Hello, my lovely readers. This is the conclusion of our Valentine two-parter. Hope you enjoy. On with the show…

Chapter 7: Ten Ways to Say I Love You: Part II

Bonnie

"Dr. Bennett," Abigail, one of the nurses offered Bonnie a quick smile before she held out an envelope. "Dr. Walters asked if I would give this to you."

Bonnie's brows scrunched together as she took the plain, white envelope. "Thank you," she said, her eyes on the envelope. She had no idea what Dr. Walt—Phil had sent a nurse with a mystery envelope to her for.

Shaking her head, Bonnie walked down the hall and slipped into an empty room. Unsealing the envelope, her eyes went wide as she saw the cartoon Cupid, complete with bow and arrow. "What the…" She shook her head, a small smile appearing on her face as she opened the card.

Dear Bonnie,

Since coming to this hospital I have found myself drawn to you. Yes. I know. I am your boss. And if you'd like to throw this on HR's desk, I completely understand. But you need to know that I find you intelligent, compassionate, resourceful, and one hell of a conversationalist. My intention is not to seduce you. My aim is for you to join me in our lab and for us to talk, to sip some champagne and perhaps spend a weekend in bed. Maybe I am trying to seduce you. Do you mind? If not, meet me in our lab. I'll be waiting.

Yours,

Phil

Bonnie found herself laughing. Phil was certainly straight-forward about what he wanted. How many times had men tried to seduce her? Other than Kol… And her one professor… Okay. Not in a long time. She'd made it perfectly obvious that she was interested in work. Work alone.

Closing the card, Bonnie debated with herself for the next ten minutes before slipping the card into her lab coat. With a quick inhale, she marched over to the door and made her way out and into the hall.

"Dr. Bennett. Can I ask you about –" Lucien Castle called out when Bonnie held up a hand.

"Find your resident," Bonnie replied, moving past the intern, her heart pounding what felt like a million beats per second.

Once Bonnie made it to the floor her lab was on, she felt herself shiver. What if Phil was just playing a joke on her? What if he'd meant to send the card to someone else and had an intern write it up? No. She knew his writing. Letting out a nervous laugh, Bonnie continued down the hall and pushed the door open.

Eyes going wide, Bonnie found a blanket on the floor and what looked like dinner already laid out for them. "You made it," Phil cried, appearing in a tux. "I thought you'd taken my suggestion about sending the card to HR." He placed a hand over his heart before moving across the floor to take her hand. "What do you think?" He waved at the candles on the table. The strawberries in a bowl. The unopened bottle of champagne.

"You went all out." Bonnie glanced at Phil. "So, this is the Famous Philip Walters Seduction Dance? Not bad. Good thing you've had to so many years to practice your technique." She patted him on the chest and moved to sit down. Plucking up a strawberry, Bonnie took a bite. Her eyes closed and she let out a moan. They tasted like they'd been picked that morning.

"I have had time to improve the method," Phil took a seat across from her. "I love that you like it."

Bonnie looked around. "I do. Why don't you fill my glass and we'll negotiate that weekend."

Phil chuckled and popped the cork. Bonnie laughed as champagne spilled over the top and onto the blanket. "Bonnie, you're one of the best parts of coming to New Orleans."

"You're not bad yourself," Bonnie replied, meeting his blue eyes and clinking her glass with her mentor's. She didn't think she'd ever have a better Valentine's date than this.

Davina

Heart banging in her chest, Davina looked at the flowers and the chocolates and the stuffed bear and wondered how much he would hate it. She really did not know so much about this man. Oh, no! Why had she chosen a 90s' rock ballad? Kol probably hated the 90s.

The door opened and Kol was wheeled back inside by Genevieve. "Why are the bloody lights off?" Kol complained.

"Don't know. Let's see what we can do about that?" Genevieve said as she flicked a switch and the overhead light came on.

Kol's brows rose when his eyes went over the flowers around the room and the chocolates sitting on his pillow. His eyes finally found Davina who stood in a corner, feeling like an idiot. "Oh, my. Close the door," he said, waving at Genevieve who gave a thumbs up to Davina and hurried out of the room.

"Um… I don' really know what you like… So, there's a little bit of a lot of things…" Davina felt like sinking through the floor.

Holding out his hands, Kol leaned back in the wheelchair he'd had to move around in for the past week. "Come here, darling."

Cautiously, Davina made her way over to the chair. She allowed Kol to take her hand. With more strength than she'd expect out of him, he tugged her downward. His free hand went to her cheek. "You. In this dress," his hand went to the hem of her little black dress. "This is all I could ask for." His hand slid under the dress and Davina let out a shocked laugh.

"Now, Dr. Mikaelson, your doctor told you you can't strain yourself for the next month," Davina whispered into his ear.

Kol chuckled. "I don't plan to." He pulled back to look her in the eye and Davina grinned before she pressed her lips to his. His hand went to the back of her dress and slid the zipper downward. She could tell he was planning on going against all of the medical advice and she wanted him to. Blood rushed through her body and she sighed as his mouth moved to her neck, down her collarbone and over her chest.

"Kol," Davina moaned. "I think we should wait. Until you're feeling better." It took all of her self-restraint to ease out of the chair and to pull her dress back up.

"Spoil sport," Kol retorted with an eye roll. "At least offer to give me a sponge bath."

Rolling her eyes, Davina went behind his chair and leaned over his shoulder. "Maybe if you behave like a good patient."

Kol glanced back at her with a wicked grin. "Sure. I can endure a couple of more weeks of torture before you play doctor with me. Can I put you on-call, Dr. Claire?"

"Uh-huh." Davina helped Kol out of his bed. She expected him to try to tug her onto the bed with him but he didn't. "I don't know if you like chocolates." She glanced at the box.

"Only if you'll share them with me. I want to watch you eat them." Kol shot Davina another wicked grin. Opening the box to his left, he took one out. "Close your eyes." She closed her eyes and he placed a chocolate in her mouth.

Sighing, Davina chewed it slowly, watching Kol's eyes darken. "I can't wait to get out of this bed," he told her, taking her hand and pressing kisses to her fingertips.

"Then we might indulge ourselves in a real Valentine's celebration," Kol said. He leaned forward and slid his hands around her waist, tugging her to him and leaning forward to kiss her when music began to play out of the teddy bear. "What the bloody hell is that?" he demanded, glaring at the bear.

"It's 'Truly, Madly, Deeply,' by Savage Garden," Davina replied, squeezing her eyes closed and peering at him through one. "I thought you might like it. It's from the 90s…"

"Remind me of prom," Kol retorted. Then he broke into a grin. "I was Prom King. And I would have been much happier if you had been my queen."

"Isn't that a song, too?" Davina inquired as Kol began to sway, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Perhaps," Kol looked into her eyes. "No more talking. Doctor's orders." He began to kiss her, again, and Davina did not argue, this time.

Marcel

"Bloody rat trap! Can anyone do anything right around here?" Klaus Mikaelson was on the war path. For the past week he and Caroline had been seen passing each other like two warring ships in the night about to torpedo each other at any moment. Marcel was happy to stay out of the fray.

If only he were that lucky. Just as Marcel started to leave the area, Klaus caught sight of him. "Marcel, can you do me a favor and grab some lab results for me?"

Marcel folded his arms over his chest. "Don't you have interns or residents to torture with that?"

Shaking his head, Klaus rolled his eyes. "As I'm sure you know, Caroline and I are having an argument. She's gotten into the heads of the residents and the interns and I can't seem to get any of them to do anything for me. Please, just this one time. I'll owe you."

"Right," Marcel rolled his eyes. "Fine." He shook his head and left his friend to his ranting by himself.

On the way down the stairs, Marcel caught sight of Caroline. "Hey!" he called. Might as well deal with both of them if he had to deal with one of them. "You okay?"

Caroline nodded. "Yes. I'm fine. I just have things on my mind."

"You mean Klaus. Mikaelsons. You can't live with them…" Marcel saw Caroline shrug. "I'm sure Klaus will begin to grovel soon enough. It's that time of the year when people are thinking about hearts and flowers. And he already misses you."

Caroline's head lifted. "He does?"

"Of course he does. All he can do is grunt and grumble. He's his most annoying when the two of you are fighting." Marcel watched Caroline perk up.

"Thanks, Marcel," Caroline said. She patted him on the shoulder. "You're going to make such a great dad." She started to move past Marcel when his hand shot outward and he caught her by the arm.

"Dad?" Marcel stared at Caroline whose eyes widened and her hand clamped over her mouth.

"Oh, my God!" Caroline cried, shaking her head and she tried to pull away but Marcel was not letting her get away so easily. Not after she dropped a bomb like that. "I didn't mean anything by that." But her frantic need to run from him clued Marcel into Caroline's being full of it.

"Spill." Marcel said, still holding onto Caroline's arm.

"Rebekah's going to kill me," Caroline sighed.

"Rebekah's having a baby?" Marcel felt his heart begin to pound in his chest. "Are you sure?"

"Yup. But she doesn't really want to make a thing of it –" Caroline trailed off as Marcel let go of her and hurried down the hall. "Marcel, don't tell her I told you! Please! I want to live to thirty!"

~0~

After work, Marcel stopped by Hayley's house. A confused-looking Tiffany Marshall answered the door. "Hello, handsome young man with flowers and other gifts. Can I help you?" Her eyes went over the bag in Marcel's hand and the flowers in the other.

"Is Rebekah home, Dr. Marshall?" Marcel felt like he had come to escort his on-again off-again girlfriend to a school dance.

"She is." Tiffany nodded. She moved aside for Marcel to enter the house. "Rebekah. A friend of yours is here. He's brought gifts."

"Bloody hell!" Rebekah called back. "I don't feel like company!"

Tiffany looked to Marcel. "She's all yours."

Marcel nodded and mounted the stairs. He went down the familiar hallway and knocked on the door before turning the knob. Rebekah sat on her bed in a pair of yoga pants and an over-sized T. "What do you want?" she demanded, grabbing a tissue and blowing her nose. She looked miserable.

"I brought these for you," Marcel said. He held out the flowers which Rebekah eyed suspiciously. Moving to the nightstand, Marcel set them down. "And this." He pulled out a mint green onesie. Rebekah's eyes widened and her mouth opened but he jumped in. "I figure we should let the kid make up their own mind about who they are." Opening the bag, he pulled out another tiny T-shirt. It said: "My Mommy Operates on People's Hearts." He grinned. "Who knew the gift shop had shirts like this?"

Rebekah placed a hand over her mouth and let out a laugh. "Oh, Marcel." She held out her arms to him. He sat down on the bed and pulled her into a hug.

"You're not alone in this, Bekah," Marcel said, rubbing her back.

"You're not the father," Rebekah retorted, pulling back to look him in the eye.

"I don't care. I'm going to love this baby like I am. And their mommy," Marcel cupped Rebekah's face and kissed her. "You are the only woman I want to be covered in baby vomit with."

Still laughing, Rebekah climbed on top of him. "Hormones are kicking in early, I must say."

"I'm not complaining," Marcel said before Rebekah shut up.

Josh

After a long day, Josh was looking forward to leaving the hospital and take a nice, long bath with his boyfriend, Aiden. Or maybe Josh would have to settle for a bottle of bubble bath and a rubber ducky. Pulling out his phone, Josh noted a text he'd missed from said boyfriend: Sorry, babe, took a shift from Gen. Will b home as soon as pos.

Rolling his eyes, Josh slunk down to the lobby. He caught sight of Caroline. Maybe they could finally find some time to hang. It felt like a century since it'd been just the two of them. "Hey, Care Bear!" Josh called out, waving to Caroline.

Caroline jumped like she'd been caught doing something wrong. "Josh!" she squealed, adding to Josh's suspicions. The smile frozen on her face made Josh raise an eyebrow. "How are you? How was your day? Are you off? Already?" Caroline asked him. Her voice was way too high.

"Caroline. What's going on?" Josh could not understand why Caroline was acting weird.

Caroline blinked. "Nothing… Why? Did someone tell you something was going on?"

Josh shook his head. "Care. I'm tired. Can you just tell me whatever it is you're trying to hide?"

Caroline let out a laugh. "Me? Hiding something? What could I possibly be hiding?" Her eyes shot up to the top of the stairs. "Klaus. Hide me!" She ducked behind Josh who could not help but shake his head.

"I can see you, Caroline," Klaus called to his wife.

"I know!" Caroline called back. She popped her head around Josh's shoulder, clutching Josh's jacket. "I have to go –"

"Caroline, wait!" Klaus hurried down the stairs.

"I should go," Josh said as Klaus came to stand in front of him.

"No!" Klaus' hand came down on Josh's shoulder, holding him in place. "You can't!"

"Why?" Josh looked from Klaus to Caroline.

"Because I need you on a case," Klaus replied.

"Take Caroline. You guys need to talk anyway." Josh tugged Caroline out from behind him and pushed her into her husband's arms. "You two enjoy your night. I have a reservation with my bathtub."

"He can't leave yet!" Caroline whisper-hissed as Josh made his way toward the front door.

"I know that, Caroline," Klaus hissed back.

"Then why are you letting him!" Caroline.

"It's not my fault! You're his friend! You stop him!" Klaus.

"What is going on!" Josh cried, stopping at the door. He folded his arms and looked from Caroline to Klaus.

"You look hungry!" Klaus declared, marching over and taking hold of Josh's arm, leading him toward the stairs.

"He does!" Caroline joined them, taking Josh's other arm and forcing him up the stairs.

"I have food at home!" Josh cried, looking from Caroline to Klaus.

~0~

Still not understanding why he was being kidnapped and taken to the hospital's cafeteria, Josh's jaw dropped when he entered to find dark blue and purple lights coming from above. Candles were glowing atop the tables. Soft music played from somewhere Josh could not see.

Aiden came walking between the tables, toward Josh. He wore a suit and looked a little nervous but he was smiling.

"What? What's going on?" Josh cried.

"Joshua Rouza, we met in this place. We had our first date in this cafeteria. I knew that I loved you the day you offered me the last vanilla pudding cup." Aiden got down on one knee. "That's when I decided to start saving up for this. I hope you like it."

Opening a small black velvet box, Aiden looked up and Josh let out a laugh as his boyfriend pulled out the silver band. "I want you to be with me. For the rest of our lives. Will you marry me, Josh Rouza?"

Josh could not speak for a solid minute. "Yeah. Yes. Uh-huh." He allowed Aiden to slide the ring onto his finger before he grabbed his fiancé and kissed him. "I love you so much." Turning, he looked at the doors as Caroline popped her head inside. "Come in!" he shouted.

Caroline and Klaus came in. "He said: Yes!" she cried, grabbing Josh's hand.

"I said: Yes!" Josh nodded. He could not be happier.

Elijah

It seemed that romance was all over the hospital and Elijah felt nervous. He'd done his best to make a little surprise for Hayley. However, he had no idea how she would feel about it. She'd never seemed to take to large parties. And this… Well, thanks to Elijah's allowing Caroline and Rebekah to help him with the festivities; it could not be bigger.

"Now this is why the hospital has a ballroom," Caroline said, placing her hands on her hips and looking around.

"It's for fundraising, you daft fool," Rebekah snorted, shaking her head at Caroline.

"Bitch!" Caroline cried.

Rebekah's head turned and Elijah feared he would have to separate the two when they began to laugh. "It's so nice to have a sister."

"You have a sister," Freya added, coming to join them and kissing Elijah on the check. "Hayley should be here. Soon, brother. Nervous?" She wiped lipstick off his cheek with the side of her hand.

"Not at all." Elijah straightened his tie.

Kol came wheeling up to them. "He's a liar."

Just at that moment Hayley came walking in the door in an evening gown that made his mouth go dry. "She does believe this is a fundraiser, correct?"

"Yes." Rebekah grinned as Hayley made her way over to them.

"You look great," Caroline said.

"You look stunning," Elijah added.

"I stand corrected," Caroline said. "I have to go get my husband drunk and have my way with him in the parking lot."

"Does she ever not tell us way too much?" Hayley asked, leaning into Elijah's side. He placed an arm around her waist. "Well, I see most of the hospital staff. Where are the donors?" she questioned him. "I'm going in for the kill with the ones with the most to spend."

"This isn't a fundraiser," Elijah said quietly.

"Congratulations!" Genevieve cried, coming over to them with a glass of champagne. She tipped to the side. "I thought I would be the next to get hitched. But it's so much fun attending everyone else's engagement parties. Thanks for the invite, Elijah!" She raised her glass, nearly poured it on Hayley before turning away. "Who wants to take me home tonight!" she shouted.

Hayley turned to Elijah. "This is the engagement party?" She swallowed. "Wow!"

"Are you angry?" Elijah whispered, cupping her elbow. "We can turn this into another excuse for the staff to get drunk and ruin the woodwork."

"No…" Hayley frowned. "It's just… I was trying to work through how to make the perfect party and I suck at that kind of thing and it never occurred to me that you would plan the party yourself. It's just… so you. Can you plan the wedding, too?" Her expression became hopeful.

"You'd like for me to?" Elijah inquired, sliding his arms around her waist.

"Yes. Please! That would be so great. Parties like this are so not my thing. But they're your thing. Apparently." Hayley's eyes went around the room before Elijah leaned down and stole a kiss. "And kissing…" She leaned up and kissed him back.

"Hayley Marshall, there are so many things that you do so very well. Loving me being one of them." Elijah stared into her eyes. "When did I get so lucky that I met you?"

"Don't know. But I'm sure we can work through it. Maybe. Back at your place," Hayley said. She glanced around the room with a mischievous look. "I don't think they'll miss us, do you?"

"No. Not as long as there is an open bar," Elijah took Hayley's hand and they hurried toward the exit. He thought they'd enjoy their engagement party much more from the confines of his bed.

Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.

Peace,

-J