Chapter 15: Hope
To make up for the mini hiatus.. Another chapter my lovelies ;)
"Caroline what is it?!"
Klaus stared at a pale Caroline who had her arms wrapped tightly around her bump.
He feared something might have happened to her, or the baby seeing as she had gotten so worked up in their argument earlier.
"Caroline!"
"It kicked." She gasped
"What?"
"It kicked. Its the first time." She muttered as her eyebrows knit together letting the tears fall freely down her cheeks.
Without thinking, she drawed closer to Klaus, pulling his hand onto her belly under the gentle hold of her hand.
"I can't feel anyth- Oh my god!" He gasped kneeled down infront on her as he felt the baby kick
"There it is again!" He stated wide eyed.
"Can you feel it?" He smiled he asked, amazed.
"Of course I can feel it, its happening in my stomach." She snickered.
And for a moment.. A mere moment, Caroline's heart swelled in joy at the sight before her.
A sight that was a smiling Klaus crept down infront of her feeling their baby kick and move around. She smiled sadly as she tightened her hold on his hand that rested on her belly.
It was in moments like this, that she felt they still had hope. Hope to reconcile, hope to raising this baby together.
Klaus felt her grip tighten around his hand and suddenly, he realised what he was actually doing. Panic struck through him as he slowly removed his hand from under hers and got up from his kneeling position.
He said nothing but stared at her intensely, he's breathing had become laboured as he attempted to find the right words to say.
But he knew nothing in this time would make anything better. There was nothing he could say because nothing was going to change.
He had allowed himself to get caught up in a mere moment.. That was all it was.
And none knew that better than Caroline. A shattered Caroline who stared back at him, perhaps a little hopeful and somewhat anxious that he'd realise his mistake in leaving her alone in this. But that look, the look he harboured on his lean face was enough to convince her otherwise. It was the same look he had when he had told her to get rid of the baby in the first place.
God she wish she knew what he was thinking.. What was going through his mind right now..
She couldn't bring herself to call him out on his demons regarding his late younger brother.. The accident... His father..
She didn't know why, but somehow she felt it would only make things worse.
Looking down to his hand and then her bump, almost as if it were something foreign after feeling her baby..their baby kick for the first time. He could not explain the mixture of emotions that swirled throughout his chest.
Klaus turned his head and left the house soon after.
Caroline sunk to the floor and wept.
Sure she had cried many times, mostly over him. But this time she allowed herself to wallow.. To wail at the constant loss she felt. The empty pit in her heart that still throbbed for a man who couldn't even be with her. Couldn't even relish in such a special moment with her.
She felt so angry
Angry at the fact that for as long as she can remember all she ever did was cry.
Cry cry cry all day and for what? A lost man.
And that's the thing about lost men. They draw her to them because she has the compulsiveness to try and fix them. Its happened before, believe it she ought to know.
But you know what happens to to women who love lost men? They become lost themselves.
Bringing her bottom lip between her teeth, she sighed wearily. She crouched and wrapped her arms fiercely around her mid-section.
It was the first time she felt her baby kick. And even so under the strain of a heated argument, she was somewhat glad she got to experience it with Klaus after all even though he was still a jackass.
"Katerina?"
"Ugh!"
"Katerina is everything okay?" Elijah frowned as he entered their bedroom.
Just before the morning breakfast had been set out on the table, Elijah had finished up the last bits of work he deemed 'too urgent' to let pass.
In yesterday's Armani shoveled suit evident to his rather late night, he went in search of his wife who he had neglected all night.
"Don't come in here.." He heard her usually sweet voice call out in warning from their closet, although he did not miss the crack hinting at the verge of tears from her rather raspy tone.
Of course he went into the closet.. She was his wife, she was carrying his child. It was rather ludacris to expect him to actually be kept away from her if she was troubled, hurt even.
His heart sped up at the ample amount of scenarios that played through his head. He feared their might have been something wrong with her or the baby.
Apon entering, he was met with the sight of his pregnant wife. A messy bun of chestnut curls that slouched around her angelic face. There she sat on the floor of the closet with a rather fitted dress that was left halfway unzipped barely making it pass her swollen mid-section.
"Nothing fits anymore.." She sighed
"You look.." He started
"A hundred months pregnant and pissed at the world." Katherine chuckled darkly
"I was going to say you look lovely." He smiled pulling her up as he kissed her forehead adoringly.
"This is a Givenchy limited edition Elijah.." She pouted dropping her head in shame as the sight of a limited Givenchy dress bundled around her waist unable to zip up further.
"I was rather worried you were upset that I worked all night instead of joining you in bed.. I'm really sor-" Elijah stopped in mid-sentence as Katherine burst out in tears.
"I didn't realise it would upset you this much?" He frowned
"I can't even see my feet anymore.." She sobbed as she looked down to see nothing but her bulging stomach barely acknowledging Elijah's attempts to apologize for working so late.
Elijah chuckled pulling her into his arms. It was harder now getting her flush against his form, since her swollen 8 month baby bump made that rather difficult.
Although in all honesty, he didn't mind it at all. It was his two most favourite girls in the world and it always felt good having them both close.
"Yeah.. Go on and laugh at the fat pregnant girl. You know how huge my ass has gotten?" She scoffed
"More of you for me to love.." He dismissed her quarrels by pulling her into a heated kiss.
Katherine sighed into his mouth as she let his soothing kiss envelope around her as if all her troubles had vanished. The power that this man held over her was unbelievable.
"Is it safe to come in? Or are you two having horny weird preggy sex again?!" They heard Rebekah call out as she entered the bedroom.
Elijah smirked pulling Katherines robe from the dressing hanger and wrapped it around her quickly ridding her body from the dress that clearly didn't fit.
"Rebekah.." Elijah acknowledged his sister as he emerged from the closet tucking Katherine under his arm close to his side.
"So what happened with Nik yesterday?" She jump eagerly quickly getting to the point seeing as Elijah failed to mention the details on the secret meeting he had with Klaus.
"Well it wasn't a new endeavour for an apartment thank god. But there may have been some unforseen difficulties regarding my earlier plans.."
"Plans that you have yet to tell me Elijah.. I was planning on stopping by Caroline's tomorrow. How do you expect this whole thing to work when you don't keep me in the loop." Rebekah huffed
"What plans.. Elijah?" Katherine frowned turning to her husband who sighed
"We're getting Caroline and Nik back together duh.." Rebekah stated as a matter of faculty
"What?! I thought we've been over this before. His bad for her." Katherine scoffed crossing her arms earning a scowl from Rebekah
"Whether you like it or not Nik's always going to be a part of her life Katherine. Might as well accept that." Rebekah rolled her eyes
"Katerina.. Do you trust me?" Elijah sighed
"Of course I trust you but-"
"Then let me do this." He smiled
"Why are you trying to put together your family when its so clear one part of it is broken.." Katherine sighed
"The definition of the word broken, suggests something that can be fixed. I'll see you later." He kissed her on her head before leaving her alone with Rebekah.
"Well don't look at me, its not like I have any idea what his up to either." Rebekah sighed as she threw herself onto Katherine's bed.
Katherine was about to comment when they both turned to the bedroom door as someone slightly knocked after peeking their head inside
"Bonnie.." Katherine smiled
"Hey. Sorry did I get you at a bad time?" She frowned looking from Katherine to Rebekah and then back to Katherine.
"Uh no not at all. Rebekah was just leaving..." Katherine trailed off hinting for her to leave. It was clear that whatever Bonnie wanted to speak to her about, she didn't quite feel comfortable in doing so while Rebekah was here.
"Please.. I'm sure this has something to do with Kol and for that I'm inclined to be here." Rebekah snorted
"Unless its about your gross sex life then by all means kick me out.." She flinched
Katherine just sighed and threw herself on the bed as well.
"Well you know Rebekah. Hard to get her here and even harder to make her leave, so might as well ignore her." Kat smirked
"Hey.." Rebekah argued
"Anyway.. Kol and I made up." Bonnie beamed
"Told ya." Rebekah rolled her eyes
"Ignore her. That's great news Bon.. I hope you at least made him grovel" Katherine stated
"If by grovel you mean shag then I'm pretty sure he grovelled a lot all right." Rebekah stated chuckling as Bonnie as well as Katherine all joined in with a fit of giggles.
"Nevermind that.. You're baby is almost due, Aren't you excited?" Bonnie beamed
"Yeah. Not as much as I should be.." Kat sighed
Bonnie's eyebrows knit together in confusion. Usually Katherine loved talking about when her little girl would arrive. The sudden dullness to merely shrug off her due date threw her a little.
"Its the whole thing with Nik and Care.." Rebekah pressed her lips into a thin line looking over at Bonnie who slowly nodded
The earlier giggling atmosphere filled with sexual innuendo's and Rebekah's gagging sounds were long since forgotten, replaced by an uncomfortable silence.
Rebekah didn't blame her, the whole thing with Nik and Caroline didn't exactly involve any of them and yet somehow it had seemed to have taken a toll on almost everyone. Katherine was grumpy, Elijah was optimistic, Bonnie felt awkward and here she was feeling so helpless.
"Hey! I have an idea.." Bonnie broke out
"Why don't we have an uber fun baby shopping spree? You know you're only like two months apart, although she already looks like she's going to pop.. So I'm sure she needs more clothes and gifts and toys for the baby. It'd be so much fun." She added
"Not too bad Bennet, in fact I think that would be rather darling. The five of us out together for some lunch and retail therapy." Rebekah nodded
"I like it." Katherine smiled
"It'd do her good to be around all of us again."
"I agree."
"Then its settled. We'll do shopping tomorrow." Bonnie smiled
"Hang on.. Do any of you know the sex of Caroline's baby? For the clothing choices I mean. We can't buy yellow.. I hate yellow." Rebekah frowned
Katherine opened her mouth to answer but hestitated. In fact she was rather stunned that not one of them knew or even bothered to ask.
She felt like such a shitty friend.
Did Caroline even know the sex of her baby?
"Good news.. A very determined client wants a few pieces. He realises that we're pressed for time but his prepared to pay and believe me when I say we're talking a shit load of money."
"Klaus? Did you hear what I just said?" Lexi frowned
Lexi was stunned to see Klaus staring into space with his hands pressed flat on his stomach as if feeling around for something. But with Klaus, nothing suprised her anymore so she just brushed it off.
"Klaus!"
"Hm?"
"The client? Shit load of money? Ring a bell?"
"Sure right." He shook his head and resumed his position in front of the canvas
"Are you okay?"
"Listen.. Are you married?" He suddenly asked
At first Lexi was taken a back at the sudden question on her relationship status, although she figured it had something to do with Caroline so she didn't think much about it.
Klaus and Lexi never had 'that type' of relationship. They were merely friends that helped eachother make money. And with regards to their personal lives, well let's just say Lexi was as quiet as a mouse which left Klaus doing most of the relationship blabbing...it was also the reason as to why she knew so much about Caroline. In all honesty, Lexi had a knack for making people talk.
"No I'm not." She frowned
"Any kids?"
"Nope." She snickered
He nodded
"What's with the 20 questions?"
He shrugged
"I do have a neice though, her names Ariel. She's 2." She smiled
"Your sisters kid?"
"Yeah.. They live with me. Well temporarily until she gets a job at least. Although its quite hectic now." She sighed
"How so.." He asked intrigued
"Well she's sick most of the time. Cries all night long, then there's the cost of food, diapers, formula that I have to help my sister out with." She sighed
"Exactly. So you were happier before then.." He figured trying to convince himself more than her
"Absolutely clinging to my single care-free life yes. Very much indeed." She snorted
He nodded in agreement. Sure that he was doing the right thing.
"But then.. There's sometimes when Ariel grabs my hand and smiles.. And it feels like everythings going to be okay, no matter what I have going on. All my tensions drain away." Lexi smiled warmly
"Only that feeling can come from a child, you know?" She added
Klaus nodded absent-mindedly.
"Anyway. Enough with the dramatics. Coming back to the client, are you in?" She asked handing him an invoice with the order
"Why not. I could use the extra cash."
"I guess I could reschedule you to Friday.. Would that work?" Caroline rolled her eyes inwardly sighing in annoyment. Another day, another indecisive client. So what else was new.
"Fine. I'll have everything ready for you to look at then. Okay, bye." She sighed throwing her head back
She just couldn't catch a break. Like ever
"Knock knock."
"Enzo! Hi.." Caroline was happy to see her doctor/friend stop by. She was even more happy that it was him and not another client
"How are you feeling?" He smiled hugging her and then settling on the chair infront of her desk
"We're good." She smiled rubbing her tummy slightly
"What's with the house call.. Is something wrong?" She added
"No nothings wrong I just wanted you to meet Maggie so I'm here to find out if you want to do dinner sometime whenever suits you."
"I'd love too. Yeah sure, I'll just check my roster and get back to you."
Getting up he kissed her cheek from over the desk and smiled
"Great. Don't forget your appointment tomorrow." He warned
"How can I when my doctor/friend keeps calling to remind me about it" She snickered
"Just fufilling my duties Caroline." He teased
"Hmm"
"Why don't we go out for a quick bite before you leave. I could drop you off?" He offered
"Thanks but no thanks.. I have so much work to do."
"Story of your life. Remember not to work to hard. I know you welcome the extra cash but think about it, you're not just living for one now.." He suggested lowly and then took his leave.
Caroline was just about to pack up and leave for the day when she heard someone clear their throat sounding somewhat annoyed
"Hmm. Now if a hot guy like that comes in an offers me a drink I'd definately take him up on his offer."
"Katherine!" Caroline squeeled and then ran over to embrace her bestie whom she'd hardly seen.
"He asks if you want a drink, you smile and say lime water. Then some flirting leading to some very hot and steamy preggy office sex or better yet, preggy hospital sex followed by a shot gun wedding and a life of bliss. How many times do we have to go over this.." Katherine teased
"You look very pregnant.." Caroline snickered choosing to ignore her drama antics
"Right back at'cha mamma." Katherine smiled pulling Caroline into a bear hug. It was rather awkward and they soon started bursting out in laughter.
"I don't think two heavily pregnant women were meant to hug." Caroline giggled as her and Katherine's bumps were already pressed against eachother keeping them at a rather awkward distance practically defining the purpose of a hug.
"Well I don't care. I've missed my best friend too much." She sighed taking the seat in front of Caroline's desk.
"I know I'm sorry. Just work and everything. I've gotten a lot of new clients so I'm barely touching ground"
"I don't know why you work so hard. The best part about being pretty is that you don't have to. I mean you don't see me walking around here worried about my job do you?" Katherine fussed
"Well that's caz you don't have one." Caroline snorted
"Running a mansion whilst upholding my status as Katherine Mikealson in the elitist trophy wives club isn't as easy as you think." She stated as a matter of faculty and flipped her hair.
"Have I mentioned that I miss you too?" Caroline smiled. She didn't admit it much, but she and Katherine barely saw eachother or spent time together as much as they used to.. At no fault of Katherine of course; Caroline was always too busy or too tired to hang out. And if she wasn't, she was fighting with Klaus bawling her eyes out preferring to be scooped up in her room all day with Chunky Monkey.
"Well you're in luck. Because we're going out to dinner. Just you and me and our little monkey's. And I'm not sexy Dr Enzo who will take no for an answer."
XXXX
"Oh god I've missed this." Caroline sighed dramatically enjoying the scrumptious risotto with every bite.
"Risotto?" Katherine giggled
"No. A decent home cooked meal. Its been forever since I've had one. I guess I got used to Klaus cooking for me that I had too much withdrawel syndromes." She shrugged
Katherine didn't want to dwell too much on the Klaus topic so she opted to change the subject as soon as possible before she said something mean about him which would most likely upset Caroline and ruin dinner.
"Bonnie and Bex are at a lost on the clothing and gifts for their future neice or nephew... So? is it a boy or girl? You've never even told me!" Kat whined
"That's because I didn't want to know.." She shrugged
"You mean.. You don't know either? I think you're pretty much at a stage where you're able to determine the sex Caroline." Kat frowned
"I know I know. Its just, I didn't want to know." Caroline sighed
"Wait.. You've pretty much had a plan for your entire life since college, and now you're telling me that Miss neurotic control-freak doesn't mind not knowing the sex of her baby? Nope. Na ah. Not buying it.. What aren't you telling me?"
Caroline bit her lip and focused on her risotto instead.
Damn Katherine
Despite not seeing Caroline as much as she used to she still knew how to read her like a damn book.
Caroline didn't want to tell anyone.
It was something she had always kept to herself.
Of course Enzo had told her.
Maybe it was the fact that without Klaus here and everything she didn't feel very much optimistic in letting everyone know.
Or maybe it was the fact that she didn't want everyone to make a big deal about it.
"Care?"
"Okay fine. But please don't make a big deal about it." Caroline warned
"Just spill already!" Katherine exclaimed
"Fine.."
Meanwhile...
Dinner at the Mikealson residence was rather tense.
Elijah as usual sat at the head of the table with Rebekah and Niklaus to his left and Kol to his right.
It had taken a lot of persuation in order to get them all here. Elijah insisted that they hardly spent time together and also had to clarify for Klaus's sake, that it would in fact just be the 4 of them at dinner aka (no Katerina and no Caroline) which pissed Kol off seeing as he couldn't bring Bonnie along.
Rebekah picked at her salad bored out of her mind. She and Bonnie had been getting everything planned for their upcoming shopping trip and she was just itching to blab to Elijah all about it. Only she held her tongue out of fear that Klaus would take off.
"So seeing as you're all clearly bored out of your minds. Care to tell me what the need for this family dinner was.. Am I in trouble again.." Klaus sighed
"Why, have you done something mean and impudent-like to Caroline again?" Rebekah frowned
"Watch it.." Klaus growled
"That's enough Rebekah, Niklaus.. I simply arranged this dinner for the purpose of getting together as a family. Is it beyond you all to obligingly sit down and eat together?" Elijah sighed
Klaus rolled his eyes at his older brother choosing not to indulge them and focus on finishing his meal in order to go home instead.
"Well this is just darling. But why don't we address the elephant in the room hm?" Kol inquired
"Kol-"
"Oh C'mon Lijah, no matter how many family dinners we have it'll all result in one thing and that is getting me back with Caroline isn't it?" Klaus insisted
Klaus wasn't remedial, of course he knew his siblings intentions. Only the fact that they were scheming behind his back irritated him more than anything else
"Pretty much." Kol stated
"Caroline's fine." Klaus muttered
"The mother of your child deserves much more than just fine." Elijah added
"Rebekah, nothing to add? Stop pouting and join in on the fun. Take a hit at me. Go on have at it." Klaus fumed
"ln the name of our family Niklaus-" Elijah groaned
"What family? We are 4 distrustful acquaintances who happen to share a bloodline." Rebekah interjected having spoken for the second time since the dinner started.
"Great. So much for an urgent family dinner where as you lot are going to be screaming at eachother for the remainder of the evening. I could have been doing much more better things with Bonnie." Kol sighed dramatically.
"Honestly. I don't get you two as a couple." Rebekah frowned
"I like pretty little things with sharp tongues." Kol smirked earning a eye roll from everyone at the table.
"For once in your life Niklaus take some responsibility for someone other than yourself." Elijah sighed
"I have had enough family to last me a lifetime. Why would I possibly want more? They have forsaken me. My siblings are as diseased as my parents are. Besides they all leave you in the end." Klaus muttered
"Is that what this is? You're once again worried that you will be left behind? Has history taught you nothing? We don't abandon you Nik. You drive us away." Rebekah replied
"Is that so? Then tell me dear sister. How is it that in spite of this whole ordeal, not once has any one of my siblings chosen to stand by me, to see my view point on all of this.. What will it take for you to back me up for once, what do you want from me? A secret brotherhood handshake?" Klaus growled his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"You're taking us for granted." Rebekah frowned
"That's what big brothers do sweetheart." Klaus muttered sadistically
"Look at what has become of this family. Too immersed in bickering and judging that we have forgotten what we truly stand for. And that is family above all, always and forever." Elijah stated
"Ah yes.. Sitting by the noble Elijah. How can I be anything but the lesser brother? A liar, a manipulator, a bastard.. A murderer." Klaus swallowed hard.
The ambience of the dining room became colder and much more vextious.
"What happened to Henrik was not you're fault Niklaus." Elijah stated
"Even Caroline agrees." Rebekah added
"You've told Caroline?!" He growled
"Of course we did! Don't you think she deserves to know why the father of her unborn child doesn't want to be a part of their lives?!" Rebekah shrieked
"That is why you don't want the child is it not?" She added
Klaus swallowed hard and couldn't even bare to look at his sister, let alone respond.
"I know you think Esther hated you Nik, but she did not. She was just afraid. I'm sorry she turned her back on you I will never do that." Rebekah stated
"Nor will I." Elijah added
"We may be disfunctional bickering lunatics, but we always stick together Nik, no matter what." Kol declared.
"In another reality..I'm sure your declarations would have had impact, quite immensely. Only this is the real world. And I'm sorry to have to tell you all that I am a bastard, my own mother depises me due to the fact that I'm a constant reminder of her indiscretion, the only father I've ever known ceases to acknowledge my existence and I'm responsible for Henrik's death. Nothing, nothing you say can change that."
Elijah was furious.
Here he was trying to make his brother see reason hell, even Kol was making an effort and yet Klaus chooses to be a wallowing pity pot.
"That's it. I've had enough!. I've denied every single impulse I have ever had to believe my wife in saying that you are a hopeless case out of some misbegotten respect for intentions that you clearly don't have-"
"I'm warning you-" Klaus started
"I'm warning you! I've forgiven you, stood by you. I've forsaken every single one of wife's desires to give up on you and Caroline; in the name of your ridiculous redemption but no more." Elijah stated getting up from the chair fiercely even shocking Rebekah and Kol who sat with their mouths agape
"When your child grows up and asks about his father, I will be there as his uncle to tell him that his father was too much of a coward to actually take a role in his life. After all, that is something you must have learned from Mikeal." Elijah stated before he walked out of the room.
Okay perhaps that was a bit harsh Elijah must admit, but it had to be said. Uttering those words to his brother whom he loved dearly pained him. He only hoped that as much as that was a shock to them (him included) that it would bring across the right message.
That crawling into your bed after an extremely draining day feeling had Caroline sighing in relief.
She suprisingly ended dinner with Katherine without her screaming the entire roof off in glee and even managed to finish the budget for the the winter wonderland charity event coming up.
Oh how she loved the feeling of her cool silk sheets that cocooned her tense body. Nothing but relaxation peace and qu-
All of a sudden a loud booming noise came from the living room.
Klaus was watching tv and convenienty forgotten that some people worked all day and actually tried to get some sleep.
"Turn that thing down!" She yelled over the noise from her bedroom
Klaus rolled his eyes and turned the TV louder instead. He had just came from a rather ruinous dinner and was feeling vulnerable, so excuse the shit out of him for wanting to get a little winded down infront of the flat screen television that he paid for.
Letting out a shaky breath in utter frustration. Caroline willed herself to get out of bed and stomped angrily to living room.
"Would you please turn the tv off ?!"
"I can't sleep unless I watch TV." He groaned
"Then keep the volume low. You don't live here alone you know." Caroline sighed
"Oh really? I thought we weren't going to remind each other about that?" Klaus stated annoyed
"That's right. And this idiotic volume in the middle of the night keeps reminding me that you live here too, so-" Caroline fumed as she stomped over toward the TV and turned it off after proceeding back to her bedroom hoping that her point was made.
Before she could even enter her bedroom she heard the TV being switched on again and had to walk back to that idiotic excuse of a human being.
"What the hell are you doing?" She shrieked
"I paid for this tv. I'll watch it whenever I want,
at whatever volume I want. So please, from now on, don't touch my tv." He stated making himself too comfortable on the couch to irk her.
"Fine." Caroline smiled and marched to the TV before ripping out the cable at the back causing a snow screen.
"Crap! What the hell are you doing?!" Klaus shrieked
"I pay the cable bill every month. So please, don't attach it to your tv from now on." She smiled and walked back to her room with the cable in hand before banging the door shut.
Klaus threw the remote against the wall and groaned into the pillow in frustration.
Hoped the chapter was okay..
Xx