Hey y'all! So I am back with a new fanfic and yes I know I have a million that aren't completed, but I'm working on them, so rest assured :) I hope you guys like this one! I sure do! Oh, and for what it's worth, I already know how this one is going to finish so that's a good sign ;)

Title: Bargaining with the Ex

Summary: Caroline Forbes is down on her luck and is in need of some money, so she goes to her ex-husband. When he agrees to help, Caroline will either agree to his proposal or walk out yet again.

I would like to thank Mia for the lovely cover that she made for me and I do not have a beta, so pardon me if there are any mistakes or grammatical errors.

WARNING: Domestic abuse and alcohol abuse is mentioned!

Enjoy!

Caroline stood right outside her former husband's office building and she crossed her arms over her chest because she didn't want to be there. She didn't want that ungrateful son of a bitch believing that he was right in his assumption that she would come running back to him when things got tough, but the blonde now understood that he was right.

With a loud sigh, she gave herself a short pep-talk before she entered the building and walked to the security desk.

"Name?" The security guard questioned, not even bothering to look at her.

"Caroline Mikaelson," she responded, cringing inwardly at having to use the asshole's last name.

"Mikaelson?" He asked, the surprise evident in his voice.

"Yes," she answered quickly before looking away.

"Very well," he said before he reached for the phone.

"Who are you calling?" Caroline wondered once she looked back at him. The crease in between her eyes deepened and a frown formed on her lips.

"I'm calling Mr. Mikaelson's assistant." He clarified.

Caroline heard a woman's voice on the other end of the line and her hands clenched into fists because one of the reasons why their marriage fell apart was because of him continuously cheating on her.

A couple of minutes later, the security guard disconnected the phone call and looked up at her.

"Go right ahead, Mrs. Mikaelson." He told her.

The blonde smiled gratefully and ignored his use of her ex-husband's last name before she made her way over to the elevator.

As she tapped her feet on the marble floor, she felt the anxiety overwhelm her because she simply wasn't ready to see him after three years, but as soon as the elevator doors opened, she entered and pressed the button that would take her to the tenth floor.

When the elevator doors closed, the blonde leaned against the wall and shut her eyes before she inhaled and exhaled a couple of times. Before she could start freaking out, the elevator dinged and she exited.

She walked further into the corridor and turned a corner before she spotted a redhead sitting at the table just outside Klaus's office. With a final deep breath, she walked over to her with her head held high.

As soon as Caroline got near her table, she cleared her throat in order to get the secretary's attention, but she didn't seem to hear her or better yet, she seemed to ignore her boss's former wife.

"Are you going to do your job or file your nails?" Caroline asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Hm?" The secretary asked, finally looking up at her.

"Is Klaus in?" Caroline wondered tiredly.

"He's busy." She told her and Caroline could tell that the bitch was lying to her.

The blonde nodded before she walked past the secretary's desk and made her way over to the door.

She knocked on his door and in a couple of seconds, he responded by telling her to come in.

Caroline entered his office and looked right at him. He was facing the window and he had his arms crossed over his lean, but muscular chest.

"Klaus," she said, her voice serious.

He turned to face her and she noticed the smirk on his face. Immediately, Caroline felt like walking out of his office, but she couldn't because she was growing desperate.

"What brings you here, love?" He asked smoothly as he walked over to the mini-fridge and took out two bottles of water.

He handed her one and them and then removed the cap from his own before he took a long sip.

When Caroline didn't say anything for sometime, his eyebrows furrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest.

Caroline noticed that he looked a lot healthier than when they were together. The suit that he wore was well-fitted and his face wasn't as hollow as she remembered it to be. His usually short hair was now a lot longer and curlier and he gained some weight that gave him a sort of glow.

"You look healthier." She told him even though she wasn't in his office because she wanted to make polite chitchat with him.

"I feel healthier," he agreed.

"And here I thought that you drank yourself into a stupor." She said, a hint of malice in her voice.

Caroline knew that she was angry with him because she knew that she wasn't enough to make him happy during their marriage. The blonde tried her hardest to be supportive of him because she was madly in love with him, but she soon realized that enough was enough and she had to leave him before he broke her completely with his unkind words and abuse.

When the blonde was brought out of her thoughts, she noticed the dark look in his blue-gray eyes, but she didn't dare flinch.

"Why are you here, Caroline?" He questioned, the darkness still evident in his eyes.

"I need help."

"And you thought that I would help you because we were once married?"

"Well, yeah..." She admitted.

"Are you in some sort of trouble?"

"Financially, yes." Caroline told him.

"So you are here because you are hoping that I will give you some money to get on?" He questioned and she spotted the amusement in his eyes.

"I shouldn't have come." She told him immediately as she turned away from him.

As she took a step towards the door, she felt his hand on her wrist and felt the heat radiating off of his palm.

"You came this far, love… The least you can do for yourself is see how it all plays out."

"I don't need you laughing in my face after you decline to help me, Klaus. I came here because I don't have much of a choice, but it isn't like I want to be here."

"I'm not a monster." Klaus said as his eyes narrowed. "I can feel empathy for a person even if she happens to be my former wife."

"I'm sure you're ecstatic that now you can fuck around without feeling guilty about cheating on your wife." The blonde snapped even though she tried to keep herself from saying anything of that sort.

"If you want me to help you, you shouldn't be talking like that." Klaus warned, his eyes emotionless.

"You're right," she shrugged.

"Thank you," he sighed before he walked over to the sofa and sat down.

"But just so you know, our marriage fell apart because of you. I wasn't the one getting drunk every night and fucking some bitch that caught your fancy that specific evening. I stayed faithful to you even though you didn't know the meaning- I'm sure you still don't."

"You don't know anything about me!" He shouted as his hands clenched into fists and he took a step forward.

"You're worse than I thought." She hissed. "You were going to raise a hand at me for speaking the truth."

"I was not." Klaus told her, shaking his head furiously.

"You were," she said. "Just like you did when you were drunk out of your fucking mind."

"That was a bad time in my life, but I'm over it and I will never again raise a hand on a woman."

"Good for you," she spat, her voice laced with malice and disgust. "I don't need your help by the way- I'll find another way to make ends meet." Caroline added as she walked over to the door.

As she was reaching for the door knob, he grabbed her and pushed her against the wall.

With a gasp, she looked up at him and felt the shiver run down her spine because she believed that he would hit her.

Klaus kept his former wife against the wall and he noticed the scared look in her eyes and immediately removed his hands from her. He took a step back, but they were still close enough that he was able to reach for her should she try and make an attempt to get to the door.

"You're afraid of me." He said as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Shouldn't I be?" She questioned, the vulnerability evident in her voice. The Brit could tell that she was thinking of her life while married to him and he inwardly kicked himself for not remembering what it is that he did most of the time.

"Caroline…" He started, his voice gentle and genuine.

"I'm sorry that I wasted your time." Caroline told him as she moved towards the door.

He put his hand on her wrist and stopped her advancement. The blonde inhaled a deep breath before she looked back at him. She didn't say a word and when she didn't move he went behind his mahogany desk and took a seat in the black chair.

"Take a seat," Klaus said as he motioned towards the chair opposite him. "We have a lot to discuss."

Caroline looked over at him with uncertainty, but she nodded before she moved forward and sat down on the chair opposite him.

"Tell me what happened and then we can come up with some sort of agreement."

"Okay, but just so you know- we are not friends and we never will be acqaintances because I don't see how that's possible."

"I'm fine with that." Klaus reassured her even though it wasn't the truth.

"Good," she nodded. "Now, I'm here because I got laid off."

"But I thought you were one of the school's most important assets."

"So did I..." She sighed heavily. "But I guess I was wrong." She quickly added, hiding the feeling of worthlessness that was creeping up on her.

"Are you looking for another job then? In a different school, perhaps?"

"I don't think I'm going to go back to being a teacher which is one of the reasons I'm here."

"Meaning?" He wondered as his eyebrows furrowed in curiousity.

"It doesn't matter."

"Actually it does, because I am not about to give you money if I don't know what you will be spending it on."

"You can't control me." She told him as her voice went up a notch.

"That's true, but I do have the right to know where my money goes."

"Okay, okay..." She sighed heavily. "I've always loved baking-"

"I know," he admitted as he remembered how she tried to make him happy by baking his favorite cookies and pie.

"Mhm," she whispered.

"So then you want to open a bakery?"

"Yes, I do." She responded as a small smile appeared on her lips because of the images in her mind.

Klaus noticed how the blonde's eyes shined as she thought about the bakery that she wished to open and he couldn't help but smile to himself. He obviously knew that he was a terrible husband to her when they were married and he wanted to get back into his good graces, but he knew that if he would give her the money, she would walk out of his life yet again until she was able to return her debt.

The Brit put his index finger under his chin and he thought about what he could do and his eyes widened when something came to mind.

"What?" Caroline wondered, noticing the widening of his eyes.

"How much do you want this bakery of yours, love?" Klaus asked her even though he already knew the answer.

"I want it a lot." She admitted, a genuine look in her eyes that cemented the fact that she truly did want to open up a bakery that she could call her own.

"Then why don't you ask your parents for help?" He questioned even though he was just about ready to hand her the money for something in return.

"My parents are currently traveling, Klaus. I don't want them worrying about my financial situation while they are doing what they always wanted to do now that they are both retired."

"Okay," he said.

"Okay?" She wondered as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I will give you the money." He told her.

"Really?" The blonde questioned as her eyes widened in surprise.

The business man could tell that his former wife believed that he would turn down her cry for help and was surprised at the sharp turn.

"Yes," he nodded. "On one condition." He quickly added, shortly after.

"You have my attention." Caroline told him as she shifted in her seat and eyed him hesitantly.

"I will help you financially if you give me an heir." Klaus told her, his exterior completely cool and collected.

Caroline's eyes widened as she stared at him, struck speechless.

Holy fucking shit, the blonde thought.

There you have it! So, shall I continue, or should I just quit even though I totally don't want too?

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~Hana :p