25 Days of Klaroline- Day 6 Kids- Life is Better with Pie- AH

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Klaus shivered in disgust as he quietly closed the door to the Salvatore Boarding House and crept off the front porch and back to his car. He probably should have called first, but in all the situations he imagined finding his sister in upon his return, it was decidedly not nearly naked on the sofa with his oldest friend, Stefan, her fiancé.

Though he did reckon that calling her only two days prior to say that he was coming back to town after a four-year absence, with no exact date in mind, left him open to stumbling upon such atrocities. In his defense it wasn't as if he had planned to return. Ever. This impromptu homecoming had been purely sporadic and brought on by an alcohol induced nostalgia after witnessing his mate Marcel get married while surrounded by the happy bride and grooms families.

Shaking his head with an irritated sigh, Klaus placed his suitcase in the back seat of his car and drove off. His mind swirling with all the reasons he left and chose to stay away.

As he neared the town square, he pulled off the street to park in the main downtown parking lot, deciding to walk about and see if the small town of Mystic Falls had changed at all in his absence.

For the most part as he walked with his hands shoved in his pockets people gave him a wide berth. While others did a double take, whispering behind hands with their heads close together as others gasped before pulling out phones to spread the news; the town's illegitimate bad-boy, the bastard and scoundrel, the no-account brother killer had returned.

It was only took a few more blocks for his phone to buzz.

Esther 11:45 AM: I must hear it from one of my bridge companions that my son has come home? You have much to explain my son. You will be here for dinner promptly at 6PM this evening.

Klaus stepped off to the side, standing in the shadows of the alley next to a group of shops as the ever-present dots in the text screen showed his Mother was still typing.

Esther 11:49 AM: You know he is no longer here, nor does his ghost haunt these hallowed walls. I miss my son. Please say that you'll come.

Klaus rolled his eyes with a scoff, wondering just how long it took her to decide how to word her latest text. How many times had she typed his name only to erase it, knowing that he hated to even think the name Mikael.

He had learned from his sister that his step-father had blessedly left this Earth, freeing those he enjoyed tormenting, just over a year ago having died of liver failure. Though he had not shown up for the services of one of the town's sheriffs, Rebekah had claimed that they were lovely but the ominous weight that always followed his step-father around had been lifted.

There had never been any love-loss between him and Mikael, but after that fateful night when his world quite literally came crashing down around him, things had only gotten worse. Which lead him to flee town shortly after he had healed from the injuries he sustained during the car crash. The crash that had only happened because of yet another intense fight with Mikael. The crash that had happened shortly after he had snatched the keys from the hook, barreling out of the driveway like a bat out of hell. The crash that had taken his little brother Henrik's life.

Shaking the gloomy thoughts that always kept him running from this town and all it stood for from his head, Klaus replied to his Mother that he would be there before pocketing his phone and stepping from the alley.

He didn't make it far before yet another reason for his lengthy absence appeared. There just on the other side of the street was her. The one woman in the entire world he could never possess but had always wished he could.

Caroline Forbes. The very reason his heart hammered within his chest. Strange that even after all this time she still held the same effects on him. She was beautiful, the sun shining down upon her, lighting her up like a glorious gift for all to see.

He loved her then and it came to no surprise that he loved her still.

The crowds parted as if they knew he wished to have a better glimpse of her in the light as he stood hidden within the shadows across the street.

Only, he wished they never had.

Life had to be mocking him. Here he was, ready to face all that he had left behind and yet there she was, walking and laughing with another man who's back was to him leaving Caroline in full view. Klaus felt as if a dagger was being shoved through his chest, Mikael's fists and kicks hurt less than the sight before him.

A very vibrant, and a very heavily pregnant, Caroline.

His feet hadn't moved so quickly in years, knocking into people without a backwards glance.

There he went, running yet again.

The commotion from across the street captured Caroline's attention. Glancing to see what all the yelling was about she could have sworn she saw a familiar head of wavy dirty-blonde curls.

"What do you think all the hubbub is about?" Her companion asked, craning his neck to see.

Shaking off her nostalgia and wishful thinking, she turned with a shrug, "Who knows."

"Well let's be glad whatever it was didn't happen over here. One bump and you'll topple over. It would take a team calling in a crane to lift you back up again!"

"Ha-ha. Very funny Kol." She glared at her friend who was holding back a laugh, "Let's just get back to your car. After that doctors' appointment and lunch, I need to rest my feet and take a nap. Carrying twins is no easy feat."

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As Klaus sped past the Leaving Mystic Falls sign, with it's happily emblazed, Visit Us Again Soon, he had slammed on his brakes. His Mother's heartbroken face glaring guilty in his mind. He spun his car around, vowing to have her blasted dinner before leaving town again but this time without coming back.

From all that he remembered of growing up in the large house, his Mother was always one for putting on a show and making a spectacle of any given opportunity. He had been surprised that it was only her waiting for him at the door, ready to have a quiet meal with him alone.

Klaus leaned his head back against the driver's seat of his car with a groan. Quiet would have been the operative word. Her questions of where he had been, what he'd been doing and why he never called in the past four years had only gotten harder to answer with her sitting there in front of him and him being sorely ill-prepared for them. It wasn't as if he had been doing anything illegal, far from it in fact, it was simply because no excuse sounded good enough as to why he had been avoiding nearly everyone here. He had asked for a drink only to find out that after Mikael had passed, she had drained every ounce of liquor from the entire estate.

"It's the devil's drink Niklaus. It has the capabilities to turn the nicest man into a monster."

After all he had dealt with today, he was in dire need of a drink, which was why he was risking staying in town long enough to go into The Grill that he was parked outside of and have one drink before leaving for the closet hotel out of town.

He shut and locked his car, keeping his head down as he trudged to the bar, hoping he could get in and out without anyone recognizing him.

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Caroline huffed in irritation as she walked out of The Grill only to find her cab had left, "I knew I shouldn't have paid him first." She shifted her bag of food to pull her phone out of her purse, ready to give the cab company an earful. Life could be easier for her if only her doctor hadn't restricted nearly every facet of her life. She was pregnant with twins, not carrying the next messiah. Why she could ride in a car with someone but wasn't allowed to drive one herself was beyond her understanding. It was in moments like this, when she woke up from her longer than planned nap, starving and craving a greasy burger and fries, that life got tough.

She had decided against calling the many people she had on speed dial, not wanting to hear how bar food was not the healthiest choice for her pregnant body, and opted to call a cab instead. That way no one would have to know. Heaven help the next of her friends that gets in her way of eating her cheeseburger and fries. If she had to deal with Rebekah and her health food crazed fiancé it would all be too soon.

Smiling in triumph when she finally managed to get her phone from her bag, her world was suddenly turned upside down as someone knocked into her.

Visions of the crane coming to help her up as Kol had joked earlier flashed through her mind as she squeezed her eyes shut, dropping her food to the ground in an effort to wrap her arms around her overly large stomach and protect her unborn children.

Klaus realized his mistake only seconds after it was too late, and he had crashed into the very woman he had wanted to avoid. Banding his arms gently around her lower back, he pulled her in close to his body as her food spilled to the ground.

Caroline felt strong arms wrapped around her instead of the hard ground she had been expecting, bringing with them a faintly familiar scent. Blushing in embarrassment Caroline pulled back, the stranger's arms still helping to keep her steady as she glanced up to thank them. The face she was met with was one she had thought about over and over again for the past four years, shocking her with his vivid greyish-blue eyes.

"Klaus."

"In the flesh Sweetheart. Though if I had known my mere presence would garner such a reaction from you I would have called out a warning. No need to fall to your knees at the sight of my handsome face."

Caroline scoffed, "Maybe if you weren't so handsy with the ladies this wouldn't have happened. You're supposed to ask a girl out before you try sweeping her off her feet." She rolled her eyes with a pleased grin at how easily they had fallen back into their flirty-banter. And then the passed four years without his wit and charm fell over her, wiping the smile from her face as she whispered, "You left."

Klaus dropped his arms to his sides, his voice just as low yet ten times heavier than hers, "I know."

"You just left. No phone calls, no explanations. Here one day and gone the next." Her tearful blue eyes pierced his heart, "I thought we were friends Klaus. I mean, we were there for each other through everything, in a way that no one but us would ever understand. Until we weren't. Because you left."

He had known coming back here that this conversation was coming, that it was long past overdue. Taking a steadying breath, he looked straight into her gorgeous blue eyes, "Of everyone I left behind when I took off, you were the one I regretted leaving the most."

"Then why didn't you call me?" She pressed her lips tightly, cursing the pregnancy hormones that made her want to cry one minute and yell the next. She could do very little about her eyes showing her sadness and anger.

Klaus sighed, his shoulders slumping, "Because you would have talked me into coming back."

"You don't know that. You can't know that because you never called."

He looked at her pointedly with a small smirk, "Really?"

Caroline huffed, brushing her hair back into place, "Okay fine. Maybe I would have tried. But still! That's no excuse."

"I am sorry Caroline." Klaus smiled half-heartedly, "But look at you, you look lovely and seem to have done alright for yourself in my absence."

She scoffed, folding her arms on the top of her huge, rounded belly, "Right. Sure. Okay. If you call falling for some guy from out of town, getting knocked up with twins, going to tell said jackass only to find him in bed at his hotel, with his wife, doing alright for myself then fine. Oh! And let's not forget the shit-kicker, the asshat actually sent court papers not even a week later giving up all his parental rights. So yup!" She popped with a sarcastic grin, "Doing just fine all by myself. Not to mention that my cab took off, you know, since my doctor is a quack and won't let me drive, leaving me here to try and find a way home but then you came along, nearly knocked me down and killed my food."

Klaus's head was spinning with all that she had told him. He had forgotten how much information Caroline tended to ramble off during one of her patented rants. As well as how much he adored them.

"Since I caused you to lose you food and you happen to be stuck here without a ride, why don't you allow me to reorder your meal and drive you home?"

"Well…" She pretending to think it over, knowing full well she wouldn't pass up the opportunity to spend some time with him again, "it is the least you could do."

"Fantastic." Klaus grinned, "Why don't you wait in my car while I go in and place the order."

As he helped Caroline into the front passenger seat she began, "I'll take…"

"A double bacon cheeseburger, extra bacon, no onion and the pickles on the side, with a large basket of fries."

"You remember my order? After all this time." She grinned at his bashful smile, "Impressive."

"Yes well, I've come to enjoy the extra bacon slice to eat after pulling it from the burger myself."

She nodded, "It's the best way to eat extra bacon. Bacon with just a hint of a burger taste."

Sharing a laugh Klaus stood only to have her grab his arm.

"Wait! Get me a piece of chocolate cream pie too." His eyes widened at her near shout, causing her to scoff, "What? I'm eating for three here! Plus, Matt will only let me get away with the occasional burger and fries but if I dared to order pie too? The whole gang would rain down on me!"

"Your secret is safe with me." He smirked before heading inside.

With the hopes of being invited inside to eat with her, Klaus ordered the same for himself. Not even realizing that he had completely forgotten the drink he had been in such dire need of or caring that he had just ate with his Mother.

His risk had paid off and he had found himself seated in the kitchen of the Forbes' residence. He remembered quite well how silent the house was and what a comfort it had been to have a place to lay low. Even when Caroline's mother had been home, she would just grimace and nod at him, gabbing him a blanket and pillow to take refuge on their sofa. She knew all too well the horrors Klaus had had to deal with at home since she had worked with Mikael. But this silence was different.

Clearing his throat, he spoke softly, gaging her reaction, "I was sorry to hear about your mother Caroline."

Caroline inhaled deeply, she had been used to hearing such sentiments, but it had been a little over two years now. "Thanks. And thank for the flowers you sent, they were lovely. Even if you didn't send a return address for the thank you card."

Klaus playfully rolled his eyes at her jab, ignoring it completely, "I'm sure she'd be happy to see you with the little ones."

Her scoff surprised him so much that he placed his forkful of pie to the plate.

"Oh yeah, she'd be so proud of me. Pregnant and alone at twenty-three and an official college drop out." Chewing a piece of her pie angrily, she swallowed and set her spoon down forcefully, "At least the house is paid off. But, and I swear on all that's holy and unholy that if you breathe a word of what I'm about to say I will make your life a living, breathing hell Mikaelson."

Klaus held up his palms, "No need for the threats of violence Sweetheart, you know I'd never spill your secrets."

"It's not a threat but a promise." She pointed her spoon at him as if it were a weapon causing him to chuckle. Not only at her unusual weapon of choice but how she insisted that a spoon was the proper utensil for pie eating.

"You have my word Caroline."

Seeing the truth in his eyes she deflated, "So between your sister and brother and the rest of the busybodies, they all feel that me living here and ready to raise two children alone is just too much for me."

"And I'm sure you took that rather well." He snarked dryly, well aware of the havoc she could bring when told she could not do something.

"Yeah well, I didn't, at first. Now I'm starting to think they are right. Not that I want to live with any of them. I don't care how big the boarding house is, I'm sick and tired of walking in on my two best friends going at it."

Klaus grimaced at the reminder of earlier in the day.

Caroline leaned back laughing, "Saw it for yourself, did ya?"

"Yes and I'd quite like to forget the image thank you very much."

Giving him a free pass when normally she would have heckled him incessantly, she figured seeing it for himself was punishment enough, "It's not money that's the issue. I have plenty of saved up between my Mom and Dad's life insurance plans. It's more the upkeep of the place that's getting to me. And you know how I love to clean. I'm just stuck on what to do. Do I hire a housekeeper? It seems like a waste of money when I could just rent out a room here cheaply with the understanding that light house work is involved. But then what do I put in the stupid ad? Room for rent in a very nice neighborhood. Plenty of space, cheap rent and light household duties required. Must be able to sleep through anything since live-in owner is about to have twins?" She tossed her hands in the air, "I can just see them lining up now!"

"Don't my siblings and your friends come by to help?"

"Yeah for the heavy stuff and more of the lighter things since my stupid quack doctor put me on restriction. But if I tell them how hard it all really is they will be either packing me up or worse, moving themselves in. Then I'll never be rid of them! Don't get me wrong, I love them but…"

"Sometimes they can be quite the trying handfuls." Klaus supplied.

"Exactly! See?" She grinned at him, "This is why I've need you here. You're the only one that gets it."

A snap decision was made the instant he heard her utter the words, I need you. Klaus placed his hand on the top of hers with a gentle squeeze, "Well then, it's a good thing I'm not going anywhere then isn't it?"

"Really? You're staying?" Her squeal of delight and beaming smile warmed him in a way he hadn't felt in so long. Since he was with last her if he were being honest.

"Yes."

"Good." She smiled with a goofy grin, "I need a sane person in all this madness. Everyone else is trying to shove some sort of green nasty smelling, vomit inducing smoothies down my throat."

Caroline quickly tired after they ate, Klaus left with a promise to see her tomorrow. When he came to the fork in the road that lead towards the Boarding House and his Mother's, he veered left to stay far away from whatever his sister was getting up to with Stefan.

He smiled unknowingly, feeling a strange sense of peace the entire drive to his Mother's, as his mind was already coming up with the ways he could talk Caroline into allowing him to stay with her. He knew she would want to say yes, but she would fight him tooth and nail before doing so. He would have to make it seem as though they were helping each other and not just him helping her.

He could possibly use the fact that he did not wish to stay in the home where Mikael had lived, nor did he want to live with Stefan and Rebekah. She would understand both those reasonings, yet he wasn't under any assumption that it wouldn't be a tough battle, going head to head with Caroline always was. But he was confident that it would work out, much like how he was feeling confident that coming home had been the right decision.

A scene began blooming inside his mind as he pulled into the driveway. Of Caroline and him raising two beautiful children together. He quickly dashed the thoughts aside, there was no telling if she still felt the way that he had thought she had all those years ago. Besides, it would be hard enough to convince her to allow him to move in. Harder still if she wrongly assumed he was only sticking around out of pity.

Klaus furrowed his brow as he stopped the car in front of his Mother's, chuckling to himself over the upcoming conversation to be had with Caroline tomorrow, "It wouldn't hurt to bring some pie along just in case."

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I'm dreadfully sorry that this was a few days late! I do still plan to get Day 7 up as well, I just have a few more things to complete for it.

Thank you so much for reading! I know it's short, don't forget to leave your support. ;)