Another update for you guys :) We're just over half way through this story now. I think I know who I want Lacy to end up with but I'm not too sure right now. I'd love to know what you think.

Thanks to those who reviewed :)

As usual, I own nothing except my OC and story line.

Knocking back the shot of pure vodka he had ordered just seconds before, Kol flinched as it burned his throat and then immediately ordered another. Repeating the same action as with the first, he slammed the shot glass down onto the bar and cradled his head in his hands. His cruel words whirled around in his mind and taunted him. It was impossible to shake the memory of Lacy's eyes filled with guilt and hurt, and Kol mentally scolded himself for reacting in such a volatile way.

"You look like you need a drink… but I can see you've already beaten me to it." Matt spoke, pulling Kol away from his thoughts.

Occupying the empty stool that stood next to Kol's, Matt ordered himself soda water and waited for the youngest of his girlfriend's brothers to finally speak and acknowledge his presence. Ignoring Matt, Kol once again ordered another shot of vodka but did not consume it immediately. He fingered the short glass before lifting it to his lips.

"You should really mind your own business, Donovan." said Kol, his voice almost devoid of any emotion, as he drank the vodka in one fell swoop.

Used to Kol's prickly demeanour, Matt decided to persevere and attempted to engage the man in conversation again. Snatching the glass out of Kol's hands and standing his ground even when he was shot a look of utter contempt, Matt plastered on his most sympathetic voice and stared directly into Kol's eyes.

"You're Rebecca's brother and no offence, but I'm more scared of her than I am of you."

"You shouldn't be."

"She's worried about you and to be quite honest, Kol, you look like you're about to punch someone."

His face splitting into a smile that was anything but joyous, Kol let out a minor maniacal laugh and shook his head from side to side; his thick locks sticking up at odd angles and adding to his deranged appearance.

"If you don't stop talking, I'm going to punch you."

"There's no need for that, mate. I'm just trying to help." Matt replied calmly, hoping to diffuse the situation before it became truly violent.

"I don't need your help and I certainly don't need you sticking your nose into my business. Now kindly leave before I punch you so hard you're going to be eating out of a straw."

From the glint of truth and hostility shining brightly within Kol's eyes, Matt was a hundred percent certain that Kol was serious in his threat. Common sense and his survival instinct kicking in, Matt admitted defeat and held his hands up in the air as he backed slowly away from an ever-increasingly angry Mikaelson brother.

"Hey, I tried. Whatever's eating you up inside, deal with it yourself."

Welcoming the silence that came with the departure of his sister's meddling boyfriend, Kol contemplated ordering his fourth drink but found that he had no desire to do so. In fact, he had no desire to do anything at all. His favourite hobbies no longer fulfilled him, and even the thought of engaging in casual sex with the barrage of attractive and willing women that resided around him held no appeal. He had tried. Oh, how he had tried to lose himself in meaningless sex. Hoping that the taste and touch of another woman, any woman, would be enough to pull him from his depressed stupor he had tried on numerous occasions over the previous few weeks to instigate such illicit trysts. Failure had greeted him each and every time and his frustrations had soon gotten the better of him; resulting in an eventual admission that he was a catastrophe and no-one would entice him in the same manner Lacy had. She was under his skin and had taken root in his heart. He wanted no other but her, but she was the only one he could not have… and it wounded him more than any physical hurt ever would.

Leaving the empty glass were it was, Kol pushed himself against the edge of the bar and up onto his feet. Swaying ever so slightly from the hard liquor in his system, he clasped the railing that stood a few feet to his right that separated the upper and lower segments of the bar/restaurant. He breathed deep; filling his lungs with as much air as he could physically take in and let his body relax a little as he hunched himself over the railing. Behind his eyelids a kaleidoscope of images bombarded him as one after another, memories of the times he had shared with Lacy left the sanctuary of the mental cage he had locked them away in.

"You don't have to go." Kol stated, sitting half-up in bed propped against the wooden headboard.

Completely nude except for the black cotton sheets that hid his lower body away from the world, Kol beamed with lust and happiness - tainted with minute sadness only by Lacy's impending exit - as he watched the semi-naked woman tug on her pink fitted t-shirt. Sighing softly and twisting herself around so she could face Kol, she frowned before forcing a smile and planting a kiss on his soft lips.

"I really do."

"Why?" questioned Kol leaning forward; his tone more forceful this time.

"You know why." Lacy retorted, creating space between the two of them as she jumped up from the edge of the bed and pulled on her blue denim jeans.

Running her fingers through her hair in a bid to tame its unruliness, Lacy kept her back to Kol. She did not wish to see the disappointment in his eyes when she walked out on him yet again. He did not argue. He knew that to do so would be futile. With every visit she made to his bed, with every kiss and sweet word she gave him, Kol hoped and prayed that she would remain why him; physically and emotionally.

Zipping up her black ankle boots and grabbing her bag from the corner of the room where she had thrown it aside in a fit of lust, Lacy swallowed down the guilt she felt and tucked her hair behind her ear. She hovered - her hand gripping the door handle tightly - and hesitated before choosing to turn back and smile at the brother of the man she was in love with.

"Goodbye, Kol."

Making no effort to prevent her from leaving, Kol huffed out a irritated breath and lent his head back against the headboard; banging it once, twice, three times, as he reprimanded himself for being not only weak-willed enough to always foolishly waste his time chasing a woman who would not commit, but for not fighting harder for the girl of his dreams.

Not anymore.

Slowly opening the top draw of his bedside cabinet, Kol pulled out a petite, delicate looking blue velvet box. Snapping open the box, he carefully eyed the thin, white gold band it housed; enjoying how the light refracted off of the square-cut diamond situated on the centre of the ring. With Rebekah's birthday party a little under a week away, he was bound to find the opportunity to see Lacy again and get her alone. He would be brutally honest. This would be it. All or nothing.


Had he been mistaken? Were his ears playing tricks on him? His smile now having faded away, Klaus stared dumbfounded at Lacy who was chewing her bottom lip and waiting for him to talk.

"I said 'I'm pregnant'."

There was no mistake. He had heard what she said so clearly. Almost numb with shock, Klaus remained still and silent. Already overwhelmed by the unwelcome news, Lacy stormed past Klaus and into the room they shared; her frustration had gotten the better of her and she had no patience left to deal with anything more that day.

"We're having a baby."

Klaus spoke each syllable with affirmed clarity and he moved further into the room towards Lacy; his ocean-blue eyes sparkling with so much emotion that it terrified Lacy to her core.

"Klaus-"

Shaking his head but still smiling, he held up one finger signalling Lacy to be quiet.

"Why are you calling me that? You never call me 'Klaus'."

He had always enjoyed how Lacy had always preferred to call him by the first half of his full given name and to hear her refer to him differently felt wrong. It set off alarm bells in his head and a snake of nervousness and dread began to wind its way through his stomach and choke the hope and excitement that had taken root there moments earlier.

"Klaus-" Lacy started.

"Lacy… we're having a baby." he repeated; his youthful face breaking out into a grin.

Sweeping her up into his arms, he embraced her in a tight hug and spun her around. His heart felt fit to burst with pride and it was not lost on him how different his reaction had been to the news of the child he had created with Caroline. Intense guilt eating away at her, Lacy fought back the urge to cry hysterically. Not only did she not want to be a mother, but she was almost one hundred percent certain that the life growing inside of her was not Klaus' child. To allow him to think so was deceitful and morally repugnant. Yet… she could not physically bring herself to admit her cardinal sins and ruin Klaus' happiness.

"Nik, please put me down." she said softly; grateful when Klaus did as she had asked.

Swaying on the spot, Lacy felt Klaus' hands grip her shoulders and steady her. She smiled her thanks at him and gently placed her hand on his cheek. Stubble pricked at her fingertips but his infectious smile almost convinced her that she could hide from the impending doom.

"You're already having a baby… with Caroline."

"And now I'm having one with you."

Dropping her hand, Lacy grimaced and saw Klaus' own smile falter and fall flat. She avoided his gaze but she did not need to be able to see to know what was being expressed on his face. Straightening up, Klaus set his features into a stone-like set and glared down at Lacy; determined not to show any weakness or heartbreak.

"You don't want the baby." he stated simply; Lacy's returned silence confirming his suspicions.

It was as if someone had pierced through his chest, wrapped their fingers around his heart, and tore it from within him with all their might. He tried to be logical. Lacy had always been a vocal advocate against motherhood and he had had no qualms about helping her terminate her last pregnancy. Klaus knew that he should not be so upset. They hadn't even been a couple for a month. Between the two of them, they were barely functioning adults and bringing a child into their dysfunctional relationship would be harmful and an unwise choice. His mind flitted back to Caroline and their unborn baby. At least with Caroline around, any child of his would have a chance at a normal and happy childhood. His hopes of fatherhood were not lost. Still, though, his child with Caroline had not been conceived out of love and although he did feel some love for the child that was yet to be born, it was not the same and a part of him was disgusted with himself for feeling such.

"Helping you with Caroline's baby is one thing… but this…" she finally turned to face him, pointing at her stomach. "This is… I don't want this… and I don't want to get married, Nik."

Having addressed his recent proposal, Lacy shed a tear as she saw Klaus become overcome with grief. More than anything, she wanted to take him in her arms and soothe away his hurt with kisses and promises of true love. There was a cruelty to her kindness though.

"It's too soon for us to get married, Nik. I know you know that. You're scared and I get that… but I'm not going anywhere. You can't use me as an excuse not to commit to your baby."

Placing both of her palms against his warm cheeks, Lacy kept the connection between her brown orbs and Klaus' own blue ones alive. Without blinking she continued.

"Caroline needs you. Pretty soon you're going to have a beautiful baby that will need you more than I ever will… and you will still have me… because I am not leaving you. I will never leave you, Niklaus Mikaelson."

Carefully, she kissed him chastely on the lips. Grabbing her wrists as she lowered her hands, Klaus gripped her with concentrated passion. She was his anchor. She kept him grounded and safe. As much as it killed him inside, he would not prevent her from terminating their child's life. Her happiness was paramount and he would doing anything within his power to ensure it.

"I helped you once before and I'll do it again, Lacy. I'll do anything you need me to."

"I just need you to be the same old Nik you've always been." she said honestly.

Crushing her against his chest, he enveloped her slender frame with his long arms and held her close. The world around them seemed blissfully silent and they remained coiled up in one another until they heard Katherine return.


"Have you told him yet?" Katherine hissed, causing Lacy to roll her eyes and huff in annoyance for the millionth time in the last two days.

"You know full well I haven't, Katherine."

"You need to tell him."

Irritated by the growing volume of her sister's voice, Lacy suddenly stood up from her office chair and dragged Katherine into Elijah's empty office; glad that her boss and friend had taken a rare lunch break. Making sure the door behind them was firmly shut, Lacy immediately rounded on her sister and glowered at her with such fury that Katherine recoiled a little.

"I don't need to do anything! In two weeks this baby won't even exist anymore. Problem solved. So why on earth would I damn well tell him the truth?!"

"Because he has a right to know!"

"You mean like Elijah has a right to know about his daughter?" Lacy fired back; too angry to care how her remark hurt her only living relative.

Her own levels of wrath spiking, Katherine stared her sister down and ignored her conscience when it told her to bite her tongue and not rise to the occasion. Eyes wide and cheeks flushed, she spat out her words in an anger-fuelled rant.

"I screwed up. I admit that but I don't pretend to be self-righteous. What I did, I did for the sake of my daughter. You're just being selfish; trying to protect yourself and your messed up relationship with your precious little Niklaus! No-one forced you to fuck Kol. You made that choice all on your own and now you need to deal with the consequences."

"How dare you-"

"Shut up, Lacy. It's your turn to listen… After all the crap you gave me when you thought I'd aborted Elijah's baby, you're willing to go and do the same thing and not even tell Kol?!"

Hand hitting flesh, Lacy looked on stunned and saw her own emotions mirrored in the face of her sister. Slapping Katherine had been done on instinct and Lacy regretted it instantly.

"You're lucky you're pregnant otherwise I'd kick your ass for slapping me like that." Katherine said with a calculated coolness. "The truth hurts, Lacy. Even if you do get rid of this baby, Klaus is still going to find out about Kol. It's only a matter of time."

"Go back to New York, Katherine."

Storming away from her older sister, Lacy's hand was on the door handle when she heard Katherine begin to lecture her once more.

"You can't run from this, Lacy."

With the door half open, Lacy twisted her upper body so Katherine was now in her sight.

"I'll tell him I'm pregnant when you tell Elijah about his daughter."

Smirking with triumph when she noticed Katherine's mouth form a tight line and her nostrils flare in rage, Lacy turned back and stopped dead in her tracks.

"What did you just say?"

Elijah's stern eyes bore into her and next to him stood Kol.

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