A/N – Hello! Here is an update – I am still studying for my 63 but I had to get this out.
Thanks for all the follows and favorites and reviews. Glad you guys liked the change in the last chapter.
XxX
"He did WHAT?" Katherine practically yelled into the phone after Caroline told her recounting of meeting Klaus at the laundry mat.
Caroline held the phone away from her ear for a moment, trying to save her hearing from Katherine's outburst and proceeding litany of cuss words. Her dark blue eyes flickering around the small boutique to make sure she had not drawn any unwanted attention.
Once the flow of words had stopped she brought the phone to her ear and started talking again.
"He showed up and said wanted me back, well not word for word but it was implied." Caroline said quietly, still stunned by the fact that Klaus had shown back up in her life, her hand went absently to her stomach remembering how he touched her there. It had been almost surreal having him feel her belly like that, to feel the child they had created together when she had despaired about him ever knowing about his child.
"Is he fucking brain dead? How the fuck would he even think that you would get back together after what he did to you? I mean Jesus Fucking Christ that man is an idiot."
"I know." Caroline said, becoming lost in her thoughts.
It didn't make sense why he would leave only to suddenly come back into her life again and want her. She could understand coming back for the baby but why would he want her again? It wasn't like she still had her banging bod and he came back for seconds. What possible reason could he want to be with her again? He used her for sex and left. What more was there?
"I just don't understand why though. Why does he want me back?"
"Maybe he has some sick twisted sense of family and now that you are having his baby it means that you guys should be together."
"Maybe. I don't know. It just seemed like he really wanted to get back together together not just let's get hitched for the baby's sake."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
The reason Katherine was even questioning her was because Caroline had not told her about the kiss. Caroline knew her best friend would fly over and bitch slap some sense into her if she ever found out that Caroline had allowed Klaus to kiss her, let alone touch her like he did.
She was still pissed at herself that she allowed it to happen in the first place, but she could not deny how amazing it had felt. With her hormones on over drive she was not as immune or as opposed to his touch as she should have been. She partially blamed the fact that he was still as handsome as ever, with that sexy stubble and a body that would not quit for her momentary fault in sanity. She was turned on just thinking about it. Jesus Caroline, pull it together. You hate him, remember?
"Well just threaten to gut him if he tries anything other than taking responsibility for the kid."
Caroline laughed softly as she browsed through a few pieces of clothing that she could not dream of being able to fit into until the next year or so. The only reason she was in the little clothing store was for a piece she was writing her the magazine.
Caroline just wished she could find out what Klaus wanted with her. Why he wanted to get back into a relationship with her. The way he had kissed her had left no doubt that he still wanted her, but why? He was more than happy to be one and done before. Why the sudden change?
"I promise."
"How is the kid anyway?"
"Good. Doctor says the baby is healthy and growing."
"You find out if it is a boy or a girl yet?"
"Not yet, I still can't decide if I want to know or if I want it to be a surprise."
"Well there's a shocker. Neurotic control freak Caroline actually wants to be surprised about her baby's gender."
"Shut up!"
To anyone who knew Caroline it was a surprise that she did not to want to know the baby's gender. The moment she found out she was pregnant Caroline should have had a detailed list of boy and girl names and a design theme set up and ready to execute depending on if the baby was a boy or a girl. Yet she had been hesitant to know the gender of her baby due to the fact that knowing and preparing would make it all that more real. Time was not something that was on her side as was going to have to face reality soon and get things together for the baby because ever increasing girth was a testament to the fact that she had a time limit on her procrastinating.
But facing reality meant facing her fears and she was scared of raising a child on her own in a city that she only knew a handful of people and they were acquaintances at best. Stefan was gone and until recently Klaus had been out of the picture. Now that Klaus was back in her life she didn't know how to proceed. She knew she needed to talk to him about the baby, but she couldn't even stand to see him. She truly didn't want to see him until the baby was born.
She knew it wasn't smart to not discuss the baby with Klaus before it was born but she was still too angry with him to have any sort of civil conversation with him. Yet her more responsible you're going to be a mother soon so fucking suck it up side was telling her she was going to have to face him and have a serious talk about the baby and their future before their child was born.
The real question was when the hell was she going to get enough guts to do it?
"Caroline, just what the bloody hell are you doing?"
Caroline groaned and rolled her eyes the moment she recognized the voice and turned around to come face to face with a very angry Klaus who stood just behind her in the checkout line. He looked fit to be tied he was so mad, but it was a sexy mad as Caroline couldn't help but notice with his gray t-shirt hugging his toned chest along with a pair of dark pants that hung off his hips.
"Finding a cure for cancer." She deadpanned. "What the hell does it look like I'm doing Nik? I'm grocery shopping."
"At 2 o'clock in the bloody morning?" Klaus growled angrily. Ever since he had found out Caroline was pregnant with his child he made sure someone was watching over her 24/7, and when he received the call that she left her flat to go to the grocery store in the middle of the night he had become absolutely livid.
"Yes, at 2 o'clock in the bloody morning." Caroline bit out sarcastically. "You may not know this but when you're pregnant you sometimes you get cravings in the middle of the night."
Klaus looked down at her shopping cart to see just what the hell she was craving at 2 in the morning and found it filled with macaroni and cheese, cheetos, a block of cheese, cheese popcorn and various other things where the main ingredient was cheese. Was that a can of cheese-wiz?
Klaus looked bewildered at her selections and said almost distractedly "You should have called me, love. I would have been happy to pick it up for you."
"What part of I don't want to see you until this baby is born did you not understand Nik?" Caroline's rising voice causing the only other people in the store, which consisted of two clerks and four patrons, to look over at them.
"Easy, love. You are starting to make a scene."Glancing at the group in front of them pointedly before he looked back to Caroline and couldn't help but admire how she managed to look absolutely ravishing in what he assumed were her pajamas which consisted of a little dark blue tank top that hugged her breasts and belly along with plaid cotton pants and trainers.
Caroline looked over at the group, giving them all a hard glare which prompted them to turn away just as quickly as they had looked, which surprised Klaus because he was the one to normally cause such a reaction, apparently angry pregnant women were scary. Caroline turned around to resume giving Klaus a piece of her mind but was interrupted before she could start.
"What's taking so bloody long, Nik? Couldn't you have dropped me off first before you went grocery sh-" Kol whined as he came up to the pair and suddenly saw Caroline and a look of delight spread across his handsome face.
"Well, well, well, who do we have here? Hello again sweet Caroline. Fancy mee-" Kol abruptly stopped short as he caught sight of Caroline's swollen belly and with a look of surprise on his face as he asked almost too loudly "Who knocked you up?"
Caroline just pointed at Klaus.
Kol, who at first looked completely shocked at the prospect of his brother impregnating Caroline quickly recovered as his shock was soon replaced by laughter. "Nik got you pregnant? What a scandal!"
Caroline rolled her eyes at Kol's reaction while Klaus just glared at his younger brother.
"I can't wait until Bekah finds out about this." Kol wheezed between his laughter. "Or better yet, let's not tell her and have her find out like I did."
"Go wait outside Kol." Klaus growled, his hands balling into fists as he was ready to tear apart his bother.
"And why don't you go with him." Caroline said with a glare at Klaus.
"Oh dear, trouble in paradise already darling?" Kol smirked as he recovered from his laughter, his bright brown eyes dancing as he watched Caroline and Klaus with amusement.
"Shut it Kol." Klaus said as he took Caroline's shopping cart and pushed to the checkout stand once he noticed it stood empty, allowing the clerk to start to scan and bag the times.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Caroline said with surprise and anger in her voice as she watched Klaus take out his wallet and pay for the groceries.
"Damn it, Nik! I can pay for my own stuff."
"Well you are feeding my child, so I think I can pay for your food. Let's go." Klaus said as he took the bags from the clerk and started making his way out of the store with Caroline and Kol following close behind him.
"You know I think Kol Jr. has a really nice ring to it for a baby name and if it is a girl we can name her Kollett." Kol said to Caroline and Klaus, both of whom just ignored him.
"You know I can't feed your baby if you are taking my groceries with you."
"Well, I am taking you and your groceries home."
"You are not taking me home."
"Like hell I'm not taking you home." Klaus handed the bags to the driver to put in the trunk as he turned around to face Caroline. "First you put yourself and the baby at risk by going out in the middle of the night and then you think I am just going to let you walk home by yourself? Do you know how dangerous it is at night?" Klaus's voice rising with each word he said.
"I do now considering the most dangerous criminal in London is standing right in front of me. If I had known I would run into my jerk of an ex I would have totally waited until a more decent time of the day to go shopping." Caroline snapped back just as loudly.
"Actually darling I happen to be the most dangerous criminal in London and the most handsome." Kol said looking almost affronted that Caroline would give the most dangerous title to his brother.
Both of them ignore him as they continued to argue.
"Get in the car Caroline or so help me I will put you in there myself."
Caroline gave out an affronted gasp before glaring at Klaus once more. "You wouldn't dare."
"Try me, sweetheart." Klaus said in a quietly dangerous voice. Both Caroline and Klaus continued to glare at each other before Caroline relented and moved to climb into the back seat of the Ranger Rover. Not wanting Klaus to sit next to her she dragged Kol in with her so that Klaus would be forced to sit up front. It was petty, but at this point she would take what she could get.
"I always knew you preferred me over my brother, darling. And I want you to know I will make a wonderful step-father." Kol grinned as he settled back into the seat taking Caroline's hand in his own. Before she could pull her hand away, Kol was suddenly tugged back out of the SUV and pushed towards the front passenger side of the vehicle and Klaus was soon sitting where Kol had been moments before.
"Get in or I will leave you here to make your own way home." Klaus threatened Kol before shutting the back door, turning to look at a completely indignant Caroline.
Kol grumbled quietly as he opened the passenger side door and got in and as soon as his door closed the SUV started driving.
"Now love, I want you to promise me that next time you get a 2 a.m. craving that you will call me." Klaus said gently as he took her hand in his apparently trying the new tactic of asking rather than threatening.
"No." Caroline bit out as she removed her hand from his with a jerk of her arm.
"Yes, you will." Klaus said, his tone back to demanding.
"No, I won't."
Klaus growled softly as he met Caroline's eyes. "You will call me when you want something in the middle of the night or I will move you into my penthouse so I can keep an eye on you myself. I will not have you or my child's life endangered by your little middle of the night outings."
Caroline just snorted at his threat and looked away from him to gaze out the window.
"I'm serious Caroline."
"And I am seriously not going to call you."
"Caroline."
"Niklaus." Caroline said as she finally turned to look at him, her eye brows drawn up as she quipped his name.
Klaus took a steadying breath trying to calm both his anger and his lust. Last time she had called him that name was when he was buried deep inside of her.
"I wouldn't push this, love, because I will move you into my place and make sure that no one in London will rent to you and that no hotel will take you in." His voice even and quiet holding a quality to it that impressed upon the listener that he was deadly serious.
Caroline glanced at his face and it reinforced the warning in his voice that he was indeed serious about his threat. He was an underground King, she knew he had the resources and connections to get it done.
Caroline looked away and didn't say anything, but she did give a nod, letting him know she would call him if she needed anything in the middle of the night. She wasn't even just pretending to agree, because she knew he would call her bluff and the last thing she needed was to be living with him. Plus he somehow found out about tonight and she wouldn't put it past him to find out if she slipped out again in the future. At least she could take pleasure in the fact that she would be waking his ass up in the middle of the night to get her food.
"Thank you, sweetheart." Klaus said with relief. Although there was a little part of him that hoped she would challenge him because he did want her living with him. He wanted to be near her every second he could, her and their little one. It was taking everything he had not to reach out and touch her stomach.
Kol of course had been watching the back and forth from the front of the SUV, looking between the two of them as if he was watching a tennis match.
"Come on, darling. You cannot give up that easy. It's always more fun when you push him to the point that he starts yelling. However, you have to make sure to keep pushing him until the vain against his forehead pops out, that way you know you really pissed him off, because that is the best part." Kol supplied helpfully with a grin across his face.
Before anyone could say anything the SUV came to a stop in front of Caroline's building. Both Caroline and Klaus got out of the SUV at the same time and made a bee line to the trunk leaving Kol disappointed that neither of them had responded to him.
Klaus arrived first, giving her a smirk as he opened the trunk and took out the grocery bags and started to walk into her building.
"I don't need you to carry my groceries in." Caroline said as she caught up with him, trying to tug the bags out of his hands, but to no avail. Klaus however was pleased with her effort because she was actually touching him, even if it was only his hand.
"It would be ungentlemanly for me to allow a lady to carry her own bags to her door." Klaus said with a smirk as he made his way into her building and through the corridor. Caroline gave up trying to pull the bags from his hands and just rolled her eyes and followed him until they came to a stop in front of her flat.
"Well you saw me to my door, so you can give me my bags and leave you bossy jerk."Caroline said as she held out her hand for her bags.
"At least let me carry them into the kitchen for you, sweetheart, after all you are pregnant, wouldn't want you to strain yourself." Klaus said with a smile, taking enjoyment out of taunting her.
"Just give me the bags, Nik."
Klaus just lifted his eyebrows as he held on to the bags making no move to give them to her as he waited for her to open the door. Both of them locked in a battle of wills as they stared each other down, neither of them willing to back down.
It was the loud growl of Caroline's stomach that caused her to fold. She was starving and if it meant she would eat sooner if she allowed Klaus to bring her groceries into the kitchen then so be it.
With a sigh she looked away and pulled out her keys and unlocked the door. Flipping on the light switch she made her way to the kitchen, Klaus following close behind. He set the bags onto the counter and stood back as Caroline went to work, putting some of the food away while opening others and snacking on them as she went through each item. It was when she was slicing up some of the cheese block and had a piece half way in her mouth that she remembered Klaus and turned to see that he had not yet left her flat. He was leaning casually against the wall, his arms crossed as he watched her, a thoughtful look on his handsome face that made her feel a little uneasy.
"Mmmm, you can go now."
"Why won't you give me another chance, sweetheart?"
Caroline swallowed the piece of cheese in her mouth and looked down for a moment not really wanting to have this conversation with him before looking back at him.
"I think I explained the reason clear enough last time we spoke."
"And as I said before, I am sorry." Klaus's voice was laced with sincerity.
"Sorry doesn't even begin to cover what you did to me. You used me Nik. Used me. You pretended to be my boyfriend so you could sleep with me. You knew my terms, that I wanted to be with you not just sleep with you. I thought we had an actual relationship. I thought you cared about me. And it was all a lie." Caroline laid into him, accusation prominent in her tone of voice as she worked herself into a righteous anger.
"I do care about you, sweetheart."
Those words came out automatically, without a second thought and it shocked the hell out of him. He wasn't supposed to admit things like that to her. He could barely admit it to himself. Bloody hell what was he thinking? Yet, Caroline carried on as if she truly did not get the significance of those words.
"You slept with me and then you left. You left and then you blocked my number. I was so worried about you. I thought you were hurt or something had happened. But you didn't care about that did you? That I would worry for you. And then you then had your door man break up with me. Do you know how humiliating that was to have you dump me like that? To have some door man tell me you no longer wanted to see me like I was just another one of your whores. Where the hell was your caring for me then?"
She had thrown his words back into his face as if they were nothing. Klaus wasn't sure if he should be pleased or disappointed that his dirty little secret of his feelings meant nothing to her.
"Why? Why did you do it? Was I just a challenge? A trophy to be had?" Caroline's voice was cracking as she spoke, tears filling her eyes. "I loved you. And you broke my heart."
"Sweetheart….. I…" Klaus couldn't say anything else. He couldn't explain himself to her. Yet his heart swelled at her confession. She had said she loved him. Loved him. Mikael had said no one would ever love him, and yet here was this blonde ingénue who just said that she had loved him.
Had. That was the key word. Had he ruined it? And for what? His pride? All so he would not look weak? Yet, his position of power was everything. He did what was right for him at the time. There were too many moving parts to his kingdom to risk looking weak. It had to be worth it.
Before he could say anything else she spoke again her voice a little bit stronger this time.
"And then you took Stefan away from me when I needed him the most to help me get over what you did to me and you made him leave the country all because he was standing up for me."
Klaus closed his eyes for a moment, his hands making fists so tight that his nails bit into his palms as the mention of his enforcer sparked his temper and brought forth his anger.
"He was a fool to attack me." Klaus growled out as he opened his eyes to meet her gaze, his eyes like hard chips of ice. He knew this was digging more of a hole for himself but he could not help it, he could never control his anger.
"That was no reason to run him out of town."
"Love, you don't understand just who I am. No one attacks me and remains unscathed."
"He's your friend." Her voice was soft and plaintive as she tried to reason with him.
"Was."
"And you wonder why I won't give you a second chance. Look at how you are punishing Stefan for doing the decent thing. Who was only trying to make you atone for what you did for me." The anger was back in her voice, her dark eyes flashing as she met his gaze.
"I am truly sorry love for what I did to you but I will not give Stefan a free pass." Klaus said firmly, his tone making it clear he would brook no argument on the subject.
Caroline just shook her head and turned away unable to look at him any longer, her voice sad and resigned. "Are you even listening to yourself? You ask for forgiveness when you yourself will not forgive."
"It isn't the same thing Caroline." Klaus glowered at her back, wanting to shake the beautiful little blonde in to seeing his side of things.
His comment only caused her anger to return.
"You broke my heart. He broke your face." Her voice scathing as she turned back to face him.
"You don't have a reputation to uphold!" Klaus practically roared trying to get it through Caroline's head how important it was for him to appear strong and ruthless and for that it would be impossible to allow Stefan a reprieve.
"No I don't have a reputation to uphold, only my dignity."
Her words cut him like a knife and his anger immediately receded. Again there it was, the heartlessness of his actions coming to collect their due from his conscience. It was beneath her dignity to give him a second chance, just like it would weaken his position to pardon his enforcer.
He felt loss in that moment. She was asking him to forgive Stefan so that he might have a chance for her to forgive him.
He didn't know what to say let alone what to think. The consequences of allowing Stefan to return were nothing to ignore. On the other hand Caroline seemed almost dead set against even thinking about forgiving him. He needed to think. He hated how complicated all of this was. He could hide his weakness of caring for Caroline behind her pregnancy because the world just saw it as him taking care of the mother of his child, but he wouldn't be able to hide his pardon of Stefan. There had to be some way that he could win her back without having to involve Stefan, he just had to figure out how.
He opened his mouth to apologize once more but she beat him to the punch.
"Don't bother saying sorry again." Her voice was soft and filled with a mix of anger and sadness.
Klaus tilted his head to the side his lips parting to take a breath before pressing together once more trying to find something to say to appease her but found nothing that would not leave him exposed. So he said nothing, not wanting to incense her any further.
With a sigh he walked over to her, pressing a soft kiss against her cheek and caressed her belly just as gently, unable to help himself from not only touching her but their child. He felt her go ridged under his touch and it pained him because he could remember when she would melt against him when he touched her.
"Good night, sweetheart. Remember to call me when you need something." Klaus said quietly as he made his way to the door, pausing to look at her for a moment as he opened the door his face full of longing before turning around and walking out the door, shutting it gently behind him.
Her shoulders lost their tension the moment the front door closed and Caroline let out a bone weary sigh as she leaned her hip against the counter. She had managed to survive another encounter with Klaus yet again.
Her eyes closed as she ran her hands over her belly, her thoughts drifting to her conversation with Klaus, running through their conversation word by word and in the middle of her reminiscence she recalled that she had told him that she had loved him. With a groan she buried her face into her hands in despair. How could she have admitted that to him? Great job Caroline, let's give that jerk more of a reason to try and rekindle a relationship with you.
Her thoughts of love brought to mind the fact that he had said that he had cared about her. That was the first time he had ever said anything about how he felt about her. She wasn't sure what to make of it because his actions had implied anything but caring about her. And again it didn't explain why he wanted to be with her. If he did care about her why did he leave in the first place?
The thoughts of her love for him and his possible caring for her coupled with the stress of the evening was enough to make her cry. She stifled a small sob as she hugged her stomach, trying desperately to hold it together but her hormones were having none of it and she could do nothing but cry, allowing herself to wallow in the misery of her circumstances.
It was a little while before she started to wind down from her tears and her thoughts were pulled to the kiss he had given her, her hand lifting to touch her wet cheek as she closed her eyes and imagined his soft lips against her skin once more. His kiss had felt nice, as did his hand against her belly. Again, she should hate him touching her but her body ached for him. How could pregnancy screw her over like this? I'm already pregnant, body, what the hell more do you want? Why was it that all she seemed to be able to do lately was cry over Klaus or want to fuck his brains out?
Shaking her head at her thoughts she brushed away the last of her tears and began cleaning up the kitchen. Once everything was tidy she moved to climbed into bed, kicking off her shoes as she snuggled under the covers.
When did her life become such a soap opera? Next she was going to find out that Klaus was not only a crime lord but he was also her mother's cousin's sister's neighbor's former roommate who used to be a stripper. She snorted with laughter at that thought as she rolled onto her back and rested her hands on her belly.
"What am I going to do about your daddy, baby?"
XxX
Thoughts? Feelings?
Again – probably going to be a little while before I can get another chapter up, because of the whole let's get licensed so I can do business in the states. Blah.