Sorry for the delay, last week wasn't my best. This chapter is Klaus' POV as he leads up to his reveal. As I started this prior to last week's episode, I've decided to concentrate on our hero and heroine and gloss over (at best) everything else going on in Mystic Falls. Oh, the beauty of fan fiction! Enjoy!

Chapter Two

I don't wanna waste the weekend,

If you don't love me, pretend,

A few more hours, then it's time to go

Klaus made his way to the top of the crowded bleachers and as he climbed, he couldn't help but admire the capacity crowd that had arrived for Mystic Falls High School Class of 2011's graduation. In a thousand years, he'd never ceased to be amazed at how the mundane excited the masses.

Yet, he found himself strangely jealous. Never in that thousand years had family and friends gathered to celebrate any milestone of his, unless one counted Mikael's rejoicing at any tragedy befallen him. He'd had paintings displayed in world renowned art museums, climbed to the top of Mount Everest, built the city of New Orleans up from swamp land to the haven of art, music, food and magic it is today, but never once had his family celebrated his successes. Admittedly, Finn had been in a coffin for almost a thousand years, so he couldn't blame him, but still it hurt to think of the emptiness of his accomplishments when no one he cared for had been present to pat him on the back with a hearty "well done".

Klaus was surprised by the sensation of goose bumps traveling down his body as he came to the startling realization that 19 years from now he would be one of the mundane. He scoffed at the thought of jostling through the crowds, protecting his video camera as he attempted to find the best seat to watch his child graduate high school. He found this as unlikely an occurrence as he did the idea of his participating in Marcel's nightly orgies of blood and sex in the allies of the French Quarter. But yet, one thing he knew deep down was that no child of his would ever be made to feel insignificant by him and so, if need be, he'd do what was necessary to make sure his child knew that he cared even if it meant jostling through crowds of humans he'd rather have for dinner.

As he heard Caroline's name announced over the loud speaker, he was pulled from his reverie. As he watched her approach the podium, he couldn't help but notice that, even at this distance, the light that constantly flowed from her was burning brightly. It came as no surprise to him whatsoever that this amazing young woman would stand a step above her classmates academically. He smiled thinking of her Miss Mystic Falls application and how they had laughed as he read it aloud to her. Despite the immaturity of the wording on the application, her accomplishments had stood out, once again putting her contemporaries to shame. Now, as she scanned the faces amongst her classmates, he could sense the confidence which had increased since she'd written those words a year ago and it radiated from within her.

As she spoke of days gone by, a clear melancholy lacing her words, he tried to remember what it meant to be the age of these young students. The days of his youth had been filled with an overlying sense of life or death. Eating depended on what they could grow or kill; safety depended on how well they protected themselves during the full moon. Klaus felt his own melancholy rise up as thoughts of Henrick skipped through his mind, but he refused to dwell. Ironically, his parents, in trying to relieve the danger that existed in their lives, had, instead, exposed his siblings and himself to a millennium of danger, much of it from their own father. Klaus knew that to a certain degree he had inherited his parents' impulsiveness and enough exposure to Mikael's temper had left him with a bad one of his own, but he had also had centuries to learn not to make the same mistake with his own child.

The crowd cheered and Klaus tuned back in to Caroline's voice. Her dulcet tones were now elevated, her voice laced with an attitude he was quite familiar with. She was leading her classmates to that place of hope and belief that life could be and would be better. She spoke with a no holds' barred enthusiasm, challenging even one of the other graduates to dare contradict her certainty that the best was yet to come.

It was this very quality, this aspect of Caroline's personality that made the difference for him. Yes, he was drawn to her beauty and light. He was fascinated by the lovely young woman who had challenged him from her death bed, breaking through a wall he didn't even know he had up. But it was this confidence that life would only get better, the assurance in her voice that an individual could become more than what they had been or what they had done that broke through his heart.

He grinned, thinking back to just a week ago, the day of Caroline's prom. He'd been angry, scared, desolate, and enraged that his siblings were condemning him to a life of torture from Silas. Caroline had barged in loud and demanding, looking to him, no insisting that he save her. He'd stood there dumbfounded at first, not believing that this girl was bothering him with such trivial nonsense, but she'd been so bloody earnest that he'd laughed, one of the purest laughs of his life. He couldn't help but marvel how this young woman had barged into his house and his heart and made him forget his misery.

They'd spent the next couple of hours, rifling through his "creepy trophy case", looking for the perfect dress. He'd regaled her with the stories behind some of the more outrageous items and he'd made her laugh, the sound so pure and unaffected. He wanted nothing more at that moment then to insist he be her escort to the dance, the thought of her on his arm enticing. But, as he noticed happening more and more with her, he put her first, keeping his desires to himself. Though he sensed she might actually welcome his presence, he also knew that ultimately she would reject his offer because, let's face it, his attendance at this definitive high school moment for her and her friends would incur their wrath and ruin it for her. So unlike his dealings with both Rebekah and Elijah earlier, he'd put Caroline first.

Drawing his attention back to the graduation activities, Klaus listened as Caroline wrapped up her speech, encouraging her classmates to always plan ahead, be prepared and never back down from a challenge. Diplomas were next, seeming to take forever to hand out. Klaus noticed that the witch didn't cross the stage for her diploma and that both Stefan and Elena quickly left the stadium after receiving theirs. No doubt something else was afoot as seemed to be the case with this group of supernatural creatures. Klaus shook his head, thinking of the years he lived in peace in New Orleans, months going by without incident.

Not a moment too soon, the graduates had tossed their caps into the air. Klaus remained atop his perch, watching as the once organized crowd dispersed into a frenzy of embraces and picture taking. He found Caroline in the middle of it all, but, if the look on her face said anything, it was that she was just going through the motions. Not a single person passed up the opportunity to have her in the middle of their photograph, but not once did he see Sheriff Forbes or any of Caroline's other friends stage a photo just for her. He felt some remorse thinking of the absence of Tyler, even a twinge for Mayor Lockwood or Jenna Summers, but he felt it only at Caroline's behest. She would have enjoyed their attendance here today.

Soon enough Caroline was left to her own devices. He'd had every intention of following her from the high school to her next location, but instead, as the stadium emptied out, she took a seat on the bottom bleacher. Graduation gown unzipped, she settled on the bleacher, her spot almost a direct line to where he stood fifteen rows up. His brow furrowed, he watched as her face fell, the hundreds of smiles from earlier a thing of the past. In her hand, she held the red carnation she'd received with her diploma. He'd watched as many of her classmates had shared theirs with family members and significant others, but she'd kept hers, which was now wilted and bent, the victim of the day's activities.

His heart broke at the sadness radiating from her and anger at himself rose unexpectedly as he considered that he was going to add to her heartache. No one here in Mystic Falls knew yet of his impending fatherhood except Rebekah, and she'd been sworn to secrecy for a variety of reasons, one being that the longer Marcel was kept in the dark, the better. He'd had his own personal reasons, one of which was sitting below him on the bleachers. Their relationship had changed in the last few months and it was fragile at best. He had no idea how she'd react to his news, but he would be the one to tell her all the while knowing she'd keep his secret.

She rose as he approached her, clearly happy to see him. He was surprised at her reaction, but would take a smile from her in any form, though he noticed that the sadness didn't quite leave her face.

After exchanging pleasantries, he offered his arm and they started walking from the stadium out to the parking lot. He was procrastinating the reveal of his secret, but he wasn't quite sure what the correct venue was, if there were such a thing. Should he tell her right now? Perhaps take her to the Grille for a celebration lunch with a side of "by the way, love, I'm going to be a dad"?

"I thought you were gone for good," she said pleasantly, tearing him from his thoughts, "Rebekah mentioned you were starting over in New Orleans."

She was talking with Rebekah? He looked over at her, studying her expression for any sign that she knew something more. He didn't think so.

"I got your message, by the way, New Orleans sounds amazing," she continued when the silence became awkward.

If their discussion was moving toward New Orleans, he didn't think he'd be able to avoid telling her for long. Despite everything going on with Marcel, the witches and Hayley, he had been anxious to speak with Caroline about this. She was his friend, and more so, the woman he loved. He was experiencing a range of emotions in regards to his child, from fear to excitement and there was only one person he wanted to share all of it with. Caroline.

Caroline stopped short, once again interrupting his thoughts.

"Klaus, what is it?" she asked, "Seriously, you're freaking me out just a little!"

Running a hand down his face, Klaus turned to look at her. Where she had relaxed in his company as they'd walked toward the parking lot, he could see that she had now tensed up, no doubt sensing the strain in him. Knowing her, it was only a matter of time that she demanded an explanation for his silence and uneasiness. Just as he worked up his nerve to say something, he watched her face fill with horror.

"Oh my God, Tyler's dead, isn't he?" she cried, her hand falling from his arm, "Is that what you came here to tell me?"

He looked at her, confusion masking his face.

"Tyler?" He asked, bewildered. Caroline continued to look at him with a mixture of horror and fear written on her face.

"Klaus, did you kill him?" She repeated.

Her words finally penetrated his befuddled brain.

"What? No, I haven't seen the pup since your prom night. Whatever are you talking about Caroline?"

"Then what is the matter with you?" she demanded. "You're acting all weird; I've never seen you so flustered!"

He looked back at her, regret filling his eyes, and as he did so, he watched Caroline's fill with tears. She had to know something important had happened, he was incredibly out of sorts and she would sense his unease as she knew him better than anyone. Already, this child he was father to was wreaking havoc within his life. His faced filled with pain as he prepared to say the words he knew would have lasting consequences on their tentative friendship, the most important of his life.

Klaus turned away, his head hanging, and quietly he whispered the words he'd said aloud to no one other than Elijah.

"I'm going to be a father."

Okay, now before you get the lynching mob ready for this ending on the same note as last chapter understand that it was important to the story to set up Klaus' POV prior to his big reveal. I hope that you enjoyed hearing what was going on in his head and having a better idea of how worried he is about Caroline, and to a certain degree himself. Next chapter will definitely be the conversation between them following his reveal. Stick with me and leave a review letting me know whether you hate it or not! MrsL