AN: Just an idea that popped into my head. Randomly after seeing those gifs of child klaus and child Caroline. No beta.
Klaus held the bow and arrow in his hands and looked up at Elijah. He was merely 8 looking at the weapon in his hands. Mikael insisted that Elijah teach Klaus to hunt even at such a young age. There was no point in playing games when they needed to get more food for the growing family.
"Relax brother, just lift up the bow and take aim" Elijah smiled
Klaus did as Elijah instructed and aimed at the deer grazing nearby.
"Just breathe and release the arrow" Elijah said
Klaus released the arrow, and missed the deer. The deer took off, running away. Klaus looked down and sighed.
"You will get the next one. You tried and you were closer this time" Elijah said
"Trying doesn't get us food now does it?" Mikael said from behind them
"I"m sorry father" Klaus said
"Sorry doesn't bring us food does it? Does it?!" Mikael yelled
Elijah winced every time Mikael yelled at his brother. Mikael snatched the bow and arrow out of his hands and shoved them in Elijah's hands.
"Bring back something, or don't bother to come back at all" Mikael said
Elijah nodded and grabbed Klaus's arm and ran off. They finally stopped when they knew they were far enough from Mikael. Klaus held onto the small bird necklace Esther had given him as he tried to slow down his breathing.
"We'll find something" Elijah said
"I wish he wasn't so angry at me all the time" Klaus said
Caroline was learning how to ride her bike while Liz was running behind her holding the bike. Caroline was only 8, and peddling on the bike.
"Don't let go!" Caroline said
"I won't" Liz said
"Don't let go! I'm not ready!"
Liz slowly let go and watched Caroline ride off on her bike.
"You already are" Liz said
Klaus and Elijah were tracking deer in the forest. Klaus tripped and fell. Elijah helped him up. Klaus reached for the necklace around his neck and realized it was gone.
"Oh no! I've lost it! I have to find it!" Klaus said
"Find what? We're losing light, we have to find something or father will be very mad at us" Elijah said
"He won't be mad at you, he'll only be mad at me. He's always mad at me" Klaus said as he searched for the necklace
"Mother will forgive you for losing it, we have to hurry"
Klaus found it and picked it up. He heard a twig snap and turned his head. He could hear the deer grazing. He could smell it. Klaus got up and ran towards it. Elijah chased after Klaus.
"Brother! Come back!" Elijah yelled
He saw Klaus hiding behind a rock and bent down. He looked over the rock and saw a deer grazing on the grass.
"How did-" Elijah started to say
"Shoot it already" Klaus whispered
Elijah took his shot and the deer went down. They both smiled.
"Father will be pleased" Elijah said standing up
"Yes for once" Klaus said
"Help me bring it back"
Caroline sat by the tree crying, she fell off her bike and skinned her hand. Liz returned with a first aid kit and wiped away Caroline's tears. Liz cleaned her hand and placed a band aid on it.
"There all better" Liz said
"You said you wouldn't let go" Caroline said
"You were ready, you rode all the way down before you fell"
"I wouldn't have fallen if you didn't let go"
"I'm sorry, sweetie, I thought you were ready. You're a big girl now. Soon you won't need me anymore"
"I'll always need you"
Elijah had the deer across his shoulders on his back as he walked back with Klaus.
"I still don't know how you managed to know that deer was there" Elijah said
"I heard it, I could smell it. It was strange."
"Well next time we'll bring back more, perhaps a boar"
"Boars are mean"
"But they are tasty"
"But they're still…."
Elijah stopped and turned around. Klaus was no where in sight.
"Niklaus?! Niklaus!" Elijah yelled out
Caroline was drinking hot chocolate with marshmallows inside her father's cabin. Her mother was putting her bike away. Caroline wondered where her father was, but he had left and her mother said he was away on a trip for a long time. Liz returned inside.
"Go brush your teeth and go to sleep" Liz said
"Ok mommy"
Klaus looked around the forest. Elijah was right next to him and now he was gone. The sun had gone down and he couldn't see where he was going.
"Elijah!? ELIJAH!" Klaus yelled
Klaus looked around the darkness, trying to make his way home. It started to get cold and he shivered as he leaned against the tree.
"Elijah where are you?"
Caroline finished eating her breakfast and went outside to play. Liz was cleaning up inside the house. Caroline was playing with her hula hoop when she heard someone calling out. She turned around and saw a boy walking out of the woods. He was covered in dirt and dressed in strange clothing.
"Elijah!?" Klaus yelled out holding his arm
Klaus had to sleep in the forest last night. He curled up against a tree and someone cut his arm and hand on a rock. He was cold and shivering when he saw a blonde girl standing in front of a large house.
"Hey! Are you ok?" Caroline asked dropping her hula hoop
"I'm looking for my brother Elijah" Klaus said walking towards her
"Are you lost? You're hurt, your arm is bleeding" Caroline said
"I need to find my brother"
"My mommy's the sheriff she'll help you. Come with me"
Caroline extended her hand out for him to take. He looked at the blonde girl and her hand. He reached out and took her hand. Caroline led him into the house.
"Caroline, take your shoes off! Don't get mud into the house!" Liz yelled
"Mommy?" Caroline called out
Liz stopped what she was doing and saw Caroline with a boy.
"Who's this?" Liz asked
"Father! Mother!"" Elijah yelled as he ran back
"What is it Elijah?!" Esther asked
"Something's happened to Niklaus!"
"What?!"
"We were hunting and we caught a deer, we were bringing it back and then he just disappeared!"
"That worthless boy just ran off!" Mikael yelled
"No! He was right next to me talking, and then he vanished!"
"Where's the deer?!" Mikael asked
"I dropped it to look for him!" Elijah answered
"So you dropped the only food we had to find your worthless brother?!" Mikael yelled
Klaus sat at the table, eating a sandwich and drinking the apple juice Liz had set out. Caroline sat next to him watching him.
"Do you want some chips?" Caroline asked
"What?"
Caroline got up and got a bag of potato chips and opened the bag. She set it out on the table in front of him. Klaus looked at it and reached into the bag. He sniffed it and then bit into it. He smiled and ate the rest of it.
"I like them too. Mommy says I'm not suppose to have any" Caroline said as she reached into the bag
Caroline looked at the necklace he wore, the small wooden bird on a black string.
"Your necklace is pretty" caroline said
"Thanks, my mom gave it to me"
"Do you miss her?"
"Yes"
Liz was on the phone with her deputies searching the missing children's database. She hoped they would the child's parents soon. Liz sat down at the table while Klaus ate.
"So, what's your name?" Liz asked
"Niklaus" Klaus answered
"That's a strange name, did you just make it up?" Caroline asked
"Caroline, hush!" Liz scolded
"What's your last name?" Liz asked
"I don't know" Klaus answered
"Everyone has a last name" Caroline said
"Caroline, you're not helping" Liz said
"He says his name is Nik and he doesn't remember anything. He's bleeding from his arm mommy. He needs a band aid"
"We'll get him cleaned up"
After a bath, Liz put Klaus in some clothes that were too big she had found around the house. She looked at his arm to see where the wound was but there was none. She put Klaus to bed and went to check on Caroline. Caroline was asleep in her bed holding her teddy bear. Liz went to sleep.
Caroline awoke first and went downstairs, holding her teddy bear. She wanted to eat cereal and saw Klaus sleeping on the floor next to the fireplace. The fire went out but he was still sleeping. Klaus heard Caroline walking around the kitchen. He sat up and saw her climbing up a chair to reach for the cereal in the cupboard. He walked over to her, rubbing his eyes. Caroline grabbed the box with one hand, but it slipped and she lost her balance. She shrieked. She fell back and Klaus caught her before she hit the ground.
"Thanks" Caroline said
Klaus was surprised at his strength and set her down. The box of cereal spilled out onto the floor. Caroline looked at the cereal and sighed.
"Mommy's going to be mad at me again" Caroline said
Liz came rushing down the stairs and saw Klaus and Caroline in the kitchen. She saw the cereal on the floor.
"Caroline, what have I told you about reaching into the cupboards by yourself?" Liz asked
"Not to do it"
"And what did you do?"
"I did it"
"You could have gotten hurt! That's why I tell you not to do it"
"I'm sorry mommy"
Klaus winced and he looked away. He always knew what came next. Mikael's cruelty was always dealt out quickly. He feared Caroline would feel the same from her mother.
"Clean up this mess. No more cereal for you" Liz said
"Yes mommy" Caroline said
Klaus looked back and saw Caroline gathering up the cereal and throwing in the garbage. He saw Liz walk into the living room and pick up the blanket he slept with. Liz saw that the fire had died out in the fireplace.
"Did you start a fire by yourself?" Liz asked
"It was cold" Klaus said
"You shouldn't play with matches, you could have burned the whole house down!" Liz yelled
"I'm sorry, but it was cold, and I don't know what a match is!"
"Don't lie to me, I'm trying to help you!"
"I'm not!"
"Mommy don't yell at him!" Caroline yelled
"Caroline!" Liz yelled
"Mommy!" Caroline yelled back
Klaus quickly stood in front of Caroline, protecting her from Liz. Liz immediately noticed a change in his body language. She realize Klaus was protecting Caroline. Liz took a deep breath and exhaled.
"Let's just take a breather ok? We shouldn't be yelling in the house. Indoor voices ok?" Liz said
"Ok" Caroline said and went back to the kitchen
Klaus turned around and watched her walk off. He turned back to Liz who walked closer to him slowly and bent down.
"Have your parents ever hurt you? Ever hit you?" Liz asked
"My father gets mad, he gets mad at lot. He's always mad at me" Klaus said
"He can't hurt you here. You don't have to be afraid"
"He'll be mad that I didn't come back. He'll hurt Elijah"
"Elijah is your brother?"
"Yes, he'll hurt him because I didn't go back with him"
"And where does he keep you and Elijah? In a house?"
"We live in a hut, a few small huts"
"And Elijah lives with you?"
"I live there with my family. My mother, my older brothers and my sister"
"Can you tell me about them?"
"I have 2 older brothers, Finn and Elijah. Then there's Kol, he's younger than me, and Rebekah, she's the baby. Mother is having another baby"
"And you live in the forest?"
"Yes"
Liz and her deputies searched the forest and found no one living there. They searched the entire day and didn't find anything. Klaus didn't turn up on any missing children's reports. They ran his fingerprints and they found nothing on him. Liz didn't know what to do at this point. She was going to call child services but saw how Caroline had bonded with Klaus.
"Mommy?" Caroline asked
"Yes honey?" Liz answered
"Is Nik going to live with us?"
Liz didn't know how to answer. She could tell Caroline needed a friend, but at the same time having another child would be a huge responsibility.
"I don't know"
"Why not? Daddy doesn't live with us anymore"
"I know, but Nik's parents are out there somewhere, they may be looking for him"
"So they'll find him and we'll let them have cookies and milk"
"It's not that easy Caroline"
"Why not?"
"Because he's not ours"
"I found him. He's mine until his parents come and get him. He's going to stay with us until then. Right?"
Liz took Klaus home, and the two children watched over each other, took care of each other while Liz worked in the Sheriff department. They grew up together over the years, Klaus fiercely protecting her from boys, while Caroline kept all the girls away from him. They were 13 when they first kissed.
"This is strange, are you sure this is how it's done?" Klaus asked
"I saw it on tv. They kept moving their lips like this" Caroline said
"Are you sure?"
"Here you can watch it again"
Caroline turned the tv back ok and showed him.
"It looks like he's eating her face" Klaus said
"He's not"
"And their foreheads and squished together. And why is he pushing her against the tree like that?"
"I don't know, let's try again"
Caroline leaned in and her lips touched his lightly. Klaus kissed her back, pressing his forehead against hers. He pushed her against the wall and kissed her harder.
"Stop poking me" Caroline said
"I'm not" Klaus said between kisses
"yes you are! stop it"
"My hands are here" Klaus said showing her his hands
"Then what's this?" Caroline reached down
Klaus yelped when she grabbed him, and he backed away quickly, trying to hide the bulge in his pants.
"What the hell is that?!" Caroline asked
"I don't know! It does it sometimes!"
"Mine doesn't do that"
"That's because you pee sitting down!"
At 14 is when boys started noticing Caroline, mostly because her body started changing and developing. Klaus started to notice as well, and he kept all the boys away.
"I don't like him" Klaus said
"You don't like anyone" Caroline answered back
"That's because they're all staring at you. And I know what they're thinking"
"Why because you're thinking of it too?"
"No! I'm trying to protect you"
"I don't need you to! I'm not a little kid!"
"I don't like him"
"You never liked him. I don't know why you and Tyler never got along"
"There's just something about him that makes me want to smash his face in"
"Don't get into anymore fights. My mom doesn't want to keep going to the school because of it"
"Then tell Tyler to stop staring at you"
"You have no problem when Matt stares"
"That's because he's staring at Elena"
"Everyone stares at Elena. Even you"
"I do not"
"You do too!"
"No Caroline!"
"You do!"
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
"Do not!"
Klaus grabbed Caroline and tackled her down onto the floor. Caroline giggled as he tried to tickle her.
"Take it back!" Klaus said
"No! It's true, you have a crush on her!"
"I do NOT!"
"The more you deny it the more I believe it!"
Klaus stopped tickling her and looked down at her. Caroline realized how close he was and stopped laughing. His finger brushed along her cheek and then his lips were on hers.
"What's going on in here?!" Liz yelled
Klaus immediately got off Caroline.
"Both of you to your rooms NOW!" Liz yelled
The two got up and went to their rooms quietly. Caroline at on her bed afraid of what her mother might do. Klaus sat on his bed in his own room, not sure what happened. One minute he was arguing with her, the next he was kissing her. He took out his sketchbook and began to draw. He flipped back to another page to see the older works he had drawn. He pulled his finger away at the papercut he got and went to look at it. The papercut disappeared as if it never happened. He had always noticed that little cuts and scrapes like these always healed quickly. Bigger wounds would heal faster than everyone else's. He took out a small knife he used to scrape paint out and sliced his hand with it. He squeezed his hand into a fist, to squeeze the blood out as it dripped onto the floor. He opened his hand and saw that the cut he made disappeared.
"Caroline, I can't have you both living here if you're going to be doing that" Liz said
"We're not doing anything! It just sorta happened." Caroline said
"Either way he can't stay"
"what do you mean he can't stay?"
"You're my daughter first and foremost"
"NO! You can't send him away! I won't do it again! We won't do it again! I mean-"
"Caroline! He can't stay here!"
"No! He's mine! I found him!"
"He's not a puppy!"
Klaus heard yelling coming from Caroline's room. He went to go see what was going on when he felt strange.
"No! This conversation is over! Stay in your room while I talk to Nik" Liz said
"You can't do this!"
Liz closed the door to Caroline's room, and headed towards Klaus's room. Caroline opened her door and followed her mother. Liz walked into Klaus's room and found it empty.
"Nik?" Liz called out
"Nik?!" Caroline yelled out
Caroline looked around and saw his sketchpad on the floor. She opened his closet and he wasn't in there. Liz looked down at the floor and saw the blood.
Klaus found himself in the forest again. He looked around.
"Caroline!? Caroline!"
He heard something rustling in the bushes. He looked over and saw a man stand up from the bushes.
"Who are you?" Elijah asked
"I'm lost it seems" Klaus answered
"You're dressed strangely" Elijah said
"The same could be said about you"
"I can take you back to my village"
"Village? Where am I?"
"You are on my family's land"
"Family? I was in Mystic Falls just now"
"I do not know of the place you speak, you may speak to my father if you wish."
"I suppose I shall go with you then"
"My name is Elijah"
"Elijah?"
"Yes"
"It's me, Niklaus"
The police cars were parked outside Liz's house. They searched the area for Klaus. There were no signs of struggle in the room, but there was blood. They didn't know what to make of it. Caroline was crying and upset. She refused to believe that Klaus would have run off.
"You made him leave! You said you didn't want him here and now he's not! I hope you're happy!" Caroline screamed
"Caroline!" Liz yelled
"I hate you! I hate dad! I hate everyone!"
Klaus followed Elijah back to the village where he saw his family again. He saw Rebekah and Kol all grown up and Henrick was running around. He was back with his family, but at the same time he missed Caroline. And Mikael returned, angry to see him. His mother ran and hugged him, kissing his head, relieved that he was alive.
Caroline was pouring honey on the doorknobs as part of senior prank night. She felt Tyler's arms wrap around her and kiss her neck. She smiled and then heard someone coming. Rebekah walked up to them.
"Do I know you?" Caroline asked
"You're the doppelganger's friend aren't you? Which makes you the werewolf" Rebekah asked
"Who the hell are you?"
"The new girl"
Caroline woke up, rubbing her neck. She saw Rebekah sitting on a table looking at a phone. She saw Tyler laying on the table.
"Tyler, Tyler!" Caroline yelled as she reached him
"He can't hear you" Rebekah said
"What did you do?"
"He's dead, and when he wakes up he should be a hybrid. Or not"
"Tyler!"
Klaus walked towards the chemistry classroom with a vial of Elena's blood in his hands. Soon he would know if he could make hybrids using the doppelganger's blood. He walked in and saw her standing there over Tyler'.s He should have known. It seemed familiar but after a thousand years everything blurred together. Everything except her.
"Caroline" Klaus said
Caroline's head snapped up. She had heard a lot about this Klaus. How he was an original, how he was ruthless and killed anyone who got in his way. How he used everyone around him to get what he wanted. And there was Klaus standing there in front of her.
"Nik?" Caroline asked
"Rebekah be a dear and take the wolf boy out of here" Klaus said never taking his eyes off Caroline
"What am I? A maid now?" Rebekah said as she got up
"Take him outside, shove this down his throat when he wakes" Klaus said handing her the vial
Rebekah pulled Tyler off the table, letting his body fall to the ground. She dragged him by his foot out of the room. Klaus flashed infront of Caroline, studying her face.
"You're not real" Caroline said
"On the contrary I am very real, and very old"
"What do you want?"
"I thought that was fairly obvious"
"You want Elena"
"I have Elena"
"Then why are you still here?"
"Because I want you"
So there you have it. Just something I thought up. Hope you were amused. I'm leaving this as a one shot.