Attention readers - This chapter is very powerful and took a lot of time to write so please be sure to review.
Baby Mikaelson
Chapter Twenty Five - The Warmth of You
Caroline Forbes P.O.V
While Rebekah rested comfortably in bed I had called down to the front desk and asked for the address of a local doctor. I had gone into Rebekah's pursue and taken out one of her credit cards with her permission. After a generous donation of a few thousand dollars, we had an appointment who had agreed to see us within the hour. I got our coats, sunglasses, bags, shoes and hats ready for Rebekah waking up. Afterwards I left the room together closing the door behind me so no one disturbed her as she slept. I headed down the stairs finding Elijah first, he was in the sitting room on his laptop looking over a few items from the auction.
I explained to him that Rebekah was upstairs getting ready she wanted to go out to a few boutiques in town and I was being dragged along with her, no doubt just to carry the bags. Elijah explained that there were a few arrangements in place for tonight and that if we were to be ready in time then we should try to be back at the hotel for no later than four. When I asked about the others he explained that Kol had already gone out without a word said about where he was heading, Klaus was asleep upstairs and Elena had placed her do not disturb sign on the door handle of her bedroom.
Elijah returned to his work as I made my way back upstairs to Rebekah. She was already awake when I returned and in the middle of pulling on her coat when I entered the room. I kept my finger to my lips, we couldn't risk anyone hearing us, Rebekah wanted to see a doctor and have her pregnancy confirmed to make her feel at ease. But we had to be smart about how exactly we went about this. Together we put on our coats and tucked our sunglasses and hats into our bags out of sight, to use only after we were off the hotel grounds.
We made our way down the stairs, Elijah still remained in the sitting room but he was now on the phone, addressing someone in French. I gave him a small wave goodbye as he looked over his shoulder at us, Rebekah had just continued towards the elevator doors without a care in the world. After we stepped inside we both exhaled in relief perfectly in sync.
Kol was out somewhere in the city and we couldn't take the chance of him seeing us anywhere near any hospitals. Rebekah wasn't going to feel at all at ease until she had it written in black and white that she was pregnant and that the baby however small it maybe right now was health. We made our way across the lobby and kept our heads down as we made our way past the valets and a few of the drivers from earlier this morning.
It reminded me of the night she and I had left the hotel and walked around Las Vegas in the middle of the night.
So much had happened since then, back then neither of us could even admit we were slowly becoming friends. Now look at us, months later and we had somehow become sisters and faced more than our fair share together as such. Rebekah had taken the reins and taken care of me, brought me back from the dead and shown me how I could be, how life could be if I was strong enough to trust my drive and spirit.
Now Rebekah was vulnerable and she needed me to be strong for her, though she'd rather puncture a hot rod through her eye socket than admit she needed me. Rebekah simply wasn't the type to admit she needed help, not even the help of her own family or the father of her baby. She didn't want to ever need or depend on anyone, she was an independent person and there was absolutely not a thing wrong with that.
It was a five minute walk to the nearest hospital from the hotel however I was who insisted we grab a taxi claiming my boots had did a number on my feet. I didn't want to wrap Rebekah up in cotton wool all of a sudden, I just wanted to provide her with all the little cozy comforts that she didn't know she deserved. She was a little quiet, which was to be expected of course, she was probably very excited but at the same time very and understandably terrified.
I wanted to reach out and give her hand a squeeze but felt it may just push Rebekah over the edge. These smallest gestures if pushed too far was enough to push Rebekah back years. We agreed our sisterhood worked one way and one way only, we just had to be there for each other, just be there, no more no less.
We arrived at the hospital and I paid the driver generously for our two minute journey. We made our way towards the entrance, we stepped inside and I began to read the signs in English so I had a rough idea in which direction we would be heading. Beside me Rebekah linked her arm through mine and I fought the urge to turn and look her way, I instead continued to read the signs.
"Alright fourth floor" I said and turned us both in the direction of the elevators keeping us linked.
When we reached our floor Rebekah made her way to the waiting area taking a seat on the cutest white sofa you ever saw in your life. I let the receptionist know who we were here to see and was given a chart for Rebekah to fill in. I took a seat beside her crossing my legs and placing my bag beside hers on the glass coffee table in front of us. I pushed myself back in the chair just as Rebekah had and found she was staring at our bags.
"What's up?" I asked
"How do you feel about matching bags?"
"You're sweet but I'm dating your brother"
Rebekah laughed before learning her head onto my shoulder as I proceeded to fill out the chart for her with the information I knew.
Yes Rebekah Mikaelson had her head on my shoulder. Big deal? Hell yes this girl could kill you with just her nails. But if I was facing what she was right now I'd be grabbing at anyone willing to offer me their hand for support.
"I'm thinking matching bags might get that vein in Elena's head to pop" Rebekah explained
"Let's not be mean"
"She deserves it"
"Rebekah, she was attacked, she was all alone" I turned my head to look at her "It does something to us. That helpless feeling it's enough to sink us"
Rebekah looked away from me and settled her head back closing her eyes.
"Just tell me you won't go walking backwards?"
"No. There's no going back now" I told her.
The doctor's assistant came to find us less than five minutes later taking Rebekah first alone to run a panel on her blood. With a little compulsion from Rebekah to run the necessary tests to confirm all areas of a healthy pregnancy and after the appointment was over, to destroy all evidence of any of her tests and procedure results.
Ten minutes later the assistant returned, this time taking both of us to a private room down the hall, instructing Rebekah to change into a hospital gown for her examination. Rebekah made her way behind the curtain and despite her protests handed her clothes out to me to keep for her. I folded them and kept them stacked together on the counter top beside us. The doctor joined us then giving me a smile as she entered the room.
She made her way over to the sink washing her hands and scrubbing her nails before gloving up.
"Miss Mikaelson?" The doctor called to Rebekah
"She's stubborn she'll be back there all day if that gown does nothing for her hips" I explained trying to keep the mood as light as possible.
With that her assistant joined us, also washing her hands before gloving up. She collected a surgical cover from under the sink counter and assisted the doctor in putting it on over her lab coat. I then watched her go over to the examination table covering it in a number of layers of sheeting.
Rebekah stepped out from behind the curtain glancing at me before coming into view of the doctor.
"Miss Mikaelson, take a seat on the examination table and we'll begin"
Rebekah looked my way and I saw the fear in her eyes that she made no attempt to hide from me in that moment.
"Come on" I said softly reaching out my hand for hers which she took faster than a hiccup.
Together we went over to the table and as she got herself comfortable before being covered up by the assistant, I grabbed a chair for myself bringing it to Rebekah's side.
"So how about you give me a little bit of a background?" The doctor said taking her seat at the end of the examination table.
Rebekah gave the doctor all the necessary dates and tests ran on her before she was inseminated back in Mystic Falls. It seemed so long ago now.
"How many times have you tried insemination?"
"First time"
"And I saw in your chart you had a positive test result?"
"Today, yes" Rebekah answered before closing her eyes.
"Alright let's do an ultrasound, it's a little early but let's take a little look" The doctor took the lubricated wand from her assistant bringing it between Rebekah's legs.
I turned my back to the doctor and put my focus on Rebekah who refused to open her eyes. I however looked over to the monitor as the doctor searched for what I knew sooner or later she would find.
It was less than a minute but it felt much longer. You could hear a pin drop.
"Ok here we go" The doctor said behind me then and I watched as the picture stilled over what looked like an air pocket with a tiny monkey peanut shape inside of it.
"Rebekah, open your eyes" I told her taking her hand in mine "Look at your baby"
A tear fell from her eye as she opened them, looking at me before turning her head to look over at the monitor.
"There you are" Rebekah sobbed
I squeezed her hand in mine as she continued to cry and watch the monitor. The assistant handed me a box of tissues and Rebekah didn't even flinch or roll her eyes at me as I dapped her cheeks and around her eyes drying her tears.
The doctor confirmed Rebekah was six weeks pregnant and everything was looking just fine, the panel they ran on her blood came up fine and everything was as it should be for six weeks. The baby was at the right size and absolutely everything was as it should be.
After we finished up Rebekah got herself dressed and we made our way out of the hospital together. Rebekah told me that until she was ready she didn't want to tell her brothers yet. Rebekah didn't want Elena around them when she made her announcement, she wasn't sure how her brothers would react to her news and didn't want to hear my thoughts on their reactions. She wanted control over her pregnancy and I respected that, this was her baby, her body and her choice.
On her way home back to the hotel Rebekah had turned to me and thanked me to which I responded by giving her a wink. Rebekah and I didn't have to hug and do all the traditional sisters forever dance, we kept it real we kept it us.
We arrived back at the hotel just a little before four to our relief, Rebekah wanted to just carry on with everything as planned, she wouldn't take any unnecessary risks and I wasn't to treat her any differently. In her bag was a list of foods she should avoid along with her first dose of prenatal vitamins and of course a picture from her ultrasound. I wasn't about to reveal her secret nor was I about to act any differently that would cause any sort of succession.
The elevator doors opened up into the sitting room where we found Elijah in his suit bottoms and tux shirt with the top collar undone as he stood talking with Klaus who had his suit bottoms on but only a black towel around his neck, no shirt but plenty of eye candy for me.
"What time does this thing start?" Rebekah asked as we entered the sitting room.
"The auction begins at eight but we have dinner reservations for six" Elijah told us
Klaus sent a kiss my way without the notice of his siblings making me smile back at him.
"Dinner sounds good" Elena said from somewhere behind us.
We turned around finding her coming down the stairs in a red halter top bikini on and matching thin stringed Brazilian bottoms. With a multi chained rhinestone belly chain around her lower belly.
She had dyed her hair again, she was back to being a brunette.
"How was shopping?" Elena asked me as she stepped down off the last step.
"It was fine"
Elena bit her lower lip slightly "So fine you don't buy anything?" she asked looking around us for any hint of a shopping bag.
With that she turned away with a freaking invisible crown on her head having taken the gold in catching me in a lie.
We all watched her make her way out of the patio doors out to the water, Kol came out of his room just quickly enough to see her little butt cheeks as she strutted herself out the door.
"Oh what the hell?" Kol said at the sight
Rebekah and I turned around to Elijah and Klaus finding them like their younger brother in a daze, a deer caught in the headlights, one of which I was about to hit very very freaking hard if he didn't cut it out.
With a snap of my fingers Klaus came back to me, his eyes meeting mine.
Klaus attempted a smile but when my brows threaten to meet my hairline he cut it short.
"Let's go" Rebekah said to me and made her way towards the stairs
I proceeded to follow her keeping my eyes on Klaus who followed me to the bottom of the stairs. I turned around to face him and stop him in his tracks.
"Come on, love" Klaus said looking over to Kol and Elijah talking among themselves.
I reached out slowly to the towel around the back of his neck and began twisting it over and over until it tighten up around his throat to his discomfort.
"Tonight you're going to pay for my very expensive dinner, I'm thinking lobster. Then, at the auction, you're going to buy me something very very sparkly" I instructed edging myself closer to him "And I'm gonna try hard to forget about your little drooling act back there"
I kissed him once leaving him begging for more. Leaving me to whisper into his ear.
"I catch you doing that again and I'm going to find a more interesting and more permanent place for my heels"
I turned and began to climb the stairs.
"I love watching you walk away"
"Uh huh"
Elena Gilbert P.O.V
Regret, in the hours that followed me trying to inseminate myself I had been fueled with complete and uncontrollable regret. I didn't want to have a baby so early in life, both as my remaining human self and my new vampire self. What I had done with the condom wasn't only reckless it was also dangerous, selfish, immoral and above all just flat out evil. There was no excuse for it, there was no ticking clock, no one else had put the idea in my head, it was a selfish act done of my own choosing and now I had to live with it for the rest of my life.
Everyday of my forever I would remember this, how in the space of a few hours I had risked everything I had, risked my time entire life and happiness. I was never going to forgive myself for this. Not ever!
After connecting to the hotel Wi-Fi and making myself comfortable by the pool I did a little research of my own to find out just how much worrying I had to do for the rest of the trip. It turns out that sperm inside a condom will live only minutes as apposed to sperm who make their inside and towards their target. Those sperm can live up to five days once inside but the chances were I had nothing to worry about.
It didn't mean I wouldn't worry, of course I was still going to worry.
But when I worked it out in my mind the timing actually worked on my behalf. There was the time distance between the plane and hotel, I doubted Caroline and Klaus had engaged in sex until the very second we arrived at the hotel due to how quickly the pair got out of their car after we arrived, plus there was the time between us checking into the hotel and the time I took unpacking my suitcases.
The sperm would have been long dead by then.
I did feel a wave of relief but it wasn't enough to put me at total ease.
I had forced myself to keep my entire body perfectly still for almost an hour in order for Klaus's sperm to make their way to my egg. I had done this, me, I had done this to myself and to him and also to Caroline. It wasn't right, nothing about it was right, it was disturbing and it had to be addressed.
As difficult as it was to admit, trying to make myself pregnant with Klaus's baby wasn't the worst thing I'd gotten myself into lately. Although it did rank top pretty high.
So as I lay by the pool breathing in the beautiful warm air as my skin cooked in the sun I began to unlock every single mistake I had told myself I would fix, every little thing I fooled myself into believing was alright and every single thing I had to fix in order to move on.
There had been so many mistakes, so many things that were completely my fault, I couldn't pass the buck not this time. It was time to get a grip of myself, a real grip and take a proper look at the mess my life had become through my actions and inactions.
Shane, I wasn't in love with him I was one hundred percent positive on that. I did want him, I liked him flirting with him, it felt good knowing that he wanted me, that someone other than Damon still found me sexy. Shane was smart and accomplished and all he wanted from me was to get me into bed. It didn't mean that I had low self esteem, I didn't see myself as an object and deep down I truly believed that Shane didn't either. There was nothing wrong with wanting someone physically and not emotionally. But what Shane had done was pursue me, knowing full well that Damon and I were together and in a serious relationship, not just some fling. But at one point I did want Shane, I had dreamt about him and found other levels of pleasure from the idea of him and I together. At no point had I ever wanted to leave Damon for him. I decided I would fix this before I left Africa or at least when we reached Paris, I would call Shane and finally make it clear to him that he and I would never ever happen.
But it still didn't leave things right between Damon and I, what I had done with Shane was cheating I wasn't going to sugar coat it or lie to myself. But if Damon knew what had gone on between Shane and I, which lets face it had been a lot. I knew Damon would kill Shane, I knew it in my heart. He would either flat out do it, or get drunk and do it. Either way he would kill him and I would take the guilt for his death, knowing I could have prevented it if I had just stayed away.
When people are in relationships they see all the little moments their partners go through that no one else see's, not their friends or even their families. There were so many moments when I would wake up at night and find Damon awake unable to sleep, I'd go out to the garden looking for him and find him drinking, sometimes late at night just after I went to bed he would go out for a drive and not come back for hours. All these little moments happened after he did something he knew he shouldn't have, like killing someone to save someone else, or whenever someone brought up Katherine and her betrayals or even when he was reminded of his life as a human and his father's abuse. I couldn't add another one of my mistakes to Damon's list and watch him destroy himself over it. I had to go into the driver's seat of my own mistake and fix it, take full responsibility and deal with the problem at hand.
I planned to call Jake we hadn't spoken in a long time and deep down I believed he did deserve a telephone call. I needed to let him know that the way I had gone about things was wrong and that I wouldn't be looking to secure a sperm donation until later on in life when or if Damon and I decided to become parents. I knew part of me had been attracted to Jake, he was strong, a hybrid, attractive, gentle and very kind. My attraction to him was purely hormonal, he was capable of having children and at that time my mind seemed to be going into overdrive at the mere idea of becoming pregnant. I wanted to tell him that I was grateful to him for offering to help, it was very selfless and very kind. Although knowing what I know now I wouldn't have gone near him, he was at the time dating Rebekah and although it wasn't cheating, he clearly hadn't told her about his intension to help me, I doubted Rebekah would have kept her feelings about it to herself if she had known.
And as crazy as it sounded given the way I had been acting lately and my history with Rebekah, I wouldn't have wanted to cause such pain for her. I didn't have to like her to not want to hurt her. I just didn't want to cause any more suffering, I'd already caused enough.
Caroline deserved my apology more than anyone else in this world and I was going to ensure she knew just how horrible I felt about what had gone on between us over the course of the past couple of months. There was no right or wrong way to go about it and it wasn't going to be easy either. She had said a lot of awful things to me which when thought about and I mean really thought hard did make sense. To an outsider my relationship with Damon didn't make much sense but at the same time when I thought about her relationship with Klaus, neither did theirs, and that was despite my current crush.
She was seeing a man no one trusted, the exact same thing could be said about Damon and I. We didn't make sense being together at times we were so incredibly different. However the only people who could really know what went on between Damon and I was us. Just because I couldn't see her connection between Caroline and Klaus didn't mean there wasn't in fact something very deep and meaningful going on below the surface. Yes Caroline had said some terrible things about me and the people I love but in return I hadn't been completely innocent in this either. My hands weren't clean and there was no halo over my head, not even close.
I had lied to her, stolen from her and shamefully attempted to seduce Klaus behind her back.
If I met me right now I wouldn't know me. And more so, I wouldn't like me.
There was a lot of work ahead of me and I was frightened of the result by the end of it, there would be a great deal of pain for many people involved but if I didn't do this now then I would be carrying it in my chest for the rest of my eternity and I couldn't bare the thought of that. Now was time to fix myself, to find my way back to myself, with little steps.
Such as my hair, now back to it's original colour, no more blonde no more new me, it was time to find the girl I was from a long time ago, it was time for me to be real.
Caroline Forbes P.O.V
I made my way back upstairs to my bedroom which let's face it was more like my own personal suite, with my own sitting area, two additional bathrooms and a king size bed all to myself. Rebekah had left the door open that joined our rooms so we could continue to walk freely between them. I was just through the door and about to take off my coat when I looked through the open door that joined our rooms and saw Rebekah standing in front of the mirror in the corner of her room by her bed.
It was such a small moment in time but I'd never saw Rebekah Mikaelson look so innocent, her fences were down, her smile so warm it could melt the ice around her heart. I watched as she lifted her top up over her stomach to reveal the ever so small bump that had formed around her lower belly. It was so small yet there was no denying that it was in fact the start of her baby bump.
I'd never been so happy for another human being in my life as I was right here and now, I would remember this moment for the rest of my life.
Half an hour later Rebekah was enjoying a luke warm bubble bath as advised by the doctor, removing any remaining scents from the hospital and her ultrasound from her skin and hair. I had jumped in the shower and done the exact same before I made my way over to her room. Both our dresses for the evening had been picked out and were hanging on the door to Rebekah's closet. I turned on the television and scrolled through the hotel Netflix account before I settled on some old romantic black and white movie. Rebekah joined me ten minutes later also in her hotel robe and slippers and sat on the other side of the bed, both of us working on our make up together and occasionally offering advise here and there.
Normally Rebekah like most women wore plenty of control body work beneath her clothes but this wasn't the case now, she couldn't risk the bump and so she went without after I spent almost ten minutes assuring her that her BUTT did not look big in her dress, both of us knowing anyone could be listening in, we had to be very cautious.
Her dress was beautiful.
Rebekah wore a diamante cross back maxi dress in navy (A/N which I found on Goddiva if you want to check it out)
She decided to keep her hair straight for the evening and wear a beautiful set of gold earrings that paired well with it.
I put my hair into rollers then parted it ever so slightly on the side.
I wore a stunning Danaya embellished one shoulder Grecian maxi dress in the colour cream (A/N which I found on Goddiva if you want to check it out)
I didn't wear any jewellery I let the dress and heels do all the necessary work for me.
With a knock at the door Rebekah and I checked the room making sure everything was out of sight before I made my way over to the door answering it to find Klaus on the other side, finally in his tux and smelling pretty damn good too.
Klaus smiled at me, checking out my dress and drinking me in.
"Are you sure you have the right door?" I teased
Klaus answered by revealing the single white rose he had hidden behind his back handing it to me. I fought my smile as I accepted it which he quickly followed with a kiss to the centre of my nose before I could stop him.
"Also this" Klaus said handing me a piece of paper.
"Is it the deed to your house?" I asked
"My new number, I've either truly lost my phone or Kol has done as he always threatens to do and he's broken it"
I sat both items together on the small side table by the door next to my welcome package from the hotel.
"You look beautiful" Klaus said as my eyes return to his.
"I know" I said with a rather effortlessly shrug.
His compliments still melted my heart and gave me butterflies. How could one man make a woman feel so much all at once?
"Come with me" Klaus said holding out his hand for mine which I accepted.
He led us down the hall and out onto the balcony which overlooked the water. It was still so warm but the air was just right to keep you nice and cool, that happy medium everyone prays for on days at the beach.
Klaus then let go of my hand and reached into the jacket of his tux bringing out a set of air pods, one of which he placed comfortably on his first attempted into my ear before doing the same with his before collecting his phone from the pocket of his trousers.
My eyes almost filled with tears when in that moment at the perfect level of volume music began to play.
It was the song - The Way you look Tonight. (A/N - The Steve Tyrell Version)
Klaus then held out his hand for mine once again and pulled me towards him as we began to slow dance together.
"Someday, when I've awfully low, when the world is cold. I feel will feel a glow just thinking of you, and the way you look tonight"
Together we moved round and round to the gentle melody.
"Oh but you're lovely, with your smile so warm, and your cheeks so soft, there is nothing for me but to love you, just the way you look tonight"
Klaus smiled giving me a playful wink as I buried my head against his neck.
I placed my hand on his chest, Klaus covered my hand with his as we continued to dance.
It was in that moment, that perfect moment, I knew I was in love with Klaus.
Before long it was time to leave for dinner. Rebekah and I walked side by side down the stairs to the sitting room, her arm laced with mine while the two of us tried our best to appear nervous on our heels when in reality we were confident stutters, we just weren't taking any risks with the little one now in check.
"Ladies you look very lovely" Elijah commented as we crossed the sitting towards the brothers.
All three of them were decked out of course, all of them in tuxes for the night ahead. Their usual hairstyles taken up a notch with a little wax and product going on. Rebekah explained the formal attire was essential, the auction would have collectors from all around the world, making bids that would go into the millions.
"Dare I comment Miss Forbes?" Kol asked with a cheeky grin.
I replied with a single kiss to his cheek before joining a rather pissed off looking Klaus. Behind my back Klaus's arm drifted from around my hip down to my ass giving me a little squeeze.
"So we're all here that just leaves-" I stopped finding Elena already coming down the stairs across from us.
She held everyone's attention as she stepped down off the last step and made her way towards us.
She was wearing a plunge halterneck sequin lurex maxi dress in the colour champagne (A/N which I also found on Goddiva)
She had curled her hair and her make-up was bordering on perfect. In that moment I couldn't help but picture the scene from Cinderella when the step sisters rip up Cinderella's beautiful dress and leave her behind while they go to the ball without her. It was mean it was too mean actually but as Elena continued to hold onto the attention of every Mikaelson male, a girl couldn't stop herself from playing a little pretend.
I cleared my throat slightly and felt Klaus flinched beside me and awaken from another of his dazes turning to look my way as I turned away refusing to meet his.
Elena joined us and everyone remained silent making me cringe.
"You look nice, Elena" I broke the silence
"Thank you"
"I've never seen you in that dress before"
"It's new"
"Yes, Miss Gilbert. You look stunning" Elijah commented before long.
"Shall we?" Rebekah suggested and pressed the buttons to the elevator which opened immediately.
We made our way across the hotel lobby together towards the restaurant, a few of the guests and employees looking our way and smiling at us and admiring our beautiful attire. Klaus and I walked hand and hand and Rebekah had taken Elijah's arm. I was doing my best not to look her way and check on her, she wanted business as normal and that's what she was going to get.
Klaus got our table organized and kept my hand in his as we were led through the restaurant. There was a live band playing and the singer had just began to sing the beautiful song 'At last' as we made our way to the table. Klaus pulled out my chair for me as Elijah did for Rebekah and our waiter did for Elena, Kol saw to himself. Klaus took his seat next to me kissing my hand once. Rebekah was to my right, with Elijah next to her followed by Elena, leaving Kol to Klaus's left.
Our table cloth was a beautiful dark orange, with matching fresh flowers for their centre pieces, that were surrounded by floating candles.
"What can I get you to drink?" Our waiter asked
"Ladies first" Klaus said giving me a smile.
I opened the drinks menu and took at the cocktails as the others opened their own menus. It felt differently with Elena here, if it was just us together I wouldn't have held back. Now she was here I felt restricted and felt compelled to just order a cola. But she was here and it shouldn't matter that she was, I was on vacation with my...
Yes I was on vacation with my boyfriend and his family. I wasn't a child and I could order whatever I wanted.
Despite the fact that Klaus and I had never discussed our relationship status, I wasn't seeing anyone but him and in my mind I was addressing him however the hell I wanted, wow I sounded like I'd already had a drink and gave it a friend for company.
I turned in my seat to look up at the waiter.
"I'll have a grape martini, very dry. Please" I said with a smile.
"Certainly"
"And for you Miss?" The waiter looked to Rebekah
"I'll take a coffee" Rebekah told him
"You're still tired?" I asked
Rebekah nodded in response taking a sip of her water. It was a little script we had arranged which went right over everyone's heads to both our delights. They wouldn't have believed she didn't want a drink at dinner, however they wouldn't bat an eye at Rebekah wanting coffee after our long haul flight.
"And for you Miss?" The waiter turned to Elena.
"Oh I'm fine with water, thank you"
I wanted to roll my eyes at her but I managed to keep myself in check.
Klaus ordered himself a bourbon, Elijah ordered a French beer that I didn't catch the name of and Kol got looks from everyone at the table when with a smirk on his face he ordered a Bloody Mary.
The waiter left with our drink order while all eyes remained on Kol. Who lost his smirk.
"Oh shut up" Kol told us off
I turned to Klaus "Let's dance" and with that Klaus took my hand without pause.
A new singer was on the stage now and he had just began to sing 'Dancing in the Moonlight' bringing more than a few couples to the dance floor.
Klaus led me to the dance floor before turning me into him making both of us laugh as the speed picked up a bit. Klaus gave me a few spins before turning me towards him again. In the corner of my eye I swear I caught Rebekah snapping a few pictures of us from the table. I stepped away from Klaus doing my own little movements as he remained close to me clicking his fingers and moving his shoulders to the beat, watching me dance. When I came back to him I wrapped my arms around his neck and he placed his forehead against mine as we continued to sway.
"What are you trying to do to me, love?" Klaus whispered in my ear.
"I'll let you know" I told him.
Klaus leaned away from me then and looked down at my lips leaning down and bringing his lips against mine.
It was in that moment a whistle came across the room followed by some clapping. We didn't even need to look their way to know it was coming from our table. I felt Klaus smile against my lips and as we broke apart our eyes remained on each other.
"Hi" Klaus said softly
"Hi" I replied
I glanced over at the table to see it had in fact been Kol that whistled at our kiss and was just finishing off his clapping, Elijah had been watching us and Rebekah was attempting to counsel her phone back into her bag. When we returned to our table our drinks were waiting for us. It wasn't long before the waiter arrived for our dinner order.
Elijah kept the dinner conversation in check in the hours that followed, keeping all of his siblings in check in front of Elena, there was no mention of previous issues or talk of anyone back home. Elijah had told us about a few of the pieces they would be bidding on that evening, turns out Rebekah had her eye on a few pieces as did Kol. The auction wasn't just about art, there were all manner of items coming up tonight that were going to fetch more than a pretty penny.
"Caroline are you planning to make any bids tonight?" Elena asked then.
She hadn't even glanced my way all evening so I was slightly thrown.
"Erm" I said before swallowing the piece of lemon cheesecake in my mouth "I haven't looked at any brochures, I doubt I could afford it anyway" I said fetching a smile from her in response.
Silence quickly followed and I couldn't help but in that moment knock my ankle into Rebekah's for salvation.
"We should get the cheque" Rebekah broke the silence quickly.
Klaus raised his hand up above his head snapping his fingers.
Elijah had arranged a limo to take us to the auction, it was almost an hour away, it was held in the ceremony room of a downtown art gallery. We were standing outside waiting for the limo to arrive when out of nowhere Elena told us she was going to stay at the villa instead, she was still tired from the flight and would really like the evening to rest. Elijah had offered to escort her back to the villa but she insisted she would be fine. Still more human than new girl I however insisted on walking her back inside to the elevators.
As they opened Elena stepped inside.
"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" I asked
"I'm fine, you go ahead have a good time"
I turned to walk away at that.
"Caroline?"
I turned back around to look at her "You really do look pretty" she told me before the elevator doors shut over.
Elena Gilbert P.O.V
The elevator doors opened up to the sitting room of the villa and I made my way inside, kicking off my heels and retrieving them from the floor as I made my way upstairs to my room. Once inside I got myself out of my dress and returned it to my closet, changing into a set of pjs before heading to the bathroom to remove my make up and wash my face. To a girl there was nothing better than taking off her heels and her make up, there was no describing what a rush this gave us.
I called down to room service ordering myself a hot chocolate and some fries. I hadn't eaten much at dinner and I was going to need my energy for what came next. After my food arrived I returned upstairs to my room, I retrieved my phone from my clutch and got myself comfortable on the sofa before I scrolled through my contacts for Shane.
I gathered myself and took a deep breath to level myself out before holding the phone up to my ear.
"Hello Elena" He answered after a couple of rings.
I ignored the smugness in his tone and remained focus on my goal.
"I'm calling to tell you for the very last time to stop"
"Stop what exactly?"
"You know what I mean"
"Ohh, you mean the idea of taking you in my arms and making you make all manner of sounds that Damon couldn't even dream of?"
"Shane, for your sake I'm not going to tell him about you flirting with me. I'm giving you the chance to walk away"
"I think I've made it very clear that I'm not going anywhere"
"You will. I don't need you, I'm not planning to have a baby so you don't have to waste your time any longer on any one of your projects"
"You're no project, Elena"
"Never the less, this is over"
Silence quickly followed I was almost tempted to end the call.
"Fine. I just thought you would be a bit more thankful towards me and everything I've done for you these past few months"
"We both know exactly what you've been up and it's had nothing to do with helping me"
"Actually I've been up to a lot more than you think but then again so has Bonnie"
"Bonnie? What do you mean?"
"Oh I'm talking about all the hormones and fertility treatments she's been giving you these past months. They weren't easy to come by and of course, I paid for them out of my own pocket"
"No"
Shane began to laugh then "Come on Elena, are you really trying to tell me you didn't notice? Or at least suspect something was up? I mean besides your cup size which frankly baby, I love your upgrade, seeing you in that red dress plaster all over the newspaper"
"No you're lying"
"I've got nothing to gain in this but you and I've been honest with you which is more than I can say for your so called best friend, your ride or die, precious and conniving Bonnie Bennett"
I hated the way he said her name.
"She wouldn't do that to me"
"That girl would give you a kidney, what lengths do you think she'd go to for you to have a baby?"
I sat speechless, frozen to the spot in disbelieve as he continued.
"I mean I know for me I would have done anything to give you a baby, unlike Damon I wouldn't have been afraid to take it to the extremes. Your body could take it, you're a strong girl. You could do just about anything and get away with it couldn't you, Elena?"
I swallowed hard "Listen to me, for the last time" I grinded my teeth together, my body starting to tremble so hard I could barely hold onto the phone "Stay away from me"
I ended the call and immediately blocked Shane's number. This was the end of it.
It felt good to be rid of him once and for all, but the question still remained if he was telling me the truth or not. I knew how hard Bonnie was working in order to help me become pregnant, she'd dedicated hours of her day to research and testing. She had guided me through every step, provided all the information step by step and never shied from answering all my questions however small they appeared.
Shane was wrong about a lot of things about me, but he was right about my relationship with Bonnie. There is nothing that I wouldn't do for her and I knew she felt the same way about me. There was no one in this world I trusted more than Bonnie. But Shane's words had fueled me with doubt, tears pricked my eyes as I proceeded to call and confront her.
"Elena? Where are you? Damon's been losing his mind with worry"
"I'm alright, Bonnie. I'm here of my own free will trust me"
"Where are you?"
"Bonnie I need, I need to ask you something"
"You need to call Damon, hang up with me and call him now"
"Listen to me Bonnie"
"Elena!"
"Just listen"
"Alright, alright, what is it?"
The second I asked her it would ruin our friendship forever, either she was innocent and she'd know I could think her capable of doing this to me or she was guilty and nothing between us would ever be the same again.
"Bonnie, have you been drugging me?"
"What?"
I waited for her to answer, it pained me when she immediately fell silent, her silence spoke volumes.
"Bonnie"
"You were desperate to have a baby and Shane said-"
I closed my eyes and tears fell from them instantly. So it was true, Shane was telling the truth.
I wasn't sure what exactly she had given me, yes I had gone up a cup size but I had been over eating just a bit from stress. But it could have very well been a side effect of the drugs. I hadn't been around Bonnie for two days, I didn't see her the day before I left town, I had checked myself into the hotel early, had breakfast in my room. So for the past two days I had gone without any of these drugs, I had felt a little different but believed it from jetlag, now I was left to wonder what dose had I been given all these months. How had she been giving me these drugs? How could I possibly have missed this?
Was I truly about to start blaming myself for this?
"He said they would help speed the process along once you got a sperm donor"
"You could have told me"
"I didn't want you to have to take them in front of Damon when I knew you two were fighting"
"We made up weeks ago. I told you this. I sat down with you and we talked about how I wasn't ready just yet and neither was he. You knew all this, so Bonnie tell me you stopped giving me the drugs at that point. Tell me that."
Again Bonnie went silent and I immediately covered my mouth.
"Elena"
"No" I shook my head "How could you do this?" I asked before ending the call.
Bonnie tried to call me back but I rejected the call and fought the urge to block her number. I brought my knees up to my chest and sobbed.
After an hour I found the strength to go down to the villa kitchen and heat up my food and hot chocolate in the microwave before returning to my room to eat them alone. My eyes were a mess and my skin felt like it just might crack. I didn't want the others coming back and seeing me like that, as halo like as it sounded, I truly didn't want to ruin their night by coming back to me a complete wreck. So I remained in my room and despite my lack of apatite I forced myself to eat my food and finish most of my drink. I had to eat something in order to take some aspirin for my head which was bounding. It always did when I cried, suddenly I'd become as weak as a kitten.
But the night was far from over, I tided away all of my dishes and gave my room a little once over before returning to the sofa to continue. I wasn't sure what time the others would be home and I knew I'd rather have everything done for them coming back. I wanted to be asleep for them coming home so there were no questions.
My next call was to Jake.
I called and explained to him that I was sorry for not calling him sooner and explaining things to him. I told him that things had been rocky with Damon and I when I first found out about vampire and hybrid's ability to have children together. I told him how grateful I was for his generous offer to help us become a family and that he seemed like an amazing person. But in the future if Damon and I decided to have a baby together we would want to do it together, with no mentioning of a biological father. Jake explained he would have wanted to be in the baby's life but said he understood from my stand point. I did thank him for his honesty and wished him well before finally ending the call.
There was so much I had to say to Damon and I knew it was better to do this sooner rather than later. I did want to hear his voice and him to hear mine and believe that I was ok. He must have been going out of his mind with worry. There was just so much to say and I just couldn't risk him hanging up on me before I let him know how sorry I was for all of my actions. So instead of calling him, I called down to the front desk and ask for some paper without the hotel letterhead on it to be sent up to my room. I didn't want Damon flying down here and causing a fight with the Mikaelsons, like I was being held here against my will. I had told him all of this in the text I sent to him before I boarded the plane back home but there was plenty more to say to him this time.
One of the staff arrived with the paper and I tipped them before returning to my room, getting myself comfort at the desk. I then proceeded to write Damon a letter, detailing all my thoughts and feelings.
Dear Damon,
I'm so sorry that I'm not with you right now. There's nowhere in this world that I'd rather be then right by your side. If you're mad at me right now or even furious believe me I understand. I would be completely lost for words if you had done to me what I have done to you and just disappeared overnight. So for what it's worth let me assure you again that I'm here of my own choosing and free will, I've not been compelled which I doubt you will believe but it is true.
It wasn't an easy decision to write this letter but it had to be done. I had to break through my cycle of lies and finally be honest with you about the events of the last couple of months.
You have to know that nothing that has happened has been your fault. I take full responsibility for every one of my actions and in no way blame any of my mistakes on being confused or trying to come to terms with being a new vampire. There are no words that will put true meaning behind the hurt and pain I am going to cause you. I'm so sorry to be the one to do this to you, I have told you so many times that I would do everything in my power to keep us together and growing in love but instead I have done everything possible to not only destroy myself but our relationship and our future.
I have no one to blame but myself...
It all started when I learned about the possibility of becoming pregnant. From that day to this I've been going down a very dark road.
I very quickly became obsessed over the idea of having a baby. I became so wrapped up in my own feelings and hopes for the future that I completely sandbagged your own. I kept telling myself that somehow you would warm to the idea of having a baby, I told myself perhaps if I got pregnant quickly enough that you would come to terms with it, that seeing me happy would be enough for you. I didn't once stop and ask myself what having a baby would mean for you and us a couple. Damon, I didn't even entertain that idea that you might be able or want to raise a baby that wasn't biologically yours. It's shameful the amount of excuses I made up in my head for pushing forward without you. I've never even allowed myself to consider the reality that I am still a new vampire and might not be able to control my bloodlust around a newborn baby.
I'm not going to lie or sugar coat what I believe now to be true. I believe now that I may have had some level of a breakdown. I'm not a hundred percent sure when exactly it occurred but I've not felt right within myself for months. I'm not going to lie to you about this anymore. Caroline was right, I don't think I've very well.
You were worried about what went on with me and the hybrid I met with.
I love you.
So be assured that nothing at all happened between the two of us. But I would be lying to you if I said that I didn't think about it. I was so wrapped up in all my feelings that I allowed myself to act on every single one of them until I couldn't look myself in the mirror. I was attracted to Jake and I did bring him back to the boarding house knowing you weren't home. Please believe me when I tell you that I would have stopped myself, that I would not have slept with him.
All I can do is give you my word and pray that you believe it.
I'm not asking you to forgive me, I'm never going to be able to forgive me. What I did was selfish and so very hurtful. I know after doing this that I do not deserve you and if you can't bring yourself to have me in your life anymore then I would understand.
I think I'm experiencing some level of depression and maybe it's time that I stop trying to fix myself and instead get myself some help. I don't think whatever is going on with me can be fixed with a hot bath and a journal entry. I think there is something deeper going on that I've kept hidden for too long, trying to convince myself that no matter how strong it was that I could somehow control it.
I don't know if I was this way all along throughout my life or if it's possibly repressed trauma from my parent's deaths or whatever horrors quickly followed.
Again nothing that has happened to me or to us is an excuse for the way I've been acting. None-of-it.
There's no excuse for that.
There will never be an excuse for that.
I just wanted to let you know that if I come home to my things waiting for me in the driveway then I'll understand and for what it's worth I'm going to get myself some help when I come home.
I love you Damon.
Elena
I understood Damon would be able to tell from the postage stamp where the letter had come from but I doubted he'd be able to find us here. I put on one of my longer coats and took the letter down to the front desk where I watched them prepare it for postage, I tipped the receptionist who assisted me very well to ensure the letter would get there as soon as possible regardless of price. I wanted Damon to know that I was alright and that I was taking steps to make myself better.
Just as I was about to make my way upstairs I spotted Klaus and Caroline's driver from this morning crossing the lobby. I knew it was be easy for me to just head on upstairs and just mind my own business but, if I did that I was just feeding this illness within me and I couldn't do that anymore. I had to start finding myself again which meant helping others. I collected my phone from the inside of my pj bottoms and searched it for the old articles on Miss Mystic Falls. I came across one article that contained a picture of Klaus and I together.
"Excuse me, Sir?" I called to him stopping him.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry to bother you but uh-" With that I began to compel him holding my phone up for him to see "Do you remember this man?"
"Yes, one of my passengers from this morning"
"Yes he was" I held his gaze
"The next time you see this man you will ask to speak with him alone. After you are alone, you will tell him that the valets came across a condom in the back seat of your car. You will tell him it's nothing out of the ordinary, however you thought he should know this particular condom was broken. And you felt it was absolutely necessary to let him know. You will forget that I was the one to tell you about this. Everything I've told you was of your own making"
When I freed him from my compulsion I quickly sped out of his sight.
After I was back up in my room I collected my laptop from beneath my pillows and got myself comfortable in bed before I started it up and went onto my email.
I submitted an email to my high school gym teacher who was also responsible for the cheer squad. I informed her of my decision to quit the cheerleading squad and thanked her for years of her years of training. When I got back to Mystic Falls things were going to have to change and being a cheerleader had not made feel good for a very long time now, I had stuck with it just to get under Rebekah's skin. This wasn't good for me anymore so it was time for a change. It was time to move on from such childish behavior.
I got up, brushed my teeth and washed my face before returning straight back to bed. It had been a very long day and it was only the first day of the trip.
I wanted to be home, I want the creature comforts of home, the smell of my linen, the touch of my pillow and the heat of Damon sleeping beside me. I had been so shut down for so long but now after tonight after choosing to risk everything in order to save everything I finally felt like I had gotten a small piece of me back.
My recovery back to myself wasn't going to happen overnight but at least it was a small start.
I wasn't sure how long I had been asleep for but I found myself waking up to the sound of my bedroom door opening, the light from the hallway filling my room, I woke up and through my eyelashes looked across the room to see Klaus standing in my doorway. He had his tux jacket off and had unbuttoned the collar of his shirt, he kept his hand on the door handle as he looked over at me believing I was asleep.
He then proceeded to close the door over and leave me be.
I didn't read anything into it, perhaps Elijah or even Caroline had suggested someone should look in on me now that they were back.
Tonight was the night I choose to let go my feelings for Klaus however strong they were. So as he closed the door so did I.
No more fantasying
No more text messages
No more pictures
No more phone calls.
The only thing I wanted now was to get myself well.
Klaus Mikaelson P.O.V
We were very lucky at the auction, every single one of us actually. I had purchased two large pieces to go on the feature wall of the dining room and above my desk in the study, two of those pieces setting me back over a million. I also bought a few pieces of furniture for the pool house and a pocket watch. Rebekah bought a beautiful piece from early eighteen century Paris she planned to hang in her bedroom over her bed, she bought a couple of other pieces along with it including a very pricey necklace that she could not be without.
Elijah was the biggest buyer of the night, he bought art and many bottles of very expensive wine to add to his collection. By the end he had won every item he set out to make his own.
Kol was the same, a few bottles of wine along with a loft in Paris that we would be checking out when we arrived there for fashion week.
Caroline didn't bid all night she was simply too scared to spend money that wasn't her own. But I had promised to buy her something sparkly and so I did.
I bought her a beautiful and costly heavy set diamond necklace with a yellow pear cut diamond centre.
We arrived back at the hotel just after one in the morning, each of us feeling the power of jet lag as got out from the limo. I was the first to get out followed by Caroline who was already yawning, I kissed her forehead before she turned around to take Rebekah's hand who took it to my surprise and they both proceeded towards the hotel lobby together. Elijah and Kol got out from the other side, Kol tossing his jacket over his shoulder as they walked around the back of the limo towards me.
"I'm going to find out who the duty manager will be in the morning for when our pieces arrive. I want everything stored properly" Elijah explained to me as Kol yawned at his side.
We crossed the lobby and Kol went ahead to get the elevator for us, while Elijah headed over to the front desk. I felt a tap to my shoulder and turned around to find a man standing behind me.
"Sorry to disturb you, Sir. I just saw you arrive with one of my other drivers"
Right, I recalled him now from this morning.
"What can I do for you?"
"My name is Maxwell, Sir. I was your driver this morning from the airstrip"
I cleared my throat then "I see. I assume you're looking for some sort of payment for your trouble?"
There was no way this man didn't hear Caroline and I together in the backseat.
"Uh no, Sir. I could tell you horror stories about what has gone in in the backseats of some of the cars I've driven through the years. No it's nothing like that, Sir. Normally I just mind my own but one of my boys who cleans up the cars he came across an item left behind"
"An item?"
"A condom"
"I see" With that I glanced over at Kol who was talking to a maid then over to Elijah who was speaking to some short man in an ugly tight suit.
"As I said normally I just mind my own but I thought it was in your best interest to let you know that, the condom he came across, it was broken"
"Excuse me?"
His words echoed in my mind over and over. This was some sort of living nightmare. Caroline and I couldn't take risks we had to be careful just as humans did, one broken condom was all it took.
Every nightmare aspect shot through my mind like a train coming off the rails. Caroline was still young, she would have to drop out of school, she would doubt I was in this for the long haul, she wouldn't believe any baby was safe around vampires, controlled or not. Or even worse she might choose not to have any baby of mine all together. Suddenly our first date was yesterday and now every door was open to us, we just didn't know what was waiting behind each door to bounce on us.
I thanked the man and gave him some money for his trouble before he headed for the entry doors and back out to the cars.
I might have just gotten Caroline pregnant.
As I got on the elevator, Elijah and Kol talked amongst themselves unaware of me standing behind them feeling my world shattering around me.
Caroline and Rebekah were climbing the stairs to the second floor together when we stepped off the elevator.
"Goodnight ladies" Elijah called up to them as he took his jacket.
He turned around to me "Are you alright?" he asked
"Fine"
"I'll look in on Elena" He told me
I shook my head "Uh no, I'll do it. I'll check in on her"
I left Elijah's side feeling his eyes on me as I made my way upstairs clasping at my jacket as I rounded the corner and made my way down the hall. I rested my jacket on the side table by the door to her room before opening the door and looking in on her. She was already in bed asleep, so I turned around and left her be.
I had more pressing issues to think about.
Caroline Forbes P.O.V
"Right there, yeah, right there" I repeated over and over as Klaus thrusted into me.
It was just after six when I woken up that morning, Rebekah and I had slept in her bed last night after falling asleep in front of the tv. She was still asleep and I didn't want to wake her up, now she was pregnant she could use all the sleep she could get. Instead I had gone into my own room brushed my teeth and put on a little deodorant before heading into my closet to collect a condom from my handbag.
I tip toed down the hallway all the way to Klaus's bedroom, to my surprise he was already awake and working out. He was in the middle of his push ups when he spotted me. I smirked at him as I pushed my pj bottoms down off my legs and made my way towards him, he got up to his feet immediately at the sight and lifted me up into his arms kissing me as he carried me over to his bed.
Twenty minutes later and Klaus still refused to give up the lead, keeping me pinned under him as he came.
"Sweet Jesus" Klaus moaned into my ear as he collapsed over me.
I wrapped my arms around his back as my legs tightened around his hips.
"And that was without any heels"
Klaus burst into laughter and rolled off me, bringing me up on top of him. I flicked my hair back and smiled as his eyes travelled over my body admiring it.
"Sexy" Klaus moaned brushing his hands up my thighs.
"More"
"Fearless"
"Keep going"
Klaus leaned up off his pillows until he was face to face with me.
"Mine"
I cupped his face in my hands "What are you asking me Klaus?"
"What do you think?"
I bit my lip and wrapped my arms over his shoulders "I think the biggest toughest alpha in the game is asking me to go steady"
"No"
"No?" Oh god, cringe!
"I'm asking you to stay"
I leaned in and planted a single kiss on his lips leaning away from him to meet his eyes "Now that's romantic" I told him before nodding my head in response.
Klaus brought his arms around my back pushing me against his centre.
"Now about those heels"
I didn't hold back my scream then as Klaus at full hybrid speed flipped me onto my back.
Elena Gilbert P.O.V
I woke up just before seven and after remembering where I was I set to work on immediately trying to calm my shot nerves. So it was true, it wasn't some crazy dream after all. I had actually gone and done it, I had travelled to Africa with the Mikaelson family. My life read like some crazy fanfiction that I wouldn't have believed in a million years and yet here I was. It didn't make any sense for me to be here, none at all really when you thought about it. It was because of my lies and unwavering crush that I had somehow found myself across the world in a five star luxury villa with a family who would all rather see me dead.
I wasn't sure what was going on with me exactly, if it was all the events of yesterday catching up with my body and mind finally allowing my depression to hit me hard but, I woke up feeling as low as I had been in years.
It didn't matter that I was wrapped in the softest blanket you ever felt in your life or I had a mountain of pillows at my back. There was no level of physical comfort that could help me with this feeling.
Deep down I knew the only answer to my problem was to go home to Mystic Falls.
I didn't belong here, I had lied to Klaus and his family and got mixed up in so much mess that I didn't know myself anymore.
I didn't like myself anymore.
So I was going to do what I had to do and that was go home.
I got up out of bed and made my way to the bathroom, immediately heading to the shower to wash off the night and wake myself up for the long day ahead. I washed and conditioned my hair and washed myself with the shower gel the hotel had provided. Afterwards, I found the strength to blow dry and straighten my hair, brush my teeth and add a small amount of make up. Heading to my closet next I collect some underwear, a pair of jeans and a black tank top, putting them on along with some body spray not bothering with any perfume, I wasn't looking to impress anyone of them anymore especially Klaus.
I did want him but he didn't want me, and despite whatever happens between Damon and I next, I wasn't going to chase Klaus anymore. I didn't know if he was in love with Caroline or not but I did know despite all of my cheating, yes I had cheated emotionally and despite it, I did in my heart love Damon to this day.
I would always love Damon but a small part of me was building to the reality that he might not take me back.
There was so much to do but none of it could be done here.
I made my way out of my room, I shut my room door behind me and paused when my vampire hearing kicked in and I heard the unmistakable sound of Caroline and Klaus having sex. I didn't even pause or react in the slightest, they were a couple, they were having sex, case closed. I made my way downstairs to the kitchen finding no one else was awake yet, the curtains were still drawn in the sitting room. I entered the kitchen and as quickly as I could without darting around like an idiot I collected myself a cup of coffee and a banana, finishing them both and rinsing out my cup and putting it away so there wasn't a mess for someone else to clean up later.
I got back up to my room without anyone's notice which I was grateful for. I needed to eat so I would have the energy I needed to get myself packed and on a plane to the states that same day.
Caroline Forbes P.O.V
Rebekah and I were in my room together getting ready to go out for the day. The boys were going to go for a hike and that was a big no for a pregnant Rebekah. So we kicked up a fuss about not wanting to go which took all of two minutes to convince the guys to go without us. They would take a little longer to leave than us probably considering our desire to get out and explore.
"What about Elena?" I asked Rebekah as we collected our bags.
"She's not coming"
"Bex"
"No, I mean it. I don't want her with us today. There are a few things I want to do, now let's go"
We left without seeing anyone on our way out. We didn't say a word to one another until we were out of the hotel all together and out of hearing range all together. We weren't going to risk anyone overhearing us including any staff.
"How are you feeling?"
"As about as relaxed as a suddenly pregnant woman could be"
"You'll relax more over the next few weeks"
"Assuming it holds"
"Don't say that. Don't even think it. Listen to me" I said reaching out for her arm and pulling her round to face me "You got pregnant without any hormones or treatments, you got pregnant on your first attempt"
Rebekah looked away from me "Well it might not hold so-" she clears her throat "I mean if you wanted we could-" she tucked her hair away from her face "I don't know find a church or something and light a candle"
She wasn't this way last night and the closer I looked it became obvious to me that she hadn't slept very well. I recalled then I had been the one to fall asleep first, she was still up when I was drifting off.
"Let's go" I told her
If this is what she needed, no scratch that, if this is what my sister needed, then we were going to do it.
Elena Gilbert P.O.V
I was standing in my closet reviewing the text I had just typed up making sure it said everything I needed it to.
I understand why you did what you did, Bonnie. Deep down I know you were only trying to help but it doesn't excuse what you did. I'm not sure how I feel about all of this just yet and until I do I think it's better if we take a little break from each other. This isn't easy for either of us we've been friends for a long time but I think it's what we need to do right now. I don't want to try for a baby anymore and maybe not for a long time to come either, that's the decision that I've made and I hope you can respect that. Take care of yourself. I love you.
Bonnie had done what she did out of love but it was really out of character for her to do that. I wasn't going to pretend that it was okay, or that within a few days or weeks we could start to move on and forget about it. Regardless of whatever pills or whatever it was she had been giving me, she had been drugging me, in no world was that okay. It was not okay.
I hoped one day I would forgive her, I was hardly innocent myself and I was asking for forgiveness for my actions too. I just didn't have the inner strength to forgive right now.
How could I forgive someone when I couldn't find the will to forgive myself?
There was a lot of things to figure out still, but like I said nothing could be done here. I shouldn't be here, I was getting in the way and spoiling everyone's good time. I just wanted to slip away, I had booked my flight and it was at four in the morning, so I had all day to pack up and slip out after midnight tonight. I could have gotten an earlier flight but by choosing to slip away it just showed how hard I wanted to avoid making a fuss.
I just didn't want to cause anymore bother, I just wanted to go home.
I decided to be smart about the whole thing and pack up my things whilst inside my closet. I wouldn't take anything out into my bedroom where anyone could just walk in and see me, no I had to be smart here. I opened my suitcase up on the floor of the closet, looking around at the amount of clothing I had brought with me, it was hard to believe it had all managed to fit into just two suitcases.
My breath caught in my chest as my closet door opened and I found Klaus staring back at me.
"What are you doing, love?"
"I was just finishing my unpacking" I lied
Klaus took a look around my closet then before looking back at me.
"You unpacked yesterday"
"No, there were still a few things that I had left to unpack"
Klaus studied me waiting for me to crack but I didn't I held strong. He then proceeded to close the door to my closet over behind him without his eyes leaving mine.
I did get a shock of electricity of course, my crush had just locked us in a room together alone so yes of course it gave me a little shock. But surprisingly I pushed past it very quickly. Reality check, he was with Caroline, hours earlier he had been in bed with his girlfriend.
Bottom line - He didn't like me.
"Don't lie to me, love"
Fine I'll try for a little bit of honesty.
"I want to go home, okay" I said hearing the tiredness in my voice then as I was finally honest with him and myself "I miss home already and I want to be with Damon"
I know how cringey it was to think it but it was true, the truth really does set you free. I felt so much weight fall from my shoulders in that moment that it wasn't even funny.
"Well it's too bad, until we know the threat isn't there you have to stay by my side"
"Klaus, please listen to me just once" I pleaded
Hearing that his eyes darkened and he crossed his arms together.
"There is always going to be a threat to me, I'm a doppelganger that's never going to change. Yes I get it a hundred percent I am safe here with all of you around but I am also safe at home with Stefan and Damon. I belong back in Mystic Falls"
"No"
"Klaus" I stepped forward "I give you my word that if anything happens again, anything at all then I swear to you I will do as you say. You have my word"
Nothing was going to happen again because nothing had happened in the first place. There was no threat to my life but this was the only way I could live a life free of the protection of the Mikaelson family after I got back to Mystic Falls.
"I swear to you"
Klaus then reached for the door handle at his back and opened the door "You're staying where I can keep an eye on you" he told me before taking off out of my room slamming the door behind him. I followed him out of the closet and into my room, stepping out to find he was over at my bag, he took out my passport tucking it into his back pocket.
"Please" I pleaded
Klaus left the room at that without another word said on the matter.
I sat up in my room for the next half hour just listening to the distant sound of the brothers somewhere downstairs discussing their hiking trip. Before too long the sound faded and they were gone.
After a while I made my way out of the room and headed downstairs to make myself some lunch. My plans had changed, I couldn't get out of the country without a passport, I couldn't risk that going through airport security just hoping the guards weren't on vervain. We all knew there were all manner of supernatural creatures living outside of Mystic Falls, there was plenty of life outside our sleepy little town both good and bad.
For now I was just going to have to make the best out of things and try my best to get through the next few weeks.
When I arrived at the kitchen I paused finding I wasn't alone after all.
Standing at the kitchen island chopping up large tomatoes with an even larger knife was Klaus. He didn't look up at me but we both knew he saw me standing there.
"What are you still doing here? I thought everyone had gone"
"I'm making lunch" Klaus answered before his eyes met mine.
"Sit" Klaus instructed using the knife in his hand to point at the kitchen chair across from him.
He returned to chopping as I very cautiously made my way towards the chair, balancing myself as I brought my self up to the seat cushion and sat down. I watched Klaus continued on, he had some serious skills, I don't know what it was but I always found a gentle tranquility and balance from watching someone cook.
"What's going on at home, love?" Klaus asked
I half smiled and shook my head not meeting his eyes as they didn't lift from the chopping board.
"Let me guess you think Damon and I have had a fight?"
"No, to be honest, love it's rather difficulty to keep up with what Salvatore brother you're with these days"
Rip okay that one hurt but it wasn't the first time he'd pointed this out to be and probably wouldn't be the last time, he seemed to enjoy seeing me shift uncomfortably.
"Please stop that" I said and pushed the barriers away.
I could feel Klaus look over at me, I didn't have a tone, it was almost a softest request ever whispered in existence. I couldn't look him in the eye, I was basically asking for him not to pick on me like a child.
"So why do you want to go home?"
I shrugged and finally looked up to find Klaus's attention back on the board.
"I just miss my creature comforts" I explained.
"The sounds of creaky floorboards?"
I smiled "My bath towels"
"The one pillow that is always cold at that right time"
We both laughed in agreement and a comfortable silence followed. I returned to watching him slice vegetables for a little while. Klaus soon wiped his hands on a dish towel and walked around me to the fridge, gathering a glass from the cabinet before placing a glass of milk down for me. I looked at the glass and then to Klaus who didn't say anything about it, he just returned to his slicing.
"Can I ask you something?"
Klaus met my eyes briefly before nodding and looking down again.
"Does Caroline hate me?"
Klaus met my eyes at that and after a beat he nodded confirming what I should have known already. She had ever reason to hate me and there was one person for sure who would have known it to be true or not and he just told me so.
I didn't blame her for hating me, I hated myself for my choices and my actions against her.
"Did you hear about what we did? About what I did to her?"
"She told me eventually"
"It was stupid and so cruel"
Klaus locked eyes with me then out of nowhere and he nodded his head very, very slowly. Holding my gaze until I couldn't look at him a second longer.
"I was responsible for it, all of it. No one else is to blame"
"There you go throwing yourself under the bus"
"No I mean it. This isn't selfless this is fact"
"I'm not the person to tell this to, love"
"I know"
It was wrong of me to talk about this with him, I had done enough things behind Caroline's back already, it was best not to add anymore to the list.
"You should know by now, Elena. Not much goes on in Mystic Falls that escapes my notice"
"Babies" I said cutting to the point
Klaus nodded his head and continued chopping.
"How did you learn about it?"
"Oh round about the second you did. I was in The Grill. You were hanging onto every word from Bonnie Bennett while I was watching Caroline's life go up in flames"
Our eyes met then.
"I've been responsible for a great deal of cruelty in my time, Elena. But you and Bonnie took the gold that day" Klaus held my gaze "You destroyed her"
A tear from nowhere fell from my eye and down my cheek. His words cut deeper then any knife ever could. He was right.
Caroline was in pain and in that moment I wanted to die.
I remember that day like it was yesterday, I sat there and listened to my dreams coming true, while she sat there right beside me, listening to us without even glancing her way. She was a vampire, she was blessed with this amazing opportunity and yet I had just sat there and saw the light at my own tunnel.
How could I have done this to her?
How could I have been so thoughtless? So god damn cruel.
I wiped away the tear and straighten myself up as I looked anywhere but at Klaus who went back to his work.
"I shouldn't be here" I told him.
Silence quickly followed between us.
Klaus picked up the chopping board of sliced tomatoes and turned his back to me sliding all of them into a large pot on the stove behind him. I watched then as he gathered celery, carrots and garlic from counter top between us. He washed each of them off before he began to peel and cut them.
"One day she'll forgive you" Klaus broke the silence "Because that's the type of person she is"
Our eyes met.
"Somehow she'll find it within her to forgive you and do you know why?"
I shook my head
"Because she's stronger than all of you combined"
"I know" I answered honestly.
"She's better than us" I finally said it out loud.
Caroline was better than us, she had held onto her values and not lost herself in her transition into a vampire. Caroline always owned up to her mistakes, unlike me and I was carrying plenty of them these days. I knew it was wrong to compare people to one another but I couldn't help it.
Caroline would have never ever drugged me like Bonnie had. There I go again focusing on everyone's else's mistakes when I should have been focused and owning my own.
"What's going on over there?" Klaus asked me then breaking my chain of thought.
I looked over at him and found him glancing my way every so often.
"What do you mean?"
"You tell me" He challenged
I swallowed hard every time his eyes met mine. I didn't have to answer him, I could lie, after all I had already proven how good I was at it. But I was tired of pretending, I was tired of just about everything, including my own thoughts at this point.
"I'm just a little sad" I answered, not daring to look him in the eye though.
When I eventually did I found he was looking right at me.
I shrugged it off trying not to feel so small and pathetic in that moment, when he saw this however Klaus's jaw dropped and for a moment it looked like he was ready to say something, but instead he returned to chopping yet again.
"I'm sorry I-"
"No" Klaus said softly cutting me off before I could apologies for making things so awkward.
For the next hour I watched Klaus continue to peel and chop vegetables, after that he made fresh pasta from scratch. I sat quietly just watching it happen, not watching him, just the preparation. I drank my glass of milk and very cautiously allowed myself to relax a bit.
"How many times have you been here?"
"A couple of times, we mainly come for the art"
"I overheard something about a fire?"
Klaus was browning the mince with his back to me at this point.
"A small one, not too many damage"
"Did you lose anything important?"
Klaus didn't answer me right away instead he picked up some salt and added it to the cooking pasta.
"Nothing too important" He then replied.
I took another sip of my milk then.
"How do you like Africa?" Klaus asked me then
"It's warmer than I could have ever imagined"
Klaus chuckled under his breath ever so slightly. I knew I wasn't funny he was simply being kind. No doubt I'd made him feel awkward already, now I was just getting in the way of his cooking.
Maybe it's time to go back upstairs?
I shifted in my chair and hearing the chair squeak Klaus looked over his shoulder.
"Stay" He told me turning around to focus on the stove.
"I don't want to be a bother" I told him but he didn't reply.
I got myself comfortable on the chair again and drummed my fingers lightly on the counter surface before drumming the side of my almost empty glass.
"Klaus"
He turned around to look my way this time.
"Thank you" I swallowed "For bringing me here, it's only been a few days but it's out of this world"
Klaus nodded in agreement before returning to his cooking.
"You've not done a lot of travelling before have you sweetheart?"
"Summers and holidays were usually spent at our cabin, of occasion we'd go to my mother's sisters but that was about it"
"What's on your list?" He asked and when I never answered Klaus looked over his shoulder at me "Everyone's got a list, love"
He was just being kind and trying to keep me company. Was this pity?
God it sure felt like pity.
But never the less I answered.
"I always wanted to see Paris, but not the usual tourist spots, I want to walk where Hemingway walked, have a coffee at the Latin Quarter while reading one masterpiece after another"
Klaus turned around to face me as I continued.
"Maybe rent a classic car and drive into the deep mountains of Montana, disappear to some little cottage with pictures of generations on each wall, spend the week riding horses, building fires and baking pies. Finish each night with lighting a lantern and watching it fly across a cloudless, starry night"
I felt Klaus watching me but I was too embarrassed to look his way "And I guess I'd like to see Las Vegas someday, the bright lights and performances, the feel of the excitement in the air like a warm inviting perfume"
I kept my eyes down as Klaus returned to cooking.
"I'll sure all these things seem small to you but" I shrugged harmlessly "I guess I just like the simple things" I sighed then "Feel free to stop me at any point" I shook my head at myself "Laughable right?"
"No" Klaus said without turning to look my way "Beautiful" he said ever so delicately, I'd never heard his voice at that level before.
I was about to thank him when his phone binged, Klaus reached into his pocket to retrieve it. Sending it back into his pocket seconds later.
"Caroline and Rebekah are on their way back"
I nodded and turned to get down from my chair.
"Don't you want some lunch?" Klaus asked as I stepped down to the floor.
"I'm fine, thanks though" I smiled ever so slightly "I'm gonna go for a walk"
What I really meant was I'm going to get out of your hair and give you and your family some time alone to eat together. Besides there was plenty I could go out and do for a few hours so they didn't feel the need to keep me entertained. I wasn't being selfless in my acts, I truly wanted to give them time to just be a family and enjoy their time together.
But I wasn't going to drop the subject of me going home early, I'd be bringing it back up with Klaus very soon.
Klaus Mikaelson P.O.V
The next morning Elijah, Kol and I headed into the city to get haircuts and a shave. After everything was trimmed and clean cut again we decided to go around a few of the stores while Caroline and Rebekah were attending some yoga class at the hotel. Elena had already been up and gone by the time I had woken up, she had told Elijah she was going to a library and then to lunch she wouldn't be home until later in the day. Elijah and I were stocking up on a few products which included for me hair wax and dental floss. Kol had found me buying condoms and lube to his confusion and after a twenty minute public argument with Elijah on who was responsible for telling Kol about hybrid and vampire's ability to reproduce we had found our way to a pub just a few minutes away where Kol was now finishing his fifth beer as Elijah and I watched on.
"How could you forget to tell him?" I hissed
"Me? You're the one who should have told him"
"I'm actually dizzy" Kol groaned forcing me to take the bottle clasped between his hands like a life jacket.
"This is your fault"
"Yes Niklaus I should be held responsible for our brother's vulgar amount of sexual partners"
"So many girls, oh god. So many girls" Kol continued on as if we weren't even there.
"You should have told him back in Vegas" I explained
"Vegas? You've both known about this since VEGAS?"
When I didn't answer Kol looked to Elijah for answers.
"Perhaps a little longer"
"Christ!" Kol yelled
"Control yourself" Elijah warned him.
"It's hardly the end of all your fun and play, Kol. Just be sure not to play doctor with any of my hybrids"
"How the hell am I suppose to know if they're hybrids or not?"
I sat upright in my chair then "Well we don't have a group chat just yet but I'll be sure to put a rush on the name tags and Team Hybrid t-shirts when we return home" I yelled the black veins beneath my eyes threatening to pulse to the surface.
Kol groaned and sunk his head down to the table leaving Elijah and I to look at each other.
"Bourbon" Elijah and I ordered in sync.
Hours later and many purchases charged on mine and Elijah's credit cards and Kol still hadn't recovered from the news. In an attempt to make the peace between us I had been the one to suggest we speak with the girls and head out to a few clubs that night. Although to Kol there were no better clubs on this planet then in the heart of Vegas, he was willing to give tonight a try, if anything it meant mind numbing drinks and plenty music to distract us all. Caroline and Rebekah agreed to the night however after much bickering between the pair they decided Rebekah would be the one to keep her drinks to a minimum to ensure none of did anything that might cause unnecessary attention to us as supernatural's. Rebekah wasn't exactly thrilled over the idea of playing mother, she stomped all the way upstairs insisting that Caroline should be the responsible one since she loved bossing people around so much.
The pair must have made peace, it was now an hour before we were due to set off and they were blasting music from Reekah's room while getting dressed for the night ahead.
Elena Gilbert P.O.V
The elevator doors opened to the sitting room of the villa and I stepped inside immediately heading for the staircase to go up to my room. I had set off nice and early that morning, travelled across the city and started with some breakfast in a beautiful little cafe. The owner's grandmother made me a delicious roll to eat with my coffee, she was ninty seven years old and had worked at the same cafe all of her life. I had asked to meet her and been taken back into the kitchens where she worked, she had such soft hands. She had kissed my cheek and told me my heart was kissed by sunshine. She was a remarkable woman, she had used the same recipe her great grandmother used, she didn't change it, she said they knew what good food was back then, it was her job to remind people of good food now.
After I left the cafe I went into a few clothing stores in order to find less revealing items to wear for the rest of the trip. I had come on the trip certain of my seducation on Klaus however things had changed and now I didn't want to do that anymore. This wasn't some childish game where I was giving up the idea of gaining the attention of a boy my friend liked, it was nothing of the sort. I wasn't going to pretend this attraction was going to disappear overnight nor was I going to pretend I could just shut it off like it didn't mean anything to begin with.
Bonnie drugging me had not led to my crush on Klaus neither had my depression. I simply developed a crush on Klaus and that was all there to it. But that was over now and I wanted to get back to the life I had before and if heaven forbid Damon couldn't find it in his heart to forgive me then I was going to have to make a lot of changes when I got back to Mystic Falls.
After I finished up with my shopping I made my way to the library and gathered up a few books to keep me busy through the day. I found a quiet little spot on the second floor out of everyone's way where I could just sink into a chair with a nice pillow and a great book. There was coffee in the vending machines on the ground floor and toilets on each floor so I didn't leave the library all day. I didn't want to sit around the hotel all day or even sit upstairs in my room for the whole trip. I honestly felt like a spare tire, no actually I was the clothes in everyone's suitcase that they brought on vacation with them but just know there is no way they're going anywhere.
Yes I was the bad dress, the back up phone charger and the travel plug. You never really need them and yet you take them with you regardless.
There was different music playing from every corner of the villa it seemed. I didn't see anyone however on my way to my room. I locked myself in and proceeded to my closet hanging up the items I had bought today, before plugging my phone onto charge and collecting a set of pjs to change into.
A feel good movie and an early night was all I wanted now.
I placed my pjs at the bottom of my bed and was about to change when there was a sudden knock on my door. I made my way over to the door unlocking it to find Klaus on the other side.
He was wearing a black suit, his tie done in the cape knot, he was wearing his usual scent but I did not pay attention to it.
"We're going out" Klaus explained and I nodded in response.
"Have a good time" I said with a smile and proceeded to shut the door when Klaus stopped me.
"You're coming" He explained
"Oh thank you but-" I paused and shook my head "I'd rather just stay put"
Klaus smirked "Afraid you can't handle it, love?"
A night out in some club or whatever they had planned was probably going to more glamorous then I could imagine. But when people drank they acted on their worst thoughts and I couldn't risk that happening, not if I truly wanted to get myself better.
"Goodnight" I said with a soft smile all the while not looking him in the eye, not even as I closed the door.
Caroline Forbes P.O.V
Every single one of us had made the effort tonight, the guys looked amazing, each of them with their haircuts and all freshly shaven. Each of them rocking some level of Prada, Gucci or even Dior suit, waiting for us by the elevators although we could smell them from the upstairs, some guys were worse than girls these days with the spray.
I had borrowed one of Rebekah's dresses for the night. I was wearing a navy slinky ruched asymmetric one shoulder bodycon dress (A/N - Which I found on PrettyLittleThings if you want to check it out) I kept my hair up in a curly bun with my band around my face.
While Rebekah was wearing a black extreme thigh spilt panelled plunge bodycon dress (A/N - Which I found on PrettyLittleThings if you want to check it out) She had straighten all her hair and sleeked it up into a tight bun before adding a pony tail extension that can the length of her hair, also sleek and straight. She paired the dress with a pair of long gold plated earrings I believe she won at the auction.
She thought she'd wear the dress one last time before the ever growing bump made it impossible.
While getting ready Rebekah and I had put on some tunes to mask the sound of us talking inside her bathroom, we'd even gone so far as to turn on the shower, run the bath and whisper in each other's ears. We knew the brothers would suspect something was up if Rebekah didn't touch a drop all night long, so from the moment we arrived at the club we agreed Rebekah would be the one getting the drinks since she was the one who held us up and took so long getting herself ready. She would order the drinks along with an empty shot glass for her which she would fill with whatever soft drink they had, she would claim it was something new of the club's making and neck it before anyone was any the wiser.
The club was insane and absolutely jumping from the minute we arrived. Rebekah and I were quick to the dance floor and after a few guys chanced their luck and moved in on us it didn't take Klaus long to arrive at our sides. With a few drinks in him it was enough to convince him to dance with both of us at once, which he pulled off like a champ of course. Kol was a great mover too, dancing a few numbers with me and not just leaving us behind for the cutest table of girls and or brides to be. Elijah had sent a bottle of champagne over to every single table of women celebrating their bachelorette party to their delight.
Rebekah and I had made sure the brothers seen us by the bar and taking drinks of some kind which were all water for Rebekah but not so much for me.
I brought Klaus to the dance floor over and over again. He was a little drunk compared to me but he still managed to dance pretty freaking well actually.
By the end of the night every single one of us were a sight. Rebekah managed to get us all back into the limo somehow, I think a few of the bouncers had helped when it came to convincing Kol the party was over.
But when we got back to the villa the party was far from over.
We blasted tunes, got out the drink and the blood. We danced and danced and yes a few things got broken in the process. More than a couple of things actually...
I can just remember at that Rebekah had gotten a hold of me and helped me up the stairs to my room, I blacked out pretty quickly after that.
Elena Gilbert P.O.V
I woke up to the sound of the others arriving back at the villa, not even ten seconds after they stepped off the elevator I had jumped out my skin at the sound of something very large smashing to the ground and scattering across the floor. I just thanked god in that moment that all of their pieces they had purchased at the auction were in the hotel basement in storage. I did try and return to sleep and leave them to their fun. My bedroom door was locked, but it wasn't as if I had to worry about any of them coming to look for me. I settled myself back under the covers and attempted to return to sleep but the noise was too much.
I wasn't about to march downstairs and turn off their music and end the party. Nope, for the rest of this trip I was going to be invisible, a fly on the wall and out of the way of all of them. The reality had hit hard just how awkward it was being here with them. They came here to have fun and I was not fun to them. I really didn't want to get in their way and I had plenty of things to keep myself entertained with. But there just wasn't much to do in the middle of the night.
I got up from bed and went into the bathroom turning the light on inside and pulling the door over half way to give my bedroom just enough light from it. I didn't want to turn on any lights in my room, this light was plenty. I turned on the television, immediately putting it on mute and turning on the subtitles. I was in one of the furthest away bedrooms so it was pretty impossible even for vampires to hear anything coming from down here but I didn't want to take any chances. The idea of them laughing at me for staying up here alone like a loner was too embarrassing, so I instead kept quiet.
I drank the glass of water that I kept by my bed as over the next two hours the party continued downstairs. The music was loud, it was uncomfortably loud but even despite that you could hear things smashing everywhere and them all laughing together. I had settled myself against my pillows and continued to watch an old western movie, following the subtitles and stopping myself from laughing at material that was simply priceless at times.
Another hour later and the party was still going on downstairs.
Then out of nowhere there was a knock on my bedroom door. I sat upright in bed not sure if I had heard it right or not but another soft knock quickly followed. I switched off the television and gathered my hotel robe from the bottom of the bed, wrapping it around me before making my way over to the door.
I unlocked it to find Klaus on the other side.
He was leaning against the doorframe clearly drunk, he had taken off his suit jacket and tie now, his black shirt unbuttoned at the collar and his hair a little out of sorts.
"Hi" Klaus said before meeting my eyes.
"Klaus it's Elena" I told him
"I know" Klaus said then grinned "I know" He repeated.
Klaus then reached out for my hand taking it in his despite my efforts to pull it from him "Elena" He said turning my hand around in his to look down at my palm before he attempted to bring it up to his cheek.
I pulled my hand away from him and he stumbled backwards slightly before smiling and finding his footing, leaning himself against the doorframe.
"Go to sleep" I told him and attempted to shut the door.
"I can't" He stopped the door.
"Try" I told him again attempted to shut the door.
"You're all alone" Klaus said then making me pause
Klaus met my eyes then and stepped forward trying to come in but I stopped him.
"Elena, let me in" Klaus whispered and once again attempted to take my hand in his but I stopped him.
"Goodnight Klaus" I told him and this time managed to shut the door.
I locked the door and leaned against it.
"One of these nights, the locked door isn't gonna be enough to stop me" I heard Klaus groan on the other side.
I listened to him leave finally and I breathed a sigh of relief. He was drunk, he wouldn't remember tonight and I wasn't going to remind him I'd just sooner forget about it myself.
I had become so wired in my attempted to keep Klaus out that it took me another hour to fall over and go to sleep.
My alarm went off at five the next morning and I managed to pull myself up out of bed somehow. I got myself showered, brushed my teeth, adding a little amount of make up before heading to my closet to change. I put on a pair of blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt, it felt good to wear such comfortable and simple fashions again. No more halter necks or push up bras. I actually felt a little better myself that morning too, touch wood of course.
I decided to go downstairs and make myself some coffee before figuring out what I'd get up to that day. By the time I stepped out into the hall I was reminded of the events of last night. Even the hallways had seen some damage, there were broken glasses and beer bottles on almost every surface. I gathered up the beer bottles and broken pieces of glass on my way downstairs until the hallway behind me was totally clear. When I reached the top of the stairs I paused my jaw dropping at the sight of the sitting room. Furniture was turned over including the sofas, there was broken glasses and bottles, empty blood bags, even clothes and shoes just lying around.
I couldn't risk housekeeping coming in here and seeing all the blood bags and I knew the others wouldn't want that either. Things had gone to the limit last night but none of them were stupid they knew this type of thing being seen made people talk and we were booked into this hotel for at least another week and we to keep our bases covered. It was just after five and the others would be asleep for hours, housekeeping normally arrived just after eight which meant I only had a few hours to get this place organized. I made my way down to the sitting room and my work began.
I could have easily moved at my full vampire speed but at that there was too much risk. There was broken glass of the floor that I could cut myself on if I went over it too quickly and besides the elevator doors opened up into the villa I might not hear someone coming in time to slow down.
So I was going to do this at human speed, get it done on time and get it done quietly enough that I didn't wake the others. No doubt they'd have hangovers they wished would just kill them and get it over with.
I began by collecting all the beer bottles which were everywhere and I mean everywhere, they lined each step on both sets of staircases, they lined the wall of the elevator and also lined the large centre window of the room. There wasn't just beer bottles of course, there was wine, champagne and bourbon, some were empty and others just about. I rinsed out each bottle in the sink and put them into large black bin bags I found in kitchen cabinet that held a few cleaning products inside of it which were going to come in handy to me. I collected a broom and shovel from the closet and began to sweep up all of the broken pieces of glass.
I searched every room on the ground floor for any other damages, then and only then I went at full vampire speed up to the second and third floors inspecting every room and hallway that wasn't a bedroom, only returning with a few empty bottles in total. I collected all of the bags of broken glass and empty bottles and made my way down to the lobby with them, stepping off the elevator and immediately going to my left towards the service elevators, each floor was labeled inside to my relief. I went to the ground floor to the loading area, I was alone to my surprise and managed to cross the loading dock and go to the trash bins in the back. I tossed the bags into the bins and made my way back up to the villa as quickly as I could.
Once back at the villa I continued on.
I turned the sofas back around and lined them up with the coffee table in the centre of the room. I plumped and arranged all of the pillows on each sofa until they looked just as picture perfect as when we first arrived.
I then went around the room and collected all of the blood filled glasses and blood bags. I filled the sink with hot steamy water, some vinegar, a small touch of bleach and some dish soap. I washed each glass by hand, really making the effort to shift any signs or scents from them. There were probably twenty to forty glasses in total but each of them got my equal attention. I left them to dry on the draining rack while I went to work on destroying the blood bags, I got a pair of scissors from the drawer just to the left of the stove and collected a new carrier bag for the waste.
I snipped and snipped at each blood bag turning them into grain size pieces, it took almost an hour to get through each of them, by the time they were done it was simply impossible to tell what they had been originally, it was just grain sized plastic.
I knotted the bag. I would take it with me today and dump it miles from the hotel just to be sure.
I collected the cleaning supplies from the cupboard and went to work on spraying down every surface in the villa that wasn't in any of the bedrooms. It was exhausting, there was marks and stains everywhere and they each required a lot of elbow grease but I managed to do it.
By the time I was done there were no lingering scents of blood in any of the rooms, there was only the smell of Dettol and bleach. I didn't want any of them waking up with a hangover to the smell of blood, that was the kind of combination could drive a vampire insane and that couldn't happen.
I turned on the heating in the sitting room and in the hallways upstairs, put bleach into the toilets which were probably going to need cleaning within the next couple of hours. I turned off all of the air freshener plug ins, they were the last thing you wanted to smell when you were that hungover. I shut over all the doors to keep the rooms warm for them waking up.
The entire villa was spotless now, it was as if the night had never happened.
I returned to my room, made up my bed and collected my handbag so I could head out for the day.
It was just after eight when I made my way down to the kitchen again and placed the bag of destroyed blood bags into my handbag. I'd go and get some breakfast and find a trash bin to dump it in afterwards, I was no angel I needed coffee now and something to eat.
I stepped onto the elevators and smiled that the work was finally all done.
I did have a nice breakfast and dumped the destroyed blood bags in the dumpster of a pancake restaurant about five-seven miles from the hotel. I went for a walk wanting to stretch my legs after the events of this morning. I took a couple of pictures and bought a few magazines for me to read when I got back to the hotel.
It was just after one in the afternoon when I returned to the villa. I made my way into the sitting room to find Elijah and Klaus together about to step onto the elevators. Elijah was clearly freshly showered but Klaus could look a little better.
"Miss Gilbert" Elijah greeting me with a warm smile and stepping back so I may step out of the elevator first.
"Where were you?" Klaus asked before I had barely made it through the doors.
"I went for a walk" I answered before turning back around to them.
"Our sister and Caroline have gone out already and Kol is waiting for us downstairs" Elijah explained "I do apologize if our merriment kept you awake last night, Elena"
"It's fine" I replied with a smile feeling Klaus watching me over his brother's shoulder the whole time "Are you guys going somewhere?"
"We'll be back tonight" Klaus replied before Elijah could and turned around to head into the elevator.
"Have you plans yourself?" Elijah asked joining his brother.
The pair of them looking at me now.
"Plenty to keep me busy" I said as the doors closed.
I turned back around and took a look around me, everything was as it was, they must have assumed housekeeping had taken care of everything. It was a crazy night that was now over for them and it was time to return to as normal as a Mikaelson vacation could be.
Klaus Mikaelson P.O.V
As both my brothers continued on with their workouts I finally put an end to mine. There were a few calls I had to make and bookings to be confirmed. My first call however was to Caroline, she and Rebekah had just finished lunch and were about to go shopping they'd be back at the hotel in a few hours and I would have something new to rip off of Caroline. I got showered at the gym before making my way back to the hotel. This morning each of us had woken up with hangovers, Rebekah had recovered quicker than the rest of us. Elijah had called down to the front desk and arranged ingredients for the necessary tonic to aid all of us. The smell however was too much for Rebekah's hangover she quickly left the kitchen running for the nearest bathroom. After my tonic, a cold shower and a nap I had been ready to brace the day. Rebekah had once again stolen Caroline for the day and it was getting old quick.
The truth was I was glad Caroline was with her instead of me that morning. From the second my head lifted from the pillow I recalled the night before like a nightmare. I had danced with Caroline all night, kissed her, caressed her and yet found myself going to Elena's bedroom instead of hers. Despite the two of them not being friends anymore and hardly even speaking to each other the little baby vampire had shown me the door. The guilt of it was unreal. But Elena hadn't done what she did, then Caroline would never have forgiven me.
I loved Caroline.
Last night was just a drunk mistake that wouldn't be made again.
I returned to the villa and made my way up to my room sliding off my coat and going over to the balcony doors to get some air going through the room. I looked down at the pool and saw Elena there. She was sitting on a sun lounger but she was well covered up, no bikini this time. She was wearing a full length white embroider white kaftan. Why was she covering herself up like that suddenly?
No one cared if she wore a bikini or not, she'd worn one on her first day why not now?
Elena was sitting peacefully by the pool reading a magazine out of the sun. She was sitting all alone but it didn't seem to bother her. Something was going on with the little vampire, even I could see that and I didn't give a shit. She was hiding it well enough, made an effort to avoid looking sad or any less then present in the room.
I watched then as she sat her magazine to the side and got up from the lounger, taking off her kaftan to reveal her white white swimsuit beneath. It wasn't exactly revealing but there wasn't much time to look, Elena was quick to dive into the pool and begin doing lengths.
"Klaus?"
I turned hearing my name and Caroline entered my room at that, carrying more than a few bags with her which she put down by the door after finding me inside.
"Get over here" I instructed her
Caroline chuckled before rushing over to leap into my arms.
Her lips never leaving mine for a second as I send both of us across the room pressing her back into the furthest away wall before sliding down the top half of her dress.
Caroline Forbes P.O.V
The next night we received an invitation to a ball being held by one of the many big buyers of one of the auctions we had attend. He had spoken with Elijah throughout the night of the auction and sent the invitation to the hotel for us. We all spend the day in the city shopping for outfits. Elena had found hers quickly enough and disappeared somewhere while Rebekah and I worked together to find something for us.
We were all running late that evening to the event, time had just gotten away from all of us. Well not all of us, Elena had been waiting by the elevator doors by the time all of us have managed to get ourselves put together.
Rebekah's dress was amazing. She was wearing a sage green corset detail bardot dress (A/N which I found on PrettyLittleThings if you want to check it out)
I loved my own of course, it was just a little more daring than my usual style. It was a navy bardot fold detail extreme split maxi dress (A/N which I found on PrettyLittleThings if you want to check it out)
Elena had brushed back the top section of hair and clasped it together at the back of her head letting the bottom section remain lose and down over her shoulders. She wasn't wearing much make up tonight either to my surprise. Her dress however was pretty, it was a Amelia Rose silver embellished one shoulder maxi dress (A/N Which I found on NEXT if you want to check it out)
It was about a half an hour's drive to the venue of the ball, there were fireworks going off over the building as we arrived.
It was a beautiful event, the whole room was lit by candle light which made it all the more romantic. Klaus had kept me by his side all night, he kept kissing me and telling me how beautiful I looked. He didn't even bat an eye after my fifth request to dance with him.
Elijah was working the room, Kol was by the bar with two twins and Rebekah was off doing her own thing. Elena had gone for a walk around the grounds which were said to be beautiful, there was even mentions of peacocks.
The event had a DJ that was playing all kinds of songs, no string band tonight which was so refreshing.
After a while Rebekah and I were on the dance floor dancing to the classic Wang Chung's Dance Hall Days.
Kol was on the dance floor with the twins at that point to and he made dancing with two women look effortless.
A little while later I was standing at the bar with Klaus waiting for Rebekah who wanted to go outside for some fresh air and I told her I would join her.
"Stunning" Klaus whispered into my ear as he kissed my ear and bit the lope without drawing blood of course.
I opened my eyes and looked across the room to find Elena had returned.
"Why don't you ask Elena to dance?" I asked as Klaus took a sip of his scotch.
He shook his head and downed it quickly.
"Go on she's spent all night herself already"
Rebekah found me then and I gave Klaus a kiss before we headed outside to the crisp night air.
Elena Gilbert P.O.V
I was surrounded by such beautiful art, attire and friendly conversations and yet all I wanted was the comforts of home. I wanted to be at home in my own bed with a ten pizza bagels and a large diet coke.
The ball was out of this world it truly was, I just wanted to take out my phone and start snapping away because it felt like a once in a lifetime sort of night. I was going to miss Africa, I knew the chances of me seeing it again were very slim so I wanted to appreciate and capture every moment. My reasons for being here were dishonest, hurtful and never to be repeated ever again. However I just knew if I didn't see the beauty of this amazing land and it's people I just knew I would live to regret it someday down the line.
After I finished taking a few pictures I went into my texts to check them finding there were plenty from Bonnie. I gathered myself and took another sip of my water before opening them.
[10:24] Bonnie: Please answer your phone so we can talk about this.
[10:56] Bonnie: Don't ignore me I'm going to keep on calling.
[12:45] Bonnie: I know how it sounds but I only did it for your own good. I was only trying to help Elena you have to believe me
[20:34] Bonnie: Elena I get everyone needs a little time to cool off but you need to phone one of us so we know you are alright. Damon won't stop partying he can't stay still he's going out of his mind. The house is completely trashed. We've all been calling you we're all worried here! I know you're mad at me for what I did but you shouldn't just disappear and you shouldn't give up on the idea of having a baby either just because of Damon. Elena please call someone.
I slipped the phone back into my clutch on the table and brought my glass up to my lips, my hand trembling and the glass rattling against my teeth. I settled it back down somehow without spilling it.
Bonnie wanted to talk but I just wasn't ready. I understood they were worried and sooner or later I was going to have to call someone I just didn't know when to do it or who to call. Damon was partying, probably doing everything he could to block out the reality and I understood that. But the idea of him struggling made my inside twist together until I was begging them for mercy. Every girl remembers that one period cramp that stays with them for the rest of their lives, the pain so brutal that you swear you needed to go to the hospital. That's how my guilt felt every single day.
But it was deserved guilt, I was guilty as sin and I needed to fix it. I needed to fix a lot of things.
Klaus appeared then out of the corner of my eye and I looked up forcing a brave smile.
"Thanks for letting me tag along tonight, this building is amazing. A couple I spoke to upstairs says it's at least four hundred years old"
In that moment Klaus held out his hand for mine.
"Dance with me"
"What?"
"I believe you heard me, love"
"No" I said shaking my head
Where is Caroline? I thought to myself
Before I could say another word Klaus reached down for my hand taking it in his, looking down at our joint hands as he lightly brushed his thumb across my knuckles. Despite the pull I gave Klaus proceeded to pull me from my seat and one swift motion his eyes not leaving me as I looked around the room for any other Mikaelson, not seeing a single one anywhere.
Klaus turned in the direction of the dance floor leading me by the hand as the current song ended and another one began. The DJ taking the current upbeat for a classic slow dance.
The song of choice was Patrick Swayze - She's like the Wind.
The melody began to play as Klaus and I crossed the dance floor, Klaus turned me around and brought me to him as the song began.
"She's like the wind through my trees, she rides the night next to me. She leads me through the moonlight, only to burn me with the sun. She's taken my heart but she doesn't know what she's done"
With that Klaus led us going forward and moving me backwards, my hand in his and the other resting very lightly upon his shoulder. His hand in mine clasped firmly, the other hand on my hip and we began to dance.
"Feel her breath in my face, her body close to me, cant look in her eyes, she's out of my league"
I smiled politely every time I met his eyes but I most kept them down or looked around at the room. I wasn't acting like the nerd girl who suddenly found herself dancing with the popular jock on prom night, nothing at all like that. I just didn't want to get myself wrapped up in a moment that wasn't a moment but simply pity.
"Just a fool to believe I have anything she needs. She's like the wind"
The song continued and from time to time I could feel Klaus watching me as I continued to look around the room. Thankfully the song didn't last for too long and when it was over the crowds began to clap as many couples had been dancing this particular number and there were many clinking glasses encouraging kisses.
"Thank you" I said to Klaus taking a step away from him and leaving the dance floor alone.
I made my way to the ladies room and got myself freshened up a bit. Then I decided to go for a walk outside only to get through the doors and come face to face with Caroline.
"Oh you scared me" I said and Caroline smiled in return.
"Do you have a minute?" I asked her.
"Uh, alright sure" She agreed.
We took a walk across the gardens to a small cluster of tables and chairs, there was no one else around but us out there which put me at ease as this wasn't going to be an easy conversation.
We took a seat on either side so we faced one another, Caroline was being nice and at least forcing a small smile which I didn't deserve.
"Caroline, I wanted to tell you that you were right about what you said about me"
"What?"
"No I mean it. I want you to know that I am truly sorry for the way I've allowed things to become, not just for me but for our friends. My actions and decisions have affected not only the way I live but the way everyone around me does. So many things have had to change in each of your lives all because I couldn't stop myself from falling in love"
"Elena"
"Please let me finish" I begged and continued on "I have many regrets, regrets that I'll have to find a way to live with for the rest of my life because there are just some things I'll never be able to fix or change. The way I've acted, the way I've spoken to you and treated our friends. There's no excuse for it, there's no one to blame but me. I've cost all of you so much, the lives of people you love, your time and energy. It's all down to me and my inactions"
I took a breath "As hard as I might be for you to understand I do love Damon very much. I've done a lot of things to hurt him recently, things that I might return from this trip and find he can't forgive. So maybe after all of this I will be all alone and maybe I deserve just that. I know we weren't right for each other but I want you to know it wasn't just about hooking up the dangerous brother, there was a level of intimacy from the start, a gentle easing comfort that can only come from when you find the one"
I paused "I know the way I handled things in regards to having a baby was beyond psycho behavior and as ashamed as I am for how I acted. Caroline, I want you to know that I'll never be able to forgive myself for that morning in The Grill. You were left sitting there all alone just listening to your two best friends talking about the future and babies with none of us even looking up or considering that you may want this for yourself too" I leaned forward "Our behavior that day and since has been simply disgusting. What we did to you was despicable. Going into your home, packing up your life and your moms too. It wasn't right. It wasn't right at all. I'm just so sorry and I know it's not enough I know that. Nothing will ever be enough"
I gathered myself a bit before continuing "I could stand back and simply listen to Bonnie, Matt, Stefan and Damon telling me that my behavior was to be expected given everything I've been through. The craziest thing is I would believe every word. I would fool myself into thinking what I did to you was fair because I didn't have my parents around and wasn't the same person now that they were gone so I couldn't be expected to understand all of my choices. I'd stand back and fool myself into thinking that it was alright to hate you because you had so much more going in your life then I did" I shook my head "It would be unbelievably easy for me to do this. But that isn't me anymore. I don't know what's helped me realize it, if it's finally being out of Mystic Falls or away from the drama but I know now, I can see the damage I can feel it" I paused to take a breath "I know this isn't just me adjusting to being a vampire, this is some level of depression or repressed trauma or for all I know it's both"
I looked Caroline in the eye at that.
"I understand that I'm not a good person anymore. I know that I need help and before you jump the gun I'm not asking you to save me. It's time I go to the doctors, get some counseling and make a group support system or something. I'm not exactly sure how it works but it needs to be done. I'm not asking you to forgive me or what I've done. I just want you to know how truly sorry I am" I said placing my hand over my heart that was threatening to break "Please" I begged.
Caroline looked straight through me, her expression unchanged.
"Are you done?" Caroline asked
Every evil act I had done to make her life miserable flashed through my mind and I found myself nodding.
Caroline collected her bag from the table and took off.
Klaus Mikaelson P.O.V
I remained in the shadows watching as Caroline got up from the table and made her way across the garden and back indoors. I looked back on Elena who sat like a statue over the next five minutes, completely unaware of my presence. I had seen them both walking together and had been listening to them from the moment they sat down. Now Elena was all alone but something told me the little vampire already knew how alone she was already. Caroline wasn't ready to forgive her which was understandable, I knew my girl to be a lot of things but right up until this very second I'd never known her to be cruel.
I was hardly a fan of Miss Gilbert but even I had saw that look in Caroline's eyes.
The girl was slowly turning into someone I did not wish her to be.
A Mikaelson.
Elena got up from her chair and headed for the staircase across the garden which we had led down to the entrance.
The girl had had enough for one night.
Caroline Forbes P.O.V
Our last remaining week in Africa had gone in so quickly, probably due to all the fun we had been having. Klaus had rented us a yacht for an entire day and all the family was on board to enjoy it. Rebekah and I had cooked in the sun for hours while the guys had fished. Then we had all gone swimming in the sea, Klaus had taken a go pro and got plenty of pictures of us in and under the water. He had taken one of the two of us kissing which later in the week I had found had become the wallpaper on his phone. We had a chef on board who cooked us an amazing dinner and the crew had set off fireworks as the day turned to night.
Two days later we were on safari, I must have taken over a two hundred pictures in just a space of a few hours. The crew who came with us had brought over four elephants to our jeeps. The guys showed no fear of course, Rebekah had stayed in the jeep with the doors locked which unknown to the guys was understandable. While I had been snapping pictures Klaus had got Elena to come over to the elephants and clap one of the bigger ones who was all over her like a rash. When I stopped taking pictures Elena returned back to the jeeps as I made my way over to Klaus. The elephants were amazing, you have no idea how good they smell or the warmth of their skin. It was a day to remember and if not there was plenty of pictures to help you.
Kol had annoyed a lioness just minding her own business as we drove by her and resulted in the car being scratched and Elijah and Klaus having to fork over a pretty price.
On our last day we had gone into town to pick up a few pieces for our trip to Paris.
Then later that night we were packing up to get ready for the next adventure. It was just after nine and we were due to be on the runway for midnight. Rebekah was lying down on the sofa watching a black and white movie while I did all of her packing. She'd been walking around town all day and I wanted her to rest now.
The TV went off behind me and I turned around to look over at Rebekah who had tears in her eyes.
"Hey" I said softly making my way over to her, kneeling down in front of her on the sofa "Is it the baby?" I whispered
Rebekah shook her head
"What's going on?"
"I don't want to risk two more planes rides and the stress of another trip" She sobbed and I wiped her tears "I just want to go home"
"Alright, alright then, we'll figure it out"
Elena Gilbert P.O.V
My suitcases were filled with all of my freshly pressed clothes, each folded and placed just right so everything could fit inside just right. I had gone around my room checking every drawer and shelf for all little items that if gone unchecked were carelessly and sometimes painfully overlooked and left behind. We weren't set to leave for a few hours but I was all packed up and ready to go. I had stripped off the linen from my bed for the housekeeping staff and left them on the floor of the shower along with all the used towels from my room. Yes I'd even given the room a quick dust but I had plenty time on my hands.
I heard footsteps down the hall, more than a few that were quickly followed by a door closing shut.
Caroline Forbes P.O.V
I stood back as Klaus, Elijah and Kol entered Rebekah's room looking over at their sister for answers as to why she had text them to come here.
"Is this about the lion?" Kol asked
Klaus slapped him in the back of the head "Shut up" he said and took a step towards Rebekah as did Elijah.
"What's going on sweetheart?" Elijah asked her
"Yes come do tell Rebekah. Tell us why you're wasting our last remaining hours in your bedroom, which to be honest smells a bit like vomit"
"Kol" Elijah warned
"He has a point" Klaus corrected
They stared at her but Rebekah remained speechless, I wanted to step in and assist her but something told she'd never forgive me if I did.
"I don't want to go to Paris" Rebekah told them
"Why not?"
"I have my reasons"
"No you're going to have to do better than that, sister. I have people expecting me there" Kol said folding his arms.
"Well that's just too bloody bad isn't it?"
"Rebekah what's going on?" Elijah asked.
"What's going on is she's continuing to prove what I've been telling you all our lives that she's a brat"
"I'm not a brat! You little bitch!" Rebekah hissed at Kol
"Bex" I said shaking my head.
"You know what's going on" Elijah said looking over at me.
"Of course she'll know the two have been thick as thieves since we took off" Kol explained.
"Then one of you better start talking" Klaus said.
"Yes carry on you big brat" Kol rolled his eyes
"I'M PREGNANT!"
I stood in the corner watching as the news hit the brothers, hit them very very hard. Each of them just stared at Rebekah in shock and disbelief.
A minute later and still no reaction...
Then all at once the questions came one right after the other, in under five seconds...
"How can you be pregnant?"
"Who's the father?"
"Are we on camera?"
Rebekah sat down in the chair behind her and I walked across the room to join her, watching the brothers as I past by them.
God none of them can even see me right now I thought to myself.
"You can't be pregnant" Klaus said
"Who did this to you?" Elijah asked
"Seriously we're on camera right?" Kol pleaded hoping it to be true.
"There is no father I got myself inseminated"
Elijah turned his back as did Kol and Klaus looked away in disgust.
"Will you all calm down?" I pleaded.
"How long have you known about this?" Klaus asked me
"Erm, well. I, well she needed-" I paused unsure of how to answer
"You've been keeping this from me"
"This is exactly the reaction I was expecting" Rebekah said beside me then
"I wasn't expecting this. All of you should be ashamed. Some uncles this kid is going to have"
There it was, the magic word.
Slowly Kol and Elijah turned around to look back over at Rebekah as did Klaus.
And in that moment, three uncles were born.
Klaus Mikaelson P.O.V
We left the girls to continue on with their packing and return to our own. I headed back to my room and collected my phone and began making all the necessary calls. I called our hotel in Paris and cancelled our reservation and passes to Fashion Week, I called my flight crew to have our flight plan changed from Paris to the States and then called home to have the house ready for our return which meant a deep clean of each room, restocking the fridge, freezer and cupboards. Also restarting our newspaper delivery and arranging our dry cleaning from the trip to be picked up first thing in the morning.
I finished up with the calls and got myself showered for the flight.
Checking my pocket for my phone and passport I paused finding I had two passports tucked away.
"Elena" I remembered
I made my way down the stairs to her room, she didn't know about Rebekah's pregnancy and I wasn't exactly in the mood to share.
I opened the door and let myself in without thought only pausing after I had already done it. She wasn't in her room however, I focused myself and began to listen, finding some distant noise coming from her bathroom. I would wait for her to return, I would have to explain about Paris.
I looked around her room it was much cleaner than my own right now. Her suitcases were packed on top of her bed. It was then her phone binged, it was across the room on her nightstand. I shot myself across the room to read her text.
[22:34] Damon: Got your letter today. Don't come back. We're done. You sad bitch.
"What?" I mouthed reading it.
I went into her other text messages finding Bonnie had sent her a few this week too.
[Tuesday, 10:00] Bonnie: Why aren't you talking to me? I've said I'm sorry countless times!
]Thursday, 17:04] Bonnie: You quit the squad? Why are you suddenly acting like a different person? You're making all of us worry!
[Friday, 22:44] Bonnie: Do you have any idea how worried I am? You're acting like CAROLINE!
Hearing approaching footsteps I placed the phone back down in its place and shot across the room to the doorway leaning against the frame. I watched Elena go over to her phone without spotting me watching her. I clenched my teeth slightly as I watched her from behind, seeing her reach out and grab the side of the nightstand seeing the text from her supposed beloved.
I rolled my eyes at myself and knocked on her door.
Elena put the phone down and turned to me, ever the brave face.
"Everything alright, love?" I asked
"Yeah I'm all packed" She explained looking over at her cases then back at me.
"Change of plans, I have some business back home that requires my attention. You'll be thrilled to hear we're going home" I explained making my way into her room and towards her.
"Seriously?"
With that I reached into my back pocket and reveled her passport to her delight.
"But what sort of business makes you cancel your trip?"
The pregnant sister type I thought to myself.
"The non threatening type to you or any of your friend's type"
With that the girl almost sighed in relief but managed to stop herself at the last minute.
I handed over her passport and quickly left the room, standing on the other side of the door it didn't take long for the distant sound of a hairdryer to start up from somewhere in her bathroom I assumed. I opened the door up behind me ever so slightly focusing my efforts hard enough to make out the sound of Elena's quiet sobbing beneath the hairdryer she hoped would mask the sound.
What was going on at home? What the hell was she returning to?
Elena Gilbert P.O.V
The hotel staff made their way up to our villa all with their own carts for all of our luggage. We all made our way down to the lobby where we met with Elijah who was working with the crew he had hired to bring the auction purchases to the plane. The ride to the airstrip was pretty uneventful, I went with the luggage in one limo while everyone else went in the other, not that I minded of course. I liked the time alone, gave me plenty of time to worry about what I was going home to.
I had been one of the first to board the plane, this time taking the first seat I could find in the cabin down near the front this time. I wasn't going to make the same mistakes all over again. I asked one of the flight attendants for a pillow and blanket as the others were getting organized outside. I placed the pillow behind my head and proceeded to cover myself up with the blanket, I gathered the plane headset before I scrambled for something to watch on the television to distract me.
I selected The Princess Diaries in the end.
I needed a feel good movie.
I was about to go home to a nightmare of my own making and deserving.
The others began to board the plane as my movie began, the soft comforting melody of the opening titles playing in my ears as Klaus and Caroline boarded the plane together last.
The plane ride was pleasant with no hiccups. Everyone around me had slept the entire flight but I had stayed up listening to anything I could in order to distract myself and stop me from losing it.
When the Captain announced we were fifteen minutes from landing I had gone onto my phone and used a taxi service app from a local company in Mystic Falls and arranged a taxi for myself for when we touched down. The Mikaelson's already had transport arranged and waiting when we arrived back but I just wanted to say my thank yous and get myself home, if I still had a place to call home that was.
Kol yawned his way into the back of a limo and Caroline helped a very tired Rebekah into the backseat. Elijah and Klaus were the last to get off the plane, each of them kissing the cheek of the senior flight attendant, she had been on board for both flights with us and had taken such good care of all of us.
Elijah and Klaus finding me loading up the trunk of the taxi I ordered made their way towards me then.
"Miss Gilbert let us see you home" Elijah said and assisted me with my last case.
"I'm fine, don't give a thought" I said smiling and tucking my cold hands into the pockets of my coat.
It was very early in the morning and I hadn't slept all night, I needed sleep and nothing more.
"I insist"
"Really you guys have been amazing this whole trip but I've got it from here" I told him.
Elijah placed a kiss on my cheek before turning and making his way over to the limo to join his siblings.
"What are you going to do?" Klaus asked behind me as I closed the trunk.
"What do you mean?" I asked turning to face him.
Klaus looked away from me then.
I cleared my throat and adjusted the strap on my shoulder "Thank you for everything" I told him.
Klaus met my eyes then but I was quick to leave it at that. I made my way around the taxi and climbed into the backseat, not turning around as I bid farewell to my mistake.
It was nice to be back in town, not too long from now the town would be covered in Christmas decorations.
When the taxi drew up in front of the boarding house it was in complete darkness. I paid the fare and retrieved my luggage from the trunk before taking a hard look at my new reality.
Both Stefan and Damon's cars were gone from the driveway. I swallowed hard and my eyes pricked with tears as I made my way towards the front door. I was suddenly very aware of every step I took, it seemed to echo with loneliness.
I let myself inside and sobbed on sight of it, everything was covered in sheets. The sofas were covered, the fireplace was covered, every surface of the room was covered. The heating was off the house was freezing. I dropped my luggage on the floor and ran upstairs to the bedrooms confirming to my horror that both of them were gone. Their closets were both empty, all of their photographs on the walls and surfaces were all gone.
I screamed from the heartache.
I did this.
I did this.
I did this.
I did this.
I did this.
I destroyed it all.
I collapsed to the floor and down to my knees and was about to lose all hope when I heard the sound of the bedroom door opening. I looked up to find Shane pushing the door open, a sick smirk across his lips as he was quickly followed by a woman in dark green hospital scrubs. I met Shane's eyes when in that moment he pointed a gun at me, before I could react a dart of some sort shot out of it and stabbed me directly in the chest.
I fell to the floor and Shane made his way over to me, standing over me as my vision began to blur.
"I missed you"
No questions this time it was a very powerful chapter that took a lot of time to finish. So please please just leave a review.