Hello, my lovely readers. Welcome to Past I of my little ode to Valentine's with romance, friend-mance and a lot of mishaps in between. On with the show…

Chapter 6: Ten Ways to Say I Love You: Part I

Hayley

"Would you move your blasted feet off my bed?" Blue eyes flashing fire, the blonde in the hospital bed glowered at her older brother and Hayley found herself smiling. This was the family she would be a part of. Soon. Soon-ish. She and Elijah hadn't really discussed when they would be getting married. There were so many things to take care of before the wedding.

"Hey!" Caroline chirped, entering the room. "How is my favorite patient?" she cooed at Rebekah who glared back.

"I demand that you release me!" Rebekah snarled.

"Not until we're sure you're alright," Klaus replied as he flipped his feet off the bed. Getting up, he pressed a kiss to Bekah's forehead. "Keep me posted on this one's condition." He pointed at Rebekah before moving to kiss his wife on the lips and then left them alone.

"Okay. He's gone," Caroline said. "Hayley, you can continue." She tugged a machine across the room and picked up a bottle of jelly, giving it a good shake before turning to Rebekah. "Lift your shirt."

"No!" Rebekah folded her arms over her chest.

Hayley sat down on the bed beside Rebekah. "Let's see. I was thinking something small. Just family –"

"It can't just be family!" Caroline cried, her eyes widening. "What about Josh!"

"Josh can have his own engagement party however he likes," Rebekah retorted with a snort. She glared at Caroline when Caroline tried to push Rebekah's hands out of the way.

"Do they have cake at these things?" Hayley mused. "I do like cake…"

"You should have a cake," Caroline replied while she and Rebekah batted at each other, each trying to win control of Rebekah's apparel.

"Oh, hi, Marcel!" Hayley called, glancing over her shoulder.

"What?" Rebekah cried out. Caroline grinned and jerked Rebekah's shirt up, pouring jelly on Rebekah's bare stomach. "Traitor!" Rebekah snarled at Hayley. Her eyes burned into Hayley's.

"Look, Bekah, if you have an ulcer from all of the stress, it's better to know now, rather than puking up blood all over the place in an OR months from now," Hayley advised. "Here. Take my hand. And tell me what kind of cake you like the best."

"It's not my bloody party," Rebekah grumbled. Her eyes traveled to the monitor as Caroline moved the apparatus above Rebekah's stomach. Hayley watched the lack of damage to Rebekah's stomach. That ruled out one possibility which left them to deal with another hundred.

"I was probably just dehydrated." Rebekah watched the monitor with skepticism. "I haven't been feeling unwell of late."

"Or you were too busy to pay attention to your symptoms," Caroline retorted. "Hayley, I love red velvet."

"Maybe cupcakes," Hayley said, still watching the monitor. "That way were can have a variety and people won't complain as much."

Now Rebekah's head turned. "Who cares what other people want. It's your blasted party. Do as you please."

The conversation stopped as a sound filled the room. A steady beat. "Oh," Caroline sighed. "Looks like we found the culprit." Hayley and Rebekah's attention went to the monitor. Hand going outward, Hayley felt rather than saw Rebekah's hand shoot up to take her best friend's. "You're pregnant," Caroline said.

"Obviously." Rebekah's voice came out choked and she placed her free hand over her eyes. A tiny whimper came out and Caroline removed the apparatus. "Oh, bloody hell," Rebekah muttered, blowing out a breath of air.

Hayley looked around. "Tissues?"

Caroline picked one up and held it outward. Rebekah reached out, waving her hand, apparently blind from the tears. "Bloody hell," she cried. Hayley snatched out a wad of tissues and pressed them into her friend's hand. "Here."

For a long moment they were all quiet. "You should think about music," Rebekah finally got out. "Bad music could make all the guests leave early. Which could be ideal."

Letting out a surprised laugh, Hayley wrapped her free arm around Rebekah. She felt her friend press her nose into her neck. "It's okay, Bekah."

"Welcome to the family," Rebekah muttered, letting out a quiet laugh.

Hayley nodded. She's worried about the party later. Right now, she needed to take care of her friend.

~0~

Caroline

"I assume everything is alright with Rebekah," Klaus called from the living room. Caroline could hear him as she lit the last of the candles. She hurried into the bathroom to fluff her curls and took a passing glance at her red negligee.

"She'll be fine. She's just a little…tired." Caroline called as she made her way down the stairs.

"Love, you are a terrible liar," Klaus called back.

Caroline found he was no longer in the living room. She thought he sounded like he was in the kitchen and she followed the sound of his voice. "Tell me it isn't something embarrassing. I do not need to know about my sister's yeast infection or some other type of nonsense. However, if it something serious; I have a right to know…" Klaus' head popped out from behind the open refrigerator door.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Caroline replied, placing her hands on her hips and posed. She watched as her husband closed the door with his foot and leaned against the fridge, his eyes roving over her outfit.

"It's not Valentine's until next week, Caroline," Klaus replied with a little smirk.

Caroline nodded before crossing the space between them and slipping her arms around his neck. "I know. Call this a preview of things to come." Her eyelids lowered and she leaned upward to press her lips to his. Klaus' hands slid downward, grabbing her ass and then wrapping around her thighs, hiking her legs around his waist.

"Bedroom," Caroline moaned, feeling how much Klaus was ready to celebrate.

"Right." Klaus carried her through the living and up the stairs. He paused in the doorway. "I see Cupid threw up in here."

"Thanks." Caroline rolled her eyes and giggled as he carried her over to the rose petal strewn bed and laid her down. "Klaus," she whispered as Klaus' lips moved from her lips to her collarbone.

"Yes, darling?" Klaus murmured as his fingers slid inside the tops of her stockings and he massaged the skin underneath before moving downward to kiss thighs and undo her garter belt.

"I was thinking…" Caroline said, trying to concentrate on her words as they came out and not Klaus' hands as they made their way inside her bra. Her eyes rolled backward and she gasped.

Klaus eased upward to look into her eyes as he reached down to undo his pants and Caroline's hands moved down to help him get them off. "If this is about the honeymoon, I promise you, I am working with Father to find some time off in my schedule." His lips moved to hers and Caroline opened her mouth, allowing his tongue in while he pushed her panties off. "And making sure you will be allowed time off as well."

"Oh, yeah. That sounds great," Caroline moaned. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and began to move against him.

"Hold that thought a moment," Klaus said with a chuckle. He leaned over and opened the nightstand. A slight frown marred his brow. "Caroline, why is there a box of chocolates where the condoms used to be?" His eyes moved back to Caroline.

"Klaus. Honey." Caroline leaned upward, pressing a kiss to his neck as Klaus sat up. She moved on top of him as he placed his hands on her hips, preventing them from being as close as she wanted them to be. "I want a baby." Caroline watched Klaus' gaze darken.

"Caroline…" Klaus leaned his head forward, pressing his lips to hers. Smiling, Caroline placed her hands on top of his, trying to ease his fingers around her and press forward. It would make the baby-making process so much easier.

"Caroline." Klaus eased away from his bride and shook his head. "After what happened last time. I don't think this is a good idea."

Feeling cold, Caroline grabbed the comforter while Klaus got to his feet and pulled his pants back up. "What do you mean? How can you say that! It was a freak accident!" Caroline heard her voice going up and down in register and she shook her head, wanting to scream at Klaus. "We're married now. Things are different."

"How are they different!" Klaus demanded. "We don't even know if you can conceive and you want to torture yourself by trying to force the situation. I almost lost you over a baby neither of us were sure we wanted." The moment the words came out, Klaus' eyes widened and his head bent. "I did not mean that. Truly, Caroline –"

"Stop talking. Leave. Now," Caroline curled her arms and legs up into a ball and shook her head. "Just go!"

"Caroline!" Klaus cried. "You must know I did not mean –"

"Get out!" Caroline screamed, picking up a pillow and tossing it at Klaus' head. "Just get out! Get out! Get out!" She rolled over and pressed her face into a pillow and began to cry. She only felt a tiny bit better when she heard the door close. When she lifted her head to see all the burning candles; she felt a little bit worse.

~0~

Freya

"How are things going with you today?" Bonnie Bennett asked as she paused at the nurse's station.

Freya Mikaelson looked up from the computer she'd been sitting at ideally willing the day to end. She wanted to go home, crack a bottle of wine open and perhaps a box of chocolates she'd bought for herself.

"No one has died on my watch thus far. I would call that a good day," Freya replied with a light laugh.

"Yeah?" Bonnie chuckled. "The perks of being holed up in the lab all day; I don't have to worry about anyone bleeding out on my table. I don't have to worry about any scalpel-happy clowns trying to do a thoracotomy in the ER. Just me and Phil—Dr. Walters," Bonnie let out a cough before continuing, "Trying to save the world from one of its greatest enemies."

"How are things going in the lab?" Freya leaned back in her seat. "Rumor has it there has been some giggling from in there." She couldn't help teasing Bonnie. Being one of the only people who had seen the tremendous strength the younger doctor showed in the face of pain and an uncertain future—Bonnie had become one of Freya's favorite people and patients.

"Giggling?" Bonnie inhaled and moved to take a seat beside Freya. "How many people have said there was giggling?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing.

Not being able to hold it in, Freya began to laugh which made Bonnie's cheeks flush. Taking hold of Bonnie's hands, Freya attempted to calm herself. "Just some gossipy nurses. Most of us won't even think anything of it…"

"Most?" Bonnie rolled her eyes. Shaking her head, she pulled her hands away and fell back in the chair. "I need a slice of cake. No. Make that a whole cake."

"You're planning on eating your feelings, instead of acting on them?" Freya shook her head. "Bonnie Bennett, you need to live."

"Are you trying to tell me to sleep with Phil—Dr. Walters." Bonnie groaned and stared at the ceiling, twirling the chair in a slow circle. "Why can't we have another terrible storm so I can get the hell out of that lab?"

"You just said you enjoyed being in the lab!" Freya scoffed.

"I did. I do!" Bonnie retorted. She stopped the spinning of the chair. "But Philip freakin' Walters. I've heard about that man. He's not just a legend in the medical field. His affairs are legendary, too."

"So get some and enjoy the ride while it lasts. You deserve some fun." Freya patted Bonnie on the knee. "Both us do." She turned back to look at the desk,

Bonnie leaned an elbow on it. "Right. And who do you plan on having fun with? Considering you're related to half the hospital?" Her eyes were glowing and Freya tried to avoid the smirk on Bonnie's face. "I suppose there are some okay-looking interns roaming the halls. A nurse who might have caught your fancy…"

"Shut up, Bonnie," Freya muttered, her fingers moving across the keyboard and she had no idea what she thought she was looking for.

"You made me talk about my feelings. Spill." Bonnie continued to watch Freya until Freya pushed away from the computer and turned to her friend.

"Fine. Alright. I'll admit there's someone I might have an interest in." Freya looked around before she moved closer to Bonnie. "He's kind. And hard-working. Smart. Reliable."

"Okay. Now we're talking husband. Not fun." Bonnie was smiling as she spoke. "Go on."

"And that is why I can't be with him. After Jack…" Freya trailed off. "But there's something there. I can't deny that much. Every time I look into his eyes… I'm falling for him, Bonnie. And I don't know if I should be acting on it or not." Freya shook her head.

"Who is he?" Bonnie cried. "I need to know the name of this mystery man."

"I can't tell you," Freya shook her head, feeling her cheeks flushing. "He works for me."

"Oh…" Then Bonnie gasped. "You're hot for Lucien!"

"Never." Freya rolled her eyes. "It's Vincent," she hissed back before shaking her head. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Ahem. Doctors." Freya's eyes went above the desk to where Vincent stood. He did not look at her as he sat a chart down with the others. And then turned and left. "Oh, no," Freya moaned, her head falling forward on the desk.

"Just like high school," Bonnie muttered, looking around. "Someone better get a cake in here. Soon."

~0~

Mikael

"Would you hand me a diaper?" A baby wailed. Its tiny fists flailed about as the legs wrenched the air in tiny half-circles.

"There, there. It will be alright. No need to kick up such a fuss," the other adult in the room said, slapping a Pampers into Mikael's outstretched hand.

"Thank you, darling," Mikael said as he wiped the angry little man in front of him, slipped the new diaper under his bottom and then slid the onesie back up until the baby was fully covered.

"Not so bad? Now was it?" Esther asked, patting her husband's arm.

Mikael chuckled, picking up his grandson and then moving to sit him on a fort of pillows. "One down. Two to go."

"We must think of a way to thank Finn and Sage for bestowing us with this honor," Esther said, tickling young Audrey's toes. The baby let out a series of giggles as her grandmother played with her feet. Her head turned when Thomas let out a bellow of rage as his grandfather undressed him. This set Quinten off, again. "You've already had your turn," Mikael addressed Quin who blinked at his grandfather through wide blue eyes and then sneezed. That made Audrey let out another giggle.

Esther offered Mikael another diaper as Thomas continued to fight off Mikael's attempts to get him into a non-dirty diaper. "Come on, man. Let's not fight it. Shall we?"

Laughing, Esther watched as Mikael tried to keep the baby on his back. But Thomas had other thoughts. He rolled onto his back and tried to crawl away while Mikael held a dirty diaper in one hand and a clean one in the other. "How did you deal with all of this while I was at work?" Mikael asked his wife.

Esther shrugged. "I did what I must." She caught hold of Thomas by the ankle with one hand and then slid another under his stomach. Gently she rolled him and tugged him back down toward them. "Hello, there Tommy. You are going to be a handful, aren't you, sweetheart. Just like your uncle Kol. He always hated having his nappy changed, too."

Thomas blew a spit bubble out and Esther nodded. "Yes. I think so, too. Mikael, diaper." She held out a hand and continued to make wide-eyed expressions at the troublesome child before re-dressing him and picking him up. "Happy now, aren't you?"

Thomas yawned and leaned into his grandmother's shoulder. Mikael watched in wonder. He almost wished he'd been present when the children were this young. Almost.

"Let's get them off to bed, shall we?" Esther whispered.

Picking up, Quinten and Audrey, Mikael carried the two triplets back up to the room they would be sleeping in for the night while their parents had a night off. "Precious. These moments," Esther said as she took Audrey and laid her down between Thomas and Quinten.

"They're so angelic when they're asleep," Mikael noted.

Esther chuckled and took his hand, leading him out of the room. "And this is when I would take some time for myself," she said, leading him downstairs.

Esther turned on the baby monitor before moving to turn on a radio they'd kept from their first year of marriage. A soft song from their youth came on. "Care for a dance?" Mikael inquired. He held out a hand to his wife.

"Of course." Esther took his hand and they moved as they had for decades now. Their bodies were so familiar with each other. Mikael closed his eyes, knowing he would feel Esther's feet without looking. "It's like our first Valentine's."

"When I sat on your box of chocolates and you sprained your ankle on the dance floor because of the fashionable shoes?" Mikael inquired, leaning back to look his wife in the eyes.

"Yes." Esther's smile still made his heart leap. Their heads moved closer. Their lips finding the other's. "Shall it end the same way?"

"Yes. I could use a nap," Mikael replied, allowing Esther to lead him upstairs.

"Who said anything about sleep?" His wife's reply followed by a light laugh.

~0~

Tyler

"You know what this party is missing?" Tyler asked Lucien and Oliver.

"Women," Oliver groaned. "I can't believe Lucien picked the wrong bar. Again!"

Lucien shrugged. "Katie was rather lovely."

"Then why don't you give her a call," Tyler replied with an eye roll. "Oh, yeah, because her girlfriend threatened to stick a pool stick up your –"

"I was there!" Lucien shouted, shaking his head.

"How about we just admit it, we all suck with the ladies?" Tyler told them.

"Speak for yourself," Oliver said. "I have a girlfriend."

"Then where is she?" Tyler retorted.

Oliver shrugged. "She had to work tonight."

"You were going to tell us what this bloody awful party is missing," Lucien concluded with a sigh.

"One of those heart-shaped pizzas. And we don't need chicks," Tyler told his friends. "We have chocolate. We have beer. We have ESPN, thanks to Vincent not being here tonight. We're going to have a bro-fest."

"A bro-fest?" Lucien rolled his eyes. "I would rather be stuck at the hospital taking care of Klaus' babies."

"Fine. Let's talk about the last time you had sex," Tyler retorted. "Then maybe Vincent can come back to kick your ass."

Lucien rolled his eyes and got up. "Would prefer your beer with, or without ice?"

Tyler grinned. "See. We don't need some stupid greeting card holiday to make us all feel bad about how much we suck with women." His phone chimed and he picked it up. Brows going up, he slid the screen. "Rebekah?" Tyler stared at the coffee table as Rebekah rambled into his ear. "Okay. I'll be there."

"What was that about?" Oliver asked, popping the top on his can of beer.

"The worst of Valentine's surprises," Tyler said, pushing himself to his feet. "Word of advice. No matter how lonely you are, don't hook up with your girl friends. It never ends well." There was a reason Tyler did not like Valentine's Day. And this little bombshell would be one of them.

Thank you for reading, liking, faving, and reviewing.

Peace,

-J