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An Unlikely Match
XXIV
Damon arrived at Rose's house just past nine that night, and he knew that Serena would be pissed at him – if she was still there. It seemed like one of the neighbors was throwing a party, but he was positive one of the silver SUVs was Ryan's.
Deciding that there were way too many cars parked on the street and he parked his car in Rose's driveway. She could take his car if she needed to leave for any reason. He stepped out of his Camaro and walked to the front door, holding the bouquet of white roses. He could hear laughter and talking coming from inside and he felt some relief knowing that at least Rose was having a good time now. He knocked on the door and a moment later Rose was there, opening it.
"Hi," he managed to say, although even that was hard to come out at the moment.
"Damon?" she asked completely surprised.
"Can I come in?" he asked. For a moment he thought she would say no, as she let the moment drag on without responding. With a sigh she stepped aside so he could enter the house.
"I bought those for you," he said, giving her the rose's. "Both of you," he clarified, and for a moment she was just as pale as the white flowers in her hands.
"There's a card, but I'd prefer if you opened it later or when it's only the two of us," he kept his voice low, and she nodded, walking towards the living room where Serena and Ryan were talking.
"Ryan, S," Damon greeted.
"Damon, long time, no see, man," Ryan stood up from his seat to side hug his wife's close friend.
"I hear congratulations are in order," the surgeon offered nearly dejectedly.
"Yes," he turned to his wife offering a happy and content smile and nod, before looking back at Damon, looking awestruck and in ecstasy.
Rose moved to sit by Serena, feeling even more uncomfortable. Ryan's reaction was the complete opposite to Damon's, but she was happy for her best friend.
"How are you feeling?" Damon asked Rose as a second thought. For a moment he was so lost and ashamed by his actions that he forgot she had missed work.
"The nights seem to be okay, and S brought me an anti-sickness kit that I'm hoping will work,"
"Have you had dinner already?" Serena asked.
"No, there was a lot of traffic coming here, I didn't have time,"
"Are you hungry?" Rose asked.
"Nah, I'll eat something back at the apartment. Stefan isn't on call today and he probably ordered some food,"
"Okay," the pediatrician said quietly.
They tried to resume their previous conversation, but the air was too thick. A few minutes after Damon arrived, Serena whispered something in her husband's ear and less than ten minutes later they were saying their goodbyes to both surgeons.
"I owe you an apology," he offered the moment Rose walked back in the living room, card in hand although still inside the envelope.
"For what exactly?" she asked softly.
"For the way I reacted, for losing my mind, but especially for implying this was in any way your fault," his gaze locked on her teary one.
"Accepted," she voiced softly, trying to hold back tears. She couldn't believe how hormonal she had became from night to day, but she had had a hell of a day and she could only hope he had just come to apologize and would leave her be so that she could cry in privacy.
"I want this," he stood up from his place and walked towards her, until there were only a few inches separating them.
"What?" her voice cracked with the many emotions running through her body.
"Commitment, this relationship, this baby," he dared to move his hands, and while his initial plan was to touch her still flat stomach he had only been brave enough to reach her hand.
"We aren't in a relationship," she answered, looking away, but her hand remained in his.
"We will now,"
"I don't want to be with you or anyone else because of a baby,"
"I didn't mean it like that,"
"Then please, explain," she turned to look at him again.
"We're going to be parents… together… it automatically puts us in some sort of relationship, we'll do it together, we'll have to work like a team, and even if we aren't together, we'll spend a lot of time together, making decisions, working out our schedules, and just trying to do our best by this kid," he offered, although he didn't have a clue where any of the words came from. It seemed Rose wasn't the only one who had witnessed the look Ryan and Serena exchanged when he congratulated the young couple. There was so much pride, happiness, and complicity in the way they looked to each other. And while he was waiting for the flowers in his office he allowed himself to think about the things Stefan had talked about earlier. He allowed himself to imagine a mini-Damon running around. He allowed himself to see himself teaching all sort of things to his son. Or daughter— although in all scenarios in his head he saw a boy. It had been three generations since a Salvatore girl was born and Damon didn't see that changing.
"Are you really agreeing to this?"
"I'm jumping with both feet in, actually," he smiled broadly.
"How is it that you've come to change your mind in less than twenty-four hours?"
"I had an insight, enlightening, realization, or whatever you want to call it,"
"And what was that?"
"That I could do it… with you. If there was anybody I could do this with, I knew it could only be with you," he offered with confidence.
"Damon, please, I'm not sure I can deal with you regretting those words tomorrow and coming here to say you've had a new insight," she walked away from him, taking a seat on the couch, while fidgeting with the small envelope in her hand.
"Rose, I was a jerk yesterday and I don't plan on going back to being one tomorrow. I guess it's time for me to grow up, once and all," he took a seat by her side, reaching for her hand again.
"I never expected you to react that way. I knew it would be a nightmare for you, but not to that extent, not like that,"
"I'm not good with words when put in such a, surprising, situation…" a heavy sigh escaped Damon's lips, "I don't know what to say. Let me show you how I feel the only way I'm good at," he moved her head to look at him, but she closed her eyes the moment they met his.
"I miss you," he admitted.
"It's not only us now, Damon. It's cliché, but it's still true,"
"I can't ask you to forget all the awful things I said yesterday, even before you told me about the baby, but I can ask and seek your forgiveness. Let's go back to where we were yesterday," he rested his forehead against hers.
"There's no time machine around for that. I can forgive you, but I'm hurt, you have no idea how much that hurt, it still hurts,"
"Rose, I love you,"
She was silent, her eyes remaining closed while the moisture from them escaped through her eyelashes.
"You know I do, I'm in love with you." he closed the small gap between them, brushing his lips against hers, but she didn't move. "Please," he mumbled before kissing her for a second time, and this time she answered.
"I'm in love with you too, Damon," she conceded once they broke apart and for a moment Damon didn't know what to say or do. "Damon?" she asked seeing how he didn't say anything, just looked at her with a completely stunned face.
"Really?" a look of shock stretched across his face, but hope strained in his voice and she felt her heart drop for him.
"Yes, and it has nothing to do with the baby, though it was the little push I needed to admit it to myself and to you," she cupped his face and initiated yet another soft kiss.
"Open it," he said when they broke apart for good after a few minutes of gentle kissing.
To the two most important people in my life, who taught me I could love someone, even if I was too stupid and tried to fight against it.
I never stood a chance… against falling for either of you.
Damon
"So why are you here again during your free night?" Rebekah asked as she took another forkful of food into her mouth.
"Do I need to have a reason? Can't I be a good friend to Klaus and be here with his sister while he recovers?" Stefan asked with a goofy smile.
"I've been unable to talk for ten years, Stefan, I learned how to read people's body language and I can see you're using me as an escape. Which I don't mind, really, if you continue to bring good food," Rebekah ate another piece of her stake. She had to go to that Matt's place as soon as she left. The food was just too good to be true.
"Fair enough," he answered vaguely.
"So?"
"My brother… he's also a doctor here, an attending doctor actually, and he's going through... something difficult and unexpected…" he explained uncomfortably until Rebekah interrupted him.
"Like impregnating his girlfriend?" Rebekah asked casually.
"What? How the hell is it possible that the staff know already? I can't believe they're already started gossiping about it," Stefan shook his head.
"Actually, I didn't hear anything. It was just a lucky guess. There are few things unexpected for a man, normally it's a pregnancy, and if your body language told me anything, it was that the girl isn't even his girlfriend, but I couldn't just say you brother impregnated a one night stand, that would be rude," she shrugged, and he smiled softly at her.
He didn't know much about the girl sitting in front of him, but her strength was something he couldn't even describe. He didn't exactly know what kind of accident she went through when she was only sixteen, and how she had survived, but he knew she went through a few surgical procedures according to observations Mason added to her chart. She admitted not being able to communicate with anyone for over ten years, out of shock, fear, PSTD, he didn't know. But here she was, after yet another surgery, being kind, strong, thoughtful and nice. Anyone in her place would be overwhelmed by recovering almost literally from night to day, but Rebekah wasn't like that. She looked forward, she tried to integrate herself the best she could. She looked hopeful.
"Hello?" she waved her hand in front of him, making him realize he was lost in his thoughts about her.
"Sorry, it's just that…" he tried to find the right words, but he didn't even know what he wanted to tell her.
"Is the girl his girlfriend?"
"What?" he asked a little bit lost.
"Your brother, the pregnant girl?"
"They're in a complicated sort of relationship. She told him the news yesterday, and he freaked out. He overreacted and said some pretty awful things to her,"
"And why are you using me as a distraction?"
"You're not a distraction, Rebekah,"
"Okay, an escape then," she stated putting her food away on the side table. She didn't seem uncomfortable by her assessment of his presence with her, on a Friday night, while all his friends were having fun across the street or the city. Hell, she wasn't about to complain, she could use the company. Besides, it had been too long since she interacted with someone that wasn't family or doctors, and although he was also her doctor, at the moment he was there as one of Nik's friends.
"I don't know if Damon will be able to fix things with Rose tonight, and he if doesn't he won't be good company when he arrives home,"
"Do you live together?"
"Yes,"
"And what about the rest of your family?"
"Dead,"
"I'm sorry," she offered genuinely.
"Don't be, it's only been me and my brother for years now, even though our father died a few years go. When we lost our mother, we also lost our father to alcohol and gambling," he opened up without giving it much thought. Even if she didn't provide many details, Rebekah had opened up to him and she seemed so… welcoming. It was hard for Stefan to define who Rebekah was and what kind of feelings she made him feel with knowing her for only two days – one of them unconscious nonetheless – but she seemed to be so intense, so lovely and loving.
"At least you have your brother,"
"Yeah, and Damon has helped me through thin and thick. He's always been there for me, which is why I know he'll be a great father,"
"I take it he doesn't believe so?" she asked, and he found himself once again impressed by how perceptive she was.
"No, he doesn't,"
"Well, the baby is coming either way, and soon he'll see that while it may be scary, billions of people have been doing it for some time now," she offered a soft smile, and he followed suit.
"I guess you're right,"
She shrugged and they stayed silent for a while.
"I'm moving to New York," she offered, wanting to take advantage of her newly recovered ability of speaking. Rebekah hated the silence she had lived through for so long.
"Oh," Stefan was surprised by the revelation, and was stuck trying to figure out why he enjoyed her company more with every passing minute they spent together.
"Please, don't make me uncomfortable with your overwhelming excitement,"
"You'll like it here,"
"I doubt it, I love England, I love London, but… Nik wants me to be here and I want to be around my brother and he can't exactly leave now," she offered, and Stefan could see clearly how uncomfortable she had become all of a sudden.
"You could just come on holidays if you really want to stay there, I'm sure Klaus will understand,"
"No, he's right… I should be here… I don't want to go back and risk…" she looked more and more uncomfortable, to the point where Stefan thought she was actually scared, "I don't want to risk my recovery regressing,"
"As far as I can say you're fully recovered, Rebekah,"
"For a long time my memories and perception of reality were clouded, blurred. I knew my youngest brother had died a little bit after my accident, and I don't recall anyone explaining it to me. Nik had only left afterwards…"
"You thought Klaus had died as well," Stefan concluded, and she looked down at the hands resting on her lap, as a couple of tears fell.
"Nobody ever talked about him, except my doctors wanting to provoke any kind of reaction out of me," she explained, but Stefan didn't say anything, he just her take her time and continue to talk.
"Kol and I are twins, but I've always been closer to Eli and Nik, especially Nik. We were as close as siblings can be. We've been there for each other through everything and in my family everything is a lot more than you can imagine. We took care of each other… he had some… accidents growing up. Like when he was five, he had gotten really sick, and I was always tending his injuries… he didn't cry in front of anyone but me. And he protected me from everything except that one night. But it wasn't his fault, he couldn't have known," through her rambles her words got softer and quicker, her nerves making her voice quiver as tears started falling down her face freely. Stefan knew she had recovered from the concussion, but he wouldn't risk her having the anxiety attack she seemed to be headed to.
"Hey, Rebekah, it's over. You're both here today, there's no accident, no injuries, no tears, it's over," he offered, not knowing if that was true or not. All he really knew about Klaus was that he was very problematic and it took him a while to become close to the other residents. The Brit seemed particularly annoyed by Stefan's broody personality, but as time passed, especially since Klaus and Caroline grew closer, Stefan and Klaus got closer as well. But they were still far from being good friends. The only people Klaus seemed to truly trust were Caroline and Elijah – but both had to work a lot to earn that trust.
"I'm sorry," she said when she felt his hand on hers.
"I'll make sure to give you a tour of the city, to show you the best of New York, maybe you'll like it better and you won't miss England too much,"
"Is your brother that bad that you'll need an escape for nine months?" she smiled weakly.
"This isn't me using you, Rebekah. Maybe at first I thought 'why not? She wants good food, I don't want to go home early', but I could have left after I brought you your food, and I didn't. I'm enjoying being here with you and I'll show you New York because I want you to have a good time while you stay here,"
"I don't need your pity, Stefan." she took her hand away from his and turned to the opposite side of her bed.
"Pity? Do you have any idea how intrigued and impressed I am by your strength and will?" he reached for her hand again.
"I'm your patient, the girl that didn't speak for ten years, the girl that can't talk about her brother without hyperventilating and feeling like the walls are closing in. I'm just the girl that's been through too many surgeries, shrinks, treatments to count. The best that money could buy, but who still didn't recover until she realized the brother she thought had died came to visit in the summer. God, how pathetic I am!"
"Look at me," he said, but she didn't budge.
"Rebekah, look at me," the usual tenderness in his voice gone, and for the first time that day Rebekah heard Stefan being demanding – or angry, she wasn't sure.
It took her a while – as she tried to hold back her tears – but she finally looked at him.
"I'm not here as your doctor. I'm not here because I don't want to meet my brother at home. I'm here because I'm enjoying talking to you and although that's unethical because you're my patient. But in a couple of days you won't be anymore, and I will still want to show you New York, not because I pity you, but because I'll be allowed to become your friend if you want to be mine," he said, while keeping an intense gaze on her. She nodded her head, looking down before whispering okay.
"Great, now tell me what is you like the most in London and I'll show you not only that we have it in the US, but ours is better," he said cockily.
"Hey," Katherine offered as Elijah entered their apartment, "How was dinner?" she asked looking up from the medical digest in her hands.
"Good," he answered tiredly as he took his suit jacket and threw it on one of the chairs. The moment he did Katherine frowned and discarded the magazine, knowing that her fiancé wasn't 'good'. Elijah never left anything out of its place, especially in the living room.
"Is everything okay, honey?" she asked as she stood up and wrapped her arms around his waist.
"It's just been a difficult week," he offered her a weak smile.
"But it's over now," she offered before kissing him deeply and longingly.
She was about to wrap her legs around him as well when she tasted something on her lips. She broke the kiss and, surprisingly, she noticed tears were rolling down on his face.
"Lijah?" she asked concerned. Her fiancé was always in excellent control of his emotions, always so composed, stoic some might say. She had surely not expected to see him cry.
He only shook his head, not knowing how to stop it. He hated himself for showing weakness, especially to his woman, but everything was finally taking its toll on him.
"Baby, come here," she offered him her outstretched hand, as she guided them to their bedroom. She was terrible comforting people, but men and tears, especially the man she loved, was something she didn't have a clue of how to handle.
"Just give me a moment," he offered as they sat on their bed, avoiding looking at her as he continued to try and cover his emotions.
"Elijah, look at me," she asked, but he didn't move. "Please," she insisted, but still, nothing.
She reached for his chin and turned his face to hers, but his eyes continued their avoidance.
"That's your sister, someone you thought you had lost forever and now she's finally back. That's not something to take lightly. One minute you thought you could really lose her for good, and the next, not only has she made it through once again, but she's on her way to being the girl she was ten years ago," she offered, but still he didn't react.
The previous night, after they went back to their place Elijah told her everything about Rebekah, Klaus, Tatia and himself, and went through all the painful details of what happened ten years ago. Katherine was shocked, and had even found herself crying as he told her the story, but he had remained his usual self, as if he was explaining a surgical case. She should know better. Although Elijah looked like a machine to the outside world, nobody could turn their emotions off completely. No one could be strong and bigger than such disheartening situations like the one his family had faced. It was only logical to expect it to fully affect him at some point, and she shouldn't really be surprised that not even twenty-four hours later he was finally breaking down.
"Niklaus is right. It's not fair. She may have overcome all the difficulties life threw at her, but she's my baby sister. I lost my little brother out of this and my younger brother lost himself while Rebekah barely lived. And now she's had some bizarre accident in a hotel room? And she had to have yet another surgery and risk all of the progress she's had lately. She used to be so full of life, and while she was difficult at times – most times even – she had such a big heart. She was always so sweet, and loved too easily.
"She didn't deserve it, any of it, and I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything to save Niklaus, Henrik, or Rebekah. For years I've felt powerless, I've felt ashamed, I've felt like a failure, but right now I just feel tired, overwhelmed and drained," he confessed, his voice nearly hysterical, completely the opposite of his collected self, and Katherine hated herself at the moment because instead of being strong for the man she loved, she broke down with him from the mere sight of himself in such a state.
"I'm so sorry," she offered, barely holding back the sobs.
"It's not fair," he kept repeating as she hugged him, and they both cried.
"I wish I could make it better for you, there was nothing I wouldn't give to make that pain stop now," she managed to say a few minutes later, holding him as tight as she could.
That seemed to have awakened Elijah from his reverie. He could see how she really meant those words and it meant the world to him at that moment.
"Thank you, darling,"
"I could say everything will be okay, that nothing bad will come to Rebekah or any of you again, but I don't know if that's true and I would never lie to you. You're right, it's not fair with Rebekah or with anyone in your family, and I really wish none of you would ever have to go through any of those things again. The only thing I can assure you is that I'll be here for you every step of the way. You can always come to me and I'm sorry I'm no more of a mess than you right now. It's just seeing you like this is breaking my heart," she broke their embrace for a moment and looked at his red, puffy eyes. She knew he had cried about Rebekah when she finally found him in Mason's office the day before, but seeing him actually cry now – for the first time – proved to be one of the most painful experiences she had went through- and Katherine had been through a lot herself so that was saying something.
"It makes such a difference to me," he tugged on a loose strand of hair from her face, "Nobody's ever been there for me because they never thought I needed it. Because I was always strong, collected, completely-in-control Elijah. It's good to know I can show vulnerability and not look like a weak, disappointing, failure of a man to you," he admitted and her heart clenched for him.
"Let me love you, let me show that your vulnerability just makes me love you more," she offered suddenly sober from her own breakdown.
"Katherine," he whispered closing his eyes, and that was all she needed to reach for him again, bringing their lips together in a passionate kiss.
She knew he was questioning and doubting himself at the moment and she knew he felt like he was disappointing her, like he was always supposed to hold everything at bay, but she was going to prove him that he could show her all those things. If anything, this would only make her love him more. It was reassuring to know he trusted her to show a side of himself he seemingly never showed to anyone before.
Slowly her hand reached his button-up shirt and one by one she unclasped the buttons, before she pulled him out of it.
They rarely made slow, deep, soft love. Their sexual encounters had always been intense, passionate, full of love, but also wild and nearly animalistic. It was part of who she was and she felt like Elijah released all the repressed and contained emotions in bed. If out of bed he was the synonym of composure, control and the epitome of being a gentleman, in bed he was an animal and she loved he matched her so perfectly. But tonight he needed something different and tonight she was going to be something different for the man she loved.
Her lips left his mouth and softly and slowly went down his jaw, shoulder, neck, chest and stomach. She reached for the zipper of his dress pants, and took them off along with his boxer shorts. Finally she removed his socks and the moment she found him completely naked under her on their bed, she started kissing him again. Working her way up she started showering kisses on his calves, making sure she kissed every inch of bare skin.
She was wearing one of his shirts, and while she kissed his thighs, she undid its buttons and let it slide away from her once she approached his groin. Tonight wasn't about giving him a blow job, tonight was about showing him that she loved him, every single part, with all his human limitations, so when she finally reached his erect member, she only gave it a chaste kiss before she continued her way up, going across his upper body again, even slower than the first time.
Elijah didn't react much except for the moans he couldn't hold back. When he tried to touch her, she intertwined their hands together, showing him that it was about him and him alone. He could and would have all their other nights together to make it about her – like he usually did.
She finally reached his lips again, but before she kissed him she uttered the words she knew he needed more than anything to hear again, "I love you,"
"I love you, too," he said as he felt her hand on his member, guiding him to her own center and when their lips finally met again she slowly guided him inside her.
She moved her now free hand back to his and clasped it, holding both of their hands together by his head as they moved painfully slow, their lips connected just as every other part of their bodies were.
She rocked her body as she felt his own strong one under hers meeting her thrusts. Elijah couldn't think of anything more comforting than the way she loved him that night. The woman over him at the moment was probably just as broken as his sister, but she could heal the wounds he had in his soul and never admitted to anyone he had. But it all just made him love her even more.
They continued their unhurried tryst for many long minutes, until Elijah changed their positions so he was on top. Without speeding things up his natural strength and virility made it all the more intense now that he was the one controlling their movements. Being the epitome of vigorous and manly, his movements, although slow were calculated and nearly leisurely, still made her body react in ways she couldn't control. "Elijah," she moaned, as he hit a rather sensitive spot inside her. His lips abandoned her own and found their way through her tempting neck and towards her ear.
The speed was still subpar compared to their normal crazy rendezvous, but the intensity was just the same – if not more – and she could feel his power overtaking her body, his ministrations now closer to their usual in terms of force.
"Come, my love, come," he whispered before biting her earlobe, their hands still connected, her grip on his almost bruising.
"Touch me," she begged, but he refused her, only putting more purpose in his thrusts.
"No, not tonight, you'll come with just me inside of you," he said in the usual commanding voice he reserved for their trysts, and it turned her on even more.
He sped up slightly, needing his own climax to be built up and after a bit more time Katherine finally felt her body come alive with sensation, in a way it had never before. She shook as her toes curled and she pressed her body hard against his, her orgasm taking over. Her cries of pleasure echoing throughout the building.
"My turn, darling," he whispered in her ear before going full throttle, in the way she was used to, before she could completely come down from her high she felt herself being pushed to another cloud nine ecstasy again, his name on her lips as he groaned deeply and guttural.
Caroline and Klaus were back to their morning routine and she couldn't be more thankful for that. The week was finally ending and it was, to say the least, a relief. It had been difficult the past four days starting with their fight and ending with Rebekah being admitted and operated on. But now it was Friday and everything was finally getting back to normal again.
"I forgot to tell you something," he said as they ate at the kitchen's counter.
"What?"
"My mother and Rebekah aren't going back to UK,"
"That's great," she offered cheerily, knowing that it would help him a lot to have his sister around, and of course, his mother.
"But they still need to find a permanent place to stay and so I suggested that they stay here instead of a hotel. I said I would speak to you…"
"Here?" she nearly choked on her coffee.
"Is there a problem with that, love?" he didn't miss her reaction
"It's… unexpected,"
"I could tell them to stay at the hotel," he suggested.
"No! God Klaus, what would they think of me if I said no?"
"Caroline, it's your house, love; I overstepped my boundaries even suggesting it before talking to you,"
"It's just that Katherine said your mother lives in a freaking castle, and I'm a slob, my house is a mess, and she'll hate me…" the blond started to panic, but her boyfriend was soon enveloping her in his arms and kissing the side of her head.
"My mother already loves you, sweetheart, as she should,"
"That's only until she sees my house,"
"Love, look at me,"
She did as he said, and he could see she was really losing her mind about it.
"My mother won't think badly of you because of the house, or anything else. And if she does, I don't care. I love you, I want to be with you and that's all that matters to me. Besides, I'm positive that's all that matters to her," he offered before he pecked her lips, "Okay?"
"But, I'm so…"
"Perfect, that's the only word to describe you. You're perfect and you make me happy,"
"Do I?"
"Do you even have to ask, love?"
"This week has seemed like an endless ride through hell. Just last weekend we were having the best couple of days of my life and then we fought, and Rebekah had her accident. Why are things always so intense with us? You were shot last month for God's sake. I'm pretty sure I don't even know what normal is anymore. I couldn't recognize it even if I wanted it," she opened up, letting all the feelings she bottled in out.
"This, love, is the normal. Us having breakfast together, and cuddling as you call it, before we head off to another day of work," he explained, kissing her cheek.
"It's just… since we've been together there has always been something to taint it. First you were injured, and then this week happened. I'm just afraid of the next storm to come,"
"It doesn't have to be, sweetheart,"
"But I can just feel it in my guts, I know another one is coming," she looked at him, her eyes desperate and tired.
"And I wish we had time before work for me to prove you otherwise. I've yet to ravish you the way I intend to Caroline, but I'm feeling more and more like my old self now,"
"If what you did at the resort wasn't ravishing, I can't assure you I'll survive whatever you have planned," she allowed his words to soothe her neurotic thoughts.
"You'll survive just fine, sweetheart, actually that's when you'll start living the best days of your life," he pecked her on the lips again before breaking their embrace. They had to leave if they didn't want to be late.
"I sometimes forget how cocky you can be,"
"Am I lying? Have I disappointed you so far?" he raised his eyebrows with a wolfish look on his face.
"No, you're just that good," she said before putting the dishes in the sink and taking her purse from the counter.
"I'll tell mother and Rebekah to stay at the hotel,"
"No, I want them to stay here. House hunting can be really exhausting and frustrating and going back to a cold, impersonal hotel room will only make it worse. Also I think Rebekah would like it here better. She's finally better and some familiarity would be welcome, even if she doesn't know me,"
"And that's, darling, is why you're perfect," he kissed her deep and long, before they finally headed to work
Much to most of Presbyterian's staff, that Friday was uneventful. Especially to those surrounding Klaus and Elijah, who had had such a difficult week. Rebekah was fully recovered from the fall and she was going to be released the following morning with prospects of a nice future in America. As promised, Mason had contacted his acquaintances and Klaus scheduled appointments for his sister the following week with one of the neurologists and a new therapist, also from Mason's recommendations. Caroline took the chance to schedule an appointment for herself. Although she had previously decided to start therapy at the Presbyterian she decided against it in the end. Not only because Mason had recommended Klaus the best in New York, but also because she didn't need the gossip mill about her to include yet another aspect of her private life. She could only imagine what they would say if she started therapy here. Without any doubt they would relate it to Klaus and how she must need it if she was in a relationship with the Original Evil.
Except that that assumption wasn't completely wrong. She wanted to do this in part because of her relationship with her boyfriend, but only because she wanted to give him the best version of herself. She knew he needed her in this moment, more than he ever needed her before. They were all hopeful about Rebekah, but bumps could happen and she knew Klaus was barely holding it together, even if he was happier than she had ever seen him.
"I have a family dinner tonight, my brother Finn and his wife Sage arrived this morning and mother wants all of us to finally be reunited again," he said to Caroline early on Saturday.
"Who took Rebekah home?" she asked, surprised he wasn't back at the hospital first thing in the morning.
"Mother and Uncle Nate. They decided to stay at the hotel until Nate, Kol, Sage and Finn go back to UK. They'll move in on Monday if that's okay with you," he explained as they leisurely rested on his bed.
"Sure," she offered and although she was more comfortable with that situation, she still feared she would do something wrong and lead Esther to disapprove of her.
"Which is why we should make the best of our alone time while we still can," he kissed her neck and she closed her eyes, but they had just made love after waking up and she was literally drained.
"Nik, sorry, baby, but I can't do it again. There isn't one ounce of strength left in me, the week has finally ended and I feel like I don't want to leave this bed for the next couple of days,"
"That works fine with me," he said as he continued to explore her skin with open mouthed kisses.
"Where does all that energy come from? I thought at this point you would be even more exhausted than me,"
"I have excellent stamina,"
"What aren't you excellent at?" she giggled, but her laugh quickly turned into a moan when he reached her breast.
"I've yet to find out, though I pretty much gave up on it. It's been twenty-eight years and I've got nothing," he said before he resumed his place by her side, bringing her body to rest over his. He really felt like another round was possible, but he could see she was really tired.
"I completely agree, there's no flaw," she said as she caressed his chest, where his birds' tattoos decorated his strong body.
"Don't feed my ego, sweetheart," he smiled, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the heaven that was waking up to her side, making love to her and then cuddling with her without a care in the world. His life finally felt good, nearly perfect.
"I decided to give some thought to other specialties," she said, changing the subject drastically.
"And why is that? I thought you were fascinated about the brain and all its mysteries?"
"I am, but working with Rose has been so rewarding, and your brother is so amazing, heart surgery is definitely more interesting than I would have expected,"
"I agree on Peds," he said lazily, and she actually raised her body a little bit to look down at him.
"What?"
"Pediatrics is unexpectedly good. I'm not a kid's kind of guy, as you can imagine – and for the past ten years I was totally convinced I couldn't be around any of my siblings' future children – not that I was complaining about it, but it was surprisingly nice actually being able to work with and on children. They aren't as bad as I suspected," he explained and she wondered if this possibly meant he didn't want to have kids of his own. But she stopped those thoughts right there. They hadn't been together for two months yet and she was getting way to ahead of herself if she thought kids were going to become a problem to them. They were in a good place, but long terms plan such as family were still too premature.
"Can you see yourself being a pediatrician?" she asked out of curiosity, getting back to her previous train of thought.
"I've been thinking about something Kol told me, actually,"
"And what is that?"
"That I should have never become a doctor to start with," he admitted, and now she completely broke the contact between their bodies and sat down on the bed.
"What? Why? You're one of the best residents at the hospital; it comes so naturally to you… although you could work on your bedside manners,"
"I'm not a people person and I should have thought better about becoming a doctor,"
"You and Elijah probably took after it from your father. I think being a doctor was your destiny. It would be a shame to waste such natural talent," she said, remembering how someone from his family mentioned his late father was also a doctor.
Klaus took a deep breath. He still remembered their conversation just a few days ago. Somehow it felt like months since they talked on Tuesday, and when she reassured him she wouldn't judge him for his past, and that she wanted to be there for him if he wanted to share his pain with her. He knew Elijah was also right, and it was time he started talking to Caroline about who he really was and starting with Mikael meant starting with the easiest part of his troubled life.
"I'm not Mikael's son," he offered quietly.
"What?" she asked confused.
"When I was five I was very sick and the doctors couldn't find what was wrong with me. Nate helped with the diagnosis, but when it turned out I had a genetic disease Mikael ran a paternity test and found out I wasn't his son, but the fruit of my mother's affair during some vacation,"
"I'm sorry, Nik, but even if you didn't take after him, you're still talented and an amazing doctor," she offered lying on his chest again, reaching for his hand and squeezing it.
"There's more to the story, Caroline," he took yet another deep breath.
"He blamed me for my mother's indiscretion and he took it on me and my siblings,"
"What do you mean?" she asked moving back to her pillow to face him, although she had a clear idea of what he meant.
"He started becoming violent with all of us, except Henrik and Rebekah, but he was especially volatile with me," he admitted, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his jaw tense as well as the rest of his muscles.
"Oh, Nik," she said embracing him.
"Please, don't pity me, love," he asked softly.
"I'm not pitying you, you know I would never do that, but I really feel for you and your siblings," she kissed him before burying her face into the crook of his shoulder.
"I'm happy I'm not related to him, he was a despicable man," he offered with hatred clear in his tone.
"You're not like him, even if I don't know much about him, I know you enough and I can say you are nothing like him," she moved her fingers to his tattoo again.
"He's not worth mentioning. There's nothing good to be said about him and I'm happy he's dead," he said harshly, and she soothed him with her touch and soft kisses while they stayed silent for a while.
"And did you ever meet your biological father?" she asked after a few moments.
"My mother never told the truth about who he was. I think she was afraid of Mikael killing him. Nobody would put it after him. He was capable of any atrocity,"
"Would you like to meet him?"
"It doesn't matter. He was never a part of my life, and I know this subject has always been difficult for mother because she blamed herself for Mikael's actions,"
"Yes, she made a mistake, but nothing she did justifies what he did against you. You and your siblings shouldn't pay for her mistakes. Violence should never be payment to her mistakes, regardless of who it was aimed at. If he didn't love her, or couldn't forgive her for what she did, he should have left her,"
"Mikael was a proud man, and we're part of the royal family, even if distantly. He would never have allowed people to learn about her indiscretions or admit his failure with a divorce. He was cruel, and he preferred to make her pay in the most painful way,"
"And why didn't she do anything?"
"Again, royal family business, love. I would never agree with it, but there was a lot of pressure on her shoulders and she couldn't make a scandal. How do you think people would have reacted if they knew children in the succession line, even if at the end of it, had been hit by their father for years to come?"
"That's so unfair!" she protested, indignant.
"But it's over and there's no need to unbury it. I just wanted you to know a little bit more about me and as you talked about it. I just thought now was a good moment," he admitted, kissing her forehead, while brushing her shoulder.
"I'm happy you trust me with this, Nik. And you're right, it doesn't matter anymore," she hugged him, offering him any sort of comfort although she knew nothing could erase the physical and emotional pain he went through.
"No, it doesn't," he offered completely unaware that his real father was much closer than he had ever imagined.
AN.: so many things I love about this chapter. Kalijah sex, Rose and Damon finally admitting their feelings and will to be in a relationship. Stebekah starting to develop and of course, Klaroline. Klaus is starting to open up to her and I love it.
I want to thank my lovely reviewers, I have the best ;) and my great beta, Erin.
Now I'm going to add here a part of a canon story I'm working on. I need a beta so I can publish it. If you want to beta it, let me know. If you want to give me your opinion about it, let me know. This is not the entire chapter, only part of it.
Have a nice weekend. xx
Hopes and Dreams
I
"Caroline," desperation hit him as he called her name a second time and still she didn't answer.
He knew she would die, he could feel the life leaving her body and he knew he didn't have much time to make a decision. He should let her die, he had to keep his word, he had to show those people - Tyler especially – that he was as ruthless as ever. He had showed too much mercy towards the people in this town. He should have killed them all – but her – a long time ago, after they tried to kill him the first time. He knew allowing her to live not only gave Tyler victory, but also showed everyone who wanted to see it that he had a weakness, that there was something stronger than his will to feel nothing.
As an almost silent moan left her lips and her body seemed to relax he made a decision, hoping it wasn't already too late. He moved to the couch, raising her body and bringing her head to rest on his chest, as he bit his own wrist and offered it to her mouth, hoping she would suck it. Praying she would drink from him.
It took her a second – or two – but he could finally feel her fangs entering his ripped skin and her lips embracing him. His heart that had stopped for a moment, resumed its slow pace, and as she moved her hand to hold his arm, he stroked her hair, feeling the ecstasy of sharing blood with her even more intensely than he felt the first time. He could hear her moans – from pain and pleasure as well, he knew, as he felt her other hand holding his own. The moment her cold fingers touched his he almost lost it, but still found strength to keep going.
He continued to brush her hair, feeling her taking his life, feeling her suck him in, in more ways than physically. She was still weak and he knew he had indeed been seconds away of losing her forever. She took her time drinking from him, not being able to drink faster, but he didn't mind. He was holding her and she wasn't objecting and for a moment it almost felt like she was caressing his hand the same way he was caressing her hair.
She didn't know if it was the exhaustion or the soft and soothing touch if his hand on her hair, but her eyelids were too heavy for her to keep them open, and her body didn't seem to have energy to keep sucking from it and consciousness slowly left her.
He realized the exactly moment she fell asleep, the moment she stopped drinking from him, even if her fangs took a few seconds to retract. But he couldn't move himself from behind her. He couldn't let her go as the words she said kept coming back to him.
He couldn't believe them; she was probably hallucinating, or worse, manipulating him like she had done so many times before. Either way she didn't mean those words and, therefore, they couldn't be true. There was no hope of salvation for him, not after so many years, not after so many crimes, so many sins. He was hopeless because otherwise he would be fooling himself. There was nothing left for him now that he lost his hybrids and the doppelganger bloodline died with Elena. He couldn't risk to make Elena become human again, and between his hybrids – that proved to be easily un-sired, and his sister last attempt on happiness, he chose Rebekah. It was the least he could do for her after everything he did to her. She had been with him through everything, never leaving his side, he owed her.
It didn't go unnoticed by him that such thoughts wouldn't have crossed his mind a year ago. He had always loved all his siblings – Rebekah especially – and he would always will, but he would also always put himself first for he knew nobody else would. But somewhere in the past few months he found himself feeling guilty for all the times he betrayed Rebekah – and recently he'd been thinking about Elijah as well. It was a foreign experience that could have been a result of learning that not even his sired hybrids would be the ever loyal family he needed, but he knew better than that. The main reason of that change of heart was now lying against his dark cold broken heart.
Caroline could be aware of his feelings – that he had never acknowledged even to himself – but she didn't have a clue on her impact in his life. It wasn't her actions, it wasn't her doing. It was simply a consequence of falling in love with her. And it scared him. He had no control over his emotions towards this one girl, and now he felt like everything he had suppressed for a thousand years hit him like a tidal wave. It wasn't only finally loving someone that scared him, it was the power it seemed to have. He knew deep down that Caroline was about to open a gate that had been closed for a longer than a millennium. A gate that prevented any sort of emotion to ever come to the surface. And as each year passed, he added more suppressed and contained emotions inside this place in his heart. With every life he took, with every plea he ignored, with every disappointment, betrayal and hatred action towards him, he buried every human reaction in that little room. The only problem was that it wasn't just a little room anymore, not after a thousand years of bottled up emotions.
As he held a sleeping Caroline he wondered if she had only been the last straw of an almost infinite amount of repressed emotions, the one that he couldn't hold back because the once small place inside himself where he hid his every emotion was now the biggest part of his self, even if he used every sin he ever committed to bury it deep in his soul, to a place that couldn't even be accessed anymore.
And now he could feel the lock giving up, he could feel the walls he built succumbing, he could feel everything he ever felt, but rejected, coming back to him and he didn't need to be as wise as he was to know he was closing in dangerous territory. Unknown territory and after living for so long Klaus wasn't familiar with the unknown anymore. He'd seen it all, but he hadn't seen a man recover from a tsunami of feelings that he bottled up for so long. None of his siblings did it. Even Kol showed emotion from time to time, but he had kept it all in. Until Caroline, until now. And feeling his emotions about to take over he feared for his survival. He had barely survive those fifty two years of hallucinations, but he was positive what he was about to enter was much worse. And even if he had killed Caroline that night – as he had truly intended to – it would have been too late. It would have been too much. He was indeed completely in love with her and if he lost her now, he would lose himself along with her. He would die along with her. But she was very much alive in his arms and he had to find a way to deal with it before his love for her became the end of him, and not in the way he had always thought love was weakness. Because the love that was about to take over and destroy him wasn't about weakness, but about a strength he had no control over. Something that was stronger than him.