Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters!
Chances
Chapter One: Revelation
Too many years of battle scars and now
We're broken
And all the words you said
Been hanging over my head for time
And all of the lines we've crossed
Have finally burst us open
As a thousand tiny paper cuts of life
Bitter End - Rag'n'Bone Man
Klaus stood on the balcony that aligned to his bedroom, watching the streets of New Orleans. He had always loved the city he had built with his family centuries ago. He and his family had spent more time apart than together during the last centuries. True, most of it was his fault, daggering them or just generally pushing them away once danger arose. But this compound in New Orleans bore witness to some of the very rare occasions he and his siblings had spent time together without a care. They had been happy here. Whenever Klaus had revisited this city after they had to run from Mikael yet again, he had felt at home. Pleasant memories flooding his brain, jazz music filling the streets, art and culture everywhere. But he had not felt any of this during the past months. Not since he had left Mystic Falls. While New Orleans was far more beautiful and less boring than the small town in Virginia, he felt a pull that was trying to make him go back to that boring town. After centuries of trying to build a home for his family, Klaus had come to realise that the most exhilarating and perfect city would do no good, or feel like home, if it was missing just a few people. If he could, he would hurry back to Mystic Falls in a heartbeat. But he couldn't. Not quite DeMartell and his annoying bitch of a sister still had him exactly where they wanted him. Beneath them. Klaus would do as they told for as long as he needed if that meant his siblings and Caroline would be safe. Cutting ties with them had taken every bit of strength Klaus possessed. He longed for their presence, their voices and laughter. While he was certain that Rebekah and Kol were probably dealing well with his absence and the way he had left, he knew that Henrik and Caroline wouldn't. Klaus was aware of the fact that he must have caused them immense pain with the way he left, the things he said. Even if they decided to hate him for what he did, he wouldn't mind. Not if that meant they were alive and well-to-do so. He'd gladly sacrifice his own happiness for their well-being.
The first time Klaus had realised that, he had immediately downed half a bottle of scotch, overwhelmed with the truth behind his thoughts. After a thousand years in which he denied himself to care, he finally admitted to love. Not out loud, of course. The possibility of open rejection causing him to hide his feelings.
Klaus' phone made a sound, indicating an incoming message.
MARCEL
Meet me at the cemetery. It's important.
Klaus put the phone back in his pocket and headed to the cemetery, intrigued in what Marcel might have found out about his enemies.
When he arrived, Klaus was surprised to find Marcel with Elijah and the witch Davina. It seemed to him that this day was about to be very interesting.
"Why the crowd?" Klaus asked.
"After the meeting, I asked Davina for a favour. She helped me figure out the situation and whether Tristan was telling the truth. As for Elijah, I thought it best to have him present for what I am about to reveal." Marcel explained.
"Go on, then." Klaus instructed, now very curious what had gotten Marcel in such a frenzy.
Marcel sat at a huge table next to Tristan. His creepy sister and Lucien were present as well as some women he assumed were witches. The atmosphere was different from the past times Marcel had joined Tristan to report on Klaus and his doings."Yesterday, the witches approached me with some interesting news." Tristan announced, a small smile grazing his lips.
Marcel gulped. If Klaus and Tristan had one thing in common, it was the way they smiled when they were plotting.
"Marcel, I believe you have met a woman called Caroline Forbes in the past?" Tristan asked.
"Yes. Some arm-candy Klaus was carrying around, I believe." Marcel answered nonchalantly.
"Why are we talking about some irrelevant slut Nik used to carry around?" Aurora glared at her brother.
"Because she will be an important part in our plan to kill the originals." Tristan revealed.
"Why would one of his pets be this important?" Lucien asked.
"Because she is much more than a simple pet." Tristan revealed.
Marcel could practically see fume coming out of Aurora's ears at her brother's statement. While it was fun to watch her getting aggravated, Marcel feared for Caroline's safety. He had grown to like her in the short time he spent with her. It was hard not to like a kind person like her. Plus, he knew Klaus would freak out if his enemies targeted his girl.
"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure Klaus ditched her as soon as he got bored with her." Marcel tried.
"He left her in an attempt to keep her safe from us. As he did with his siblings." Tristan assured the group.
"Oh, come on! Are you implying that Klaus actually cares about her?" Lucien laughed.
"He doesn't!" Aurora exclaimed.
"It doesn't matter. What's more important is the child growing inside her. Niklaus' child." Tristan said seriously.
Aurora's mouth opened, her eyes nearly falling out of her sockets. Marcel and Lucien started laughing at how ridiculous Tristan sounded.
"Sorry, mate, but vampire's can't procreate." Lucien said in-between laughter.
"Niklaus is not a vampire, is he? He is the original hybrid. While you are right about your statement about vampires, you should be aware that this rule does not apply to werewolves." Tristan said, not amused by their reaction.
"Might be true, but Caroline certainly is a regular vampire. There's no chance she could be pregnant." Marcel said, getting serious again.
"It seems the witches have meddled with that little rule and made an exception." Tristan said, looking at the women Marcel didn't know.
"Yes, the spirits have used their power to aid the hybrid to create a family of his own, hoping it would balance him." The witches explained.
"And how would you know that Caroline is carrying a mini-Klaus?" Lucien asked.
"If anyone would be fit to carry Nik's child, it'd be me! I'm the love of his life, after all!" Aurora yelled.
"Calm down, sister. It's true, whether you like it or not." Tristan said, annoyed with his little sister's obsession.
"Even if it's true, how does that help us?" Lucien asked.
Tristan rolled his eyes, obviously annoyed by the fact that he seemed to be the only one capable of understanding the opportunity they were presented with.
"Would you think about it? The child of the original hybrid, grand-child of the original witch, carried and born by a vampire. This child will be so much more useful than Niklaus." Tristan explained.
Marcel felt himself getting paler by the second. Was this guy implying they take this child from its mother once it's born?
"So we wait 'till Klaus' pet gives birth to that miracle baby, then kill the originals and the child's mother?" Lucien asked, obviously intrigued at the idea.
"I have not yet made my mind up about killing Niklaus. We don't know for certain whether his child's blood will be able to cure wolf bites as well. Also, we don't know if that child will be able to create hybrids. But keeping Niklaus alive doesn't hinder us from tearing him apart on the inside." Tristan said with a wicked smile.
"I want to kill that bitch!" Aurora announced.
"Your wish will be granted, sister. However, the witches informed me of the safety measures in place to protect the originals and Miss Forbes. We will let them feel safe in Mystic Falls until the child is born. Then, we tear down the barrier and fulfil our plan. Also, I believe it goes without saying that Niklaus is to remain in the dark about his unborn child"
Marcel finished talking, watching Klaus cautiously. To his surprise, the original started to laugh."If they are waiting for some miracle child to be born, we have all eternity to find the stakes and kill them slowly." Klaus said.
"That's what I thought, too. I asked Davina to check his theory, though. Better be safe than sorry, right?" Marcel said.
"I contacted the spirits for reassurance. It's true. Caroline is pregnant." Davina assured Klaus.
"The spirits are lying then! Have you all lost your mind? Elijah, tell them it's impossible!" Klaus urged.
Elijah straightened his suit and made a step in his brother's direction.
"Caroline did not want you to find out. She swore all of us to secrecy." Elijah said, his head down in an attempt to avoid his brother's eyes.
"No. You are all liars!" Klaus yelled, pointing his finger in the direction of them.
"I'm sorry you had to find out like this, Niklaus." Elijah stated.
Klaus just shook his head. There was no way this was true. Even if it was possible for him and Caroline to have a child, she would certainly have told him about it. She wouldn't leave him in the dark.
"Rebekah and Kol are taking care of her." Elijah assured Klaus.
"Caroline would have told me." Klaus said, trying to convince himself and the others.
"She tried to. But then you left and broke her heart." Elijah said softly.
Klaus looked at Elijah who was finally looking him in the eyes and saw not a hint of deceit. His brother was telling the truth.
Tears were gathering in Klaus' eyes. Unwilling to let them see him weak, he flashed away.
Why, he thought, why had they hid that from him? Caroline, he could slightly understand, but Elijah. How dare he not mention this once! Didn't he trust Klaus enough to let him make his own decision? Did Caroline not want her child's father around? Maybe she was right. What kind of father could he possibly be? A better one than Mikael, he was sure of it. He could be the better man. For Caroline and their little one.
Klaus grabbed his phone, dialling a specific number. Someone who should have told him the minute he found out.
"Hello." A male voice answered the phone after the second ring.
"Joshua! My most disappointing minion!" Klaus greeted.
"Um, okay?" He said, obviously confused.
"Say, Joshua, is there anything you have to tell me?" Klaus asked.
"Things are going great here. Henrik-" Klaus interrupted him.
"How far along is she?" Klaus growled.
He heard the hybrid swallow hard.
"About seven months." Joshua almost whispered.
"And you have consciously been hiding this little fact from me because?" Klaus asked angrily.
"She didn't want you to know." Joshua defended himself.
"Let's get this straight: You follow my orders. No one else's! Understood?"
"Yes, sir." he answered immediately.
"Now, make sure Caroline is fine while I figure out what to do. Oh, and Joshua? You won't tell her about our little chat, will you?"
"No, sir."
Klaus felt the urge to destroy his phone, to crash it in the palm of his hand. But he refrained and walked down the familiar streets of New Orleans, eager to get back to the compound and indulge in a fine bottle of bourbon.
He sat down in a comfortable armchair, bottle firm in his hand. Elijah would be here soon, he knew it. How dare his brother keep this from him for so long? While Klaus was aware of all the wrong he has done over the years, well centuries, he thought that his elder brother was loyal. How wrong he was. Elijah had deceived him for months now! So much for being the noble brother. Klaus huffed out loud. It was ridiculous. Caroline was pregnant with his child.
Before he could get lost in his thoughts further, Elijah appeared.
"I see you're drowning your feelings in alcohol once more." He stated.
"What else do you want me to do? Because that's what it's about, isn't it? I thought you have followed me out of loyalty when in reality you followed me to make sure I would stay away from Caroline and my child!" Klaus spat as he got up, abandoning his drink on a table.
"That's not true." Elijah answered calmly.
"I do everything in my power to protect our family! To protect her! And you betrayed me once again! You gave our enemies an advantage by not telling me about Caroline's pregnancy! If it wasn't for my plan and Marcel's work with Tristan I would still be in the dark about all of it! They would have waited for the right moment to use my child against me!" Klaus' voice now rising, tears running down his cheeks.
"I was convinced that our enemies would never find out. And I gave Caroline my word that I would not tell you." Elijah tried to justify his actions.
"To hell with your word! I don't care Elijah! Do you even realise that this changes everything! We have to attain these stakes much faster now! I will not have their deaths on my hand!" Klaus promised.
"Neither will I." Elijah agreed.
"What am I supposed to do?" Klaus asked, letting his vulnerability show. While he was furious with his brother and wanted to rip out his spine for the betrayal, he needed his advice more than ever.
"Do what I have been trying to have you do since we arrived. Talk to our siblings. We need their help. Talk to Caroline." Elijah advised.
"They hate me. Caroline must hate me for leaving her alone like this. Not only did I abandon her, I abandoned our child as well. Even if I try, they won't pick up the phone. Not when I'm the one calling." Klaus admitted.
"Then go. Go to Mystic Falls and explain your motives and the dangers ahead." Elijah said.
"Tristan is watching my every move." Klaus answered bitterly.
"I believe we have a powerful witch on our side, don't we?"
It took him almost 24 hours, but he was finally back in Mystic Falls. After his little chat with Elijah, Klaus approached Davina, talking about ways he could go to Mystic Falls without his enemies knowing. The plan was brilliant. He had told Tristan that he would leave for Canada in search for new hybrids and to put some distance between him and Elijah who was currently annoying him. Then, Klaus had handed over a vial of blood to one of the hybrids that was secretly working for him and sent him off to Canada. Davina had made sure that if the DeMartells tried to locate him through witchcraft, which they would, they would only be able to locate that vial of blood. This way, Klaus could leave for Virginia , Elijah and Marcel were to keep the plan going and do their best to locate the white oak. Klaus made it clear that they had to pick up their pace. Their enemies needed to be dead before the birth of his child. There was no way he would put Caroline and their child in any danger.
Klaus stopped the car in front of the house he had built for his family. Once, this house had held many promises for the future. He and his family happily reunited while his hybrids protected the place and the ones inside.
He moved out of the car smoothly, casually walking up the front steps and through the front door. Inside, he focused and could make out three people inside. One was seemingly asleep in one of the bedrooms. Henrik. Klaus' heart ached remembering the way his little brother had looked at him after he snapped Rebekah's neck. Guilt, that's what he felt now that he was back.
"Nik?" Rebekah was in front of him, her eyes wide in shock.
"Hello, sister." Klaus said in greeting, giving her a shy smile.
"What are you doing here?" The shocked expression had left the blonde's face and was replaced by one of anger.
"If I remember correctly, this is still my house." Klaus said casually. He knew it would only make his sister angrier. But now that he was back, he didn't know how to handle the situation. What if Elijah had been right and this time, he wouldn't receive their forgiveness?
"Not any more." Kol appeared in front of Rebekah protectively.
"Whatever." Klaus shrugged and moved around them in search for the closest liquor.
"Tired of your kingdom already, your majesty?" Kol sneered.
"Something like that." Klaus answered, not revealing the truth yet and instead filling a glass with scotch.
"Whatever it is, you're not welcome any more." Rebekah stated.
"Now, that's rude, Bekah." Klaus said with raised eyebrows.
"Rude? You have got to be kidding me! You snapped my neck and ran away stating that none of us matter to you any more!" Rebekah exclaimed and for the first time Klaus could make out the hurt in her voice. Anger he could deal with, hurt however...
"Oh come on. We had fights worse than the last." Klaus said.
"That was before we had to think about Henrik." Kol said angrily. Klaus had to admit that he was impressed. His brother seemed to have grown into a man, finally taking responsibility.
"He'll get over it." He drowned his drink and filled the glass once more.
"He cried himself to sleep for weeks after you left!" Rebekah cried.
"And you think it was easy for me to leave, don't you?" Klaus growled, finally having heard enough. He didn't want to imagine his little brother crying over his departure.
"You certainly didn't look back!" Kol said, his voice now overtaken by emotion, too.
"I had no choice!" Klaus roared making his siblings flinch. "I did what I had to do to ensure your safety! You on the other hand had a choice. And you chose to betray me once again!"
"You cast us aside and then blame us of betrayal? I always stood by your side, Nik! No matter how often you daggered me! I never betrayed your trust!" Rebekah claimed.
"Is that so? Why didn't you tell me about Caroline and her pregnancy the moment you found out?" He demanded to know, tears in his eyes.
Kol and Rebekah stared at him, guilt washing over their faces. Klaus knew they had something to say about that matter but were just too cautious, weary even, of the fact that Klaus was showing his emotions openly.
"You didn't trust me, did you?" It was a rhetorical question, they all knew. "You thought it better to keep my child away from me, convinced that I would strip them of their innocence and turn them into the monster you believe me to be."
"Can you blame us? All these centuries, you have done nothing but undermine us. We were never allowed to do anything that didn't suit you. And if we dared do want we wanted in spite of what you said, you daggered us!" Kol finally found his voice again.
"Mikeal was after us! Someone had to keep you all safe!" Klaus insisted.
"So what? There will always be someone after us. All the enemies you created by your selfish ways! There will always be danger around the corner. But we can defend ourselves. We are not as helpless as you believe us to be!" Kol shouted, Rebekah trying to shush him, worried that Henrik might wake up and be traumatized again.
Klaus ground his teeth together. The craving for destruction nearly overtaking him.
"What Kol means to say is: We agreed with Caroline and her desire to keep the pregnancy a secret from you because we were worried. Like Henrik and Caroline, you won't be able to dagger that child. What will you do then? What will you do when you push them away, and they decide that waiting for you to come to your senses is not enough? Don't get me wrong. I know you could have been a great father. You proved that to me when we were children and you took care of me when I was scared of storms. But you have changed." Rebekah said sadly.
"All I wanted was for you to be safe." Klaus stated, a single tear rolling down his cheek.
"Maybe you should learn to trust the people around you. All this could have been avoided, because Elijah was right, wasn't he? You left because we were in some kind of danger. But pushing us away and keeping us in Mystic Falls was wrong. We could have helped you!" Rebekah claimed.
Kol had become quiet, letting Rebekah talk. Elijah had told Klaus exactly what Rebekah was saying and Klaus had known they would have wanted to help. But that was why he chose to keep them in the dark.
"No. I wanted to be sure you were safe, so I could focus on taking them down." Klaus finally said. It was time he told his siblings the truth, like Elijah advised. That's why he came to see them before he tried to make amends with Caroline. They had to know about the possible dangers awaiting them. He had to make sure that Kol and Rebekah were prepared to keep Henrik and Caroline safe.
"Who?" Kol asked.
"Tristan and Aurora DeMartell and Lucien Castle." Klaus revealed.
"You've got to be kidding me, Nik!" Kol exclaimed.
"How would they pose any danger to us?" Rebekah asked confused.
Klaus then told them everything. About the white oak, their threats and finally he told them how he came to know of Caroline's pregnancy. By the end, Rebekah had visibly paled and Kol's face was full of rage.
"Let's get one thing straight, Nik: I do not forgive you for what you did to us, no matter your intentions. But, I will do what it takes to help protect our family and kill these bastards." Kol promised.
Klaus nodded his thanks.
"If they come anywhere near Caroline I swear I will rip them to shreds!" Rebekah vowed.
"So, Nik. I believe it's time to ask you what you're going to do. Will you finally man up and work on your 'I'm the alpha so I am allowed to do stupid things in order to protect the ones I care about' - issues and try to be a decent father or will you abandon Caroline and your child? Because trust me, she will never let you anywhere near that child if you fail to prove your capability as a father." Kol asked with a smirk.
Klaus downed the rest of his drink. He wanted to rip out one of Kol's vital organs for the way he had voiced his question, but he was also right. Klaus had thought about it constantly since left New Orleans. He came to the conclusion that it was time for him to find peace and have a decent life instead of waging war after war. He realised that he craved the family he could now have with Caroline. He wanted to be there for them, be the father he had always wished for himself when he was a child.
"I don't think that's any of your business, brother. However, I might be inclined to humour you if you answer one question: How is she?"
A/N: So, the first chapter is up! Did you like it? If so, feel free to let me know!
