Thank you to babyvfan, Klata, Esperanza14, Marta (x2), .Executioner, Lovely Rain Dancer, arabella, RippahGoneWolf, InuGnome17, ILove2Write13, glevez25, Lord of Sin, EmmaRedVelvet, TeddyBee, jinx-inside, Klaus lover, Mel023, Guest, gleeislover, Marina, MoriartyandHisTardis, Guest, PsychVamp, ifancyklarolinexx, Sci-fi Christian, Skaiya McFee, Guest, sandiw1875, ANGELiCAWROTE, ApekshaStar, jessinicole, SweetyK, ForverInYourArms, EyesLikeLiquidFire, and Pemfor reviewing! Thanks for the great response everyone! And, of course, a special thank you to the wonderful and amazing carasedrin for coming up with ideas and beta'ing this for me :D

Ok guys, like all of my other stories, the first chapter acts as kind of a set up chapter for the rest of the story, so bear with me!

Disclaimer: I do not own TVD

Chapter One

Crash

"Your head is running wild again, my dear we still have everything, and it's all in your mind. Yeah but this is happening."

When Caroline Forbes had moved to the city six years earlier to get her university degree, wanting to become a registered nurse, she had never thought she would end up staying here in Richmond, getting a job at the hospital and eventually be one of their top employees.

She had certainly never expected to end up breaking with her boyfriend and get knocked up a week later by a complete stranger.

But here she was, five months later.

At first Caroline had been unsure what to do, panicked. When she first picked up that pregnancy test and saw it was positive… a thousand thoughts had run through her mind. First was, of course, panic. And then denial. The test had to have been a fluke. So she tested herself again. And again. And again.

Positive. Positive. Positive.

So Caroline decided to suck up her pride and went to visit the doctor's office for confirmation.

Same answer.

Pregnant.

She spent the first week in a haze, completely detached. No one suspected a thing, but she had just been going through the motions. That is, until she was caught with morning sickness in the bathroom by one of her best friends, Bonnie Bennet.

"Caroline?" Bonnie entered the female bathrooms when she heard retching. She knocked on the stall where the noise was coming from. "Are you okay in there?"

"Just fine." Caroline managed to get out, before another wave of nausea hit her. She had been hiding her 'illness' all week, trying to avoid the reason for it for as long as she could; seems like she couldn't do so anymore.

"Okay, that's I'm coming, you've been acting off all week." Bonnie barged in, stopping in her tracks when she saw her friend crying over the toilet. She immediately crouched beside her, placing her hand on the blonde girl's back, worrying at her friend's pallid appearance.

"Oh my God, Care, what's the matter?" She asked, concern lacing her voice.

Caroline pulled back from the toilet, now just sitting next to it, uncaring of the unsanitary appearance of the bathroom. "Bonnie, I really messed up." She said as she hid her face in her hands, her voice clogged with an overflow of emotion.

"What do you mean, messed up, what did you do?" The other girl asked in return, sitting beside the blonde.

Caroline hesitated, unsure if she wanted to get into this. But she knew she couldn't hide this for much longer. "After Tyler… I, I went a little crazy and I went out for some fun…" She swallowed, throat suddenly dry as she sneaked a peek at her friend, suddenly intensely nervous as to how she would react. "I slept with some guy I didn't know, I just wanted to prove to Tyler that I wasn't who he said I was, that I wasn't some prude bitch, I never thought…" She trailed off, unable to go further, desperate tears filling her eyes.

"What, Caroline? You're scaring me…" Bonnie said suddenly, sounding frustrated and even more worried than before.

And then it burst out of Caroline. The truth she had wanted so much to ignore.

"I'm pregnant, Bonnie!" She exclaimed. As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them and she buried her face deeper into her hands.

"Oh." She felt her friend pull away from her, shock in her voice. "Oh…"

"Bonnie..?" Caroline asked, looking back to her friend who seemed like she was anywhere but here.

"I, uh…" The brunette made to stand but her blonde friend couldn't bear to see her go, not now when she needed her, and grabbed her wrist.

"Please, don't go Bon! I don't know what to do." Caroline said desperately. Bonnie hesitated for a moment, before nodding, and sitting back down, looking unsure but, much to Caroline's relief, sticking around.

"Ok, ok, it's ok, I'll stay with you…"

Eventually Bonnie and Caroline made it back to Caroline's apartment, needing somewhere more private (as in, not in the bathrooms at work) to talk it all through. When they first arrived at her place, it had been quite awkward, as if neither girl knew where to start and what to say. Bonnie and her had always had somewhat of a rocky friendship, but Caroline still considered the girl to be one of her best friends. She just hoped this wouldn't change it.

"What do you think you're going to do?" Bonnie asked at one point.

"I don't know, Bon. I honestly don't know." And she really didn't. Keep it? Not keep it? Be a mother? Put it up for adoption? Caroline had no idea. It was like she was numb.

Suddenly they heard the front doorknob turn and in walked none other than Stefan Salvatore, Caroline's other best friend. Though she and Bonnie had been friends since kindergarten, Stefan and her had a close bond since the minute they met in high school, after he and his brother Damon moved to Mystic Falls. He was now in his second year of medical school, and even interned at the same hospital where she and Bonnie worked. Stefan was the one she knew she could always depend on, and they often just dropped by each other's places to chat or hang out, both of them having a key.

"Hey, are you guys ok?" Stefan asked, immediately sensing something was wrong as he kicked off his shoes.

"Hey, Stef." Caroline said, her voice barely a whisper. Normally she would greet him with a hug or even just a smile; today she did neither.

"What's going on?" He asked, making his way to the couches and sitting down in one of them, shooting both girls curious glances.

Caroline looked to Bonnie for help, who simply looked away, offering no helpful advice to her friend. Sighing, the blonde sat back and considered for a moment, before coming to a decision. She could never hide anything from Stefan, at least not for long, and she supposed it would be better if he heard it from her and not someone else. Besides, he always helped her when she trapped in a corner.

Only, she feared this corner was far worse and much more complicated than any she had encountered before.

"You're going to find out sooner or later." She said quietly after a moment, barely looking at him, too afraid that he would be ashamed of her when he found out.

"Find out what?"

"I... I..." Caroline stopped, her throat going dry. Come on! Pull yourself together! You've already told one person today, what's two?

It seemed that in the time that Caroline spent contemplating, Bonnie had finally decided to participate and took the decision from her. "She's pregnant." She intoned blandly.

"Bonnie!" Caroline exclaimed, feeling a slight tick of annoyance, before immediately looking to Stefan, curious and terrified of what his reaction might be.

For a moment, he was completely straight-faced, until finally he cracked a rare smile.

"Oh haha, very funny, guys... " His smile died on his lips when he saw the looks on the two girls' faced. "…wait, you're not joking, are you?" Caroline's shake of her head was enough to confirm his question for him. Stefan opened and closed his mouth a few times, speechless "Wow..." He let out finally." Ok... wow, what are you going to do, Care?" He asked after he took a minute to collect himself, in true Stefan fashion, trying not to overreact. "Did you already tell Tyler?"

Caroline, who had been planning to stay calm just couldn't anymore, and stood up, storming upset to her room. Of all the people he had to mention it just had to be Tyler, didn't it? She tried to ignore the pit of guilt in her stomach.

"Well done, Stefan." Bonnie said sarcastically.

"What? What did I do?" He shot her a confused look.

The brunette sighed, shaking her head. "It's not Tyler's."

Stefan stopped in his tracks. "It's not?" He asked, even more shocked at this news than the fact that his best friend was pregnant.

"No, it happened right after they broke up, she needed to let loose and, well, here we are." Bonnie crossed her arms, a grim look on her face.

"Is she sure it's not his?"

"Apparently." The way the brunette shrugged showed that she really wasn't sure what she believed.

"You have that look on your face, Bonnie." Stefan said admonishingly.

"What look?"

"That disappointed look, she doesn't need that." Stefan didn't exactly approve of the whole one-night stand get pregnant scenario but he wasn't about to let that make him question Caroline and who she is. He certainly wouldn't judge her for it.

"Well, maybe she should have thought things through for once. It's like high school all over again." Bonnie said snipingly.

"Don't say that. You know how much Caroline has grown since high school." Stefan replied, immediately coming to his friend's defense. Though he knew Bonnie only wanted the best for them, he also knew that sometimes she showed it in the wrong way.

The brunette had a slight look of guilt about her for a second, but it soon disappeared and she stood up, grabbing her stuff. "I guess. I just, I don't know, I need time to think... Tell her I'll call her, ok?" Before Stefan could get a word in edgewise, Bonnie had already left.

Stefan sighed to himself, hating to get in the middle of that kind of drama. He approached Caroline's bedroom door, knowing she probably needed some support, even if she didn't want it. He knocked loudly twice. "Caroline? Can I come in?" When he heard no answer, Stefan shrugged and entered anyways. "Hey."

Caroline didn't even glance his way, burying herself deeper in her bed. Stefan didn't push her anymore and instead sat by her side, waiting for her to open up to him.

"Bonnie left, didn't she?" She asked, finally breaking their silence.

"Yeah." He said honestly.

"She thinks I'm pathetic, doesn't she?"

Stefan turned to Caroline, finding her looking back at him with sad eyes. "Of course not! You know Bonnie, she just needs some time to adjust." He reassured, placing a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder.

"What am I going to do, Stefan? I can't be a mom! Half the time I can't even keep myself together." Caroline asked, sitting up panicked.

"Hey, hey." She looked back at him. "Come here." Stefan pulled his friend into his arms. "No matter what happens, not matter what you choose to do, I will be there for you, ok? I promise you."

For the first time that day, Caroline smiled a little.

A week after she dropped the big bombshell on her two best friends, Caroline found herself slowly beginning to accept the facts. Still, she kept the facts to herself from then on, not wanting to have another person look at her like she was crazy. So, she went to work, acted as if nothing was going on.

Caroline quickly filed away the rest of the paperwork she had just finished, her shift coming to an end. She was just pulling her hair out of her customary ponytail and grabbing her stuff when she ran into one of the few people who knew on her way out of the locker room.

"Care." Bonnie greeted with a small smile, having arrived early for her own shift.

"Hey Bonnie." Caroline replied emotionlessly, trying to get to the door. She loved Bonnie, but, honestly, she didn't want to deal with her right now.

"How are you? How is everything?" Her friend asked, still blocking her way.

"Good, good. I have a check up in a few minutes, gonna see if everything's ok with the little guy." The blonde hedged.

"Oh, ok..." Bonnie had a rejected look on her face as she stepped aside to let the other girl through.

Caroline hesitated. "Look, I have to get going, maybe we can talk later?"

Her friend smiled brightly. "Yeah, later..." Nodding, the blonde made to leave, but turned back around when Bonnie called out to her. "Wait, Caroline! Do you want some company? It must be hard, doing all of this alone."

Caroline's cool demeanor cracked, anger surfacing. It's not like she wanted to do this alone! Caroline had searched for the last seven days for Klaus, knowing that he should have a say in it, even if she didn't know him. This wasn't just her baby (it took two to tango after all) and she had just wanted to get some help from someone else. But, it had all been in vain and she just couldn't find him. Heck, she didn't even know his last name!

But, as much as she had wanted to let him know about the baby and maybe have him help out, what she had wanted more that entire time was the support of her friends.

"Yeah it is, I could've, you know, used you there." Caroline replied, crossing her arms, ready for a confrontation.

But Bonnie didn't react angrily like she had thought she would. Instead, she immediately looked guilty. "I'm really sorry, Care, I don't what was wrong with me, I never should have done what I did. I wasn't a very good friend..." Bonnie looked away.

Caroline sighed, her anger dissipating somewhat. "No, you weren't... but we've been best friends since kindergarten, and I don't like this distance between us."

"Me neither." Bonnie admitted.

"Look, we've always done everything together. We went through elementary, middle, and high school together. We went to the same college, got the same degree. We even work at the same hospital! Can't you just to do this with me? I really need you." Caroline found herself rambling as she explained what she felt to her friend.

"I know that now, and I am really sorry." Bonnie reached out and grabbed her best friend's hand. "From now on, I'll be here for you, whatever you need."

Caroline squeezed her hand gratefully, before cracking a huge smile. "Then apology accepted. But, anyways, I really do have to go now, I can't be late for this…"

"Well, would you like some company? I still have time before my shift starts." Bonnie smiled as well.

Caroline froze, her own grin widening even more. "I would love some company…" They made their way out of the locker room together. "Hey, maybe we can convince the doctor that this our baby…"

As they joked and laughed, Caroline could not keep the happiness off her face, glad that she now had two of the most important people in her life at her back.

The first two months of her pregnancy, Stefan was her rock. He was always ready to talk with her, but didn't push her to make a decision either. And when Bonnie came around as well, she and Stefan managed to keep Caroline sane enough to make it through.

She was still undecided with what she would do with the baby, however.

But, the longer she hesitated in what to do, the more she realized that she had already known all along. Every time she thought about abortion, her heart would clench and she decided she wouldn't go through with it.

Caroline knew what it was now. She was already beginning to love her baby.

As soon as she realized this, she picked up her phone and dialed Stefan's number. She didn't even wait for his greeting to speak.

"I've decided to keep it." She announced strongly. After a few seconds of silence, she decided to try and elaborate. "I don't know, it just wouldn't feel right to get rid of my baby."

"That's great, Care." Stefan finally replied, his voice sincere.

Caroline smiled, grateful. "Thank you, Stefan. Thank you... for everything."

"You're welcome."

She hung up a moment later, and began dialing Bonnie's number.

When she was nearing the end of her first trimester, Caroline decided it might be time to inform her supervisor that she was pregnant. In the last few weeks, there had been rumors circling that she might get a promotion and she didn't want to jeopardize that by keeping something from her boss.

"Caroline, if you could come with me, now, there was something you wanted to tell me?" Said boss commanded, pulling her aside. Once they were alone, she gestured for her to go on and start talking. Caroline immediately did as she was told; Rhonda Danner was not a woman you wanted to mess with. She was a tough older lady, with strict views on the world, including things like abstinence and being single and pregnant. She was also one of the few nurses in the hospital that insisted on being called 'Nurse' Danner, and not just by her first name.

"Yes, Nurse Danner, I would just like to inform you that I am..." Caroline swallowed, shifting nervously from foot to foot. "…pregnant."

Her boss finally looked away from the paperwork she had been focusing on, surprised eyes on Caroline's form, a certain severity in her expression.

"Ah, I see." She said only a moment later. "Well, I suppose you are keeping the child?"

If anyone else had asked her that question like that, Caroline might have punched them in the face but, as it was, Rhonda Danner was her boss and now, of all times, was not the time to get fired.

"Yes, of course." The blonde replied stiffly.

Nurse Danner nodded. "Alright, thank you for coming in and telling me this." She said coolly, as if she heard news like this everyday, though Caroline could see her disapproval in the way she clenched her mouth, the way she looked at her. "You and I will have to have a sit down later and work out the finer details, maternity leave and the like."

Well, Caroline knew a dismissal when she heard one.

"Thank you." She said, before running fast out the door.

A week later the rumors about her getting promoted died, instead replaced with awful gossip about her and her 'activities.' It was the first time Caroline began to regret her decision, just the tiniest bit.

She began to regret and resent the whole situation somewhat more when Bonnie ended up getting the promotion.

It was around that same time that Caroline finally gathered enough courage to ask her mom to come and visit her. It had only been her and her mom for a while now, her father having passed away from cancer while she was still in high school. He was actually part of the reason Caroline had decided to become a nurse in the first place. In his last few months, her dad had been confined to a hospital bed, and in that time, it wasn't his doctor that took care of her dad, but the nurses. It was then that Caroline put away her girlish dreams of princesses and celebrities and decided on a more mature dream.

Anyways, ever since Caroline's dad had died, her and her mom's relationship grew more and more complicated, and strained. But Caroline knew she needed Liz in this.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Caroline? Being a parent is a lot of responsibility. It won't be just you anymore." Said mom asked, sitting across from her, looking pale and worried.

"Believe me, Mom, I know." The younger Forbes woman replied, a slight tinge of annoyance in her voice; this was not the first time they had this conversation.

"I'm just worried about you." Liz admitted.

"I know you are, but I think I can do this. I really do. Can't you just believe in me? I want my child to know you, I want you to be a part of his or her life. He or she is going to need at least one grandparent."

Her mom looked surprised by her daughter's onslaught of maturity and, in only a moment, a proud smile crept across her face. She reached out and took her daughter's hand.

"Ok, ok. You know what, Caroline?" She asked, still smiling.

"What?"

"I think you are going to be a great mom."

Caroline hugged her own mom more fiercely than she had in a long time.

Caroline was pulled out of her thoughts by a sudden knock on her door. She was in the middle of her fifth month of pregnancy and so far everything has been going ok. Her life certainly wasn't perfect, but it wasn't horrible either. But, she supposed, the same could be said for a lot of other people.

As the knocking stopped, Stefan popped his head in the doorway.

"Come on, Care! You have to go out and have some fun." He commanded. For the last three days, he had been pestering her to go out more, saying she needed to have fun while she still had time. Caroline sighed, getting up; knowing the only way to get him to stop his pestering was to give in.

"Fine, I'll go with you, Stef. But you're buying, okay?" She said as she stood up, grabbing her stuff and heading to the door.

"Fair enough." They made their way together to his car. Normally, Bonnie would go along with them, but she was really busy lately, with her promotion at the hospital and all. Caroline didn't bother to disturb her.

"Just to warn you, I eat like a cow… probably because I'm the size of one." Caroline joked sardonically, causing her friend let out a chuckle. "Not funny, Stefan Salvatore." She glared as she buckled in.

"Ok, ok." He replied, hands up in surrender.

At this, Caroline immediately started laughing.

"God, these freaking hormones! I swear I feel like I'm on crack or something." She said and only a few seconds later, they both broke out into laughs once again.

They made their way to their usual place, a nice little bar/grill that reminded them both of their hometown. They were seated without a problem soon enough, and Caroline found she was enjoying herself only moments later, glad to have some time with her best friend, having missed him when he went on his visit to Mystic Falls last week.

"So how is everyone back home?" She asked at one point, enjoying the copious amount of foods the waitress had given her.

"Good, good." Stefan hesitated. "Damon and Elena have moved in together." He admitted finally.

Caroline winced, knowing that the relationship his brother had going with his ex was still kind of a sore subject. "Ouch, sorry, that must suck." She sympathized.

Stefan shrugged. "No, I've been over it a long time. Don't worry, Care, I'm good. I should be asking about you, how are you? And how is my future godson, or daughter?"

"Kicking up a fury. I'm just happy the morning sickness part is over." Caroline laughed, placing a hand lovingly over her swollen belly, smiling. The evening continued pleasantly, until finally she decided she needed to go home, tired from such a long day.

As they headed towards the exit, Caroline froze, thinking she spotted someone very familiar. But in the next instant, he was gone.

"Hey Caroline, what is it?" Stefan asked, concerned by her sudden space-out.

"N-Nothing." She replied, before shooting him a smile.

"Ok then, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah." I just want to get out of here.

"Ok, just stick around here for a bit, I'll go get the car." Caroline nodded and off Stefan went. In the meantime, she went to stand by the bar, deciding to avoid the cold November air as much as possible. She ignored the people around, especially the woman next to her, who was practically throwing herself at some guy. Wasn't that me five months ago? Caroline found herself wondering.

Suddenly someone very large bumped into her, causing her stumble away from the counter and almost fall. Luckily, a hand grabbed her elbow to keep her upright. This must be the guy that girl has been hanging all over.

"Hey, watch it!" Caroline exclaimed, pulling her arm away from the guy. You'd think people would be more careful when you're a baby carrying machine, but NO…

She was about to hit the guy with her killer glare when she heard his voice from above her head. "Sorry, love, didn't see you there."

Wait a second… I know that voice…. Caroline whipped her head up and froze when she recognized whom she saw.

"Um... Oh my God..." She stuttered out, her eyes wide. Oh, this cannot be happening. Holy crap…

"Hold on..." The man in front of her furrowed his brow.

"Klaus?" She asked bewilderedly.

"Caroline." He said at the exact same time, smirking down at her now. Caroline stayed silent, her face going completely pale. "How have you been, sweetheart?" He started, beginning to eye her up… "It really has been too long, almost-" … and down. Klaus froze when his eyes came to her obviously pregnant belly. When he looked back at her, his eyes were full of confusion, shock, disbelief and a million different things.

"Five months." Caroline finished his statement quietly.

She couldn't believe it. Klaus was here. She had spent weeks searching him out after she discovered nature's little surprise for her, but had never managed to find him. He had moved out his place shortly after their little… tryst and he hadn't left a forwarding address with the landlord.

And now he was here.

With another woman.

Ok, guys, that's it for this time :D Next update should be up on next Saturday, latest :D Just a few notes, as you can probably tell Elena and Damon aren't going to play a particularly huge part in this story, simply because I couldn't find a way to make it work without overcrowding it. Also, about the whole Caroline-Bonnie fight. I put that in because, in the series, Bonnie is usually the one who is quickest to judge (i.e. when Caroline turned into a vampire) but she is also always there when it counts. I really want to show that because it is in important part to both characters :)

I realize there wasn't much Klaus in this installment, but, don't worry, there will LOTS of Klaus next chapter!

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!

RW