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25 Days of Klaroline + Function (New and Improved edit)

So, this drabble is dedicated to the amazeballs Luce, @lclrgsl who is funny, witty and just a generally great person to know : ) This was based on one of your favourite tropes, I did change it to suit the day's theme (and it got emotional) but I hope you still like it! Cover by the awesome Kate @accidental-rambler

Red, Red Wine

Caroline Forbes is dreading her five year high school reunion but at least she'll have Katherine and Bonnie for company and lots of wine at her disposal given it's being held at a winery in Nappa Valley.

5pm

"Red, red wine goes to my head. Makes me forget that I still need her so."

"$50 Hayley Marshall is a stripper now," Katherine bet, as they drove through the picturesque and winding streets of wine country in California. Even though she was dreading the event itself, Caroline was somewhat comforted by their pretty surroundings. Well, that and the fact that there would be plenty of alcohol on offer if she needed to drown her sorrows.

She'd initially refused to go at all given she had nothing to brag about and that's what school reunions were about, after all. There was no significant other, no children and no high paying, high profile career to boast of, so basically she was screwed. The thought of girls like Hayley Marshall and Camille O'Connell relishing in her failure didn't sit well at all.

"I've got $50 on Camille O'Connell being the most boring person alive, still," Bonnie offered, from the back seat.

"That's not very nice," Caroline murmured, hoping other people weren't talking about her like that. She'd always been the over achiever at school. Student Body President. Valedictorian. She was meant to do great things but life hadn't turned out quite how she'd planned.

"Hey, I have every right to be a bitch, it is in the Bill of Rights after all," Katherine argued.

"No, I'm pretty certain our forefathers didn't include that, Kat," she shot back.

"Because they were all clueless, white men who didn't understand women and their need to vent. If you insist on raining on my parade, I'm entitled to freedom of speech under the Constitution, so we're all covered." She reasoned. "Surely you're curious about what people have been doing all these years?"

"Not at all," she groaned. "I could care less, which is what I said when I refused to come to this stupid thing in the first place."

"Oh come on, we'll have fun," Bonnie promised, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Define fun." Caroline didn't want to be such a buzzkill but she didn't feel like telling her former classmates every single facet of her life.

She could already imagine the judgmental and pitying looks shot her way as she had to explain that she didn't end up going to Harvard and become a lawyer as planned and documented in the school yearbook. Caroline knew they'd ask why but she had no intention of sharing anything with them. As far as she was concerned Katherine and Bonnie were the only people she cared about to tell the truth.

"Telling them we invented Post-It notes," Katherine laughed.

"This isn't the movie Romy and Michelle's Highschool Reunion," she joked, breaking into an unexpected smile. "I don't think they'll go for it somehow, Kat."

"Probably not but it's nice to see a genuine smile on your face, Forbes," she shared. "You have nothing to be ashamed about Caroline."

"Exactly," Bonnie agreed.

"Says the aspiring architect and engineer," she murmured. Caroline didn't begrudge them their success because she was so happy for Katherine and Bonnie but it hurt that her dream hadn't quite materialised as she'd planned.

"Last time I checked, you're going to be studying social work in the Fall, Forbes. I think that's pretty darn impressive myself."

"Well, I haven't actually done anything yet," she murmured. She'd always wanted to be a lawyer but after the past five tumultuous years Caroline knew she wanted to help people and social work seemed like the right path to do that.

"Yet is the operative word," Bonnie smiled. "Now come on, enough misery tonight, let's just have fun." Caroline felt herself thawing slightly, she couldn't change the past five years but she could certainly make the next five more productive.

"Fair enough, Bon. You know I bet $50, Katherine makes out with Stefan for old time's sake."

"Oh you've got a bet," Bonnie laughed. "Just don't break his heart again Kat, I'm not sure his self-centred ass can take it."

10pm

Everything was exactly how Caroline had predicted and she'd finally escaped the peppering questions and pitying looks as soon as possible.

Mikaelson Wines was stunning with its extensive green grounds but for Caroline it was their red wine that was the stand out, especially the Shiraz. She'd gulped down a few glasses not quite sure how many exactly at this point. Caroline didn't care as long as it made her feel better.

The grounds were shrouded in darkness at this late hour, Caroline skipping her way through the vines happily, thinking she could get used to a place like this. It seemed so peaceful and without any real life expectations. It wasn't that she hated her life, Caroline only wished she could really make something out of it, exactly like she'd planned five years earlier.

The summer evening was gorgeous and she moved through the vines freely, her shoes long discarded, her pulled back waves now flowing freely and the short, black dress she wore edging around her mid thighs in the slight breeze. Caroline pulled the stolen bottle of red wine to her lips and swallowed the rich liquid that tasted like a headying mix of peppers, berries and currants. Well, that's what she thought given she was a little tipsy.

"Do you always trample through people's vineyards?" A distinctly English voice asked in the darkness.

She turned to where the sound was coming from, not quite expecting the handsome, dark haired blonde with crimson lips and a decidedly judgmental look on his surprised face. Caroline had had all the judgment she could take right already, narrowing her eyes in his direction.

"Last time I checked, I wasn't trampling anything."

"Well, you are," he shot back. "These are award winning vineyards and not to be disturbed by drunk party guests." She looked at him closely for the first time, trying to ascertain what his problem actually was and trying to ignore that rogue dimple in his left cheek.

"I haven't touched anything."

"Well, maybe not yet but there is that bottle of my shiraz you've been massaging happily with your mouth, love," he purred. Caroline had to try and stop the untoward images he was creating with his words. What exactly was this ass playing at?

"I was desperate, what can I say?" His unamused expression, complete with pursed lips was enough to tell Caroline he wasn't impressed with her joke. "Fine, I've always been a sucker for a full bodied red. I have to say I'm loving the tannins in this drop."

"Oh, so now you're just making fun of me?"

"No, apparently I seem to be complimenting your bloody wine so I figured some of that hostility might have abated by now," she argued, hands on hips. "Are you always this rude to customers?" He reeled backwards and Caroline could tell he was taken aback by her pointed question.

"Only the argumentative ones who tend to roam free after dark without permission," he scowled. "You realise this is my winery?"

"Am I supposed to be scared?"

"Maybe," he offered.

"Well, take my advice and get a guard dog instead," she chuckled. "He's probably going to prove to be a lot scarier than you."

"I can be scary."

"No, you're a grouch, there's a distinct difference," she snapped. "Is there any chance I can go back to my peaceful reverie or are you going to continue invading it..."

"Klaus," he replied simply, Caroline had to lean in to hear his words. "That's my name, although I'm pretty sure you're more interested in throwing a few other choice names my way, love."

"Is that a challenge?"

"If you want, love." Caroline rolled her eyes.

"I'm curious Klaus, do you always guard your crops like a crazy weirdo?"

"I love a good sunset and then you decided to interfere and cause me unwanted grief," he explained. Caroline was beginning to realise that teasing him only made him linger unneccesarily. This was worse than a school reunion interrogation.

"I'll have to remember such prized comments when I leave a review on Trip Advisor," Caroline mumbled. "You know, you're not the only person having a bad night, buddy."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really," she growled. "Not that I have any intention of telling you about it of course."

"So, why did you mention it?" Caroline shook her head, thinking the exact same thing.

"I was bored."

"I think there was a little more to it," he offered, taking the bottle from her hands slowly before she could take another sip. "Although, I think I'd feel the same way if it was my school reunion."

"Hey!"

"You've had more than enough, love."

"Oh gee, thanks dad," Caroline growled. "I don't need anymore judgment tonight, trust me."

"I'm not judging, I'm actually trying to save you from embarrasing yourself at your reunion." Klaus offered. "Plus, even though my wine does taste amazing, it isn't always the answer."

"Even red, red wine?" She asked, singing the song title.

"Even red, red wine," he joked. "Although, it wasn't the most cheerful song, I always associated it with a really bad hangover or lost love."

"True that," she murmured knowingly, sitting on the ground, not caring what the dirt would do to her new dress. Obviously he didn't care either taking the spot right next to her. "I don't expect a babysitter, you know."

"What can I say? I just really like getting my hands dirty, love."

"If that's your idea of a really bad pick up line then it's never happening," she shivered, placing her arms across her chest to ward of the chill. Klaus moved forward removing his jacket and placing it softly around her shoulders. Caroline didn't even bother to argue, she was too tired and distracted by just how fitted his navy henley was across his chest.

"You wish," he chuckled. "I'm actually curious as to why you even came to this reunion in the first place, it's abundantly clear that you don't want to be here."

"I didn't want to come but my friends made me," she scowled.

"Glad to see that peer pressure is still fully intact five years after school," he teased.

"You know, I always imagined my school reunion going differently in my head. I was going to be studying law at Harvard."

"So, what happened to Harvard?" Caroline had no intention of answering that question tonight but the red wine had considerably broken down her defences and given she'd never see him again it didn't seem to matter.

"I was all set to go but my mom got sick," she whispered. "I stayed home so I could look after her and get a job to help pay the medical bills. She was all I had so of course there was no choice even if she did insist I go repeatedly." Had, the use of the past tense still not sitting comfortably after a year.

"I'm fairly certain being able to spend those last few years with your mother trumps Harvard Law anytime. Plus, last time I checked Harvard isn't going anywhere." He didn't fawn all over her like most people did when they found out about her mom and Caroline was surprised by just how comforted she felt with just a few words from a stranger.

"I'm actually enrolled to study social work at CU in September," she added. "After everything law didn't seem like the right fit."

"Well, I think you need to work on some of those social skills, you know just saying," he teased, earning a whack from her. "That there is case in point. I think they frown on that sort of behaviour in social work."

"You're hilarious, has anyone ever told you that?" She drawled, suddenly finding his close proximity quite distracting given he smelled so good. "Maybe you should have considered a career in stand up comedy and not wine making."

"Then where would you get that Shiraz you like so much?" He asked, gesturing to the bottle. She traced her fingers over the label, thinking just how much she loved the simple artistry of the country setting it depicted.

"That's a gorgeous picture."

"My mother drew that," he shared. "Her dream was to own a winery but it never happened unfortunately."

"She must be pleased that you have this place though." She noticed his face drop slightly.

"She died a few years ago actually and unfortunately never got to see this place. I figured the least I could do is include a tiny part of her considering she's the one responsible for all of this."

Caroline immediately felt bad going on about her personal circumstances when his were so similar. Maybe that's why he'd been able to comfort her so easily because he knew what she'd been through.

"I think she'd be proud of what you've done here, especially this fine Shiraz."

"Thanks, although you do know I do make other wines."

"Maybe you could give me my own private tasting sometime?" She asked, knowing it was forward but decided to blame it on the red wine if he declined her offer.

"I think I could manage that, love," he grinned, those dimples returning with full force. Yeah maybe she'd have one hell of a hangover tomorrow but his red, red wine was certainly worth it.

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