The Wolf II

by yokan87

The Guerreras' threat still looms over the Mikaelson house as Caroline tries to adapt to life as a vampire, away from her daughter. But an unexpected family reunion makes everything worse, taking away the little peace Klaus, Caroline and Elijah managed to find after the war that nearly broke them. [It's TO S2, but Caroline was a witch, had Klaus' baby and now she's a vampire]

14. S02E14: I Love You, Goodbye

A/N: So, we've finally come to one of my favorite chapters in this whole story! And I know that the folks still reading this were probably looking forward to this moment. :) It's one of the biggest KC moments in this whole universe, I think, and it made me think of how long the two of them have come since the beginning of The Wolf I. Wow, it's been a journey! And this is supposed to be a moment. So I really, really hope you guys enjoy it!

Also, thank you VERY MUCH to everyone who kindly left me a comment on the previous chapter to let me know you guys are still here and reading this fic. :) That was so kind of you and I really appreciate it!

---

I want you
Yeah I want you
Cause nothing comes close
To the way that I need you
I wish I could feel your skin
And I want you
From somewhere within

---

The simmering tension Caroline is radiating in waves hits Klaus like a punch before he even enters her bedroom.

All through the night she was a bundle of nerves, clutching her phone like a lifeline as she paced up and down the compound nonstop. Neither Camille nor Elijah were answering their mobiles and the complete radio silence from Arkansas drove both of them out of their minds with worry. The difference was that, while Caroline was an overheated pressure cooker, steam coming out of ears and all, Klaus still felt awfully lacking in the energy department after his latest stint under Tunde's blade of horrors' ministrations. He'd forgotten how much of a pain it is just to recover from it.

The only thing bringing Klaus a measure of comfort was that Finn wasn't taking any calls either. His arrogant brother never passes on a chance to gloat. He would've found a way to let them know if he'd taken down Elijah and captured Eve.

Rebekah stayed behind at the cemetery, guarding the entrance to the tomb where Esther and Mikael's desiccated bodies still lie, and he hasn't shown his face there either. If Kol's spell worked, and it seems as though it did, then he's no longer channeling their power. Certainly he would've returned to fix it.

That flimsy thread of hope kept Caroline from taking the car and driving to the safe house in the middle of the night, but there was not a second of reprieve. When the sun was almost up and Klaus had run out of arguments to hold her back, the phone finally rang. It was Camille, from Elijah's number. Everyone was fine, except for Vincent Griffith and the safe house, both blown up to pieces when Elijah lit himself up in the middle of a gas leak.

"You did what?!" Caroline yelled at the phone, all hot anger and disbelief.

"It was the only way," Elijah replied, sounding rather calm for someone who'd just escaped from an explosion with missing parts that had to regrow.

"Blowing up a house with a baby nearby can't be the only way , Elijah!" she objected, fire licking her with indignation. Klaus has been on the receiving end of that tone several times, but he doesn't think he's ever heard her speak to Elijah the same way.

"Not that I'm condoning the massive explosion," Camille cut in, and Klaus could almost imagine the look she was sending his brother then. "But we weren't there yet."

"It doesn't matter!" Caroline slammed back. "You could've been! There's no way he would know with the house falling apart around him. Klaus went under that freaking blade -"

"Language," Elijah said. "There's a baby in the car."

Caroline's face was red with rage. She drew in a sharp breath, ready to shoot slings and arrows at Elijah and turn that phone call into an endless argument. So Klaus stepped in, putting a hand on Caroline's shoulder.

"All right, love, that's enough." She turned her death glare on him, but Klaus simply ignored it. "Elijah's poor decision doesn't matter anymore. Let's focus on the problems ahead of us."

Just as they wasted precious time arguing over the phone, Finn was likely waking up in someone else's body somewhere in New Orleans. They'd narrowly escaped this attack and the next one would come swinging out of nowhere. The swell of relief over learning everyone made it out of the safe house unscathed was short lived. Finn lost the battle, but the war still raged on and now their deranged older brother had gained an invaluable advantage: anonymity. He could be anyone, anywhere. Which meant nowhere was safe anymore.

If there was one thing that insane string of events did, was convince Klaus that Caroline and Jackson need to complete that bloody ritual of theirs as soon as possible. In fact, the ceremony has to happen today . They'll be gaining an army at the same time his brother will lose one. Klaus is far from enthusiastic about this whole demented idea, but if there was ever a time to leave his petty objections behind, it's now.

It just so happens that, all of a sudden, Caroline seems to have other plans.

While Klaus took the reins of her not-wedding, hiring help, food, booze and whatever else the circumstance warrants in order to please those damned Crescents with an efficiency he quite frankly begrudges, she started to pack up.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Elijah said they're near Louisiana, so I'm gonna go to them and I'm gonna get my daughter," Caroline grumbles whilst throwing random items into a travel bag. Klaus opens his mouth to offer a perfectly reasonable objection, but she continues, "Do not tell me that it's not safe. I'll tell you what it's not safe." She whirls around at her, her blue eyes ablaze. "Blowing up a whole freaking house with a baby in the vicinity to keep your evil bloody brother from finding her!"

"We will deal with Finn," he offers calmly.

"And then what?! Every time you kill him, he's just gonna jump into another body. Already he's walking around the city looking like someone else. He could be anyone . One of the staff you hired, for instance."

"I highly doubt Finn would walk in here as part of the help and waste his time decorating the courtyard for a party."

"That's not the point!"

"Caroline, we tried running. We tried hiding. Neither will work."

"So what's your bright idea?!"

"As it happens, I'm working on a plan as we speak, one which will be bolstered greatly if you just calm down and keep your eye on the prize."

Caroline swells with irritation. "Do not manage me, Klaus," she seethes. "I have every right -"

"You have a ceremony to attend today," he cuts her off by raising the tone of his voice over her bitter protests. Klaus feels terribly inadequate with this unexpected role reversal. He thought hell would freeze over before he found himself convincing Caroline to stay calm and walk down a makeshift aisle, even if not a matrimonial one, beside Jackson bloody Kenner. But such is the dreadful state of things. Despair, thy name is Niklaus. "An act which will seal the loyalty of all the wolves that answer to Finn. You will be queen to an army." Klaus takes the bag away from her hands. Grudgingly, she lets him, folding her arms across her chest, her nostrils flaring. "And a queen does not run."

Caroline skewers him with a dark, burning look, but huffs out what he decides to take as reluctant agreement.

Tonight, with the help of Kol and Rebekah and a horde of wolves, this compound will be the safest place to be in the entire world. Caroline might be mad now, ridden with worry, but she's not unreasonable. She'll come to her senses and realize he's right - even if he terribly wishes he wasn't. He's also prepared a little surprise to lift up her spirits and give her some much needed encouragement.

Tomorrow may bring apocalypse upon their door. But tonight shall be a fine, uneventful night, even if he is forced to tolerate the intolerable. Klaus will make certain of that.

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From wanting to throw everything away and run after her daughter to being completely disgruntled for not having anything to wear in the space of an hour. This is how crazy Caroline's last 24 hours have been. And the next 24 promise to be even more of a rollercoaster.

She's still not entirely convinced that moving forward with the ceremony now is the best option, especially when Elijah is on the run with her baby, with no idea where to go or what to do to keep off Finn's radar. But Klaus' sudden bout of reason has gotten through to her, if anything than simply because it's so unexpected. He must be truly desperate if he's the one pushing for her to do it now. Either that, or he's become thoroughly convinced that this ritual is what is going to guarantee them the safety they've been pursuing for... Hell, since her very first second in this godforsaken town. And if Klaus can be convinced of that... Well, count Caroline as a believer as well.

The problem is - Klaus decided he wants to welcome the werewolves into their home by throwing a huge party. There are dozens of people downstairs getting the place ready for tonight. Caroline has no idea where he got all of that from. It's amazing how resourceful Mikaelsons can be when it comes to throwing a bash. Except it had never crossed Caroline's mind that they would be making a big thing out of this. She thought the ritual would be conducted in the middle of the Bayou and the wolves would roast a pig to celebrate it later. What Klaus is doing is a slight notch above that.

On top of all the obvious implications, she doesn't have anything to wear to her own suddenly fancy binding ceremony.

What is a person even supposed to wear to that?

Long, lacy and white, is what her mind keeps bringing up. She's deleted from her memory that this was originally supposed to be a matrimonial service because she doesn't want to see things that way, but, honestly... Klaus is not helping at all . They're hanging fairy lights all over the courtyard, for God's sake. There are flowers . If this is his way of saying he's changed his mind and wants to give her hand in marriage to Jackson after all, he needs to work on his subtlety.

Caroline blows out in frustration as she finishes flipping through the dresses in her closet. She hasn't been out shopping in forever and it shows. There's nothing even remotely appropriate for the occasion and the nicest thing she has is black. Black . Caroline used to never wear black, her closet in Mystic Falls was full of color, and now it seems like that's all she wears, all the time. Something tells her she should probably stir away from looking like she's in mourning while sealing a deal with moody wolves.

"All right. Bad news first." Caroline arches her eyebrows as Rebekah appears on the door, an apologetic little smile on her face. "I'll have to miss your ceremony. Kol has a bit of a life-and-death matter and he needs help dealing with."

Her brow bunches lightly. "Kol is supposed to be at the ceremony."

"Do not fret. He'll be there. But while he does that, there's something I have to do for him."

"Anything I can help with?"

"It's witchy stuff," Rebekah says, waving her hand dismissively.

The blow still lands. Caroline faces away, looking back at her dresses. "Right. Not my thing anymore."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't. My nerves are all over the freaking place today. I miss having a regular person's emotional control."

"Well... I have something that might cheer you up, then."

Rebekah finally steps into the room, revealing the thing she had been holding out of view: a beautiful light pink evening dress that looks like it was sewn by angels. Caroline's mouth drops as she sets eyes on it: irregular cut, gorgeous drapery work, a neckline that shows just the right amount of cleavage to be flattering, neither too revealing nor entirely PG-13. It's just... Perfect.

"What is that?" she asks once she finds her voice again. By the triumphant look on Rebekah's face, she knows her reaction is exactly what she was going for. Caroline has always been a sucker for a beautiful evening dress.

" That is your gown for tonight, of course. I thought white was a bit too much, so I had to go through my closet after something that didn't scream wedding or sexy widow . Just realized I'm thoroughly lacking on the in-between."

"That's... I don't... Rebekah, this is... Gorgeous ." Her hands are just itching to reach for the dress, but Caroline resists the urge. It's a true ball gown, and a completely spectacular one at that. She would've died for a dress like that to wear for the Miss Mystic pageant, or even prom. It just seems like a lot for tonight's ceremony. "I'm not sure... I mean, it's..." she stammers a little. "Too much."

Rebekah rolls her eyes at her, shoving the dress into Caroline's hands. It's so soft... "Are you saying that because you think it's too much or because you're afraid of what my brother will say?" Caroline clamps her mouth shut. Touché . "Right. Well, the Caroline Forbes I once knew and loathed would never forgive me if I allowed her to do this thing in skinny jeans and boots, so there."

Caroline chuckles as she holds the dress in front of her body in the mirror. "I seem to have completely forsaken cuteness and trend in the name of convenience when making my wardrobe for running for my life every other day. It's all dark and dreary colors now."

"Well, dark colors do make it rather easier to conceal the blood stains, but make for awful gowns for celebratory evenings."

"Thank God I have you as my fairy godmother. This is perfect ." Caroline puts the dress on her bed and turns back to Rebekah. "I should go rifling through your closet more often."

"Not if you value those pretty little fingers of yours," Rebekah says with a smile, showing her perfectly normal witch teeth with the same level of menace she would as a vampire. She already owns this body as though it had always been hers. Caroline doesn't know why she's so surprised.

The mood shifts then, and Rebekah's expression smooths into something softer as she takes a step closer, a sudden glimmer of tenderness in her eyes. "I just wanted to say… I know you're becoming an honorary part of the Crescents today, but you're still one of us. A Mikaelson. You always will be."

Caroline's lips curl into a genuine and affectionate smile, her chest filled with warmth for this girl who, not two years ago, was her own personal nemesis. They've really come such a long way. "That would be such a great compliment if it didn't link me to so many homicidal lunatics."

Rebekah chuckles and then turns around to leave.

"Rebekah," Caroline calls. The other woman swirls around to her by the door. "I didn't thank you for everything you did for my daughter for the past six months and... Now," she motions towards Rebekah. Despite how comfortable she seems to be in her new body, it's still not hers. She went through hell for an entire week because of Kol's little prank. And all because of Eve. "I could never repay you."

"Don't thank me, love. The months I spent with your little one were some of the best I've ever had in my entire life. It was lovely and I'm very grateful that you would trust me with the most precious thing in the world to you."

"I never doubted for a second that she'd be in good hands. That was maybe the only part about that whole mess that I was ok with. You're family."

Rebekah fixes her with a broad, open smile, warmth shimmering bright in her eyes.

"Good luck today," Rebekah says. "Look gorgeous. And have someone snap photos of Nik's sullen pout for me, please."

Caroline laughs as Rebekah leaves to go take care of her witchy business, then immediately whips around to look at her dress. Oh, the powers of the perfect gown...

Suddenly, she is conservatively excited about getting ready for this thing.

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Klaus is completely out of control.

Caroline knew he'd gotten a bit out of hand with the party preparations, but now that she's come out of her room for the first time in hours, she realizes she had no idea just how blown out of proportions the whole thing is.

She's taking a walk with Jackson to inspect the ballroom, where the ceremony will be taking place, see if everything is up to werewolf standards, and she is just as taken aback as he is, if not more. Clearly no one was expecting such a lavish event. People are hanging silky ceiling-to-floor drapes all over the place, adding a few chandeliers and flower arrangements. Chairs are being disposed to accommodate all the guests and what looks an awful lot like a makeshift altar is being set up on the mezzanine, so everyone will be able to see them.

It looks an awkward lot like someone's going to get married here.

"I so do not belong in your world," Jackson remarks as he sees people walking by with yet more fairy lights to hang outside.

"Well... This used to be my world, not gonna lie. Not anymore, though. I wasn't consulted about any of this. If I had been, I would've definitely not chosen beige as the main color on the decor. Or those chandeliers. Or - is that a wedding cake?"

"For someone who almost beat the life out of me for thinking I was going to marry you, Klaus has certainly gotten a little carried away, huh?"

"Nonsense," Klaus cuts in, stepping into the ballroom with a skip in his step, carrying a bag in his hands. Caroline's bag. The one she had been filling with her clothes as she prepared to take off just this morning. "This is exactly appropriate to meet the opulence of the evening."

"You ordered a wedding cake," she remarks drily.

"It's not a wedding cake, it's just a rather large cake. We'll have many mouths to feed."

"It's white , Klaus."

"It's elegant," he counters noncomitantly. "You see, for centuries the Mikaelsons have been throwing some of the most memorable and lavish parties New Orleans has ever seen. I can't have a celebration under my roof and let it be anything less than perfect. We have a reputation to uphold. Besides, we need a glorified show of strength tonight. This is exactly what we're having."

Caroline sighs. Even her werewolf ritual is an excuse for Klaus to flaunt his snob preferences about. It's almost like it's stronger than him. He can't control the fact she's binding herself to the Crescents, so he's going to make the event his . His home, his tastes, his standards. It's suddenly less of a Crescent thing and more of a Klaus one. How so very Mikaelson of him.

"I love parties and social gatherings and I haven't been to one in ages and yet, somehow, you make me wanna roll my eyes." She straightens her posture, frowning as she catches a whiff in the air. The familiar, tempting smell of blood fills her nostrils. Not exactly fresh, but... She doesn't have to search a lot to realize where it's coming from. "Is that blood dripping from my bag ?"

Klaus' lips crack into a wide smile. "I come bearing gifts." He tosses the bag at Jackson's feet. It falls with a thud, a rather heavy one.

Jackson glowers. "What the hell did you do?"

"A favor. I removed the heads of the wolf leaders who refused to relinquish Finn's moonlight rings."

"You did what ?!" Caroline demands, her voice going an octave higher.

Jackson blinks at him, his lips parted in an incredulous gape. "You brought me a bag of werewolf heads?"

"Well, I had hoped you'd see it as a demonstration of good faith. A ritual present, if you will," Klaus says, totally unrepentant, punctuating his sentence with a grin. "Besides, I can't have witch sympathizers in my army."

Caroline senses Jackson bristling next to her. "The wolves are not now nor will ever be your army," he fires back.

Klaus regards Jackson studiously before taking a step forward, hands clasped behind his back. "You know, you are a brave and selfless leader, Jackson. And I'm positive you'll remain so for the entire duration of your reign." Caroline's brow creases; something about the way he said that did not rub her right. Klaus shrugs nonchalantly and plows on. "I was merely doing you a favor. Now you won't have to hunt them down yourself, or deal with future uprisings and be forced to liquidate your own kind with the new shiny teeth you'll be awarded after you bond with Caroline." The emphasis comes drenched in venom, and Caroline fixes him with a pointed look. "You are welcome. By the way, I expect you will clean yourself up for the ceremony. It's a Mikaelson party, for God's sake, look the part." Klaus smiles cheekily at them as he begins to turn, motioning towards the courtyard. "Caroline, love, if I may intrude -"

"Oh, you mean this wasn't you intruding?"

"My gift for you is waiting to say hello outside."

When he turns around to leave, Caroline exchanges a contrite look with Jackson. "I'm sorry Jackson, I had no idea."

He seems thoughtful for a moment. "Am I crazy or did he just do his version of a nice thing?"

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It takes Caroline a moment too long to follow him outside, but she does, with Jackson right beside her. Klaus swallows back a grunt.

He is determined not to let jealousy get the best of him. Not yet, anyway. The little tolerance he's managed to build for the occasion out of sheer necessity will have to be saved for the actual ceremony. He's throwing them this travesty of a party with a sense of irony. The Crescents should know who they're really getting in bed with. Hint: it's not the pretty sunshine blonde.

This is his turf. His rules. His party. Not theirs. It's bad enough that he has to let it happen; it'll be over his dead body that he'll let her join forces with that swamp pet in a traditional werewolf celebration, with pig roasting and accordions.

When Caroline finally joins him in the courtyard, Elijah and Camille, carrying Eve in her arms, walk out.

Caroline's eyes bulge almost comically. She lays a hand on her chest, her jaw dropping. "You brought them here? This is insane, Klaus. Finn could be anywhere!"

"I've taken precautions," he offers soothingly. "There will be no uninvited guests at the ceremony and, after, the pack will be the first line of defense to this home. This is the safest place for her tonight." He leans over, whispering close to her ear in a silky tune. "No more running, queen."

Caroline meets his gaze, relaxing at last. She puts a hand on his arm, giving him an appreciative squeeze, a smile like sunlight breaking through her doubts as she makes a beeline to Camille. Elijah exchanges a glance with him, an approving expression on his face as he nods his head.

The sound of Eve's cheerful laughter snaps his attention back to her, their little girl bursting into giggles as Caroline takes her from Cami. He cannot help the smile that tugs at his lips, warmth rekindling in his stomach. The utter joy of seeing those two reunited once more is enough for Klaus to convince himself this is all worth it. Enduring Jackson's presence, throwing a party to celebrate something he absolutely abhors - it's the price he has to pay to have his family here, with him, in their rightful home. And anyway, everything going to plan, this torment won't last long.

Which is not to say that it isn't quite tortuous having to put up with it for the time being, of course.

Caroline walks over to the Crescent's alpha with their baby, bursting with pride. "Jack... This is Eve," she says, rocking the baby lightly. Jackson puts his hand forward and Eve wraps her tiny little fingers around his, giggling again. Everyone melts into merry-eyed laughter while Klaus gets the fire of a thousand phoenixes burning inside of him.

That's as much as he can stomach for now. While everyone rejoices, Klaus storms off. He doubts his absence will be noticed.

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Well, that was too good to be entirely honest, Elijah thinks as he watches Niklaus stomp off with a scowl on his face.

Why would his brother ever be contented with things going his way for once and everyone being safe and moderately elated if he can find fault in everything and mope around instead?

While Caroline introduces Eve to Jackson - the man who'll be ahead of the army in charge of protecting her, which makes it only natural that he should meet the little girl - Elijah follows his brother's sullen shadow up the stairs, to the study room. He finds Niklaus knocking back a glass of bourbon and immediately pouring a second one.

"I believed you were being genuine downstairs with that speech about not running," he remarks. "Almost thought you were glad that Caroline is helping Jackson take control of the wolves back from our brother in such a delicate time. And, you know... Happy to have your daughter home."

"I'm overjoyed," he replies, his tone devoid of any warmth. "I just don't fancy the idea of her attaching herself to Jackson of the boozy backwater Kenners in any way, shape or form." Niklaus chugs back another glass, then turns to Elijah, bitterness written across the downward curve of his mouth.

"It could be worse. She could be marrying him," Elijah offers by means of perspective.

Niklaus clicks his tongue in disgust. "You can't tell me this doesn't bother you as well. I know it does."

"We all have our duties to this family, Niklaus," he speaks around an exhale. "As do I, so does Caroline. This is the part she has to play to assure the safe return of your daughter to this home. She will never be happy as long as Eve has to be kept away from her, and I believe you want her happiness. So I trust you'll do nothing to dissuade her from going through with it."

Niklaus' eyes flash. "If Kol keeps his word, we shouldn't have a problem," he says, before turning away to fill his third glass.

For some reason, his demeanor offers very little reassurance to Elijah. Just to be on the safe side, he makes a point of keeping an eye on his brother for the rest of the night.

If he wasn't so genuinely concerned over the machinations in Niklaus' mind now, he would probably be glad to slide back into their usual roles: Niklaus as the temperamental, impulsive brother in need of curbing, and him as the ever-exhausted babysitter watching over him.

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Caroline puts down her brush and takes a step back to admire the final product on the full-length mirror.

Well... Not bad. Not bad at all.

She turns to one side, then to the other, her dress twirling around with a beautiful flow as she does so. The hair took her ages to get done - mainly because she would stop every two minutes to gush over every tiny impossibly adorable thing her baby did - but it was worth the effort. The high heeled Valentino's she snatched from Rebekah's closet goes seamlessly with the gown as well.

It'd been a minute since she'd dressed up like this. She almost doesn't recognize herself. Or rather, she does, but the old Caroline, the one who died at the church. The cheerleading captain, head of a dozen different school committees, before the pregnancy and Klaus and New Orleans. The Caroline who would've gladly gotten into a fist fight for a dress like this. That person feels like a lifetime ago now. These days, she spends more time roaming about the swamp or cemeteries than she does at fancy parties.

Caroline looks in the mirror and sees her old self staring back at her, shining through the layers of bloodlust and grief and violence that have surrounded her like a second skin since that awful night last spring. Her daughter's birthday. For the first time, she smiles despite the prickle of unrest that those memories bring. It's good to know she hasn't lost her touch. Caroline Forbes can still rock a ball gown, thank you very much.

It's a good thing she loves this outfit so much, because she's still not entirely comfortable with how excessive everything is outside. Klaus really did go out of his way to throw a Mikaelson approved bash . She peeked out a while back and saw some of the guests had already arrived. Everyone looks incredibly fancy. If she didn't know better, she'd think Elijah added a note about the dress code to the invitation. Even the werewolves have suited up.

It's safe to say this is nothing like she thought this ceremony would go. The more she thinks about it, the more nervous she becomes. It's completely possible that she's over fixating on the grandeur of the celebration when, in fact, it's the commitment she's about to make that has been getting her all jittery, but that's beside the point. The dress is her tranquilizer. Two years ago, Caroline would be right in her element as the center of attentions in a party like that; that's the spirit she aims to channel here.

Eve makes one of her little excited sounds and Caroline snaps out of her self-flattering moment, instantly drawn back to her daughter. This is why she can no longer be completely in touch with her old self, and why she never will, ever again. That Caroline didn't know what it was like to have her whole world narrowed down to a tiny little human being that melts her heart just by existing. She regrets nothing.

Caroline kneels down next to the comforter she threw on the carpet for Eve to play with her little toys while she got dressed, a smile as big as the world curving her lips as she watches in awe as the baby bites on the head of her favorite plush bunny.

"I still can't believe that you're here," she murmurs, laughing as Eve yelps before throwing the bunny away, only to pick it up again and go back to biting. She baked one hell of a cute baby. "Mommy has to go and do this big thing, but don't you worry," she continues, caressing Eve's head, brushing the little hair she has to the side. "Cami will be here watching you, then I'll be back to tuck you in. And then I'm not letting you out of my sight, ever again."

There's a soft knock on the door, and she turns to see Klaus there, looking as dapper as it gets in a dark suit. He even shaved and combed his hair differently for the occasion. There's absolutely nothing over the top about his attire tonight - none of the flamboyant ties or the patterned velvet jackets he fancies so much. It's just a perfectly aligned, elegant suit, with a touch of vintage on how the buttons on his jacket close. Elijah would be proud. He looks drop dead gorgeous. Suddenly Caroline doesn't feel that overdressed anymore.

She stands up, turning around so he can have a look at her dress. "So? Am I up to your Mikaelson-standard of fancy?"

The look on his face is positively reverent. "You look stunning," he replies, without a hint of affectation, the intensity in his gaze suddenly piercing.

Caroline smiles, the blood she snacked on just an hour ago rising in her cheeks as she pulls bashfully on her skirt. "When Rebekah gave this to me, I thought it would be too much, but seeing the arrangements you made downstairs and, well, you .. Maybe not."

"It's perfect," he says, stepping into the room, his eyes roaming appreciatively over her form. "Perhaps too perfect. I've got half the mind to let the Viking in me take over, hoist you up on my shoulder and carry you away before you can walk down an aisle next to Jackson bloody Kenner."

Caroline chuckles. "What was it that you said about not running anymore?"

"Caught in my own traps," he says, shaking his head in mock-dismay. "I take it back."

She walks up to him, flings her arms around his neck and places a tender kiss on his lips. "You're more nervous than I am."

Klaus locks his eyes into hers, hands closing possessively around her waist. "I told you you had to keep your eyes on the prize because that's exactly what I'm doing. This union will be hugely beneficial to our cause. To our daughter. And to our family. But don't think for a second that I'm happy about it. My compliance comes merely from understanding that, given the current state of affairs, this is a necessary evil."

Caroline huffs softly. "Evil? So dramatic..."

Klaus is quiet for a moment, a shadow crossing his face. "Before I understood what this was all about, when I still thought you would be wedded to Jackson," his voice tightens noticeably just mentioning it. "I had a conversation with Elijah and he told me I had two choices. I could either accept that you were doing this selflessly, sacrificing your freedom for a political arrangement thinking of the greater good, for our daughter, and let you go... Or I could fight for you. When you were living with the werewolves last year, I talked myself out of forcing or pressuring you into returning to our home. I decided to let you follow your heart, make your own choices and live whatever life made you happier. Even at the time I realized there was an inherent danger in my decision, seeing the enamored way Jackson's eyes glowed when you were around. But all I wanted was for you to be happy, even if it was not with me." Caroline sighs, turning her face away, but Klaus puts a hand under her chin, forcing her back. "I see now that I was wrong. I wouldn't have let you go. I couldn't. There was ever only one choice for me. I would've fought for you then. I would fight for you now. And I will fight for you for as long as eternity lasts. My love for you has no edges, Caroline. It's deeper than the ocean, as endless as the sky. I always knew you were meant for great thing, but now I know that you are a true queen. I may not like the way this is being done, but I couldn't be prouder."

Caroline's heart lurches, a warm and luminous feeling spreading through her entire being. There's a depth of emotion in Klaus' voice that she doesn't think she's ever heard before, doesn't really know how to handle. His words connect to a cord deep within her; it's everything she spent her whole life waiting to hear, the kind of feeling she always wanted to experience. It sends a tingle up her spine, fills her to burst with a sort of happiness that is hard to explain. Klaus can certainly be a lot. He has a taste for wielding his exuberance like a shield, deflecting attention from his real feelings. But then there are those other times, more intimate and precious, when he's so open and honest it almost hurts to look at him. It's in those times that Caroline realizes there was no way she could've ever not have fallen for him.

In all truth, she spent so much of her life being told that she wasn't enough - not to her father, not to the boys she fell in love with, not even to the ones she had a mild crush on - that it's sometimes still hard to understand why her. What is it that Klaus sees that no one else ever did? It's hard to grasp how a being as old as him could ever fall so deeply for someone like her, a girl from a small town who's never been anywhere, seen anything. But in Klaus' eyes, in the way he looks at her with such admiration and devotion, Caroline finds the very best bits of herself. Her courage. Her strength. An unyielding belief that there isn't a thing in this world she can't do.

She beams at him, that thousand-watts smile that lights up her whole body. Klaus' blue eyes soften, crystal clear even in the low light of her bedroom. She draws him closer still, pressing her body flush against his, feathering her fingers through the short hairs on the nape of his neck.

"Keep saying things like that and you will have no competition," she whispers against his mouth before pressing her lips to his in a deep, languorous kiss. She'll have to touch up her makeup, but who cares. The way she feels right now, Caroline will wear a smudged lipstick as a badge of honor.

After a moment, however, he pulls apart, a dimpled smile on his face. "I brought you a gift."

"No more bloody heads, please."

Klaus chuckles as he disengages from their embrace so he can retrieve a little box from his pocket. "No. This is more delicate." He opens the box, turning it to her to reveal a silver necklace with a beautiful green stone on a half-moon pendant. "In werewolf tradition, they are assigned a mineral totem when they're born, depending on the moon they're born under. I did my research. You and I were born under the same planting moon, so this is mine, and it's also yours. A moss agate. It symbolizes healing and courage. I suppose it doesn't say much about me, not anymore, but considering what you're about to do tonight, and everything you've been through, I thought it was rather fitting."

Caroline lets her fingers hover over the pendant, admiring the delicate beauty of it. "I don't know what to say. This is beautiful."

"May I?"

She turns around, holding her hair so he can put the necklace on her. She sucks in a breath when he presses closer than strictly necessary, his fingers dancing gingerly over her skin. "When you go out tonight," he whispers, "before a sea of fascinated new subjects with sheer adoration in their eyes for their new beautiful, brilliant ruler, I want you to remember that no one loves you more than I do."

She meets his gaze through the mirror as she admires the necklace. His silk voice thrums through her like energy, the gleam in his eyes striking in its vividness and beauty.

Klaus places a tender kiss on her cheek, and she turns around, not stepping an inch away, looking at him closely.

"From the very first day I met you, you have made me feel... everything for you. I went through the whole range, but it was always with a burning passion. I never knew how to be indifferent, even when I wanted nothing more than to rip off your head. And now I can't imagine my life without you." She lifts a hand, touching his cheek. "You have turned my world upside down, Klaus Mikaelson, and I swear to God I don't know what to do with you sometimes, but… Whenever I think of my life now, my future, the place where I want to be, always, where I feel safe and wanted and understood, where I am the happiest I can possibly be... It's by your side. I can't imagine ever loving anyone the way I love you." Klaus' eyes look like embers in the dim light, lips curling into a smile so genuine and adorable Caroline can't help kissing him again. When she pulls away, she keeps their foreheads together. "I am doing this to help free the wolves from your tyrannical brother, yes. But I'm also doing this for us. So that we can be together as a family, the three of us. That was my wish when I burned that polaroid we took. It's what I'll be thinking about during the ceremony."

The space between them feels open and honest, not a hint of pretense or hesitation to taint it. Klaus looks at her with soul-baring earnestness, and then he takes her mouth in a plundering kiss. It's slow and deep, devoid of his usual urgency and hunger, but possessive nonetheless. It's lust and fire, underlined by something sweeter, tender. Caroline melts into his arms, exploding with bliss and joy and, because it's impossible not do, desire when Klaus' tongue dances against her own. She lets him have her, all of her, lets him know that she is his, her soul as well as body, her eternity as well as her present.

"Hey, Caroline! Sorry I'm late, I - oh crap ," Cami exclaims, halting by the door with an embarrassed look on her face. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to -"

"It's ok," she says, pulling away from Klaus at last. Caroline sees her own contentment drawn on every line of Klaus' face and exchanges a short smile with him while she tries to fix the mess her lipstick must've made of her makeup. Good thing she didn't go with red. "We were just... Talking. You're not interrupting. Anyway, I need to get ready."

Cami gives her a once over, her lips parting in awe. "God, Caroline... You look a billion dollars."

"I think I've cleaned up well after myself, too, thank you," Klaus says as he picks up Eve in his arms, the baby fussing a little after her bunny until Klaus gives it to her.

"Fishing for compliments, Klaus?" Camille teases. "How so very beneath you."

"Well, if no one will pay me a compliment, I must do it myself. Isn't that right, littlest wolf?" He kisses the top of Eve's head before handing her over to Caroline. "Seeing as I'm clearly persona non grata, I have business to attend downstairs. If you'll excuse me."

He exchanges a final look with Caroline, his hand brushing her arm lightly before he goes. The silly smile on her face is still firmly in place.

After he leaves, Cami turns to Caroline with a cocked eyebrow. "His insecurity is kind of showing."

"Trust me, he knows he has no reason for that. I think he just can't stand that you don't like him."

"Well, maybe he shouldn't compel people to act as his personal spies at the expense of their own private lives if he doesn't want to be judged on that."

"You are absolutely right," she says. "Thank you so, so much for doing this, Cami. Again."

"Are you kidding? I would pay to watch your kid. She's adorable . Plus, it's not entirely selfless of me. I'm a little freaked out over Finn."

"Don't worry. You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you want."

Cami smiles gratefully at her, sticking out her arms to take Eve. Caroline smacks a kiss on her baby's cheek. Her heart aches already just letting go of her. Every minute she spends away from Eve feels like a waste of precious time after she was forced to pretend her daughter was dead for the first six months of her life. That's a lot of firsts she missed out on that she'll never get back. But this is for a good cause, Caroline reminds herself. It's one busy night so that she can have every other night of her life with her daughter. It'll be worth it.

"Your not-fiancé is looking hot , by the way. Just saw him downstairs," Cami remarks while Caroline fixes her makeup.

"Just tell me he's not wearing a flannel tux. Elijah's gonna have him arrested."

"Nope. Regular suit. Very on point. Are you sure you don't want to marry him?"

Caroline smiles. "Never been surer in my life. But hey - when tonight's over, Jackson will still be single," she winks at her friend, blowing a kiss at Eve before she walks out of the room.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The coughing fits are the worst.

Every time Kol coughs, he feels like he's losing a portion of his soul. It doesn't go away until his throat is raw and his mouth tastes of copper. That's by far the worst part of his human experience: the fragility. As a vampire, he never truly stopped to think about how hardworking and resilient a normal person has to be just to stay alive. The tiniest of things, a chemical imbalance, a little bump on the wrong part of their heads, and poof , they're gone.

Dying of a bad cough is such a drag. It would've been better if Finn had just staked him through the heart and gotten it over with. This way, he's decaying on the inside, going away slowly, feeling himself getting weaker and weaker by the minute. He thought he'd have at least a little bit more time, but things are not looking good for him.

At least he'll get to see Davina one last time. She's downstairs, with that vampire friend of hers, Josh. Perhaps they can make a date out of tonight yet, go down with a bang. He wouldn't mind if it was literally, in fact, but he doubts he even has enough energy left in him for that. Besides, how sad it would be for Davina to bang a dying man, with blood running down his nose? Not a memory he wants to leave her with.

There's a soft knock on the door and then Caroline sticks her blonde mane in. "Checking that you didn't bolt," she says in jest.

Kol wipes his mouth with a handkerchief and puts it away before he turns around, but by the look on her face, it must be quite obvious that he's not exactly exuding health. Sad. This body was actually quite the looker.

"Still here, sweetheart," he says, trying to sound as upbeat as he possibly can. He's looking forward to that ceremony, to be honest. He did a lot of research on it. It's exciting magic to perform. Plus, the perks are just way too good to pass. "A promise is a promise. Besides, I wouldn't miss the chance of seeing Nik witnessing your bonding moment with that wolf lad for nothing in this world."

Caroline glares as she steps into the room, offering him a glass of whiskey. "Thought you might need this."

"Thank you." He happily takes the glass from her and then sits down on his bed, letting a weary exhale out as he lifts the glass up to his lips. After he's had a sip, he finally takes her in as she stands before him, arms folded over her beautiful cleavage. She looks absolutely stunning. Nik chose well.

"Wow," he says, leering lazily. "Aren't you a sight for dying eyes?"

She grins shortly. "Thanks."

"Tell me again how my caveman of a brother ended up with a girl like you?"

"Well, he knocked me up," she says with a shrug. Kol chuckles. "Are you asking out of curiosity or because there's a certain ridiculously beautiful witch that has crawled under your skin?"

Kol's smiles turns bashful as he looks down at his glass. "That obvious, huh?"

"You Mikaelsons do not know subtlety. Piece of advice, though. Don't knock her up. 100% would not recommend getting pregnant before you're out of high school."

Kol snorts half-heartedly as he nods his head at her. It's a good advice, he just... Doesn't think he'll ever have to use it. "Noted."

His dejection must be quite glaring, though, because the mood changes in the room, from banter to glumness. Caroline drops her arms, taking a step closer to him, concern etched onto her face.

"How are you?" she asks softly.

"As ok as I'll ever be at this point. But thank you for asking."

"I'm sorry, Kol," she says earnestly. "I know we're not exactly pals, but... I really am sorry. I wish there was more I could do to help."

"Appreciate the sentiment, love." He lifts his glass in a toast to her before knocking back the rest of his drink. "Especially since it's because of my mother that you're no longer a witch. I'm only now starting to fully grasp the concept death. It's an ugly thing, isn't it? I hated it the first time, but it was a quick one. The ironic thing is I actually preferred this go-round, being a witch. No heightened emotion, no bloodlust - no offense."

Caroline shakes her head. "None taken. I know exactly what you mean. You get used to it after a while, but -"

"It's just not the same."

"No. It never is. Like there's this..."

"Hole inside of you," he finishes for her. "Nothing can quite fill it. Just this empty space, like an absence. And you try and try to make up for it, even get good at it, find something that gives you meaning, pleasure... But it's just -"

"Not the same," she says, an impossible understanding passing between the two of them.

Kol spent an entire millennium making up for his lost magic and his lack of purpose by giving in to the worst parts of his vampirism: the savagery, the heartlessness, the bloodthirst. It never really brought him any joy, but it kept him distracted. Caroline is only just starting her journey. But she's got something Kol never felt he did: a family who values and loves her, and a daughter. She's gonna be a much better vampire than he ever was, for sure. She already is. For her sake, he hopes there never comes a day when she decides to give in to the temptation of that humanity switch newbie vampires have inside of them. Bouncing back from that is a pain in the arse, can break even the purest of hearts, taint the most virtuous of souls. It's a weight she'll have to carry with her for eternity, and it never really gets any easier. Just ask Elijah... His coping mechanism is coming back to bite him a thousand years later.

He doesn't really know Caroline, which he is only now starting to realize is a shame. He knew she was witty and feisty, which has always been Kol's favorite type of people, but now he sees they also had a lot more in common than it meets the eye. Esther has put her through hell and then some and still she's come back from it, apparently stronger, more resilient. Kol can admire that. She's got a fighting spirit. He hopes she never loses it. For once, he'd like to see someone proving mother dearest just how shockingly wrong she's been all this time. The best revenge Caroline could ever take is to be happy. Live her life with her baby, with Nik, if that's what she wants - poor girl... - and never let any of that ugliness touch her heart. That's how Esther loses.

"Yeah," she says after a moment, her eyes flickering away from him, to the window. "That's exactly it."

"It was good, being just me. No higher force, no hunger telling me what to do, driving me out of my mind. I feel like I've finally gotten to know my true self. For a while, anyway."

She sits down on the bed, some distance between them. They're bonding over the tragedy of their lives - or deaths, to be more accurate - here but it's still a little awkward.

"Is that what Rebekah is trying to do? Find a way to stop the hex?"

"My little sister refuses to give up, bless her heart," he says, voice filled with pride. Rebekah has always been his favorite. He is so sorry for the prank he pulled on her now... Well, for putting her in the body of a witch locked away at the Fauline mansion anyway. Maybe he could've just given her a proper scare by having her wake up in New York or something. "I don't expect she'll manage, though. This magic is too powerful. Not even Finn could undo it, and we simply don't have enough time. At least I'll go out with a bang, officiating your wedding ceremony." He turns to Caroline, a wolfish smirk gracing his lips. " Oops . I did it again."

Caroline slits her eyes at him, but he can see she's biting back on a smile. "You almost caused a serious incident."

"I heard. Sorry about that. Nik was getting on my nerves, I had to hit him where it'd hurt. You should've seen the look on his face, though. Priceless!"

Now there is one thing Kol does not regret at all.

Caroline considers him pensively for a moment. "You know... I was there after you died the first time. Bonnie trapped your brother in Elena's living room for a whole day with a boundary spell or he would've killed everyone to avenge you. Your body was still there when I arrived. The look I saw on his face..." Her eyes become distant as she slips into her memories. "He was devastated. Heartbroken." She stops talking, silence lingering on for a beat before she blinks him back into focus. "However despicable and defenseless his methods might be, I'm pretty sure he loves you. In his own way. And I know he's heartbroken to lose you again."

Kol snorts softly, feeling e genuine ember of warmth in his chest for his brother. "Nik is a strange one, isn't he? Has a blunt way of showing affection. Almost like a thump to the head. His love is full of thorns." He pauses, looking up at her as candid as he knows how to be. "He's a changed man, though. Still a paranoid psychopath, but... For the first time in a thousand years, I can honestly say he has a beating heart, and it's in the right place. I guess we have you to thank for that."

Caroline grins sheepishly, a faint blush rising to her cheeks. "I don't think I can take that much credit."

"You're being modest, darling. I completely underestimated you when I first saw you at mother's ball, though I do commend you for the way you made Nik chase after you like a puppy after a treat. He's still doing that, to this day."

"If he knows what's good for him," she replies with a noncomitant shrug.

Kol smiles. "You are good for my brother. I'm sorry for what happened to you and your little girl. I do hope this ceremony today will help keep my niece safe."

Caroline looks at him with a sudden speculative gleam in her eyes. "Would you like to meet her?"

Kol blinks at her. "She's here?"

Caroline's smile grows into a beam, her eyes sparkling with affection for her daughter. She stands to her feet, offering a hand to him. "Come on," she says. "I'll make the introductions."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Elijah is having a lonely drink in the study room when he hears the commotion outside and realizes the ceremony must be about to start. He leaves his glass and steps out into the walkway overlooking the ballroom. Niklaus is already there, hands closed around the railing, his unflinching stare fixed on what's happening on the first floor.

Elijah stands shoulder to shoulder with his brother. Niklaus doesn't even spare him a glance. His expression is absolutely neutral, but somehow even that feels hostile. He's putting a real effort into staying that way.

All the guests have stood up and are looking towards the door, right under the both of them. The room is completely packed, there aren't even enough seats for everyone. Wolves came from all over the place, ready to pledge their allegiance to Jackson in order to take part in the ceremony. He heard from Caroline even some alphas have abdicated their positions and submitted their entire packs to the Crescents' leadership. That's quite impressive. It's an old and respected clan, but the fact they'd be willing to follow an alpha as young as Jackson says a lot about how important this moment is. They're watching history being written right before their eyes.

It's not all wolves, however. Niklaus also invited - at Caroline's request and with Jackson's consent - some vampires, as a show of good faith. Elijah sees Marcel, Joshua and Gia, a couple of others whom he recognizes as well. Davina Claire sits with them - and while everyone is obviously looking at where Caroline and Jackson are about to enter, the little witch has her eyes set on the mezzanine up front, where Kol is waiting next to Mary. Poor girl, about to have her heart broken for the millionth time before her 20th birthday.

Kol is smiling at her with a tenderness that is completely unfamiliar on his face. Elijah feels a stab of sadness for his youngest brother. He was finally turning things around for him, learning how to enjoy life away from the excesses and the mania. Kol has many faults and he's certainly caused them a lot of trouble this time around, but he was never evil. He was hurt, bitter, perhaps even somewhat misguided by their mother's intentions, but not inherently bad. Not beyond salvation, like Finn. He deserved better. Elijah spent a thousand years chasing the redemption of Niklaus' immortal soul, even when there was no evidence that he even had one still; he owed it to Kol to give him a chance, and he feels like he failed him. They all have.

He wishes there was more he could do to help. Rebekah is trying, but... So far, progress has been void. Judging by his sickly and ashen complexion, he doesn't have much time left.

Niklaus tenses when they finally spot Caroline, walking side by side with Jackson down the corridor between the rows of seats. She seems nervous, though she's as graceful as ever, head held high, a tiny grin dancing on the corner of her lips as she takes in the rows and rows filled with her soon-to-be subjects.

Elijah wonders what must be going through his brother's head right now... Regret, certainly, if not for having agreed to this, then at least for having decorated the place like the site of a wedding ceremony. It must be pins and needles to see her sauntering beside Jackson like this. Even Elijah isn't entirely comfortable; Niklaus must on the verge of a stroke.

Caroline and Jackson part ways as they each go up to the mezzanine using a side of the staircase. When they reach the top, standing before Mary and Kol, where everyone can see them, the wolf grandmother smiles affably and gesticulates to her brethren. "Please, be seated."

Caroline turns to the two of them, perhaps sensing Niklaus' piercing gaze. When she meets his eyes, she smiles, her obvious fondness for him edging her delicate features. Klaus doesn't return the gesture, but Elijah hears the skip in his heart, some of that excessive tension bleeding out of him.

Then Mary starts speaking, and Caroline's attention turns back to the ritual.

"We gather here together as a community seeking peace, inspired by the union of these two before you. There was a time when werewolves saw themselves not as cursed, but as blessed with a connection to our most pure selves. And tonight, we honor that blessing with the long-awaited unification of two Crescent bloodlines." Mary puts Jackson and Caroline's hands together, binding their wrists with a ribbon. When she does that, Kol puts his hands forth, closes his eyes and starts chanting. Caroline noticeably tenses up.

"In doing so, we choose to embrace Caroline's vampire nature," Mary continues. "With this union, Caroline will share her unique gifts with the pack." She gives both of them a candle to hold with their joined hands. "Caroline, do you pledge to honor and defend Jackson and his, to be loyal and, for as long as you both shall live, be a part of his family?"

"I d-" Caroline stops herself, scrunching up her nose. "Yes," she hurries to correct, her cheeks burning crimson with embarrassment. "Can I say yes?" Jackson chuckles while Mary nods. "Yes," she repeats one more time, glancing quickly at Klaus.

Elijah notices his brother's eyes have darkened, his knuckles white against the railing. His breath hitches, and then he released it with a loud sigh.

"Jackson," Mary continues. "Do you welcome Caroline into your pack, pledge to honor and defend her and hers, to be loyal and, for as long as you both shall live, be a part of her family?"

Jackson cracks an amused little smile before he says, "Yes." Caroline bites on her lower lip trying to hold back the giggles, shaking her head.

Elijah smiles to himself as Niklaus' lips thin into a tight line as he watches.

Mary motions for them to light up a big candle that's been placed before them, together. The flame burns high and bright, getting a collective gasp out of the audience, before it returns to normal.

Kol sighs, putting his hands down. "It's done," he says, his face paler than normal, sweat dripping from his forehead. He looks like he's about to faint. Elijah resists the urge to go to his brother, afraid to disrupt the ritual before it's wrapped up.

"Well, you two have endured all of the trials. Now there's only one thing left to do," Mary says.

"You have to kiss," Kol adds, smirking wolfishly.

Caroline's eyes widen as she looks from Kol to Mary and then Jackson. "What?"

Mary shakes her head, casting a look at Kol. "You only need to touch to seal the ritual, doesn't have to be a kiss. An embrace will do."

Caroline glares at Kol while he rolls his eyes. "Come on, grams. Must you ruin the fun? Are you seeing that?" he points a finger towards Niklaus, with a dark murderous look on his face that could set this whole place on fire.

"Just go ahead," Mary says, motioning for them to do it.

As Jackson and Caroline wrap their arms around each other in a warm hug, Niklaus averts his gaze. If Elijah knows his brother at all, he must have jealousy and chagrin permeating every inch of his being right about now, verging dangerously on rage. He cannot deny that it is a little bit entertaining to see him so grim over the fact. There was once a time when Elijah thought Niklaus would never care about anything or anyone other than himself and his own selfish ambitions. That's still an issue, but not exclusively. To see him wearing such an expression of emotion is... Refreshing, to be perfectly honest. Relieving. Well, obviously because Caroline is not really getting married to someone else. If she were, then it would heartbreaking. As it is, Niklaus is merely experiencing the beauty of human feelings. Of loving someone so much you cannot bear the thought of letting them go.

Even from a distance, Elijah can see, when Caroline and Jackson pull away, that their eyes are glowing like golden embers. There's a ripple of excitement running through the crowd, and when he looks down, he sees that all the werewolves' eyes are sparkling.

"It worked," Caroline breathes out, almost in disbelief. "We did it!" she says, hugging Jackson once more. He lifts her, spins her around, and that's as much as Niklaus can endure. He turns on his heels and stomps off. Elijah lingers for a while longer as the werewolves celebrate, the vampires looking mildly uncomfortable, and Kol disappears from sight. Then he follows Klaus.

He finds his brother looking out over the courtyard, that has been prepared for quite the bash following the ceremony. In just a bit, the guests will start relocating here. For now, however, it's just the two of them. And the darkened look on Niklaus' face does not sit well with him.

"I know that look," he says as he joins him. "I've seen it all too often. What are you planning?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

"You just watched the woman you love commit herself for life to Jackson Kenner, in our home, solidifying his rule over the wolves you yourself once sought to control. Talk to me, Niklaus."

He purses his lips, tilting his head. "Jackson isn't exactly fit to lead an army tasked with protecting my daughter. His reign will be short-lived."

Elijah's brow furrows as it dawns on him what, exactly, his brother is saying. The cruelty of Niklaus' suggestion strikes him cold. He wasn't quite prepared for this. All this time he thought his brother was being mature and cooperative while he had been plotting all along. It's so quintessentially Niklaus Elijah feels foolish all of a sudden for not having expected it. This silly penchant of his to always hope for the best where the best rarely ever comes from...

"You know, I've learned to expect the absolute worst of you, Niklaus, but I still somehow find myself astonished by your complete lack of empathy," he says, not hiding the disapproval in his tone. "Is that why you were so keen on throwing this party? So the wolves would believe they have your support, and later wouldn't suspect you when their leader ends up mysteriously murdered." Klaus glowers, his lips drawing into a childish, displeased turn, like Elijah is being unreasonable . "You can't honestly believe I would allow you to harm Jackson."

"He's not one of us, Elijah," he snaps. "He's mortal. And mortals, as frail as they are, have a pesky tendency to perish."

He attempts to walk away, but Elijah grabs a hold of his arm. "What are you doing?"

"Confide in me, brother," he says, unrepentant, shrugging him off. "How does it feel when you see the way he looks at Caroline? I know how I feel. I imagine you don't fancy it much yourself."

"Niklaus, I am warning you."

"Face the facts. She is one of us. Our family. The mother of my child, your niece. You heard that woman's words. For her to be bound forever to Jackson Kenner as family, we would have to be, too. And that is just not happening. Admit it, brother. You want him dead as much as I do."

Niklaus' eyes flash with wickedness as he turns away and disappears into the house. Elijah is left speechless. That is too cold, even for Klaus. How can he watch what he just watched, see Caroline's joy as she hugged a friend , so proud that their plan worked. Happy not because of her ties to Jackson, but because the ritual's success allows her to have her family reunited under their roof - Niklaus and their child, together. How he can see that and still think such dreadfulness? Convince himself that the right thing to is to eliminate Jackson?

Elijah recalls the conversation he had with Caroline when she confided in him about the ritual, back at the safe house. She said Niklaus was losing his mind to paranoia, that he wasn't stable . Elijah thought she'd been exaggerating, then. Surely there was enough reason for Klaus' temper to be flaring out of control, what with Esther and Finn tormenting their lives and threatening Eve. But he sees now that she was, once again, right, observing something in his brother's behavior that not even he had. He is not getting better; he is only getting worse.

Niklaus is losing it, and if allowed to continued down that path...

Things will end in tears for a lot of people, not just Jackson.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Klaus lets out a deep, tired exhale when he feels the burn of his brother's judgement drilling holes on his back. Elijah just doesn't know how to let things go.

In truth, it was foolish of him to share his honest thoughts with his brother. He believed, after everything Elijah's been through lately, from psychological torture to blowing himself up with a house, that he of all people would understand the need for drastic measures in order to guarantee their family's safety. Apparently, however, Klaus underestimated Elijah's soft-heartedness.

"Are you to be my chaperone the entire evening, brother?" he asks moodily, not turning around from where he is, out on his balcony, watching as a wedding parade marches underneath their window. There's one every other day. Klaus doesn't mind these things much, but today he is feeling particularly testy about weddings. Maybe he should go snack on the bride and groom, just to work out some of that tension.

"Chaperone, steward, baby-sitter, whichever term tickles your fancy most," Elijah says. "You are welcome to indulge in whomever and whatever you please, I would only ask you to refrain from any homicidal behavior. We have a jolly occasion here, wouldn't want you to ruin the mood for everyone."

Well, if anyone is having the mood ruined , that's him.

"Just one day back and already you've more than fulfilled your quota for irritating brotherly conduct," Klaus grumbles as he goes back inside his bedroom, in search of a drink. This family makes him an alcoholic.

"Let me make myself quite clear, Niklaus," Elijah says in a stern voice. "So long as Jackson brings and his wolves stay loyal to keeping Caroline and my niece protected, you are not to go near him."

"It's amusing, listening to you defending the man who would have married the woman I love and is, no doubt, only too glad to have bound himself to her. But then you've always coveted that which is not yours to have, so perhaps you can relate," he shoots back, snapping fire.

Elijah's lips twist in disgust. "Listen to yourself, fueled by your delusions of persecution again. Think , Niklaus. If you kill Jackson, the wolves will descend into chaos, and I believe it goes without saying that Caroline won't ever forgive you. You are acting out of fear, terrified that their proximity might cause her to develop feelings for him. That he might be a father figure to your daughter, and a better one than yourself."

"Do not bring the child into this," Klaus admonishes through grit teeth, his voice pitched grave and dangerous.

"Your child arrived here today, her security strengthened by those wolves that would defend her as one of their own, and you would jeopardize that alliance out of blind jealousy? Niklaus, you yourself even mentioned, had you been raised by Ansel you might have been a better man. Now, perhaps, a better man has entered Eve's life. And seeing that, you are so shaken to your core you're not thinking straight. Instead of making yourself into a man worthy of your daughter's admiration, you would rather give in to the most despicable of your instincts. Don't you see how that is exactly how you are going to push Caroline away?"

"You have the audacity to analyze me?" Klaus barks furiously at his brother, anger flaring hot in his guts. "That's ambitions, considering your psychological deficiencies. How was your time with my therapist, by the way? Was it helpful? Because it was a great risk leaving you alone with her. These days, who knows what you might do?"

Elijah's eyes flash, his jaw clenching. "I have stood by you and I have defended you for as long as I can recall," he says darkly. "But in the name of your daughter and her mother, I will not allow you to commit this evil. Attack Jackson, and you will have to deal with me."

Elijah stares him down, turns on his heels and strides out of his bedroom.

Klaus lets out a disgruntled grunt, scrubbing a hand across his face. Like he needed any more reason to be in a mood this evening.

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Klaus is washing out the sharper edges of his souring mood with alcohol when he catches the sound of his daughter's little whining over the laughter and the music filtering in from the party downstairs.

He puts down his drink and heads over to the nursery, poking his head inside. Camille has Eve in her arms and is gently rocking her back and forth as she stares out the window.

"I heard her crying," he says softly, not wanting to spook her or the child.

"Oh, it's nothing. She must be teething. Just wanted something to bite on," she replies, fixing the bunny Eve is currently trying to rip apart with her tiny mouth. Klaus can certainly relate. Apparently, his daughter took after him a lot more than he thought. "Is the ceremony over?" He nods his head once. "Did it work?"

"Yes," he says around a sigh. "All's gone according to plan."

"That's great," Camille says pleasantly before she realizes he doesn't exactly share her enthusiasm. "Isn't it?"

Klaus steps into the room, averting her gaze. "I know you don't like me very much, Camille, and I will concede that you have every reason not to, however... I wonder if I might ask you something?"

"Sure."

He's quiet for a moment, lifting his eyes to his daughter. So perfect, so blissfully oblivious of the horrors that surround her. Including her own family, starting with her father. It's hard to believe that he could be the architect of something as pure as that child. But he might yet come to mar her, as he does everything else he touches, bringing ruin and suffering to those he cares about most. Like her mother.

Would Caroline be happier without him? Would Eve? Elijah's words rattle away inside of him, no matter how hard he tries to chalk it up to his brother being purposefully spiteful. He cannot help but feel there is a kernel of truth in what he said. And perhaps Klaus has known it all along.

"Do you think I'll ever make a good father?" he asks in a small, strained voice. "Or will Eve be better off without me in her life? Will my presence cause her to be as damaged as I was by Mikael?"

The creases on Camille's expression deepen further for a moment in confusion before they smooth into something softer. "I can't answer you that," she replies, and Klaus lets out a mirthless huff of a laughter. A question that Camille does not have an answer to must be a conundrum for the ages, indeed. But then she keeps going. "The only person who can is you. It's your actions that are going to dictate the kind of influence you'll have over her. If you're worried about it, the simplest way to solve it is... Don't do to her what Mikael did to you. Do better. History doesn't have to repeat itself. Be to her the father that you wished you had. But, honestly... The fact it concerns you at all is probably a good start."

She offers him a sympathetic smile. Her answer doesn't provide him with the solutions or the relief he was searching for, but he nods his head in gratefulness nonetheless.

"You know... It wasn't all selfish scheming, when we had our sessions ," he tells her. "I genuinely appreciated your company, even if I had a poor way of showing it. I'm sorry for all the harm I've caused you, Camille."

She arches both her eyebrows at him, taken aback. "Wow. Who are you and what have you done to Klaus?"

His lips curl into as diffident a smile as he knows how to. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter."

"She's pretty low-maintenance, actually. She's just been smiling and looking around. I think she really likes it here." Camille pauses, looking back at him with a question in her eyes. "Do you wanna hold her?" Yes , Klaus thinks, but he hesitates. Camille walks over to him, leaning Eve into his arms until he takes her. She settles easily into him, her curious little hands grabbing at his lapel.

"I know this all must be pretty overwhelming, but some advice I learned from development psych," Camille says. "Happy mom, happy dad, happy baby."

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How can Niklaus be so disgruntled and heartless when Caroline is so clearly happy? His selfishness knows no limits. If he's not the thing that makes her happy, then he wants to destroy anything that does, eliminate the competition.

Well, this time, at least, he shall not. Elijah will make sure of that.

Jackson Kenner is hardly his favorite person and he has no warm feelings for werewolves, but they are here to protect Eve. So long as they do it, they're allies, not enemies. His family is in terrible need of those. Elijah will not allow Niklaus' ridiculous bout of insecurity to ruin it.

He clears his throat as he approaches Caroline, who's having a laugh with Jackson and some of the wolves. The men become visibly tense when they notice him, but he merely grins amicably. "May I?"

Caroline beams, taking his offered hand and joining him on the dance floor, where a few other pairs are swaying to a gentle tune. Elijah notices one of those are Josh and Aiden. Huh. How had he missed that before?

"It seems I'm in high demand tonight," Caroline says. "Never run out of dance partners. A girl can get used to that kind of attention."

"I'm sure that's no novelty to you."

She snorts. "You'd be surprised." Elijah cocks her a skeptical eyebrow. "I grew up with Elena Gilbert. You've met her."

He would like to say that, while Elena was certainly a lovely young woman, he can't see how she could've overshined Caroline that much, but the truth... Well, he's guilty of having noticed nothing but Elena while he was in Mystic Falls. He blames it on the doppelganger factor, seeing someone else wearing Katerina's face with such earnest and pure emotions. It was never a problem for Niklaus, though. He saw Caroline and no one else. He was right, of course. In any case, he does not wish to delve any deeper into mattes long behind. Tonight is about the future, not dwelling in past resentments.

"You look beautiful," he says.

Caroline grins. "Courtesy of your sister. I was gonna do this in jeans and boots."

"How do you feel? Any difference?"

"It's strange. I don't know, it's like... I have these goosebumps that I can't shake off. I feel like I can pretty much do anything right now. Is it weird that I kind of want to climb the walls in heels and then jump from the roof just because I can? I wonder if this is how werewolves feel all the time."

Elijah smiles at the juvenile kind of amusement in her voice, her eyes sparkling with renewed excitement. Caroline is... Resplendent. He doubts that's the werewolf magic, though. She's simply happy.

"What you did here today... It'll go down in werewolf folklore. It'll be remembered, forever. No Crescent wolf will ever have to turn on a full moon again, all because of you."

"It sounds a lot bigger when you say it like that."

"It's tremendous. You should be proud of yourself, Caroline. What you did - chasing after this yourself - is truly remarkable."

Caroline lifts her eyes to him, her whole face lit up with joy. "Thank you. Let's hope it works out for the best."

They focus on the dancing for a bit, picking up the pace as they move around the room, before she speaks again. "How about you? Are you ok?"

Elijah's smile becomes slightly more strained. "Getting better."

"How was it with Cami?"

"She's an interesting young lady. Incredibly persuasive. Has ways of getting what she wants out of people."

"She's also really smart. And kind. And pretty. And single."

"Caroline..."

"What? I'm just saying." Elijah fixes her with a look and leaves it at that. "What about Gia, then?" He sighs. "Your little padawan has been casting longing looks your way all night, in case you haven't noticed. And she looks hot, too." Caroline turns her face towards where the vampires are, all gathered together in a corner, obviously overwhelmed by the massive juiced-up werewolf presence. He casts a quick glance at them, confirming that, indeed, Gia is looking their way. It did not go unnoticed that she looks rather ravishing this evening, but he decides not to mention that to Caroline. Already she is getting ideas he doesn't want to indulge. "Tight dress, nice hairdo -"

Elijah spins her around in a complicated way, releasing her arm and then catching it back and spinning her back towards him before he pulls her close and bends her back. She laughs as she straightens up once more.

"Where did you pick up those moves?!"

He cocks his head, shrugging nonchalantly. "I have a few cards under my sleeve as well."

"Was that your way of shutting me up? Because it was really good. Totally worked."

"Ladies and gentleman, may I have your attention, please." They snap their heads around to see Klaus walking down the stairs. With Eve. The smile drops from Caroline's face and she seems concerned, probably wasn't planning on introducing their daughter to all the werewolves tonight. But, as always, Niklaus will do whatever Niklaus wants. "Caroline, if you would join me, I'd like to propose a toast."

She exchanges a glance with Elijah before she walks up to Klaus, taking the baby in her arms but standing beside him. Niklaus picks up a champagne flute from one of the waiters and signals for the music to stop. When he's certain he's got the attention of every one of their guests, he continues, a proud smile on his face.

"I want to welcome you all. As you know, last spring, Caroline and I had a daughter. Due to tragic circumstance, she was lost. Now she has returned home. Her name is Eve." Shock passes through the crowd, a hush descending upon the courtyard. "She will live here among you, her pack, her new family. We implore you, protect our daughter. Teach her, love her as one of your own." Niklaus' eyes stop pointedly on Jackson. The Crescents' alpha nods his head solemnly.

His brother lifts his glass in the air. "Welcome to the family, mate," he says, in a lower tone, to Jackson, and then, turning back to the crowd, "To Jackson and Caroline!"

All around him, people raise their glasses and repeat his words before drinking. Elijah narrows his eyes at him, but Niklaus merely ignores him, turning to speak to Caroline.

For everyone's sake, Elijah hopes this isn't just an act, but rather Niklaus falling into his senses, for once.

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Klaus has just about had it with Elijah when his brother decides to come bother him while he's watching his daughter. Camille has left and Caroline is still a sought-after commodity down amongst her new subjects - much to his chagrin - so the task was left to him. Not that he's complaining. Eve is the only thing bringing him any peace under his roof right now.

Is nothing sacred anymore?

"Must you intrude in every moment?" he grumbles, keeping his voice low not to wake the baby.

"I'm not here to quarrel, brother," he says, urgency written across his features.

"It's Kol," Rebekah says, materializing behind her. If Elijah seems concerned, she's quite clearly distressed. "I couldn't find a way to help him. I don't think he's gonna last the night."

Klaus exhales, aggravated, leaving his gripe with Elijah on the back burner, his face twisting with worry. What a night for Kol to succumb... Performing the ceremony must've weakened him further. That was quite old, powerful magic, the type that take a physical toll. But he held on bravely, fulfilled his promise.

They must go to him.

"I'll tell Caroline we're leaving," he says, leaving Elijah and Rebekah watching Eve while he goes to find her mother.

He was counting the minutes for tonight to be over so he could at last have some quality time with his family, remind himself why they're doing all this to begin with - and, more importantly, that honorary Crescent or not, Caroline is still very much his. But it seems like the evening will be a rather long one, and far more dismal than he'd anticipated...

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They hear the music as soon as they cross into the cemetery. It's an old 1940s tune, not exactly Kol's style, if Elijah remembers anything about his brother's preferences. Kol was always ahead of his time, be it with magic, art, music... The first thing he put his hands on when he woke up in Mystic Falls was an iPod. Wanted to know what kids these days had been listening to.

They understand the soundtrack when they turn a corner and come across a rather poignant, heartbreaking scene.

He's dancing with Davina Claire right outside Kol's secret lair, the witch's eyes bright with tears. That girl always had an old soul, much too serious for someone so young. Then again, being forsaken by your family and forced to mature when you're but a child with the weight of the world on your shoulders will do that to a person.

It's an unexpected pair, Kol and Davina, but seeing the two of them together now, Elijah begins to understand. Davina grounds him, gives him perspective, while he offers her the freedom of the unexpected, brings her out of her cage with his spontaneity. It makes sense that they'd be drawn to one another. Which makes this all the sadder.

Elijah cannot recall a single time in history where Kol seemed to genuinely care about another person beyond how much they could offer or how entertained they made him. Just as he finally found a flicker of affection to nurture...

He holds back Niklaus as he tries to go to their brother, only a look passing between them as he shakes his head. Give him time , he's saying. Let them have this . For once, Klaus does not argue. If anyone can currently understand how precious moments like these are, it's him, after all. So the three of them stay back, turning away to offer the two of them privacy, waiting for the right moment to intrude.

"I know that we're in a cemetery and that I'm terminal..." Kol speaks after a long while, his voice rough and shaky around the edges. "But you've got to admit, the stars are lovely."

"How can you joke right now?" Davina asks, her speech thick with emotion.

"I'm not. Under these same stars, there's... Some guy. Somewhere. And he's with his girl and he's got all the time in the world, and he's right. And I hate him."

There's a pause, and then Kol starts coughing. The three of them straighten up, exchanging looks.

"Are you ok?" Davina asks.

"Yeah..." Kol replies, barely above a whisper now. "I think I want to be alone for this bit."

Well, that's their cue, then.

Elijah steps out first. "I'm afraid that's not an option." Kol looks up at him with wide eyes, his face stricken with surprise.

"Always and forever is not just something you weasel out of, brother," Niklaus adds with as soft a grin as he can sport.

"We're not leaving you," Rebekah finishes.

A grateful smile graces Kol's pale, tired features. This will be a terribly sad night for all of them, but at least they'll be together, as they should, and Kol will pass away knowing that, however dysfunctional his family might be, they so love him.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Death is an ugly affair. But Kol faced it with far more dignity than most.

He was in pain, cold, hopeless... And yet he was not sad. He was not scared. "All my life, all I ever wanted was you lot to care about me," he told them, finding it in him to smile in such a moment.

They couldn't help him, barely had enough time to try and save him, but at least now he knows. He laid in his sister's arms, with both his brothers holding his hands, surrounded by that always and forever he felt so left out of. And when Rebekah fulfills her promise to him - to bring him back - everything will be different.

Klaus' return to the compound is slow. Rebekah and Elijah stayed behind to take care of arrangements for the funeral, while he went home to check that everything was all right, but he felt... empty. Wrecked by such a deep-rooted sadness he didn't know how to handle.

Grief... That's another ugly thing.

It's ironic how Klaus was ready to kill Kol himself not long ago, when he was working with Esther against them, and now feels so terribly stricken by his loss.

Tonight should be a good night, the first night of his daughter at home, with her parents. And yet, all he's got is this overwhelming gloom.

There are two werewolves standing guard outside the compound when he finally arrives, another group talking and drinking in the courtyard. They nod at him, a bit strained, but respectful nonetheless. Other than them, the place looks completely deserted. The party is over, everyone's gone. His home is a mess, but he can't even berate anyone for it. It was his idea, after all. He'll need to hire people to clean this up first thing tomorrow, have all the evidence of this wretched evening gone as soon as possible.

He makes his way to the second floor, going straight to Caroline's room. He finds her in the nursery, swaying lightly on the rocking chair as she watches Eve asleep in her crib. She looks so serene, so at peace, her cobalt eyes alight even under the weak glow of the lamp, filled with an impossible warmth as she gazes lovingly at their daughter, almost in disbelief. He understands the feeling perfectly. It hasn't really sunk in yet for him that she's home at last, and how much that changes... Well, everything.

For the first time this evening, Klaus feels a measure of comfort, the tightness in his chest dissipating slightly. When Caroline meets his eyes, however, concern breaks through her peace, and Klaus almost regrets intruding the moment.

Quietly, she stands up and pulls him outside with her, leaving the door a crack open as they shuffle further away not to disturb their daughter. Caroline looks up at him with a question in her eyes, and when Klaus' head dips, his jaw clenching tightly against the pain, she wraps her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry," she murmurs.

Klaus shuts his eyes, breathing her in. Quiet steadiness surrounds them for a beat, and Klaus allows himself to find solace in Caroline's embrace, in the even sound of his daughter's breath as she sleeps. They stay like this for a moment longer before he pulls gently away.

"Just as it seemed as though Kol and I were finally starting to see eye to eye, after a thousand years of trying and failing... No matter. There will be time for it still. Rebekah's made him a promise to bring him back, and I know she'll keep her word."

"Well, in this city - in this family ... Anything is possible. I really hope she can."

"Where's Jackson?"

"He went home. Everyone's left already. A couple of wolves stayed back to watch the perimeter; you must have seen them downstairs. Why?"

In a sudden whim, Klaus takes off his coat and the scarf he was wearing, then his jacket, and leaves it all on top of a chair before he turns back to Caroline. "Well, now that your furry subjects have retired back to the Bayou, perhaps I might have a dance?" he asks, slackening his tie around his neck.

Caroline frowns, huffing out a confused chuckle. "What, you didn't want to ask me to dance in front of the wolves?"

"Considering they have no love for me, I thought it was probably not the best idea to rub it in their noses who would get their magnificent queen at the end of the night."

Caroline shakes her head, but her lips curve into a luminous smile. "Cocky. But also, probably, smart. Just, we don't have music anymore, Romeo."

Klaus fumbles with his phone and a low tune starts to play. The quality is far from ideal, but they can't be blasting music loudly anyway with the baby asleep in the next room.

He puts his phone down and offers a hand to her. He spins Caroline once before they settle into an easy sway, cheek to cheek. She places a hand on his shoulder and the other joins his, while he puts his free one in the small of her back. They mold into each other quite easily, like they were made for this closeness, like their bodies know exactly how to fit together. For the first time all night, Klaus feels at peace. It's a spell of calmness, of stillness, before the storm strikes again. He knows it won't last - it never does - which is precisely why every second is precious.

He recalls Kol and Davina at the cemetery, regretting not having enough time. He's the man Kol hates, the one with his girl and all of eternity ahead of them. He knows what Kol was feeling, the maddening sensation of having something so rare, something you love with every part of your being, even the broken ones, the parts you thought incapable of feeling again, taken away from you. But Klaus got it back. He had the second chance he can only hope his younger brother might come to have as well one day. It made him realize how lucky he is. For Kol, he will dance with his girl and make every second count.

When Caroline turns her face to look at him, she has a radiant, thousand-suns smile from ear to ear on her face. Even though she's had a most tiresome day after a night where she barely slept, she is glowing.

"You're happy," he notes quietly.

Her smile falters. "I'm sorry. I know Kol just passed away, I shouldn't -"

"No," he interrupts her. "Don't apologize. I'm glad. I would give everything I own to make sure that sparkle never vanishes from your eyes."

"It's just... It's been some really crazy, shitty months. But today we almost got it all. We completed that impossibly complicated ritual, which was a long shot, but it worked. All the wolves are now free from Finn, Jackson gets his pack back and I got some new cool super powers. Eve is here, which I can hardly believe is true. And I also got to keep the guy." Caroline flings both her arms behind his neck, her fingers threading through his hair. It sends a delicious tingle spreading through Klaus' skin, and he wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her closer still, their foreheads touching. "I wish Kol had had more time, and I'm sorry that you had to say goodbye to him tonight, because today should've felt like winning. I know tomorrow is a different story and my optimism could come back to bite me in the ass, but... I just want to enjoy this moment."

Klaus smiles, his chest bursting with an impossible affection for that woman. She is pure magic still, even if she's no longer a witch, making their night feel so ordinarily domestic and simple when life is anything but. "Then enjoy it, love," he says softly. "This moment is all yours."

Caroline presses her lips to his - once, twice - and then peppers feather-like kisses on his jaw before she nestles her head on his shoulder, burying her nose in the curve of his neck. She touches her lips to the point under his ear he knows is where she can feel the strong rush of his pulse. Does she know it's all for her? That his heart beats for her and her alone?

Klaus kisses her forehead and then closes his own eyes as they continue to move together, the knots in his chest coming undone one gentle sway at a time.

TBC

---

So! Hope you guys weren't disappointed by the dreaded wedding chapter. lol I have a dream that one day I will wake up and find out that this has been officially declared canon and Caroline was in TO all along. lol

The lyrics at the beginning of the chapter are from the song I have in my mind for that last scene between Klaus and Caroline. Oceans by Seafret. It's not necessary, but I do highly recommend that you check out the song because I think it adds a real nice touch to that last scene (also, it's a great song).

If you've made it this far - THANK YOU! - and if you have enjoyed the story, please leave me some kudos. :)

Thank you so much to anyone who has read it this far! ❤