AN: It's been months since I finished this story, but I always felt like it needed an epilogue. So here it is. And it's filled with feels! I hope you like it.
It all started that quiet morning at the lake house...
Klaus and Caroline had been living together for a year now and none of them could be happier. Caroline loved having someone to talk to after a long day at work, someone who would cuddle her on the couch and read to her or watch a movie with her while eating take out. Klaus loved having his muse around. He loved waking up next to her and watch her get ready to go to work while he laid lazily on bed only to get up a few minutes later and head down to the gallery. They enjoyed the good things and learned to live with the bad things, like Klaus' dirty socks on the floor, or Caroline's OCD. Their little moments of jealousy or insecurity. Caroline's bad luck in the kitchen and Klaus' late nights at the gallery. They learned to talk about it, work it through. They realized they didn't mind any of that, because at the end of the day, the other person was worth it, they had each other to love and live with. Also, the sex was mind blowing.
So they focused on the good things. Like Klaus' wonderful cooking skills, or how tender he was whenever Caroline was sick or having bad cramps. He would make her breakfast in bed and take care of all her needs until she could go back to work. Caroline would repay him by leaving sweet sticky notes everywhere, or buying him art supplies she knew he needed even before he asked for them. She even got him a briefcase with a portable easel, paint tubes and brushes, "so he could take his art everywhere" according to her. Klaus surprised her with plane tickets on first class to see her mother, while Caroline spent more than 8 hours outside a theater to get tickets for a Shakespeare play he wanted to see. It had been a wonderful year and they wouldn't change a thing.
This time the couple was enjoying a few days away from the city at the lake house, the two of them alone. Caroline had a few days off at work, while Klaus felt like he needed to get away to get inspired for his next collection. It was that cloudy and rainy morning that everything started...
Klaus opened his eyes and smiled at the feeling of his girlfriend's lips on his. Caroline had been watching him sleep -"it's not creepy, it's romantic!" She would say- and was tenderly caressing his jawline.
"Good morning, you." She said softly before leaning to kiss his chest and neck.
"Good morning, sweetheart." He said, his voice deep and raspy due the sleepiness. His arms moved to wrap around her waist and pulled her closer just when she was about to get up to make breakfast.
"I'm sorry if I woke you up, you looked so peaceful, I just wanted to kiss you." She said softly.
"That explains why I dreamed about a dog licking my face." Klaus joked, earning a playful slap from Caroline.
"Hilarious!" She said sarcastically. Klaus chuckled and just tightened his grip when she tried to move.
"I want to wake up like this every day." He said after sighing contently.
"What? Dreaming of a dog licking your face?" Caroline asked and chuckled, running a hand through his hair.
"Waking up with you." He corrected, his hand playing with a lock of her blonde hair. Caroline smiled sweetly.
"We've been waking up like this for a year now. I don't see why that would change." She commented with a shrug.
Klaus looked up at her and took a moment to think, something had clicked in his mind. Even after all this time, Caroline still couldn't get used to Klaus looking at her like that, so intently, so lovingly.
"I want to marry you." Klaus said after a moment.
Caroline started gaping like a fish out of the water.
"I think you're still half asleep..." She said and Klaus started shaking his head. He sat up on the bed and took her hands in his.
"No... I mean, I've known for a while, I have a ring and everything." He said. Caroline just managed to blink a few times while her brain processed the information. "I was going to propose after a romantic dinner or while doing a romantic gesture. But anyone could do that. If I'm going to ask you to marry me, then I should be showing you what you'll be signing in for." Caroline looked at him confused, and before she could voice it, Klaus continued. "Just answer me this, are you happy?"
"I'm a little bit confused, but yes, of course I'm happy, I've been happy for the last couple of years and you have a lot to do with that." She replied and Klaus nodded his head.
"Okay, so that is what a lifetime with me can offer to you, this is what I can offer to you. Waking up like this, cooking together, art and trips and movie nights on the couch... that is what I can offer you and that's what you'll get if you marry me. I've known I want to share my life with you for a long time now, that's why I asked you to move in with me in the first place, but when I woke up this morning, with you by my side, looking at me in that way only you do it made me realize I didn't want to wait. I know this is what I want, I just need to know if you want it too."
Caroline went back to gaping.
"If you think you can love me in 30 years and be happy with the life we have together, then marry me... Soooo would you? Marry me, I mean." He finished nervously.
Caroline stared at him and he couldn't help but worry when she didn't reply right away. He was looking at her with the biggest puppy dog eyes filled with hope.
All the sudden Caroline smiled and threw herself on top of him, kissing him everywhere.
"Yes, I want that, I want all of that. I'll marry you."
That's how the rest of their lives together started.
Elena was the maid of honor so she helped a lot and Giuseppe Salvatore, Stefan and Damon's father, was honored when he was asked to marry them, and he even let the happy couple use his big ass house for the event. Marcel found a band willing to play and Rebekah got a co-worker to take the pictures. The ceremony was outside, under a big tent. It snowed the night before and the air was cold, but Caroline didn't care, even if her dress was strapless and her shoulders were bare -she always dreamed of a princess-like dress-. Klaus always called her his snowflake, and the snow had been something present in their relationship, even though Caroline loved the sun and the summer, she would always look at the snow and think of the love of her life.
Besides, Stefan installed a huge heat system in the tent. The reception took place inside the house anyway, where they ate and danced and the closest friends gave small but emotional speeches.
Ironically enough, the first song they danced together was "Baby it's cold outside." Klaus could feel Caroline giggling against his shoulder. It didn't take long before Klaus' father came asking to dance with the blushing bride. The biggest surprise of the night was Matt proposing to Rebekah.
That day was a day Caroline would never forget. She would remember it every time she looked at the beautiful ring on her finger. Like she did that day at the hospital. She forgot about everything that was going on around her for a while and relived the day she became Mrs. Mikaelson. Those events took her to the present day. She looked up and saw Klaus sitting on the chair next to her bed. He was holding the new born girl really close to his face, like he was taking in every single detail. He took a deep breath and blinked a few tears away.
"I'm gonna love you with everything I have and everything I am." He promised to his daughter. Caroline felt her heart burst with happiness as she watched Klaus lean and kiss the baby's head. Having a kid was never in Klaus' plans until he met Caroline. He didn't know how to be a good father since he never had a good role model and James had only been in his life for a short period of time. While Caroline was pregnant, Klaus went though a couple of panic attacks, afraid that he would mess it up, hurt the child or be a bad father, but now that he had her in his arms, he knew. He knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for this little angel.
They decided to name her Emma, and before Emma was old enough to ask for a sibling, Klaus and Caroline gave her a little brother named John.
But like in every marriage, not everything was happiness and joy.
That night, years later, Caroline was practically hissing when she entered to the bedroom, exhausted after a long day of work. Klaus was right behind her, slamming the door on his way in. Caroline was part of the public relationship staff in charge of Mayor Lockwood's campaign. He was almost in his sixties, but he was still running for Mayor of New York. And Klaus wasn't thrilled with the idea of his wife spending time with the Mayor's son, who was also her ex and cheated on her years ago.
"I've told you! Nothing is going on!" She said while kicking her high heels off.
"Well excuse me, but I can't help but feel uncomfortable when my wife spends so much time with her ex boyfriend. This is the third night you've stayed at the office late this week. And the kids miss you." Klaus said. Caroline groaned and rubbed her eyes.
"I know, I know, but the elections are next week, right now we're all super busy but things will be normal after that. And nothing is going on between Tyler and I. I don't even work at the same office, whenever he comes in, I walk out!" She said as she took off her earrings and put them in their box. "Besides it's not like I flirt with him, like certain journalist I know." She added, turning around to glare at him.
Klaus looked at her confused.
"What? Who?"
"Genevieve!" Caroline hissed. "Come on Klaus, you're not that blind. She was practically sitting on your lap while doing the interview."
Klaus rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"You know I don't care about her."
"Yeah well, tell that to your face! Because you were really charming!" She spat.
"I had to be! Her interview could bring a lot of important people to the exhibition, and I could use all the help I can get advertising it. You know it better than anyone." Klaus explained.
They stood there for a moment in silence. They hated when they fought and luckily the kids were out with Auntie Rebekah for the day, because they never wanted to fight with the kids in the house. Even if they were now old enough to understand that couples occasionally fight.
After a moment Caroline looked down and pouted, something Klaus hadn't seen her do in years.
"Do you still find me sexy?" She suddenly asked in a shy tone. "Because we've been together for over ten years and I'm afraid you could get bored, and then I see that young, pretty redhead getting so close and cozy with you and I can't help but feel-" her ramble was interrupted by Klaus' lips smacking against her owns. He had one hand holding her chin and the other moved around her waist. Caroline's arms moved around his neck and pulled him closer. When they broke apart, Klaus rested his forehead against hers.
"Caroline, I love you as much as I did the day I married you, nothing has changed, you're still the only woman for me. You're my snowflake, remember?" He said softly. Caroline took a deep breath and leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder.
"You haven't called me that in years..." She said softly. "And I love you too."
"I'm sorry, I guess I should say it out loud more often."
Caroline didn't reply nor moved for a moment, she just stood there, enjoying the feeling of being in Klaus' arms.
"We need some time alone... can we go somewhere once the campaign is over?" When Klaus looked down at her, he saw she was using her puppy dog eyes, and they were super effective.
"Anywhere you want. I've heard Paris is nice this time of the year..."
Many years later, on a cold night of February, an event took place at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was a celebration in Niklaus Mikaelson's honor. It showed his latest collection of paintings, but they didn't know it would also be the last. When Klaus knocked a spoon against his glass to get everyone's attention, Caroline couldn't help but feel like deja vu. He had done the exact same thing the night they met, during his first exhibition. Back then he was a young and lonely artist, and now he was old, his hair was gray and his hands a little shaky, but his suit was still impeccable, and his accent was as charming as always.
Everyone turned around to listen to the artist. He started by thanking everyone for being there that night. He turned to look at his wife for a moment before he continued. Her blonde hair was now white, and pinned up in a very elegant way. She had aged, but her eyes stayed bright and young, as blue as they could ever be.
"...Sadly, this is my last collection and probably my last exhibition." Klaus announced. Everyone started whispering in shock. "Lets face it, I'm not getting any younger..." he joked before getting serious. "My Parkinson is keeping me from painting and drawing. So I'm using the occasion to announce that I'm retiring. Now, as you all know, most artist can't live without art, it's like the air they breathe..." He looked at Caroline again and couldn't help but smile. "That's not my case."
They spent the last years of their lives together at the lake house, being visited by kids and grandkids, even Stefan and Marcel stopped by many times with their wives.
When Heaven took Caroline first, Klaus had a hard time. Stefan, being a widower himself, decided to stay with him so they could be a pair of grumpy old guys. But Klaus joined his wife soon after that.
He was buried next to her, on a snowy day.