Although this story will feature all the characters from time to time, it will be more centered around the Originals and not so much Buffy and Willow.
Chapter 2: New Blessings
*****The Next Day*****
Fred was excited to get her first official ultrasound, and Angel had already gone back to Los Angeles. She hadn't told them about the baby yet as she wanted to wait until she told the baby's daddy. As for the baby's daddy, he was an intriguing puzzle. He was a villain, but not completely evil because he loved his family.
She went to his mansion, and this time she wasn't so distracted and was able to take in the beauty of the antebellum architect. Before she could ring the bell, the door opened.
"Hello," Klaus said, giving her a warm smile. He was awfully cute. She kind of liked the fact that he didn't tower over her like most of the guys she knew.
"Good morning," she said. "Your home is so beautiful."
"After your doctor's appointment, I will give you a tour," he said. "Are you hungry?"
"I am," she said. "So far, I haven't gotten morning sickness. Ria says it's 'cause she's not human, but I'm not so sure about that. Some women just don't have as much as others. Some just have it later in the pregnancy."
"Do you want to drive to the Grille?" he asked. "Do you know all the things that Illyria knows? Like do you know where the diner is? They serve breakfast on weekends."
"Well, this town is super easy to navigate. I have been living in Los Angeles, and it's insane," she said.
"I know," he said. "I was there recently."
"But to answer your question, I can drive us as I do know where the diner is," she said. They got into her car. "I've heard that your type of vampire has this crazy superspeed. What's that like?"
"It's fun," he said with a grin.
Fred shook her head. "Dang, that dimple is so cute! I bet you didn't get in any trouble as a boy," she said.
Klaus lost his smile. "You would be wrong," he said, a note of bitterness in his voice. "My father loathed the sight of me as I was a product of my mother's indiscretion, but I, of course, did not know that. I just knew that my father that I loved and admired seemed to forever find fault with me and singled me out for the most severe punishments."
Fred gave him a compassionate look. "I am so sorry to hear that," she said. "My father is wonderful, and you will love him."
Nothing more was said until they made it to the diner.
Matt was surprised to see Fred there with Klaus, but he said nothing as he greeted them.
"Good morning," Matt said as he passed out menus. "Coffee?"
"Sure," Fred said, smiling.
"Are you allowed to drink coffee?" Klaus asked.
"Why wouldn't she be?" Matt asked confused.
"I can have one cup a day," Fred asked. "I looked it up."
Klaus nodded. "Don't you have school?" he asked Matt. The last thing he needed was gossip to get to Caroline before he spoke to her.
"Today is Saturday," Matt said, looking at him like he was stupid.
"Oh," Klaus said. He waited until Matt walked away to asked Fred, "I did not know doctors would see patients on the weekend."
"Dr. Fell is opening up her office for me," Fred said. "She's the one who was there when Xander got back his eye, and she's very comfortable with the supernatural."
"That is good," Klaus said. "We need a doctor like that. Do you plan on staying here during the pregnancy or returning to Los Angeles?"
Fred sighed. "I don't wanna be away from my boys any longer. We lost Gunn, and I lost Wes. But having a doctor who can understand our unique situation is important," she said.
"Well, maybe we can speak to the good doctor," Klaus said. "I am very wealthy. I can offer her a lot of money to fly to Los Angeles to see you."
Fred giggled. "Sorry, Ria was just threatening to rip out her spine if she refuses," she said. "She does that a lot."
Klaus grinned. "You don't find her threats upsetting?" he asked, intrigued.
"I actually find it kind of endearing," Fred said, flashing a smile.
"It doesn't disturb you to hear Illyria in your head?" he asked just as Matt came back with their coffee.
"I was wondering that myself," Matt said as he put down the coffee.
"We're trying to have a private conversation," Klaus said, glaring at him.
Matt just grinned, unapologetic. It annoyed Klaus that he was no longer feared in this town.
"It was odd at first," Fred said. "But I spent five years in a hell dimension, so I was always talking to myself as I had no one to talk to since I was hiding in caves. Then I spent five years fighting with Angel before Illyria killed me—it's amazing what you can get used to."
"Isn't that the truth?" Matt said, shaking his head. "My life has gotten very weird since I found out vampires and werewolves are real. Are you ready to order?"
They placed their order, and Matt left them in peace.
Klaus found himself very impressed with the mother of his unborn baby. She was incredibility brilliant just as he had been told, and her mind moved at lightning speed.
After their food arrived, they ate a few moments in silence. Then he asked, "Do you have a preference on gender?"
"I always thought I'd want a little girl, but after meeting you, I wish it'd be a boy—one that would have your dimple and eyes," she said, giving him a shy smile. Then she blushed.
Klaus was very touched. "You are very sweet," he said, smiling.
"But Ria already knows the gender, and she says that it's a girl," Fred said. Then she put her hand over her mouth. "Oops. Should I have told you that? Did you want to be surprised?"
Klaus grinned. "I hate surprises, and I am thrilled to know that we are going to have a little girl," he said. "Although I am already dreading her teenage years."
"Hopefully, they'll be better than mine," Fred said with a shudder. "I was too advanced and skipped a few grades, and all the kids were older than me. I wore glasses and braces. I lived in Texas, and Texans appreciate athletes, not brains. Some kids were very mean at times."
"They are fools," Klaus said, not liking the picture she painted.
"No, Ria, you can't slaughter mean kids," Fred said softly, rolling her eyes.
Klaus chuckled. "I find myself in the unusual position of having to fight for the title of most protective," he said.
Fred giggled. "You may be right," she said.
They finished their breakfast and went to Dr. Fell's office. Dr. Fell had a gentle and soothing manner about her, and Fred liked her immediately.
"Do you know who I am?" Klaus asked her.
"I do," Meredith said. "I am very surprised that you were able to father a child, but as I saw a witch restore an eye recently, I don't argue with things."
"Well, we have something else that may shock you," Klaus said. "As labor is painful, we cannot guarantee that Fred will be able to stay in complete control. She shares her body with another powerful being, a former Old One named Illyria. Do not be frightened, but Fred and I believe you need to meet Illyria in case she makes an appearance. She tends to show up when Fred is threatened or in pain."
"I'm not familiar with the term Old One," Meredith said.
"She used to be a pure demon back before humans walked the Earth," Fred said. "I worked at an evil law firm, and this assistant, who worshipped her—I didn't know this, of course. He used my body to call her from the Deeper Well where she had been bound for generations. She is a much-reduced version of herself. This possession killed me, but my soul lived. Willow, though, recently restored my soul back to my body. However, Illyria is still there and cannot be exorcised."
"You have to share your body with a demon—like Buffy's vampire exes?" Meredith asked.
"Kind of," Fred said. "Except Illyria and I are better joined. The demons in Spike and Angel want to do evil. Illyria isn't really evil. She's kind of neutral—neither good nor evil. However, my soul keeps her more on the side of good."
"That's a relief," Meredith said.
"Illyria is the one I actually slept with," Klaus said. "I just met Fred yesterday."
"Oh, wow," Meredith said. "Willow told me this was a special pregnancy, but she didn't tell me exactly how."
"We just really want a doctor who will be there for me and understand what I'm going through—what we're going through," Fred said, gesturing to Klaus.
Meredith nodded. "I understand," she said. "I can't say I understand what you're going through, but I will do my best to listen and help you."
"Thanks," Fred said. "Don't be scared. Illyria is kind of rude, so don't let her bother you."
Meredith smiled. "I can handle that," she said. And she really believed that. However, when Fred turned bluish and her clothes disappeared, she was more than a little rattled and took two steps back.
"Do not be afraid," Illyria said, for once trying to put another human at ease. "I will not do you harm."
"Okay," Meredith said. She took a deep breath and called on her training and professionalism. "I am Dr. Fell. I will be taking care of you, Fred, and the baby."
"See that you do," Illyria said. Then Fred was back.
"My God! Wow!" Meredith said. "That was really different."
Fred grinned. "You did great," she said.
Klaus nodded. "Yes, you did," he said. "If you would be willing to care for the mother of my child and deliver the baby at our home—a hospital will not be a good idea—I will make sure you are well compensated."
"There's no need for that," Meredith assured him. "I am happy to be her doctor."
"You say that now, but I don't live in Virginia, and I really don't want to," Fred said. "I live in Los Angeles."
"Oh," Meredith said.
"So you see, we would travel to you as long as it is safe for her to travel, but when it's no longer safe for her to travel, we would need you to fly to her," Klaus said. "At our expense."
"I see," Meredith said. She considered the ramifications. It would seriously mess up her scheduling. "Well, you can fly up to the third trimester, which is at thirty-six weeks. That is unless there are complications with the pregnancy, which is too soon to tell. Traveling, though, is exhausting and pregnancy is already draining your body of energy."
"Yes, I realize that," Fred said.
"My family has a private plane, which will alleviate much of the travel fatigue," Klaus said. "We have a home here in Mystic Falls, and Fred has friends in town to visit. As you know, the Slayer, Buffy Summers, is also expecting."
Meredith smiled. "Yes, well, as long as you are aware, I can manage to come to you the last trimester. A home birth is very popular these days," she said.
"Ria says that Willow will attend the birth, too, so there won't be need of any other medical support," Fred said.
"I suppose a witch who can heal would come in handy if something went wrong," she said slowly.
"Willow has moved well beyond mere witchcraft," Klaus said.
"Okay, well, are you ready to hear your baby's heartbeat?" Meredith asked, not wanting to probe further. Seeing Illyria was enough for her to digest.
"Absolutely!" Fred said excitedly. She reached for Klaus' hand.
Klaus was surprised by her easy affection, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he watched the doctor's every move, fascinated as Fred's stomach was still too flat to detect signs of a pregnancy. "There it is," Meredith said, pointing to the screen.
"She's just a tiny speck!" Fred said, grinning. She looked at Klaus. "Can you believe that's our daughter?"
"It's too soon to know the sex," Meredith said. "But I can let you listen to the heartbeat." Then they could hear it.
"Wow! That's so cool!" Fred gushed. She looked up at Klaus. "Isn't that amazing?"
Klaus thought it was the most amazing thing in the world.
*****That Evening*****
Kol was waiting until after dinner to leave for New Orleans. Spike and Katherine were going with him. He was happy to have the treacherous vampire accompany him as she was much older and stronger than Marcellus. They were going to help him set things right in that city. Before leaving, he wanted to have a bit more time with the mother of his future niece or nephew.
Spike and Katherine joined them. Oz had already left with their mother for England. Elijah and Xander had stayed behind as they had changed their plans due to the new baby. Rebekah and Willow were at the table as was Dawn and Matt. It was strange to see humans eating with them and being so completely comfortable. However, the slayer was away, and Willow was always in charge of Dawn when Buffy was away. They called it Dawn Patrol, which Kol found amusing. Her boyfriend lived with the Doppelgänger.
"Where's the Doppelganger?" Kol asked Dawn.
"Elena? She is hanging with Bonnie and Caroline tonight," Dawn said.
"As you are here with my family tonight, I will expect some discretion," Klaus said, looking at Dawn and Matt. "I have to speak to Caroline and have not had the chance. It would hurt her greatly if she were to hear certain information from her well-meaning friends instead of myself."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Matt said, narrowing his eyes.
"It means whatever you hear tonight please do not tell Caroline as I will tell her myself," Klaus said. He had spent the entire day with Fred, so he hadn't had a chance. Naturally, Rebekah had brought Willow to dinner, who had brought Caroline's closest friends, so he had to do it tonight.
"What's the big secret?" Dawn asked.
Fred turned into Illyria. "Klaus has impregnated me," she said. "Caroline will have to renounce her claim on him until after the baby is born as Fred will need him."
Those who did not know this were stunned. Katherine was the first to recover and said, "How is that possible? He is a vampire."
"He is also a werewolf, and Illyria has a human shell," Willow said. "It is the will of Gaia." At dinner with friends, she had cast aside her glamour and was in her new druid greenish form. They were all still getting used to it. When she was at a table with Illyria, however, she didn't appear to be as weird.
"When did this happen?" Matt asked, frowning in disapproval, which pissed Klaus off. "Did you cheat on Caroline? That's not cool, man."
"I did not cheat on Caroline—not that our relationship is any of your business," Klaus said, glaring at the human for his audacity.
Illyria left as she wished to smash in the young man's face, too, for his audacity. "Ria says it was a drunken hook up six weeks ago, and if anyone dares insult her again, she will rip out their spine," Fred said. "Of course, I won't let her, but you might want to tread carefully. She claimed Klaus as hers from the moment she met him, but she has affection for Caroline and doesn't wish to hurt her."
Klaus knew diplomacy was needed, so he simply said, "It is a private matter between the three of us, so I will need Caroline's friends to mind their own business even though that is really impossible for the lot of you to do so."
"Hey, I can so take a hint!" Dawn said with a pout. "Besides, I wouldn't want to be the one to tell her that anyway."
Matt shook his head. "Me either."
Spike was sitting next to Fred and pulled her in for a hug. "I can't believe it! A baby! We're going to have a baby! And I know before Angel-face!" he said with glee.
Fred grinned. "I should've told him before he left, but I wanted to tell Klaus first," she said.
"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Dawn said. "Buffy's having a boy. I wish she was having a girl, though."
"We're having a girl," Fred said with a grin.
"How do you know? Isn't it too soon?" Xander asked.
"Illyria knows," Klaus said. "She told Fred."
Fred nodded. "She was pretty confident," Fred said.
"So what will she be? A werewolf?" Matt asked.
"We don't really know yet," Fred said. "She'll be quite powerful as she will have bloodlines of werewolf and vampires."
"And witch—our family line has that, too," Kol added.
"Oh, I didn't know that," Fred said. "And then Ria's powers. It will be a fascinating thing to see."
She and Willow then broke into a conversation about scientific theory behind DNA and child rearing theories.
Rebekah laughed at Klaus and Kol's expression. "Surely, someone told you that Fred was brilliant like Willow?" she asked.
"They just didn't know she talked as fast as Willow," Xander said, grinning.
"Red is smart, but she isn't as smart as Fred," Spike said. "She's the smartest gal I have ever met."
"No one is smarter than Willow," Xander said, glaring at him.
Willow laughed, looking at the two vampires. "You boys are silly," she said. "Are you listening to them, Fred? They're bickering over which one of us is smarter."
Fred grinned. "You're better with computers than I am, and I'm better at the science," she said.
"There you go," Willow said.
"Fred's just being polite," Spike insisted.
"How about you not start a stupid argument?" Elijah suggested.
"A stupid argument is a necessity to all dinner parties, especially if Spike is in attendance," Xander said with a grin. "Didn't you know that?"
Elijah rolled his eyes.
"Are you going to stay in Mystic Falls?" Dawn asked Fred.
She shook her head. "No, I want to go home. Klaus and I met with Dr. Fells, and she agreed to come see me in Los Angeles during my last trimester," she shared. "I'll be doing a lot of flying."
"Why?" Dawn asked. "Illyria can open up portals."
Klaus blinked and looked at Fred, who looked sheepish. "I guess that hadn't occurred to either one of us," she admitted. Everyone laughed.
"One less thing to worry about," Klaus said with a grin.
"Elijah and I are going to start a slayer house in Los Angeles," Xander said.
"Elena and Caroline both applied to UCLA, but I don't want to be so far away from my new nephew and Matt," Dawn said, giving his hand a squeeze. "Bonnie and I are going to go to Whitmore College, and Matt's going to take some classes at the community college."
Klaus held up his wine glass. "Well, I propose a toast," he said. Everyone raised a glass. "To new blessings and new beginnings."
"New blessings and new beginnings!"
Now, he had to figure out how he would break the news to his sweet Caroline.
*****Chapter End*****
