#kausxoc

Katie took a deep breath and let it out through her nose. “Fine.” She turned her attention to her cereal and focused on eating it before it turned mushy. When she was done with it she realized that Klaus had said questions, plural. “What other questions did I not answer?”

“In the car, after we visited the church, you were thinking hard about something. I wanted to know what you were thinking about, but you do not have to tell me if you don’t want to.” He replied then pushed his empty plate away.

“I was thinking about me and Damon.” She answered, making him cross his arms over his chest with a frown as he watched her stare at her plate pushing a kiwi slice around with a fork. “When we were together he asked me to be his moral compass, help him make better decisions, but…it didn’t work because I couldn't be what he needed me to be and he never listened anyway. He wanted me to make him a better person and I failed."

"But with you…I’m changing you even though that was never my intention and we both know I’m not fit to be anyone’s moral compass.” She sat the fork down and looked across the table at him. “Elijah and Rebekah have both said that I’m what you need, that I’ll help Elijah redeem you. I thought they were full of it until I saw you reach out and help people that it would be super easy for you to write off and turn away from. I don’t understand it. How can I be your redemption when I’m not good?” she explained then shook her head and blinked out of her thoughts. “I’m over thinking what doesn’t need to be over thought.”

As Klaus watched her finish her strawberries and kiwi’s he thought about what she just told him and when she was done he spoke up. “Elijah puts too much pressure on you.” she just sighed and pulled her feet up into the chair and rested her chin on her arms folded on top of her knees. “You inspire me to be a better man just by being who you are…loving me in spite of my flaws and making me want to be worthy of you and your affections.” A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips, she felt the same way about him. She wanted nothing more than to earn the invisible crown he had placed on her head. “Affections that I hope will grow when I keep my promise to you.'' He stood up and pulled tickets out of the inner pocket of the jacket he was wearing. “Feeling up to a visit to Mystic Falls?”

Her eyes instantly brightened. “You’re serious?”

“Damon has informed me that Katerina Petrova is human and on her deathbed.” he told her with a devious smirk. “All the more reason to make the trip.”

An excited laugh left her smiling lips as she launched herself from the chair into his arms that caught her and spun her around. “You’re. Freaking. Awesome.” She told him between kisses and he laughed when she pressed her lips to his in a final lingering kiss then pulled back. “I have to call Caroline and Elena.”

She rushed off to the bedroom where her phone was charging and called her friends. After excitedly gushing on the phone with her friends she found Klaus sitting on the patio couch on the balcony and straddled his lap, holding the sides of his neck as she looked deeply into his eyes. “I love you.”

“That, My Queen, is what I aspire to hear every day.” He told her as he cupped her cheek in his hand then kissed her deeply.

TVDTVDTVD

The two of them sat side by side in the economy class seats of the plane. Katie stared out the window at the blue sky and white puffy clouds below. “I’m not complaining, but I’m surprised you didn’t spring from first class seats.”

“First class and business seats have dividers between them. We wouldn’t be able to see or touch each other and this is our first flight together.” He explained as he slipped his hand over hers that rested on the armrest of the seat. “So I bought the third seat to give us more space.” He said with a motion to the empty aisle seat. Katie just smiled at him and slipped her hand over her stomach. “How is our princess today?” he asked when he saw her hand move the slightest bit from the baby’s kick.

“Squirmy.” Katie answered. “I’m not sure she likes the turbulence.”

“Hang in there for a couple more hours, Little One.” Klaus told the baby as he placed his hand over Katie’s and pecked her on the cheek.

A sweet looking old lady across the aisle smiled at them having overheard their conversation in the close confinements of the plane. When Katie noticed the woman asked, “How far along are you, hun?”

“Twenty four weeks.” Katie answered with a small smile, not bothered by the woman’s curiosity.

“Oh, a little over half way there. Is this your first?” She asked with a look between Katie and Klaus. Deciding to go with the simple answer Katie nodded. “A little advice, don’t bother wasting your time packing a huge bag to bring to the hospital. They will have everything you and the baby need there. My granddaughter packed half her house and only ever touched the clothes she packed to wear home and the cute clothes she packed for the baby.”

“That’s good to know. Thank you.” Katie told her genuinely grateful for the advice. The woman smiled and gave her a nod, letting the conversation fall.

“Are we planning on having more?” Klaus asked her quietly, the question of if this was their first, kick starting his thoughts.

“Would you want more?” Katie was a little surprised at his question.

“I’d never thought about it until now.” he answered.

“Then let’s see if we can manage to bring this little one into the world safely before we discuss the possibility of more Mikaelson rugrats.” She answered with a small smile that he returned then pecked her on the lips.

When the flight was over the lady wished them luck and happiness in their future endeavors. It was the first time Katie had felt something even close to normal since becoming pregnant, like she and Klaus were just your average, everyday, happy, expecting couple.

TVDTVDTVD

“She pretended to be buried in a tomb for 145 years while I waited for her lying ass.” Katie and Klaus heard Damon say as they let themselves into the boarding house. “Wait, does that beat pretending to be Elena and kissing me on the front porch of your old house?”

“Don’t think so.” Jeremy answered as they followed the voices and the smell of bourbon to the library.

“I don’t think so either, damn.” They walked in as Damon threw back a shot. “Quarterback go.” Not seeing them he held a shot glass out to Matt who failed to come up with a reason to take the shot quick enough. “Think on that. Little Gilbert?” Damon held the shot glass out to Jeremy and his eyes landed on Katie as Jeremy took it from his hand.

“She fed me to Silas and I died.” Jeremy threw back a shot and picked up another. “Then she made me crash my car into a pole and left me for dead, again.” Jeremy and Matt then noticed her and Klaus.

Katie walked over and picked up a shot glass. “She snapped my neck, killing not only me but my unborn child.” She smelled the glass missing the taste then passed it to Klaus who took the shot.

He set the glass down then picked up another one and held it up. “On the night I planned on sacrificing her she stole the moonstone, ran, and then proceeded to evade me like the slippery little snake she is for over five hundred years. Cheers.” He threw back the shot and set it back down on the table.

Matt picked up a glass. “My sister’s dead because of her.”

“Yes, she is because I wouldn’t have even been in town to turn Vicki into a murderous vampire if I wasn’t trying to get Katherine out of a tomb she wasn't in.” He handed Matt and Jeremy glasses and motioned Klaus to the table as he said, “Group shot.”

“Seriously?” Katie heard Elena say and turned around to see her and Caroline walk into the room. Excited to see them she ran over getting embraced by her two friends, all of them laughing, happy to see each other again. “There’s someone else who’s missed you.” Elena told her as they let each other go.

Katie followed Elena and Caroline’s eyes to see Bonnie step into the room with a smile on her face. “Oh my god, Bonnie?” Katie asked in shock. “You’re alive?”

Bonnie nodded, her bobbed off dark hair moving as she did. “I’m alive, kind of.”

Katie ran to her and threw her arms around her, happy to find that she wasn’t a ghost. “You’re alive.” Katie laughed with happy tears on her face.

“And you’re pregnant.” Bonnie said with a laugh as she pushed Katie back and looked down at her small, but clearly protruding stomach.

“And…” Katie started as she and Bonnie walked over to stand in a circle with Elena and Caroline, “Human.”

“What?” “Did you find another cure?” “Come again.” Elena, Caroline and Bonnie asked at the same time.

“Mystical side effect of a supernatural pregnancy…nature finding a balance and all that.” Katie answered.

“But you’re still wearing your daylight ring.” Elena pointed out.

“I’ve gotten a little attached to it.” Katie shrugged.

“How long are you in town for?” Caroline asked with an excited smile.

“Uh…we haven’t discussed that part.” Katie said with an unsure look behind her to Klaus.

“Don’t look at me, Love, those were open ended tickets.” Klaus answered.

“Well, we can’t leave New Orleans under Marcel’s control for too long so…four days?” Katie asked Klaus.

“Things are calm back home, why not make it a week?” he proposed, making Katie smile.

She looked back at her friends, “Then I guess I’ll be here for a week.”

“So he’s staying?” Jeremy asked, making everyone look at him to see him looking at Klaus.

“Look, I know he’s tried to kill Elena in the past.” Katie started as she walked back over to the middle of the library.

“Did kill Elena, technically.” Klaus corrected with a wrinkle of his nose.

Katie deadpanned at him over her shoulder, “Not helping.” Klaus smirked and held his hands up in surrender. She looked back at Jeremy, “As long as Tyler Lockwood steers clear we shouldn’t have any problems. That is if Tyler is still here.”

“He’s not. I haven’t seen him since we broke up.” Caroline spoke up as she walked over to the table of now refilled shot glasses. “Did you know your dad’s here? My mom got a call about mysterious activity at your house and when she went to check it out your dad answered the door.”

“Marcel mentioned it, but Bradley failed to tell me he was leaving town.” Katie answered as she watched Caroline grab a shot glass.

“We were toasting to all the horrible things Katherine’s done, right?” she asked and everyone hummed a positive answer. “Tyler’s werewolf curse got triggered because of her.” Caroline said, then threw back the shot making Katie remember that Katherine compelled a girl to attack Tyler so that he would kill her and trigger his curse so Klaus could have someone to sacrifice.

“If anyone is drinking to Katherine’s last days, it’s me.” Elena said as she walked over and grabbed a glass. “She impersonated me, repeatedly.” She threw back the shot then picked up another one. “Made Aunt Jenna stab herself in the stomach and cut uncle John’s fingers off.” She threw back the next one.

“He might have deserved that.” Jeremy spoke up and everyone, even Elena agreed.

As more shots were poured and toasts made, Klaus made himself comfortable in an armchair and pulled Katie down to sit in his lap, drinking Katie’s shots for her whenever she made a toast.

“Klaus followed her to Mystic Falls and because of that, we lost Jenna” Elena toasted.

“And Alaric.” Damon added.

Soon the bottle was empty and Matt left to get another. “She tried to kill me at least twice.” Elena said.

“She did kill me.” Caroline countered then thought about it. “Although I’m weirdly better off.”

“At least she killed you for a specific reason.” Katie spoke up. “Which now that I think about it was for you to sacrifice along with Tyler.” She thought out loud with a look at Klaus then shook her head as she got back to her point. “The message she gave you, “game on” actually made sense while I got, “You’re welcome.” I still don’t know if she thinks she saved me from teen motherhood or if she killed me for you.” Katie said with a motion at Damon.

“If that’s the case, he blew it.” Klaus spoke up.

“Yeah he’s good at that.” Elena added with an eye roll and Katie looked at Bonnie and Caroline with curious eyes. Caroline mouthed that Damon broke up with her and Katie bit her lips closed keeping her comments about Damon being an idiot to herself.

“So where is the dying doppelganger?” Klaus asked.

“In Stefan’s room.” Damon answered then threw back a shot. Klaus patted Katie’s thigh asking her to let him up so she did.

“Don’t kill her?” Katie asked, making him stop and look back at her with a questioning look.

“And end her suffering too soon?” he asked back with a smirk. “I’m just going to talk to her.” he told her feigning innocence.

“Uh huh, sure you are.” Katie told him with a quiet laugh and shake of her head.

“By all means, have at it.” Damon told him with a wave in the direction of Stefan’s room and as Klaus headed to torment Katherine, Katie sat back down in the chair. “Rumor has it she burned down the entire city of Atlanta once.” Damon said getting back to the Katherine hating.

“All right. Knock it off or take it somewhere else.” Stefan said as he walked into the room. “You guys are being insensitive.”

“Come on Stefan, don’t let the sight of a frail, human, Elena look-alike cloud your memories of the manipulative psycho that she is.” Damon held out one of the last two shots to his brother.

Stefan took it. “In 1864, Katherine moved into my home, compelled me to love her, seduced my brother, fed us full of vampire blood, and then started a war with the town that got us killed.”

“Exactly, bottoms up!” Damon said then threw back a shot.

“But centuries before that, she was just an innocent girl who was shunned by her family. So for 500 years she lied and manipulated and did whatever she had to do to survive and she did. She’s a survivor, right? So that’s the girl that I will drink to today. Cheers.” Stefan threw back his shot.

“Please, one night of hot sex with her and you’re brainwashed?” Damon asked.

“What?” Elena asked.

“What?” Bonnie asked with a confused blink.

“And just like that, morning sickness makes a comeback.” Katie chipped in with a disgusted face.

“Oh, my…” Caroline said then looked at Elena. “I forgot to tell you. You were kidnapped and hostaged and…”

Katie looked at Elena, “You were taken hostage?”

“We really do all have a lot of catching up to do.” Caroline complained.

“The bottle’s empty I should probably-” Stefan started, but Damon grabbed the empty bottle and stood up.

“That’s why you never send a bust boy to do a man’s job.” He said as he turned around. “Nadia, the devil’s spawn.” He said, making them all notice a tall beautiful brunette standing in the doorway of the library. “Hey Caroline, did you remember to tell Elena that?”

Katie looked at Caroline to see her face palm. “I think my mind just exploded.” Elena groaned as she stood up.

“Katherine’s daughter is still alive?” Katie asked Caroline who nodded then dropped her hand.

“Katherine’s upstairs.” Elena told Nadia then took a shot.

“Actually, I’m here to see all of you.” Nadia replied as she walked into the room. “Although, I don’t know who you are.” She said with a point to Katie who just flicked her wrist at her in a wave not bothering to introduce herself. “I found a way to save my mother and I need some help.” Damon pretty much told her to go to hell. “I figured as much. Which is why I found that old safe your brother spent his summer drowning in and buried it on this property with your friend Matt inside of it.” Katie stood from Klaus’s lap now completely interested in what this woman had to say. “Oh, without this.” She held up one of the two resurrection rings like Alaric and John used to wear and set it on the table she was standing next to. “Volunteers?” Nadia asked.

Elena and Stefan volunteered and left with her. Caroline, Bonnie and Jeremy volunteered to search the property for Matt.

Katie found Klaus messing with a passed out Katherine’s head and tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. “You’re welcome to join me.” Klaus told her, not getting out of Katherine’s head.

“Um, maybe later if we have time. I need your help with something.” He gave her his full attention. She jerked her head for him to come downstairs. “Katherine’s daughter is apparently still alive and has taken Matt. She buried him in a safe somewhere on the property. Will you help find him?” she asked as they came into the library.

There was no way he could say no to the worried look in her eyes. Even if Matt was just a useless human to him, he meant something to Katie. “Of course.” He motioned her to the front door and as they walked away Katie heard Damon make the sound of a cracking whip. Katie rolled her eyes and kept on walking. When they got outside they saw Bonnie, Jeremy and Caroline walking off to the left of the house. So Katie and Klaus went to the right.

It didn’t take too long before Klaus could hear Matt’s distant cry for help, wrapped his arm around Katie then whooshed them to the mound of dirt covering Matt, who Katie could now hear screaming inside the safe. In a little under thirty minutes Klaus had uncovered the safe and broken the door open. “Klaus.” Matt huffed as he stood up and saw his rescuer. “Never thought I’d be saying this to you, but thank you.”

“Thank Katie.” Klaus replied with a smirk then jerked his head in the direction of the house.

Matt looked at Katie as they started walking back to the boarding house. “Thank you.”

“Matt, I hate most of the humans in this town. You’re one of the two that I don’t hate.”

“Who’s the second?” he and Klaus both asked.

“Sheriff Forbes.” Katie answered.

“What about Jeremy?” Matt asked.

“Is he human now?” she asked, a little confused. “I mean, he’s come back from the dead twice, he was a hunter and he can see dead people. I kind of don’t count him as human, but if you do then he’s the third person on the list.”

When they got back to the boarding house they found out that while everyone was gone Nadia had broken Damon’s neck. No one knew what she’d done, but no one seemed to care because Katherine was still lying in Stefan’s bed, slowly dying.

TVDTVDTVD

Later that night, the two of them sat in the Salvatore living room along with Caroline, Jeremy, Bonnie and Matt listening to Bonnie explain to Katie how she was both alive and dead at the same time because she was the anchor to the other side. Elena was upstairs with Katherine. “So this anchor thing, does it mean that you’ll, like, be able to feel Katherine’s death or whatever?” Matt asked Bonnie.

“I think so. I mean, she’s human, but she’s also a doppelganger and a traveler apparently.” Bonnie answered and Katie made a mental note to find out what a traveler was.

“So who else do you see over there?” Matt asked. “Anybody I know?”

“I see lots of people.” Bonnie answered. “My grams, the other witches…Vicki.” Katie looked at Matt to see that he looked like he was about to cry. “I just don’t talk about it, you know, it just…” Bonnie shrugged then looked over her shoulder as if someone was there then laughed and looked at Matt.

“What’s happening?” Matt asked.

“She’s here. She said she loves you.” Bonnie answered, then looked behind her as if she were listening to Vicki.

“Wait, what’s happening? What am I missing?” Matt asked.

“Me.” They all looked at the doorway to see Tyler standing on the front landing with a duffle bag in his hand, his eyes trained on Caroline.

“I think that’s our cue to call it a night.” Katie said as she stood from the couch and held her hand out for Klaus who took it and stood up.

“No.” Caroline said as she stood up and glared at Tyler. “He’s the one that needs to leave.”

Tyler then noticed Katie and Klaus and his eyes widened before he looked back at Caroline. “They told you.”

“That you tried to murder my best friend’s baby?” Caroline asked, clearly pissed at him.

“Hybrid baby.” Tyler argued. “The hybrid part is important considering he can use it to sire hybrids without Elena’s blood. I bet they left that part out of the story.”

Caroline looked back at Katie who was standing beside Klaus, his arm wrapped around her waist. Caroline bit her lip in thought then looked back at Tyler. “It’s still just an innocent baby, Tyler. The baby of someone you used to consider a friend before you became so hell bent on a revenge mission that is turning you into a completely different person.”

“He killed my mom, Caroline!” Tyler yelled at her, making Katie roll her eyes.

“And I’ve killed twelve witches and a carnival worker!” Caroline yelled back. “Elena killed a hunter and a waitress, Damon and Stefan have killed countless people, but I can guarantee that none of them have attempted to kill a baby!”

Damon walked through the front door with a bottle of bourbon in his hand and Tyler turned to look at the pure rage in his wide blue eyes. “Get the hell out of this house.” Stefan came in and walked around the two guys.

“What the hell do you care? She’s sleeping with your enemy now.” Tyler told him with a glare.

“There is one big difference between you and all of us that Blondie left out.” Damon told him as he walked over to look down at Tyler. “We love Katie and that baby, hybrid or not.” Damon jerked his head for Tyler to look behind him. When he turned around he saw Caroline and Stefan standing behind him, veins popping under their reddened eyes. Bonnie held Jeremy’s crossbow loaded with a stake, aimed at Tyler’s chest and when Tyler looked at Klaus he saw the veins under his red and amber eyes. When he looked back at Damon, Damon smiled with a hiss showing off his sharp fangs. Tyler pushed his bag higher up on his shoulder as he walked around Damon and out of the open front door.

When he was gone they all turned to see Katie with tears pooled in her eyes. “Holy shit.” She laughed and wiped her eyes. They all smiled at her as they made themselves comfortable around the room. Katie and Klaus remained standing.

Damon walked over to her and leaned down looking her in the eyes. “I told you I would always love you.” he pecked her on the forehead then looked at Klaus and pointed at him with the bottle in his hand. “Don’t screw it up like your brother did, otherwise we might have to try to kill you again.”

“Try being the key word.” Katie said with a smirk as she cut her eyes up at Damon who looked down and returned the smirk.

“Katie.” Bonnie spoke up and Katie looked at her to see her looking at the fireplace a few feet away from where she and Klaus were standing. “Your mom’s here.”

“What?” Katie asked with a look back and forth between Bonnie and where she was looking.

“She wants me to tell you that she loves you, she’s happy you’ve listened to your heart and keep it up kiddo.” Bonnie told her.

Katie smiled and looked around the room, “I love you too, mom.” She looked at Bonnie. “Thanks.”

To lighten things up Stefan looked at the table behind the couch in the parlor and said, “So we’ve really gone through four bottles of bourbon today?”

“Oh my god.” Bonnie whispered.

“Alaric?” Jeremy asked as he turned around and looked behind the couch.

“Ric’s here?” Damon asked.

“Where the hell have you been?” Jeremy asked Alaric, “I thought you bailed on us to go find peace or somethin’.”

Bonnie and Jeremy laughed a little. “He’s talking about me isn’t he?” Damon asked.

“He…says you’re a dick.” Jeremy answered.

Katie noticed Bonnie’s face fall before she said, “Katherine.”

“Ding-dong. Does that mean the witch is dead?” Damon asked, making Katie smirk at him and Stefan nodded.

“Well I say that’s a cause for celebration.” Caroline spoke up with a cheerful smile. “I say tomorrow night we throw a party to celebrate Katie’s return and Katherine’s death.”

“Hell yeah.” Damon said as he held up his bottle and everyone else agreed that it was a good idea.

“Will there be karaoke?” Klaus asked, making everyone give him a confused look and Katie gave him a glare.

“Isn’t Karaoke kind of cheesy?” Damon asked, voicing everyone’s thoughts.

“Oh come on, don’t tell me none of you know abo-” he was cut off when Katie put her hand over his mouth and he started laughing.

“Ignore him.” Katie said with an embarrassed smile and red cheeks. “Karaoke is cheesy and should be nowhere near me.”

Klaus pushed her hand down and looked at her. “How is it possible that you’ve been friends with these people for nineteen years and they don’t know that you can sing?”

“You can sing?” Caroline asked with raised brows and a smile.

“Nope.” Katie answered evasively and Klaus rolled his eyes at her.

“See for yourselves.” Klaus pulled out his phone, pulled up a video and handed it to Caroline.

When “The Good Life” by Three Days Grace hit her ears along with her voice singing the lyrics Katie turned and punched Klaus in the shoulder. He leaned away from her and rubbed his shoulder with an open mouthed laugh. “You didn’t tell me you recorded me.”

“Because you would have deleted it the first chance you got.” He argued.

“Yeah and as soon as I can get my hands on your phone I will.” She told him.

“I’ll just have Elijah send it to me again.” He told her with a devious smirk letting her know that Elijah had recorded her too.

“Okay, it’s settled.” Caroline said as she tossed Klaus his phone back. “We’re having Karaoke.”

“No.” Katie begged.

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I agree with Barbie.” Damon said and everyone else agreed.

“I was humanity-less and drunk when I did that.” Katie reasoned. “Now I can’t be either.”

“Come on.” Bonnie told her with a smile and a tilt of her head. “When was the last time you let loose and had fun with us? Besides, you may not be able to get drunk, but I’m sure everyone else in the place will be.” Bonnie pointed out. “Speaking of place, where are we having this party? We can’t have it here considering there’s a rotting corpse upstairs and Tyler’s is out of the question.”

Everyone looked at Katie and Klaus. “Our place it is.” He said with a look down at Katie who nodded in agreement then covered her yawn with the back of her hand. “Which is probably where we’re about to be heading.” Katie nodded, still yawning before she dropped her hand.

“It’s only eleven thirty.” Stefan of all people pointed out.

“I woke up at five thirty this morning to catch a flight here.” Katie defended. “And Baby M. likes her sleep.” Katie held her hand up over her shoulder and Klaus placed his hand in it. “Good night everyone.” They all chimed their goodnights as Katie and Klaus left.

When they got to the mansion they went straight to Katie’s room, got dressed for bed and she crawled between the clean sheets with a sigh. Not quite ready to go to sleep, she laid on her side with her head on Klaus’s shoulder thinking about her first day back in Mystic Falls. How Damon called Klaus whipped, how Klaus helped save Matt even though he didn’t like Matt, how amazing it was that Bonnie was back and the fact that all of her friends stood up to Tyler for her.

“I may have withheld a certain bit of information when I told you about my reasons for wanting to fly you here.” Klaus said quietly and Katie propped her head up with her elbow and hand to look down at him. “You are good at pushing back and ignoring the things that weigh you down, but I could see that missing your friends was getting to you. Then, when we learned of Bonnie’s passing, it got worse.” He reached over and brushed his fingers down her cheek, running his thumb along her cheekbone. “So when Caroline called and told me about Bonnie’s return to our side and asked me to fly you here I couldn’t say no.”

“Even though my friends have tried to kill you several times in the past?” she asked with an amused smirk. “And they did kill two of your brothers.”

“Yes, well, they also stood against Tyler for you and our baby today. So I’ll take that as a sign that the days of them plotting against us Mikaelson’s and shunning you for having something to do with me are over.” He let his hand slip from her face.

“After they turned their backs on me I thought I’d never be able to call them friends again, but seeing them stand together tonight and tell Tyler to get lost…It was a little overwhelming.” She told him, sounding lost in thought.

“Just goes to show how much we’ve all changed over the past year.” He pointed out and she realized that it really had been a year since she and Klaus first slept together.

“Wow.” She whispered at the thought. “We’ve been together for a year now, I mean, I was out of it for three months of it but I still count it.”

“And I look forward to many more years spent with you by my side, Little Phoenix.” He told her then pecked her on the cheek thinking she was too tired for more.

But she placed her hand on the back of his neck, stopping him from pulling away. “Thank you for planning this trip for me.”

“So you’re not upset that I withheld information and worked with Caroline behind your back?” he asked then pulled puppy dog eyes.

She placed a lingering kiss to his lips that caressed hers then pulled back and gave him a smirk. “No. I’m not mad you worked with my best friend to surprise me even though I usually hate surprises.”

“Good, now get some sleep before you pass out.” He told her with a look at her heavy eyelids.

“Sir, yes, sir.” She sighed, making him chuckle as she cuddled into his side, using him as a body pillow and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

TVDTVDTVD

The next morning after breakfast Katie and Klaus drove to her house and found a Honda accord parked in the driveway. Klaus parked behind it and killed the car. Katie got out then noticed that Klaus didn’t. “Are you coming with me?”

“No, Love, I think this will go down better if I’m not around to intimidate him.” he replied with a closed lipped smile. “But I’ll be close.”

“I know you usually don’t because you respect my privacy and all, but will you eavesdrop, just in case something is off with him?” she asked and he nodded.

With a huff she shut the door and walked up the sidewalk to the front door, raised her hand and knocked. Her father’s eyes went wide when he saw that it was her. “Scarlett.”

“Hi.” She said with an awkward flick of her wrist.

“What are you doing here?” he asked when the shock faded and he stepped aside for her to come in.

“I could ask you the same question.” She pointed out. “One minute you’re taking me to the eye doctor and the next Marcel is telling me that you went home to Virginia. Not to sound like a bitch, but why the hell didn’t I get so much as a see you later?”

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I wasn’t intending on staying. I was just coming to get some things out of the basement.” Katie gave him a look that asked him to keep talking. “But when I got back I ran into Liz and we started talking and rekindled an old flame.”

“So you’re moving back because of Caroline’s mom?” Katie asked with a scrunched up face.

“I was planning on coming back and telling you goodbye.” He told her with a shake of his head.

“Goodbye?” Katie asked with a glare. “After all of that I want to be a family, please allow me to be a part of your life bullshit you spouted?”

“I do want to be a part of your life and my grandchild’s.” He argued. “I don’t have to live in New Orleans to do that. Besides, you don’t need me. You’re all grown up with a family of originals who would rip the head off of anyone who so much as threatened to harm a hair on your head.”

Katie sighed and let her head fall forward as she scratched at the back of her neck. “I’m sorry.” She told him as she looked back up at him then around the living room they stood in. “So you and Sheriff Forbes huh?” she asked with an odd look on her face and her father nodded. “Weird, but whatever floats your boat I guess. Let’s just hope she doesn’t turn you to the other team like she did Bill.” she joked and he just shook his head at her.

“Hey while I’m thinking about it, what happened to my roll top desk?” he asked as Katie moved to the front door.

She placed her hand on the doorknob as she thought about it. “You mean the one with your hidden will in it?” she asked rhetorically. “I moved it to the Salvatore boarding house when Grandpa kicked me out and I lived there for a while. I don’t know what happened to it after that. Ask Damon or Stefan.” She answered. “I don’t want to make Klaus wait in the car too long so I gotta go.”

“See you later.” he said as he watched her pull the door open and leave.

TVDTVDTVD

Katie stood in front of the mirrored door of the wardrobe looking at herself in the dress she’d bought for the party that had already started down stairs, someone singing bad karaoke clearly already drunk. Klaus walked up behind her taking in the floor length, royal blue, flowy dress with halter straps and an off the shoulder ruffle. “You look beautiful, just so you know.”

“Thank you.” she told him with a smile.

“Do you know what you’re going to sing?” he asked with a devious look.

“Actually, yeah, I do.” She told him as she turned in his arms. “but it might ruin your “I’m Klaus Mikaelson, fear me” reputation.”

“I think your friends stopped fearing me the moment they realized you have me wrapped around your finger.” He told her with a mock serious look.

“Okay then.” She pecked him on the nose making him smile, showing off his dimples, then grabbed his hand. “Let’s not keep the embarrassment waiting.”

When they got down stairs the song that someone was singing terribly and out of key was over so Klaus whooshed them over to the computer the karaoke machine was hooked up to in the corner of the ballroom. “Hey, I was next.” A girl complained.

Klaus turned and placed his hand on her shoulder as he looked her in the eyes. “Wait a tic, yeah?” the girl hummed and Klaus looked back at Katie. “Give me a minute to gather your friends before you start?” he asked as she nodded and started searching for the song she wanted to sing.

When all of her friends were gathered in the room Klaus gave her a nod. She took in a calming breath then let it out, hit play, stepped up to the microphone on the stand and closed her eyes. “Arms” by Christina Perri started playing and Katie started singing, “I never thought that you would be the one to hold my heart. But you came around and you knocked me off the ground from the start.” she opened her eyes and looked at Klaus “You put your arms around me and I believe that it’s easier for you to let me go. You put your arms around me and I’m home.” As she turned her eyes to Damon, Elena, Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie and Matt she noticed they all seemed impressed. “The world is coming down on me and I can’t find a reason to be loved. I never want to leave you, but I can’t make you bleed if I’m alone.” Her eyes traveled to the rest of the ballroom, packed with kids she recognized from school, but didn’t personally know as well as people she’d never even seen before. All of them had stopped what they were doing to watch her. She thought having all eyes on her would be intimidating, but it had the opposite effect and filled her with confidence. “I hope that you see right through my walls. I hope that you catch me ‘cause I’m already fallin’. I’ll never let another love get so close. You put your arms around me and I’m home.” She looked back at Klaus. “I’ve never opened up, I’ve never truly loved, ‘till you put your arms around me and became home.”

When the song was over Katie put the microphone back on the stand where she had taken it from and walked over to her friends who all said they never expected her to be able to sing. “Why didn’t you tell me you could sing like that?” Damon asked as she walked away from the group headed to the kitchen to find something non-alcoholic to drink and he followed.

“You never asked.” She answered simply as she opened the cooler sitting on the floor and found a can of coke, probably intended to be a mixer. “Just like you never asked about my poetry or what I would do if I decided not to go to med. school.” She added. “You never asked or did a lot of things that you should have.”

“Like take you out on a date?” he asked with a smirk.

“For starters.” She told him with a nod as she pulled herself up to sit on the kitchen cabinet.

“And Klaus asks and does all the things I didn’t?” Damon asked with a disbelieving look.

“Let’s just say that the first thing he did was take me out on a really nice date.” She told him then took a drink of the cold coke in her hand.

“And where does a psychopath like Klaus take a girl on a date?” Damon asked. “A killing spree?”

“He’s not a psychopath and no. He took me to an art show, bought me a painting, and then we had dinner.” She answered, swinging her legs. The action caused the scent of vervain to fill the air and Damon noticed.

“Are you wearing vervain?” he asked with a curious look.

Katie lifted her skirt and showed him the charm he had given her that she now wore as an anklet. “I’m human and therefore compellable. Thanks to you I’ve never been compelled and I want to keep that cherry from being popped for as long as possible.” Damon smirked at her. "So what happened with you and Elena?”

“I really don’t want to talk about it.” he answered but Katie just raised her brows at him.

“Turns out doppelgangers are fated to be together.” He answered with a shrug hoping it would be enough to get her to drop it.

“Since when do you let fate tell you what to do?” she asked with a frown.

“He’s lying to you.” Caroline said as she came in to refill her cup from the keg. “To quote Damon’s words to Elena, “I’m bad, Elena. I am bad for you and I’m choosing to let you go.”

“Would you get out of here and stop quoting my break up?” Damon asked Caroline with a glare.

Caroline just looked at Katie then left. “So you think you’re bad for her?” Katie asked as she pulled herself up to sit on the kitchen counter.

“You should know better than anyone else that I can’t change who I am.” Damon told her with his back to her.

“If she loves you she wouldn’t ask you too.” She told him and he turned to look at her with wide eyes. “You asked me to be your moral compass. So I know you want to change, you want to be a better man. And if any one’s moral compass points due north it’s hers.”

“I just don’t want to change her.” he told her honestly.

“She’s going to change regardless, it’s called personal growth.” Katie pointed out, making him roll his eyes. “She challenges you, just as much as you challenge her. Love is boring without the other person making you ask questions you normally wouldn’t ask yourself. I know you well enough to know that the possibility that you could change, that both of you could, terrifies you.”

“I’m not terrified.” He told her with a scoff and she gave him a “get serious” look as she hopped off the bar.

“Just get over yourself and fix things with her.” she told him as she patted him on the shoulder then walked around him into the entryway. She found Klaus, Caroline and Bonnie talking near the front door. “What are you guys talking about?” Katie asked as she walked over to them.

“Huh? Hmm? Nothing.” Caroline answered, making Katie glare at her with a smirk.

“Yeah…” Katie drawled. “What’s your major again?”

“Drama.” Caroline answered.

“Then you might want to work on your lying skills.” Katie pointed out and Bonnie laughed.

“You’ll find out in due time, love.” Klaus told her with a devious half smile that showed off his dimples.

“I’m sure I will.” she looked at him through her lashes as she stepped up to be chest to chest with him. “Good thing I trust you all.” She said then grabbed his hands, turned and wrapped his arms around her.

TVDTVDTVD

By the end of the week Katie’s three friend’s had gotten her caught up on all the drama that had been going on with everyone, Silas and Amara’s demise, the doctors at Whitmore college who were experimenting on vampires and had held Elena and Damon hostage, but Damon got them out, how Elena force fed Katherine the cure, and how Stefan spent all summer locked in a safe at the bottom of Wickery Falls drowning over and over again. Katie also got them all caught up on everything that had been going on with her and the originals in New Orleans.

TVDTVDTVD

Their last morning in Mystic Falls Klaus woke up to music playing down stairs and followed it to find Katie standing at the stove in a pair of thin cotton pajama pants and a tank top with her back turned singing along with “Superheroes” by The Script as she danced to the beat and flipped a pancake in a skillet. Klaus just leaned on the archway that led to the kitchen with a smile on his face, enjoying seeing her more relaxed than he ever had and completely unaware of his presence. “She’s got lions in her heart, a fire in her soul. He’s got a beast in his belly that’s so hard to control. ‘Cause they’ve taken too much hits, taken blow by blow. Now light the match, stand back, watch them explo-” when she turned to put the pancake on a plate her eyes landed on Klaus and she stopped mid sentence as a furious blush colored her cheeks. Klaus started laughing. “You weren’t supposed to wake up yet.” She said with a point at him with the plastic spatula in her hand.

“How was I supposed to sleep with your beautiful voice and the smell of pancakes filling the house?” he asked as he walked over to her and took the spatula from her hand.

“I may have gotten a little carried away.” She drawled with a look around her at the mess she’d made with the pancake batter, chocolate chips and powdered sugar. “With breakfast and the music.” He pushed the stuff aside, picked her up and sat her on the bar. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” He told her with a look into her eyes. “I rather enjoyed the show. I’ve enjoyed this whole week seeing you spend time with your friends, laughing and letting go. I’m kind of starting to wonder if this is where you should be calling home.”

“No.” Katie told him with a shake of her head as she wrapped her legs around him. “It’s been nice, therapeutic really, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. If you recall I was ready to get the hell out of this town with you after spending a single night with you. I’m still not sure if that just goes to show how much I hated this town, how much I already cared for you or if I was just run away and join the circus crazy by that point.” They both laughed at the last scenario. “As much as I’ve loved spending time with my friends, I’d never want to stay longer than a week or so at a time, any longer and we’d get pulled into the supernatural shit show that is always going on here when we have enough going on back home as it is.”

“You’re sure?” he asked.

“I’m sure.” She answered with a nod. “This stays a vacation house. I can already picture our daughter sitting over there at the table, munching on chocolate chip pancakes while we stand here, making out behind her back. Only for her to catch us and tell us how gross we’re being because no one wants to see their parent’s being all sappy and stuff right?”

A sparkle in his blue eyes made her realize exactly what she’d said. “Careful Little Phoenix, it’s starting to sound like you’re letting yourself think about the future.” He rubbed her sides with his thumbs over her thin pajama tank top.

“I’m dreaming.” She corrected. “It’s easy to dream when it’s just me and you away from it all and a little old lady gives me advice like I am just a normal pregnant woman, but do you seriously think our lives could be that perfect? That we could ever be anything close to normal when there is always going to be some kind of threat hanging over our heads and our daughters when she gets here?”

“We can hope.” He answered as best he could and she shook her head as her eyes fell. “It’s not always a bad thing to have hope for the future, Love.”

“I know and I’m trying.” She told him as she lifted her eyes to his.

“I know you are and you’re making progress, otherwise you wouldn’t have even let yourself dream.” he told her, making her smile and shake her head at him. “Speaking of the future, I may have had a little conversation with Caroline about a certain tv show called Say Yes to the Dress.” He said the name of the tv show with a devious look on his face.

“No.” Katie said with big eyes. “She couldn’t possibly remember the dress.”

“Oh she even knew the style number of the dress.” He told her with a big smile. “Apparently your choice surprised her enough that she found it noteworthy.”

“Caroline…” Katie scoffed with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head.

“Not that she told me given the fact that she knew you’d kill her if she did.” He added with a tilt of his head making Katie laugh at how well her friend knew her. “Bonnie said that I should get down on one knee and make it romance movie perfect because the two of you have been watching sappy romantic comedies and dreaming about the perfect proposal since you were twelve. Elena added that the ring better be huge and sparkly.”

Katie wrinkled her nose and face palmed with a laugh. “Leave it to them to make me sound like a picky drama queen.” He smiled and tucked a stray lock of auburn hair behind her ear.

“Well you did demand a very specific, very hard to find dress, so…” she just laughed and shook her head at him. “So how much truth was there in their advice?” he asked, totally serious.

“Throw all of it into the trash.” She told him honestly.

“Noted.” He told her with a smile that made her shake her head at him.

She caught his lips with hers for a slow tender kiss. When it broke she dipped her finger into the sifter of powdered sugar and booped him on the tip of his nose with it then smiled. “I love you.”

“That’s how you show you love me?” he asked with a laugh and she hummed a positive answer as she wiped the rest of it on his cheek. “Then allow me to show how much I love you.” as he spoke he picked up the sifter and took a step back and slung it at her covering her from shoulder to hip with a dusting of powdered sugar kick starting a fight that in seconds had them laughing and coated from head to toe in sticky white dust.

She yelped and slipped backwards a bit on the counter when he attacked her neck with kisses tasting her sweetened skin. Something cold and wet touched her hand making her look over her shoulder to see that they had knocked over the bowl of pancake batter. “Aww, I wasn’t done with that.” she complained as her stomach audibly growled and Klaus pulled away from her neck to see the spilled batter.

“Then we will make some more.” He told her as he helped her down off the bar and sat the bowl back up.

“We?” Katie asked at the implication that he would be helping her cook.

“Believe it or not I didn’t always have minions to wait on me hand and foot.” He told her with a smirk. “I do know how to make pancakes.” After cleaning up the spilled batter, leaving the sugar mess for said minions to clean up, Katie grabbed one of the cold chocolate chip pancakes she’d made and took a bite, trying chocolate for the first time in years. “Did you just eat chocolate?” Klaus asked with a look at the brown dotted pancake in her hand as he mixed up more batter and she nodded. “And the verdict is…”

“I like it.” Katie answered a little surprised.

“I’m guessing you had another craving.” He observed with a half smile.

“Chocolate chip pancakes specifically.” she answered as she moved to sit on the counter by the stove and watched him pour batter into the skillet then add some chocolate chips. “I figured I’d splurge a little since it’s the last day of our vacation.”

“I’m sure our little princess doesn’t mind a treat every now and then.” He said with a look at her over his shoulder. She just smiled and shook her head as she slipped down off the bar, got a glass of milk then sat down at the island watching Klaus’s backside as he cooked. He was working on the last pancake when he said, “Stop it.”

“Stop what?” she asked innocently. “I’m not doing anything.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket and quietly snapped a picture of him.

“I heard that,” he commented, having heard the shutter of the camera, “and you’re going to delete it.”

“I’ll delete it when you delete the video of me singing karaoke.” She commented and when he turned around with a smile she snapped another picture. He whooshed around the island and tried to grab her phone but she hid it behind her back with a laugh. He wrapped his arms around her, pretending to grab for the phone and started kissing her neck that still had sugar on it. They were about to get lost in one another again when her stomach growled again. He pulled away and pushed the plate of pancakes at her then grabbed her glass of milk and refilled it. “So you haven’t been bored out of your mind this week?” she asked with a look up from her plate.

“Not at all.” He answered. “However, if Damon calls me whipped one more time I might decide to remove his head from his neck.” Katie just laughed and shook her head. “You think I am kidding?”

“No, I know you’re serious, but if you could restrain from killing him for just a few more hours it would be highly appreciated.” She finished with a hopeful smile.

“He’s lucky I love you.” he told her with a half smile that showed off his dimples.

“I’m lucky you love me.” she told him then took a bite of the pancakes that were better than the ones she cooked.

TVDTVDTVD

“Are you sure you can’t stay a little longer?” Caroline asked from where she sat across the table from her.

“I’m sure.” Katie answered then looked around the Mystic Grill. “As much as I missed you guys, Bonnie was right in the letter you sent me. I don’t fit in here anymore, New Orleans is my home now. French Quarter witches and all.”

“Speaking of witches that want to harm you.” Bonnie started, then passed Katie a black container and she took the lid off of it to see what looked like three vervain or wolfsbane bombs. “Alaric talked me through making these for you.” Katie looked back and forth between Bonnie and Caroline. “It’s an herb blend that when inhaled by a witch will mute their magic. My mom’s used it on me before, it works. It’s not much, but it should at least give you a fighting chance.”

“Bonnie, I don’t kn-”

“Just say thank you.” Bonnie told her with a pointed look and a smile.

“They will be fun to get past airport security, but…thank you.” Katie told her with an appreciative smile.

“So what time is your flight?” Caroline asked sadly.

Katie looked at the time on her phone, “Klaus will be by to pick me up any minute.” She answered then put her phone back down. “Why isn’t Elena here again?” she found it weird that Elena was at their farewell lunch.

“She had a class that she couldn’t skip.” Caroline answered. “And you’re really okay with the fact that you’re missing college?”

“Yes.” Katie answered. “I mean, it sucked at first, but as crazy as it is I love my life in New Orleans with Klaus. Especially now that I’m back in contact with you guys and I don’t have to hide from everyone.”

A horn honked outside and Katie saw Klaus out front in her car that they were having shipped to New Orleans. “That’s your ride.” Bonnie told her with a smile.