Hello Readers! As you see I have updated and it didn't take me a month! OMG! Anyway – just wanted to say WOW! 700 followers! My mind is blown! So thank you everyone who has supported this story – followed it – reviewed it - favored it. You guys totally rock.
XxX
"Oh my god! Kat what did you do?!" Caroline said as she got up off the couch making a bee line right past Katherine who was holding her arms out to Caroline waiting for a hug and right to Klaus who laid on the floor groaning pathetically while holding his man junk.
"He is lucky I didn't kick him while he was down. After what he did to you I should have done much worse. In fact you should have done much worse. Why is his dick still there? Did we not agree about cutting off his dick with hedge clippers?" Katherine said as she watched Caroline tend to Klaus while resting her hands on her hips.
"You wanted to castrate him. Not me." Caroline said as she sank down onto her knees next to Klaus her hand lifting to gently stroke his face as he grimaced in pain. Part of her was pleased to see him dick checked while the other part of her hated to see him in pain like this.
"Well let's remedy that right now. Where do you keep your knives?" Katherine asked as she started for the kitchen.
"Don't you dare Kat." Caroline warned as she rested her hand on Klaus' shoulder and gave it a squeeze causing Klaus to finally open his tear filled eyes and look at Caroline and she could see the pain and the anger that were reflected in them.
Not wanting to have a repeat of what happened to Stefan or worse she leaned down to whisper quietly in his ear.
"Nik please don't hurt her. She is my best friend and is just looking out for me and you totally deserved that you jerk but I'm so sorry it happened and please just don't do anything to Kat. I promise I will do anything if you just promise not to hurt her." Caroline pleaded as she gently rubbed his back, hoping the soothing gesture would ease his pain a little bit and perhaps his anger.
"A date." Klaus wheezed out as he finally felt the pain start to ebb.
Caroline blinked a few times and shook her head as if trying to reconcile what he was saying.
"A what?"
"A date." Klaus confirmed as he watched Caroline's face.
Caroline glanced up at Katherine who was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed, her top leg swinging up and down while she played with a strand of her hair watching them both with amusement as she highly entertained with seeing Klaus wither in pain on the floor.
"Fine. One date. One. And don't think that we are not finishing that talk of ours." Caroline hissed as she stood up and held out her hand to Klaus who finally was able to somewhat move. Taking Caroline's hand he slowly got up to his feet and gave a hard glare to Katherine who just smiled and waved.
"Alright, love. I am going to go. I'll call you later." Klaus said as he dragged his murderous glare from Katherine to Caroline and his eye softened. Leaning forward he pressed a kiss to her cheek and then was immediately hit with a flying pillow from Katherine who was now the one glaring at him. Klaus just smirked and carefully made his way out the front door and into the hall.
"Why is he kissing you like that?" Katherine growled as she stalked past Caroline and into the hall grabbing her suitcase and purse and dragging them inside.
"I told you we are friends Kat." Caroline said with a sigh as she closed the door and followed Katherine into the living room and taking a seat onto the chair across from the couch.
"Friends don't kiss other friends."
"Is that so? What about that time we got drunk and made out?" Caroline said as she rested her hands on her belly.
"We were drunk."
"Not that drunk."
"Still drunk." Katherine argued back as she plopped onto the couch and then was immediately off of it and on her knees in front of Caroline her hands moving to touch her belly.
"Caroline you are huge."
Caroline rolled her eyes and just grinned at the look of fascination on Katherine's face.
"Geee, thanks."
Taking Katherine's hands she moved them around to the side of her belly where the baby was currently kicking. Katherine just grinned as she felt the baby against her hand.
"Who knew you were this maternal." Caroline said with a laugh at her best friend's smile.
Katherine just gave a slight shrug as she shook her head looking all haughty.
"Well I like them like this. It's when they come out that my fondness for them plummets like Lindsey Lohan's acting career."
"Hey, I thought she was great in ummmm….." Caroline's brows pinched together as she tried to remember the last movie she made that she actually saw. "That love bug movie?"
Katherine just arched a brow at her and Caroline shook her head and laughed before moving forward and embracing Katherine in a tight hug.
"I can't believe you are here."
"Believe it mama." Katherine said as she closed her eyes and held her friend close. She felt guilty for staying away for so long. She should have come sooner, but it was one dumb excuse after another. It finally took a swift kick in the ass to get her into motion and visit her friend. Although to be honest a lot of that kick in the ass had to do with Klaus. Katherine didn't like how kindly Caroline spoke of Klaus. When Klaus had first shown up Caroline was like a lioness with how vicious her comments were about him and then gradually her comments became less harsh and suddenly one day she was talking about being friends with him. If there was ever a need for a friendtervention it was now. She sure as hell wasn't going to allow Klaus to get his claws into Caroline again.
Katherine released Caroline and sat back onto her feet and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"You know you really shouldn't have kneed Nik in the balls like that." Caroline said disapprovingly as she brought her hands to rest back into her lap.
Katherine of course just ignored the admonishment.
"So what was Klaus doing here?"
"We were talking about the baby. He took me to my baby appointment today and we found out the sex." Caroline said a little smugly because she was finally happy that Katherine wouldn't be able to hold her OCD planning behavior gone awry over her head anymore.
"And?" Katherine said expectantly as her head came forward and her brows went up.
"It's a girl." Caroline said with a big smile as her hands rubbed her belly.
Katherine returned Caroline's smile before her expression retracted back to bitch face.
"Nik should have dropped you off and emailed the names to you."
Caroline pursed her lips and sighed.
"Kat I told you. Nik and I are friends now."
"He doesn't get to be friends with you Caroline.
Caroline sighed and dragged her fingers through her curls.
"We have to be some sort of friends Kat. We are having a baby together." Caroline said, her thoughts drifting to her and Klaus' last conversation.
"I'll help you raise the baby. I'll move here and we can raise the baby together." Katherine said seriously.
Caroline's head tilted to the side as she arched a brow at her friend.
"Seriously? What about Miss I Don't Like Them Once They Are Out?"
"I'll get over it." Katherine said with confidence however the sour look on her face said otherwise.
"Kat, I am having a baby and Nik is the father. I cannot and will not take that away from him. And if we are going to raise this baby we have to be stable and friendly." Caroline said in a reasonable tone as she leaned forward to squeeze Katherine's arm.
"I don't like how…familiar he is with you. He needs to back the hell off or I will fuck his shit up."
"I think you already did that." Caroline said with a roll of her eyes.
"Well, I will fuck it up some more."
Caroline just shook her head.
"I am being careful Kat. I promise."
"I saw the way you looked at him Caroline. That isn't careful."
"You just kneed him in the balls. Of course I am going to look at him with concern." Caroline said as she looked down, not wanting Katherine to see it for the lie that it was. But this was Katherine and you don't bullshit the baker.
"It wasn't concern that I was talking about."
Caroline frowned and kept her head down.
"It's the same look you had when I first came to visit."
Caroline chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before she answered.
"I…..I still love him." Caroline said as she looked up at her friend who looked anything but happy at Caroline's confession.
"Well unlove him. He is a dick who did something really shitty to you and he does not deserve your love." Katherine said as she got to her feet and moved to sit on the couch.
"It's not like I can just turn it off Kat." Caroline said with a sigh as she leaned back in her chair.
"Then will just find you someone else to love. I'm sure I can find you a date in no time." Katherine said with a flip of her hair.
"Kat I am not going to start dating while I am six months pregnant." Caroline said with an exasperated sigh, rolling her eyes at the preposterous suggestion.
"Why not? Men have a fetish about fucking pregnant women, shouldn't be that hard to find you someone."
"KAT!" Caroline yelled as she turned pink from embarrassment.
Katherine shrugged her shoulders as she played with her hair.
"Look, I just don't want you with Nik."
"Just because I still love him does not mean I am going to go back to him." Caroline said with a frown.
"If you do I am not above strangling the both of you. But I wouldn't kill you both, only one because if I killed you both you two would be dead together." Katherine said as she sneered at the idea of Klaus and Caroline together in any way shape or form.
Caroline squinted at her and just shook her head.
"So how long are you here for?" Caroline said looking to change the subject.
"Long enough to make sure you don't do anything stupid." Katherine said as she gave Caroline a pointed look.
"I think you are a little late on that one." Caroline quipped.
Before Katherine could answer Caroline's phone started ringing. Pushing herself off of the chair she waddled over to her purse and pulled out her cell phone, her shoulders dropping into slump when she saw who was calling. Caroline wish she could ignore the call but all he would just call back again and again and fill up her voice mail.
"Hi Damon."
Katherine made a face and stuck her tongue out like she was gagging as she pushed herself up to her feet.
"Hello Barbie. How's life? How is Skipper coming along?"
"I told you before Damon, Skipper is Barbie's sister not her kid. Midge was the one who had the baby."
"The fact that you know that …. I can't even….." Katherine said as she gave Caroline a shake of her head.
"Was that She Bitch?"
"Damon! Stop calling her that. And to answer your question yes, Kat is here." Caroline said with a frown.
"Is he calling me She Bitch again?" Katherine said as she walked into the kitchen and opened up the fridge and started digging around.
"Yes."
"Who let her back into the country?"
"It wasn't like she was kicked out, Damon." Caroline said as she rolled her eyes.
"Well, tell She Bitch to expect some company."
"Why?" Caroline asked suspiciously as she walked over to where Katherine was standing and took away the piece of chicken she had been eating and started nibbling on it herself.
"Hey!" Katherine protested and was about to go after her but then caught sight of her swollen belly and remembered something about not taking food away from a pregnant woman. Or was that a bear?
"Because I'm coming for a visit. I was going to surprise you but I didn't want you to be so surprised and happy that you would go into early labor."
Caroline groaned at the news, her head falling back to look at the ceiling. That was all she needed right now was for Damon Freaking Salvatore to show up.
"Getting all excited again I see. I hope that you and Ken are not serious because I don't want to have to fight the guy when you finally give into your lust for me."
Caroline just ignored that.
"When are you coming Damon?"
"I could come right now if you know what I mean. I told you I am always down for kinky phone sex, but you have to promise to use the dirty words."
Katherine caught the question and darted forward and took the phone from Caroline and put it to her ear.
"Are you seriously coming here you jack ass?" Katherine yelled into the phone, ignoring the hand that Caroline held out to her for her phone to be given back.
"She Bitch! It has been ages since I have heard your melodic nails on a chalk board voice. And you could have at least waited until Blondie was done getting her phone sex in before you took the phone. I know you missed me but there is no need to be rude about it."
"When. Are. You. Going. To. Be. Here. Asshole." Katherine bit out angrily.
"Can't wait to see me huh? Wish I could say the feeling is mutual but it's not."
Before Katherine could reply back Caroline snatched the phone from her and held out her half eaten chicken leg like a weapon when Katherine tried to snatch the phone back from her.
"Damon, when are you coming?" Caroline said in an exasperated tone of voice.
"Next week. So tell She Bitch to pack it in by then."
"You're such a dick Damon."
Katherine smirked at that and gave Caroline a thumbs up.
"Well someone has to be. Can't be all unicorns and rainbows all the time Princess Barbie."
"Anyway, thank you for the warning. I appreciate it."
"You can save all that appreciation for when I get there so you can appreciate me in person."
"Goodbye Damon."
"See ya soon Barbie. Tell She Bitch to burn in hell."
Caroline rolled her eyes and hung up the phone.
"He is going to be here next week." Caroline said as she put her phone down and turned her attention back to her chicken and started eating.
"Why is he even coming here?" Katherine asked as she walked back into the kitchen and opened up the fridge, keeping a wary eye on Caroline incase she decided to food jack her again.
"Stefan just got back from his trip. Damon was really worried about him so I think that is why he is coming to London…to check on Stefan." Caroline said before taking another bite.
"Uhg, this is terrible. I come all the way over here to deal with one jack ass and now another one is on his way." Katherine said as she pulled a container out and opened it.
"Jesus fucking Christ Caroline, what the fuck is this?" Katherine said as she made a disgusted face and shoved it towards Caroline. Caroline quickly bit onto her chicken bone to hold it with her mouth while she grabbed the container. Setting it on the counter she took out her chicken bone and looked inside the container.
"Its fried rice mixed with ravioli and Cheerios. You should have some. It is so good. You wouldn't think it would be good mixed together but it is heaven." Caroline said dreamily as she reached in and snagged a ravioli and popped it in her mouth.
"What is wrong with you?" Katherine asked as she looked fearfully into the refrigerator afraid to open anything else.
"Nothing's wrong with me. I am just open to new foods."
"Hello?"
"Good morning, sweetheart."
"Good morning, Nik. How are you feeling?" Caroline said with concern, but the smirk on her face betrayed the fact that she was still a little bit pleased at him having gotten what was coming to him. Sure Stefan had punched him a few times but a knee to the balls was so much sweeter.
"Bruised and sore."
Caroline could hear him growl out the answer, it was obvious he was still upset.
"You should put some ice on it. Or maybe a bag of frozen peas." Caroline said with a playful smile as she moved around the little apartment aimlessly.
"Thank you, love." Klaus said tightly, not wanting to lose his temper with his girl as her tone of voice reflected that she was very much amused with his painful situation and he was very much un-amused by it.
"So what's up?"
"Elijah wants to take your friend out to dinner tonight."
Normally Klaus wouldn't concern himself with other people's love lives but Katherine was a complication that he did not need when it came to Caroline and anything to get Katherine out of the way was well worth the effort. So he had let it slip to Elijah that Caroline's friend was back in town and it wasn't long before Elijah requested that Klaus arrange a date between him and Ms. Peirce.
Caroline of course was thrilled with the request and had no reason to question the motives behind it. With pursed lips she made her way over to the bathroom and then stopped in front of it and knocked on the door.
"What?" Katherine said as she opened the door in her robe and make-up brush in hand.
"Elijah wants to know if you would go to dinner with him tonight." Caroline said with a stupid grin on her face as she rested the phone on her shoulder.
Katherine smirked and dragged the makeup brush sensually down the curve of her throat.
"I want to do more than just go to dinner with him." She said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
Caroline rolled her eyes and lifted the phone back up to her ear.
"Yes, she will go to dinner with him. What time?"
"7. And since Katherine is going to be out for the evening, perhaps I can take you on that date you promised me."
"Or we can finish that conversation we were having."
"Love-"
"Nope. Don't even think about making an excuse. We are finishing that conversation or I will let Kat do as she pleases with you."
"I'll be there at 7:30 sweetheart."
"And bring food. Lots of food. Indian food. There is this amazing place down the street and they have the most amazing naan and their chicken tikka is soooooo yummy."
"Send me a list love and I will make sure to pick it up."
"See you later tonight." Caroline said as she hung up the phone.
"Who are you seeing tonight?" Katherine asked as she came out of the bathroom.
"Nik." Caroline said with a wince, knowing Katherine wasn't going to like her answer.
Katherine growled and put her hands on her hips.
"No! He is not coming anywhere near you. I will have my date with Elijah here if it means I can swing a bat at his head when he shows up."
"Kat, we have things we have to talk about."
"He can talk to you over the phone. Or better yet email."
"This kind of talk has to be face to face."
"Well let's bust his face and then he can talk to you."
"Kitty Kat it will be fine I promise." Caroline said in a reasonable tone of voice as she fixed a wayward curl in Katherine's hair.
Katherine took a deep breath in effort to calm the urge to strange her best friend.
"If it even looks like he tried anything with you I will rip out his intestines and strangle him."
Caroline just sighed and nodded her head.
XxX
"Elijah!" Caroline said with a smile as she opened her front door to find the elder Mikaelson standing in the hall dressed in a gray three piece suit and holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Mis- Caroline." Eljiah said, catching himself before he could call her Miss. Forbes. "You are looking lovely."
"Thank you." Caroline said as she came forward to kiss his cheek.
Elijah gave a kiss to her cheek in return.
"I understand I am going to have a niece." Elijah said as Caroline held the door open for him, inviting him into the apartment.
"Yes. Nik and I are having a baby girl." Caroline said with a pleased smile, absently touching her stomach.
"I must offer my congratulations then." Elijah said as he said as he offered her a bouquet of flowers as it turns out he was not only carrying one bouquet but two.
Caroline took the flowers with a happy smile, tears coming to her eyes as she came forward and gave him a hug startling Elijah.
"Thank you so much."
Hesitantly he put one arm around her and gave her a slight squeeze. Caroline pulled back and gave him another bright smile before gesturing to the sofa.
"Have a seat. Katherine is still getting ready and it may take a few minutes…or half hour."
"I heard that." Katherine yelled from the bathroom.
Caroline laughed as went into the kitchen. "Can I get you anything to drink while you wait?"
"No thank you." Elijah said as he looked towards the bathroom before turning and taking a seat on the chair across from the sofa and resting the flowers across his lap, his eyes shifting to watch Caroline put her flowers into a vase. Once Caroline was done she made her way back into the living and took a seat on the couch facing Elijah.
"So how have you been, Caroline?"
"I have been well, just a bit busy with work, getting ready for the baby, Kat's visit and of course Nik." Caroline said, her eyes rolling as she said the last part.
Elijah nodded his head in agreement with Caroline's experience with his younger brother, pressing his lips together for a moment before speaking.
"Niklaus is ….. " Elijah paused looking for the words to describe his brother "…. Complicated."
"He is ….." Caroline shook her head and sighed in exasperation as she couldn't even describe what Klaus was.
Elijah nodded his head in agreement as he leaned forward and adjusted his cuff links.
"Niklaus has his demons. And these demons drive him to act in a manner that is not conducive to his happiness or the happiness of those he loves." Elijah said as he looked pointedly at her as he said that last part.
Caroline's brows furrowed together and opened her mouth to speak but before she could say anything Katherine came out of the bathroom.
If there was one thing that could be said about Katherine Pierce it was that she knew how to bring a man to his knees. Her thick chestnut curls fell down her back in waves, stray curls framing her oval face. The black lace dress hugged her slender frame, hugging her at the hips and waist and breasts. Her black stilettos which made Caroline's back ache just looking at them put the finishing touch on her overall look.
Elijah looked stunned and Katherine just smirked pleased that she already had her date speechless and it was only the beginning of the night. Caroline just gave Katherine a shake of her head for looking so smug about her effect on Elijah, their conversation momentarily forgotten.
It took a moment for Elijah to shake himself out of his stupefaction and was up on his feet in moments. Taking Katherine's hand in his he pressed a kiss to the back of it before handing her the flowers that had been in his arms.
"Katerina, please accept my apologies for my lack of manners just then, I was momentarily blinded by your stunning beauty."
Katherine's smirk fell into a shy smile at his beautiful words. Her shy smile was short lived because Caroline had caught sight of the demure behavior and Caroline couldn't help but snicker which earned her a glare from Katherine.
Pulling her attention back to Elijah she lifted the flowers up to her face and took in the sweet floral scent, her lips pulling into a smile.
"Thank you for the flowers." Katherine said as she leaned forward to kiss the corner of his mouth before turning to Caroline and handing her the flowers. Elijah of course looked a mix of stunned and pleased at the kiss, his hand coming up to touch the place Katherine's lips had just been while Caroline and Katherine shared grins.
It wasn't long before Katherine and Elijah were out the door on their date. Caroline had of course given Katherine the spare key incase Caroline was in bed by the time she got home. Of course Katherine was torn between wanting to have her way with Elijah and wanting to cut the date short so she could make sure nothing happened between Klaus and Caroline. On the other hand Caroline was determined to talk with Klaus and if they managed to get it all out then Caroline wouldn't have a reason to see him so Katherine would have to play this one by ear.
Caroline let out a sigh once they were out the door. Glancing at the clock she frowned when she realized that it was already 7:45 p.m. and Klaus was late. And just as she was about to grab her cell phone to call him there was a knock at her door. Opening it she found Klaus standing there in a white long sleeve t-shirt that was obscene in how it hugged his upper body and outlined every muscle and his dark jeans with heavy boots with bag of take out in hand.
"You're late." Caroline said as she took the bag of food out of his hand and made her way to the kitchen.
"Apologies, love. The restaurant was running behind." Klaus said as he took off his boots careful not to meet her gaze.
Caroline nodded as she pulled out the containers and started opening them. She snuck a few bites here and there as she got the food ready to eat and it wasn't until she was putting some of the containers in the microwave because they were cold that it hit her. Why the hell was the food cold if the restaurant was running late with their order? Wouldn't it be hot because they didn't have it finished yet?
"Nik?"
"Yes, sweetheart?" Klaus said as he looked over from the where he was sitting on the couch his feet kicked up onto the coffee table.
"Why is the food cold?" Caroline asked with a hand on her hip as her eyebrows rose in question.
"The food is cold?" Klaus said trying in vain to look surprised at her question.
Caroline's eyes narrowed as she as she came further into the living room to confront Klaus.
"The restaurant wasn't running late was it?"
Caroline was only met with a guilty silence.
Caroline chewed on her lip as she watched Klaus look anywhere but her. Why would he lie about the restaurant running late with the food? Every time they had some sort of plans together he was either right on time or early. So it would make no sense he would be running late because there was nothing to keep him from running late ….unless….
"Nik, were you intentionally late because Kat was still here?" It only made sense – Klaus would have seen the SUV out front with the driver waiting for Elijah and Katherine to come out.
"No, of course not." Again Klaus was avoiding eye contact which meant that she was right.
Caroline gasped and came around the couch to face him with her hands on her hips.
"You totally did! Are you afraid of Katherine?!" Caroline said accusingly as she stood before Klaus who finally looked up and glared at her.
"Bloody hell woman! I am not afraid of your friend." Klaus growled as he stood up, completely indignant that Caroline would think he was afraid of her friend.
"Well you were obviously avoiding coming in until she was gone. So what else could it be?" Caroline said as she crossed her arms watching him with her eyebrows raised expectantly.
It made Klaus pause as he looked at Caroline, who stood before him completely unafraid of his temper. In fact it looked as if it had never crossed her mind to be afraid of him and it made his heart stutter. Sure you could say the same of Katherine but she didn't know who Klaus really was. She didn't know what he was capable of and Caroline did and she stood unflinching before him and his temper.
With that little epiphany Klaus' anger was deflated and all he was left with was his adoration of the woman before him. Coming forward and he slid one hand around her waist as the other hand lifted to tuck a curl behind her ear. His face tilted down some so their noses brushed against one another. Caroline of course was taken aback by his sudden change of mood and her hands came up to press against his chest as he held her close, well as close as her bulging belly would allow. Before she could protest Klaus was already speaking.
"I stayed away because I didn't want to hurt her. I promised you I wouldn't and I knew if I was in the same room with her I may not be able to keep my promise to you." Klaus said as his hand that had tucked the curl behind her ear trailed down her cheek to the graceful curve of her neck.
"And I always want to be able to keep my promises to you, sweetheart."
Her dark lashes swept up as she met his gaze and finding his blue eyes filled with sincerity. Caroline gave a slight nod at his confession taking it for what it was and pulled out of his embrace. Her skin was awash with goose bumps from his touch that sent shivers down her spine and his sweet words that made her heart flutter. Yet that giddy feeling was short lived because the reality of why he was at her place tonight demanded acknowledgement.
"If you are going to promise me anything, I want you to promise me you will tell me the truth about why you left me that night." Caroline said in a quiet voice as she curled her arms around her chest, her eyes never leaving his. "The truth about why you came back."
Klaus looked into Caroline's eyes and saw the question that had been haunting her since he had come back into her life. That uneasiness that the rug was going to pulled out from under her once again. Their friendship was tenuous at best. Yes, Klaus had allowed Stefan to come back to her but she still had no reasoning behind Klaus leaving her or coming back. She would not put it past him to resort back to whatever logic brought him back to her in the first place could just as easily make him leave once more.
Klaus gave a nod of his head as he stepped up to her and cupped her elbows in his hands, his thumbs stroking the delicate skin just inside her arms. He was tired of this standing between them. He wanted a real chance for her to forgive him and to possibly one day gain the opportunity to make her his. No more avoiding the subject.
"I left…. I left you that night because I did not want to be weak." Klaus said quietly, his hands gently squeezing her elbows.
"I don't understand. What do you mean weak?" Caroline asked as her brows furrowed in confusion at his confession.
Klaus looked down for a moment, gathering the words needed before he spoke once more.
"Caring for anyone who is not family is a weakness and I couldn't allow myself to care for you." Klaus said gazing down at her belly before looking up into her eyes. "I thought I could keep myself from caring about you. But I couldn't."
Caroline blinked rapidly as she digested what he was saying and slowly backed away from his embrace, her heart and mind racing a mile a minute.
"You left me because you cared for me?" Caroline asked with a trembling voice, trying desperately to understand why he left and broke her heart.
Klaus gave a curt nod at her question.
"I could not be seen as weak Caroline."
Caroline's brows drew together in confusion as she looked up at Klaus who had started to pace around the small living room.
"Then why did you come back? If caring for me made you weak then why come back?"
Klaus paused mid-step and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before he spoke.
"Because you became family when you became pregnant with my child."
Caroline felt what was left of her heart fall to pieces. He had confirmed what she had suspected all along. He did not come back for her; he came back for the baby. As the pain shot through her body it was also accompanied by anger.
"So you just came back to fulfill some sort of family obligation?" Caroline spat. "Thought you could waltz back into my life and we could play house?"
Klaus felt his temper rise at Caroline's accusations.
"No! It wasn't like that!"
"Oh yeah? Then what exactly was it? Because it sure as hell looks to me that the only reason you want to be with me is because I am having your baby!" Caroline's voice rising with each word until she was shouting.
"No! I want to be with you because I love you damn it!" Klaus shouted back, his hands balled into fists as he glared at her.
"What?" Caroline said, all the anger gone out of her voice and replaced with astonishment laced with disbelief.
"I love you, Caroline." Klaus said gruffly, although this time not quite as loudly. Before she knew it she was in his arms again, his hand sliding up to cup her face and lifting her chin so that she would be forced to look into his eyes. Every single word Elijah had said to him coming back full force, and Klaus knew that if he was going to have any chance at all of having a romantic relationship with Caroline again he was going to have to be honest with her. Right here. Right now.
"I have always thought that love for anyone who was not family was a weakness and my love for you was exactly that."
Caroline shifted in his arms as she rested her hands against his chest. Klaus was afraid she was going to push him away but instead she just rested them there.
"Why would loving me make you weak?" Caroline asked softly, her eyes searching his for any sign that he was not being truthful and found no such tell.
"You made me weak because you bring me to my knees. I could not take the risk that you would not love me in return." Klaus said as he stroked her face reverently.
With those words Caroline was backed out of his arms, her face a mask of anger.
"So you decided to be a cowered and run away rather than risk the chance that I might not have loved you?"
Klaus shook his head, his mouth working as he tried to find the words to justify his actions but as her words so plainly stated there was no justification for his actions.
"And did you ever stop to think about my feelings? How I felt? Huh? That when you had your fucking doorman break up with me that I realized that I had been played. That you pretended to be my boyfriend for months just so you could sleep with me. How do you think that made me feel Nik? Huh? I will tell you how it made me feel. I felt used and most of all I felt like a fool." Caroline said as her voice started to crack.
"I knew what you were and still gave you a chance. And then you leave and oh it is just stupid foolish Caroline who is never enough. Never the one." Caroline gasped for air as the tears started to stream down her face as she glared at Klaus.
"And now you tell me that you left me because you loved me and that you were afraid that I wouldn't love you back. That you decided to break my heart just to protect yours."
Klaus squeezed his eyes shut as her words hit him, the pain in her voice only adding to the shame and guilt that was threatening to suffocate him.
Caroline pressed her hand to her forehead as she paced around the apartment, vacillating between anger and heartache.
"And what did you think was going to happen when you came back to me because I was pregnant? That I was going to have no choice but to be with you? That I would have to love you?"
Klaus opened his eyes at that and looked at her, his head shaking as he moved forward to take her hand but for every step he took towards her she took one back.
"No, love. I …. I …. "
"You what?" Caroline growled out.
"I didn't want to admit to myself that I was in love with you and having you pregnant I would be able to be with you and take care of you and never have to admit it because I was afraid you wouldn't love me." Klaus said tiredly. As the words came out of his mouth he realized how utterly ridiculous they were. How could he be so blind? How had Mikael manage to twist him so badly that all Klaus could manage to do was ruin the one chance of happiness that he had.
"And before you speak – yes. Yes, I realize what a complete and bloody fool I have been and still am."
Caroline honestly had no words for him. This man, this man that she had fallen in love with, this man whose child she was having, was an absolute wreak. Elijah had said he had his demons but nothing could have prepared her for the neurosis that was Niklaus Mikaelson.
Caroline just sighed as she made her way over to the couch and sat down. Her hands covering her face as she tried to come to terms with everything Klaus had just told her. On one hand she was completely livid with his reasoning behind his actions and on the other hand she felt empathy for the man who was so obviously broken.
She didn't hear him move which why she was startled when she felt his hands on hers, pulling them away from her face. He was kneeling on the floor in front of her, his hands holding hers as he ran his thumbs over the palms of her hands.
"Caroline, I know I have wronged you and I promise that I will spend every day for the rest of my life proving that I am worthy of you."
Caroline pulled one of her hands out of his and cupped his face, her thumb stroking the stubble of his cheek as she gazed down at him.
"You are a mess."
"I'm your mess." Klaus said as he turned his head to kiss the hand that held his cheek.
Caroline just sighed, not quite sure where they would go from here.
XxX
I hope that chapter wasn't too much of a mess. And before you all freak out – Caroline did not forgive Klaus. But now she knows his logic behind why he left – even if it makes very little sense because he is not exactly the most emotionally mature person in the box here.
Please leave a review and let me know what you thought – Also did you like the Kat and Damon at all? What about Kalijah?