The Blonde Caretaker
Chapter 3 / Bedtime Story

Caroline let a long, heavy breath through her lung. She knew he was busy, but a part of her wanted him to stay a little while and let her explain what really happened today that she couldn't bring his son when he picked up. She didn't know why but she felt like she had just disappointed him. His words echoed in her mind for a few seconds, before she decided to completely pull herself back to reality, where she saw her friend was still sitting right across her and waved a hand in front of her. "Caroline…?" He called. For a few moment, she stopped herself from doing anything and flickered her eyes to him before saying an almost quiet "yes?" to him underneath her breath in reply.

He creased his eyebrows and chuckled a little, watching her sudden strange behavior right after the man whom she called Mr. Mikaelson left. Lately, she had been telling him about a certain man who captured her attention, and the only thing his mind could come up with was that Mr. Mikaelson is the man she was talking about. "Shall we continued talking?" He formed a light and small grin.

"Um… where were we?" She titled her head slightly, trying so hard to remember where they left their conversation earlier before Klaus came. "Sorry, I kind of… forgot."

"I'm not sure. I forgot, too. But never mind," he said with a light grin, turning his head down to the ground a few seconds before he lifted his head back up to see her. He decided to change the topic, probably teasing her a little bit. "So that guy… let me guess, your crush?"

"Stefan!" She squealed, her eyes widened at him, her freaking out reaction almost catching everyone's attention in the coffee shop around her. Before she embarrassed herself more, she calmed herself and breathed out. "I- Fine, you're right. He's my crush."

"I know it!" Her friend, Stefan, was excited when he got the answer from her.

Caroline rolled her eyes, but ended up smiling and laughing shyly. She couldn't describe how happy and also relieved she was that she could finally have a friend to talk about her crush to. It has been a long time since she had a special feeling for someone, the last time she had was when she dated her college crush who was actually a player. She regretted falling for his fake love. She spent days crying every night remembering how he dumped her for another hotter girl in college, thanks to Stefan who helped her getting through everything. But it was three years ago, and she has been fully recovered from the heartbreak now.

Now she had a special feeling, again, for someone who is a father of the kid she usually took care of.

A father, which means he was married.

"But he is married, haven't I told you?" Caroline sighed remembering how hurt it was to recall the words he is married. She hoped she was the lucky woman whom he married at the first place, but fate told her different.

Stefan rolled his eyes in reply. "But I think he likes you. I saw him looking at you, it's different. So I think he is single. And he wouldn't stop by to approach you if he has a wife, unless he is cheating on his wife."

For a moment, it made her laugh a little, but it soon turned bitter. Stefan was right that Klaus might be single or maybe trying to cheat on his wife with her. She wasn't sure which one was the truest fact, but she got the feeling that he was a good guy and he wouldn't cheat even if he has a wife. "Maybe..." She sighed; her eyes flickered down to the ground.

"Okay, enough with this conversation." He nodded in understanding, and started to stand up from the seat and gestured to the street. "It's getting darker. Come on, I'll walk you home."

Caroline nodded and stood up as well, begin walking right behind him.

"Hop, hop," Klaus said while helping his son, Kingsley wearing his pajama pants as a smile was showed on his lips. He was very happy to take care of Kingsley, to have quality times with him. Kingsley was like the best gift God ever gave him. "All done!"

Kingsley wasted no time to quickly approach the bed with his little legs after he wore his pajama. Klaus laughed and helped him up by carrying him to the bed, and then grabbed a book from the table next to the bed. It was a bedtime story book, which was Kingsley's favorite since long. He already prepared his son's milk in a bottle on the same table. With the book in his hand, he jumped to the bed next to his son and pulled the blanket up to cover their bodies.

Just as Klaus was about to read the book for his son, the door was opened, distracting them both. When they looked up, they saw Elijah was standing at the door. "I apologize. Did I distract the two of you?" He asked while slowly walking inside.

"Not really. What is it, Elijah?"

"I bought King some new clothes." Elijah smiled and showed a bag to them. "I bought two new clothes for you too, Niklaus."

Kingsley sat up, crawling over his father's leg to get to see what was inside the bag that his uncle was holding. "Woaaaa!" He said loudly in excitement when he saw colorful new clothes inside the bag.

Elijah and Klaus laughed watching King's reaction. He was very cute.

"Thank you, brother. The clothes look nice." Klaus smiled playfully and put the bag down on the ground next to the bed, before his eyes turned back to see his older brother. "What about Kol?"

The older brother replied, "I bought him some, too."

Klaus nodded, once again thanking his brother for buying them stuffs before he left the room. Now that Elijah has already left, Klaus adjusted his position on the bed and started opening the first page of the bedtime story book he was holding. "Onc-"

"Father?" Kingsley called him with his light, cute voice.

"Yes?"

"Can you read me another story? I'm bored with this book, father." He looked up to his father, his eyes looked like a pleading, puppy look which succeeded to make his father do what he asked him to do.

"Because I'm too lazy to grab another book, I will tell you a story… that I once read. Do you want to listen to it?" Klaus looked back at Kingsley. "It's a little bit sad, but you'll probably love it."

"Yes!" There was an excitement and curiosity filled in his voice. Seemed like he was interested to know what Klaus was going to tell him for bedtime story tonight. "Tell me! Tell me!"

Klaus took a deep breath; he was going to tell his son a true story he experienced, but he wouldn't tell that it was his experience because he knew his son wasn't ready for it. "As you wish," he grinned to him and begun to tell his son the story. "Once upon a time, there lived an English young man in Virginia, he came far away from England, to enter a college of his dreams in the city. In that college… he met his very first college friend, and it was a girl. They liked each other and dated for two years." Klaus smiled bitterly when he recalled the memories, it was lovely yet painful. "And then they committed to love each other until eternity. They got married and lived happily. A few months later she got pregnant and…"

He paused for a few seconds to take a deep breath again as the memories was crystal clear inside his head.

"…and they were very happy. They bought baby cribs, toys, clothes, everything for the baby they will have in the next few months." He gulped, another bitter smile showed perfectly on his lips, but his son didn't notice it. That's better than having him looking at him in bitter and painful expression. "And when the baby was born, they became happier and a lot happier. Until one day, the man's wife was involved in an accident and died."

Kingsley made a cute fake gasp, but at the same time was surprised hearing the story.

"He was guilty, upset and he hated himself. He cried asking God to give her back to his arm every nights before he went to bed, but he was fated to take care of his son alone. He had no choice but to raise his son by himself, sometimes with the help of his siblings. If he had no son or family by his side… he would have killed himself to meet his wife in heaven. At least that was what he thought. But he looked at his son, and thought that he was the best gift God ever gave him. And he loved his son, very much."

There was a teardrop falling down from his right cheek and he wiped it as soon as he realized, trying not to get noticed by his son. He sat up and sat on the edge of the bed, his head turned down to the ground as the clear memory crashed him for a second before it faded. He didn't want his son to know, to see him in this condition… he bet his expression was very sad and miserable right now.

"Father, that was a nice story." King said shaking his arm, waiting for him to turn around and face him so that they could interact. "Father? Father, I want my milk. I'm sleepy." He yawned.

"Here," he grabbed the bottle from the table and gave it to his son as he smiled. "It's still warm, isn't it?"

Kingsley nodded, like he was saying a yes to him. His eyes were slowly shut as soon as he had the bottle of milk in his hand and drank it. Klaus stood up and turned the lamp off, but he let the small lamp on. His son hated sleeping with bright lights, that was why he turned the main lamp off and only spare the small lamp.

"Sleep well, my King."

It was the next morning. Klaus was in the living room, wearing the shoes on his son's feet. Behind him there was Elijah reading the newspaper, he was waiting for their youngest brother, Kol, to come downstairs since he asked Elijah to drive him to the college. Unlike Rebekah, Kol liked to study in the local country more than the outside country—he said that he couldn't live without his family. He wasn't ready.

"Alright, King. Let's go." Klaus said to his son while gesturing to the door which would lead them outside the mansion and reached his hand out. He saw his son took his hand and stood up. They soon begun to walk outside together and left Elijah there on the couch, but before leaving, Kingsley had waved him goodbye. Outside the mansion, the father and his son approached their car which was parked nearby in front of the huge and luxury-looking mansion.

Klaus carried his son and put him inside the car on the seat next to his. After that, he walked to the other side of the car and opened the door and got in before he started the engine of the car and begun driving to the caretaker centre. "You know what to do, King?"

"Mhmm," Kingsley nodded lightly in reply, slightly mumbling.

"Tell me what's the plan."

Kingsley placed his palm on the window, his eyes looking at his own fingers when he replied again, telling his father the plan they were discussing earlier. With cute British accent and cute tone, he replied to Klaus' question. "I will look for Miss Forbes' phone number when she is not around. And then I write it on my book, and give it to you."

Hey guys, don't hate me for a late update. But here is the third chapter! FYI, I changed my username to this one. Anyway, thank you to those who followed and favorite and reviewed in the previous chapter. It means a lot to me! Review?

Anyway, I'm writing a new story featuring Damon x OC (Hints: Klaus x OC too), so you might want to check it out and tell me what you think (visit theroseofgilbert dot tumblr dot com too for posts related to the story!).

Until next time...