted it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.

He'd tried to explain to Rebekah that the silly tradition really only applied to the day of the wedding-not the days leading up to it-but she had only scoffed and shook her head, insisting that the absence would make the day that much more special, and damn it all if Caroline hadn't shrugged and smiled and said she could see it from his sister's side.

So now here he stood, dressed to the nines in the most uncomfortable tuxedo he'd ever been forced to wear- "Beauty is pain, Nik. Are you really going to have your beautiful bride being forced to stand next to a mediocre version of her Prince Charming because you have to shift a bit in your monkey suit?"-surrounded by his brothers as they toasted to his fast approaching nuptials.

Klaus winced as the bitter taste of scotch scorched his throat, shaking his head to chase away the burn, his lips turning up into a smile on their own accord as Elijah placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him close in what was now an all too familiar brotherly embrace.

"I have to say," Elijah said, his deep, charismatic voice booming through the small room. "This is one day I had a difficult time ever imagining would happen. Our brother, Niklaus-with his nomadic lifestyle, his abhorrence to anything and everything domestic-our beloved brother...about to join the ranks of married men."

"Yes, let's toast to Nik," Kol snarked, lifting his glass. "Yet another Mikaleson who is willingly signing his death warrant and becoming nothing more than whipped puppy." He shook his head. "I feel sorry for you lads."

"Says the brother who asked his girl's permission to go to the bachelor party last night," Henrik snorted from his place across the room, his prior sulking expression at once again being denied the alcoholic toast by his brothers-"It's not like I haven't had it before"-replaced with a knowing smirk as he regarded his brother.

Kol sent a withering glare in the youngest Mikaelson's direction while the elder brothers laughed and rolled their eyes.

"Miss Bennett does seem to run a tight ship," Finn remarked, laughing at the faint blush that appeared on Kol's face at the mention of his girlfriend of two years.

"Indeed she does, as I'm under the assumption that she also implemented a curfew for you, brother, if you sneaking out of the celebration before midnight is any indication," Elijah taunted.

"Not even a ring on the finger, and already 'signing the death warrant,'" Klaus smirked, lifting his glass in recognition towards his younger brother.

Kol growled under his breath, hiding his sneer behind his glass as he raised it to his lips. "You're all bloody bastards and I hate you."

His discontented mumblings was quickly drowned out with his brothers' amused laughter, and he could do nothing but scoff into his scotch and shake his head. Deep down he knew what they were saying was true-Bonnie Bennett owned every part of him; mind, body and soul. He would walk through fire for that woman, and she was well aware of that fact.

He sure as hell wasn't about to admit that to his brothers though.

There was a series of sharp, quick knocks at the bedroom door, and they all turned when it swung up, Katherine's coifed face peeking in with an eyeroll and a smirk when she caught sight of them all, liquor in hand. She pushed her way into the room, one hand falling to her protruding belly as she nearly waddled towards her husband. "Figures you all would be getting sloshed mere hours before the ceremony," she said, standing on her tip toes to press a quick kiss to Elijah's lips. "Honestly, how your family even manages to function without alcohol in your system 24/7 is beyond me."

"Remember when we all fancied the idea that the hormones would make Kat more pleasant?" Kol asked, dodging his pregnant sister-in-law's swipe at his head by taking a step back. "Let's hope and pray that little Kol Jr. is better behaved than Lydia, the little heathen. Do you know she very nearly took my eye out with her sippy cup the other day?"

While his family was preoccupied with their innate bickering, Klaus found himself quietly making his way from the room, downing the last of his scotch before he set his glass on an end table by the door and made his way down the hall.

The downstairs of the Salvatore Boarding House was bustling with activity, a scene that was oddly reminiscent from two years ago. He could hear Rebekah and his mother barking out orders to various servers and volunteers, and he bit back a smile when he heard his toddler niece mimicking her mother's voice verbatim. Lydia Renee Salvatore was well on her way to being the next Rebekah, a path that both delighted and horrified her proud parents.

He rounded the corner, casting a glance over his shoulder and down the hall. He knew there would be hell to pay if Rebekah caught him now. She was all about tradition and making sure today went off without a hitch.

But three days was long enough. He needed to see her.

He pushed open the door to her bedroom-the bedroom that held so many memories for the two of them-and quietly slipped inside, closing it behind him with a silent click. He turned, smoothing down the material of his button up dress shirt, and his breath caught in his throat when he saw her.

His bride-to-be.

Caroline was standing with her back to him, her gaze fixated on her reflection in the mirror as she smoothed out an invisible wrinkle in her ivory dress.

Her lithe figure was encased in a fitted ruched bodice, wrapping around her torso and ending with a corset back. The sweetheart neckline dipped low, a generous though modest peak of cleavage revealing itself beneath the intricate beading that accentuated the top. Beads and lace swirled around her breast and down her torso, ending just above the taffeta mermaid bottom that flared out around her legs. Layers and layers of fabric pooled behind her, a simple lace veil pinned beneath the blonde curls that had been manipulated into a French twist at the back of her head.

She was glorious. Stunning. More than he ever could have imagined.

And she was there for him.

He watched as a smile played across her face, her shoulders lifting as a contented sigh escaped her lips, and her eyes flickered up in the mirror, widening when she caught sight of him over her shoulder. She gasped, whirling to face him a swirl of fabric and lace, her arms flying across her body in a feeble attempt to shield her from his view.

"What are you doing in here?" she demanded, walking backwards and flailing as she nearly tripped over the fabric at her feet.

Klaus grinned, shrugging his shoulders as he walked towards her, arms held out at his sides. "Is it wrong to want to see my blushing bride before the show begins?"

"It is bad luck, Klaus," Caroline cried, shaking her head and pulling at her skirt, groaning when her heel caught in the fabric. "You can't just waltz in here. There is a freaking protocol with things like this, okay? Rules and guidelines."

"Caroline, when have we ever been one for rules?" he inquired, laughing when she rolled her eyes and tugged at her skirt again. He shook his head, reaching out and capturing her hand in his, lacing their fingers as he tugged her close. Her free arm found its way around his waist, and he grinned down at her when her eyes met his. "If we'd followed the rules, we wouldn't be here today, would we?" He saw the panicked irritation fade from her face as she smiled, laughing softly under her breath, and he ducked his head, brushing his lips across hers. "You look stunning."

Caroline pulled away from him then, giggling as she pushed at his chest. "Seriously, you can't be in here," she said, craning her neck away from his wandering lips. "Rebekah will gouge your eyes out if she catches you in here."

"My sister has somehow taken precedent over the day that generally revolves around the bride," he mused, wrapping his arms around her waist tightly as he pulled her close again, nuzzling his face into her neck. "Do explain the logic in that one, love. It's your day after all...I would think you should dictate how your final hours before the ceremony is spent."

He smiled when he felt her sigh against him, and his lips grazed the skin of her shoulder as he turned her around in his arms, his eyes meeting hers in the mirror. He watched her face as his hand crept further down her form, his fingers bunching the fabric of her dress as he tugged it upwards. He saw the slight widening of her eyes, the way her lips parted in a gasp-but he also caught the desire in her blue orbs; that wanton expression she held so often when she looked at him-one he hadn't seen in days and that very fact was driving him absolutely mad.

His hand slipped under her skirt, his fingers dancing against the skin of her thighs, and he smirked when they traced the frilly edge of the garter he'd caught a glimpse of a week ago. His lips traced a fiery path down the column of her neck, his teeth nipping lightly at her shoulder.

"Nik," she whispered, her hands gripping at the arm that was wrapped snugly around her waist, holding her to him. "We can't do this."

He hummed against her skin, his fingers tracing the edge of the silk and lace thong that barred his hand from the place he wanted to be most. He felt her shudder under him, and he smirked, pressing an open mouthed kiss to her shoulder. "I haven't seen you in three days, love. Three long, lonely nights with nothing but memories of you to keep me company." Her breathing was heavy now, her eyes hooded as she watched his every movement in the mirror before them. "Memories that are quite vivid, but nothing in comparison to the real thing." His hand slipped beneath the waistband of her panties, brushing against her core, and he heard her gasp, his fingers circling her aching nub teasingly as he grinned against her neck. "I'm nearly going mad with the want of you, Caroline...but it is your day, as I mentioned. So if you want me to stop...I'll stop." His fingers dipped lower, and she whimpered, her teeth catching her lower lip as her fingers dug into the sleeve of his jacket. He trailed his lips up to her ear. "Tell me to stop, Caroline."

It was a phrase that had been uttered to her once before, years ago, in a darkened hallway of this very building.

It had been her undoing then. It would be her undoing now.

She shook her head, leaning back against him. "No, don't stop."

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to the skin just below her ear, and without warning sunk two fingers into her, grinning when she cried out softly and bucked against his hand. She whimpered against him as he began to stroke her slowly, her grip bruising against his arm as she fought to hold herself upright.

His lips danced across her neck, feeling her pulse thundering, as his eyes watched her every reaction in their reflection. Her eyes were closed as her head bobbed against his shoulder, her lips parted as she gasped, her pants in time with every thrust of his hand. He could feel her walls tightening around his fingers as he sped up his strokes.

"God, don't stop," she cried, one hand sliding down his arm to lace their fingers at her hip while the other held his undulating hand tight against her, her diamond ring glinting in the sunlight that streamed through the window, as he continued to work her furiously. "Please, Nik, don't stop."

Her pleas were like a chorus in his ears, and he smirked against her cheek as he curled his fingers, hitting that spot he knew would send her over the edge, and tightening his grip on her when she moaned loudly, her hips bucking wildly now against him. "Let go, love," he whispered huskily, feeling her whole body stiffen beneath him, and then she crying out, her thighs squeezing his hand tightly as she came, her body curling around his arm as she came down from her high.

He grinned proudly, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck as she straightened, and he withdrew his hand, settling the skirt back around her legs as she turned to face him. "See, now that wasn't-"

His words were cut off when her lips crashed against his and he stood shocked for a moment as her arms wrapped around his neck tightly before he groaned, gripping her hips and pulling her against him.

She walked into him, and he moved backwards, his feet shuffling against the floor until the backs of his legs hit the edge of the overstuffed armchair behind them. Their lips broke apart when he fell into it, his eyes darkening as he looked up at her, watching as she lifted the large skirt around her thighs and straddled his hips, capturing his mouth again. His hand came up to cradle her neck as her own worked furiously at the zipper of his trousers, and he couldn't help but chuckle when an impatient growl left her mouth.

"What about Rebekah?" he smirked, obligingly lifting his hips when she tugged at his pants.

Caroline laughed, shaking her head as she rose onto her knees above him, sliding her underwear down her hips and off her legs in a move that he suddenly realized he wanted to see again and again. "Screw Rebekah," she breathed, kissing him once more. "I was an idiot to listen to her-three days is way too long."

He couldn't help but agree, though his words were quickly stifled by a groan when she suddenly sunk down onto him, her wet heat engulfing him completely as she moaned above him. His hands flew to her hips, holding her in place as she accommodated his length, and he looked at her through hooded eyes. Her head was thrown back, her lips turned up in a smile of ecstasy, the white of her veil clashing with the tan skin of her shoulders as it brushed against her.

There was something scandalous about the scene before him-a blonde beauty dressed all in white, lips parted in a wanton moan as she began to writhe against him. He couldn't help the lust that flowed through his entire body at the sight, his fingers tightening against her waist as her hips grounded forcefully against him.

His head fell back against the chair, a loud moan slipping past his lips as rocked her hips, bracing her hands against his shoulders. She set a steady rhythm, lifting herself off of him before slamming back down again and again, her slick walls squeezing and tightening around him.

He'd nearly forgotten how it felt to be at her mercy-to have her control their every thrust and movement, setting the speed and tone, bringing him to the brink of ecstasy and being the sole judge of whether he would topple over its edge or not. He always preferred to be in charge, but there was something about submitting to Caroline...something about watching her writhe and moan above him.

Her hands slid up around his neck, her nails scratching against his scalp as she leaned forward, capturing his lips as she whimpered against him, her hips picking up their pace as she felt that familiar tingling in the bottom of her stomach. She was lost in it. The feeling of him moving in and out of her, racing, over and over and over, until she could barely stand the friction between them.

The whole house could have caught fire around them and she wouldn't have paid it any mind as long as he kept thrusting up into her.

His lips broke away from hers, trailing across her jaw, down her neck, grazing the skin of her collarbone before attacking her heaving bosom. She moaned as his tongue darted out to trace her skin, his hands sliding up her sides to caress her taffeta covered breasts.

"I'm so close," she whimpered as his hands guided her movements and his hips thrust against her frantically. She heard him growl in response, one hand sliding from her chest and under her skirt, circling her clit roughly as his teeth nipped at her neck lustfully. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she moaned loudly, the spark from moments ago igniting with fiery intensity as making her arch against him.

Klaus roared into her neck, his body convulsing beneath her with his own release.

They collapsed against each other, a heaving pile of sweat soaked skin and lace, and Caroline smiled to herself when Klaus' lips danced across the skin of her chest, his fingers tracing a nonsensical pattern against her hips.

"If seeing the bride before the wedding is bad luck, I wonder what this means," she laughed, feeling his chest rumble as he chuckled. His hand captured her chin, pulling her face down to his and pressing their lips together in a chaste kiss, a sharp contrast to the passionate union they just shared.

"I'd risk it again and again," he told her quietly, tucking a loose curl behind her ear as she smiled down at him. His chest swelled in that moment, knowing that she was his for the rest of forever.

He pressed his lips to hers once more, relishing in the satiated hum that their kiss pulled from her.

"Caroline," a voice called from behind the closed door, a quick rap preceding its opening as a tall figure moved inside. "Are you ready it's almost ti-Jesus, holy shit!"

The couple broke apart from their post coital bliss, a mortified gasp escaping Caroline as they both turned to gape at Stefan, who stood in the doorway with a facial expression that was a mix of embarrassment and disgust.

He slapped a hand over his eyes as he turned to the side, an uncomfortable groan leaving his lips as he shook his head. "You know, there's this real nifty invention called a lock. Seriously, it works very well when you want to avoid situations like this."

Klaus couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head when Caroline swatted at his chest, her red face burying itself into his neck as she groaned against him. "Oh, my God," she moaned, tightening her grip around Klaus' shoulders as his own arms came to circle around her back soothingly. "Stefan, please get out."

"Uh, I'd be glad to, but I'm not the only one you need to worry about right now," Stefan replied, unable to stop the laugh that erupted from his lips at his best friend's sheer distress in that moment. He barely had a second to elaborate before the frantic click of heels sounded from the hallway, and Rebekah burst in, a whir of blonde hair and blue silk, a frown on her face when she saw her husband just standing there with his eyes covered.

"Stefan, what are you doing?" she asked, stepping into the room and letting her gaze fall on the entwined couple in the chair. "Bloody hell, Nik!"

Klaus groaned at his sister's screech, his head flopping back onto the chair. He could feel Caroline shake her head against his shoulder.

"Are you truly that much of a neanderthal you couldn't wait a few short hours before you had to sully the entire day? You do realize there is an entire bloody weekend for this sort of thing. Do you two have absolutely no self control at all?"

Klaus shook his head, shifting his gaze to Caroline when he felt her shift against him. She was laughing softly, smiling up at him, and he was helpless to not return it.

"Would you still risk it?" she asked quietly, rolling her eyes as