Blue Afternoon
The illuminated numbers of the clock stirred him from his sleep, rubbing his eyes as he stared at the clock turning it away from his face.
Groaning to himself as he rolled over to reach for Caroline to find her side of the bed empty.
'Caroline'.
Klaus said as he sat up, rubbing his eyes again as he got out of bed checking the bathroom considering how much time she had been spending in there lately but found it empty.
He left their bedroom, checking Lydia's room and found her sleeping peacefully on her stomach, her blanket tucked under her arm.
Leaving her room quietly leaving the door open only slightly when he heard a small clatter from downstairs.
'Care?'.
He crept into the kitchen and sighed when he saw Caroline rummaging through the freezer.
Two apples and a half-eaten apple lay on the kitchen side.
'Caroline'.
His voice soft and low as he walked up behind her, placing his hand on her lower back.
She almost screamed when she felt the touch on her back, spinning around to stare wide-eyed at Klaus.
'You idiot'.
She said smacking his chest.
'You scared the crap out of me, don't you know it's not good to scare a pregnant woman'.
She told him as she placed a hand against her racing heart.
'I'm sorry my love'.
He told her as he placed a hand on her stomach.
'It was never my intention to scare you, you weren't in bed and I was worried'.
'I'm sorry it's just I had a craving for apples and ice'.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
'Ice?'.
'Yeah I know weird craving but babies want ice expect we are out of ice'.
She said with a small smile.
'Well if my babies want ice, they get ice, I'll run to the store'.
He told her.
'No don't be silly I can wait',
'Caroline you want ice and it's my job as your husband, so I will go and get you ice but while I do that I want you to return to our bed with apples and wait for me, will you do that'.
She nodded as leaned into kiss her.
'Good'.
Rebekah stood in the doorway and watched as Stefan wiped Alexa's head with a damp cloth.
Lexi stood at her side.
'Is she okay?'.
She asked looking at Alexa and Rebekah looked at her daughter and nodded.
'Yes, sweetie just not well that's all but she will get better just like you did when you had the flu remember'.
Lexi nodded.
'I remember Alex gave me her teddy to make me feel better'
'She did'.
Rebekah said softly noticing the Lexi was clutching her own teddy.
'Why don't you give your teddy to Alex, it will make her better like hers made you better'.
Lexi looked at her teddy and nodded.
'Good girl'.
Stefan turned to look as Lexi appeared beside him, he moved aside as Lexi climbed into bed with Alexa who stared at her sister.
'Here you can have Mr Whiskers he'll make you better'.
Lexi told her as put the bear under the covers with Alexa who lifted her arm for the bear to be close to her chest.
Stefan smiled as Lexi kissed Alexa's cheek and then climbed out of the bed.
'Lex, why don't you and mum go back to our room and I'll be in a minute, let me just get your sister to sleep okay'.
Lexi nodded before turning away to Rebekah who held out her hand for her daughter and led her away to her and Stefan's bedroom.
Elena stared blankly at the computer screen in front of her.
She was currently supposed to be sending out a joint email to all staff writers but she found herself unable to complete the task.
She had been working as an assistant the paper since she had quit studying at NYU and returned home to her simple life with Matt.
That was almost 3 years ago and she was no longer getting job satisfaction not that she had that in the 1st place but it was never her intention to still be working there.
She had always planned on going back to college and getting her medical degree like she intended but something always seemed to get in the way that made her end up putting her dreams on hold.
'Elena have you sent out that email?'
She looked up as her boss came out of his office and stared at her in the same way that made her feel uneasy and she nodded as she tapped send.
'Good I wanted to know if you would be available to work late this week, it looks like I will be burning the candle at both ends and it would be a shame to work alone'.
He told her with a smile.
'I'm not sure I will be able to I have to babysit for my friends and my sister is back in town for a few days and I was hoping to send as much time with her as possible before she heads of on her next adventure'.
She told him, it wasn't like she was lying exactly Katherine was back from New York but Elena had hardly seen her since she had been spending most her time at the boarding house with Damon but she didn't have any babysitting duties to speak of but she would rather spend her night anywhere as long as it was far away from him.
'What shame I was hoping we could discuss a promotion but never mind'.
He said turning back to his office closing the door behind him.
He had thrown the word promotion around her so many times it had lost all meaning considering anytime she had offered to work over time.
He had spent most of the time staring at her or touching her inappropriately not that she had ever mentioned this to Elijah knowing that he would play the protective partner card and she didn't want to have him fight her battles for her.
She sighed leaning back in her seat to stare out of the window.
Caroline woke up to see Klaus walking around their room half dressed, his phone resting on his shoulder as he spoke to someone and his laptop open on the bed beside her.
He turned to see that she was awake and closed the laptop quickly before she got a real glance at what was on the screen before her.
'That's great I will see you soon',
He ended the call and turned his attention back to his wife who was rubbing her stomach contently.
'Good morning beautiful'.
He said softly leaning into kiss her, her hands coming to rest on his face as she deepened the kiss.
'Mmm good morning, what time is it?'.
She asked as he sat on the bed beside her, running his hand through her hair.
'Just after 10'.
'You let me sleep in'.
He nodded.
'Well you didn't go to sleep until 4am and you looked so peaceful I didn't want to wake you.
April came for Lydia at 8.30 and I told her to bring her to the gallery for 4 and your mum called she said she'd be free after 2'.
Caroline nodded as he stood up and pulled on a shirt.
'Good that gives me time for my meeting with Helena, she's due to come over at 12 to talk about my client list and maternity leave, what are you doing today?'.
She asked as she stretched.
'I have meeting with a buyer, then I'm viewing a few potential homes and more meetings the usual for me but I'm going to cutting back on my load soon once the new gallery is officially open'.
He looked at his watch and then sighed.
'I better getting going I don't want to be late'.
She nodded as he put his arms around and kissed the tip of her nose.
'Love you.
'I love you'.
She whispered as he leaned down in front of her to kiss her stomach.
'Bye babies'.
'Bye daddy'.
Bonnie was going through her old photo albums looking up once in a while to watch Kol play with Noah.
His soft coos of affection for his father music to her ears, Kol looked up to find her smiling at him and winked at her.
'Come on buddy'.
He picked up Noah carrying him over to where Bonnie sat on the sofa.
He glanced at the photo album and smiled.
'Looks like you and your dad had fun vacations'.
She nodded at his words.
'We did he was always trying to make sure I had the best time, sometimes it was hard on him but he made sure to keep smiling for me but I know how hard it was for him.
Sometimes a girls needs both her parents and he was doing the job of both but holidays with him where the best I think my favourite was when he rented this cabin near the Smokey Mountains during winter-break it must have cost him a fortune but I had the best time.
We went hiking, roasted hazelnuts and marshmallows by the fire, it was best time'.
She said staring at a photo from the trip and Kol chuckled at her outfit.
'You look cute'.
'Please I look like a lumberjack in training'.
'True but you'd make a cute lumberjack'.
He replied kissing her cheek as she turned the page stunned at the photo before her it had been so long since she had gone through the album that she had forgotten that this picture was in there and she stared at the woman's face that stared back at her.
'Is that you when you were a baby?'.
Kol asked noticing her silence and she nodded.
'Yeah me, my dad and my mum'.
Kol looked at her and squeezed her hand.
'Bon are you okay?'.
She nodded and looked at him.
'Yeah I'm fine it's just it's funny how happy she looks you know, you wouldn't think that is a woman who would walk out on her family.
I don't even know where this picture was taken or the story behind it but they look so happy and in love.
I just don't understand what went wrong and I never will whenever I ask my dad about it but he changes the subject and I get why.
It's hard for him to talk about the woman loved leaving him but I still have questions even now'.
She looked at him and then at Noah.
'Bonnie, you deserve answers you do but it's not your dad's job to answer them because raised you the best he could and I may be bias but he raised a beautiful, strong daughter who I am hardly worthy of but here you are and if you want to find your mum I will support you because I know how hard it is for you with you not talking to your grams'.
'Even if I did want to find her, I wouldn't know where to start it's been 21 years since I last saw her, I wasn't even 2 and it's not like she kept contact'.
Kol nodded.
'I know but I can help you, we can get a private detective'.
'No I don't want you to use your money on my problems, she's my mother to find'.
'We are a family now, your problems are my problems too and my money isn't mine it's ours'.
'Not that I don't enjoy spending time with my daughter, I find it unusual that you wanted to have brunch?'.
Liz commented
'Only you would think it's unusual, we barely get any quality mother and daughter time anymore'.
'Caroline we haven't had mother and daughter quality time since you were 10, so why don't you tell me what is so important that you wanted to see me'.
'Fine'.
Caroline said with a sigh.
'You love being a grandmother right?'.
'Of course I love that little girl'.
'That's good, so how would you feel about being a grandmother again?'.
Liz looked at her confused.
'Are you telling that you're pregnant?'.
Liz asked looking at Caroline who smiled.
'Yes with twins actually'.
'Oh honey'.
Liz exclaimed as she stood up to hug her daughter as her eyes filled with tears of joy.
'I'm so happy for you'.
She said as she hugged Caroline who found herself crying at her mum's happiness.
'I can't believe you're having twins'.
Liz told Caroline as she moved to sit beside her daughter as she placed a hand on her stomach, she beamed as she felt her bump.
'Neither can I'.
'When did you find out you were expecting?'.
Liz asked.
'It's actually a funny story, I found out the day we came back from London I fainted before were due to leave and Klaus being the worrier that he is booked me an appointment with doctor Shaw and I found I was a month pregnant and when I had my 1st scan everything seemed fine and then when we went back from my dating scan 2 weeks ago we found out that I was having twins'.
'I can't believe my baby girl is going to have twins, I'm so happy for you and for Klaus he must be ecstatic'.
Caroline nodded.
'He is so excited, you should have seen his face when the doctor said twins, he was so happy and at the time I wasn't happy I was terrified about having twins, I couldn't even be happy at the moment but then I realised this what we both wanted, maybe now twins but we had been trying so hard for another baby and to be gifted with two, how could I not be excited with him'.
'You nothing to be worried about you have husband who will support your every decision during this and will do everything he can to support but you also have a great support system in friends and family, these babies are going to be very loved.
It's just a shame that your father never got to see you become a mother, he would been so proud of you'.
Caroline looked at her mum as she stared to cry and held her hand.
'Mum'.
'I'm sorry baby it's just I miss you know'.
Caroline nodded.
'I know I miss him too'.
It felt like a dream.
One minute she is lying beside the man she loved and the next she was rushing out of the door with Klaus on her heels telling her to calm down but she couldn't listen to him not now she needed to get to the hospital.
She didn't even remember the drive, did she drive or did he and it didn't even matter.
She burst through into the hospital in search of her father but before she could get to him a doctor approached.
'I'm so sorry Miss Forbes, your father didn't make it'.
It was like her world was falling apart around her how had her father gone from being gone.
She had only spoken to him that afternoon, he had arranged to play golf with Klaus only that Saturday but now he was gone there was no golf to be played.
She didn't even remember falling to the floor but felt Klaus's arms around her as he held her.
All she knew that her dad was gone.
'Elena I was expecting to see you until later'.
Elijah said surprised to find Elena sitting on the sofa in his office reading.
'I got out of work early'.
She told him and he raised an eyebrow at her.
'Fine I lied'.
She replied as he sat next to her kissing her on the cheek.
'Everything alright?',
He asked and she shrugged.
'No not really'.
She confessed closing the book to stare at him.
'What's going on?'.
He asked as she placed her legs in his lap.
'I want to be doctor, I've wanted to be a doctor since I was kid listening to my dad tell me stories about all the lives he saved it inspired me and I was all set I went to NYU and then Matt called and I packed up and left the dream I wanted behind and I've regretted it every day since and all-day I have sat at a desk and watched other people go about their lives doing what they love and I want to do that I want to wake up in the morning like you do and be excited about my day not wondering what sleazy comment my boss is going or what lie I have to say to get myself out of the building quicker'.
'Why have you never mentioned this before?'.
He asked and she shrugged.
'I don't know'.
'Elena I'm not going to stop you wanting to go after what you want you know that.
I would never ask you put your dreams before me and if you want to be doctor who am I stand in your way, you know Whitmore offers an excellent program'.
'So I've heard but for me do this I don't think Whitmore would be a good fit, I don't want to be distracted by handsome professor boyfriend when I'm supposed to be focusing on my work but I love that you are being so supportive of my decision'.
She told him as he held her hand.
'Whatever you decision I will always be supportive even if your decision means that I won't get to see you every day'.
'Yes but absences makes the heart grow fonder remember'.
'I remember'.
She sighed as he rested his head against hers, kissing her gently as she smiled.
'Daddy'.
Stefan smiled as Lexi ran into his arms as Rebekah carried her school bag.
'Hey kiddo how was school?'.
'It was fun we went to a butterfly farm'.
'You didn't bring any back with you did you?'
He asked knowing that if she had her way she would try and sneak butterflies home with her.
'No daddy we're not allowed to take them home'.
'Just checking, why don't you go see your sister I'm sure she's dying to hear about the butterflies'.
Lexi nodded and went to run inside before turning back to kiss Stefan who ruffled her hair before she ran off again.
'She seems to have had fun'.
He said as put his arm around Rebekah's waist and she nodded as they walked inside.
'She did all she could talk about in the car was butterflies and how she wants to put butterflies in the greenhouse an idea I had to quickly shut down'.
'Well it's not like we actually use the greenhouse'.
He teased as she pushed him playfully.
'Funny, what did the doctor say?'.
'She's fine it's just a stomach bug, she should be back at school by Wednesday'.
'Good I don't like when they are sick I feel so helpless'.
'Tell me about the low part of being a parent'.
She nodded in agreement.
'I'm going to go up and see my baby'.
Stefan nodded.
'I'll get a start on dinner'.
Rebekah stopped to look at him and he stared back at her.
'What?'.
'Nothing it just sexy how domesticated you are who knew a house husband could be such a turn on'.
She teased as he pulled her back into a kiss, she smiled into the kiss tasting of strawberry juice on his tongue clearly he had been drinking one of the girls juices boxes before she came home.
When she pulled away he smiled at her softly.
'Go see our girls'.
Klaus looked into the back seat, smiling at the sight of Lydia sleeping.
He hadn't meant to be so long as he looked at his watch it had just gone 8 but he had been so busy that time had got the best of him.
He got out of the car quietly and got her out of her car seat gently so not to wake her.
He didn't even need to press the doorbell as Liz opened the door for him.
'Is she sleeping?'.
She whispered and Klaus nodded
'Yeah'.
He replied as he stepped into the house and Liz closed the door behind him.
'Did she tell you?'.
He asked and Liz nodded.
'She did I'm so happy for the two of you'.
'Thank you Liz, it's nice to share this with you these kids don't understand how lucky they are that you are their grandmother'.
Liz smiled touching his arm.
'Is Caroline awake?',
he asked and Liz nodded.
'She's upstairs sorting through our purchases we may have gone a little shopping crazy'.
Klaus chuckled.
'That's fine we are going to need two of everything now anyway, do you mind watching this little lady for a while I have something that I really want to show Caroline'.
Liz nodded as Klaus easily passed Lydia into her arms.
'Of course take your time'.
'You really did do a lot of shopping?'.
Caroline turned to look at Klaus quickly shoving something into a bag and then under the bed.
'I couldn't help myself, you're not mad are you?'.
'Of course I'm not mad, I actually have a something I want to show you but I'm going to need you to trust me'.
She raised an eyebrow at him as she stood up, noticing the blindfold in his hand.
'My mum is downstairs so I really hope you're not thinking about some kinky 50 shades of grey inspired situation right now'.
Klaus made a face of disgust at her words.
'Love I think we both know that 50 shades has nothing on our love life and it's not for that I need to make sure you can't see'.
'How will I get to this surprise if I can't see?'.
She counted as he stepped behind her and placed the blindfold before her eyes.
'Don't worry I'll take care of you'.
She wasn't sure how long he had been driving for when the car suddenly came to a stop and she heard him exit the car and then open the passenger door for her.
Taking her hand in his as he helped her out.
'Where are we?'.
She asked feeling his hand resting on her lower back.
'Watch your step',
He held her hand helping her.
'Your certain you can't see?'.
He whispers into her ear.
'Positive'.
She hears the sound of keys in a lock and then his hand is back on her lower back as he leads her inside and then he is gone and she is left standing there confused.
The fresh smell of paint and polish is all she can smell.
'Klaus'.
She whispers his name softly, shivering when she feels his breath on her neck as he unties the blindfold.
She blinks a few times her eyes adjusting to the light.
'Where are we?'.
She asks as he follows around the empty house.
'Our family's new home'.
He replies as she turns to look at him
'You bought this for us'.
She asks and he nods.
'Yes I lied to you today when I said I had meetings I didn't I was signing the finalising the contracts for here, when the realtor showed me this place I knew it was where I wanted our family to be.
I could picture you out on the porch swing with a baby in your arms with Lydia running around freely on the porch and I couldn't let someone else have it'.
She felt the tears in her eyes she had to turn away from him so overwhelmed by his gesture
'Caroline'.
He placed his hand on her arm as she turned back to look at him tears streaming down her face.
'I'm sorry, it's been a very emotional day for me I love it and I love you so much for doing this for us for our family'.
He touches her cheek softly staring into her eyes as he leans towards her brushing his lips against hers.
Smiling as he pulled away.
'Do you want the tour?'.
'Yes'.
She whispered reaching up to kiss him again.
Another long wait for another chapter, I really need to keep up to date with my updates but as I am going to be throwing major changes into the story through the next few chapters changes that will affect each character in different ways which means I will be updating more frequently I promise.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and look forward to what comes next.