you've begun to feel like home

Synopsis: Rebekah, Henrik, Hope. Three times Klaus touched the stomach of a pregnant woman.

I. Rebekah

"Can I touch?" Niklaus asked tentatively, clearly fascinated by the rounding of her belly.

"If you are careful," she said, smiling. "You shouldn't disturb your little brother or sister more than necessary."

Niklaus looked in concern to her side, where Kol was taking his nap.

She chuckled. "Not that brother, I mean the brother or sister in here." She rested her hand on her belly.

In awe, her son knelt before her and reached out to lightly put his small hand on her stomach. Nothing happened for a moment, and he seemed almost disappointed, when suddenly she felt the baby move inside her. Eyes wide, Niklaus looked at her belly in wonder, no doubt having felt the movement too.

"He or she can feel you're here," she told him, teasing a bit. "They must recognize their big brother."

Klaus nodded, his expression almost comically serious on his young face. He slowly pulled his hand back to press it against his heart.

"I hope it's a girl," he confided to her, glancing briefly at the sleeping toddler curled up next to her.

"Do you?" Esther asked, curious. "Well you know if you have a little sister you'll have to take good care of her, don't you?"

Niklaus nodded emphatically. "I'll protect her. I won't let anyone hurt her."

She smiled. "I'm sure you'll be a great older brother then."

Niklaus beamed with pride and smiled back at her. After one last look at her swollen belly, he hurried out of the door, no doubt off to look for his own older brother.

.

.

.

II. Henrik

"Mother, may we touch?"

Esther looked up. All three of her youngest children had entered the room. Niklaus was clearly the leader of their little quest and Rebekah clung to his hand, while Kol peeked at her from the older boy's other side.

"Just for a moment," she said, indulging them. "then I must return to making the meal for tonight." And Mikael might return later, but she did not mention that.

Niklaus nodded and moved forward, tugging his little sister along. The three of them settled down at her feet, Kol and Rebekah turning to their older brother for guidance.

"Just put your hand on Mother's belly gently," Niklaus said. "Here I'll show you, 'Bekah."

He reached with the hand that was still intertwined with Rebekah's and carefully put it on Esther's belly. Kol looked on curiously.

"Ah!" Rebekah almost pulled away, startled as something moved under her palm. She looked back at Niklaus.

"That's our little sister or brother," Niklaus told his sister solemnly. "You were like that too once."

"Me too?" Kol piped in eagerly.

Niklaus paused, considering his younger brother. "I don't know." He admitted, a small frown on his face. "I was too young so I can't remember."

"Oh." Kol's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Esther smiled. "All three of you were once small like this and I carried each of you until you were strong enough to come out."

Three wide-eyed faces stared up at her in wonder.

"Nik as well?" Rebekah asked her. Kol looked surprised too. Their brother was more than a head taller than them after all.

Esther nodded, amused at their childish fascination. "Niklaus, and even Elijah and Finn a long time ago."

That caused another moment of contemplation for the youngest two, Rebekah's small hand finding Niklaus' once again. They seemed to be holding hands quite often these days, even when Mikael was around.

She shifted, trying to get to a more comfortable position. "Now you three better run along, I must focus on preparing the meal."

Niklaus nodded and quickly stood up. "Let's go find Elijah," he told his siblings.

They brightened at that and Kol ran out of the room, while Rebekah and Niklaus followed after him at a slightly slower pace.

.

.

.

III. Hope

"Do you want to..?" Hayley made a vague gesture to her stomach.

In the doorway, Klaus tensed up for a moment before moving closer and kneeling on one knee before her. His eyes flickering to her face for permission, he tentatively reached out his hand.

Hayley's belly was warm where he touched it and as if responding to his touch, he felt something shift. He drew in a surprised breath.

"Did you feel that?" Hayley asked, laughter in her voice. Without meaning to his lips turned up into a smile to mirror hers.

His daughter. He could feel her move, could even hear her heartbeat if he focused, beating strong and steady. Some days he almost couldn't believe this was really happening.

Suddenly he became aware of Hayley watching him, a slight smile on her face. He pulled his hand away quickly.

"Well, I'll leave you to your secret letter then," he said, leaving the room in a hurry. Pretending he didn't notice the way his hand curled up as if to keep hold of the warmth he'd just felt.

A daughter. He was having a daughter. Somehow, he couldn't stop the smile that came to his face.

.

.

.

A/N: This is just pure fluff and I don't even have an excuse, I just felt like writing kid!originals, so here we are.

A/N: Edited 31/8/2015.