A/N: I don't know if I will continue this story, but hey, it's Klaroline and this idea begged me to be written so...
Tell me what you think and if I should continue writing it, but most of all...Enjoy, my lovelies!
Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own tvd.
One second Caroline was sleeping peacefully in her comfy bed and snuggling into her warm blanket, and the other she found herself being awoken by an excited five-year-old jumping on top of her and hollering with her baby voice "Wake up wake up wake up."
Caroline sat up, effectively freeing her airway from the mop of dirty blond hair of the bouncy little girl before her.
"Just give me a minute, Alex honey." she said groggily as she rubbed the sleep off her eyes and stifled a yawn.
"But mommy, we're going to be late." Alex whined.
Caroline ruffled her daughter's curly hair and stood up.
"What would you like for breakfast?" she asked and Alex started bouncing excitedly on her feet once again- Caroline would swear that she was the most energetic child on earth.
"Pancakes!" Alex yelled happily, making Caroline laugh.
Half an hour later, Caroline was freshly showered and making breakfast in their small yet cozy kitchen. Alex was seated on a stool , her chin barely reaching the kitchen table. Caroline helped her daughter adapt the stool to her height and she sipped her coffee as Alex happily munched her syrup-soaked pancakes.
"Come on, sweety. We have to go." Caroline said, but Alex didn't move.
"I don't want to go to kindergarten again." Alex said, her face scrunched up in a sullen expression and her arms crossed over her chest.
"Why? Alex, talk to me." Caroline, who was putting on her coat, turned around to look at her daughter, concern in her face.
Alex didn't answer and Caroline stood eye to eye with her and said in a soft voice "What is wrong? You know you can talk to me."
"The kids make fun of me because I don't have a daddy." Alex said in a tiny voice, her eyes cast down to stare at her shoes.
So this was the problem, Caroline thought. Alex didn't ask about the father she never knew, and Caroline never mentioned him either. As if he never existed- that was the promise Caroline made to herself when she was left alone and pregnant with Alex.
"Alex, listen to me." Caroline gently raised her daughter's chin to look her in the eye, her voice firm "You might not have a father, but you have me and if anyone makes fun of you again, I will make sure they go crying back to their moms."
At that Alex perked up and gave her a small, missing-tooth smile. Caroline helped her wear her pink fluffy coat and then took her hand in her own and squeezed it reassuringly.
"Let's go."
XXXXX
Caroline worked as an editor in a renowned magazine, but her quirky and borderline-crazy boss usually assigned her secretary duties first thing in the morning.
"I'm not your slave, I hope you know that." she told Damon Salvatore as she placed a mug of steaming coffee on his desk and he chuckled.
Damon and Caroline had quitted with the formalities ever since he started calling her Barbie and she learnt to overlook his whims and not get intimidated by him like all the other employees in the magazine- which was practically from the very beginning of their partnership.
"I know, but I am your boss and you will keep making me coffee for as long as I say."
It was Caroline's turn to chuckle. "You know, Damon, you would be the biggest dick on earth if not for Alex' absent father."
Caroline had come in terms with Damon's personality those last three years she had been working for him, and she had come to consider him her friend even before her best friend started dating his brother, so he knew enough about Caroline's previous relationahip. Damon had even met Alex and they had hit it off from the start.
"How is my niece, by the way?" Damon asked, not bothering to deny the fact that he was a dick.
"Alex? She's fine. A little afraid of kindergarten, but fine nonetheless."
"In that case you can leave work early and go surprise her." Damon said, and after seeing Caroline's excited expression added quickly "After you finish that article you owe me for today."
"Oh my God, Damon. You are the best." Caroline said, and before she could go up to him and hug him he held up a hand and getting back to his usual jerky self said "Don't get used to it, Barbie. And you'll be making coffee for me till the day you die."
She stuck her tongue at him as if she was a child and then went back to her office with renewed vigour.
XXXXX
Caroline pushed her car's door shut and then walked towards the colourful building where Alex' nursery school was located. She waited outside, watching the kids playing in the yard, their loud laughter and shouts echoing all around.
When Alex spotted her, she stopped whatever she was doing and started running towards her. Caroline caught her in her arms and swirled her around once, planting a kiss on her hair.
"Mommy, you're here!" Alex exclaimed.
Caroline let go of Alex and after taking her teacher's consent to pick her up early, she asked her daughter "What do you want to do? Just tell me. How about we go for ice-cream?"
Alex was silent as they walked hand in hand towards Caroline's car, her lower lip sticking out. She always got that expression when she was thoughtful.
"Can we go to the arts and crafts shop?" Alex asked timidly.
"Darling, you know we don't have enough money to buy anything. Not today, at least."
"I know. I just want to make sure no one has bought my easel yet. Please?" Alex said, turning blue imploring eyes at her.
Caroline sighed. She couldn't refuse her daughter anything when she was looking at her like this. She fastened Alex' seatbelt and then got in the car and pushed the key in the ignition.
As she drove and watched Alex through the rearview mirror, Caroline thought that the birth of her daughter was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Sure, when she got pregnant months before she graduated high school things weren't easy. Her mother had turned her back on her, her boyfriend dumped her when he learnt he was going to become a father and if it wasn't for her friends Elena and Matt, Caroline didn't know what would have happened, but in the end she was glad she had kept Alex.
The arts and crafts shop was opposite a big park and usually Caroline would take Alex there to feed the pigeons and play in the playground, but today she was impatient, tugging at her sleeve and urging her to move.
Alex had such talent at drawing that Caroline was really sad she couldn't afford to buy her all those expensive paints and canvases. Alex was looking at the paints on display at the shop with a longing expression, her small nose pressed against the glass of the window. Caroline took pity in her and said
"I can't afford to buy you any paints, but maybe I coule get you a few crayons."
Without letting a second go to waste, Alex grabbed Caroline's hand and started dragging her inside the shop just as the door was opening, and Caroline found herself colliding with a slender yet firm chest.
The stranger reached out to steady her and she started to apologise for her clumsiness when she looked the man she had run into in the face and she froze.
"Klaus" she whispered even though her vocal chords felt stuffed and useless.
Before her stood a man she had thought- wished- she wouldn't see again. Klaus was the man Caroline had loved and she had thought he loved her as well before he broke her heart and made her draw in her shell and not let another man in her life from fear of having her heart broken again.
Recognition flashed in Klaus' eyes. Caroline hadn't forgotten those ocean blue eyes. After all she saw them everyday in Alex' face, because among all, Klaus was the man that left her while she was pregnant with his child six years ago.