Chapter 14

Author's note: This is the chapter that will end my story. I know it has been ages, maybe a whole year since I have posted and I am terribly sorry to all of my readers. The basic explanation to my procrastination is that I got a new job and became terribly busy. Unfortunately, I also lost some interest in this season of The Originals. (Too much Ester, Finn, and Kol, it's just not doing it for me). I don't want to leave this story open ended so I am attempting to finish it.

This chapter starts at the safe house we've seen in the show.

Caroline was hold up in a safe house. Their previous plans had been quashed so many times it was hard to count. She was holding Hope for a few minutes while Haley went to the bathroom. When Klaus came bursting through the doors, she startled. He had been holding back recently, ever since she came back. She was a fixture in his home and was welcomed by Elijah and surprisingly Haley. But he was absent, working hard to get his child back, which she understood, but when he came to bed at night she often found him flipping to the side. She would lie there and look at the back of his head, wishing that he would turn around, and just hold her. It had become abundantly clear to her that he had other things on her mind and that she was not necessary to the currant equation of his life.

He came towards her with the same abruptness. "Change of plans" he muttered.

She sighed a deep sigh, but before she could say anything, she heard Haley from behind her, "Again?" the she-wolf muttered. They were all defeated. So exhausted by Klaus' constant barrage of enemies.

"What's the problem this time?" Elijah questioned, ever ready for conflict and trouble.

"Well it would seem that our dear mother has had a success as of late. Rebekah is no longer a Vampire. She is now a human witch."

"So how has that changed the plan? Rebekah was barely a part of it." Haley questioned.

"Well Haley, I don't trust the plan anymore since Rebekah is under the spell of our mother. She could potentially tell her everything…. Including—" his eyes shifted to Caroline holding his daughter. They were full of despair; Caroline squeezed Hope closer to her chest. Haley walked over to her daughter and Caroline passed the baby to her mother.

"I am afraid—"

"No" Haley cried. "No, I can not give her away again. I just got her." The young mother sobbed into her baby's perfect head.

Caroline, Elijah and Klaus all moved to another room allowing Haley to have a moment with her baby.

"Hope needs to leave, because Rebekah knows the location of our safe houses, I understand that," says Elijah, " but does it have to be now. Give Haley some more time with her daughter."

"I wish I could," muttered Klaus, "but it is not safe in New Orleans".

"Who is going to take her?" They heard Haley ask from the other room.

There was a slight pause, a knowing silence between the vampires. No one said anything.

"Well?" Haley demanded, "Rebekah took Hope away before. Who will take her now?"

Klaus couldn't look at her. He couldn't lift his eyes to her own. He couldn't ask. So she spoke up.

"I will," said Caroline. Klaus gritted his teeth when she spoke. "I will take her." she said more resolved, "that is, if you are okay with it Haley."

Haley looked at Caroline for a hard moment before she nodded swiftly and walked outside with her baby.

Elijah followed her, leaving Klaus and Caroline along together.

"Caroline" he muttered. "I am so—"

"Don't" she said angrily, "Don't. It's what needs to happen so I'll do it."

He walked to her and grabbed her face lifting it to his own and pressed his lips hard to hers. She moaned into his lips and put her arms around his neck. He dipped her back and kissed down her neck. She jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist. He brought her upstairs and laid her down on a bed. He kissed up her legs, making her quiver, slowly he moved towards her face and he looked deep into her eyes. "This isn't goodbye forever Caroline."

She pulled him towards her lips and replied with a soft voice, "It never will be Klaus".

They spent the night together one last time. Reveling in each other, and when they went to sleep, he held her close to him. She was surprised when she awoke alone. Her bags were packed, which saved her an annoyance, but she had wanted to be next to him this morning.

She got up and put one of Klaus' shirts on. The sun had not come up yet, and she wandered through the house searching for him. She found him in the living room, sitting in an armchair, holding his sleeping baby close to him. He looked up and smiled at her.

She waved a little, and moved towards him. He shifted Hope from his lap onto his chest and Caroline sat on his lap, leaning against him, staring at his daughter.

"Sorry, I wasn't there when you woke," he whispered in her ear. "I heard her crying from Haley's room and I just wanted some time with her before…tomorrow."

"Oh Klaus, never apologize for wanting to care for your daughter." She reached up and kissed him lightly on his forehead. "She is with out a doubt your greatest achievement."

Klaus' hand was resting on Hope's back and Caroline reached up and put her hand on his. She could feel his heart beating in his hand, and Hope's beating beyond that.

That was how Haley found them the next morning, all asleep in one oversized chair. Klaus was holding both of his girls. She smiled. She knew she was leaving her baby in good hands.

Caroline woke up again, this time against Klaus. She nuzzled into him for a second. With her eyes closed she started to plan the next few years of her life. She would start where she had previously. Taking Hope to Mystic Falls was a gamble, but she knew she would need help, from Bonnie especially. And once she had a witch cloaking her, she would find a small cottage, somewhere secluded, maybe with horses, where she and Hope could live without the fear of enemies. Without vampires and hybrids and werewolves. Maybe for the first time since Stefan had come wandering into their old town, she would find peace.

Klaus would return one day, for his baby, with Haley. And they would be able to start again. One thing Caroline definitely had was time and if it took a year or a century, she knew he would come back to her. With that thought on her mind she opened her eyes. She didn't see Klaus staring back at her. All she saw was Hope. The little girl was awake and smiling back at Caroline. The little baby reached up and touched Caroline's face, and Caroline broke into a smile that would radiate in Klaus' mind for years to come.

Fin