A/N: this chapter is intense. theres lots of violence and a little inappropriate non consenual groping. but the this chapter is the second last one in the human era for the Mikaelsons.

Chapter 8

Caroline POV

In what seemed like no time at all, another month had passed and we were once again heading back to the caves for the full moon.

It was a month spent stealing moments with Elijah when we could, bonding more with Nik and getting to know the rest of his siblings a bit better. And there was also Esther. The night after the caves she asked for my help with some gathering. I remembered the conversation.

"What fruits would you like me to gather Mrs. Mikaelson?" I asked, walking slightly behind her with my basket.

"Oh, dear, please call me Esther. And none. I must admit, I didn't bring you out here for harvesting today. Once the boys said they were going hunting for the day, I wanted to take some time to get to know the young woman who has so enthralled my children," she smirked.

"Oh. Oh okay," I said nervously.

"Do not worry, child. I am not my husband," she said kindly.

Esther sat on the grass below a giant tree of white oak. She motioned for me to join her.

"Any time I wish to commune with my ancestors or nature, this is my favored spot to come. This tree was probably here before all of us and will be here long after us. Such is the way of nature," she said, absently touching the tree. "Now. I once told you to come to me after your meeting with Elijah and I'd answer your questions," she said.

I didn't even know where to begin and I told her as much.

She laughed. "Well this should be easy then, let's start at the beginning."

She proceeded to tell me about magic, how she learned she had access to it and how her and her sister would practice. A shadow fell over her features at the mention of her sister, but she soon shook it off and continued.

We must have sat speaking for a couple hours before she decided we'd been gone long enough and, with the snap of her fingers, our baskets filled with the fruit off the surrounding trees.

My jaw dropped.

She laughed and hooked her arm through mine for our walk home.

"So, my dear, tell me about you and my son."

I was so caught off guard, I actually stumbled. Physically and verbally.

"Um. What? Wh-at son? Nik? We're just friends. Best friends!" I stuttered out.

She smirked. "Mhmm. And I'm very great full for all you do for my son, that he has someone like you to rely on. But, we both know that is not the son I speak of," she winked at me. She actually winked at me. Seriously?

I blushed. "Um. Nothing. There's nothing to tell. Elijah is a great man and a great friend."

"Hmmm," she hummed. "you can keep your secrets, Miss Forbes. But remember, however much I myself may approve of your match, many others won't. Be careful, love," she said, all signs of joking vanishing from her face.

We had stopped in front of our homes. She reached forward and tucked a stray curl behind my ear and my throat tightened. It was such a motherly gesture, one I hadn't ever been on the receiving end of, that it made me choke up.

"There are some rough roads ahead of you, child, I do not envy your path. Just know, that should you ever need anything, I am here," she said quietly. She wrapped me in a warm hug and I couldn't help the little sob that escaped as the tears I so desperately tried to withhold finally escaped down my face.

"Oh hush now child, it's all right. Everything will be okay," she murmured, rubbing my back.

How did she know that's exactly what I needed to hear?

I snapped back to the moment as we arrived at the cave entrance.

We walked through to the cavern and settled our belongings. Elijah was across the way, speaking with both Kol and Finn but he threw a small smile my way upon seeing me. We hadn't had many moments to truly be alone other than our quick walks to gather. We certainly hadn't had time for a repeat of our first night together.

Time passed quickly as everyone settled for the night, every one of us trying to ignore the eerie howls outside the cave and get some sleep. About an hour after I had finally drifted off, I heard a noise. I slowly sat up and wiped the sleep from my eyes, trying to wake myself up enough to figure out what woke me in the first place.

I heard it again.

It was a sniffling noise. I looked around for the cause of it and finally my eyes landed on a small bundle under some blankets a few feet away. I heard the snifflng again followed by quiet crying. I stood up quietly, the last thing I wanted was to wake my father, and slowly walked over.

"Henrik? Is that you?" I whispered.

A small head peaked out of the blanket, his young face wet with tears.

"Caroline," he whimpered.

"Oh, sweetheart, what's wrong?" I asked, sinking down to my knees beside him, immediately brushing my fingers through his hair.

"I had a bad dream," he whispered. "it was me and nik, and there were wolves, and I fell and they-" he started to cry again before he finished what he was saying.

I hushed him in a soothing manor while I laid down beside him on the cold ground.

"It was just a dream, Hen. A very scary dream, im sure, but a dream nonetheless. It wasn't real. You are safe. Nik is safe and we are all here safe from the wolves," I told him.

He nodded his head and wiped his eyes before reaching over to grab my hand. If I had been more awake, I might have realized that we weren't as quiet as we thought, and Elijah and Nik were both listening.

I ran my fingers through his hair gently.

"Would you like me to tell you a story to help you fall asleep?" I asked quietly.

"Yes, please," he said, squeezing my hand once again.

"Close your eyes, love. Okay. Once, there was a Fierce young King who was loved by all of his kingdom. King……Elijah. He was a harsh but fair ruler and his people adored him. He provided for them. But most importantly, he protected them. This protection is what earned him his title of "Wolf Slayer", I began. He giggled but became quiet once more before drifting to sleep shortly after the kings first battle with the terrible werewolf. Once I realized he was slumbering, I closed my eyes and drifted off, hand still held in his little grasp.

Elijah POV

Yet another month passed of the harvest and winter was upon us. Marking the end of harvest and beginning of the solstice. A big celebration was coming but with the full moon coming this night, the celebration would have to wait.

We woke in the morning to the first snow beginning to fall.

In the 3 months since I professed my love to Caroline and we consummated that love, my hunger for her has only grown.

We haven't had a moment to ourselves to physically show our love, but we both know our true feelings and that will have to suffice. For now.

I walked out of our home with the intent of chopping some wood, despite the early hours of the morning. I glanced over to Caroline's, as I tended to do anytime I walked out, to see her conversing with Ayana of all people. Their conversation was hushed and seemed to be quite serious.

As if sensing I was there, Caroline looked over, giving me a tremulous smile with glassy eyes.

I immediately dropped what I was doing and walked over quickly.

"Good morning, Ayana. Caroline," I stated politely my eyes never leaving Caroline.

"Good Morning, Elijah," she glanced at Caroline. "I will leave you two to speak. Remember what I said child?"

"Yes. Thank you, Ayana," she whispered.

I waited till Ayana disappeared towards the village before gently leading Caroline out of sight of prying ears and eyes.

I quickly wrapped her in my arms.

"My love, what is wrong?" I asked.

She took a shuddering breath that ended on a sob.

I pulled back to look at her.

"Caroline?"

"Elijah, I….," she took another breath before seeming to gather herself and stand a bit straighter.

"Elijah, I am with child," she said quietly.

I froze, staring into her eyes, looking for what, I do not know.

"Elijah? Please say something," she begged.

"With….with child?" I choked out.

She nodded her head nervously before placing a hand on her stomach.

All I could do was stare at her hand. She was with child. My child, of that I had no doubt. I was to be a father.

I looked back up at her eyes, taking her face in my hands.

"Truly?" I asked, one last time.

"Yes. I haven't been feeling well and missed my bleed the last 2 times and I became concerned. Ayana confirmed it this morning with some kind of tests and magic," she stated, a nervous energy surrounding her , most likely due to the fact that I hadn't really said anything.

Her eyes were begging me to say something, anything.

"Marry me," I blurted out. Not the smoothest proposal but, its too late now.

"Elijah?" she asked shocked.

"Marry me, Caroline. I love you more than all the stars in the sky combined. I planned to ask your parents permission to court you after the solstice but I don't need their permission when my heart is speaking this loudly. Marry me. Be my wife and the mother of my child," I asked sincerely, placing a hand over hers on her stomach.

Her eyes immediately welled with tears. "Of course I will marry you, Elijah. I love you so much," she said as she kissed me, tears of joy staining her face.

I broke the kiss and placed my forehead on hers.

"We're going to have a baby," I whispered, the awe in my voice more than obvious.

She smiled. "We're going to have a baby," she agreed with a small laugh.

I couldn't contain it anymore. I picked her up and spun her around, her laugher the only sound in the world I needed to hear at this moment.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the only sound I heard.

The sound of wood clattering loudly startled us from our bubble of happiness.

"What?" said an enraged voice.

Third Person POV

Caroline and Elijah sprung apart at the sound of the utter rage in the voice.

"Father. Father please."

Forgetting the wood he'd gathered, he stormed forward, a murderous expression on his face. Elijah stepped forward but was thrown to the ground. He looked up to see William Forbes wrap his hand around his daughters throat and shove her against the nearest tree. She let out a short terrified scream.

"You what?!" he spat in her face.

"Father, im sorry. Please, listen to me," Caroline begged.

"You spread your legs for this….this poor excuse of a man, without the bonds of marriage? I told you before, I refuse to raise a harlot for a daughter and this is what you've done?" he screamed, slapping her hard a across the face while still holding her tightly by the neck against the tree.

"Do not touch her!" Elijah yelled, springing forward just as Kol and Nik ran around the corner to see what all the commotion was about. William shoved Elijah off again and backhanded Caroline once more. Nik and Kol ran at William to pull him off of Caroline. With both arms being restrained, he dropped her carelessly to the ground where she put a hand to her throat and tried to catch her breath through her sobs. She glanced up to see all three men trying to fight to keep her father down. But her father's rage fueled his strength and the boys were struggling.

Caroline tried to crawl away as fast as she could, trying to stand and run at the same time to escape her father. She made it back in front of her home before she was shoved from behind. She tried to twist at the last moment so she didn't land on her stomach.

"You disrespectful, ungrateful bitch!" he yelled, pulling her by her hair to stand once more.

She screamed again.

This time, all the Mikaelsons and most of the village had come out of their homes to witness what was occurring.

Esther ran forward.

"Mr. Forbes! Release her this instant!" Esther yelled, standing in front of them.

"I will do what I please with my daughter. Something your son seems to have taken to believing as well," he snarled, throwing Caroline back down.

Nik, Kol and Elijah ran around the corner, all three bloodied and bruised. Elijah ran to stand between William and Caroline, who was on the ground, embraced by Rebekah and Nik, who had run to her side.

Finally, Mikael stepped forward.

"What exactly are you accusing one of my sons of, Mr. Forbes?" he asked, glancing at the three boys, Kol having joined Elijah between the father and daughter.

"Your good for nothing son ruined my daughter!"

Mikael froze for a second. He glanced at the boys, his eyes landing on Elijah who was bring held back by Kol.

"Elijah?" Mikael asked dangerously.

Elijah glanced over to his father.

"I love her father. She is to be my wife. I have done nothing wrong!" he stated, vehemently.

Since he had taken his eyes off of him to glance at his father, William took advantage of that and punched Elijah, falling to the ground where they rolled around, throwing punches. Nik and Kol jumped forward as Finn ran and the three of them tried to stop the fighting. Bekah sat back, her hands over her mouth in horror. Esther stood next to Elizabeth, yelling at her to control her husband.

Everyone was too preoccupied with the fight to notice Mikael moving forward.

No one noticed until a terrified scream pierced through and got everyone's attention.

They all turned to look and Elijah gasped in terror.

Mikael had grabbed Caroline by the back of her hair, holding her close to his face. His other hand wrapped around the hilt of a knife that was aimed at her stomach.

"So. You think you're good enough to breed a Mikaelson, hmm?" Mikael spoke deadly quiet.

"What is it about you that so enthralled my sons?" he asked.

Esther stepped forward, anger radiating off of her.

"Let her GO, Mikael!"

"Be quiet, witch!" he yelled, slapping Esther so hard she fell to the ground.

He turned back to caroline, still within his grasp.

"Hmm? What is it? Is it this?" he murmured, his hand holding the knife sliding down to grab her between her legs.

She whimpered and looked to her father who looked as if she deserved whatever she got.

Where was Elijah?

"No whore will mother a Mikaelson. Not if I have anything to say about it," he claimed, his hand rising back up.

Suddenly Caroline felt herself falling backwards. Confused, she looked around, noticing Elijah standing between them with a sword pointed at Mikael's throat.

She turned her head to see finn holding her on the ground. He must have grabbed her out of harms way. The look of horror on his face had her glancing to where he was looking. Just under her ribs, a dagger protruded from her stomach, blood blossoming on her dress around the hilt.

Where did that come from? She wondered in shock.

"Don't, don't move Caroline," Finn stammered out.

"Like I said," Mikael stated calmly to Elijah. "No whore will breed a Mikaelson," he smirked, his eyes darting behind him to where Caroline was.

He turned slightly to see Finn holding a bloodied Caroline, his shirt off and pressing around the dagger protruding from his stomach, the pain finally registering for Caroline who was sobbbing.

"No!" Elijah yelled, sword dropping to go to Caroline. With his back turned, Mikael went to jump at Elijah.

"Prohibere!" Esther shouted. And Mikael instantly froze in place, arms outstretched towards Elijah.

"Release me, woman!" Mikael growled. But she wasn't paying attention.

"William no!" she shouted. Elijah turned to see William advancing on Caroline with yet another dagger, hoping to finish the job.

Caroline started crawling backwards in pain, holding her stomach. Finn jumped up to intercept him, but William struck out and slashed finn across his hands when he tried to grab him. Finn fell to the ground with a scream. Seeing her son injured broke Esther's concentration and Mikael unfroze. He stepped forward and only made it a step before Rebekah jumped on his back and Kol jumped to help her stop him. Elijah tackled William just before he reached a struggling Caroline and another fight ensued.

"Caroline! Run!" Elijah yelled, struggling to contain William.

Caroline glanced around at everyone. She made eye contact with her mother who had stood at the sidelines the whole time.

Run! She mouthed to her daughter.

Caroline struggled to her feet, adrenaline and self preservation for her and her unborn baby the only thing keeping her going, and stumbled into the forest

A/N 2: yes i ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. sorry! lol the next chapter will be up in the next day so you wont have to wait long