Summary: Raising a child with someone has been known to result in a somewhat complex relationship. Especially when it's with Klaus Mikaelson. Successful events manager Caroline Forbes and her ex-husband have managed to beat the odds and remain friends despite their divorce. Well, sort of.
The Scenic Route
Chapter 1- Happy Camper
Bzzt! Bzzt!
Klaus' eyes snap open at the sudden awakening and he groans, it felt as if spears were jabbing into his skull one ricocheting blow after the other. He opens his eyes and squints against the sunlight streaming in through his bedroom blinds. For a second he doesn't even remember how he got here. His mouth is hot, his tongue is dry and he feels like the room is still spinning just as fast as it had been the night before. Sitting up and pushing the heels of his palms into his eyes he groans again, the lingering smell of whiskey in the room almost suffocating.
Bzzt! Bzzt!
Startled Klaus looks down at his phone lying next to him amongst the tangled mess of duvet and sheet, and frowns when he reads the caller I.D. Why would she be ringing him at this hour on a Friday?
Then the realisation hits him. He looks at the clock on his bedside table- 9:04 am.
Fuck.
He groans once more although this time it's not a result of his pounding headache but rather at his own stupidity.
Bzzt! Bzzt!
Springing out of his bed he tugs on his jeans from the night before and, stumbling over his own feet in his rush, darts around the room in search of a clean shirt. He flings open his wardrobe door and pulls out a black t-shirt.
Bzzt! Bzzt!
Still in the process of tugging his shirt over his head he makes his way back over to the bed and picks up the phone. Allowing himself a couple of moments to gain his composure in an attempt to sound like he hadn't just woken up 60 seconds ago he answers.
"Good morning, Caroline."
"Where the hell are you?" the familiar voice on the other end of the line snaps causing Klaus to wince and pull the phone a couple of inches away from his ear.
"I'm in the car now," he hastily blurts out, pinning the phone between his jaw and shoulder as he puts socks on.
Making his way into the kitchen he spots a boxer-clad Kol passed out on his black leather sofa, a set of handcuffs attached to his right wrist. Shaking his head Klaus realises he probably doesn't even want to know and jabs Kol in the ribs with his foot. The younger guy stirs but doesn't open his eyes, muttering a fancy verbal cocktail of his favourite swear words which all pretty much mean the same thing- fuck off. Prodding his brother again, Kol finally opens his eyes and scowls up at Klaus.
"What?" he barks, his voice still husky with sleep.
Klaus points at the phone and mouths 'Caroline'. When Kol merely shrugs in response and tries to cover his face with the leather backing of the sofa, Klaus kicks him once more and gestures towards the kitchen mouthing, 'Coffee. Now'.
Begrudgingly Kol gets up and heads into the kitchen grumbling something that sounded vaguely like 'hungover' and 'ridiculous hour'. When he notices the handcuffs on his wrist he frowns and turns to Klaus. "How-"
Klaus just shrugs before shifting his attention back to the phone conversation.
"You're still at yours aren't you." It wasn't a question. The accusation was evident in her voice and immediately guilt seeps into the pit of his stomach, he can't believe he'd overslept. Damn Kol and his impromptu drinking session. His only saving grace was that he'd packed and got everything into his car yesterday. Despite how it may come across he'd actually been looking forward to this trip since they'd planned it.
"No, it's just that the traffic's really b-"
"Hi Kol," her voice rings clearly from the phone and Kol looks up from pouring the freshly made coffee.
"Morning, Taylor Swift," Kol yells across the room loud enough for Caroline to hear on the other end of the line and Klaus glares at him, causing Kol's mouth to twitch upwards into a smirk.
Klaus hears her sigh through the phone, "He's sat by the front door, Klaus. Waiting for you. If I have to tell him one more time that his father isn't going to make it and watch the look of devastation that falls across his face every time, I…" she cuts herself off mid-sentence, the silence a lot more poignant than anything she could ever put into words.
Stressfully Klaus runs a hand over his face. "I'll be there, Caroline," his voice takes on an uncharacteristically serious tone. "I'll just down a coffee and I'll be at yours within the next thirty minutes."
When she doesn't respond Klaus moves over to the other side of the room out of Kol's hearing distance. "Look, I know I've fucked up recently," he mumbles, "But I'm going to make it up to him." There's a hesitant pause before he adds, "To both of you."
"Just… Just make sure you get here, Klaus."
And then the line went dead.
Sighing, Klaus turns around and heads back towards the kitchen. Grabbing one of the coffees Kol had made he practically downs half of it in one gulp, the boiling liquid burning the back of his throat. He instantly feels the kick of the caffeine, however. The shot of hot energy warming his insides immediately.
"That sounded intense," Kol says without looking up from his mug. "Wanna talk about it?" he asks casually as he takes a sip from his coffee.
"No," Klaus deadpans.
Shrugging nonchalantly, Kol continues to sip his coffee, a non-awkward silence hanging in the air between them. If Klaus wasn't ready to talk he wasn't going to press him for details. So instead he changes the subject. Raising his wrist with the metallic handcuffs attached to it, Kol stares confused. "Where did these come from?" he asks, the puzzled expression still etched onto his face.
Downing the rest of the liquid in his mug Klaus picks up his car keys and leather jacket on his way to the front door. Just as he's about to leave he turns to look at Kol, his crimson lips tilting upwards.
"A more pressing issue, brother. Where are the keys?"
-x-
Caroline paces around her apartment, her eyes continuously flicking between the large clock on the wall and the young boy who was currently sat atop his roll along bag by the front door with his chin resting in his hands.
56 minutes.
He was 56 minutes late.
She clasps her phone in her hands expecting the call at any moment to let her know that something had come up and he wouldn't be able to make it.
They'd postponed and rescheduled this trip three times already and each time her son had looked as if she was telling him Christmas had been cancelled that year. But the seven year old adored his father and had bounced back every time, his happy smile returning as quickly as ever.
God her ex-husband infuriated her.
Despite them managing to maintain a relatively friendly façade, the tension was always there bubbling just beneath the surface. Tension that, like an earthquake, could snap at any moment and woe betide anyone who'd be in close enough proximity to feel the rippling seismic waves of that sudden release of energy.
Some days it was hard to believe that things had once been different. That they'd once been that couple to spend lazy Saturday mornings curled up side by side or that they'd once had zero doubts that together was how they were going to spend the rest of their lives. But they'd also once been young and naïve and one day they'd both realised it.
The light patter of feet pulls her from her thoughts.
"Is he still coming, mom?"
Caroline looks down into the round, blue eyes of her son. The eyes that constantly reminded her of his father. Crouching down so that she's face level with him and noting the look of disappointment in his eyes, she says, "Why don't you go to the bathroom? You guys are going to have a long drive ahead of you."
"Ok," he responds eagerly, nodding his head so fast that for a second Caroline thinks it might actually fall off.
As she watches him scuttle off in the direction of the bathroom she unlocks her phone. Just as she's in the process of scrolling through her contacts there's a pounding knock at the door. Frowning slightly she walks towards it and looks through the peep hole.
Flinging it open she gives the visitor a quick once over taking in his familiar leather jacket, the light stubble on his face that'd grown longer since the last time she'd seen him and the faint stench of alcohol on his breath that he'd failed to conceal.
Without uttering a word she spins on her heel and heads towards the kitchen and, like usual, he follows.
"You're late," she glances over her shoulder.
"I took the scenic route," he offers as a response and Caroline's eyes veer skywards at the predictability of him. He'd always used taking the damn scenic route as an excuse for being late. From birthdays to meetings to their wedding, the scenic route was always found guilty.
Once in the kitchen she reaches into a cupboard and pulls out a mug before pouring him a coffee and instinctively adds milk and one sugar.
"Drink that," she passes it to him whilst turning to properly face him, "You look like crap."
Klaus stands there, holding her gaze, staring back at the woman who could once render him incapable of coherent thought and leave him dazzled all in a single motion. But not anymore. That was a long time ago.
Raising the mug to his lips and taking a sip he finally tears his eyes away. "Kol invited some mates round and things got a little-"
Caroline cuts him off with a loose wave of her hand, "It's fine." She knew all too well how Kol could be and together with Klaus no one knew particularly what they got up to, even now when they were supposed to be adults. Then she smiles at him, "I'm glad you're here. He's been so excited."
"Speaking of," Klaus says, placing the coffee on the kitchen island, "Where is Henry?"
"He's in the bathroom, I'm sure he'll be right out."
Klaus nods and looks around the kitchen taking in his surroundings. He'd not yet had the chance to visit Caroline's new abode. It was impeccably tidy and cheerfully decorated with natural light pooling in from a large window overlooking the San Francisco skyline, the panoramic view sweeping across the city. Photographs were everywhere adding to the friendly environment of the room. It was very… very Caroline. His eyes linger on a photo of him, Caroline and Henry who'd only been 18 months at the time and a small smile graces his lips at the memory behind the photo. They'd just bought Henry his first ice cream and somehow he'd managed to get it all over his face causing the both of them to laugh and that's the moment the photo had encapsulated forever; the three of them looking like a perfectly happy family. Turning his head slightly his eyes stop on another photograph but in contrast to the previous one this causes his smile to falter.
"How is Tyler?" he asks careful to keep his tone steady.
Caroline looks up from the magazine that she'd been skimming through and raises one perfectly groomed eyebrow, the corners of her mouth twitching ever so slightly. "So you've finally remembered his name then?"
She'd been dating Tyler Lockwood for the past year and just within the last month they'd decided to move in together. Klaus, however, had always made a point of calling him Tyrone… until now it would seem.
Klaus shrugs one leather covered shoulder, "Yeah, well, names have never been my speciality."
A chuckle escapes Caroline's lips, "If I remember correctly I think it took you a couple of weeks to stop calling me Charlotte."
"Dad!" Henry comes running through into the kitchen and Caroline watches as Klaus engulfs him in a hug, lifting him up and twirling him around so that his legs were flying out from underneath him.
She smiles at the interaction. Despite what she might say occasionally, Klaus was an excellent father. School plays, doctor appointments, dentist visits, for the majority he was always there. Not to mention that when she'd found out she was pregnant her senior year of high school he'd loyally stood by her and together they'd raised their child.
"Hey little man," Klaus grins at his son, placing him back on the ground. "Sorry I'm late. You all packed and ready to go?"
"Yeah, my bag's by the front door," Henry beams widely, his excitement practically radiating from him.
Klaus ruffles his golden curls, "Ok, why don't you say bye to mum and then I'll help put your bag in the car."
Bending down and peppering his soft, chubby cheeks with kisses Caroline says, "Mommy misses you already." When he pulls back Caroline laughs at the sight of him wiping his cheeks in disgust. "Mom just needs to talk to dad for two seconds. Do you mind taking your bag outside, hunny?"
They both watch as Henry darts off with a certain haste only capable of a seven year old and listen to the sound of the front door slamming shut after him.
Slowly they make their way back out of the kitchen towards the door. Just when Klaus thinks he might have been let off the hook there's a tornado of blonde hair and suddenly Caroline is in front of him, one hand fisting the material of his shirt, the other extending a finger to prod his chest.
"If anything happens to our son I'm going to personally track you down and make you regret the day we ever met," she wraps her fingers tighter into the cotton of his shirt and pulls him almost unnoticeably closer to emphasise her point. "And I mean anything, Klaus. If so much as a hair on his hea-"
"Caroline," Klaus stifles a chuckle and, softly grabbing both of her wrists places them back at her sides, "I have looked after Henry before. It's just one night of camping. Everything will be fine."
Her eyes narrow slightly but his reassurance seemed to have settled her nerves for she goes on to say, "Make sure you're back in time for the flight tomorrow. Rebekah would go crazy if you missed it."
"Like I'm going to miss a trip to Las Vegas."
Then he leans forwards and places a chaste kiss on her cheek, perhaps lingering a moment longer than was acceptable when you've been divorced for five years. Pulling back he reaches past her for the door handle before breezing past with a cool, "I'll see you tomorrow, Caroline."
Leaning against the door frame she watches as he strolls down the corridor to the elevator where he presses the button to call it. When he turns back to look at her she smiles and offers him a small wave and then swivels on her feet to go back into the apartment, closing the door gently behind her.
Running a hand through her hair she attempts to disengage her brain from the thought of Klaus with Henry for over 24 hours without her being there. In the back of her mind she knows it'll be fine but, call it being a mother, she can't help but worry.
-x-
They'd been on the road for just over an hour and San Francisco was no longer visible on the horizon behind them. Klaus' pre-made road trip playlist was on full blast.
"So, how's school?" Klaus takes his eyes off the road to glance at Henry, "any girls on the scene?"
"There is this one girl who I kinda' like," Henry shrugs, tucking his legs up underneath him on the seat. "But she likes this other boy," he shrugs again, "and he's older."
"Unrequited, huh?" Klaus mutters shaking his head, "We can't have that. How old is this other guy?"
"He's in fourth grade!" Henry raises his hands before slumping down in his seat.
"Hey, hey," Klaus slowly reaches out and raises his son's chin, "look at me, buddy. You're a Mikaelson. You're just as good, if not better than this other kid, you've just got to let the girl know that."
"I'm one of the best in my grade at football."
Klaus scoffs, "football? As in American football? Please, I'll have to introduce you to rugby at some point, that's a real man's sport."
Henry's face scrunches up in confusion, "What's rugby? Tyler's been helping me practice my throws and kicks, he's amazing at football."
Klaus clenches his jaw and his knuckles turn white as his grip on the steering wheel tightens. Even though he likes the idea of Tyler being nice to Henry the thought of Tyler teaching him how to play sport sent jealousy coursing through his veins. That was meant to be his job.
"What do you think of Tyler?"
"He's cool, I guess," Klaus' mouth thins into a flat line, "His dad's the mayor of the city."
And boy did Klaus know it. Rich, successful, all-American Tyler Lockwood had it all and now he was playing sport with his kid. Klaus could feel the irritation begin to bubble up inside of him. Shaking his head, Klaus reminds himself that this trip was meant to be some bonding time for himself and Henry and he wasn't about to let fucking Tyler Lockwood ruin it.
Noticing a supermarket just off the road slightly ahead he turns to Henry, "You fancy getting some snacks for later? You're pick."
"Yeah!" the boy claps his hands together excitedly, "can we get ice cream?"
Extending his hand out to ruffle Henry's hair, Klaus smiles, "We can get anything you like, buddy."
-x-
It had just gone noon the next day when Klaus pulls up outside Caroline's luxurious apartment block. Getting out of the car and moving round to open the door for Henry he quickly sends her a text to let her know they've got back. Tilting his head he looks around the affluent area with its immaculately maintained streets and Historic Victorian houses which added to the neighbourhood's unattainable mystique. Nob Hill sure did boast an old-world opulence and Klaus was sure the prices were as high as its hilltops.
Dressed in his leather jacket, faded jeans and scruffy boots, Klaus definitely stuck out like a sore thumb. The people walking past on the sidewalks were dressed to the nines in their tailored suits and fashionable designer dresses; there were certainly no other struggling artists turned art dealer in sight.
"Henry! Klaus!"
Klaus shuts his eyes and inhales deeply. Even the sound of the man's voice was enough to make him tense his stomach muscles in annoyance. Turning he spots Tyler jogging up the hill towards them.
"Tyler," Klaus extends a hand in greeting. If Tyler acknowledged the correct pronunciation of his name nothing in his features gave it away and he grasps Klaus' hand firmly in response.
"How was the trip?" the darker haired man pants, wiping the back of his hand across his sweaty brow.
"So good! We went fishing at this lake and caught a fish this big," Henry raises his arms and pulls them apart to indicate the size.
"What? That's very impressive. Sounds like a good trip. Hey, Tim," Tyler says to the doorman as they enter the building. "You all packed for Vegas?" he questions Klaus, pressing for the elevator.
"Just got a few more things to put in my case but then I'm all set."
A silence follows the brief exchange only to be interrupted by a ding signifying the arrival of the elevator. The silence continues during the elevator ride until they reach the apartment door and Tyler pulls out his set of keys to let them in.
"Here are my happy campers!" Within seconds of them entering the apartment Caroline had already enveloped Henry in a hug, wrapping her arms tightly around him as if it had been 25 years since she'd last seen him and not hours. Then she turns to face Tyler who pulls her in for a brief kiss, his hand gently grazing the strip of flesh at her waist which had become exposed when her top had ridden up.
"I'm going to jump in the shower," Tyler gestures towards his running kit, "I'll see you at the airport in a couple of hours, Klaus."
Klaus doesn't even bother to acknowledge the farewell, an act Caroline doesn't fail to pick up on and she frowns, but in the presence of Henry she decides now's not the best time to confront him. Making a mental note to ask him about it later she picks up Henry's overnight bag off the armchair in the hallway.
"Are you both ready?"
The trio of blondes then proceed to head back out of the apartment. Caroline had arranged for Henry to stay over at one of his friend's so she and Klaus could make the trip to Las Vegas. She's pretty sure Rebekah would have found a way to have them murdered if neither of them could have made it.
Once they were walking down the road, Henry all of a sudden stops and pulls the both of them in for a hug. Sending each other quizzical looks Klaus and Caroline both look down at the young boy.
"What wrong?"
Henry glances up at them with a wide-eyed expression, "When can we go on holiday? The three of us?"
There's a tense pause and Klaus notes how Caroline's shoulders rise and then stiffen at the line of questioning. Fixing him with a flat stare her eyes suddenly flick to his right and her lips part slightly. Grabbing Henry by the hand, she quickly crosses the road, "This is it," she tells Klaus over her shoulder.
Klaus' mouth thins as he follows them across the road and towards the other house, she was clearly flustered.
Ringing the doorbell Caroline bends down and places a kiss on Henry's forehead, "Have fun with Nathan, I'll be coming to collect you tomorrow evening when we're back."
Moving closer to Klaus, Henry wraps his arms around his leg. Smiling, Klaus plants a hand on the boy's shoulder, "Bye little man. Next time we'll catch an even bigger fish and, if you're lucky, I might even introduce to the beautiful sport of rugby. That is, if you're man enough."
Then the door opens.
"Hi, Darcy, thanks again so much for agreeing to this-" Caroline begins but Klaus tunes them out.
His gaze focuses in on his son and a warm, sort of glowing feeling originating in his stomach and spreading out to his limbs takes over his senses. He wasn't sure exactly what it was, all he knew was that he was suddenly feeling incredibly proud of the boy standing before him. He was drawn from his thoughts by Caroline saying goodbye to Darcy and blowing kisses towards Henry. With one final wave the door shuts and Henry was gone, left to experience his first ever sleepover.
The walk back to Caroline's apartment block was in silence. Every time Klaus glanced at the blonde woman next to him her brow was slightly creased in the centre in the way it always did when she had something on her mind. By the time they get to his car just outside her building he'd had enough.
"Ok, what's up?"
"What's your problem with Tyler?" she blurts out and his brows raise a fraction before instantly diving down into a furrow.
"I don't have a problem with him," his heated response is thick with the irritation that had been simmering inside him since yesterday.
She snorts in obvious scepticism and takes a slow step forwards, "Yes you do. I know you, Klaus. You've had it out for him since we started dating. So, come on, we may as well talk about it now considering we're all going to be together for the next 24 hours."
Folding his arms over his chest he stares down into her pale, prickly blue eyes which were sharper than usual, a certain stubborn flare that he recognised all too well behind them. God she was being serious.
"Caroline," he sighs growing impatient with the conversation, "I don't know what you're talking about. I really couldn't care less about Tyler."
"I know you," she reiterates what she'd said earlier and he scowls, a part of him annoyed that she could still read him like a damn, fucking book even after all these years. Taking another small step forwards she continues, "What's the problem? You've never acted like this before with guys I've dated. He's one of the good ones, Klaus. Is it that you're intimidated by him?" He can't help but to scoff at that, but she carries on undeterred, "Tyler's great with Henry, willing to help with whatever, and he never questions the fact that I'm still in contact with my ex-husband. Do you know how hard it is to find a guy like that?"
The mention of Tyler and Henry in the same sentence is enough to send his simmering irritation boiling over the edge. In the back of his mind he imagines Elijah's reprimanding tone at his reaction but he has a hot-temper so how else was he going to react? And just like that, he snaps.
"Oh, of course, because you've got it all figured out haven't you, Caroline?" his voice rises. "Because my life is obviously so uncomplicated I have to seek out problems elsewhere just to keep myself entertained. Well, guess what, not everything revolves around you and your precious Tyler Lockwood," he growls through gritted teeth.
Fire ignites behind her lashes. He's pressed a button that hasn't been tampered with in quite some time.
"You're not exactly perfect yourself, Klaus," she hisses, an unexplained anger erupting inside of her. She places a hand on her chin in fake thought, "Remember when you practically abandoned me in Cancun? Or the time when you went gallivanting off with Kol leaving me to look after Henry with no idea what I was doing? Or that time when, and this is my favourite," she pauses to chuckle coldly, "that time when you decided to turn up late, and drunk, to our wedding." The fire behind her eyes turns to ice as she smiles frostily, "You still go out and get smashed with Kol every other night! We're not 18 and 19 anymore. God, I feel sorry for you!" she yells, causing several passers-by to stop and gawk at what the commotion was.
She spins on her heel attempting to rush off into her apartment but he grabs her by her wrist and pulls her back round to face him so that her upturned nose was inches from his sending the intimacy of the argument skyrocketing.
"Hey, don't turn your back on me, we're not fini-"
"I should've turned my back on you ages ago!" she ends up screaming in his face.
Then a deafening silence grows between them, so intense they both wonder if the other is still breathing.
Dropping her wrist, Klaus takes a step back and watches as Caroline storms past the doorman, who'd been silently watching the escalating bitter exchange, into her apartment block.
Without once glancing back Caroline angrily hits the button to call the elevator, her chest heaving with adrenalin. When it doesn't arrive straight away she hits the button again, she'd never realised how slow this elevator was before. Not wanting to give in to temptation she refuses to look back. The only sign that he hadn't followed her was the roaring noise of his car engine as he floors the gas pedal.
They hadn't argued like that in years.
They hadn't argued like that since they were married.
