your last | klaroline

hello, love

                                 your last
                           chapter three
                               hello, love

  "I don't know, really."
God, my voice sounds so small. Frail. Is that just nerves, or pregnancy?
  "I mean..." I try again, flustered. "It's a long story."
  Rebekah arches an eyebrow, shifting her weight. Her arms are crossed over her chest, her blonde curls bouncing down her shoulders. She sports black jeans and a tank top, exactly as I last saw her.
  "I've got time," she says simply. I'm not invited in. I'll have to tell her why I'm here- but not yet. I turn around, meeting the gaze of the terrified cab driver and nod. He speeds off, his brakes squealing and exhaust pouring out of the car.
  "Well, um..." I bite my lip, shift my weight. "Is it okay if I talk to Klaus, first?"
  She cocks her head, thinking.
  "Hm. Okay." She calls the maid, who promptly invites me in, her cheeks rosy and flustered.
  "Nik is in the garden. I can let him know you're here." Her words seem generous, but there's a catch. There's always a catch. "But first..."
  She walks in front of me, smiles, then glares.
  "Why are you here?"
At first, it seems like a question, but I soon realize it's not that.
  She's compelling me. I can feel the urge to tell her the truth, threatening to bubble out.
  I can let her in on a little.
  "I need to talk to Klaus," I answer, biting my tongue. She does not seem at all satisfied with this answer, so I add, "Something happened."
  She rolls her eyes, again bringing her eyes to mine.
  "Are you or your friends a threat to me or my family?"
  I can feel the words pop out of my mouth. So this is what it feels like being compelled.
  "No."
With that, she smiles almost genuinely, gesturing for me to sit on the sofa.
  "I'll get Nik. He's probably out eating another woman."
  She struts away in heels, her hair bouncing wildly across her shoulders.
  Oh no. Okay.
The pregnancy hasn't particularly hit me yet. All I've been thinking about for the past day is, I need to tell Klaus. But now, once that's finally happening, I regret it.
  I'm going to be a mother.
I'm going to have a baby. A baby. I still don't know how this is possible, but I'll take my chances and try.
  It takes everything I have to keep from crying.
Awkwardly, I glance around, tuning in to the conversation outside. Sure enough, Klaus is in the garden, talking with Rebekah. Does he know I'm here? I can pick out pieces of their conversation.
"Nik. Someone's here for you."
Silence. And a groan, coming from what is probably Klaus.
  "Who, Rebekah, interrupts me?"
I can almost hear Rebekah's wink.
  "You'll see."
Silence. And then she's in front of me.
  "He'll be down soon." She smirks, sitting down in front of me. Instinctively, my fingers wrap around my stomach protectively, but when I realize what I'm doing, I lace them neatly on my lap, pressing my lips in a firm line.
  It's almost a minute later, when I'm feeling discouraged, that a certain British hybrid shows up.
  I haven't seen him in a month- since the afternoon we conceived the child inside of me. His hair is wet, and falls in blonde curls over his forehead loosely. His jaw is firm, his eyes roaring. He raises his eyebrows.
  Covering his body is a white v-neck shirt and jeans. My heart flutters. Oh, god. Alright. Here we go.
  And his eyes meet mine.
Suddenly, something lifts, and the butterflies, the nervousness, the anxiousness all leave my body, as if peeling off a layer of negativity. An eerie calm falls over my body as I narrow my eyes, hesitantly.
  His eyes light up with understanding.
He cocks his head, as if trying to comprehend that I'm really here, and he keeps his jaw shut right, his eyes blazing.
  And then it stops. And it's calm.
  "Hello, love."
His voice. The voice that's frequented so many of my dreams before I came here. It's absolutely recognizable, like so much of his personality. His eyes look me up and down, absorbing all he can of me.
  I clear my throat, fixing my posture.
  "Klaus."
He smiles cockily, but advances towards me, his fingers trailing against my cheekbones delicately. The pads of his fingers linger a moment before he retracts his hand.
  "To what do I owe this pleasure?" He asks, attempting a casual tone. I look around the room, only to realize that Rebekah has left.
  I open my mouth to say something, but instantly snap it shut.
I don't have an excuse prepared. I can just put off the truth for as long as I can- try to distract him.
  "It's a long story." Then, almost immediately, "How have you been?"
  It's a sorry attempt at changing the subject. But, he ignores my struggles and answers the question nevertheless.
  "I've managed," he says simply, then raises one eyebrow. "How are you, Caroline?"
  The way my name rolls off his tongue makes me shiver. Caroline. It sounds like a completely different word- more elegant, perhaps. Dignified.
  "I'm good," I manage to squeak.
A smirk tugs at the corner of his lips.
I don't know what to say. Oh, God.
  Thankfully, Klaus saves my ass and asks me a question.
  "How have you been liking New Orleans so far?"
  I haven't seen any of it just yet. But he doesn't need to know it.
  "It's gorgeous, actually. I can see why you like it." I can feel my face heat up, and I look at my feet. Klaus arches an eyebrow. Clearly, he's wondering why I'm here. I don't want to answer just yet.
"What brings you here, Caroline?"
His words are simple, Elegant. And they should be so easy to answer. So why do I feel myself physically choke up at the sound of his voice?
"I need to talk to you," I manage to croak. My knees feel wobbly. His eyes are a gorgeous cerulean turquoise, piercing into my soul, my heart, and suddenly, I feel dizzy.
"Just..." I add before he can say anything, "not right now."
He seems surprised, but satisfied as he nods, sitting on the couch beside me.
"And how long are you planning to stay?"
However long it takes to raise a child. Forever, maybe.
"Im not sure."
Klaus is clearly not at all happy with my vague responses, but seems absolutely overjoyed that I'm here. He manages to suppress his joy, though, and replaces it with concern.
I clear my throat. It's getting late, and as much as I'd like to scream at the top of my lungs that I'm pregnant, that can wait for another day. Today, he just needs to know I'm here.
"Well, uh..." I start, fumbling with my fingers and standing up, "I should get going. I need to be at my hotel by 8:00. Thanks for..." I awkwardly gesture around, "having me."
Klaus tried hard to hide his disappointment, but it flashes in his eyes fore a millisecond before disappearing.
"Now, wouldn't it be more convenient for you to stay here, love?"
I sigh, running my fingers through my hair.
"I'm fine. Really. The hotel is only..."
Halfway across town. But that's okay.
"It's close. I can manage. Thanks, though."
He doesn't reply, and I take that as a sign that it's okay to leave. But just as I open the door to leave, moonlight streaming through the windows, Klaus turns to me, his jaw locked.
"Goodnight, love."
I blink. Surprised. My stomach flutters.
"Goodnight, Klaus."
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a/n: I'm super excited for them to finally be able to talk non-awkwardly sksksks