Aftermath

Three

"Why?" he shouted, as he followed her inside the house. Caroline removed her left shoe and hurled it at his head. Klaus had pulled her away from everyone, and had put her inside the car, quickly apologising to everyone. He had left with her, leaving Noah to stay the night with Rebekah and Stefan.

"Stop following me!" she screamed back, tears running down her eyes. She should have gotten used to the pain, used to the never ending tears. This pain had gone into a whole new level.

He moved away before it could hit him on the face. "Caroline, stop acting like a damn child and tell me what the problem is now! You slapped me in front of our family, congratulations for that! At least tell me why you put your hand on my face!"

"Shut up! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"

"Great! I already knew that!" She was moving too fast for a pregnant lady. "Caroline!" He grabbed her arm to stop her from running her stomach through a sharp object. He lifted his hand, but he couldn't actually do it. He was so angry. She was so careless that she could have run through the object, and their baby would have been hurt. Worse, he could have died. Because she was angry at him. She was going to kill a life.

"Are you insane!" he screamed at her face, shaking her angrily. "Do you know what you would have done?!" Damn it. Why couldn't she understand how scared he had been when he saw her nearly run into that object? How could she have left it there when she knew they had a small child in the house? His heart was beating fast from fear for both his wife, and his unborn child she nearly cost him.

Caroline wrapped her arms protectively and sobbed. "It would have been your fault! You put me through this and maybe it should have happened!" Klaus shook his head, disbelief at her words. She didn't know what she was saying, he told himself. She didn't know. "I don't want you! I don't want Noah! I don't want this child!" No, she definitely didn't know what she was saying. The woman was out of her mind with anger.

"Caroline," he said, his voice coming out in a harsh whisper. "I can tolerate anything, but if you dare say anything about my children again, I'll be forced to forget that I love you."

"You love me?" His words didn't impress her, actually it did the opposite. Disbelief and anger was all that she was left with. She roughly placed her phone in his palm. "Is this what love looks like in your world, Klaus?" Klaus looked down at what was on her screen. It was a video. Huh? The video showed Camille going into her office, and then twenty minutes later, Klaus went in as well. It wasn't a mistake. It happened earlier, because he remembered the exact clothes he had worn and him going into Camille's office, but she hadn't been there. But it looked like she had. How was that possible? Klaus played the video four more times, and when he was about to play again, the phone was snatched from him.

"Oh, don't embarrass yourself, Niklaus." she glared at him.

"I didn't– I didn't know she was in there! I swear when I walked into her office, there was no one there!" His voice trembled with anger, hurt and confusion.

Caroline raised her eyebrow with mock. "Oh, so you did admit you went to her. Great. This is the first time you have admitted to your offense. We're making progress here. Maybe next time, you'd admit to cheating on me."

"I did not cheat on you! I was framed!"

"Oh yeah, because you're so bloody rich and famous that someone would waste their time on you," she said sarcastically, her lips twitching with a hint of a smirk.

"CAROLINE I SWEAR-" His hands balled into fists, his eyes wild with anger.

She arched a brow. "What? You swear what?" Her tone was venomous from her anger and by his actions.

"What the hell is your problem?! Are you out of your mind?!"

"Yes! You're driving me mad! Thank you for noticing!" She bellowed back. "Go fuck yourself seriously, and get the fuck out of my life and never show me your face again."

Klaus was silent, noting the fire in her eyes. Then he jerked her to him. "Is that what you want?" he whispered, staring into each other's eyes that demanded answers and honesty. Klaus cupped her cheek, and she unconsciously sank into his touch. It was a habit of his to touch her cheek, and gaze into her eyes when he wanted her mind and heart to focus on him.

"For me to get out of your life? To never see me again, Caroline? I can forget all your hurtful words if you'd just take me back." He touched his forehead to hers, as their breath mingled with each other. His voice was pleading when he added, "It's not too late for us. We can't give up on each other like this." They were chest to chest, lips to lips. He seized her chin and slanted his mouth over hers in a hard, furious kiss. Hot, crushing and taking the breath from her, it was a kiss full of anger and thrumming, unchained need. Klaus plunged his tongue into her mouth, his taste and the intimacy making her cling to him, demanding more.

Caroline closed her eyes, not wanting to stare into his eyes because she knew if she did, she would burst into tears. She kissed him back with fervour, twining her fingers into his hair and pressing into him. She wanted to drink him in, savour the essence of him, the feel of his body melded to hers. Her heart almost stopped when he pulled her even closer, so fast against him that her feet left the ground.

But then reality crashed down and she pushed him away. "Stop!" She tore her mouth from his and stepped back, looking angry. "Don't ever touch me again with your cheating hands and the lips that had touched god knows how many women."

"Oh, it comes back to that-"

"It always comes back to that!" She yelled, her body shaking with uncontrollable anger at herself for giving into him so easily. "You want me to be honest with you? Here is my honesty. I don't want you. I want you gone from my life, and I'm begging you, Niklaus, leave me the hell alone."

Klaus shook his head, as he resisted the urge to drive his fist through the wall. "But what if that's not what I want?" he asked, wishing that things were different. They were different- him and Caroline...they were a ticking time bomb who were ready to blow up. Anything and everything set them off into a screaming match, accusations hurled at each other and arguments that had no end.

She shrugged, the words making her eyes blur with tears. "It's too late." He nodded before walking past her, not even bothering to get his things, and he just left, gave up by respecting her wishes. She was doing what was best for them and for their children.

But was it a right decision?

XXXX

Morning came. Another painful day had passed and another to come. Caroline knocked on Rebekah's house and waited for her to open up. She hadn't slept a wink last night, and she knew how horrible she looked. Her house had been empty without Noah, and the feeling of loneliness was something that didn't set her mind to ease. She didn't like that feeling and she didn't want it anymore.

All her life, she had been surrounded with people, never once had she slept alone in a house all by herself and she hadn't thought she would find herself alone. Her bed had been too big for her, too cold and she had tried sleeping on Noah's bed, but that hadn't helped either. So Caroline had ended up sleeping outside Klaus' door, hidden from view, comforted by the presence of him even if he was at the other side of the wall. She had slept soundly then, her dreams consisted of them once again happily married.

Nightmares didn't welcome her for a change, maybe it was because she could hear him moving inside his apartment. Klaus had always been the one to chase away her nightmares, and every time he was away, he always made sure to call her and ask her to put the phone on speaker, and then go to sleep with the sound of his voice. He would not end up the call until it was morning.

"Caroline, good morning, come on in." Stefan greeted her, moving aside to let her inside the house. He was still in his pajamas, holding a hot cup of coffee in his hand.

"Morning, Stefan." She smiled at him, walking inside the warm house. He didn't seem to be different towards her after what she did yesterday. He was acting as if nothing of sort had happened, and she was glad he did.

"Mommy!" Small hands wrapped around her legs and a laugh escaped Caroline's mouth, happiness washing over her at the sight of her son.

"Hey, baby." She picked him up and kissed him on the forehead, turning to Stefan. "I hope he didn't bother you."

"Noah? No way. I love having him around here." Stefan ruffled Noah's hair. "It keeps Kate and Ben away from Rebekah and I," he added, referring to their twins. "The longer he's here, the longer we keep our sanity. I totally approve of sending them to boarding school, but Rebekah is against it. I'm thinking of sending her along with them too."

"Hey, that's so mean." His wife appeared from upstairs, still in her night robes. She glared at her husband. "Do you want to sleep on the couch tonight, dear?"

Stefan wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest. "Sorry, honey. You're an amazing wife and I love you so much." Caroline couldn't help the jealousy she felt at that moment. She tried to hide it, she really did, but Rebekah saw her expression and entangled herself from Stefan's arms.

Clearing her throat, Rebekah smiled at her. "Are you sure you don't want me to come? I don't want you to be alone."

"No, that's alright. It's just a checkup, nothing else. Just keep Noah for a little bit, please? I'll pick him up later. Thank you, and sorry you had to babysit him."

Her sister-in-law looked offended at her words. "Seriously, Caroline, if you thank me one more time, I will bloody well disown you. Noah is my godson and my nephew, who beside me can take care of him?" She took him from Caroline arms and set him down, holding his hand. "Go, darling, he will be in one piece when you get back."

Caroline gave a quick hug to her and a kiss on her son's head. Waving at Stefan, she walked out of the house and into her car. The drive to the hospital was a ten minutes drive, and her doctor was waiting for her when she got there. Dr Alaric did a checkup and assured her the baby was fine, as well as herself. Then he has asked her if she wanted to know the gender of her baby, or if she would want to come with her husband next time. She straight out told him Klaus would not be around for a couple of days, and she didn't want to wait for him to come back. She knew she wanted to share this moment with Klaus, to hold each other's hands as they waited to know if their baby was going to be a girl or a boy.

Klaus wanted a girl who would look and behave exactly like her mother, but he was fine with a boy as well. Caroline on the other hand wanted another son who would look like Klaus. She had teased him one evening, telling him how she would love to have more sons like him, and he had laughed and told her he wanted another Caroline to trouble him. Was she betraying him for coming alone and learning of their baby's gender when they had promised to be there at the same time? She had almost picked up her phone, ready to call him when a voice in her mind reminded her of what he did, and how he wouldn't care about the gender. That brought fresh tears to her eyes. It hurt. But it didn't hurt anymore when she learned that she was having a daughter.

A daughter.

Klaus had wanted a daughter. They were finally going to have a little girl. She choked back a happy sob, her fingers immediately dialling his number without a second thought. Klaus, we're having a girl! A daughter! Noah is going to have a little sister. Caroline giggled. He didn't pick up. She tried once, twice and then it went straight to voicemail. Then she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. This kind of pain was normal for a pregnant woman. Caroline had thought the pain had dulled.

"Caroline! Caroline!" She lifted her head up to the frantic voice that was yelling her name. A small pang of hope filled her heart when she saw him walking fast toward her. He's here. He is really here. She thought he didn't care. She didn't even care Rebekah had practically ratted her out. Klaus was here for them. He cared about his daughter. He still cared about her. A smile began to form on her face, but it dropped when he grabbed both her shoulders and screamed with his bloodshed eyes, "What have you done?!"

She didn't understand what he was trying to tell her. The way he grabbed her shoulders was painful, but she didn't complain. She wanted to know what got him so upset. "Klaus, I dont know what you're trying to say."

Her oblivousnes to his words annoyed him to no end. Did she need him to spell it out? What he was accusing her of doing-what she already did? "What did you do to my baby?! How could you!" It didn't hit her at first, but when it did, she nearly collapsed, feeling like something had pierced her right through the heart. How could he think...how could he think she would do something like that to her own daughter? How could he even suggest something as insane as that? There was no doubt in his eyes that she couldn't do it.

Klaus stood over her, resembling a wild animal. He was red in the face, his heart hammering with fear and anger. What did she expect him to think? He remembered her earlier words, how she didn't want Noah or the baby in her womb, and she could easily get rid of it. She was capable of hurting him that much.

"So help me, Caroline, you have better not killed my child."

Hurt flashed through her eyes, and a tear fell down her eyes. She looked down, gripping her fists as she tried not to have a panic attack. Her voice cracking, she answered, "I'm not a monster."

"I don't believe you." The stare that her eyes reflect nearly burn a hole in his head. He wouldn't feel guilty, not if he thought she had killed his child.

"Why? I'm your wife and y-"

"You aren't my wife, Caroline."

Caroline was quick to hide her pain. Her heart could have exploded, and she wouldn't care because right now, nothing hurt as much as his words did. Was this really Klaus? Could there be someone behind his face? She tried not to fall and not to sob, she tried not to fell on her knees and begged him to take back his accusations. She could take anything, but that. She loved her children. She would never hurt them.

He insisted on her getting checked up again to see if his baby was still in her womb, despite her trying to tell him it was. She had tried telling him they were having a daughter, but he had straight out called her a liar, and dragged her along with him to another hospital, not trusting that her doctor wouldn't lie to him despite knowing him for years. Caroline had simply kept quiet in the car, crying quietly but she knew it wasn't as quiet as she thought it was.

"Is everything alright?" Klaus asked, as he stood behind Caroline, watching as the doctor checked her up. Caroline was laying on the bed, looking away from him because she despised his face at the moment.

"It's quite alright, Mr. Mikaelson," Dr. Julian assured the couple. "It is just a round ligament pain she's experiencing."

"So she didn't cause this?"

Dr Julian looked between the wife and the husband in confusion. "I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"He's trying to ask you if his baby is still in there," Caroline answered, angrily. If looks could kill, Klaus would be dead.

The doctor scratched the back of his head. "Of course, Mr. Mikaelson. Why wouldn't your daughter be in there? Are you trying to say that you think she aborted the baby?" He coughed. "She is your wife, isn't she? Why would she abort her baby? Forgive me, Mr. Mikaelson, but I hardly come across a husband accusing his wife of such thing."

Guilt and regret rose inside Klaus. He glanced at Caroline who looked embarrassed and angry. He couldn't blame her. He had failed her. He seemed to be failing her all the time. But it was the fear of a father that led him to this. He hadn't intentionally meant for this to happen. He should have waited for Rebekah to explain to him why Caroline was at the hospital, and he should have waited for Caroline to explain to him to why he found her writhing in pain.

He couldn't look her in the eyes without feeling embarrassed. He had assumed the worst, he had said things to her with no remorse. But he had forgotten she was Caroline. A woman who wouldn't hurt a fly. A woman who loved her family very much. And it was the tears in her eyes that reminded him of the woman he had loved. The woman whose honesty shone in her eyes he had failed to see. She was the mother of his children, the woman he kept hurting without a second thought.

"Heartbeat is normal," Dr Julian continued. "The baby and the mother are both fine. Nothing to worry about." The doctor didn't leave the room until he was satisfied Klaus had no other doubts in his mind. And then there were the two of them. Caroline sat up and buttoned up her shirt quietly, declining his offer to help.

"Caroline..."

"Dont," she warned coldly, as she brushed past him and out of the room, leaving him with his guilt.