Our Family

Authors Note/Disclaimer: Obviously I do not own Originals, that credit is due to go to the writers/creators.

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Before you read, note that this timeline is different and human.
Niklaus and Caroline would be 37ish.
Rebekah, Kol, Davina and Marcel 24.
Lizzie, Josie and Hope 7ish.

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Summary: Despite how it all came to be, they were the perfect family.

One Shot

He remembered that night vividly, the sirens, the yelling, the crowd of people and there in the middle of it they stood crying and clutching each other as though they were alone. He was almost certain that was how it seemed. People had bustled around them, not once paid them close attention as they attempted to control the fire raging in the distance.
He had pushed people aside, ignoring Caroline calling his name and stooped down to their level. He remembers the way they clung to him, heads buried in his shoulder.

In that moment he knew he would do absolutely anything for them, he would destroy anyone who brought them harm; he would shower them with everything they needed just to bring them an inch of happiness. They deserved the world, especially after the seven years of darkness and pain they endured.

Caroline had joined him moments later, and when their eyes connected he knew that she understood. From that moment forward their life had changed, it wouldn't be them alone anymore. It would be the four of them. By wanting to be with him, she would have to accept that he was going to now be raising two distressed and tormented seven year olds.

He remembered the way she placed a hand on his back, her right hand lightly running through Kol's hair. Her words had stunned him, the way they were nothing but honest and filled with love.

"I'm with you, no matter what."

That night had been the start of their future, and this right here was their present.

"Lost in your thoughts."

Klaus looked down as his wife came to join him on the back porch, her right hand trailed across his back as she came to stand at his side. "Sweetheart." He acknowledged her presence, his eyes still focused in the distance. His love for Caroline was endless, he truly adored her. She'd been with him since they were seventeen, and in twenty years they had only experience one rough patch, although it had been the worst time and led to their six month separation. Those six months had led into another difficult time but it only sharpened their need for each other. He was incredibly lucky to have her by his side.

"What plagues your mind?"

Klaus angled his head, looking down into her eyes. "Nothing to concern yourself with." He merely chuckled when he saw her raised eyebrow, challenging expression. It was clear that she didn't believe him. "Twenty years." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his body. "Who would have thought that we'd be here."

Caroline leaned into his embrace, her arms snaking around his waist. "I did." Out of the both of them, she was the one who always believed they would stay together. Whatever challenges they faced could be overcome. "Come inside, Marcel and Rebekah just arrived." She grabbed a hold of his hand before he could protest and dragged him back into the house.

"Daddy! Look what Bex brought me."

The moment Klaus stepped through the French doors he found himself surrounded by the family, apparently congregating in the kitchen. His eyes were on Hope, who showed him a silver necklace with her name engraved. The seven year olds eyes were filled with joy. "It looks beautiful, Hope." He smiled at her, gently squeezing Caroline's hand as his gaze flittered though the room.

At seventeen years old, he had left home and lived in a small apartment with Caroline. He hadn't associated with his family in years, distancing himself because of the hatred he felt for his parents once he discovered the truth of his identity. Over the course of twenty years they had slowly filtered back into his life. Rebekah and Kol being the first when he became their guardian seventeen years ago, it seemed like a life time ago that he made the decision to raise them as his own. To bring them up knowing love and family, not pain and loneliness. It was only three years later that word got around that he had taken in his siblings; Freya was the next sibling to arrive on his doorstep curious to know what had occurred. She'd been in South Africa completely cut off from her family; no one had known where she was or how to reach her. Married to Keelin and for once happy with her life.
Elijah had appeared roughly two years later, and that had been hard for Klaus, incredibly difficult. The twins had been twelve and reaching a period in their lives as they transitioned into teenagers. They had trouble adjusting and finding themselves, Elijah had taken it upon himself to question Klaus's motives as a parent. To say the start of him coming into the fold was difficult was an incredible understatement. The man had at one point threatened to take the twins, and that caused hostility.
Davina, Kol's first and only love. She joined the family a mere three years after Elijah arrived back. Kol had been fifteen when he first laid eyes on her, and while Klaus seemed cautious at the start, he merely wanted Kol to be happy.
Davina was how Rebekah met Marcel, six months later and those two hit it off immediately. It was one thing to see Kol with a girl, another to see Rebekah with a man.

"Daddy."

Klaus felt a tug on his hand, tearing his eyes away from his family, he found Lizzie staring at him with wide eyes. She was his most emotional child, and it was clear in her eyes that she could sense his state. "Honey." He let go of Caroline's hand and lifted the recently turned seven year old into his arms, her arms snaked around his neck and he closed his eyes, breathing in her scent, taking a moment to draw calmness from her.

Rebekah and Kol had turned were sixteen and a half when he and Caroline separated for six months, no one new those six months would be life changing. That Caroline would wind up pregnant with twins, twins to another man. During that time he'd met Hayley, they'd conceived Hope who was a few weeks younger then the twins. However Alaric had died in a car accident caused by his alcoholic state when the twins were two. Hayley though was still a part of their family now married to Elijah of all men. It seemed utterly insane that they had three children between them that were not theirs together but after weeks and months of coming to terms, they both agreed things were perfect the way they were.

"Hey." Caroline voice found his ear. "Are you alright?"

Klaus opened his eyes to look down at her. "Yes, more alright then I've ever been." He wrapped his free arm around her, bringing her close to him. "I love you."

"And I you, Klaus." She looked at the family in the room. "Now, I believe Rebekah has an announcement."

Klaus turned to look across the kitchen to the woman who was pouring herself a glass of wine; it was hard to believe that she was now a twenty four year old woman, no longer the seven year old he had carried crying to his car that night. "Ah, what kind of announcement?"

Rebekah bit her bottom lip, turning to look at Marcel briefly. "Well…Uh, Kol you go first." Rebekah threw her brother in the deep end.

"Hey, you…" Kol pulled Davina closer to him.

Niklaus looked down at Caroline a smirk twitching on his lips; amused by nature of the two he called his first children. "I believe they both have an announcement." He placed Lizzie back on the floor, taking the drink that Hayley held out to him. "Well, Kol, what do you wish to tell us?"

Kol glared at his sister. "Uh, well, Nik…Davina's pregnant."

"And Marcel and I are getting married." Rebekah quickly inserted before trying to shrug it off like it was not a big announcement. "Congratulations D."

Niklaus leaned down, face pressed to Caroline's hair as he tried to hide his laughter. Both of them feared he would disapprove, yet it was quite the opposite. He was incredibly happy for them. Besides he knew this was coming. "Shall I mess with them love?"

Caroline hummed slightly in response, she knew that Klaus loved those two like this own. They had no reason to fear his reaction.

"Caroline, can you believe this? They are only twenty four."

Caroline hid her smile at the words, and at the faces of both Kol and Rebekah. "They are both still in college Klaus."

"I know, my dear. College that we paid for, has that gone to waste?"

Kol was the first to speak. "Uh, Nik, I wouldn't drop out. We are going to work around it. Promise."

"It's just a wedding; it won't take over my education." Rebekah vowed to him.

Josie pointed her finger at her father. "Daddy, don't be nasty."

Klaus merely smiled at the child. "Don't fret, sweetheart. Daddy is quiet happy for your brother and sister."

Rebekah almost dropped her glass. "Wait…you're happy for us?"

Klaus nodded. "Of course, Bekah. I've known this was coming for some time."

"Does this make you a Grandfather?" Freya asked teasingly.

Klaus glared at her. "Absolutely not." He told them all sternly. "Uncle Nik will do fine."

Despite raising both Rebekah and Kol, referring to them as the three girl's siblings, he never expected them to call him father, though he knew they viewed him that way. He only wanted them to be happy; he would treat this child as his grandchild, love them and protect them. However Uncle Nik would be his name, and it was more than enough.

"Congratulations." He pulled Davina in for a hug, releasing her after a few moments before shaking Kol's hand and pulling him into a hug. "I'm happy for you, don't you ever think otherwise."

"We didn't want to disappoint you."

Klaus pulled back, eyebrow raised. "You could never disappoint me." He told them both quiet sternly before walking over to Rebekah and Marcel. Grasping the latters hand in his firmly. "I have told you this once before, and this will be the only time I will repeat it. You treat her right, or I will hunt you down."

"Daddy!" Hope and Josie scolded in unison.

Klaus chuckled at their voices but his glare on Marcel remained stern. "Welcome to the family…officially." And then he turned to Rebekah pulling her into his embrace. "You need not fear, as long as you are happy I will be too."

"I love you, Nik."

"I love you, Rebekah."

Caroline broke the silence between the rest of the room. "Now, unless there is anymore announcements, I say we enjoy dinner."

Klaus released Rebekah, listening to the quiet murmurs of congratulations as they all filed into the dining room. Left alone was Caroline and Klaus; he turned to her and pulled her into his embrace. "My love."

"I believe you are mine." She leaned up and kissed him. "We have the perfect family do we not?"

"We do."

Thoughts?

Just a light fluff one-shot

Much Love. x