When I Grow Up

Chapter 3. - I Swear To Tell The Truth...Definatey, Maybe

It was just after Midnight when Liz got back from work, things had been pretty quiet in Mystic Falls over the past week so she decided to put in for a few days off for some much-needed rest and to catch up with her daughter. She rarely had time for her so she blames herself for turning into a vampire, she feels if she had more time to spend with her then she wouldn't have been turned.

The house was in darkness so she assumed Caroline was sleeping and didn't want to wake her up but she couldn't see so well and ended up bumping into the table in the hall and knocked the vase off it sending it crashing to the floor. In an instant Caroline jumped up and flashed out to the hall to find her mother with the lights on picking up the vase. "Mom?"

"Caroline. I'm sorry I woke you up. I was so tired and didn't see table in the dark" she told her

"It's okay" she yawned

"Caroline can you give me a hand ?" Caroline didn't respond but helped anyway. The pieces were just put in the bin in the kitchen when Nik came into the kitchen in his new Spongebob pyjamas wiping his sleep laden eyes "Caroline?" he called softly in his adorable accent

"It's okay Nik, let's get you back to bed" she told him as Liz stared wide-eyed at the toddler before her.

"Caroline whose child is that?" Her mother looked angry. "Mom now don't freak out but I am going to be taking care of him while his parent's are on a business trip for a few weeks, he lives in the next town and his parent's needed a nanny" Caroline rushed out her words but by the looks of it her mother was getting angrier

"You're a" she was nearly shouting when she remembered the child who was snuggled into her daughters arms "Vampire" she whispered "You can't be taking care of him and why did I only find out about this if he's staying here?"

"Look mom I'm sorry I didn't tell you but it took me a while to get him to sleep after Bonnie dropped over his stuff after he had his nap and he really needs to go back to bed so, I'll talk to you about this in the morning mom." Caroline said as she angrily went back to her room letting out a deep sigh. Nik was already in another deep sleep as she placed him in the bed beside her. She lay awake and listened as her mom tip toed up the stairs and went to her room before hearing the soft breathing that was evidence her mother was asleep too.

She look to her side to see Nik cuddling into her sucking his thumb and couldn't help but smile and brush his golden locks out of his face before placing a gentle kiss to his forehead. "Goodnight Nik" she whispered as she felt her eyes droop before falling fast asleep herself.

It was a little after 9am when Caroline awoke to an empty spot beside her bed and she immediately jumped out of bed to find Nik. She heard the faint giggles coming from the back yard to find not only Nik but her mother who had dressed him and fed him and was now playing with him. To say Caroline was in shock was an understatement. When Nik caught sight of Caroline he ran and dived into her arms. "Caroline your mummy was playing with me" he smiled and his dimples were showing.

"Was she? Were you a good boy Nik?" she asked in a playful tone

"I was" he nodded his head as she let him down and he ran back to his toys in the grass. Liz was watching them when she smiled. She knew Caroline wanted kids and looking after one was probably the closest she'd ever feel to a mother.

"Caroline? I think we should have that talk now" Liz stated as they made their way inside the house. Caroline sat at the kitchen table as her mother handed her a cup of coffee and sat across from her. "Caroline I know I was angry last night but I understand your reasons"

"You do?" Caroline was shocked. When did she find out? Was all she could think at this moment.

"Yes I know you wanted to be a mother and your only way of even becoming remotely like one is if you become a nanny, I get it" Caroline blew a breath of relief but felt so guilty lying to her mother about this. Sure she asked Bonnie to go along with it but she didn't think she'd feel like this.

"Mom, I"

"It's okay hunny. I understand" Liz told her as she got up and gave her daughter a hug. If only she knew who she had living under the same roof as her Caroline thought as she looked over her mom's shoulder through the kitchen window at an innocent 3-year-old Nik who acted like any normal toddler would playing with toys and played pretend.

"Bonnie what's up with Caroline? I haven't heard or seen from her in two days." Elena said as both she and Bonnie sat at The Grille with Stefan and Damon.

"Yeah judgy, where's Blondie?" Damon joked "I miss annoying her" Stefan inwardly grinned because that was Damon's way of saying he missed her. They we're all a tight-knit group despite their differences in the past.

"She's babysitting, well she's a nanny for a few weeks"Damon & Elena stared wide-eyed and Damon nearly choked on his Bourbon. Stefan smiled though, he knew Care loved kids.

"She's a what?" Damon asked again to confirm what he just heard.

"She's a nanny, she's taking care of a 3-year-old boy. Nik is his name, he's adorable" Bonnie inwardly grimaced at that last part but she had to keep up this little façade so they wouldn't suspect it was Klaus. As much as she hated to admit it but she didn't want them to hurt him especially seeing as he was now a vulnerable human toddler, it just seemed all kinds of wrong to hurt him now or even think of hurting him.

"You met him?" Stefan asked

"Yeah she asked me to go get his things from the house yesterday because he's staying with her until his parent's come back from a business trip. He lives over in the next town. His parent's are from Wales, his accent is the cutest thing ever and he actually drowned the bathroom yesterday, Caroline couldn't even get mad because he gave her the puppy eyes" Bonnie couldn't believe her own ears at what she was telling them but they seemed to be taking the bait.

"Aww" Elena was gushing with excitement "Can we see him too?" Elena was almost begging Bonnie

"I don't want no kid hanging out of me" Damon groaned and Stefan slapped the back of his head. "I don't mind, I'll swing by soon, I haven't seen my best friend in days." Stefan said as he dropped a few bills on the table and left. Bonnie immediately took out her phone and sent a quick text to Caroline for a quick heads up on what she told everyone and that Stefan was on his way over as Damon and Elena bickered over going to see Caroline. In the end Elena won, Damon had no other option but to give into her.

Caroline was busy cleaning up the kitchen after she made some lunch for the three of them when she heard a knock at the door, she knew by now who it is was by her vampire senses and broke into a smile when she seen Stefan standing there equally happy to see her too.

"Stefan" she opened the door and he pulled her into a hug. "I missed you"

"You too Care but a little birdy told me why you have avoided us all" Caroline immediately began to feel nervous, it was easy to fool her mother but what about 3 vampires and 1 who happens to be able to see right through her. She laughed nervously but Stefan hadn't quite caught on. "So where is the kid you're looking after ?"

"He's out back playing with some toys Bonnie picked up for him" she smiled. She prayed to god what Bonnie told them would be enough until they lifted the spell. "Come on, I'll introduce you to him" she really didn't want to but what other choice did she have?

"Nik come over here I want you to meet my best friend" Nik of course ran over to her and immediately embraced her in a hug smiling. When he seen Stefan his smile faded a bit. "Who's he?" Nik looked at her not letting her go.

"This is Stefan my best friend" she smiled at Nik who glared at Stefan.

"Hi buddy what's you name?" Stefan asked as he crouched down beside the toddler who was showing no interest in him what so ever.

"Nik are you not gonna tell him your name?" the toddler shook his head and ran back off to play but glanced over at Stefan and Caroline who were laughing and joking sitting at the table under the sunny weather in the back yard. After an hour Stefan left giving Caroline a kiss on the cheek and waving to Nik who sa looking angry in the grass among his toys. Caroline made her way over to him and went to pick him up when she noticed how sad he looked.

"What's wrong Nik?" she asked brushing his curls away

"I don't like Stefan" he said with his head down.

"Why not Nik?" she asked confused at his complete 180 behaviour.

"He's trying to take my Angel Caroline away" he told her before looking up at her with watery eyes, the tears threatening to fall. "Your gonna leave me" he whimpered

"Nik I'm not leaving you and you don't need to be mad at Stefan he really likes you" she inwardly cursed herself for saying this because what if he remembered these past few days when Bonnie eventually undid the spell. She almost laughed because the idea of Nik being a jealous 3-year-old, especially of Stefan was hilarious. Though she couldn't help when her heart tugged as his tears began to fall.

"Hey,hey, hey" she picked Nik up in her arms and cuddled him. "Come on, let's take you out for dinner and some ice cream." He looked up with her, his bottom lip quivering but he nodded. "But first let's get changed"

"Aww you look so cute" Caroline found a new pair of dark jeans, a small blue shirt with sleeves rolled up and a little tie and a pair of dark high tops. "God if only you saw yourself now Klaus you would be horrified" she whispered but grinned. "Nik let's get a picture" He smiled as Caroline's phone flashed and the sound went off and his picture popped up on-screen.

"Let me see,let me see" Caroline couldn't help but giggle at the toddler's eagerness and showed him. "I like it" he told her and she laughed. She left Nik with her phone as she grabbed her coat and his and took him by the hand and lead him out to her car. Little did she know of the presence that had watched her for two days, the one that had watched Klaus for a long time. They watched as the car backed out of the driveway and drove into the dark night with a smirk on their face.

"This will be easier than I though Niklaus"

I just want to say thank you all so much for the fav,reviews and those who added the story to their favorites. It means a lot. One or two people were kinda freaked out of the thought of Caroline falling in love with Klaus but she doesn't fall for him as a child because that is wrong on so many levels. I just want to clear that up. Where I am it's already the evening so the update is quicker for some people who ready it earlier.

This chapter is longer than the previous two so I hope that it will do until I post the next one. I spent nearly all morning working on it.

If you like follow me on twitter - KlausHybridArmy & follow me on tumblr .com

Much love,

~LedgersIrishCharm