Lucky Ones

Rebekah Mikaelson was the youngest , sharpest mind that Lucy Leonard had ever found and made sure not to let a bright young thing like her slip through her fingers and had offered Rebekah a job as a Fashion Intern for B&W magazine but being an intern wasn't enough for Rebekah who worked harder than anyone else while juggling motherhood, college and work and made the rise from intern to Fashion editor in the short space of two years.

Something that had never been done before but she was a Mikaelson and she strived for excellence and no matter how hard she had to work or tiring she found it to be.

Now at the tender age of 22 almost 23 with her birthday only a month a way, she had everything she wanted, two beautiful children, a husband who would never betray her and the support of her family and friends.

Of course people had their doubts about her, after she discovered she was almost 4 weeks pregnant.

A month after landing the internship, so there she was 18 years old fresh out of high school in college and now expecting her first child to Stefan Salvatore her boyfriend of over two years who was in studying in NYU but unlike many guys who would have run for the hills on the news that their 18 year old girlfriend was pregnant, Stefan wasn't one of them.

He loved Rebekah and wanted to stick by her and his unborn child.

Imagine the surprise for both of them when the discovered that she was expecting twin girls who they would name Lexi and Alexa after Stefan's best friend Alexia Branson who died in a tragic car accident when he was 16.

Her brothers where to say the least angered by the fact that she had been so irresponsible as to let herself fall pregnant but they knew Stefan wasn't like the men from her past.

They knew how easily their sister fell in love but with Stefan it was different they knew he would never mistreat their sister.

They didn't turn their backs on her which was expected by them after all some members of the Mikaelson family made sure that if a member of the family disappointed you.

They would no longer feel like part of the family, they stood by each other.

8 months later during a violent storm Stefan and Rebekah that left most of Virginia without power, they welcomed their daughters into their lives and as Rebekah stared at her daughters, she swore to herself that she would never become her mother.

After the arrival of their children, Stefan wanted to get married something that Rebekah thought he only wanted to marry her to do the honourable thing but she couldn't have been more wrong.

He wanted to marry her because he wanted her to know that he would never hurt her or their girls.

She wanted the big wedding with all the trimmings while he wanted the opposite a small intimate affair with just their family and close friends.

Which lead to many arguments and after one to many arguments, she found herself in his car with their girls sleeping away in their car seats as he drove them to Virginia beach, where a minister was waiting for them and late that evening as the sun was setting, she realised she didn't care who was in attendance, she wanted to marry him and that night just after the sunset, she became Mrs Salvatore.

Rebekah was standing in the foyer, when she heard her brother's voice and turned to smile at Caroline as she walked in with Klaus who was smiling at his wife and this made Rebekah smile.

She had always been closer to Klaus but after Henrik's tragic death.

She watched as her brother was shunned, abused and filled with the guilt that he was to blame for Henrik's death.

They remained in London after moving out of their parent's home to live with their grandfather who took in his grandchildren ashamed of the actions of his daughter and his son in law.

It was during this time that Rebekah watched her brother change, he got lost in a darkness and when it was decided that they would move to the states to be reunited with Elijah, Klaus didn't follow until 6 months later after they where settled into their new lives her as a junior in high school and Kol as a senior.

When she came home that evening after school to find him sitting in the living room, she knew that he wasn't the same person he was before Henrik, he wasn't the brother who used to sneak her out at night so they could go ice skating on the frozen lake.

He was different and then Caroline happened and he found his way slowly back to the person she knew.

She watched as he kissed Caroline on the cheek, making her smile and then he looked at her with open arms.

'Nik'.

She welcomed his embrace and sighed.

'Your still not forgiven'.

He chuckled.

'I'm sure that Lexi and Alexa will forgive their favourite uncle for missing their 4th birthday and I know baby sister that you will forgive me'.

'Well we can work on the forgiveness tonight, we have so much food leftover from the party and Stefan thought it would be a waste to throw it out, so we are having a family dinner tonight'.

'I wouldn't miss it'.

He replied with a chuckle as his phone started to ring, pulling it out of his pocket to look at the screen.

'I'll see you tonight'.

Rebekah nodded as he turned to leave, brushing his hand against Caroline's arm as he passed her and answered the phone.

When Rebekah had introduced Caroline to Lucy at one of the magazine's launch parties, she never expected that the two of them would be working side by side to plan the 20's issue launch party.

'I've been in contact with Vintage glamour they are willing to lend as a few exclusive pieces from their 20's décor collection but they want to know if Lucy will be willing to do an exclusive spread with them for their upcoming Breakfast at Tiffany's collection'.

Caroline told Rebekah looking up from the room plan.

'I will discuss it with her later but I don't see why she won't be willing, so are you glad my brother is home'.

Rebekah looked at Caroline as she blushed.

'Is it that obvious?'.

'Yes your glowing'.

'Well the traveller returns',

Kol acknowledged Klaus as he walked into the bar, a few heads turned in his direction and then went back to their work as Klaus sat at the bar.

'When did you get back?'.

'Last night'.

'How is Caroline this morning'.

Kol asked with a smirk and Klaus rolled his eyes.

'Very well, you know that Bonnie is at the house with Lydia'.

Kol nodded.

'I know, I'm going to bring her lunch later I just needed to get this place in order, I'm leaving Nate in charge of running things while I'm with Bonnie and the baby'.

Klaus chuckled.

'So much responsibility for someone who once used to sleep all day and party all night'.

'How times have changed, in a month I will be a father'.

'That you will just make sure to be around for Bonnie, I've barely been around for the last months I miss so much with Lydia every-time I come home something has changed with her, she's grown or her eyes have got bluer'.

Kol looked at his brother as he played with his wedding band.

'You could stop torturing yourself with the past and live in the now, we all know you have no reason to travel but once a month like clockwork you return to London and torture yourself not only with the death of Henrik but with your own dark past how long do you think it's going to be before that past either catches up with you or confronts you on your own doorstep'.

Kol was right, after Henrik died something happened to Klaus he changed, he barely recognised his own brother and it wasn't until Klaus found his way to their grandmother's house in Mystic Falls did any of them learn the truth about what happened to Klaus after Henrik died and Mikael kicked him out to live on the streets while Esther stood by and watched her son suffer for the mistakes she made and Finn, the brother they all forgot existed closed the door on him.

'I go to keep my family protected Caroline never needs to know about the person I became after Henrik'.

He paused for a moment, clearing his throat

He's dead because of me, if Mikael was right about anything that will always remain true'.

Kol shakes his head.

'Your playing with fire, those people aren't the kind to let your talent get away'.

'They must have found someone more talented than me, I have to go down to the gallery'.

Kol nodded as Klaus rose from his seat and headed towards the door

'Nik'.

Klaus turned to look at Kol

'We don't blame you for what happened to Henrik'.

Klaus nodded thankfully at his brother.

His gallery was down-town, he sold his own pieces on the odd occasion but he usually liked to keep his work private for trusted eyes only.

He mainly handled the work done by local artist and photographers whose work had been ridiculed by the press for being to abstract, dark,flawed and complex.

It was those qualities he admired in those artists work and it was why they loved to work with him.

It also seemed that the critics who put down the artist down soon learned their lesson as their works soon found themselves on the walls of very important people and Klaus himself had been pursued to do an interviews with many magazines who haled him as the bad boy of the art world, a title that didn't fill him with joy.

They had no idea of the bad he had done and he wouldn't want that word to be used to refer to his work as an artist.

While he didn't keep his sell his own work, he kept a studio in the back where he liked to work when he kept the gallery doors closed and just wanted to work.

Today wasn't one of those days, he had been out of town and had come to make sure that everything was still in running order.

He walked in and was greeted Greta.

'Welcome back, I have some good news Marina has decided to extend her partnership with us'.

He smiled at this news, Marina was a very talented photographer who had a serious case of wanderlust and found herself in tourist free parts of the world and capture truly rare moments on film.

'That's good news, what part of the world has she found herself in now?'.

'She's backpacking through Indonesia with plans to visit Bali before returning'.

He looked around the gallery just a few customers and then he looked at Greta as the door opened and Elijah walked in his eyes settling on his brother.

'Greta, do you mind dealing with the customers and then take the rest of the day off, I'm going to close up early'.

'Of course'.

She turns away towards a customer as Elijah comes towards Klaus.

'Nikklaus'.

'Brother thank you for watching over Caroline and Lydia'.

Elijah nodded as he shook Klaus's hand.

'They are family, you are very lucky to have such a beautiful family as I'm sure you know'.

'I live every day knowing how lucky I am, I don't need to be reminded but I know your not here to remind me of my luck, so ask away brother?'.

'How is he?'.

'You know the old man, he wouldn't admit defeat to the common cold but I spoke with

his nurse, his condition is deteriorating and he refuses to be taken to a home, stubborn to the end'.

Elijah laughed and nodded.

'That he is, I'm assuming that neither Rebekah or Kol know about his health'.

'No and he wishes for it to remain that way for now, he wants us to visit him and I said we would arrange it for after Bonnie gives birth'.

'Of course, well once she has the child we can make arrangements for travel, no visit for his daughter then'.

'No, she doesn't visit not that he would let her in anyway'.

Elijah nods, glancing at his watch.

'Will you be joining us at family dinner?'.

'Of course I don't plan on being the cause of our dear sister wrath'.

'Her temper is almost as bad as yours'.

'Well I have mine controlled'.

'Something I'm glad to see'.

After Elijah left and Greta finished dealing with the last of the customers, he shut off the lights in the gallery and went to his studio.

Turning on the light and removing his jacket and henley as he stared a blank canvas.

Every now and then, the stars align

'Your such a little wriggler?'.

Caroline exclaimed as she tried to dress Lydia who was wriggling and laughing.

'I'm glad you find it funny'.

Caroline said with a smile, kissing her daughter's cheeks.

'There'.

She fixed the Lydia's skirt and scooped her up in her arms as she walked into her bedroom.

She put Lydia in her chair and turned to her own closet pulling out a cream lace slip style maxi dress which hang on the back of the door.

She looked over at Lydia who had found sucking her fingers to be entertaining as she took of her heels and unzipped her dress slipping her arms through and letting to fall to the ground.

She removed the dress from the hanger and pulled it over her head before sitting down at the vanity and twisting her hair into a messy bun with strands falling loose.

She watched him as he walked into the room towards Lydia, who squealed in delight as he blew kisses into her neck.

He then came towards her as she stood up to face him and rested his hands on her waist.

'Hey, there'.

He whispered leaning into kiss her and she inhaled the smell of turpentine and paint.

'You've been in the studio'.

He nodded as he let her go.

'Yes, do I have time for a shower'.

'Yes, we have plenty of time'.

He looked at her and then towards the shower.

She knew what he was thinking and stepped away from him.

'Don't be ridiculous'.

She turned and disappeared out of the room and downstairs to fix Lydia's bottles from the evening.

When she returned to the room, she stopped in the doorway to smile at the sight in front of her.

A shirtless Klaus holding a cooing Lydia in his hands as she sucked her thumb and stared at her father through bright eyes.

'It's rude to stare love'.

He turned and smiled at her as Lydia stared at with her with the same bright eyes.

Boy & Girl meet by the great design

Stefan stood outside warming up the grill while Lexi watched him from her chair, a book resting in her lap.

She was an avid reader for one so young, she found no interest in picture books, the pictures didn't seem to do anything for her, instead she was a fan of the classic writers from Fitzgerald to Shakespeare.

He knew he was to blame for interest in books older than her years, he had read her almost everyone of Shakespeare works when she was a baby.

He came to understand that she liked to imagine the places he spoke about even though when he came to read Romeo & Juliet to her Rebekah had told him that maybe he should wait until she is a bit older before reading it to her, so instead he went with little women.

Lexi had taken after him in more ways than one, she was always thinking about things that a 4 year old shouldn't be thinking about and was very quiet, usually letting Alexa do all the talking who was all Rebekah from the sass right down to the cold look she gave you when you upset her.

He had attempted to read with Alexa but she was more a fan of Disney stories and insisted that he put on different voices for each character.

He turned his head to look at Lexi who had lifted the book up so that he could see what she was attempting to read and chuckled at the sight of Call of the wild.

'Lexi, do you know that Call of the wild is your uncle Damon's favourite book?'.

He questioned and she nodded.

'Yes, he gave it to me yesterday for my birthday'.

She got out of the chair and opened the book and stared at the pages and then at him.

'Will you read it to me'.

He nodded wiping his hands and then picking her up to sit in his lap as he turned the first page.

Buck did not read the newspapers, or he would have known that trouble was brewing, not alone for himself, but for every tidewater dog, strong of muscle and with warm, long hair, from Puget Sound to San Diego. Because men, groping in the Arctic darkness, had found a yellow metal, and because steamship and transportation companies were booming the find, thousands of men were rushing into the Northland. These men wanted dogs, and the dogs they wanted were heavy dogs, with strong muscles by which to toil, and furry coats to protect them from the frost

'Uncle Nik, Uncle Nik'.

Caroline smiled as Alexa came running downstairs towards Klaus who leaned down to greet her so she wouldn't knock him over and hugged her chuckling.

'You missed my birthday, it was yesterday'.

Alexa stated to him matter of factly and he nodded.

'I know and I'm very sorry but I will make it up to you'.

'Do you promise, Mummy said to make you promise'.

She replied and he nodded.

'I promise'.

'Come on, I think he learned his lesson'.

Stefan told Alexa who was told by Rebekah to give Klaus the guilt trip as he came downstairs with Lexi who was still holding Call of the wild.

Alexa stared down her father while pouting, a look she had learnt from Rebekah.

'Alexa Jade Salvatore'.

Stefan kept his voice stern and Alexa gave up and walked into the kitchen.

'Hello Lexi'.

Klaus looked at his quieter niece who walked over to him and hugged him awkwardly while holding the book which poked him in ribs and he looked at it and then at her.

'Such a big book for one so young'.

'Uncle Damon gave it to me'.

She told him hugging him again.

'I forgive you for missing my birthday'.

She whispered and he smiled and kissed the young girls cheek,

'Thank you sweetheart'.

He smiled at her as he stood up and she smiled back and then looked at Stefan.

'Can I make a daisy chain'.

Stefan nodded.

'Yes but please keep your clothes clean, we don't want mummy to get mad'.

Lexi nodded and handed him the book and disappeared outside to her favourite spot under the old oak tree where daisies grew around the base.

'She is so cute, Stefan'.

Caroline told him and he nodded as he watched her sit under the tree.

'I like her'.

Klaus nodded towards the kitchen.

'I see that Alexa has picked up her mother's stubbornness'

Stefan nodded.

'She has taught her well in the art of the guilt trip'.

'She certainly has'.

As if to get attention to herself Lydia started blowing raspberries and Stefan looked at her and touched her head.

Who then started babbling words that sound like complete gibberish and they all laughed.

It was nice to be back with his family, he stood with his brothers and brother in law discussing politics,sports and arrangements for their next poker game.

While he spoke with the men, she braided Lexi's hair as the young girl spoke to her about her presents.

She loved listening to Lexi speak it was so rare for her to speak but when she did, you found yourself surprised at her intelligence not to say that Alexa wasn't intelligent because she most certainly was and it was obvious that the same drive that Rebekah had ran deep in Alexa's veins, she had the makings of a very powerful women in her blood and she would be a force to be reckoned with.

'Aunty Caroline'.

She looked down at the girl who stared at her with dark green eyes.

'Yes, sweetie'.

'Are you having another baby too?'.

The question caught Caroline off guard and she shook her head.

'Not yet Lydia is enough for me and uncle Klaus, we love her very much but one day we may have another baby'.

Lexi looked at Lydia who was sitting on Bonnie's lap, patting her stomach and smiling as if she had just shared a secret with her unborn cousin.

'Lydia is pretty like you'.

She whispered as she went back to picking flowers and Caroline smiled as she smoothed down her hair.

'Your very pretty like your mummy'.

'Mummy said I look like daddy'.

Lexi stated and Caroline laughed.

'You do but Daddy can't be pretty but he can be handsome, your hairs done'.

Lexi stood up brushing petals and grass from her pink skirt and hugged Caroline.

'Thank you'.

As she ran off Rebekah joined her and handed her a glass of wine.

'What was she talking about?'.

Rebekah asked as she watched Lexi ran over to Alexa.

'She asked if I was having another baby?'.

'Sorry about that it's her question of the day, she asked me that this morning'.

Rebekah told her taking a sip of her wine and then she looked at Caroline.

'So you and Nik haven't discussed it?'

Caroline shrugged.

'We have but Lydia isn't even a year and it's best we wait but if I was to find out I was pregnant I'd be happy, I know he wants a son'

She looked over at him as he caught her eye and smiled at her.

'I was worried about him after everything Mikael put him through and made him feel after Henrik's accident, that he would never be able to see himself as a father, Mikael always found a way to bring him down, he nothing he ever did was good enough for our father.

He treated him differently to the rest of us, Finn obviously was the golden child the apple of their eyes, Elijah was quiet the peace keeper, Kol was the wild child always getting suspended from his school, I was the only daughter and Henrik the baby.

Nikklaus was nothing to him, just a waste of a life, Mikael told him once while Esther just stood by and watched as Nik took the beating that was offered to him'.

Caroline heard the quiver in Rebekah's voice and put hand on that of her sister in law/good friend.

She was aware of the unfair treatment that Klaus received from their parents more especially after Henrik's death which was rarely spoken about by any of them expect on the anniversary his death and even then she found herself giving him space.

On that date he almost retreated into himself putting up walls that kept her out until the evening when she would find herself embracing him as he cried apologies again and again to the ghost of the brother he lost.

'I'm sorry Caroline, what I'm trying to say is that I was worried our parent's treatment of him would ruin him, make it hard for him to start a family but I was wrong he dotes on you and that angel, you saved him, he will never become the monster that Mikael could have made him into'.

Caroline nodded as Rebekah wiped away a tear.

While Klaus hadn't become the monster of a father that Mikael had become unable to love his child.

He was haunted by him, she often woke up to find him locked in a nightmare where he would plead with Mikael and beg for him to stop.

She had never heard him sound so weak and terrified before and she hated it, hated Mikael for the torment he put him through.

'Good girl'.

She lay Lydia down on the side so that she could change her diaper when she heard footsteps behind her and met warm brown eyes.

'Elena'.

She said softly as the brunette walked into the room and looked down at the baby who was whimpering, diaper changing wasn't something she enjoyed.

'Sorry I'm late, staff meeting I only got out an hour ago'.

'I'm sure your going to get off lighter than Klaus did, Rebekah got Alexa to give him the guilt trip'.

Elena chuckled at the thought of Alexa full of her Rebekah's personality pouting and shaking her finger at Klaus.

'Besides you and this angel, she maybe the only one to get away with giving him the guilt trip'.

'Well her and Rebekah'.

She looked down at Lydia as she changed her diaper quickly without fuss to busy playing with Elena's fingers.

While she wrapped up the diaper, Elena sat her up and clapped her hands together as she hummed a rhyme to her.

As Caroline turned to pick her up but Elena had in her arms.

'I've got her, I barely spend time with my god daughter these days'.

She cooed at Lydia as they headed downstairs where Elijah and Klaus where talking Kol.

They looked up at the women in their lives and smiled.

Elena and Elijah had only recently started dating, she had been single for almost 8 months following her break up with Matt, they had both realised that the childhood romance had fizzled out and there was no spark unlike with her and Elijah.

She had never dated someone older than her before until Rebekah set them up but the 8 year age gap wasn't that much of problem to Elijah who saw age merely as a number nothing more.

'What are you two whispering about?'.

Caroline asked looking between the two.

'You haven't heard Kol has bought a house for himself,Bonnie and their child'.

Klaus told her while Elijah smiled at Elena.

'It was a wise move, he can't live the bachelor lifestyle no longer especially once Bonnie gives birth those days will be far behind him but I am proud of the choices he has been making since finding out he's to be a parent'.

Klaus chuckled as he looked at Caroline.

'Don't be so surprised Elijah, parenthood can change even the darkest of us'.

Elijah looked at his brother and then at his family and nodded and then came to stand by Elena.

'That is true, let's return before Rebekah comes out to find us'.

They all chuckled as they headed to the dining room.

Could it be that you and me are the lucky ones?.

After a long day it was nice to walk into their house, while she took Lydia upstairs to change her and put her to bed.

He locked up downstairs and made warmed up Lydia's bottle.

As he headed upstairs, he heard the whimpering cries of Lydia, he could hear that Caroline was moving around in the bedroom and looked at Lydia who was sitting up in her crib with tears rolling down her cheeks.

'Sshhh',

He whispered putting her bottle on the side as he walked over to her.

She stared up at him as he picked her up, her crying had been replaced with whimpers but tears still spilled from her eyes.

He hated hearing her cry just as much as he hated seeing Caroline cry.

'It's okay, sweetheart nothing can get you'.

He whispered as he stroked her hair to sooth her.

He heard the door open and Caroline walked in behind him.

'Is she okay?'.

She asked touching her daughter's tear dampened cheeks and he nodded.

'She's had a long day, I've got her'.

He touched her arm and she nodded looking at Lydia who looked at her and whimpered again.

She walked out of the room closing the door leaving it open slightly and watched as he sat down and cradled the baby in his arms.

'Shhh, daddy's has you'.

His eyes only on the child in his arms, who was playing with her hair a sign that tiredness was coming as she clutched at Klaus's shirt.

While he whispered words to her in French as she closed her eyes, her hold on his shirt loosening.

She walked away back to their bedroom.

While he stood up and gently kissed the baby's cheeks before pulling back her cover and placing her in the crib.

He crept out of the room and headed to the bedroom.

Caroline was pulling back the covers and looked at him as she climbed into the bed

'She's out for the night'.

He told her as he undressed, turning out the bedroom light.

He moved closer to her once he got under the covers, his body finding out the curve of her back and she sighed as he wrapped his arms around her.

'So what was Rebekah talking to you about before I meant to ask but I forgot'.

She would have told him the subject of the conversation but she didn't want to bring up such memories for him.

'Nothing she was just saying how lucky I am to have you and vice versa'.

He smiled and kissed her shoulder.

'I am one of the lucky ones'.

He whispers into the darkness knowing that she is smiling at his words as she turns to face him, he traces the outline of her lips with his finger.

'Goodnight, love'.

He whispered as he placed a peck to her lips but she didn't respond as he heard let out a small sigh as she lost herself to sleep.

He reached over and touched the baby monitor and listened to the gentle rhythm of her soft sleeping breaths as he found himself drifting to the land of slumber.

Author's note

Hope you've all enjoyed this is the longest chapter yet but I hope you liked all the interactions and moments.