Caroline sat on the sofa looking in to the play pen she set up in her living room, the baby girl inside gurgled and made non-sensical noises. A knock at the front door broke her out of her daze.
"Come in" she shouted out and she heard the door open and click shut a few seconds later. She cringed when the baby started crying and went over and picked her up.
"I got your text, what's the emergency?" Elijah walked into the living room and stopped when he took in the scene before him. A crying baby in his girlfriend of 1 years arms.
"It's okay, it's alright. Shhh." Caroline spoke soothingly, bouncing up and down slightly, hoping it would calm the baby down.
"Um, Caroline, would you like to explain to me what's going on? Is that your baby?" Elijah's voice cracked and he moved towards the blonde.
"No, it's not mine. It's my brothers no good druggie hook up's baby" she explained and giggled at the relief that crossed her boyfriends face.
"Oh, why do you have her then?"
"My brother ran off to god knows where and his one night stand didn't want it, so obviously I offered" Caroline explained. Elijah watched as vulnerability crossed her face all of a sudden, "I understand if you don't want to be around, now that I have a baby."
"What are you saying?" Elijah's brows furrowed and he fixed his tie.
"I'm giving you an out, a 'you can walk out of this relationship without guilt' out."
"I don't want that" Elijah said walking closer so he was standing in front of her. The baby twisted in Caroline's arms and reached out for Elijah, the latter put his arms out and took her from Caroline's arms. The baby made a noise of happiness and curled into Elijah's hold.
"What's her name?" Elijah asked, rubbing soothing circles on the baby's back.
"She doesn't have one yet. That's what I was in the middle of working out when you arrived." Caroline moved around, putting things away into messy piles which bugged Elijah to no end. They had constant quarrels about how she needed to be neater when it came to life and how he needed to take a 'chill pill' and let mess into his life once in a while. He once joked that he let her into his life, Caroline didn't speak to him for days but gave in because he had loosened up and appeared dishevelled and without a tie on at her house.
"How about… Emilia?" the girl cooed in delight and Caroline let out a carefree laugh.
"Emilia it is!"
5 months later (10 months)
"Hey, I'm back! Sorry I'm so late, I didn't think the meeting was going to be that lo…" Caroline trailed off as she walked into the living room and took in the scene. Paint splodges covered nearly every surface, Emilia was chewing on a paintbrush and crunching paper in her hands and Elijah's normally pristine suit was covered in all the colours of the rainbow and Elijah was trying to pry the paintbrush from the infants mouth.
"What happened to your living room?" Caroline asked moving around carefully avoiding the blobs of paint.
"Well, I decided it might be a good idea to let her creative side out" Elijah said smiling when he finally managed to successfully remove the paintbrush leading Emilia to pout.
"Out and onto every surface in your living room?" Caroline asked, picking up Emilia who squealed with joy and placed her paint soaked hands onto Caroline's chest.
"Yes. Well. It seems Emilia has learnt how to walk, and in those 5 minutes I left the room to use the bathroom she took it upon her self to redecorate." Elijah lifted himself off the ground and walked to over to the play pen Caroline was putting Emilia in to.
"Whose a smart baby! You are!" Caroline cooed, tickling Emilia's belly which caused her to giggle. Elijah wrapped his arms around Caroline's waist and placed a kiss on her neck. Caroline turned in his hold and placed a kiss on his lips, Elijah responded and Caroline hummed in approval, when they finally broke apart Elijah looked down at Caroline and smirked.
"It seems Emilia likes these parts of you too" Elijah said cheekily putting his hands on her breasts where Emilia left little hand prints. Caroline rolled her eyes at her boyfriend and swatted his hands away.
"Don't be cheeky, it's not cute" she grumbled which caused Elijah to laugh even more, "alright come on Emilia time for a shower." Caroline picked the girl up and went to wash her up. By the time she bathed her, changed her into her sleep clothes and gotten her to sleep it was 11 o'clock at night. She walked back out to the living room where she found Elijah wiping down surfaces in the hopes of saving them.
"She's finally asleep, all that walking and painting must've tired her out" Caroline said walking over to Elijah's bent over figure as he tried to wipe off the blue and purple swirls on his coffee table. She brought her hands onto his back and moved them to his front and leant into his back and rested her cheek on it.
"Finally, I think I'm just as tired" Elijah sighed and slowly stood, Caroline moved to a standing position with him and circled her arms around his neck when he faced her.
"Well, how about we get you showered before we head to bed?" Caroline suggested with a mischievous glint in her eyes, she let out a squeal when Elijah lifted her up and she instinctively circled her legs around his waist.
"Only if you promise to join me? After all you have got paint on you" Elijah said walking towards there bedroom and into the ensuite.
"What? No I don't" Caroline said confused, only for Elijah to run his paint covered hands into her hair and onto her arms.
"I believe you do." After taking an hour long 'shower' they fell into bed and Caroline cuddled into him and sighed.
"I love you" she whispered against his skin.
"I love you too" Elijah mumbled back, placing a kiss on top of her head. They both started to fall asleep when Emilia's cries broke out through the halls.
"I'll go, you sleep" Caroline stood and walked out of their room and into the nursery. Elijah smiled and closed his eyes, he finally fully fell asleep when he felt Caroline back in his arms.
6 years later (6 years old)
Caroline and Elijah finally had some alone time together and fully intended to make the most out of it. Once Elijah shut their bedroom door Caroline pounced on him and brought him into a heated kiss. Caroline pushed his suit jacket off, pulled off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off. Elijah worked on the zip and just got her out of the dress when there was a knock on their door, Caroline rested her forehead on his chest and sighed.
"Mummy? Daddy? I had a bad dream" Emilia's voice called through the door. Caroline acted quickly and pulled on Elijah's dress shirt, buttoning it up and opened the door.
"Come here baby" Caroline said softly, lifting the girl into her arms. Elijah sighed and ran a hand through his hair, before walking into the bathroom to change. Caroline was rocking her back and forth, Elijah came over and took Emilia into his arms letting Caroline go change. When she came back out Elijah started walking towards the door to bring Emilia back to her room.
"Can I sleep in here with you?" Emilia asked quietly, Elijah and Caroline sighed and nodded, knowing there would be no way to get her to go back to sleep in her own bed. Elijah put Emilia down who cheered and ran to the bed and climbed into the middle. Caroline and Elijah climbed in on either side and cuddled the little girl.
"Night mummy! Night daddy!" Emilia kissed both of them before falling asleep.
"Night 'Lijah."
"Night Caroline."
The next morning Emilia woke them up at 6 and demanded pancakes.
"Elijah, go" Caroline grumbled into her pillow, not happy about being woken up so early.
"Caroline, go. In case you forgot I can't cook" Elijah grumbled back, pushing Caroline a little.
"I want pancakes!" Emilia screamed, stomping her feet.
"Emilia! Not now! It's too early go back to sleep!" Caroline shouted back, not happy with the tantrum she was receiving. Emilia started screaming and crying and threw herself onto the ground and started thumping her hands and legs on the wooden floor.
Elijah had enough and picked Emilia up and brought her into her bedroom where he promptly dropped her on her bed and shut the door behind him. The little girls screams could still be heard when Elijah walked back into the room and fell into bed next to Caroline who immediately curled into his side.
"Thank you for handling that" Caroline said sleepily.
"Anytime" Elijah replied.
4 years later (10 years old)
"Dad! You're meant to hide!" Caroline looked out from the breakfast bar connected to the kitchen and saw Elijah sitting on the arm chair being told off by Emilia.
"Non-sense. I refuse to partake in such ridiculous games" Elijah sniffed and picked up the book on the table next to him.
"You're no fun" Emilia pouted and stormed off and over to Caroline, "mummy! Daddy is being mean and won't play with me." Caroline smiled when she saw Elijah grinning at his book, knowing that he could hear them.
"Well, that's not very nice. Maybe he will change his mind about playing with you if I tell him that mummy and daddy won't be playing any games together until he hides" Caroline shot a serious look at Elijah who immediately stood up and walked over to Caroline and Emilia.
"Now, now Caroline. Let's not be hasty in our decisions."
"Why I can play the games you and I play on my own," Caroline shrugged her shoulders as if it was nothing.
"Emilia I will count to ten. One. Two." Elijah started and with that Emilia let out a laugh of excitement and ran off to hide. When she was out of sight Elijah moved predatorily towards Caroline who just smirked and sauntered towards him.
"I thought you might change your mind" she whispered, resting her hands on his chest then moving them to remove his tie.
"You are a very naughty girl" Elijah growled, lust filling his eyes.
"Mmm, and you can punish me later. After you find Emilia and put her down to bed. Hurry clocks ticking" Elijah practically ran off in search of their daughter, looking everywhere until he found her hiding in her closet. He hurriedly got her ready and dressed for bed and got her to sleep. He went into kitchen in search of Caroline but found her clothes she was wearing instead and note on top.
"Come and find me." Elijah let out a growl, he definitely playing with Caroline.
6 years later (16 years old)
"Hi there, I'm Thomas. I'm here to take Emilia on our date" Elijah slammed the door in the kids face.
"'Lijah!" Caroline reprimanded and opened the door and immediately apologised for her husbands behaviour. Caroline let him in and got him a drink while he waited for Emilia to be ready. Elijah went to look for Emilia and found her wearing a short black dress and black heels.
"Hey dad, was that Thomas?" Emilia asked as she was putting her earrings in.
"Yes, and I forbid you to go out with him" Elijah said sternly.
"You can't forbid me from going out, plus mum already said it was okay." She shrugged and put her phone and wallet in her bag.
"You will change this instant. You are wearing barely anything, you look like a harlot" Elijah demanded but Emilia just pushed past him angrily.
"Good!" She exclaimed, she stormed off to where Thomas and Caroline were talking with Elijah close on her heels. Emilia grabbed Thomas by the hand and dragged him out of the apartment.
"Be home by 9" Elijah shouted out after them, and frowned when he didn't get a response.
"Calm down Elijah" Caroline said soothingly, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"You allowed this? Did you see what she was wearing?" Elijah asked incredulously and stormed off to the living room and poured himself scotch from their alcohol cabinet.
"She's old enough to be able to go out on dates and dress how she wants" Caroline defended Emilia.
"She is most definitely not old enough! And what she was wearing is not acceptable!" Elijah snapped and slumped into the armchair. Caroline walked over and sat on his lap.
"I wasn't much older than her when this hot college guy in a suit came up to me and asked me out. And if I am remembering correctly I was showing a lot more skin than she was on this date," Caroline played with his tie and smiled at the memory of their first date.
"Hi there" Caroline said sultrily as she opened the door. She wore denim short shorts and a crop top with black heels. Elijah gulped and adjusted his tie.
"Hello Caroline" he offered her his arm which she gladly took. They went to a restaurant then a club where Caroline swayed her hips seductively, grinded into him and practically threw herself at him but Elijah made no moves or advances to her. When he walked her back to her door she abruptly turned to him, practically fuming.
"What's wrong with you?" she demanded, Elijah was taken aback by her outburst.
"What? I don't…" Elijah stammered. Caroline put her hands on her hips and stared him down.
"I have grinded against you, kissed you and practically ripped off my clothes and you have not made any moves at all. Are you gay or something?" Caroline's rage was multiplied when Elijah had the audacity to laugh.
"It's not funny!" she yelled and stomped her foot.
"I know" Elijah chuckled then cleared his throat, "sorry, but I am not gay. And I have been very aware of your advances tonight Caroline."
"Then why haven't you done anything about them?"
"Because I respect you and I don't want to rush into this. I like you Caroline and I want to get to know you. Not just your body. I understand if you don't want another date and you just thought this was sex but I would really like to go on another one. Perhaps one where you wear a little more than this, I didn't like all those looks men were giving you." Elijah explained, fixing his tie. Caroline let out a breath and smiled.
"I would really like that" Elijah nodded and placed a kiss on her cheek, much to Caroline's disappointment. She went back inside her apartment but heard a knocking a few minutes later. She opened it and found Elijah on the other side.
"Elijah, what's wrong?" He didn't reply but instead brought her into a long kiss. After they broke apart and Elijah smiled.
"Just as I thought," with that he turned around and walked off.
"What was that about by the way?" Caroline shifted in his laps and saw mirth in his eyes. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her.
"I knew that I was going to marry you."
"What?" Caroline said confused.
"Just by that single kiss, I knew that you were the one that was going to be the keeper of my heart" he explained shyly. Caroline smiled and tilted his head up so she was looking him in the eyes.
"Looks like you were right" Caroline placed a short kiss on his lips.
4 years later (20 years old)
Caroline and Elijah sat on the sofa opposite Thomas who looked really nervous.
"You know she's not here right?" Caroline asked.
"Yeah I know, I just… I want to ask for Emilia's hand in marriage" Caroline smiled gleefully but Elijah remained silent.
"No." He stood up and walked out of the room and into the kitchen.
"What?" Thomas asked confused, thinking he had made a good impression on Elijah over the 4 years.
"Let me go talk to him, okay" Caroline smiled reassuringly but turned before she left the room "it's a yes from me though. If that counts for anything."
"Thank you Mrs Mikealson." Caroline nodded and walked into the kitchen where Elijah was leaning against the counter, staring at the kettle.
"You know staring at it won't make it boil any faster" Caroline joked, moving towards her husband.
"You're going to have to let her go Elijah. She's not a little girl any more, and Thomas loves her and she loves him."
"I don't want to" he admitted guiltily, "I want her to still be my little girl that crawled into our bed when she had nightmares. The one who wanted to hang out with her dad."
"She will always be that girl, but now it's time for her to become the formidable woman that we raised, and that starts with letting her get married." Elijah sighed and nodded.
1 year later (21 years old)
"She looked beautiful in her dress didn't she?" Caroline walked over and sat on Elijah's lap.
"Like a princess" he nodded.
"Our princess" Caroline smiled at Emilia and Thomas who were dancing together.
"Our princess" Elijah agreed, smiling at his daughter and son-in-law.