This child of mine

Chapter 8: Say goodbye

Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners

Caroline stood at the window with Klaus beside her as they watched Sam bounce up and down as he waited to get in the pickup truck. Matt closed the back when he was sure that everything was secure. He went around and picked up Sam, swinging him into the car seat and buckling him in.

Just when Matt was about to pull away, Sam turned to the side and waved to them, smiled widely before looking at the road ahead.

Klaus raised his hand and waved back with a smile on his face that vanished the second the truck was out of sight. Caroline squeezed his other hand; their fingers entwined as the watched the empty street in front of them.

"He knew it would be like this." Klaus said as he let go of Caroline to pull out a folded piece of paper from his pocket. It was Sam's drawing of them watching from the very same window where they stood.

Caroline hooked her arm around his and leaned on his shoulder. "He's smart. He's different. In so many ways, he's like you."

"The better parts of me, at least." Klaus said trying but failing to smile. "I know letting him go is the right thing to do but part of me…just wants to chase them down and get him back. I'll deal with the fallout later…it can't be worse than what I'm feeling right now."

"I want to tell you that you did the right thing." Caroline said slowly. "I want to tell you it will get better with time. But I can't because I don't know if any of that is true. And this isn't the time to start lying to you."

"The first night I brought him home I didn't know what to do with him." Klaus said in a faraway voice as he watched the scene outside darken as night fell. "He wouldn't stop crying. It was the middle of the night and he was howling like it was some great injustice that he was in that crib. I was begging him to stop. I was bargaining. I was threatening. But nothing worked. Of course nothing would, he was an infant and I was dealing with him as I would any other person in my way. Then I don' t know why but I placed a finger on his chest, as gently as I could because I was afraid I'd break him. When I touched him, Sam just fell silent. I picked him up and cradled him. He fell asleep so quickly that I wanted to laugh at myself for not realizing sooner that all I had to do was pick him up."

He pulled his arm away from Caroline so he could put it on her shoulders to pull her closer to him. "It was then I realized I wanted to give him the world, whatever it was he would need or want would be his. He wouldn't have to ask. I would give it, freely and without any expectations."

Klaus closed his eyes as Caroline wrapped her arms around his waist, a single tear falling on his cheek. "I'm holding on to that. This is what he needs. It may not be what he wants, hell this isn't what I want, but this is going to give him a chance to see the world without having to look back on all the blood on his father's hands."

"I'll do it." Matt said quietly from the corner, interrupting all the shouting around him, his eyes trained on the sleeping child on the sofa. "I'll be his guardian."

All eyes turned on him, the entire room falling silent as he stood up, repeating what he had said. "I'll do it."

"We should pick a human family. No ties at all to our world." Elijah said shaking his head. "Matt. It is truly a noble thing to offer but surely you understand why I can't stand behind this idea. Besides, you have Rebekah to consider."

"No." Rebekah said with a sigh. "Matt should be the one to take care of Sam. By far, he is still the most decent one I know."

"Look," Matt said his voice gaining strength as he continued, "I was just thinking why not have someone who knows about all the dangers of Sam's past. At least I'd understand if he suddenly overcomes the binding spell and shows some powers...at least if he remembers…I'd be able to explain to him."

Klaus looked at Matt in silence, Caroline standing right behind him. Matt approached them and looked at both of them. "You can compel me to not know all of this unless Sam shows any signs of what I just mentioned. I can be the ignorant human Sam needs in his life who will give him all the normal you want for him. Klaus, I know you don't think very highly of me—I'm this poor, dumb, directionless bartender from Mystic Falls in your eyes. But I'm someone who values family and these past years I've spent with Rebekah made me realize that you've become part of mine. Let me help you."

Klaus turned to Rebekah who nodded sadly. "Come on, Nik, don't look so concerned for the state of my heart. Besides, we were never meant to last. Matt wants to live and die as all humans do. I want that but I am who I am. At least I got to see the world through his eyes for a little bit…and this time Sam gets to be part of that."

"They'd hurt you to get to Elena, Caroline or Jeremy…and those three don't exactly have a shortage of enemies or bad luck that leads them to danger." Klaus said. "By extension, my son would be pulled into whatever mess you're in."

"I'm not going back to Mystic Falls and I hardly believe you can't protect your son from a distance." Matt said pointedly. "No one will touch him and if they get through your defenses by some dumb luck then I'll still be there."

"Why do you want this?" Klaus asked straightening up to face Matt. "What's in it for you?"

"I'm not a hero." Matt said thoughtfully. "I'm surrounded by people who do so much good and destroy just as many things in the process. I'm either just a bystander or collateral damage. But this is my chance to do some good and change someone's life for the better. And because it's the right thing to do."

Rebekah stood up beside Matt and looked at Klaus. "Better him than a stranger we're not sure can love Sam the way he should be loved."

Klaus turned to Elijah, who shook his head then nodded to his brother. "He is your son, Niklaus. Whatever you decide…I will respect that. Know that I will do everything in my power to protect Sam, whichever way this falls."

Caroline cleared her throat and spoke up. "I'm not family but I'd like to say something…if you'll listen. I promise I won't take long."

Klaus gestured for her to continue. Caroline took a deep breath and sat down on the arm of the sofa where Sam slept peacefully. She carefully touched his forehead to brush away a strand of hair.

"I've known Matt since we were little." Caroline started, smiling at Matt as she continued. "He was the boy that everyone crushed on—star athlete, protective older brother and let's face it, prettiest one around. But behind the scenes, he was the responsible one that held his family together. He was the friend who stood by his arrogant best buddy. He was the understanding ex-boyfriend who wanted Elena to be happy. He was my humanity when I became a vampire and the constant reminder that I could still be good. He isn't perfect, Klaus, and he will never take your place but he will be a good parent to Sam."

Klaus stood up and walked towards Matt, locking his eyes with the human. "From this day forward, Sam will be your son. His mother, Hayley, was from New Orleans and you lived here with her until she died in childbirth. In fact, you live just right across the street. But it's been three years and it's still too painful to be around all these memories. So you decided to take Sam to California, maybe some town by the coast. Somewhere where there's sunshine and light everywhere…somewhere peaceful. There's a trust left to you by your own absent mother and you'll use that for all your needs even if you decide to still find some sort of work to occupy your time. Send Sam to a good school, help him make friends, defend himself in fights and fall in love with someone strong, opinionated, loyal, loving and maybe a little of a control freak. If Sam shows any signs of power, remembering his true past or if any supernatural being threatens his safety, you will remember everything. Otherwise be a good father until the end of your days, Matt. Because unless those dangers come to pass, you will be the only father he will know. Protect Sam. Love him."

Caroline walked out the front door, bag in hand, and found Klaus sitting on the porch steps.

"Leaving without saying goodbye?" Klaus said without turning around. "You should have left last night. I was out trying to get drunk."

Caroline sat down next to him. "Tried meaning you didn't succeed."

"Sophie's bartender refused to serve me anything alcoholic. She said it wouldn't help make my problems go away." Klaus said absently. "I keep forgetting she doesn't know I'm not quite human."

"Then what did you do?" Caroline asked.

Klaus shrugged. "I walked around town until I figured out what I wanted…needed to do."

"Yes. I'm leaving but not without saying goodbye." Caroline leaned forward and peeked at the small leather duffel bag beside Klaus. "But looks to me I'm not the only one with that plan."

Klaus looked at her, his head tilted to the side as he gave her a wan smile, "God, you're beautiful. No one would be able to guess just how much life took from you. Yet I know you're just as broken as I am."

"I still intend to be the last man you'll ever love." Klaus said looking away. "But right now, so I can hold on to that, I need to walk away…from you."

Caroline leaned on his shoulder as tears fell from her eyes. Klaus placed an arm around her and held her tight to his side. "I wandered around for so long because I didn't want to come back here until I remembered why and how much I love you. But these past days, weeks…they just keep getting in the way. I walked around until I figured it out but I can't seem to hold on to it. I can't seem to hold on to you."

"But somehow I'm still sure that…" Klaus said.

"I love you." Caroline whispered completing the thought.

Klaus smiled and nodded as he folded her into his arms as the sun began to rise. "If only those words were enough to wash everything away."

"When I'm me again," Caroline whispered. "When I've forgiven myself and everything between us, I'll find you. And I'll make you fall in love with the best of me…because you deserve that. I want to be that someone who never forgets that she knows you and doesn't doubt your goodness. I want to be the one who sees only you and none of the faces of your past. When that day comes, I will find you and it will be the start of forever."

Klaus nodded and kissed the top of her head quickly before standing up, bag in hand "I have to go…before I lose the courage to do so."

Caroline stood up and gave him a quick hug. "You go that way and I go this way?"

"No turning back." Klaus said as they walked away from the house, stopping at the sidewalk.

"On the count of three." Caroline said turning away from Klaus. "Three, two…one."

Caroline took a deep breath and walked away, tears falling from her eyes. She got as far as the end of the block before she gave in and decided to look behind her.

Klaus had turned around at the exact same moment, dropped his bag and was in front of her in a second, kissing her like there was nothing else that mattered in the world.

"Until I see you again, Caroline." Klaus whispered against her lips. "I will love you wherever I will be. Goodbye."

And with that, he was gone.