AN: Hello my lovely readers! I'm back with the next chapter! I'm so sorry to my reviewers that I was unable to respond (again!). Our internet was down for a couple of days and I'm currently taking advantage of my husband taking both the kids out of the house for an hour to post this chapter. Thank you to those who have reviewed and followed and favorite-ed! I was a bit surprised by the the amount of you who were actually in favor of Caroline adopting baby Danny. He may or may not make another appearance in the remaining two chapters. As always, I'd love to hear what you think and happy reading! :)
Klaus stands on the tarmac watching the pilot and crew get the private plane ready. Lizzie is running around, excitedly. His daughter has not stopped going on and on about how they are going to get her mother and hopefully be a family again. Klaus can't help but smile at how happy Lizzie is. She seems to be more reminiscent of the girl that Caroline always described than the sullen child who had lived with him and his family for the past week. Klaus pulls out his phone and dials the all too familiar number.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Caroline." Klaus' smile broadens.
"Klaus. I was a little worried, I hadn't heard from Lizzie since last night. Is she ok?" Caroline sounds concerned, but not overly worried.
"She's fine. I actually wanted to call to let you know that Lizzie and I have plans that will keep us busy all day, today. You shouldn't expect a call from her until later." Klaus figures that he can explain Lizzie's lack of phone calls without ruining the surprise. Especially since he doesn't trust the excitable young girl to not ruin the surprise.
"Oh." Caroline takes a minute to gather her thoughts. "You're not taking her on some werewolf massacre or witch hunt, are you?"
Klaus can hear the strain in Caroline's voice and it pains him a bit that even a small part of her still thinks that low of him. "Come now, Caroline. Do you really think I would expose my young daughter to that type of violence?"
"I suppose. You might wait a few years before giving her some kind of vampire royalty initiation." Klaus is a bit stricken by the bite in Caroline's voice. He hears her sigh softly. "Look, I'm sorry Klaus. I just, is Lizzie there? Can I just talk to her for a minute?"
Klaus realizes that Caroline must be giving him grief because she is upset about not getting to talk to her daughter today. "Hang on." Klaus covers the phone, knowing that it will do little to dull Caroline's vampire hearing. "Lizzie, come say hello to your mother before we head out." Klaus levels his daughter with a look that reminds her to keep her mouth shut about what their exact plans are for the day.
Lizzie bounds over to Klaus, practically skipping. Klaus shakes his head at how ridiculous he must look, smiling giddily at a skipping child. Lizzie graciously accepts the phone from Klaus and begins chatting wildly about spending the day with her daddy. Klaus realizes that being the father that a bright, happy child, like Lizzie needs might cost him. It is hard to fear a man that is wrapped around the finger of a small child. The same goes for Caroline. In order to love Caroline as he wants, he might have to give up some of his more murderous ways. Klaus watches as Lizzie says goodbye to Caroline on the phone. He pockets his phone and they board the plane. Lizzie sets up a lap top that Hayley gave her and begins to watch some animated movie. Klaus sips a tumbler of alcohol mixed with blood and just thinks. Can he give up over a thousand years of being the almighty and feared hybrid king? Can he settle for a life with Caroline and Lizzie? Can he be happy with being loved and accepted instead of feared and obeyed? He pulls out his phone and scrolls to a picture Rebekah sent him. It's of Caroline, Lizzie and himself. He stares at the picture and realizes that this might be his first and only chance to experience love, acceptance and loyalty that isn't bought or demanded. By the time he finishes his drinks, he has decided. He can give up being the most feared vampire in the world. He can give up needing to rule New Orleans, if it means having a woman who loves him and a child who will look up to him and admire him. He could change. He could be the man that Caroline and Lizzie need.
Lizzie is absolutely out of control when they arrive in Boston. She is a ball of energy, unable to contain her excitement at being reunited with Caroline. Klaus contacts his minion who had the task of keeping an eye on Caroline after she left New Orleans. He was sure that she knew he had someone following her, but she never brought it up. Not to him or Lizzie. Either she expected it or he would need to work on her honing in on her vampire senses. Either way, Gabe, his minion, reports that Caroline and Enzo had ventured into a small karaoke bar. Klaus rethinks his plan of just showing up with Lizzie as he is sure it's unorthodox to bring a child to a bar, but he can easily compel anyone who tries to question his parenting methods. Klaus looks down to Lizzie who is smelling the flowers that are outside the small coffee shop where they met Gabe. "Lizzie, I know where your mom is. Are you ready to go get her?"
Lizzie nods enthusiastically. "Of course, Daddy. I bet she will be surprised!" Lizzie grasps Klaus' hand and follows his lead.
Klaus enters the karaoke bar, his hand wrapped tightly around Lizzie's. Not that he feared for her running off in a strange city, but he was still the paranoid Hybrid he's always been. And now he is a paranoid Hybrid father. Lizzie's eyes take in the patrons of the bar. Some are seated on stools lining the bar, some are gathered around tables. Most of them have drinks of some sort, but all of them are captivated by the melodic voice streaming through the speakers. On stage, Caroline is singing, caught up in her own little world. She's not even looking at the monitor displaying the words to the song, instead her eyes are closed as she sings sweetly. Klaus and Lizzie exchange a quick look of pride and awe. Klaus shakes himself from the trance Caroline's voice puts him in and walks with Lizzie to a table in the center of the bar. The table is occupied by two young men who are both sending leering looks at Caroline and it's enough to make Klaus' blood boil with possessiveness. "I believe you gentlemen are done here." Klaus says in a dark and growly voice. Lizzie takes a step back, not because she is afraid of her father, but because she doesn't want to be in the way.
"I don't think so." One of the guys says, not even sparing Klaus a glance.
"Have you even noticed the babe who is singing?" The other guy replies, making the mistake of turning to look at Klaus.
Klaus catches his line of vision. "You will leave this bar and never come back."
The compelled man stands up abruptly, causing his friend to turn away from ogling a still unaware Caroline and look at Klaus. "Leave." Klaus commands and they both scatter. Klaus smiles at Lizzie and pulls a chair out for her to sit in. He takes the one next to her and they watch as Caroline finishes up her song.
Applause fills the small bar as Caroline's eyes pop open. Caroline's mouth drops open in shock at seeing Klaus in Boston, with her daughter. And in a bar. Anger and joy fight within Caroline as she tries to look as normal as possible, walking down from the little stage. Caroline glances towards Enzo and gives him a grimace. Enzo looks confused but it all becomes clear when he follows her line of vision to Klaus and Lizzie. Enzo shakes his head and decides to remain at the bar, just watching.
Caroline approaches the table and before she can even get one angry word out at Klaus, Lizzie jumps up from her chair and attacks her with a bear hug. "Mama!" Lizzie presses her face against Caroline's stomach. "I missed you!"
Caroline feels all her anger towards Klaus begin to disperse once she feels the telltale signs of happy tears from Lizzie. Caroline peels Lizzie's arms back and squats down so she can look her daughter in the eyes. "Oh, my sweet girl. I missed you too." Caroline pulls Lizzie close and stands up, lifting the young girl into the air. Lizzie wraps her legs around Caroline's torso and buries her face in Caroline's hair. Caroline turns her attention to the smug Hybrid sitting silently at the table. "You brought my daughter into a bar."
Klaus' face shifts into a real smile, dimples and all. "I brought our daughter to see her mother, who happens to be in a karaoke bar at four o'clock in the afternoon."
Caroline sighs and sits down next to Klaus, with Lizzie tucked into her lap. She places a kiss on her daughter's head and lets herself feel the happiness of the moment drown out the fact that she is reunited with her daughter and the man she pretends not to love in a middle of a bar. "Did Hayley ok this little visit?" Caroline asks, because she really doesn't want to beat around the bush. She's so happy to see Lizzie and Klaus, but she doesn't want to fool herself into thinking this is more than just a weekend visit or something.
Klaus smiles at Lizzie and then looks to the bar. "Perhaps Enzo would be willing to step away from the bar and take Lizzie to do some exploring, so that we might talk." Klaus offers, looking only at Caroline but knowing that Enzo is listening in.
Enzo walks over to the table and stands behind Caroline, placing his hands on the back of her chair. "I think there is a zoo or something around here that might occupy us for a few hours." Enzo holds out his hand for Lizzie.
Lizzie hugs Caroline and kisses her soundly on the cheek. "I love watching the animals." Lizzie takes Enzo's hand and they move around the table so she can give her father a quick hug and kiss. "Bye mom, bye dad." Lizzie calls out as they disappear out of the bar.
"Caroline, take a walk with me." Klaus stands up and offers his arm to Caroline.
"Are you going to explain to me what's going on?" Caroline doesn't want to sound impatient, but she is missing out on time with Lizzie.
"I promise." Klaus looks at Caroline earnestly and she settles her hand in the crook of his elbow. Klaus leads them out of the bar and they leisurely walk along the sidewalk. "Hayley and I have come to an agreement regarding Lizzie." Caroline studies Klaus' features and doesn't see the usually present rage and distrust. There is a strange calm to his face and something that she would almost call joy in his eyes. Caroline bites her tongue, holding back her questions and sarcastic comments. She actually does want to hear what Klaus has to say, especially since he doesn't seem to be closed off at the moment. "It was made obvious to Hayley that Lizzie will only ever see you as her mother. Regardless of whether you are physically present or not, Lizzie will always turn to you. She has decided that trying to force a parental relationship with Lizzie will not be beneficial to either of them and will only result in Lizzie pushing her away for trying to replace you. She has agreed to step back as Lizzie's mother, leaving that position solely to you."
Caroline's feet stop moving. She stares at Klaus, searching his eyes for the deception he is so good at. "What's the catch?"
"No catch."
Caroline takes a step back from Klaus. "You expect me to believe she spent seven years protecting and searching for her daughter, only to decide after one week to give up and walk away?"
Klaus can't blame Caroline for being skeptical, it does sound too good to be true. "Hayley still wants to have a place in Lizzie's life, just not as prominent as her mother. Lizzie was the not the same child without you around. We all have seen it, she needs you." Klaus let his voice drop to a whisper. "I need you."
"Klaus." Caroline is left speechless as she tries to process through what Klaus told her and her muddled emotions.
Klaus takes a step closer to Caroline and takes her hand in both of his. "Lizzie and I, we want to be a family. With you. Do you think you could be happy with us?"
Caroline recognizes the moment of rare vulnerability in Klaus and knows that there is no way she would ever want to be the one responsible for him building up the walls around his heart again. Too many times in the past had she been the reason that Klaus tried to open up to only get crushed by her hatred and disapproval of him. This time things would change. Caroline closes the space between them and whispers "I think I could." Klaus is still processing Caroline's whispered confession when she presses her lips to his. Once Klaus registers that Caroline is kissing him, his entire body reacts without another single thought. Klaus wraps an arm around her slim waist, pulling her body as close as possible. His other hand is tangled in Caroline's hair, holding her head still. Caroline has both of her arms draped over Klaus' shoulders, her hands stroking the back of his neck.
In a true test of his self-control, Klaus pulls away before the kiss can get out of control. "We need to find Lizzie and tell her the good news."
Caroline places a gentle kiss against Klaus' lips. "Ok." Caroline threads her fingers through his, linking their hands and they go in search of Lizzie and Enzo.