XXI

"Careful, careful," Klaus said as he guided Caroline who was carrying Ethan carefully up the stairs.

"Klaus, you're making me nervous." Caroline grumbled as she held Ethan tightly. After four weeks of being at the hospital Ethan was finally allowed to go home and Klaus seemed more nervous than excited.

He pushed the door open and saw that it was exactly as they had left it. Caroline turned towards Klaus, while Ethan snuggled against her collarbone. She raised an eyebrow. "So where is this big surprise?"

"Don't be impatient," Klaus said as he led her towards the nursery, or what was supposed to be the nursery. Since Caroline had been visiting Ethan at the hospital every day and watching her business, she hadn't really had a chance to decorate the nursery. "Come here."

Klaus pushed the door open and Caroline gasped, she couldn't believe that Klaus had decorated the nursery. The walls were painted a bright blue with little white sheep that he had painted himself. It had a small white crib, a rocking chair, a changing area, and many toys for Ethan to play with.

"You did all this?" Caroline smiled as she turned Ethan around who was more asleep than awake. "Look, Ethan look what Daddy made for you."

Klaus tried to hide the blush as he led her toward the rocking chair. "I don't know if I will ever be a good father, Caroline, but I will try."

Caroline looked up at him and nodded. "That's all I'm asking."

"You're so cute. You're so cute." Katherine sing song as she tickled Ethan's toes while putting on his baby blue socks. Ethan giggled. "Oh, look Care he smiled at me."

"He smiles a lot, thank god I don't think I could handle a moody Mikaelson." Caroline said as she took Ethan from Katherine in order to feed him. Katherine had come over to help Caroline with the baby and to get a few pointers since the twins were going to be born in a week or two.

"So has Klaus been helping you with the baby?"

"I think he kind of scares him, don't you Ethan?" Caroline kissed Ethan's cheek before she put down the baby for his nap. "He's not used to babies, but I did get him to change a diaper last night so that's progress. So are you worried?"

"A little."

"Are you still having a home birth?" Caroline asked. "Elijah asked Klaus to ask me to convince you to have it at a hospital."

"Elijah is just worried silly." She said. Though Katherine had to admit that she was growing nervous about giving birth at home, not that she will ever give Elijah the satisfaction. "Did it hurt?"

"I was unconscious." Caroline said and then said quickly. "It probably won't be that bad."

Elijah had been in the shower while Katherine had been brushing her wet hair when the first pains started and she felt the rush of water between her legs one evening two weeks later. The contractions soon came after as she winced and grabbed the side of the bed. Crap, not now. Couldn't they wait until the next morning? Another contraction. Guess not.

Elijah came out of the shower and watched Katherine huddled over the bed. "Are you ok?"

"What do you think?" she bit her lip. "I think I'm going into labor."

Elijah paled. "Do you want me to call Eve?"

"Screw Eve, what I want is to go to the freaking hospital and get an epidural." Katherine saw the holier than thou look on Elijah's face and she scowled at him. "Oh, shut up and get me to the damn hospital!"

They managed to get to the hospital in under fifteen minutes with Katherine yelling at Elijah to hurry up in a mixture of tears and frustration. While Elijah filled out some forms and promised to call Bonnie, Katherine was wheeled into a separate room and given an epidural.

The pain was horrible and whatever drugs they were giving her were not helping. She had practically shooed Elijah out of the room telling him that she didn't want him to see her like this. Since Caroline couldn't leave Ethen, Bonnie had taken her place.

"Oh, god how much longer?" Katherine moaned as Bonnie patted her hand.

"It will be over soon, Kat don't worry."

"Bon, it's been three hours." She snapped. "What's taking so long?"

"We're almost there Ms. Pierce." Dr. Nash, the doctor that was attending her said. After a few more agonizing minutes, Dr. Nash smiled. "I can see the first baby's head, push."

Katherine sucked in her cheeks as she did as she was told, trying to push with all her might. The pain was terrible and she felt like screaming. Finally she heard a cry.

She raised her head and gave a weak smile as Dr. Nash handed the crying baby towards the nurse. "Congratulations a healthy baby girl."

Her happiness was short lived however when the contractions started again, without waiting for Dr. Nash to prompt her, she started pushing again. The second baby slid out easily.

She felt Bonnie squeezing her hand. "You did it, Kat. You did it."

Katherine rested her head against her pillows. "I did it!"

After they had cleaned Katherine and the babies up, Elijah was allowed in the room and Kat could see how pale and worried he was while Katherine tried to juggled two babies. "Hi."

"Hi," he breathed, his eyes never leaving his daughters who were already beginning to fuss. "How was it?"

"Let's put it this way, if you ever get me pregnant again I will kill you." Her smile faded. "I'm a terrible person, I can't believe that one time . . . I almost wanted-"

"Katherine," Elijah whispered. "Please don't punish yourself, that was then, this is now. You're allowed to make mistakes." He kissed her forehead.

"Thank you," she murmured. "Now can you help me? Your daughter is squishing my arm."

"Of course," Elijah picked up one of his daughters and kissed her forehead. "Hello." He murmured.

The baby giggled. "We need to think of names, Elijah." Katherine said. "Any ideas?"

"I don't know." He frowned. "I never been good with girl names."

"How about you chose the names for one of them and I'll choose the name for the other?" Katherine suggested.

"All right." He said as he glanced at the baby. "How about Aurora? She looks like an Aurora and her middle name can be . . . Jasmine. How's that?"

"Good," Katherine bit her lip. "And since we are going through the whole exotic names how about Serena? And maybe Clara?"

Elijah nodded as he looked from his newborns to Katherine. "Aurora Jasmine and Serena Clara Mikaelson."

-End of Chapter Twenty One-