A/N: Dedicated to Hybridlicious for being there and giving me so many Klaroline feels when I needed them. Hope y'all enjoy this.
See You Again
Said goodbye, turned around, and you were gone, gone, gone.
Faded into the setting sun, slipped away.
But I won't cry.
Caroline Mikaelson didn't want this to be her life, to be living on her own, her husband overseas fighting for their country. He was gone more than he was home, doing what he felt was right.
Coming home for two weeks at a time wasn't enough, she needed more, wanted more, deserved more. She wanted to wake up beside him every morning and go to bed with him every night. Bring him breakfast in bed and fall asleep in his arms while watching a late night movie.
No, this was not the life that seven year old Caroline had envisioned for herself. Yes, she would take Klaus, the love of her life and seeing him for two weeks every so many months, than to be living the perfect life.
He had returned home, safe and sound but was leaving again, returning for his second tour of service. After three years of marriage and countless months alone, Caroline became accustomed to the routine. Yet, she never got used to saying goodbye, thinking that it would be the last time.
So there she stood in the airport, holding onto him with all her might, breathing in his scent that reminded her so much of home. She stood on her tip toes, her face buried into his neck. His strong arms wrapped tightly around her as she clung to him.
I'm not going to cry. I AM NOT GOING TO CRY. She repeated in her head.
"I have to go, love," he whispered into her ear. His grip loosening but she held on even tighter, begging him not to go.
She shook her head, "don't go." Her eyes filling with tears that threatened to fall, but she promised herself she wasn't going to cry. "Please."
Klaus pulled back, cupping her face as his thumbs wiped away the tears that had begun to fall. She looked up into his blue eyes that held unshed tears. "I have to go, sweetheart."
"Nik, please," she begged. "Don't."
"I'll be back soon, I promise." He smiled faintly, kissing her forehead. She relished in the feel of his lips on her forehead and leaned into the touch.
Caroline nodded, reaching up to wipe at her tears, willing herself to be strong. "I love you," she whispered, smiling up at him.
"I love you, too," he smiled, his eyes shining. His hands wandered down, wrapping around her back.
She was pulled up against him and before she knew it his lips were crashing against hers. Her hands reached up around his neck, holding him to her.
After what felt like hours, a throat was cleared beside them and they reluctantly pulled apart. Her cheeks were bright pink while he smiled wolfishly at the others. They had forgotten that they weren't alone.
Klaus let go of her, moving to his family to embrace each member into a huge, whispering words of encouragement and love into their ears. Rebekah, his younger sister was sobbing in his arms while he tried reassuring her that he would, indeed, be fine.
It was time to go, but before he turned his back to them he took her in his arms one more time. He kissed her with everything he had, like it might be their last kiss. "I love you," he said against her lips.
"Come home to me."
"I promise." He pulled away, leaning down to pick up the bag at his feet. Klaus slung it over his shoulder, taking a last look at everyone around him. His three brothers were there, smiling but with a hint of sadness in their brown eyes. His sister, sobbing quietly, holding onto Stefan, her husband.
Caroline stood in front of them all, hugging herself as tears quietly slid down her cheeks. He offered her one last smile, dimples bearing, before he turned his back on all them.
She watched him leave, clad in his army attire. Before she could sink to the floor, a pair of arms wrapped around her pulling her into his chest. She looked up to see that Elijah had grabbed onto her, his eyes holding back unshed tears.
He turned around, giving everyone a small wave. Even from afar, she could see the fear and sadness spread across his features. But he turned around, straighten up and rolled his shoulders and continued on before he turned the corner out of view.
'Cause I know I'll never be lonely
For you are the stars to me, you are the light I follow
It had been over a month since Klaus had left and Caroline had gone on with her life and normal routine. Wake up, prepare for the day ahead, work, come home, dinner, write a letter to Klaus, read and go to bed. Some nights she had company, whether it be in the form of friends or family.
Often her mother visited her or Rebekah or another one of Klaus' family members, knowing how she got lonely from time to time. She liked when Elijah visited or Kol, they had similar traits to their brother, making her feel like he was with them in spirit if not in person.
It was little things that first alarmed her that something was different. Like throwing up first thing in the morning, or not being able to keep her breakfast down. That had been the first clue but being stubborn Caroline pushed it off as having the flu. Yet the flu wouldn't last for a week and be like clockwork, six a.m. on the dot every morning.
Then it was smells, like her favourite perfume, the one that Klaus had bought her for her birthday last year, started making her queasy. Tiredness took over and the moment she was home from work she would pass out on the couch and she wouldn't wake up for hours.
The headaches had been terrible, making it difficult to concentrate at work. After telling Rebekah all this she had forced her to go shopping with her for only one item, a pregnancy test.
They bought five, all lined up on the counter beside the sink waiting for the results to show. Caroline sat on the toilet tapping her foot nervously while Rebekah sat across from her on the edge of the bathtub, timer in hand.
"How much time left?" Caroline asked, biting her thumb nail.
Rebekah looked down at the timer, "thirty seconds left. How you feeling?"
"Anxious."
Rebekah leaned over, squeezing her hand, "it'll be fine."
Suddenly a loud ringing filled the bathroom and Caroline looked up at Rebekah with wide blue eyes. She sat there stunned, not moving as she frantically looked over at the pregnancy tests. "I can't do it, you look." Caroline demanded.
Rebekah nodded, getting up and walking the small distance to the bathroom counter where the tests were lined up. There were plus symbols or two lines, all indicating one thing.
"Pregnant."
Carolines' head snapped up. "No," she whispered. Rebekah nodded, handing her all five of the tests. Tears began to pool in her eyes as she tried to wipe them away. "I'm pregnant," she whispered in disbelief. "You're going to be an aunt, Niks' going to be a dad!"
Caroline jumped up, hugging Rebekah as tight as she could. "I'm going to be an aunt!" She laughed, squeezing her back just as tightly. "When do you talk to Nik next?" She asked, pulling back to look at the other blonde.
"We have a Skype date in a few days, I'll tell him then," she smiled.
A few days later, Caroline sat at the computer, anxiously waiting for Klaus to come online. It was one minute to eight and he would get half an hour of computer time starting at eight.
A ringing came from the computer and she saw that he was calling her. She quickly hit answer and his smiling face filled her screen. "Hello, love."
"Hi," she breathed, feeling calmer seeing his face and hearing his voice. His hair was shorter, almost a buzz cut and all the stubble she loved was gone.
He smiled, "how are you?"
"Good, and you?"
"Excellent now that I get to see your beautiful face," he smirked.
"Nik," she blushed. He chuckled, liking that after four years of being together he could still make her blush. "I have some news for you!"
"Like what?" he asked with raised eyebrows, leaning slightly closer to his side of the computer causing his face to enlarge on her screen.
"I'm pregnant!" She exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.
Klaus' face lit up instantly, his blue eyes shining. "We're having a baby?"
"Yes, we're having a baby."
"I love you so much, Caroline Mikaelson."
"I love you too, Niklaus Mikaelson," she replied, her eyes brimming with tears threatening to fall. "Come home safely, I don't want this baby to grow up without a father."
He noticed her hand fall to her flat stomach and he straightened up, looking serious. "I promise, love."
I can hear those echoes in the wind at night, calling me back in time.
Back to you, in a place far away, where the water meets the sky.
"Caroline, you have to push, the baby is ready to come out," Rebekah pleaded from beside her.
Her face scrunched up as another contraction hit and she reached for a hand, squeezing hard until the pain let up. "I'm waiting for Nik, he needs to be here."
"Caroline, you are putting not only the baby but yourself in danger if you don't start pushing now," the doctor said.
She shook her head furiously, "I can't do this without him."
Rebekah squeezed her hand causing her to look up at the blonde. Her face full of concern, "you have me and we'll do this together. Caroline, please, Nik isn't here, he's overseas."
"Bekah, I can't," she cried, feeling the pain radiate through her belly as it tightened. "I want Nik!"
"Caroline-" Rebekah started but was interrupted.
"I'm here!" Came a very familiar and masculine voice. He was dressed in his army greens' and looked slightly out of breath probably from running through the hospital looking for her. He ran right up to the side of her bed and took her hand in his, "I'm here."
"Nik?" Caroline questioned as she squinted not believing he was actually there beside her for the birth of their child. "You're here! But you're supposed to be overseas, not here."
"You wouldn't think I would miss the birth of this little one, did you," he smirked.
"No," she shook her head, tears beginning to fall. She reached up with her free hand to wrap around his neck, pulling him down to her. She kissed him with all the strength that she had before she felt another contraction hit.
When she pulled back she looked down at the doctor waiting expectantly at her feet, "now we can have this baby."
"About time," Rebekah muttered.
The thought of it makes me smile,
You are my tomorrow.
Emma Grace Mikaelson was born at 6:13 a.m. weighing seven pounds two ounces. She cried as everyone welcomed her into the world. Klaus got the honour to cut the cord before the baby was paced on Carolines' chest.
Caroline and Klaus got a good look at their daughter before she was whisked away to get cleaned off and checked out by the nurse. She was returned wrapped tightly in a white and pink blanket and placed right into her mothers' arms.
"Emma," she whispered, smiling down at the child sleeping. She looked over at Klaus who was sitting beside her on the bed watching the infant.
"Emma," he repeated, testing the name out. "It's perfect."
"Would you like to hold her?"
Klaus nodded eagerly, reaching out and grabbing his little girl. He held her to his chest, watching as her eyelids fluttered open so she was staring up him.
"She's beautiful." Caroline noted watching Klaus with their daughter.
"Like her mother," he smiled, looking up at her.
There was a soft knock on the door causing the couple to look up. Rebekah was in the doorway, "can we come in?"
Caroline nodded, not wanting to wake the baby up. Rebekah entered the room followed by Stefan, Kol and Elijah. They stood at the side of the bed all carefully observing the baby in his arms.
"What's her name?" Elijah asked quietly, eyes trained on the bundle.
"Emma," Caroline responded, her too looking at the perfect creature beside her in her husbands' arms.
"It's perfect," Rebekah cooed.
"You did well, Nik," Kol winked at his brother.
"Can I hold her?" Rebekah asked, walking around to the other side of the bed to where Klaus was sitting.
Caroline nodded and Klaus reluctantly handed her over to his sister as she made faces at her niece. Kol and Elijah joined her, staring at the new addition over her shoulder.
"I am going to spoil you rotten," Rebekah whispered.
"Not as much as me," Kol added. "Look I already got you something," he said, pulling out a teddy bear from behind his back. He waved it in front of her face but she just stared at it, slowly closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep. "She doesn't do much."
Caroline laughed, "that's because she's only a few hours old."
"When did you return?" Elijah asked, looking over his shoulder at his brother.
"Just a few hours ago, in time to see that little one be born," he smiled brightly, like a proud father.
"And how long will you be with us for?"
"Elijah!" Rebekah scolded, glaring at him.
"I have a month's leave, brother. I've put in for a position that is closer to home but I won't find out for a while, so we'll see." Klaus said, addressing Caroline. This was the first she was hearing of it, he had wanted to surprise her with the news like he surprised her with the visit.
Caroline turned her head, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. "I love you," she whispered, low enough for only him to hear.
"I love you, too," he replied, giving her a quick peck on her forehead.
Sometimes I feel my heart is breaking,
But I stay strong and I hold on cause I know.
"I thought he was able to come home for her birthday?" Rebekah questioned as she stuck a big candle in the shape of a one on top of the large square cake.
"It got pushed back, he's coming home in a few weeks," Caroline explained. His tour was coming to an end after over a year of being overseas. They usually varied on time, anywhere between six months or a year and possibly longer, depending if they completed their mission.
Rebekah loked over at her sister in law, seeing the unshed tears she was struggling to hold onto. She reached over, gently squeezing her hand. "He'll be alright and before you know it he'll be home."
"Thanks, Bex," Caroline smiled, wiping at her eyes. "Shall we go join the party?"
"Of course, I think someone's ready for cake," Rebekah replied, lighting the candle and picking up the cake.
Caroline quickly grabbed the video camera and turned it on, following her out into the room where the party was held. The guests were crowded around the high chair at the far end of the table.
The little girl was staring around at everyone, looking up at them with wide blue eyes, so much like her fathers. She had fair hair, so short and thin that she looked bald. Caroline had dressed her in a pink, frilly dress, her baby girl looking like a princess.
Emma sat staring at the guests who sang her 'happy birthday' clapping her hands and bouncing in her seat. Rebekah placed the cake down in front of her, Caroline handing the camera over to her sister in law as she kneeled down beside her daughter.
She gave her a quick kiss on the cheek as she pointed to the camera, causing Emma to look up at her aunt with camera in hand. "Say hi to daddy, Emma!"
"Hi!" The little girl squeaked.
"Blow out your candles, baby girl, and don't forget to make a wish," Caroline said. "We'll do it together, on the count of three. One, two, three" Caroline blew while Emma stuck her hand in the middle of the cake.
Everyone laughed, watching as Emma repeated the action many times, often spreading it on the tray in front of her or eating it. Caroline watched, snapping pictures, while Rebekah video tapped it.
Eventually, when the cake was fully destroyed, Caroline stood up retreating back to the kitchen with Rebekah, her helper. "I knew that was going to happen," Caroline said, a little disappointed that the cake she made had been so easily destroyed.
"Good thing I brought another one for the guests," Rebekah said, pulling a fresh cake out of the fridge.
Caroline flung herself at the girl, "Bekah, you are a life saver!"
"I know, she shrugged."
When the two returned with cake, plates and utensils for the guests, Caroline saw the mess already cleaned up around her daughter. Elijah there, finishing up by wiping her mouth. "I thought you might have needed some help."
"Yes, thank you 'Lijah."
"I would have helped, but I rather enjoyed seeing my girl covered in chocolate cake," Kol smirked from beside him. He leaned down beside his niece, "next time, Emma, we get the cake on Uncle 'Lijah's suit."
Stefan stepped up, never wanting to be out done by Kol as the favourite uncle. "No, Em, next time we throw our cake at Uncle Kol."
Caroline stepped forward, "how about next time Emma puts the cake in her mouth?"
"Good idea, Caroline!" Rebekah said from beside her. "Now help us hand out some cake."
"Fine," Stefan and Kol grumbled, standing up and grabbing plated pieces of chocolate cake.
Caroline grabbed a piece for herself and sat down beside her daughter, sharing bites. "I'm sorry your father couldn't be here, he'll be home soon, don't you worry," she said, dragging her head over her head.
Emma smiled up at her, enough to show her dimples and in that moment she looked so much like Nik that it physically hurt her heart. That he missed his daughters first birthday, her first steps, her first words, almost her first for everything.
All she had was to remain onto the small shred of hope that he would be home soon and he would be there to stay. He would come home in one piece and watch his daughter grow up.
I will see you again,
this is not where it ends.
I will carry you with me,
'till I see you again.
"Ready, baby girl?" Caroline asked Emma, bending down and picking her out of the stroller. She felt her tiny head rest against Carolines' shoulder, nodding slightly in answer. "Are you sleeping on me?"
"Afraid so," Kol said, coming up to stand beside her.
"Emma, wake up, you know your father is coming up, he'll be through those doors in mere minutes," Elijah said, joining them.
Caroline felt Emma raise her head off her shoulder, "daddy?"
"Yeah, baby, you're going to see your daddy soon," Caroline said.
Emma began to squirm, realizing the importance of what was to come. Caroline laughed, placing her on the ground. She held onto her little hand, making sure she doesn't run off. The adults stood around, all waiting.
Rebekah, Elijah, and Kol all waiting alongside with Caroline and Emma. All waiting for Klaus to walk through the set of automatic doors, finally coming home after close to two years away on tour.
Emma close to the age of two had curly blonde hair, shades lighter than her fathers' but shared the same colour eyes. He had come home from a visit shortly after her first birthday, amazed at his little girl grown. He left two weeks later, returning to his mission, one that was close to completed.
They had gotten the call last week that he would be on a flight home, already scheduled for him and his buddies. He told her he found a job locally on base, a training officer for young recruits, something that he always wanted to do.
So a week later, his family stood amongst other military families waiting for their loved ones. A second later, after an hour of waiting, the doors opened and a flock of men clad in their army greens and duffle bags came out, all stopping short to look for their families.
Caroline had positioned them farther back, giving them more room to see when Klaus finally came out. Which he eventually did, his blue eyes squinting as he scanned the area when finally he set his sights on her and then the girl at her feet. A huge smile broke out on his face and he practically pushed his way through the crowd.
Caroline bent down so she was the same height as her daughter, "daddy's here, look." She pointed ahead, Klaus breaking free of the crowd and stopping short when he caught sight of his daughter.
"Daddy!" Emma squealed, pulling herself out of Carolines' arms and sprinting as fast as her little legs would carry her and towards her father.
Klaus dropped his bag at his feet, kneeling down and opening his arms just in time for Emma to run into them. He wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. Klaus looked up and caught her eyes and she felt herself moving towards him, not able to stay away any longer.
He stood up, Emma secured in his one arm as his other was open. She fell into his open arm, nestling his neck as the tears she had been trying not to shed at his arrival fell.
"Shhh," he whispered, running his free hand over her hair.
Caroline pulled back, "I'm just so happy that you're here."
Klaus leaned forward, capturing her lips with his for a brief moment. "Don't cry, love."
"Don't cry, Mommy," Emma repeated, pulling back to wipe at the tears that fell down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry," she said, kissing Emma's cheek and the Klaus'. "I think your family wants to see you."
Klaus looked over her shoulder, seeing his siblings huddled together watching the scene in front of them. Rebekah was crying, Elijah comforting her while Kol was smiling madly. He smiled at them, kissing Caroline on the forehead and taking her hand to join the rest of his family.
Caroline watched from the side as Klaus greeted and chatted with his siblings, not once putting Emma down. Everyone was all smiles as they talked to their brother face to face for the first time in months.
An hour later, the group was finally ready to leave, noticing the pickup area of the airport was empty except for them. Klaus pulled Caroline into his side, kissing her temple. "Ready to go home, love?"
"Yes, more than anything. I can't wait for us to be a real family," she said, smiling up at him.
"I love you, Caroline Mikaelson."
"I love you, Niklaus Mikaelson."
"And I love Emma!" Their daughter giggled, causing the two parents to laugh along with her, momentarily forgetting Emma was still perched in Klaus' arms.
"Let's go home," Caroline said, grabbing his hand and leading the group out of the airport. Caroline was on cloud nine, excited that her family would finally begin, that she had her husband back home and that he wouldn't be leaving her again for tour.
Klaus was home now, she was finally home again in his arms and that wasn't going to be changing any time soon. She had her family back and wasn't planning on giving that up, not if she could help it.
A/N: What'd you think? Did you like the fluffy Klaroline?