The FINAL INSTALLMENT! I hope you enjoy!

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT! IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!

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Two and Half Months Later

Caroline straightened her back after an hour of sitting in the library, and felt a twinge in her stomach. She placed her hand on her nine month stomach, and bit her bottom lip.

She smiled as the pain subsided, and turned to Anna, who was sitting reading a small novel. "Anna," She whispered, biting her lip once again. "I believe it's time." She whispered, watching the young girl stand up quickly and head to her mistress.

"Oh, my lady, should I send for Klaus?" She asked, placing her arm around Caroline.

Caroline shook her head. "Not yet, get me to my bedroom, and then send for him." She replied, before biting back a scream.

Anna nodded, and helped Caroline out of the library and down the hall a little ways towards her bedroom.

Caroline bit her lip, and tasted blood as it poured in her mouth. "Oh, gods!" She shouted, throwing her head back.

"Just a little farther, my lady." Anna replied, in a panic.

Caroline let out another scream, and bent over. "Oh, gods, Klaus!" She screamed, halting just outside her door.

Anna turned her head when she heard footsteps running down the hallway. She breathed a sigh of relief when she caught sight of Klaus heading towards them.

"Caroline!" He shouted, reaching his wife and Anna.

Caroline groaned, and bowed her head. "Our child is coming." She cried, and smiled lightly.

Klaus smiled at her, and motioned to Anna to move, as he picked his wife up in his arms, and carried her gently in the bedroom, laying her down on the bed.

He brushed her hair from her forehead, and kissed her forehead gently. "I'll contact the Bennetts." He whispered, standing, only to have her reach for his hand.

"Don't you dare leave me, Niklaus." She stated, with a growl, as she groaned and thrashed about on the bed.

Klaus sighed, and glanced towards Anna. "Contact them." He ordered, and the girl nodded, hurrying out the room. He turned to his wife, and caressed her face. "You'll be alright, my love." He whispered, watching her bit back a scream.

"Oh, gods!" She shouted, nearly sitting up on the bed. "It's coming!" She added, bringing her knees up, and throwing her head back.

Klaus moved his eyes over her body, and fear shown in his eyes. "What should I do?" He asked, with uncertainty.

Caroline glanced to her husband, and smiled faintly. "Move to the front of me, and look." She stated, groaning as she sat up.

Klaus moved to sit in front of her, and moved her dress up to her knees. Glancing between her legs, he smiled. "I see a head, love." He stated, watching her nod.

She smiled, and grasped her knees with her hands. "Oh, Klaus!" She screamed, her face beading up with sweat and turning red.

Klaus looked at her with pain in his eyes. He hated seeing her in pain. "Caroline…" He trailed off, when she growled.

"Don't you dare, Caroline me, Niklaus!" She shouted, panting. "This is your child too!" She shouted once more, feeling a searing pain into her body. "Oh, gods, I'm going to kill you!" She shouted, throwing her head back.

Klaus swallowed hard, as the baby began to move further down. "Love, you can kill me later, right now, you have to push!" He shouted at her, causing her to flash her eyes.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do, Niklaus!" She shouted, shaking her sweat drenched blonde hair.

He smirked at her words. "Love, I wouldn't dream of that." He remarked, shaking his head, placing his hands down in-between her legs.

She smiled, until another pain ripped through her body. "Oh, gods!" She cried, tears burning her eyes, as she began to rock back and forth.

Klaus sighed, and looked down to see their child coming further and further. "Our child is almost here, love." He replied, lifting his gaze to hers.

She shook her head. "I can't do this!" She hesitated, crying out in pain.

He swallowed, and glared at her. "Yes, you can, Caroline." He encouraged, watching her shake her head once more.

"No, I can't." She whispered, biting back a loud moan.

He straightened up, and grasped her face in his hands. "Caroline Mikaelson, you are the strongest woman I know. You tamed a man, who was cruel and unfeeling until he met you, and you loved him without provocation." He swallowed, watching her eyes fill with tenderness and tears. "You married him, and gave up so much to be with him, leaving behind your mother to do so." He paused, watching pain flash on her face. "You fought his stepfather, the very heart of darkness, to save him, and brought him back from destruction." He smiled, as she swallowed her emotions. "You, my dearest Caroline, are the strongest, bravest, and most loving woman alive. If any woman can do this, you can, my love." He whispered, watching her smile brightly.

"Oh, Niklaus." She whispered, lifting her right hand to touch his face. "I love you so much." She whispered, leaning forward to kiss his lips before groaning in pain.

Klaus smiled, and returned her kiss before leaning back to check on the progress. "One more push, Caroline." He replied, not really knowing what to do.

Caroline inhaled deeply, and slowly let it out as she pushed with all the strength in her body. She let out a scream as she felt the child move, and her eyes opened for a second to see Klaus' face shine with a smile, before she collapsed on her back in the bed.

Klaus held his child in his arms, and felt tears burn his eyes. He lifted his gaze to his wife, who was smiling at the sight.

"It's a daughter." He whispered, nearly choking on the words.

Caroline smiled, and inhaled deeply. "A daughter." She whispered, watching him move over to her, while balancing their daughter in his arms.

He produced a towel in his hand, and wrapping his daughter up in it. "She's beautiful, Caroline." He whispered, gazing at his daughter.

Caroline sat up, slowly and pressed her body against the headboard. "What shall we name her?" She asked, leaning against her husband.

Klaus smiled, and turned his face to his wife. "How about Lucinda?" He asked, turning back to his daughter.

Caroline smiled, and touched her daughter's head, who was drifting to sleep. "It's beautiful. What does it mean?" She asked, softly, feeling the anxiety from the birthing take its toll.

Klaus smiled. "It means 'giver of light'." He whispered, gazing at his sleeping daughter. "She will give light to all newborns." He whispered, kissing the forehead of his daughter.

Caroline smiled, and leaned back against the headboard. "I love it." She whispered, drifting into slumber.

Klaus smiled, and rocked his daughter in his arms. "Thank you, my love." He replied, his gaze never leaving his daughter's, who opened her eyes, and he realized then, that she was going to have her mother's blue-green eyes. "You gave me a beautiful daughter, just like her mother." He whispered, kissing his daughter's head once more.

Caroline smiled in her sleep, knowing that her daughter was going to be beautiful and wise.

~X~

Standing outside, the Bennetts smiled to each other, and then to Anna.

"It is done." Ayanna remarked, clasping her hands in front of her. "A new star is born to the gods, and she will be a wonderful addition."

Sheila smiled and nodded. "She will have her mother's beauty and her father's wisdom."

Emily smiled, brightly. "She will be the light to all others as her mother was the light to her father."

Anna smiled and approached the door. Her hand touched the doorknob, but the Bennetts stopped her.

"Let the family rest, little one. They will call when they are ready." Ayanna replied, tenderly.

Anna nodded in understanding and turned to leave the hall.

Inside the bedroom, Lucinda opened her eyes and gazed at her doting father. With a small smile, she lifted her gaze to her mother, who was sleeping soundly on her father's shoulder.

Somehow in her mind, she began to feel a light in her soul, and even though she was just a few minutes old, she knew that her adventure had just begun.

And it had.

Please take into consideration that I have not had any children, so I hope that I captured the birthing scene remotely accurate. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little ficlet.

AN: Lucinda is a derivative of the word Lucina, who was the Roman goddess of childbirth. She was also the giver of first light to newborns.

The story continues in The Temptation of Fire and Love! a Stebekah story!

Until Next Time...