9.
Caroline picked the lime wedge off the rim of her newest drink and twisted it before dropping it into the red liquid. She knew she needed to slow down on the drinks if she was going to get through this conversation with Nik. "Tell me about your kids." She needed to know what was so special about these children that he wanted them and not the one they had made.
Nik smiled into his drink. "Henrik is ten and Lily is six."
She realized quickly that she was going to need to pull the information out of him, "Well your boy is named after your brother and it appears that your daughter has something in common with me?"
She was playing dirty and he knew it, "Yes, her middle name comes from you…"
"Why?" she asked bluntly.
Taking another drink, he figured he would put it all out there, "Because you never left me," he pointed to his heart. "Not for a second. Lily was so beautiful when she was born that I didn't feel any other name would have done her justice."
Caroline put her drink to her lips and used the time to process what he had said. "And their mother?"
"Hayley. She lost her battle with cancer almost three years ago."
"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss." It sounded cliché, but it was the best she could do.
Nik shrugged his shoulders; "We were in the process of divorcing when she got her diagnosis. When there were no treatment options we decided to stay together for the kids and so that I could make sure she was taken care of."
"That's very noble of you," her martini glass dangled form her fingertips as she pointed towards him. "To make sure that she had the support and medical care the she needed."
He downed his drink, "Look Care, I know what you are thinking. I left you high and dry after…" his words stalled.
"After you forced me to have an abortion," she stated plainly.
"Yes, that," he poured another drink. "But you must know that if I could go back and do it again, I would do it all differently. I would have never listened to Elijah, I would have stayed."
Caroline turned to him and was shocked to see total honesty in his eyes. She also made a mental note to ask about Elijah's involvement in all of this, but she quickly squared her shoulders and went back to staring ahead of her, "Well we can't go back. What is done is done and we both have had to live with that choice."
Nik wanted to change the subject, so he asked her about her life, "Tell me about you Caroline, I want to know that you are okay."
She huffed out a laugh. "Graduated top ten of my class in Washington, top five of my class in New York. Got a good gig with Saks, get to travel all over the world looking at and buying pretty things. My apartment overlooks Central Park. What else is there to know?"
"Are you happy?" His eyes bore into her.
The simple question rocked her to her core. "Sure, I'm happy enough." It was a bold faced lie.
"Are seeing anyone?" he stumbled over his words, "Romantically I mean?"
The cosmos were kicking in, and there was no way that she was going to tell him about the string of failed relationships due to her inability to commit, so she settled on avoidance and distraction, "Why, are you offering?" The corner of her lips turned up as she watched him shift in his seat.
Nik hung his head and chuckled down at the bar top before looking back up at her satisfied grin, "Even after all these years, you some how still can make my body react like an eighteen year old boy."
"I hear the back study rooms in the library are all the rage with kids these days if you need help with that," she bravely ran her hand up his thigh.
He growled, actually growled in response. "You are entering dangerous waters sweetheart," he used his old name for her for affect.
Caroline didn't know if it was the drinks, his deep voice that seemed to settle somewhere deep inside of her soul, or her desperate longing to feel something, anything other than the obligational meaningless sex that she had been plagued with for the past ten years. It had been over five months since the last boyfriend had told her that she was emotionally void and never had enough time for him. If her time in the shower this morning was any indication that she still had feelings for Nik, she was going to get one last rise out of him.
Being bold was a learned behavior once she entered the position of upper management. In New York you had to eat or be eaten and Caroline had learned long ago that putting yourself out there brought in more results than playing it coy.
So making Nik feel safe by removing her hand was a ploy. The bar was busy now and they had some how been pushing closer together. Caroline looked around, noticing that no one was playing any attention to them, and started to hike up her skirt.
"What are you doing?" Nik asked as his eyes darted from her hands running up her creamy thighs to her eyes that were now hooded with what he could only describe as pure want.
In one swift move, Caroline pulled her thin black lace underwear down her thighs and slipped the undergarment over her shoes before balling the material in her hand. She then righted her skirt to its normal position at her mid thighs.
Nik was completely at a loss for words. He just sat frozen waiting for her next move.
With her free hand, Caroline finished her fifth drink with a satisfying sigh. She then turned her sights on Nik, "So, I'm going to need you to hang on to these for me," and she tucked her panties into the front pocket of his jeans.
Still unsure what to do, he just stared. The only movement was when his tongue darted out to wet his very dry lips.
Caroline's eyes dropped to his mouth as a very wicked grin formed on her lips. "I suggest you pay for these drinks and then come find me." She slid off her bar stool and with all the concentration that she had within her, she walked as smoothly as she could on drunken legs towards the door of the restaurant.
Two things could come of this and Nik wasn't sure which one he wanted more. He downed the last of his drink and threw a handful of hundred dollar bills on the bar. As he made his way to the door to follow after Caroline he had to decide if he was going to let this alcohol induced flirtation run it's course or was he going to be a good man and call her a cab.
Out in the warm summer air, he looked around for Caroline and found her leaning up against his car. He had parked across the street from the Grill under a large oak tree.
"So the Audi is your?" she asked as Nik approached her. She had recognized the car from the driveway at Mikaelson Manor earlier today.
"It's what I drive back home," he replied shrugging his shoulders. It was a reminder that his time here was limited and he would eventually have to return to London.
It was dark where they were and the town square was empty due to the late hour. Caroline and Nik stood about two feet apart, each waiting for the other to make a move. "Look Caroline, I don't know…"
His sentence was cut short after he heard Caroline mumble 'Fuck it' under her breath and her lips were on his. Her body was wrapped around his and he decided that he is not a good man and at this point he would have given Caroline anything she asked for.
Her body asked for more of him and he responded by grabbing for his keys and unlocking the car. Within seconds the back door was swung open and he was guiding them both on to the soft leather seat. He pulled the door closed behind them and they were engulfed in darkness.
"Are we really doing this?" he breathed out when their lips parted.
Pulling at the hem of her dress and kicking off her heels Caroline answered, "Just pretend we are teenagers again and fuck me already."
A pang of guilt ran through him. Many times the only private place they had was the back seat of a car, but they were adults now and he owed her more respect. Plus what they had back then was never just fucking. He had always wanted to make sure she knew that he was making love to her.
"Stop over thinking it Nik," Caroline pulled his shirt over his head and threw it to floorboard. She got to her knees and kissed at his neck as she worked the button fly of his designer jeans.
He was lost to her. The smell of her shampoo and perfume, the feel of her lips on his chest and her fingernails running down his back was his undoing. He grabbed for the zipper at the back her dress and pulled it down so quickly that he thought he heard some stitches rip. The car was starting to get steamy with their frantic breathing. He hit the remote start button on the key fob before it joined the pile of clothing between the seats.
Caroline let out a small groan as his lips now attacked her neck and his hands roamed her bare back. Pushing on Nik's chest, he was forced in to the seated position and she then pulled at the belt loops of his jeans. Soon his pants were around his knees and she made her move to startle his thighs.
Everything was moving so fast and his head was spinning. He was about to ask her to slow down when he felt her heat slid on to him. He was buried deep inside of her as she began to roll her hips against him. One of her hands was twisted in his short curly hair while the other was pulling at one of her puckering nipples. He did not recognize this sexually assertive Caroline, but he had also never been so turned on in his life.
From that moment, he never wanted to slow down where Caroline was concerned. He tightly wrapped his arms around her waist and started to move his hips up to meet hers, which earned him small sighs and mews of satisfaction. He was feeling him self grow close to climax and he cursed himself for not having the stamina that a thirty year-old man should have. Truth be told, he had not been involved with anyone since the death of his wife, and before that it had been Caroline.
He pulled at his memory from twelve years ago trying to remember what Caroline liked. It would be shameful if the beautiful woman riding him was denied a climax, even if it was just for him to see her face when she lost control. Placing both hands on her hips, he rotated her angle and pulled her tight against him, grinding her deeper and faster.
Caroline felt herself getting close. She leaned back, grabbing the headrest of the front seat behind her. If she kept up this pace it wouldn't be long. With her stretched out in front of him, breasts fully exposed, all Nik needed to do was bend forward and take her nipple between his lips. With one more tight pull, Caroline started to quake around him. A breathy string of profanities spilled from her lips as Nik continued to guide her hips against him.
Three pumps later and he was spilling into her. He released the grip on her hips and she slowly lifted herself off him. She slumped down in the seat next to him and started to adjust her dress back into place.
"Caroline, what did we just do?" Nik started to rake his hands through his hair as realization of their actions started to set in.
"We just had amazing sex," she said with a laugh.
Nik turned to her with a pained look in his eyes, "You just spend the past twelve years hating me because we were careless and then we go do this."
"I don't hate you Nik," Caroline corrected.
"Is this a twisted joke to you? I made you abort our first baby so now you are getting back at me by trying to make another?" When Caroline just stared at him like he was off his rocker, he clarified. "I came in you Caroline, in case you forgot how babies are made."
A smile over took her face before a laugh bubbled up from her. "This isn't funny Caroline." Nik was starting to get angry.
"I remember exactly how babies are made and I have an implant, Nik. So no worries." She said nonchalantly.
His facial expression went flat. "An implant?"
Caroline turned so he could pull up her zipper, "Yes Nik, I'm not a sixteen year old idiot. I can't risk a pregnancy with my job. I've had an implant for six years now. I'm glad one of us is being responsible."
"Oh," was all he could come up with. "So what was this?"
Caroline found her bag and shoes and started edging towards the door. "This was twelve years of frustration and a mighty good time if you ask me." She pushed the door open and stepped out of the car. "I needed that." She said as if she was taking in a breath of fresh air.
Nik quickly pulled up his pants and scrabbled out of the car. "Caroline, wait!" He started down the sidewalk after her.
"What Nik?" She stopped and turned waiting for him to catch up.
He reached down and cupped her face, placing a soft kiss on her lips. Caroline pulled away immediately from him and she could see the hurt in his face.
"If you tell me that what just happened didn't mean anything to you, than I will leave you alone, but if any part of you wants more…"
Caroline's heart had been breaking for the past twelve years. She had dreamed about this moment. When she had the upper hand and he was practically begging for another chance. She had also dreamed that one day Nik would know a fraction of the loss and heart break that she had felt for over a decade.
"Look Nik, I'm going to stop you right there," she put on her best bravado. "This was nothing but a roll in the hay for ex lovers. In a week, you will go back to your life and I will go back to mine."
"And what about for the next week, we are bound to run into each other again. This is a small town."
Turning to walk away from him again she called over her shoulder, "I guess I'll be seeing you around then."
Nik sat in his car feeling more confused and conflicted than the day he drove them to that clinic all those years ago. He tried to open up to Caroline and she remained closed off to him. He felt used and cast aside. Before he could venture much deeper into his thoughts, he started the slow drive home.
Caroline opted to walk the few blocks home. The extra few minutes gave her time to think of what had transpired. When Nik had sat down next to her in the bar she had no intentions of bedding him. She was able to get answers to some of her questions but she still felt unsettled.
There was no denying that her and Nik still had a fire for each other and the sex was like nothing she'd experienced in years. But this was a one off, like she told Nik, on Sunday she would return to her life in New York and not give him a second thought.
"You're home late," Liz called from the kitchen as Caroline walked through the door.
"Yeah, sorry about that mom. I met up with some old friends and one drink turned into five." Caroline was trying to make a be-line for her room but got a concerned glance from her mom. "Don't worry, I walked home Officer Forbes."
Liz smiled and shook her head before going back to her cup of tea, "Do you think we can spend some time together tomorrow?"
Caroline felt horrible. She had plans to spend the night bonding with her mother, but instead she was out getting drunk and being foolish. "Of course mom, I'm really sorry about tonight."
"It's okay sweetie. Now go shower, I can smell the alcohol from here."
Practically running to her room, Caroline tried to hide her blush. She smelled of Nik's cologne and sex. Removing her dress in the bathroom she realized that she had left Nik with a token of the night.
The house was dark when Nik pulled into the driveway. He stopped by the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and then made his way to his room. Once he was behind his closed door he started to empty his pockets, throwing his keys and wallet on his bed. Reaching into his front left pocket he felt something soft brush his fingertips. Slowly he pulled the scrap of lace from his pocket, Caroline's panties. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked himself aloud before slipping the panties into the top drawer of his bedside table.
That night both Nik and Caroline were lying awake in bed thinking of the other. Thinking about their past and both dreadfully scared of the future.
The Mikaelson household was a bustle of activity the next morning. Elijah was flying in from London and Kol was coming in from Los Angeles. Rebekah was sitting in the living room feeding Liam when Nik finally made it down stairs around eleven in the morning.
"Someone looks a little hung over," Bekah commented off handedly.
Nik ignored his sister's comment and went to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Returning to the living room he sat down opposite Bekah. "I need to talk to you about something."
"This sounds juicy."
"I'm serious Beks," he warned.
Rebekah pulled Liam out from under her smock and was attempting to burp him, "Fine I'll be serious. What did you do now?"
"You assume it was my fault."
"Well was it?"
"Not entirely."
She was losing her patience, "Just spill Nik, I need to put the baby down for a nap soon."
"Caroline and I had sex last night."
Rebekah was speechless for a long moment, "How did this happen Nik? I told you to go talk to her."
Nik ran his hands through his hair, "I went to the Grill to grab a drink and there she was, drunk I might add. We got to talking about our lives…I told her about Hayley," he paused. "Before I knew it we were in the back seat of the my car going at it like a pair of teenagers."
"Gross Nik, your kids ride back there. I hope that you at least clean up any spots before they get back in there."
"I just told you that Caroline and I, who have over a decade of unresolved shit, fucked like kids in a public car park, and all you can say is make sure to clean the wet spot?" Nik stood up to walk away, feeling his sister was no help.
Bekah shifted the sleeping baby in her arms, "Don't get your knickers in a twist. What did she say afterwards?"
"Basically, thanks for the sex, have a nice life."
"And how does that make you feel?"
"Cut the Dr. Phil shit Bekah. What do I do?"
"What do you want to do?"
"I want to go to her house right now and tell her that I made the biggest mistake of life when I asked her to abort our child. That I would give anything to take it all back and do the right thing."
"But what about Henrik and Lily?" Bekah started to softly rock her baby.
"Our baby could have been a Henrik or a Lily. I love my children and am grateful that I have them, but they could have been Caroline's children. If it was Caroline then my children would still have a mother." Nik was pacing now, digging himself deeper and deeper into a world of what ifs.
Rebekah wishes she had the answers for her brother, but this is a road that he would have to figure out for him self, "I don't know what to tell you Nik. We could talk about hypotheticals all day, like what if I had known back then that she was pregnant with your baby. I may have never suggested abortion to Caroline and would have never let you talk her into it. We can't change the past, but we can learn from it."
Nik had to laugh, "You know I have seen the Lion King right? Stealing quotes from a monkey is low, even for you."
She threw a burp cloth at her brother, "Shut up, you know that I'm saying."
"I do, thank you sis." Nik crossed the room and kissed his sister and her little son on the head before heading back to the kitchen to find some food.
Caroline was up and out for a run before eight that morning. Her intent was to sweat out all of the alcohol. Her muscles were stiff that morning from her romp the night before. She had small bruises on her hips from where Nik's thumbs pressed into her skin. When she ran her hands over her hips that morning, a chill ran through her entire body and she knew she needed to run more than anything.
The thunder started to roll when she was still a few miles out from home. As the first rain started to fall she was just coming up on the square and ducked into the coffee shop. She asked for a towel and a bottle of water and threw a few dollars down on the counter. As she was patting herself dry the door chime went off.
A well dresses man carrying an umbrella had walked in and was stomping his wet shoes on the mat. As he looked up from under the umbrella, Caroline recognized him at once.
"Caroline, what a nice surprise." Elijah was always polite, always proper.
She mirrored his tone, "Elijah, it's been a long time." She had to make a quick decision to bring up the past or not, but she went for it, "About twelve years if memory serves."
Elijah placed his umbrella by the door before pulling at his cufflinks. "I believe so. It was right before Nik went off to Oxford."
"It was a shame that he had to leave early, he never got to say good bye." She was poking the bear at this point.
"Well some things are more important than childhood attachments." He stepped up to the counter to order a coffee and a dozen bagels.
The rain had slowed down and Caroline saw her opportunity to get the hell out of there, "Funny you should mention childhood, but we can book mark that for another time. Please tell your brother hello for me."
Caroline jogged out of the shop and Elijah watcher her cross the square. He slid a bill to the cashier and took his order. He had caught an earlier flight in and planned to surprise the family with breakfast. Now he would also have to schedule in a chat with his younger brother concerning Ms. Forbes.
Elijah sat in his father's office going over some numbers from the London office. "Nice of you to finally join the land of the living."
Nik didn't know how his brother did it, but he always knew who was at the door without even looking up from his papers. "I had a long night."
"With Ms. Forbes?" Elijah looked up to gauge his brother's reaction.
"How did you know?"
Elijah stood from behind the desk and walked over to the fireplace, "We ran into each other this morning at the café and judging by the accusatory tone she took with me, I'm guessing you had a chat with her."
"She knows that you were the one who advised me to terminate the pregnancy."
"Yes that is correct, I advised you. Why do I get the feeling that you are setting me up to take the fall for you? You were an adult by any definition of the law. You made your choice and now you have to own up to it. I don't need any unnecessary drama during my stay." He walked over to desk and gathered his documents, "Am I understood?"
As hard as it was to not try and pass blame to Elijah, he knew his brother was right. The choice he made was his own, and he needed to shoulder the fall out from his budding friendship with Caroline. He nodded as Elijah left the room.
Taking a piece of his sister's advice, he went out to the Audi to clean the backseat before he took his children into town. A quick wipe down and a few sprays of air freshener was all he had time for before his two kids came bouncing down the front stairs.
"Where are we going today daddy?" Asked Lily as she adjusted her backpack.
Nik took his children's bags and placed them in the trunk. "I thought that we would stop in at the Grill and pick up some lunch and then have a picnic in the town square."
"Can we get ice cream?"
"Of course Lil, but after lunch."
The drive into town was short and they parked along the square. The family held hands as they crossed the street and sandwiches and fries were ordered to go. Nik let the children carry the bags of food while he got a few blankets out of the car. Since it had rained earlier that morning, they setup on the picnic tables under a large oak tree; the oak tree that shaded his less than innocent activities from last night.
"Alright, burger for Hen, grilled cheese for Lil, and club for me." Nik passed out the lunches and he listened to his children talk about their night with Aunt April.
Caroline had returned home after her run to Liz waiting with pancakes. They ate breakfast together and Caroline showered.
"What do you want to do today sweetie?" Liz asked as Caroline towel dried her hair.
"Well I need to stop by the square to pick up my car and then I figured we could do some shopping, maybe head in to Richmond?"
"Do you ever get tired of shopping?" Liz joked.
"Not as long as I keep getting paid to do it." Caroline smiled at her mother as she went to get ready for their outing.
Liz was so proud of her daughter and all of that she had achieved. She was worried for a while, Caroline's junior and senior of high school were hard, as if Caroline had become a different person. But living in New York had really allowed Caroline to blossom and come into her own.
The rain had stopped hours ago and towns people were milling around the square enjoying the warm day. Caroline had left her car in front of the Grill and it was easier for her and Liz to walk the few blocks into town. Crossing the square something caught Liz's eye, "Hey isn't that your old friend Nik?"
Caroline looked in the direction her mother was pointing and saw Nik with his son and daughter eating lunch at a picnic table. As if he could feel her looking at him, his eyes met hers and he offered her a small wave.
Being the ever-friendly public servant, Liz headed towards their little group. "Nik it is so nice seeing you. Do these little ones belong to you?"
Caroline was a few steps behind her mother, just in time to hear Nik introducing Liz to his children.
"It's so nice to meet you Henrik and Lily." Liz turned to Caroline, "This is my daughter Caroline, her and your father were good friends a long time ago."
"Hey!" called Lily, "My name is Caroline too!"
Liz gave a small glance to Nik. "Her middle name is Caroline," he explained.
"Well it is a very pretty name," Liz commented. She directed her next comment back to Nik, "Your mother must be thrilled to have all of her children and grand children around." Without missing beat she continued, "I still am holding out hope that one day Caroline will give me a grand child or two…but she still has time." Liz smiled at her daughter, unknowing of the secret that Caroline and Nik shared.
Caroline's face looked pained and she felt her stomach roll. Nik faked a smile, "Everything that is meant to be will come with time." He sounded like a cheesy fortune cookie saying, but it was all the comfort he could provide to Caroline at this time.
"Mom, we should be going," Caroline pushed.
"Of course," Liz smiled, "It was nice meeting you all. Enjoy your day."
Just as Liz and Caroline were turning to walk away they heard Lily's voice, "Daddy, can Caroline come swimming with us?"
Nik was at a loss, "That is up to Ms. Caroline, baby."
She felt put on the spot. How can she say no to a six year-old little girl who was not only named after her but also who's mother was dead. "Ah, sure, I guess." She reached into her bag and pulled out a business card, passing it to Nik, "My cell number is on there."
Nik's touch lingered for just a moment too long as his fingers traced over hers. He watched as Liz and Caroline continued across the square. "Daddy," Lily said looking up at her father, "I like Ms. Caroline. She's pretty, like a princess."
"Yes baby, she is beautiful."