I'm sorry it took me so long to update

Chapter 14

Love

Kol put the DO NOT DISTURB sign to the outside doorknob, pushed the door to the hotel suite closed and locked it. His brothers probably thought that he was hiding in some shack, but that wasn't his style. Instead he had taken Brie to one of the most luxurious hotels in New Orleans and arranged them a honeymoon suite. They were now Mr. and Mrs. Jones, a newlywed couple on their honeymoon. He had made it very clear that they didn't want to be disturbed.

After locking the door, he turned to Brie. She was standing in the middle of the living room, looking completely lost. She had only been wearing a short nightgown when Kol had taken her from the compound, now she also had his jacket which she had wrapped tightly around her and a pair of sandals he had hastily picked up for her on their way to the hotel. It wasn't difficult to see how scared she was, she kept blinking her bright blue eyes nervously. He couldn't help but to think that she looked like a lost child.

"Alright," he started after a moment of silence. "You and I need to talk."

"Okay," she squeaked like a frightened little mouse. "I'm sorry."

He frowned.

"For what?"

"I… I've upset you…"

"No, you haven't," he sighed. "I'm not going to hurt you, how many times do I have to say that."

She hesitated for a moment before replying.

"Then why did you bring me here?" she asked quietly.

"Because I want us to talk without anyone disturbing us. We can do that here. Or somewhere else, if you don't like this place."

"I do," she replied quickly. "It's beautiful."

"Alright, good. Make yourself comfortable; take a seat if you want."

She hesitated again as she looked at the sofa and the two armchairs. Kol walked over to the liquor cabinet and looked inside. Fortunately he spotted a bottle of bourbon.

"Do you want something to drink?" he asked. "There's soda and sparkling water."

"Soda, please," she replied.

"Alright. How about a chocolate bar?"

"Aren't they very expensive in a hotel?"

He glanced at her and smiled.

"I think I can afford it."

He picked up a soda can and a chocolate bar before walking over to Brie.

"Here you are."

"Thank you," she replied a bit cautiously and sat down on one of the armchairs.

He went to get his bottle and joined her.

"Well…" he started after a moment of silence. "I think it's safe to say that things didn't start well between you and me."

She swallowed.

"I'm…"

"No, you don't have to apologize," he sighed. "I get now why you did what you did and I don't blame you for it. You weren't trying to harm anyone."

"No, I wasn't," she murmured and placed her hand on her baby bump.

He looked at her bump and heard the baby's heartbeat. It still felt somewhat unreal to him, but he was done running away. This child was his and he was going to take care of it and it's mother.

"As I said before, I know that I've acted like a jerk," he continued. "You didn't deserve that, not after everything you've already been through."

"No, no, I…"

"Let me finish. I'm not a good person or nice person, but I give you my word that I'll never lay a hand on you. I hope you can believe that."

She looked at him for a moment before nodding.

"I do. Thank you."

He smiled.

"You know, it's really sad that you feel you have to thank me for that."

"I'm…"

"For heaven's sake, stop saying that you're sorry," he sighed. "I might be a prick sometimes, but I'm not your father."

She tensed and pressed her lips together.

"My daddy has always taken care of me. He loves me."

Kol rolled his eyes.

"No offence, darling, but what he has done to you isn't love. Even I know that."

"He did his best. He's all I have."

"Not anymore."

Cautiously she looked at Kol.

"Klaus promised to help me…"

"No," Kol snorted. "What he wants is to take advantage of you and I'm not going to let that happen."

She didn't say anything, but he could see that he had hurt her feelings.

"That's just who he is. Right now he sees that someone has something he doesn't have, so he wants to take it. It's his nature."

"He promised to protect my little one," she murmured.

"I'll do that," Kol replied firmly. "I won't let anything bad happen to you or the child."

Slowly she looked at him.

"What would you want in return?"

"Nothing," he sighed. "As I said, I'm not a nice person, but I'll be damned if I can't protect my own child."

She was quiet for a while, probably thinking about his words. Her hand was still on her bump and she kept stroking it absentmindedly.

"May I?" he asked after a moment of silence and cocked his head towards her bump.

Her eyes widened, but she nodded.

"Sure, just please be careful."

He recalled the unpleasant incident in her bedroom and felt ashamed by his behavior. He had actually made her fear for her child's life.

"I promise," he murmured and stood up. He could sense her nervousness as he slowly touched her bump. In that moment he felt something under his hand and quickly lifted it.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "What was that?"

Brie smiled at him.

"The baby is kicking."

"Oh…"

"You can touch, if you want."

He hesitated for a brief moment before placing his hand on her bump again. There it was, the strange feeling under his hand.

"Doesn't that hurt?" he murmured.

Brie shook her head and smiled warmly.

"I love to feel my little one moving."

Kol didn't reply to that, he was staring at Brie's bump. His child. He felt him or her moving under his hand. Very gently he stroked her bump, earning a firm kick from the baby. He was going to become a father. The thought made him feel something he had thought he could never feel again. Love. Pure, selfless love. Slowly he looked up and cupped Brie's face.

"I'll look after you and our child, I give you my word."