This is a fanfic inspired by the song Small Bump by Ed Sheeran.
Warning : it contains a trigger as there is a miscarriage involved.
4 weeks (1 month)
"Klaus… I'm pregnant" Caroline looked at Klaus whose eyes had widened and started panicking. "I know it wasn't planned, and I promise I didn't intentionally do it. Because I know you aren't ready to have kids and we talked about this. And I need you to know I didn't go behind your back and sabotage anything because although I want kids. I can wait until you're ready but now that I'm having the baby –"
Klaus was frozen listening to Caroline's ramblings, he was going to be a father but for some reason he wasn't scared. He was excited. He had been with Caroline for 6 years now and 3 of which they had been married. For the first year of their marriage Caroline had been dropping hints about wanting kids and Klaus would automatically shot them down. But now, he wasn't sure. Snapping out of his daze and catching Caroline pacing and her stress levels increasing, he stood up and walked over to Caroline placing his hands on her shoulders to halt her movements.
"Love, calm down. I heard stress isn't good for the baby" Caroline's head snapped up at his words and looked at him with her jaw dropped.
"Wha- What?" she looked at him surprised, that he was okay and not yelling like she expected him to.
"We don't want to wear the baby out" he chuckled and Caroline let out a sigh of relief and curled into his embrace, resting her head on his chest.
"I thought you were going to…" Caroline mumbled against his chest.
"Yell? Shout? Ask for an abortion?" Klaus finished her sentence, she weakly nodded against him and he let out a sigh "I would never do that love, to be honest I'm not ready for a child, and I'm not sure I ever will be. But with you by my side, I am one hundred per cent sure everything will be fine." He ran soothing circles on her back.
"I'm sorry," she said meekly, letting her tears finally fall. Klaus tilted her chin up so she was looking at him.
"I'm not," he mumbled before placing a gentle kiss on her lips, one which she returned.
12th Week (3 Months)
"Okay, so today we are going to hear your babies heartbeat" Dr Fell explained whilst setting everything up. Klaus was anxious to hear it, Caroline had started to show and he still couldn't fathom being a father.
"Nik" Caroline's voice shook him out of his thoughts "can you hear it?" she had tilted her head to the side and looked at Klaus curiously. Klaus listened and he could hear the small thrumming of the baby's heart.
"It is okay?" He managed to croak out, Dr Fell just chuckled and nodded.
"Baby Mikealson is perfectly fine, healthy heartbeats from both the mother and the baby," Dr Fell explained before excusing herself to get the paperwork.
"Hey, are you okay?" Caroline looked at Klaus concerned as he had gone pale.
"I am perfect" he gave her a reassuring smile "and you?" Caroline nodded and repeated his words.
"And how about you?" Klaus looked down at her stomach and gently rested a hand on it. Caroline smiled as she watched Klaus talk to her stomach where the baby was.
18th Week (4.5 Months)
"Right Caroline, are you ready to see your baby?" Dr Fell asked Caroline who was lying on the bed with an anxious Klaus next to her.
"Yup" Caroline smiled, holding onto Klaus' hand and giving it a gentle squeeze "are you Klaus?" Klaus nodded.
"Okay, here we go" Dr Fell showed them their baby and Caroline felt tears of happiness spring to her eyes.
"Oh my gosh" she let out a breath as she watched her baby on the screen.
"Do you want to know its gender?" Dr Fell looked at the expecting parents.
"Yes" Klaus said immediately before looking at Caroline "only if that's alright with you love?" Caroline let out a giggle and nodded her head.
"You know the control freak I am, I have to know so I can start planning the nursery and buying its clothes" Caroline babbled.
"Alright, then I can gladly let you know that you are parents to a beautiful baby boy" Caroline and Klaus beamed and shared a moment. Dr Fell left to print out a picture for them to take home and Caroline got dressed.
They arrived back at home where Rebekah and Stefan were waiting in the living room. Caroline was happy to see her best friend Stefan but her happiness was short lived when she saw her sister-in-law and her best friends future fiancée.
"Stefan!" Caroline called gleefully before pulling him into a hug and giving him a kiss on the cheek, "come I want to show you my sonogram." She pulled him into the kitchen away from Rebekah, refusing to acknowledge her.
"You sure it's yours brother?" Rebekah said snidely watching her fiancé and her annoyingly perky sister-in-law walk into the kitchen.
"Bekah" Klaus growled out warningly "I won't have you speaking of my wife like that."
Rebekah rolled her eyes "honestly Nik, how can you stand her. And I thought you didn't want kids? You have to understand why I think she cheated on you!"
"Look! It's a boy Stef" Caroline shoved the picture into Stefan's face who in turn pushed the photo off his face and held it far enough to see the photo.
"Congrats Care! I know you'll be a great mum," Stefan said looking at the photo then at Caroline who had a huge smile on her face.
"I think so too. But Klaus is so nervous but I am too! I mean I only have 5 months to plan everything, like we have to baby proof everything! And we will obviously have to have a nursery and we have to choose the right colour because if we choose one shade off it's too girly but we don't want it to be too dark in the room."
"Care" Stefan cut off her ramblings "calm down." Caroline let out a shaky laugh and then shortly after serving tea into 4 cups Klaus walked in. Klaus walked over behind Caroline and wrapped his arms protectively around her waist.
"Hello love" he whispered before placing a kiss on her temple.
"Hi" she whispered back, leaning into him. Rebekah and Stefan left after a few minutes because Rebekah kept making snide remarks and Stefan could tell Caroline was on the verge of tears.
"Sorry Care, I'll talk to her," Stefan whispered into her ear as he hugged her goodbye.
Next day
"So I was thinking if we get rid of your studio we can make it into the nursery" Caroline leant against the counter as Klaus washed the dishes.
"No, we aren't getting rid of my studio" Klaus said with an air of finality.
"Where are we meant to put the nursery then?" Caroline huffed.
"Why don't we just get rid of your office? It's not like you actually work" Klaus said getting frustrated.
"Excuse me!" Caroline screeched.
"Come on sweetheart, when was the last time you wrote a book? It's been two years now and frankly your office is just sitting there gathering dust." Klaus turned to look at her; Caroline stood straight and squared her shoulders.
"How dare you! You know I have writers block, it's not easy to get over!" Caroline threw her arms in the air.
"For two years" Klaus scoffed "write something and maybe we will talk about getting rid of my studio." Caroline screamed and stormed off to her study locking the door behind her.
She walked over to her desk and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen.
Dear British Asshole,
How dare you insinuate the fact that I don't work. I work hard. For you. For me. For our future baby no name. Since I got writers block I started working as a personal assistant and do you know how hard that is to do? Especially to have to work for someone as misogynistic and just an all over prick like Atticus Shane.
I try to do everything I can and you know how hard it was for me to stop doing the thing I love because I got writers block. What happened to supporting me? Well you know what? I am a strong, independent pregnant woman and YOU Niklaus Mikealson. Can go fuck yourself.
Come find me when you aren't being an dickwad.
Angrily,
Caroline.
Caroline swung the door open from her office and walked to the front door, dropping the letter by the door and storming out.
Klaus heard the commotion from his studio and walked out to find Caroline gone and a letter by the door. He read the letter and sighed, he grabbed his coat and Caroline's, which she had left hanging up and walked out the door.
It didn't take him long to work out that Caroline went where they had their first date, central park. He didn't say anything as he draped her coat around her slender shoulders and sat next to her.
"Are you done being an irrational asshole?" Caroline asked not looking at him.
"No" Klaus muttered "but I wasn't about to let my wife and the mother of my child freeze to death on a day like this." Klaus answered looking at the people passing by.
"I'm sorry" Caroline breathed out, Klaus looked over at her surprised and saw her staring at her hands that were folded in her lap, "I'm being the irrational asshole, you have been nothing but supportive with the whole mood swings and food cravings in the middle of the night. And you've said absolutely nothing about it. And here I am letting the neurotic control freak in me push you away. We can get rid of my office."
"Sweetheart, I already started packing up my studio. I never should have said any of that. I know how hard you've been working." Klaus brushed away the tears that were running down her face.
"No, Klaus. Don't pack anything up; we are getting rid of my office. I can work on a laptop anywhere I want." Caroline said looking into his blue eyes.
"How about we think about this tomorrow?" Klaus asked, Caroline nodded but Klaus was already planning how he was going to need to find a place to store all his things from his studio.
23 Weeks (5.5 months)
You were just a small bump unborn
In four months you're brought to life
You might be left with my hair
But you'll have your mother's eyes
I'll hold your body in my hands be as gentle as I can
But for now you're scan of my unmade plans
Small bump four months you are brought to life
"Klaus! Klaus! Wake up! I'm bleeding!" Caroline had woken up in the middle of the night with terrible cramps and noticed she was bleeding, Klaus shot awake and looked at Caroline who was desperately clutching at her stomach, "Klaus the baby!"
Klaus shot out of bed and pulled a shirt on and a pair of jeans then in 5 strides walked over to Caroline's side and lifted her up, cradling her in his arms. Caroline sobbed into his shirt as he walked to the car; he placed her in and raced off to the hospital.
And I'll whisper quietly
I'll give you nothing but truth
If you're not inside me
I'll put my future in you
"Hold on Henry, don't give up" Caroline kept breathing out through laboured breaths, rubbing her belly.
"HELP! MY WIFE IS BLEEDING!" Klaus shouted out grabbing the attention of several nurses and Doctor Fell who was on call that night.
"What happened?" Dr Fell asked as they ran to an empty room nearby.
"I don't know, Caroline woke up bleeding and in pain. Is the baby okay?" Klaus asked after he put Caroline down on the bed and got pushed back so the nurses could administer fluids and Dr Fell could check her over.
"Caroline. Caroline, sweetie. What time did you notice you were bleeding?" Dr Fell asked calmly whilst looking at Caroline.
"20 minutes ago, what's happening? Is my baby okay?" Caroline asked panicked, trying to sit up and look down at what Dr Fell was looking at.
"Caroline, you are miscarrying. You are going to need to push" Dr Fell said putting on gloves and pushing Caroline's legs open.
"No! No! No!" Caroline sobbed, thrashing about. The nurses had to hold her down; Klaus walked over to Caroline and held on to her hand.
"It's going to be alright love" he whispered, Caroline let out a sharp cry as she pushed.
"No my baby" she sobbed out whilst pushing, she finally pushed out the baby who was moving, "he's alive?" she asked relieved to see her baby alive.
You are my one, and only
You can wrap your fingers round my thumb
And hold me tight
You are my one, and only
You can wrap your fingers round my thumb
And hold me tight
And you'll be alright
"Let me hold him" Caroline demanded, reaching for her baby. Dr. Fell and the nurses shared a look, Dr. Fell slowly approached her.
"Caroline you need to understand something, there is a low survival rate for this baby. He hasn't properly developed" Dr. Fell spoke calmly; Caroline just snapped and took her baby from her.
"Hello Henry" Caroline cooed rocking the baby back and forth.
"Caroline love, maybe it's best if you hand him back so the doctor can do everything she can to help him" Klaus said soothingly looking down at the small baby in his wife's arms.
"No, I want to hold my baby" Caroline said agitated, Dr. Fell nodded her head to the door and Klaus followed her out.
"Mr Mikealson there is no easy way to say this…"
You're just a small bump I know And I'll hold you tightly
You'll grow into your skin
With a smile like hers
And a dimple beneath your chin
Finger nails the size of a half grain of rice
And eyelids closed 'till soon opened wide a small bump
In four months you'll open your eyes
And tell you nothing but truth
If you're not inside me
I'll put my future in you
Klaus sat in a chair next to Caroline's bed, Caroline had finally put the baby in the crib which she insisted to be next to her. Klaus sighed and walked over to the crib and peered in, he let out a shaky breath as he walked outside where Dr Fell was talking with one of the nurses.
"Can you take him out of the room? She shouldn't have to wake up to a dead baby" Klaus said monotonically. Dr Fell gave a sympathetic smile and got one of the nurses in to take him away.
"I am really sorry Mr Mikealson."
"Do you know why it happened?" Klaus asked.
"It could be anything from an incompetent cervix to a placental abruption. These can result in what Caroline had which was a stillborn. It's very rare but it doesn't mean she won't be able to carry out the three trimesters if she get's pregnant again." Dr Fell explained, they talked a while more before Klaus returned to the room.
'Cause you were just a small bump unborn
For four months then torn from life
Maybe you were needed up there
But we're still unaware as why
Caroline stirred and opened her eyes to find Klaus sitting there, his eyes showed how tired he was.
"Hey, have you slept at all?" Caroline asked concerned looking at him. He gave a tired smile and shook his head.
"No, not yet" Klaus yawned.
"Well the positive is that Henry seems to be a heavy sleeper, so we won't have to worry about waking up in the middle of the night, I don't think he's made a noise in a few hours" Caroline smiled then looked over to where the space the crib was once occupying.
"Where is he?" she sat up alert but felt pain in her stomach as she moved.
"Love, he didn't make it. He passed shortly after you fell asleep" Klaus grabbed hold of her hand, which she immediately retracted from his grasp.
"You're lying!" she screamed, "nurse!" A nurse in green scrubs walked in and looked over at Klaus who was sat there tiredly.
"Hi, I'm Katherine Pierce. I'm the nurse on duty, is there something wrong?" Katherine looked at Caroline checking her over.
"Where is Henry?" Caroline demanded.
"Mam, I am sorry but he passed away a few hours ago. A still born like that, it's a miracle he lasted those few hours." Katherine explained calmly only to receive a slap to the face.
"Liar!" Caroline shouted pushing Katherine so she could get off the bed and go find her son. Katherine pushed down on her shoulders trying to keep her on the bed.
"Please calm down Mrs Mikealson." She replied calmly, whilst pressing a button on her pager. Immediately another nurse walked in and injected a sedative into her IV so she would calm down.
"Mr Mikealson, we gave your wife a sedative to calm her down. But may I suggest you call family members to come be with her during this time?" Katherine asked sweetly, Klaus nodded in response. He slowly pushed himself up and crossed over to his coat and picked up his phone.
"I'm going to go get you some coffee," Katherine said before turning and walking out of the room. A few phone calls later and Elijah, Kol and Stefan were on their way to the hospital. Katherine walked in to the room in her casual clothes with a large cup of coffee.
"Here, you look like you need it" she said passing the coffee to Klaus who drank from it appreciatively, "also here's my number." She passed him a card with her numbers written on it.
"I'm not interested" Klaus muttered. Katherine threw her head back and let out a loud laugh before calming and looking at Klaus.
"Good because neither am I, my girlfriend Lexi would freak out if I was! I am more giving you the number because I give guidance and advice to women who have postnatal depression. Just in case Caroline goes through it." Klaus thanked her and Katherine took her leave.
3 months later
Caroline had been in denial for the first month, not really believing it. Then she was numb but now she had lost it. She had worked out her cycle and was practically jumping Klaus every chance she got.
One night Klaus got home after a tiring day full of meetings and bad news, and all he wanted to do was eat dinner and go to bed. He walked in and was immediately greeted by a scantily dressed Caroline who sauntered over to him and pressed her lips against his.
He responded for a bit before pushing her away.
"Love, not today" he said tiredly putting his bag down and hanging his coat.
"But today is the first day I'm ovulating. We've got to make the most of it if we want a baby." She said pushing herself into him only to be pushed away again.
"I've had a long day and all I want to do is go to bed" he responded, walking to the bedroom. He had loosened his tie and taken his shoes and socks off when he was pushed back onto the bed and Caroline straddled him.
"Good because I want to go to bed too" she whispered before placing open-mouthed kisses on his neck. Klaus put his hands on her waist and lifted her up off him. He went to the head of the bed and took his pillow then pulled a quilt out of the closet.
"I'm going to go sleep on the couch" he said as he walked out of the room, leaving Caroline lying there in their bed.
Klaus just about drifted off when he felt a weight on his stomach, he opened his eyes to see a naked Caroline sitting on top of him.
"Please" she said leaning forward and kissing him. Klaus pushed her off and Caroline started crying.
"Is it because you don't find me attractive anymore?" Caroline sobbed, "I just want a baby Klaus. I want Henry." Klaus rubbed his eyes tiredly then wrapped the blanket around Caroline's form and pulled her into his embrace. He held her until she fell asleep in his arms, he lifted her up and brought her to their room and put her under the covers.
He went back to the couch and managed to catch a few hours of sleep before having to go to work.
Next day
"I don't know what to tell her" Klaus sighed tiredly, looking at the brunette sitting across him.
"Go on" Katherine nodded, writing in her book.
"I feel like if she keeps going like this. I already feel a drift between us. I can't keep dealing with her constant mood swings, I understand that she wants a baby but that's all she seems to care about. She doesn't talk to me about anything anymore except for how to have sex with her properly so she gets pregnant." Klaus looked at the photo of him and Caroline on their wedding day, which was framed, and sitting on his desk.
"So you feel, that if she keeps pushing this baby thing, she might lose you?" Katherine analysed him perfectly.
"Not might. She will." Klaus felt like crap to feel that way, but he couldn't deal with it anymore. The Caroline he fell in love with, the one he was married to is now gone and some evil manipulative bitch was now in her place.
"I'll talk to her," Katherine said before putting her book in her bag and leaving the office. She rang the doorbell to Klaus and Caroline's apartment and Caroline answered dressed in red lingerie.
"Oh." She said disappointed, "you're not Klaus."
"No. Unfortunately not" Katherine said before walking into the house and sitting on the sofa, "I'm here to talk about him though."
Caroline sat down across Katherine and nodded "okay."
"Right I'm not going to beat around the bushes here Caroline. Because frankly I don't do the whole walking on thin ice shit around people and that's all people have been doing around you. So it's time for a reality check and some tough love." Katherine stated before continuing on.
"You are losing Klaus. Your need for having a child is clouding your vision and your mind and by letting that happen, you are inadvertently pushing Klaus away. Did you know he's been looking at other one bedroom apartments so he could spend a few nights away in peace?" Caroline shook her head, letting tears gather in her eyes.
"Or how about the fact that he doesn't want to come home because he knows that he will come home to you, dressed like you are, you will then jump him. Have sex multiple times; elevate your hips for hours, then go to sleep. And not once will you ask how he is, or if he had an okay day at the office, or anything like that." Katherine powered on and by now Caroline was crying.
"You have been so stuck in your own world that you can't see that your marriage is in shambles, Caroline."
"Oh god! What do I do?" Caroline said shakily, Katherine gave her a tissue and smiled.
"You are going to do exactly as I say, first show me your wardrobe." Caroline stood and brought Katherine to it.
"Here" she said grabbing a floral dress and passing it to Caroline as well as a pair of black ballet flats. While Caroline was changing Katherine went to the kitchen and packed a picnic basket. When Caroline came out, Katherine handed it to her and brought her in a taxi to central park.
They found a spot and Katherine instructed Caroline to unpack everything. Katherine shot a text to Klaus who she had told to meet there and let him know where to find her.
When she saw Klaus she snuck off leaving Caroline and Klaus alone.
"Caroline?" Klaus asked wearily, thinking he was going to meet up with Katherine for another session.
"Hi" she replied softly looking at the ground, "I brought a picnic, if you want lunch?" she asked nervously still keeping her gaze on the ground.
"Um, yeah I suppose" Klaus said scratching his head after hesitating for a while. They sat down on the grass and the both played with their food for a bit.
"You're wearing the exact same clothes as you did on our first date." Klaus said softly, Caroline's head snapped up at his words thinking that he wouldn't have remembered.
"You remembered," she asked disbelievingly.
"Of course I did," Klaus smiled "I couldn't believe my luck, I bet on the right basket and got an amazing girl to have it with."
"I'm so sorry I've been neglecting you Klaus" Caroline felt tears form in her eyes from the guilt "you're not just some sperm producing toy I can use when I want to try for a baby. You're my husband, and I have been so lost in my own grief that I didn't even consider what you've been going through."
"Yeah well, I've been talking to someone. It makes it easier." Klaus said remembering hearing 'I told you so' when Katherine first picked up her phone.
"I met her, she's… different" she chuckled and Klaus joined her.
"I love you Klaus, so much. Please. Please let me make it up to you. Please don't give up on us. I'll get counselling and this whole baby thing, I'm going to put a pin in it. Indefinitely. You and me for the next few years." Caroline begged looking at him desperately.
"Don't you know love I would never give up on us" he replied quietly, Caroline threw herself into his embrace and he automatically stiffened. She released him and a few tears ran down her face.
"Oh god. I can't even hug you with out you freezing up" she mumbled pushing herself up and running off.
"Caroline!" Klaus shouted running after her, he finally caught up with her and grabbed onto her arm spinning her around.
"Love, look at me" he forced her to look at him, "why don't we just, start fresh? From the very beginning." Caroline nodded and Klaus let out a smirk.
"Hello there love, I couldn't help but notice your beauty from across the park and I had to just come over and say hi" Klaus' smooth accent rung out and Caroline let out a giggle.
"That's very kind of you sir but I feel like I must inform you that I am happily married" she played along.
"What a coincidence so am I!" Klaus exclaimed, grabbing the attention of some passers-by.
"It's funny, you look exactly like him. The resemblance is uncanny" Caroline smooshed his face in between her hands.
"Wait. Caroline, love? Is that you?" Klaus asked pretending to be astounded at the revelation.
"Klaus?" Caroline said in mock shock. He pulled her close and gently kissed her forehead.
"I love you, crazy and all" Klaus mumbled into her hair.
"I love you too. And sorry that you have to put up with all my crazy." Caroline mumbled into his chest.
"I'm not," he mumbled before placing a gentle kiss on her lips, one which she returned.
That was just a small one-shot I wanted to do after seeing it as an idea.
NOTE: I tried to do research on all of it to make it as close as possible. If I got any of these things wrong I do apologise.
I hope you enjoyed it :) x