A/N: (Warnings: There is talk of aborting a baby in this chapter)
I've gotten bad reviews for this chapter before on AO3 so I want to make something clear. I firmly believe a woman has the right to decide what happens to her body, whether to have a child or to not have it, the woman should always have the final say because it's their body.
Secondly, all I ask is that you try not to hate on Caroline too much, some of her reaction has nothing to do with Hayley and goes much deeper.
Caroline had followed Hayley discreetly to the French Quarter not having bought into her obvious line with the werewolf girl none the wiser that she was being followed. Caroline followed her up until she went into a small shop.
Caroline ventured closer but lingered outside as she listened to everything that was being said inside the shop.
Her insides twisted as she realized Hayley had come here with the sole purpose of getting rid of the baby. And she felt anger and disgust well up inside her chest.
It was only minutes before Hayley was exiting the shop, Caroline had placed herself directly on the sidewalk in front of the door, arms crossed over her chest in an attempt to keep her anger in check, not wanting her hands to be free afraid of what she might do.
"Caroline!" Hayley's voice sounded full of surprise but the look on her face was one who knew they'd been caught doing something they knew they shouldn't have been doing.
Just looking at her made revulsion settle in Caroline's stomach, the sound of her voice angering her further with what she knew Hayley was planning to do. She looked at her not bothering to hide an ounce of her disgust. "What the fuck is wrong with you?! You can't just get rid of the baby!"
Hayley bristled at Caroline's words despite knowing she needed to find a way to lie out of the situation. "Nothing's wrong with me."
Caroline scoffed. "Please." She unfolded her arms and snatched up Hayley's arm and before Hayley had time to react, she found herself being whisked away, the wind rushing past her and then she was suddenly standing in the middle of a park she had passed on the way to the shop, standing in front of the park bench.
Hayley placed a hand on her stomach, feeling like the world was spinning and she was going to be sick. She jerked out of Caroline's grasped, sitting down on the park bench and hunching over, with her head tuck toward her knees, breathing in deeply, trying to will away the sudden motion sickness and the urge to vomit.
Once Hayley was sure she wasn't going to throw up the contents of her stomach, she straightened up, exhaling. "What the hell Caroline? Have you lost your mind?!" She looked up to see Caroline, standing over her, black glare still in place, arms tense at her sides, the vial of wolfsbane in her right hand.
"I'm not the one trying to get rid of an innocent child yet I'm supposed to be the one who's lost their mind." Caroline scoffed. "Please!"
"What I decide to do with the child is none of your business!" Hayley snapped. "It's my body. Not yours."
Caroline shook her head unable to believe someone could be so selfish. "You're right it is your body but that baby you're carrying isn't just yours. It's Klaus's as well."
"This baby would be better off without him as a father." Hayley glared.
"No child is better off without their parent," Caroline stated firmly. "I would think someone who didn't know their parents would understand that."
Hayley jumped to her feet angrily. "Leave my family out of this! Klaus doesn't even want this baby!"
"Given time he might but he won't have that chance if you kill it." Caroline defended.
"You don't believe that." Hayley looked at her with contempt. "Why are you pretending like you give a damn about the baby when we know all you care about is that your life is tied to it. You just don't want to die."
"Of course, I don't want to die!" Caroline retorted, her voice rising. "But this isn't about me!"
"Is everything okay?" A voice intruded and they both snapped their gazes to see a man looking at them warily.
Caroline could hear the thud of his heartbeat and knew he was human. "Everything's fine." She put on her sweetest smile. "Just a little misunderstanding." When the man hesitated to leave still looking at them warily, she narrowed her eyes. "Everything's fine here. Leave." She allowed the compulsion to take place.
The man repeated her words monotonously, moving away without a backward glance.
"Nice." Hayley snarked and Caroline glared at her.
"This isn't about me not wanting to die," Caroline said firmly.
"Yeah right." Hayley scoffed.
"Don't believe me? Fine. Here." Caroline shoved the vial into Hayley's hand. "Take it."
Hayley's hand tightened on the vial, surprised that Caroline had given it back to her. Her eyes traveled back to Caroline and could see righteous fury shining through her.
"You want to kill your own child so bad? Your own flesh and blood? Take it." Caroline hissed at her dangerously. "I hope it haunts you for the rest of your life." Caroline whirled away from her in disgust, fisting her hands tightly. If Hayley wasn't pregnant she was certain she wouldn't have been able to keep herself from hitting Hayley in her disgust. As it was it was taking nearly all her control not to do so.
Hayley eyed Caroline warily, watching the tense set of her shoulders, how her frame was tense like she was barely restraining herself from lashing out. Hayley took a step away, and when Caroline didn't so much as move a muscle in response she turned and started walking away.
Caroline turned her head slowly, watching as Hayley walked down the street but made no move to follow her. The very idea of remaining in Hayley's presence making her stomach turn like she had a pit of acid swirling in her gut.
Klaus had spent the day basically shadowing Marcel, seeing how the so-called King of the Quarter ran things. And apparently, the recruitment of tourist was a thing if they died with vampire blood in their systems. Usually, he didn't have any kind of use for new vampires, they were all but useless to him but he actually could see an opportunity with the prospect of new vampires. He would make the new baby vamp loyal to him before the new vamp could swear his allegiance to Marcel, all it would take would be a little compulsion here before Marcel had him on Vervain.
Shortly after dealing with the dead in transition tourist situation Marcel had taken off for a bit and Klaus had returned to the bar he and Marcel had been at earlier, ordering himself a drink and that was where Marcel found him sitting when he returned.
"I know that face," Klaus smirked knowingly. "Woman trouble."
"You're a dick, you know that?" Marcel accused. "Why didn't you tell me your sister's back in town?" He had just seen Rebekah and it would have been nice if Klaus had warned him of her presence in the Quarter beforehand. There's was nothing like when your ex blows into town.
"Well, I thought it would be more amusing for you to find out for yourself," Klaus said, not hiding his amusement and not feeling the least bit guilty.
"Is there anything else I need to know?" Marcel asked, he didn't need any more surprises but with his guys ending up dead the same time Rebekah blew into town? Well, it was too much of a coincidence for him.
"Only that she's grown considerably more insane in the last century." Klaus quipped.
"Or maybe that it was her who killed my guys?" Marcel persisted.
"Doubtful," Klaus said, not giving even a hint that he was covering for his sister. "Unless that biker bar is frequented by small-town, high school quarterbacks, I can't imagine she'd be interested."
Marcel's phone ranged before he could pry further and he answered it. "Yeah?"
Klaus listened in but kept his face blank not reacting to what he was overhearing.
"Just got a tip, someone saw a werewolf in Bienville Park." Said the voice from the other line.
"Get a couple night-walkers to run it down. Bring me back its head." Marcel ordered and hung up.
"Well, I guess that solves the mystery of the murdered riffraff. At least my sister's in the clear." Said Klaus, internally trying to convince himself that the werewolf in the Quarter wasn't Hayley. The girl couldn't have been that stupid, could she?
"About that." Said Marcel. "I don't have time for Mikaelson family drama. You're my guest, keep your sister in line." He got up to leave.
"I'd have a greater chance of draining the Mississippi with a straw!" Klaus's voice rose as he called after Marcel's retreating figure without bothering to turn in his seat at the bar. The day Rebekah allowed herself to be controlled was the day vampires ceased to sustain themselves on blood.
Hayley walked slowly back to Bienville park where Caroline still was but now was seated on the end of the bench, arms crossed a cold look etched onto her face.
Hayley was careful as she carried a cup of steaming coffee, she came to sit at the opposite end of the bench when Caroline didn't so much as acknowledge her, she carefully set the cup aside and reached for the vial, watching Caroline carefully as she dripped the poison into the cup. She was surprised Caroline didn't so much as flinch.
Hayley pocketed the rest of the vial before picking up the cup, holding it in her hands, she began to lift it to her mouth but then brought it back down. Caroline's words ringing in her head. That it wasn't just her choice to make. That the child she carried was not just her baby. There was no way Caroline could know how right she was or how wrong she was.
This baby. She thought she knew what she was getting into. What the Deveraux's convinced her of. What she would be getting in return. But now she wasn't so sure. Rebekah made it pretty clear that to Klaus she was nothing but a walking, talking incubator and he would kill her as soon as this baby was born.
She thought about coming clean for just a minute but that wasn't an option Klaus would kill her but she was sure he would drag it out painfully slow if he knew what she had done. There was a reason the witches had found her and it wasn't the reasons he was told.
This, killing the baby was the only choice she had left but if she did that she knew she'd be running for the rest of her life because killing the baby meant killing Caroline. Klaus would hunt her down like he spent the last four hundred years hunting down Katherine Pierce. But she was in between a rock and hard place and she had to make a choice.
She glanced at Caroline again to see the blonde hadn't moved a single muscle since she sat down.
"Come on, Hayley." She said to herself. "One upset stomach and all this stupid drama is ancient history." She lifted the cup toward her face, she watched as Caroline turned to her, face blank but her eyes cold, icy even but she didn't say anything, it was just inches to her lips when she lowered the cup back down, heaving a sigh.
There was just no way out of this for Hayley. If she did nothing she would be killed as soon as the baby was born. If she came clean, her death would be slow and agonizing to the point she wasn't so sure she wouldn't beg for death. And if she got rid of the child she'd be killing Caroline and she would be on the run for the rest of her life.
"If you are going to kill your own baby than just do it already." Caroline snapped, her voice sharp and cutting like that of a razor blade. "Quit stalling."
Haley opened her mouth to respond with what she wasn't sure when suddenly the sound of a branch snapping sounded nearby.
Caroline reacted instantly, jumping to her feet and looking around, moving to stand in front of Hayley just as she stood up as if guarding her.
Caroline turned back around and spotted a vampire directly in front of them. Caroline instinctively kept Hayley behind her, shielding her, Caroline's eyes blackened, veins fanning out high on her cheeks and her fangs dropped.
"A vampire and a wolf together in the Quarter." He smirked. "You should have watched what company you kept, blondie. Dumb move on your part." He looked at Hayley behind Caroline. "Even dumber move on your part coming into the Quarter. You're coming with me, wolf."
"She's not going anywhere with you." Caroline snapped, her fist connecting with his jaw, the vampire stumbled back a step in surprise and she used that to her advantage and rushed forward, her hands gripping his head and snapping his neck, she allowed him to drop to the ground but came face to face with two more vampires. She cursed under her breath as one flashed behind her, grabbing a hold of her while the other stepped toward Hayley.
Hayley saw the vampire advancing on her and threw the hot drink with wolfsbane in his face, he grunted in pain but his hand lashed out and seized her by the throat.
Caroline cursed, snapping her head backwards slamming it into the vampire's skull holding her causing his grip to falter on her and Caroline haunched forward, flipping him over her shoulder and onto the ground. The vampire grunted but was back to his feet in seconds, swiping her feet out from under her, her back collided with the concrete, she grunted with the force.
She was just pushing to her feet, when she heard the unmistakable sound of a snapped neck and a hand plunging into a chest cavity, she watched in surprise as the vampire who attacked her collapsed to the ground, and the one holding Hayley by the throat dropped, decaying, his heart ripped from his chest.
"Now, that is no way to treat a pregnant lady." Declared Rebekah to the dead vampire whose heart she had ripped out, she tossed the heart to the side.
Hayley stared wide-eyed at her in shock.
"You sure love to make an entrance, don't you, Rebekah?" Caroline brushed her hands along her clothes, her clothing a little ruffled.
Rebekah smirked. "We Originals have a flare for the dramatic."
Caroline huffed a laugh cause wasn't that the truth.
Hayley looked at the two blondes who acted as if what just happened was a rather common occurrence.
To say Klaus was displeased with what happened would be a complete understatement, it was one thing for Hayley to go against his orders but the fact that Caroline was once again being dragged into a mess with the dark-haired girl was another. It was like Hayley was actively trying to ruin his plans and he knew Caroline was aware of what he'd been doing because he told her so. She should know better. She was smarter than a stupid stunt like this. And he wasn't too pleased with Rebekah's part in this either. Bloody Hell, it was like the women in his life singular purpose was to drive him to the edge of his restraint, testing just how far they could push him before he lost it.
Klaus threw the final body onto a small pile of vampires corpses in the front courtyard while he berated all three of them for their actions, his movement quick and tense, his words sharp and irritated. "This is why I told you never to leave the house. Werewolves are banned in the Quarter. I had a plan and your little nighttime stroll put it all in peril!" His eyes leveled on Caroline as she stood off to the side. "And you, you know that. I've told you about them and you pull something like this? Are you that angry with me that you want to ruin what I've been working toward?"
Caroline opened her mouth to respond with some retort but was cut off as Rebekah exclaimed. "Oh, of course, Caroline knows of your plans. Is there anything you don't tell her? Oh no, that's just me you don't tell stuff, too." A vampire in the pile of bodies started moving and Rebekah moved forward.
"Leave him!" Klaus snapped angrily at her, and she stopped at the command in his voice. "You've done enough, don't you think? Leaving a trail of dead bodies like a roadmap to my door?"
"If I hadn't overheard this lot bragging about werewolf heads, everyone here would be screwed." Rebekah was tired of being berated by Klaus of all people. "And don't give me that crap about having a plan. You've had all the time in the world to execute a plan, and no one's seen you do a damn thing! Elijah made a deal to protect your child so that it could save you from your selfish, rotten self. But you obviously don't give a damn about the child or Elijah, all you care about is Caroline! What have you actually done to honor Elijah's deal?"
Caroline was really beginning to think that Rebekah seemed to have some issues regarding her at least where Klaus and his family were concerned.
"I have done everything." Klaus snapped back at her. "Let me spell it out for you, shall I? From the day I arrived, Marcel hasn't trusted me. From day one, he's had his vampires ingest toxic vervain which, as you know, little sister, protects them from my mind control."
Klaus was in a bar where the human tourists Tina and Josh sat, their hands stamped with the monogrammed 'M'. Klaus snapped their necks.
"I needed a spy, someone on the inside with me who Marcel would never suspect." He continued. "So, I created a Day Zero and got there first. Marcel had just lost six vampires, thanks to your little murder spree and he needed new recruits. So, I made the new one mine before he'd had even a drop of vervain."
Klaus climbed into a vehicle with the newly turned, Josh while Marcel was outside on his cell. Klaus went about quickly compelling Josh. "Now, let's have a little chat about what you can do for me."
"But we all know the real way to a man is through his heart, so..." Caroline tried to ignore the way his eyes washed over her as he said those words.
Klaus was at the bar, attempting to talk Marcel up to Cami. "So, my mate, Marcel. Nice bloke, don't you think?"
"No." Said Cami. "He's charming, sexy, confident. did hot. But let's be honest - he's a bad boy, right? Like you. And right now, I only need good in my life, not someone who's -"
"Tragically wounded and damaged by demons he can't escape." Klaus cut in, her words ringing in his head.
"The - damaged ones. They're not good. At least, not for me." Cami admitted, moving to leave but Klaus rose, taking her hand.
"I understand, I do. However -" he paused allowing his compulsion to take root. "give him one chance, then I need you to tell me where he goes, and who he sees."
Caroline listened as Klaus explained what he'd been doing, the plans he told her of being set into motion. It seemed to her Klaus had been very busy with infiltrating Marcel ranks like he said he would.
She watched as he walked to the pile of bodies, grabbing the vampire that was still alive.
"And this one -" Said Klaus referring to the vampire in his clutches and began to drag him toward the house. "I'm gonna drain him of vervain, compel him to believe his mates found religion and moved to Utah so that he can explain to Marcel why he lost three more vampires tonight."
Caroline hesitated a moment before following him inside, she could hear Rebekah and Hayley's footsteps doing the same.
Klaus turned swiftly around after leaving the vampire on the floor. "Does anyone have more questions." He looked at them expectantly. "No? Good because I have a few questions. Caroline, what the hell were you thinking? I can't have my enemies finding out about you. If they know about you they would come for me through you."
Caroline glanced at Hayley, she wanted to be spiteful and say she followed Hayley which was the truth but she also didn't know what Klaus would do if he knew what Hayley had been up to. She knew he wouldn't react well.
"Well?" Klaus demanded impatiently.
"I was tired of being cooped up." It wasn't a lie. She was tired of it but it just wasn't why she left the property.
"Tired of being cooped up?" Klaus repeated. "I don't care if you're tired of being cooped up. I care about keeping you safe."
"Easy for you to say. You get to go out." Retorted Caroline, finding herself falling easily into her excuse.
"Caroline." He said, dragging her name out. "Once this is over, and it's safe for you, you can go out all you want but until then I need you to stay put."
Caroline rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest with irritation. "Fine but that better be soon otherwise I can't make any promises." It was the truth she was getting tired of being cooped up, doing absolutely nothing and she hated being told what to do. That was her job, she told people what to do not the other way around. And she absolutely hated practically hiding away. She felt like her control was being taken away from her.
Klaus felt his jaw clenched but turned to Hayley. "And you." Hayley had been surprised that Caroline hadn't ratted her out but stood taller when Klaus addressed her. "Hayley, what were you doing in the bloody French Quarter in the first place?" Hayley stared at him and he quickly grew impatient. "Answer me!"
"Leave her be." Said Rebekah, coming to Hayley's defense.
But Hayley stepped forward all bravado and attitude. "You wanna know what I was doing? I was buying poison, so I could put your little baby out of its misery."
Klaus's reaction was immediate he ran at her with vampire speed, his hand wrapping around her neck, slamming her into the wall.
Caroline jumped, her arms falling to her sides with his violent reaction. She couldn't believe Hayley was stupid enough to tell him that. What was the point of her making up a dumb excuse if she was going to just tell him?
Hayley gasped for air.
"Nik!" Rebekah exclaimed alarmed. "Nik!" She ran at him with her vampire speed, pushing him off of Hayley and gripping him by the shoulders. Hayley immediately began coughing and sputtering, massaging her throat. Caroline was tempted to ask if she was okay, for the baby's sake anyway.
"Keep your hands off her! She is pregnant for God's sake!" She yelled at him. "All of this bluster about not wanting the child, and then the second she tells you she's ready to get rid of it? Or is this about Caroline?" When he said nothing it was answer enough for her. His silence said more than his words could. "It's okay to care. It's okay to want something. That's all Elijah was trying to do, all he's ever wanted for you. All we've ever wanted."
Caroline watched them her brows raised in surprise, she wasn't used to seeing Rebekah speak so open with a vulnerability she hadn't really heard from her before. And watching as her words seemed to get through the anger that had overcome Klaus. He seemed to have calmed down but it was clear by the conflict she could see written all over his face that he was reeling from being confronted with his feelings regarding the possibility of Hayley getting rid of his child. He backed up, sitting on the stairs. Rebekah took a seat beside him.
"I gave Elijah to Marcel," Klaus admitted.
"What?" Rebekah asked in disbelief. She had to have heard him wrong. Klaus wouldn't have been so stupid or careless as to hand their brother to Marcel.
"Marcel was nervous. It's bad enough one Original returned to town but two? His crew was getting antsy. He wanted Elijah gone, so... I gave him a peace offering." Klaus told her.
Rebekah could not believe what she was hearing. "You bartered our brother?"
"I have a plan," Klaus said firmly, looking up and locking eyes with Caroline who he saw was already watching him. "Gain Marcel's trust, dismantle his empire, honor Elijah's wish that that baby be born." He rose from his seat, walking to stand directly in front of Caroline.
Caroline watched him warily as he approached and stood straighter, tensing when he reached his hand up but involuntarily felt herself relaxing into his touch the moment he cupped her cheek, the feel of his palm against her jaw washing over her. "And to keep you safe." His words a low rumble from his chest almost sent a shiver through her.
His hand dropped away from her as he took a step away from her as he turned back to Rebekah and she released a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. "I am executing that plan the only way I know how. If you don't like it, there's the door. See if I care."
Caroline watched as he strode out of the room without a backward glance, she turned her gaze back to Rebekah who was leaning back against the railing. Caroline moved and tentatively took a seat beside her but said nothing.
Hayley felt the silence weighing heavily in the room and felt the need for air, she turned on her heel heading outside.
Caroline watched her leave with a glare before looking away, she looked to Rebekah. "I'm sorry about Elijah," Caroline admitted. "I've always known your family had its problems but I just never cared to look more closely to see how much. I've been so obsessed with going home I didn't really care about anything else."
Rebekah glanced at Caroline, they had never really got along but that had more to do with their need to be competitive than anything else. Well, that and Caroline was just so damned good all the bloody time. "You want to get away from here. I can understand, truthfully, I'm only here because of Elijah. I don't necessarily want to be here either." Rebekah stood up. "But I have a feeling neither of us will be leaving in the immediate future. Who knows, if Elijah's right about this baby, maybe he's right about the effect you have on Klaus too."
And with those words, Caroline watched as Rebekah left. She sat in surprise. She wasn't too certain but she was almost sure that as surprising as it was that she and Rebekah just had a little heart to heart. Even if it was just a small heart to heart.
Caroline wasn't sure how long she sat there but at some point, Hayley came back inside disappearing further into the house, it wasn't long before Caroline could hear her and Rebekah, talking, she assumed outside on the back porch. She didn't bother listening in, she wanted nothing to do with Hayley for the time being, just looking at her after what she tried to do pissed her off.
Instead, she stood, venturing further into the house, searching out Klaus. She moved from room to room in search of him until she found him in what looked to be a study. She was guessing his. There was a desk in front of a window, there was a fireplace with what looked like a Victorian painting over it and there was an easel that sat in the corner with a half done canvas. Caroline supposed it was more a cross between a study and an art room. There was a rich leather couch and what looked to be a brown antique coffee table made of rich brown wood with intricate designs. Klaus sat at the end of the couch closest to the fireplace, nursing a drink, a dark look on his face, his jaw clench.
"Hey, do you have a moment?" Caroline ventured further into the room and was a little surprised that when the moment his eyes landed on her, the muscles in his body seemed to relax, his eyes taking on a softer look, the muscles in his jaw seemed to unclench.
"I always have time for you." He gestured for her to sit. Caroline moved and took a seat on the opposite end of the couch. "Can I offer you a drink?"
Caroline glanced at the tumbler in his hand and then at the nearby bar, and gave a small one arm shrug. Not seeing why not. "Sure. That'd be nice."
Klaus leaned forward placing his tumbler on the table before standing up and moving toward the bar. Caroline watched his movements, the way his body moved, his back muscles shifting under the fabric of his shirt as he poured her a drink. She accepted the drink from him as he held it out toward her. "Thank you."
Klaus nodded, returning to his seat, grabbing up his tumbler from the table, taking a drink while watching her with his eyes, his body facing her.
Caroline took a small sip of the drink he poured her, turning her body more toward his so she was facing him directly. "So I wasn't exactly being honest earlier. I was just covering for Hayley which apparently was pointless since she just blurted out what she had been up to."
"I know." Said Klaus. "You been the bait and distraction for me more than enough times that I know when you're not being completely honest with me."
Caroline pursed her lips, biting down on her bottom one. "Well, that did happen quite a bit." She looked up and saw his gaze was solely focused on her, or more on her lips. She immediately stopped biting down on her bottom lip and lifted her tumbler glass to her lips quickly taking a drink.
Klaus' eyes had been drawn to her lips, watching as she bit down on them, imagining doing it instead, watching as she took a drink, he brought his eyes back to hers. "What were you really doing in the French Quarter?"
"I followed Hayley. Wanted to know what she was up to." She paused, her jaw tensing. "I can't believe she would try to get rid of the baby. I mean, how does one make the choice to get rid of their own child. I could never have done that."
"I wasn't aware you thought about children," Klaus responded, taking a drink.
"Before I was a vampire, I basically had my life mapped out. Finish school. College. Possibly become a news journalist, marry a nice guy, have 2.5 kids, possibly get a dog."
"The whole white picket fence then," Klaus said, the corners of his mouth tipping downward into a frown. "Didn't you think you were meant for something more?"
Caroline looked at him. "I think we all think we're meant for more but I was being realistic."
"And now?" Klaus asked, watching her closely.
"Now I don't know," Caroline admitted honestly.
"You know if you ever change your mind my offer to show you the world still stands." He reminded her with a smile.
"I remember." Caroline returned his smile with a small one of her own. "Paris, Rome, Tokyo."
"I see my offer left quite the impression." Grinned Klaus.
"It's not every day a guy offers to show you the world." Caroline gave a shrug of her shoulder.
"I would give you whatever you wanted," Klaus said heavily, his words a promise.
Caroline looked at him, a warmth washing over her at the earnest look in his eyes, the way he focused solely on her. She cleared her throat. "You reacted badly to Hayley trying to get rid of the baby which is pretty expected but is Rebekah right, do you want this baby?"
Klaus looked at her considering not answering, talking about the baby made him uncomfortable more than he liked but it was Caroline and they were talking again, like before all this and she had come to him on her own, he didn't want to screw that up.
"I don't know. I don't want to be a father that abandon his child or turns on them like Mikael did to me but I don't know how to be a loving one. I don't even think I want to be one." He admitted allowing himself to be vulnerable with Caroline. "You know, when I found Marcel he was just a boy. I took him in and raised him as my own."
Caroline listened to him intently, finding it surprising that Klaus in all his so-called villain glory had taken in a young boy.
"I was by no means perfect in doing so and seeing how he is today I don't know if I should have a child. Perhaps this child would be better off without me." Klaus admitted turning his head away.
"Hey." Caroline reached out and touched his arm, drawing his attention back to her. "No child is better off without their parent. My dad was not perfect but I would give anything to have him back. Having a father in your life, it matters." She offered up a teasing smile. "Even if that father is you."
Klaus looked at her in wonder, there were times when Caroline's tongue was so sharp it felt like she was cutting him down and there were others where the words that left her lips made him feel a warmth he wasn't used to feeling. This was one of those times as he felt a warmth spread throughout his chest.
"If you think you made mistakes with Marcel than maybe this is your chance to correct them by not repeating with your own child. You can be the kind of father you always wanted. The kind of father every child needs." Caroline smiled encouragingly at him, hoping her words meant something.
Klaus clasped his hand over hers that was on his arm, her hand small and delicate beneath his own. "Thank you." His tone quiet and intimate making an intense feeling that Caroline wasn't ready to look at too closely come over her, instead, she smiled genuinely at him.
Klaus walked through the house. It was early and he could hear Caroline already awake in her room but he could hear her on the phone talking with that quarterback Rebekah fancied and decided to let her have some privacy without him eavesdropping on her calls. He passed her room and walked to the one Hayley was occupying and entered the room silently, he took notice that she was still asleep. He moved toward her bag, reaching into it withdrawing the vial of wolfsbane. He opened it and lifted it to his nose, smelling it.
"I didn't use it." Hayley had awakened from her sleep.
"Clearly. Caroline is alive and well." Said Klaus with a harsh tone. "And she will stay that way." The threat was clear.
Hayley swallowed, she wasn't sure what he was more angry about her trying to get rid of the baby or the fact that if she did she would have been killing Caroline.
"You're awake," Klaus stated, still gripping the vial in his hand.
"I could barely sleep all night." She complained. "This house is like a freaking swamp sauna." She sat slowly up in the bed, watching Klaus warily as he moved to stare out the window.
"What stopped you? You could have been free of this... of me." Klaus didn't turn away from the window.
"You mean other than the fact that if I had followed through with it that you would have killed me if Caroline ended up dead as result of me getting rid of the baby?" Hayley replied. "Yeah, well... Caroline really knows how to lay into someone when she's pissed."
Klaus felt himself smiling because wasn't that the truth but it was one of his favorite traits about her. She refused to back down from anyone, including him.
"And when she protected me from those vampires before Rebekah showed up even though I'm pretty sure she'd rather just kill me herself. She was protecting me because she believed the baby's life mattered. When we fought off those vampires, when I fought them off, I..I realized I wasn't just protecting myself. Maybe it has to do with the fact that my birth parents gave me up, and my adopted parents kicked me out or that Caroline reminded me how selfish I was being. All I know is push came to shove, and... I realized I wouldn't let anyone hurt it." Despite all the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy, she felt something for the baby she carried.
"I'm beginning to think we're a lot alike, you and I." Klaus turned from the window. "We're both castoffs who have learned to fight when we're backed into a corner."
"Well, we're backed into a corner now." She stated.
Klaus moved toward her. "Ah, that we are. It's time to fight... little wolf." He placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it in warning. "But make no mistake if you ever do something that results in Caroline being killed. I will skin you alive as soon as the child is born." His tone was dark and gravelly. It wasn't a threat it was a promise. Klaus backed away, deliberately slipping the vial into his pocket, moving to leave.
Hayley swallowed thickly the icy fear that slid down her spine at the promise in his words. There was no doubt in his mind that Caroline was just as important to him as taking back this city seemed to be. "This whole thing with Marcel - the deal you made with the witches, trying to take him down, take what's his - Rebekah told me that you two loved each other like family. What happened?"
"I made Marcel everything that he is. I treated him like a son. And when my father chased me and my family from New Orleans a hundred years ago, we believed Marcel was killed - we each mourned him, in our own way." Klaus told her. "Yet, when I returned, I found not only had he survived, he had thrived. Instead of us seeking us out, instead of sticking together as one, he made a choice to take everything my family had built and make it his own. Now, he is living in our home, he is sleeping in our beds. That 'M' he stamps everywhere... it's not for 'Marcel'. It's for Mikaelson'. I want it all back and if I have to push him out to get it, then that's exactly what I'll do. I'll have someone see to the air conditioning."
He turned leaving her room, pausing just outside her door, listening for Caroline, he could hear she was finished with her call with the Quarterback and walked back toward her room, pushing the door open, and knocking lightly.
Caroline looked up from where she sat at a desk at the far end of the room.
"I heard you on the phone. How are things back in Mystic Falls?" He wondered.
"Everythings apparently fine." She paused. "Well fine for Mystic Falls standards anyway."
Klaus watched her closely the way her mouth pulled down into a slight frown. "Then what's bothering you."
"Nothing's bothering me." Caroline denied looking away from him.
"Caroline." Klaus walked further into the room, taking a seat on the edge of her bed, facing her where she sat in the desk chair.
"It's just Stefan said he'd look after my mom while I was gone except now he's not taking my calls. And according to Elena, he left some time ago." Caroline paused. "It just seems pretty suspicious that he would take off without telling anyone."
"Perhaps he didn't want to see Elena and Damon happily together," Klaus suggested, though he could care less for the doppelganger's drama with the Salvatores.
"Maybe," Caroline said, though she was unconvinced. "It still worries me though and now I'm worried about my mom staying safe. I shouldn't, she's capable of taking care of herself. I'm probably just worrying about nothing."
Klaus understood that she was worried about her mother, unlike him she seemed to have a good relationship with her mother. He could understand why she was worried with how often the people around the Salvatores and Elena ended up as casualties her concerns were valid. "You still talk to her once a day, don't you?"
"Yeah. She seems to be doing well at least." Said Caroline, hearing her mother's voice was always a great assurance that she was safe.
"I'm sure if things change, she'll tell you," Klaus said in an attempt to lessen her worries.
"Well, in any case, I have Matt keeping an eye on her. He said he would call if he ever thought she might be in any serious danger." Said Caroline.
"I could send someone to protect her," Klaus suggested.
Caroline smiled at the offer. "It's a nice offer but I rather have someone I know and can trust. I can't just trust my mother's life with just anyone."
Klaus nodded and sent her a smile before turning to leave however he paused at the sound of her voice calling out to him. "Klaus?" He looked back to her, waiting. "Thanks for listening."
"You can always talk to me." He told her with an intense look before pulling her door shut as he left and standing just outside her room. He wondered how angry she would be if he turned someone with the sole intention of assigning them to bodyguard detail for Sheriff Forbes. In any case, he could handle her anger if she found out. He added it to his mental list of things he needed to do.
He turned hurrying down the stairs only to meet Rebekah as she entered the front door. "You were right. The girl, Cami, she's the key." She declared. "Marcel likes her and because of that I got to see the secret weapon of his that you've been going on about."
"Well, don't stand on ceremony. What is it?" He asked growing impatient.
"It's not a 'what', it's a 'who'." Rebekah clarified. "A girl, Davina. She can't be more than sixteen and I have never felt power like that."
Klaus jaw clenched. "A witch."
"She's not just any witch, she's something I've never seen before, something beyond powerful and now because of you, she has Elijah. Who knows what she could do to him." Rebekah feared what the witch was capable of doing to Elijah.
"Where is she?" Klaus growled.
Rebekah stopped to think and was unable to recall where she had been when she encountered her. She looked at Klaus confounded. "That clever bitch. I don't know."
"What's wrong?" Klaus couldn't see how she couldn't remember.
"She wiped my memory of the location," Rebekah said angrily. "Marcel possesses a weapon bigger and more powerful than an Original and you handed our brother to him! How many times will Elijah forgive you? How long until his hope for your redemption finally dies?"
"I did what I had to do! Marcel took our home!" Klaus snapped at the accusations and blame she threw at him.
"And our home is worthless without family." Rebekah declared. "I am finding Elijah - whatever it takes. Are you going to help me?"
Klaus looked at her, his shoulders tense, the muscles in his jaw tight with tension, his look grim. "Whatever it takes."
A/N: I just want to clarify that while there may be a few jealousy issues in this story. There will be no Klaus, Caroline, Hayley triangle or Klaus, Caroline, Cami triangle. This is a Klaroline story within the first season of Originals storyline with my own added twist and turns to the plot line.