So, I know that I haven't updated this fanfiction for quite a while and I want to thank all of its readers for enjoying this story and leaving me plenty of reviews but I'm afraid that this story has to come to an end as I feel like I have been dragging it along for far too long and I wish to focus more on my other fanfictions.

I have been reading carefully your reviews for Always & Forever After and I promise you that this last chapter for the story will be one you will enjoy and treasure forever in your Klayley hearts.

Kalijah moments will also follow. I am brokenhearted that Katherine Pierce is gone for good. There is a hole in TVD now and everyone can feel it. This chapter will present Katherine Pierce (Katerina Petrova) in its glorious self with her forever loving mate, Elijah Mikaelson. Rebekah and Marcel will also have moments of happiness and sorrow to end this story.

Thank you again to all my readers for enjoying this fanfiction and rest assured that I will continue to pleasure you with my other ones I have prepared. As this is the last chapter and lots of things will happen, I am expecting many reactions from my readers and I hope to see them because this chapter begins mostly as a summary of everything that had happened in this story.

It will be a long summary but with Hayley's new perspective and how things have changed, and how she had changed her opinions and thoughts. She will also explain everything that had happened up till this moment. I have done a month time jump, just so you know. You have been warned.

After that, the story will have its ending in a spectacular way, in a glorious night, where all problems are solved. Thanks very much for reading this and for continuing to stick with my stories. Kisses! I love you all, always & forever after!

Sitting on the balcony that night, watching the city lights reflects the beauty of this city. It has been a month and my hybrid self was still alive and well with my daughter.

I slowly started remembering everything from the moment I came to New Orleans and found out that I was pregnant with Klaus' baby, how our relationship developed, how we came to love each other very much, how I became friends with my enemy, Katherine Pierce and how I managed to save Rebekah from the miseries in her love life.

I remembered how frightened I was the night I found out I was carrying Klaus' baby and how I overheard his conversation with his brother in the streets of New Orleans, without them knowing. They would never know about this, ever!

...

"It's a trick, Elijah!" "No brother! It's a gift. It's a chance. It's our chance." "To what?" "To start over. Take back everything that was lost. Everything that was taken from us. Niklaus, our own parents came to despise us. You were ruined. We were ruined. And since then all that you have ever wanted, all that we have ever wanted was a family."

I could remember all too well the anger and the harsh words of Klaus whenever he talked about me or the baby. I was lost at that point. I believed that I would be doomed to die, now that the father of my own child didn't care at all about his own baby. If it weren't for Elijah, Klaus would have been doomed to live his life without love, family or redemption.

It is him that we both have to always thank. Elijah is the one who brought us together, made us all a family. His nobility was inspiring and Katherine loved it even more as his lover. It made her feel safe and protected. I knew all too well what it was like.

"I will not be manipulated!" Klaus had threatened. "So, they're manipulating you, so what? With them, this girl and her child, your child, live!" "I'm going to kill every last one of them!" Klaus had pushed Elijah out of his way that night so brutally and forcefully that I had begun for the first time ever to feel the fear that everyone was talking about when they spoke of Niklaus Mikaelson, the Original Hybrid, the bastard who could never be redeemed.

I have proven to all those people, along with my child, that he could and he has been redeemed. "And then what? Then you return to Mystic Falls to presume your life as the hated one, as the evil hybrid? Is it so important to you that people quake with fear at the sound of your name?"

"People quake with fear because I have the power to make them afraid." I could remember my thoughts all too well at that moment. How I believed that Klaus was indeed evil and he did push people away because he felt pleasure in doing that. I had no way of knowing that the reason he he was frightening people, making them quiver with fear, was because people have done the same thing to him when he was a child, especially his father.

Not his father. That man could not even be called a father. Mikael, the Satan, the devil of all devils could not be called anything but that. He changed Klaus, isolated him from the world, made him put up a cold exterior around his heart and his life, not letting anyone in. Klaus was doing all this because he was hurt.

He had no way of knowing that pushing people away was not the answer to his loneness. It was love. "What will this child offer me? Will it guarantee me power?"

"Family is power, Niklaus! Love, loyalty, that's power! This is what we swore to another thousand years ago before life tore away what little humanity you had left before ego before paranoia, created in this person, before me, someone I can barely recognize as my own brother!" Elijah's words were overpowering.

They were very convincing, even for a lone wolf like me. "This is us, the Original Family and we remain together always and forever. I am asking you stay here, I will help and I will stand by you. I will be your brother. We will build a home here together. So, save this girl. Save your child."

For a moment, at that time, I believed that Elijah had gotten to him, that I would be saved, despite his cruelty towards me and my child before. But then came the big "No." which shook the Earth like an earthquake. I could have felt the fear inside of me, fear of dying, of losing my baby because of him and his stubbornness.

Despite everything, I heard from Elijah, a couple of hours later that he had changed his mind and that I was welcome to live with them in their home. I accepted and ended up in the coziest bed I ever slept in, dreaming and listening.

...

There was a knock, someone interrupting me from my thoughts and Rebekah entered, all dressed up in her clothes.

"Ready for the grand ball Niklaus has arranged?" she asked me, smiling. Yes, I was about to attend a ball in the Mikaelson household and I was already wearing the black dress which fit my curves perfectly. For a woman who had a baby, everyone had told me that my body was still in a very excellent shape. "Where is my little niece?" Rebekah asked.

I pointed to the crib where Kiana was sleeping peacefully. "Mommy should be ashamed of herself, letting you sleep so much when you know that you have a ball to attend to and you are not even dressed up." Rebekah told Kiana and then eyed me carefully, "Hayley, come on, you know better than that! What are you doing? The ball starts in an hour." I laughed a little.

It was so like Rebekah to make sure everything was perfect and done with even before the party began. "Seriously, Hayley we have so much to do." "Rebekah, calm down. There is plenty of time." "What were you doing?" she asked me and I just shrugged.

"Nothing much, just sitting here and thinking about how this particular life story started." "You mean from the moment we all met?" Rebekah asked, grinning. "Pretty much from the moment Klaus denied our baby's existence and then told the witches they could kill me and Kiana."

Rebekah bit her lip and then came closer, sitting down on a stool next to me on the balcony, gazing up at the stars. "That was a rough time. Elijah told me all about it but I don't see why you should be worrying about this now. Nik has been redeemed because of you and Kiana, Hayley. The two of you are his redemption and I don't know how our family is ever going to repay the two of you."

"I just want him to be happy." "Nik is the happiest man on the planet. To tell the truth, he actually freaks me out a little now. I have never seen him this happy." I looked up at the dark blue sky and whispered, "Remember that funny day when we first met, Rebekah? I was pregnant; we had no worries, going to that bar, laughing with Cami. Things have changed now."

"For the better. But I sure can remember how hard it was for me to get your attention that day. You were so tired of being cooped up in that house all by yourself. You took it out on both Nik and Elijah in your own bitchy way and that is what I loved about you from the start. I knew that slowly, we would start being very good friends." Rebekah smiled at me and I nodded smiling back, remembering that day very well.

...

"I hope I am not interrupting this family drama." At the door stood a young blonde woman, 18 with icy blue eyes. Klaus groaned and was prepared to leave but Elijah stopped him. I assumed it was Rebekah, their younger sister.

She dropped her bags on the floor and looked at me up and down before saying, "So you're the werewolf girl my brother knocked up! Oh, you poor thing!" She came over and hugged the hell out of me. She smiled as she pulled away and held my hand.

"Don't worry. I am here to help you with whatever you need. I hope my brother hasn't been too hard on you." "You have no idea." I whispered and she finally turned around and punched Klaus in the arm. "Are you torturing her the way you tortured me? Please remember that she is carrying your gift. The gift of a child, one you absolutely do not deserve!"

Rebekah told him and Klaus' face hardened in a way I have never seen before. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Elijah invited me to join you. He said you need my help and I can't believe I am going to offer it to you even after you stabbed me the back…twice." "I can't believe it either." Klaus picked up his drawings and put them away, not wanting anyone to look at them.

"Well, you better believe it. I am here to help your sorry ass, another thing you don't deserve from the person who's been by your side for more than a thousand years and have treated her poorly. I am here for Elijah's sake since he is the only person I can trust at the moment and I am here to help Hayley fit in this poor excuse of a family."

"If you are going to ruin my plan…" "Oh, no, dear brother. I can assure you that is not my plan. My plan is to make your life a living hell, and that is something you really deserve."

The funniest part as I could remember was the pestering going on in that house between Rebekah and Klaus. It was the funniest and yet the most annoying thing I ever saw. I reminded Rebekah of it and she laughed.

I was walking down Bourbon Street when I heard a voice behind me. "Hayley, wait up!" and just then, Rebekah speed herself next to me, almost giving me a heart attack.

"Please, don't do that again." I said, continuing to walk faster with her catching up. "Sorry. Old habits die hard." "Please, don't tell me that your brothers have asked you to keep an eye on me."

"Actually, they did and I am happy to do so. It will give both of us a chance to get to know each other better, considering that we're related now. Let's head forward to the bar."

I stopped and stared at her, "If you are going to start to act like your brothers…"

"Trust me! I am nothing like my brothers, Hayley. They're old and have no life. Nik does stupid things and spends the rest of his eternity suffering the consequences while Elijah picks up his scraps along the road. Like I said, they have no life! Me, I have always been considered the life of the family. You're going to have fun with me and you'll really start living. So, what do you say? Come with me to the bar so we'll have more time to chat."

I sighed and realized a little too late that I wasn't going to find a way to get rid of her, but why would I even try? She was nothing like Klaus and Elijah. She seemed nice and since I was really low on friends, I figured that we becoming girlfriends might not be such a bad idea. Smiling, I nodded and she was relieved.

Together, we headed to the Deveraux bar where Sophie was waiting there to serve us. "Hello, Hayley. How're you feeling?" "Fine, I guess. This is Klaus and Elijah's sister, Rebekah." I introduced them.

"Nice to meet you!" "Please don't tell me that Nik has wasted his time threatening you too." Sophie coughed up a laugh. "Actually, yeah! He did. Not that I mind. Gumbo on the house?" she asked me and I smiled and nodded. She went right to work. What a way to save money!

...

Rebekah coughed when she remembered the moment when she saw Marcel again after 300 years of not knowing anything about each other. I could feel her tense up because even after everything these two have been through, things weren't going well between them and that was because he seemed more interested in fooling around with Camille, even after the poisoning and Rebekah being there for him.

The memories continued to flow inside of me. My first day with Rebekah turned out to be just perfect.

...

"So, I heard that you came to New Orleans to find your family, correct?" Rebekah asked me.

"Yes. I've never met my parents. They abandoned me when I was just a baby. The couple who adopted me threw me out of the house when I triggered my werewolf gene and accidently killed someone. I was fourteen…and I've been on my own ever since. I found shelter in other werewolf packs but none of them could accept me for real because I wasn't their family and they weren't my family. I then realized that the best thing I could do was to find my real family and hope that they would accept me. I've been in Mystic Falls where Klaus claimed he knows something about my family being here in New Orleans after he saw my birthmark."

I showed Rebekah the moon on my shoulder. "I've always had it, but didn't realize that it is the key to finding my family." I explained. Rebekah nodded, paying close attention to what I was saying.

"So, how did you end up in Mystic Falls?" "Do you know Tyler Lockwood?"

"Of course I know him. He is Niklaus' first successful hybrid." "Yeah, well we met in the Appellations when he was trying to get rid of his sire bond to Klaus and I managed to help him. We became close friends and then he left. I left the pack I was with and after I heard that Tyler was currently living in Mystic Falls, I decided to drop in on him to see how he was doing now as a free hybrid. There, I met Caroline…it didn't go well and I met your brother, Klaus."

"Ah, please don't get me started on Caroline Forbes." "What? You can't stand her either?" "Every single girl she doesn't like, she calls them bitches."

"Or sluts." I whispered. "You too?" I nodded.

"Unbelievable. She called me a bitch more than three times and she also refers to me as The She Devil and Bloodsucking Slut." "Look who's talking." I mumbled.

"Exactly! I tried to be nice to her and even after I saved her from Silas' compulsion which made her cut her hands, she called me a bitch. Not to mention that she has got Klaus wrapped around her little finger when she doesn't even deserve him. He's an idiot for falling for her, really."

The gumbo came and we stopped talking about Caroline or we wouldn't have been able to enjoy eating it.

...

I sighed and laughed a little as Rebekah and I remembered the gossiping going on that day. She put her hand on mine. "We've gone very far from that and that was in the past. Our lives in Mystic Falls was the past.

Now, we get to enjoy our present and future in New Orleans." she told me and I nodded. "This ball is going to be perfect and you and Kiana are going to enjoy it."

I frowned a little as I looked at her. "I still don't understand what is the occasion. Why is Klaus throwing this ball all of a sudden?" Rebekah looked at me in the eyes and that was the biggest mistake she had ever made. I could see her trying to cover up the truth, trying to think of a good lie. And I remember her once commenting how I wasn't good at lying, but she wasn't any special either.

"Nik is simply doing this because he loves you, Hayley. He will always love you and Kiana. Stop asking so many questions and let's move on." I giggled. "I thought you said you were more interested in getting ready for the ball instead of reminiscing on our pasts in this beautiful city."

Rebekah looked up at the sky, avoiding my remark and I laughed, continuing to remember our first day together.

...

"This is amazing! I've never eaten gumbo before." Rebekah was saying and my mouth dropped. "Are you serious? It's only like the best dish in the world and made by Sophie, it's to die for!"

Rebekah licked her lips and smiled when she saw a cute blonde girl, picking up the microphone on the stage the bar had and saying "Let's heat it up with Marcel!" He walked on stage and started singing one of his favorite melodies. "The bastard." I mumbled under my breath.

"Who is the blonde girl over there? She looked like…" Rebekah was asking me. "I know. That's Camille. She's a human student who studies psychology. She's pretty nice. Don't call her Camille to her face, though. She hates it, claiming it to be a grandma's name. Call her Cami, okay? And don't worry. She is super nice and bearable unlike…you know who."

"That's good. Marcel is good too." "He is the King." I laughed. "For now. I may not like Nik right now after the way he betrayed me, but I believe that he would make a great king and it's good that he has an heir on the way."

She smiled as she stared at my stomach. "How is he or she?" "Great! I haven't felt a kick yet, though. It's been a month and a half and I'm getting worried." "Don't worry. You need to be patient." She handed Sophie back the empty bowls and we continue talking as Marcel sang.

"So, I couldn't help but overhear Klaus talking about you and a busboy." I said and Rebekah giggled. "He is not exactly a busboy. His name is Matt Donovan and he lives in Mystic Falls. I've given him a tour around the world in the summer which I think he enjoyed."

"Is it serious between you two?" "I don't know. Not yet. We're just trying to get to know each other on a platonic level right now. He considers us as really good friends but I believe it will turn out to be something more. He used to date Caroline, you know."

"I wonder why they broke up." I said sarcastically and Rebekah elbowed me lightly. "They broke up twice. First time because he found out Caroline was turned into a vampire, by Katherine Pierce." "Katherine? Boy, she sure loves ruining other people's lives." I exclaimed, amazed.

"Yeah! She's a pain in the ass. And the second time, they broke up because Caroline was starting to have strong feelings for Tyler after she helped him deal with his werewolf self."

"Wow! Lots of information dropped on you." "Well, I've lived in Mystic Falls for quite some time." "So, Klaus doesn't like this Matt Donovan, does he?"

"No. He believes that he is not good enough for me. He claims that he is just taking advantage of my crush on him for a free trip around the world, which is not true. I can say the same for his relationship with Caroline. She is just using him and he refuses to believe that."

Rebekah filled me in on a lot of things when we finally got to the Katherine chapter. "Did you know that Katherine turned out to take the cure against vampirism?" she asked and this time, my mouth dropped all the way.

"Seriously? I thought she was dead set against it." "Yeah, she was. But she got into this huge fight with Elena Gilbert, her doppelganger which you've heard of, and Elena shoved the cure down Katherine's throat. She is human now and she has a lot of enemies, including me, so she'd better watch out." "And me!"

"What did she do to you?"

"We met here and she promised to help me find my parents if I would act as a spy for her in Mystic Falls and get her information about the cure which I can only guess she was hoping to use it on Klaus to gain her freedom. I got her the information she needed and she didn't do anything to help me find my family, what makes it even worse is that she made one of her vampire servants come after me and kill me when she stopped finding me useful…and Klaus saved me."

I was getting so tired of everything we talked about going back to the subject Niklaus Mikaelson.

"He saved you and then what?" Rebekah took a sip of her drink as she watched me blush, turning as red as a lobster. "We had many drinks and then we…" I began but stopped and Rebekah patted my back.

"I get it. Don't worry! You don't have to say anymore. For one thing, I feel bad for you for getting involved with a person like my brother. But you are part of our family now, Hayley and we are willing to help you and your baby in any way we can."

She smiled and so did I. There was a knock on the door and Elijah came in. Rebekah stood up from the stool and went over to him. "What? Is there a problem?"

Elijah frowned a little and said, "I was hoping you would help me with my tux, Rebekah." Rebekah smiled and said, "Sure, but Hayley and I are in the middle of something now, so if you don't mind…"

Elijah raised his hands up in defense. "Alright! I will leave you girls at it with your thoughts. "I will go check on Katerina." he told her and then left the room. Rebekah came back, sitting down. "Men and their tux. Go on, Hayley. I want more."

It was so easy to talk to Rebekah. I felt like I could confide in her, something I wasn't able to do in someone for a very long time.

Like I said, I preferred to trust no one but for Elijah and Rebekah, I was willing to make an exception. As for Klaus…we were going to go through this together with no arguments whether he liked it or not.

"Nik is a good person when he wants to be, Hayley. He's just been through a lot and this pregnancy really caught him off guard. He didn't expect this." "Do you think I did? I seem to be handling the situation much better than he is."

"Give him time. Get to know him better, is my advice to you. You'd be surprised to see the real him."

Scenes flashed inside my mind that night in Mystic Falls and I remembered how caring and sweet he was and then, scenes of when we slept together also flashed in my mind and I quickly closed my eyes, trying to forget, but I somehow couldn't because for some reason, that night meant more to me than I thought. It was the one night I felt safe, comforted and happy and I was having fun challenging him and making fun of his paintings, which for some reason he seemed to enjoy instead of feeling offended.

"Hello! Earth to Hayley!" I heard Rebekah say and I snapped out of it. "Are you okay? You spaced out on me." "Sorry." "So, will you do it?" "Do what?" "Give Klaus a chance and let me stand up to him when needed?" She winked and I smiled.

"I guess…for the baby's sake, I will give him another chance." "Good. Just be nice to him and you'll surprise him and after some time, he'll respond the same. Trust me. I've been there and snapping at him and criticizing and yelling at him is not helping."

"I'll keep that in mind." Camille came over and said, "You're good at making friends, Hayley. Who is this?" "Cami, this is Rebekah. Rebekah, Cami, the new bartender." Do you know how tiring introducing people to one another gets? My mouth was dry from doing it and to think that this was just the beginning. There will be a time when I would have to introduce Rebekah to Marcel and that would not be too pleasant.

"Cheers!" Cami called and we picked up our non-alcohol drinks and said "Cheers!" as well. Cheers to the one big happy family we were going to be.

...

Rebekah nodded and smiled. "I miss those days when we were to talk freely with Cami and be friends." She told me and I frowned. "You don't mean that. You are still angry at her for being after Marcel." She nodded.

"That's true but she was always a nice girl to us, we were great friends. Until Monique decided to compel her and Matt to get New Orleans." I nodded. Monique was defeated after a long battle that shook New Orleans between werewolves, vampires and witches.

Klaus was able to maintain the peace and he finally took over New Orleans, revealing his plan to take down Marcel all along.

Marcel didn't take it very well. He and Rebekah hadn't spoken to each other after that and Marcel left town, refusing to become Klaus' second in command. As for Camille, well, after she regained her consciousness thanks to Sophie and her spells, she apologized to me for all the things she's done and I could understand that she was forced to do everything by Monique.

She was not in her right mind. She decided to take her uncle's advice and leave New Orleans with Matt to travel and live a safe human life, away from the supernatural. In case you are wondering about the werewolf legacy…no. I didn't choose to marry Jackson.

I love Klaus too much to do something like that which would lose me the man I love and my daughter. Surprisingly, the werewolves understood and decided to give me a break. Jackson was set to marry someone else, but I still remained the Werewolf Queen.

Not exactly anyway. I was still the Hybrid Queen, nonetheless. There was a knock on the door and Katherine entered, swiftly without anyone letting her in. "What do you think you are doing? You can't just barge in here like this, Kat!" Rebekah exclaimed and Katherine told her to shut her mouth.

Rebekah and Katherine have gone a long way from hating each other to tolerating each other to working together and to actually becoming good friends, but they still loved to be mad at each other and tease each other like always.

Katherine was all dressed up in a very elegant dark purple dress with her hair all curled up and ready for the night.

"Chill out, Rebekah! I just wanted to hand out with you guys. Elijah told me that you two have something going on here and I want to be a part of it." I smiled and waved at her.

"Hayley that dress is to die for!" Katherine exclaimed and gave me a hug. Katherine had been super nice to me ever since I gave her the greatest idea in her life. Her and Elijah were still very much in love and seeing me and Klaus together with our daughter kind of left the two vampires longing for someone just as little to care for and love as their daughter and son.

Elijah and Katherine were both vampires. There was no way they could have children, so I told Katherine to adopt the little werewolf girl I saved from the bayou, Rose. I was thinking of adopting her along with Klaus, but I realized that letting Elijah and Katherine adopt her, I would do them some good.

Since then, Elijah and Katherine have looked at me like I was their savior. "How is Rose?" I asked Katherine and she smiled. "You should see her in her dress. She is very adorable." "She is your redemption, Katherine."

Katherine nodded and said, "Both her and Elijah have saved my life and made it whole. I have everything I could have ever wanted and it's all thanks to you, Hayley." My heart melted. I was very flattered by this.

"Thank you for seeing me as your salvation." I whispered and gave her another warm hug. Rebekah was starting to feel left out but I pulled her into this group hug as well.

She had always wanted to be a mother as well and with Marcel gone from her life, I gave her the brilliant idea of becoming the mother of Davina, since she needed one. Davina and Rebekah have been very caring with one another and knowing that she could have this chance to be a mother brightened Rebekah's day too.

"So, now that we spare ourselves of this family drama, fill me in on what you've been doing." I shrugged. "Just remembering moments since we all came to New Orleans. How my relationship with Klaus changed, how Rebekah and I first met…" I told her and she grinned.

"Remember the day you lot found me drunk in New Orleans?" Rebekah and I both rolled our eyes and said in union, "How can we forget?" As I recall, it was a day to remember.

...

Elijah was pacing again while Katherine ate. I took a few steps forward and stopped when I made eye contact with her. "Ah, wolf girl!" she exclaimed in a croaked voice.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "What are you doing here? Facing the consequences of being knocked up by Klaus?" Elijah pretended not to have heard that. He bent down next to her and said, "Katerina, I would like to know what you are doing here as well."

Katherine bent forward and touched Elijah's cheek with her bony hand. "I came here to find you. Why did you leave me?" "I left because I had to stick with my brother."

"You could have taken me with you." "You know how Niklaus feels about you. You would have been safe in Mystic Falls." She sighed and lay back on the couch. "Yeah, safe! Maybe I would have been if Elena hadn't turned me back into a worthless human being."

"I think it suits you." I heard a voice and when I turned around, I was glad to see Rebekah's joyful face. Not even Katherine could spoil her good mood. "So, backstabber, you're here for my brother, aren't you? Didn't he break up with you? Seems to me like you didn't get the message."

Elijah gave her a hard look. "Sister!" he warned her, but Rebekah didn't care. "What, Elijah? She played with both you and Niklaus back when she was human, she showed me up way too many times, she sent a vampire to kill Hayley and if Nik weren't there, he would have succeeded. What do you have to say about this?"

She turned her attention towards Katherine. "Oh, please, give me a break!" Katherine grumbled and finished what was left of my turkey sandwich. "I say you should be grateful that Rebekah and I aren't planning on ripping you to shreds for all the horrible things you've done." I told her to wipe that smirk off her face.

Rebekah gave me a look of confusion, "Speak for yourself." she said, popping her knuckles. "Nobody will touch her." Elijah commanded. "But she…" "…deserves a second chance as we all do." Elijah interrupted his sister.

I knew that he was right. Every person deserves a second chance…except Katherine Pierce. Klaus came back a while later with his hands in his pockets. "Have you managed to get anything out of her?" he asked and placed a comforting hand on my back.

"Elijah suggests that we offer her a second chance." Rebekah spilled it all. "Katerina." Elijah whispered, suggesting that she is to say something to defend herself.

"Look, just give me another freaking chance. I've been tortured back in Mystic Falls by almost everyone. Damon, Elena, Caroline, everyone. Isn't that punishment enough?" "I don't know if you deserve to live." Rebekah tapped her chin.

"I say we vote. Who agrees to give her a second chance, and since there are four of us, I say we give Katerina a say in this too so the number will be uneven." Elijah suggested. "Very well. Let's start." Klaus said. "I say yes!" Elijah voted.

"I say yes too." Katherine raised her hand. "Obviously." Rebekah rolled her eyes. "I say NO!" she said afterwards. "I also say no. No offence love, but I'm not that fond of you. Either way, I don't really care, though." Klaus voted.

Great! I was the tie breaker. I was really confused and didn't know what to say. A part of me wanted me to punish her for almost killing me and tricking me, but the other part of me was saying that a person should not be tortured no matter how much he or she deserves it. I turned around to look at Klaus.

Rebekah was motioning for me to hurry up.

"I…" Katherine looked absolutely terrified. Klaus sensed how frightened I was and leaned forward to whisper in my ear. "Love, I don't care either way." I knew that I would betray Rebekah again but…

"I say we give her one last chance." I whispered and Katherine sighed in relief. "Oh, come on!" Rebekah couldn't believe my choice. "She's been through enough. I am tired and so is she." I said and left the living room, after seeing the delighted look on Katherine's face.

"I will never understand you, Hayley." Rebekah whispered but she wasn't as upset as I thought she would be.

"Thanks, wolf girl!" she called after me and that nickname was really starting to annoy me.

"Katerina, I would prefer you to keep your comments to yourself. Even if our beloved Hayley has chosen to give you one last chance, that doesn't mean that you will have an easy life here in New Orleans. I think that as human, you might be of greater use to me than a dead vampire." Klaus replied in a menacing tone.

...

Katherine couldn't stop laughing, but there was nothing to laugh about. Rebekah shook her head, smiling slightly. "You were such a bitch back then. I am so glad you changed your ways." Katherine shook her head and put on a serious face.

"I am still the infamous Katherine Pierce you all know. Just because I no longer show my bitchiness so often, it doesn't mean it's not still here inside of me." I nodded and pointed a finger at her.

"That's true. I know very well what she's still capable of doing." There was another knock on the door and Elijah entered with Rose and Davina by his side. He two girls were all dressed up and ready for the ball, in their dresses.

"You both look so beautiful, like princesses." Rebekah complimented them. "The ball has already begun. We must head downstairs and meet the guests, ladies." Elijah commented.

Rebekah and Katherine stood up and looked at me and then at Kiana. "Rebekah, could you please wake up Kiana and get her ready? I have her dress laid out and prepared for her in the dressing room." I told her and she nodded. Katherine frowned.

"What are you planning on doing, Hayley?" "I just want to sit here and think about things a little while longer. I am sure that it won't be a problem if I miss a couple of minutes from the ball right?"

"Yeah, but Klaus prepared this ball for you, Hayley. What is the point if you are not there?" Davina asked me and I smiled.

"It'll be fine. I just need a moment and I'll come down soon. I promise. Besides, with Kiana downstairs in her beautiful little dress, she will be the one in the middle of attention and people will even start forgetting about me." Katherine shook her head.

"I seriously doubt that." But anyway, the others made their way out, Rebekah scooping up Kiana and taking her out of the room for her dressing. I stood up from my chair and walked closer to the rail, where I could see everything.

The whole kingdom which belonged to the man I loved and will always love, Niklaus Mikaelson. I remembered that day when we first admitted our feelings to one another.

It was the day my aunt Amelia died and I was alone at her funeral after the other werewolves named me their Queen, not because they wanted to at the moment, but because they had to.

...

"Klaus." I breathed. He was standing there, in a black suit and with his own sad look plastered on his face. What shocked me even more was that he was holding a bouquet of white roses.

My heart stopped, figuratively speaking, once he started walking forward until he reached me and he bent forward and placed the bouquet of roses on the gravestone, reading Amelia- Our Now Lost Werewolf Queen. He stepped back and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me in for a warm and very comforting hug.

"What are you doing here? Katherine said that you were busy." I whispered against his chest. He rubbed my back gently and whispered in my ear, "Of course I was busy. Getting ready to come here." I pulled back and frowned slightly.

"Why would you even bother? Amelia meant nothing to you. You've always disliked her." He looked at me and nodded, breathing in my scent as he still had his arms wrapped around my waist and my hands were placed on his hard chest.

Klaus sighed and nodded, picking up my chin and making me look at him.

"Amelia was one of those people I couldn't stand…but I admired what she did for her clan, despite her antagonistic behavior towards me even when I tried to make a deal with her and agree to help her and her clan. She may not have been my family, but she was your family and you are my family, Hayley." he told me and what he said really made my heart swoon. This time, I pulled him in for another hug.

"The werewolves have agreed to have me as their Queen." "I heard. They will forgive you, love, and you will be the greatest leader this pack has ever had."

"You have to be the leader too, Klaus. You are the real King of New Orleans, not Marcel. You have to do something about this. You must take your city and your people back for the sake of this family." I said to him and he nodded.

"I want our daughter to have the best of everything and she will have, once I get New Orleans back." With that, we stayed wrapped around each other for a couple of minutes in silence, as we called paying respects for Amelia.

"I want to leave." I whispered to him and he nodded, taking me away from the grave. I didn't want to feel like this anymore. I wanted some peace and quiet in my family and no more wars. Klaus couldn't guarantee me all of that but at least I would have all the members of my family with me, to help me through this. We were walking through the bayou, when he stopped me from walking.

"Wait." he whispered. I turned around and he pulled me to him so that our foreheads were almost touching. "What?" I whispered back. "I haven't received your forgiveness for what happened yesterday." I sighed.

"Klaus, that was not your fault. Mikael was a monster and you saved both me and our daughter. You have nothing to feel guilty about and that is why I am not accepting your useless apology. You have nothing to apologize for. Trust me."

We looked each other in the eyes for a long moment until I could feel all those wonderful memories floating in my head in which we laughed, we enjoyed each other's company as well as our daughter's and we took care of each other, always as one big happy family.

He looked at me in the most intense way he ever did and ran his hand up my body from my waist and left it pulling my chin up that we were only centimeters apart. Then, I felt all of those butterflies in my stomach as my eyes closed of their own accord and I could feel his breath against my face.

I could feel him lean forward, closer than ever and I was craving him so badly at that moment. I had not realized at that point what was happening until he pressed his lips against mine. I gasped and he wrapped both his hands around my waist while my hands went up and cupped his cheek, I started kissing him back with more force and tenderness at the same time.

Then, I pulled away for one moment, shocked at what was happening.

"Klaus…we shouldn't…" I breathed, but he stopped me. "We should, little wolf." His words caught fire as he pulled me in for another kiss which was much sweeter than the last one.

We stayed wrapped around each other, our lips molding together perfectly for more than I would have hoped and when he finally pulled away and caressed my cheek, I realized what was happening between us and how he finally admitted that he felt it too.

This was special, special than anything I had ever experienced. "What…?" I really wanted to question what happened between us but he stopped me once again.

"I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you, Hayley. I can't…when I realized in how much danger I had put you through and how this was all my fault, I promised myself I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you or Kiana. I never will."

His face showed pain as he continued caressing my face and then leaned forward, pressing his lips against my neck and making me moan in pleasure at his touch. Then, he pulled back and I placed a soft kiss on his lips before we put our foreheads together, displaying our feelings for each other at last.

"I can't believe…" I began but couldn't finish over all the happiness inside me and the fact that my heart rate was growing by the second. "Neither can I, little wolf…and yet here we are, after all the hatred we used to have for one another when we arrived in this town."

I held my eyes closed as I smiled and he touched my skin in the most comforting way possible. "I…fell in love after a while…and refused to show it…until now." I whispered. I peeked and noticed his smiling just as much as I was.

"As did I, little wolf." We stayed in silence, waiting for something else to happen, but we knew that nothing would and we would stay this way forever. "Please, take me home." I whispered once we pulled apart and he gave me a devilish grin as he picked me up in his arms unexpectedly.

I screamed and then giggled as I was for sure not expecting this special treatment. I laid my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck as he held me firmly in his arms, making sure that he would not drop me.

I couldn't believe that this was happening, and that this was not a dream. Niklaus Mikaelson had admitted his feelings for me and I had admitted my feelings for him.

He kissed my forehead and closed my eyes when I heard him whisper to me, "I've got you, love. I've got you…and I will never let you go again." I knew what he meant.

...

The memory ended when I could feel warm lips on my neck and a hand, caressing mine. I snapped out of my thoughts and turned around to find Klaus there, smiling.

"Why are you still here, little wolf? Everyone is at downstairs at the party, wanting to see you in this fabulous dress." Once he said that, he took my hand and twirled me around so he could admire me in the dress. I giggled and then I ended up pressed close to his body as our foreheads touched.

"I could easily remember that day when we first realized we love each other and we admitted our feelings to one another." Klaus grinned and pulled me closer.

"You have no idea how scared I was, love. I was very much afraid that you would reject me, like all the other women have done in my past."

"I am not like other women. I've seen you. I've seen the good in you. I've seen everything there is to be seen about you. I haven't tried to change the person that you are, but to reveal your true self. Kiana is your redemption. You are not the monster people think you are and through your child, you will soon prove that to everyone, Klaus." I whispered and touched his cheek.

He kissed the palm of my hand and nodded, closing his eyes and taking in my scent while I took in his. "Come downstairs now, love. I want you to see everything and everyone." He told me and I smiled but I really had no idea what he was talking about.

"What is it that you want me to see, Klaus? I know everyone. I have seen everyone." "Not like this you haven't, Hayley. I want you to see my victory, our victory. After all this time, we have taken over New Orleans together, our rightful home, has its rightful leaders."

"Your family, the Mikaelsons." I agreed. "More than that. You and me, little wolf. King and Queen of this city." My heart stopped and I fluttered my eyelashes. "You want to rule New Orleans with me?" I asked in a whisper. He looked a bit confused at first.

"I told you, love that you would be my Queen once I took over. Why is it so hard for you to believe that we can have everything that we have ever wanted together?"

I just shrugged and shook my head. He put his hands on my waist and pulled me forward kissing me softly. I returned the kiss more passionately and he grinned.

"Maybe we shouldn't go. Maybe we should stay here." He whispered against my lips after moving to place soft kisses on my neck. I laughed and he laughed with me.

"As much as I want that, you know that we have to get downstairs. Rebekah would kill us." Klaus nodded and kissed my forehead before saying, "I know very well how my sister would react, especially since tonight is a night like no other."

"Why? What is happening tonight?" I asked him. He grinned and said, "You'll see."

My heartbeats quickened as Klaus led me down the stairs and people started clapping. "What did you tell them?" I asked Klaus and he shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about, my love. I haven't told them anything."

"Yeah right! You surely have no idea what I am talking about. Why are they clapping?" "Because you are a vision of beauty in that dress, sweetheart." I rolled my eyes.

"Very flattering, Niklaus." He looked at me and smiled, surprised that I was using his full name, instead of just calling him what anyone else who didn't care about him one bit would call him, Klaus.

I looked down and I could see Rebekah, Katherine, Elijah, Kol, Davina and Rose. I smiled at the way Kol was holding Davina in his arms. They really loved each other and Davina has been the redemption of Kol. Rebekah was more than happy to take care of her as Davina was still pretty young to fend for herself, even if she had Kol and was a very powerful witch in the city.

Davina still felt horrible for betraying Marcel the way she had. She knew that Marcel would never forgive her, but she felt proud for restoring this city to the way it was. Kol and Davina kissed and I placed my hands over my heart, giving them my blessing.

Klaus looked at me and then at Kol and Davina making their relationship official in front of everyone. I was hoping for him to understand and not lash out in anger. But I may have been asking for far too much.

"Klaus." I whispered. He looked at me and smiled. "Don't worry, little wolf. I will not spoil their fun." I sighed in relief, knowing that he has come to terms with their relationship. "Ladies and gentlemen!" Klaus called out and everyone stopped everything to listen to the Hybrid King.

"I only have four words to say as to not bore you once again with my dull speeches." The crowd smiled and some laughed along with Klaus. I couldn't believe how different he was now. He was showing to the world the humanly Klaus that he was inside, instead of putting that hard core mask on like he always did.

"Let the night begin!" he announced and beautiful music flowed in the ballroom to entertain couples and families. He took me by the waist and we managed to get to the end of the stairs. "This party can't get any better than this!" Rebekah exclaimed, very excited.

"What are you so overjoyed about? It's not the first time we have thrown a party around here." I told her but smiled anyway.

"I know but you are here and happy. Kiana is being shown off to the others by her daddy. You and Niklaus are happy together and you love each other very much. Elijah and Katherine are very happy too and me…" she stopped and bent down her head.

I wrapped my arms around her and whispered, "Everything will be okay. You will get through this. If he really loves you he will come back." I told her. "Hayley, you just said the magic words." Katherine said and looked towards the front door.

Everyone in the room gasped and the music was stopped. Marcel was standing there in his very own tux.

Klaus gave baby Kiana to Davina to hold and stepped in the middle of the ballroom while everyone made room.

"Klaus…" I began but he stopped me. "Let me take care of this, Hayley." Rebekah's eyes were shinning when I looked at her and at that moment, I knew everything.

Rebekah was still very much in love with Marcel and the way he was looking at her, I realized that he loved her still, even after she had chosen his brother's side to take him down.

"What are you doing here?" Klaus asked in an enraged tone. Davina held Kiana tightly in her arms and Kol wrapped his arms protectively around Davina. "I came here with peace in my mind." Marcel said in a very calm way.

"You try to humiliate me in front of my people, choose to make a mockery of my offering when I told you to remain as my second in command and chose to live in exile and now you want to come back?"

"Well, excuse me, my master, but as far as I can remember you are the one who took everything from me when you took me down from the throne. Would you have chosen to stay, if you were in my shoes?" Marcel asked him and everyone looked at Klaus. His eyes softened a little.

"I'm very sorry. But you know just as much as I do that you haven't done a good job at leading this town. You've disappointed the werewolves and the witches, Marcellus. This city needs peace and it is peace they should get." Marcel nodded a little but didn't say a word.

"But I want you to know that I appreciate the good things you have done for New Orleans as well. You have helped the people here, made the vampires and the humans a true community. You've rebuilt this town from the ashes and for that I am forever grateful to you."

Marcel stood there and looked at Rebekah. Klaus caught his eyes on her and realized what made him come back. "It is your love for my little sister, isn't it? Is that what made you come back?" Rebekah looked at Klaus, while I was holding her so she wouldn't explode with all the emotions boiling up inside of her when she saw Marcel.

Klaus and Marcel looked at each other and Marcel nodded. "I love her. I will always love her." Rebekah's eyes filled with tears. Klaus cocked his head, waiting for what he had to say.

"Klaus, take me back. Is it too late to accept your offer?" Marcel asked him. Klaus smiled and came forward to him. "It is never too late, old friend."

He then grabbed him and embraced him like a son. Everyone in the room applauded as Marcel and Klaus exchanged their usual grins and Rebekah finally broke free from my grip and speeded herself in Marcel, kissing him passionately. Klaus smiled and came back to me. I touched his cheek with my hand and whispered,

"Thank you." And then I kissed him gently so he would know how much it meant to me what he did. Klaus kissed me just as passionately and whispered, "I want this night to be perfect, my love. It's an important night for me."

"How so?" I asked, annoyed that he wouldn't tell me.

"When the time is right, you'll know, love." He then kissed my forehead and went to retrieve Kiana from Davina while Rebekah and Marcel shared their happy moment to have each other in the other's arms once again. They loved each other.

Katherine poured herself some red wine and felt someone wrapping his hands around her waist and kissing her cheek tenderly. "Hello, stranger." Katherine whispered, turning around and giving Elijah a peck on the lips.

"How are you enjoying yourself tonight, Katerina?" "I love it. How can things get any better? I have the man I love alongside me; I have a new daughter I can take care of. For the first time ever, I can say that I have everything I have ever hoped to have in my life."

At that moment, Rose, in her beautiful yellow golden dress came towards Katherine with a rose in her hands. "A red rose, as beautiful as yourself, my dear." Elijah smiled and picked Rose up in his arms, kissing her hair. Rose giggled in his arms as she handed the rose to Katherine.

"For me? Sweetheart, you are very sweet."

"I love you, mommy." Rose whispered and Katherine pulled her into her arms kissing her cheeks. "I promise I will always love you and protect you the way I can. You will have a mommy and daddy to take care of you always."

Klaus and I came over to admire the happy couple. "So, finally, I can see Rebekah smiling!" Katherine exclaimed, pointing over to Rebekah and Marcel, who both had tears of joy in their eyes and whispering how sorry they both were for what had happened.

"I told Rebekah that if Marcel truly loves her, he would come back and he had, despite the fact that she went behind his back. This is true love. You would do anything for the person you love, you would choose to let anything slide for the one you love, protect each other and love each other for all eternity."

"Always and forever." Katherine agreed. We all decided to drink some wine and celebrate with the children before us. Rebekah finally left Marcel's side to join the girl group. "Hey, what took you so long?" Katherine asked her.

Rebekah wiped her mouth. "Plenty of kissing, huh?" Katherine got punched in the shoulder by Rebekah who looked very flushed but happy. "I feel whole again. Marcel even promised me that we would take care of Davina together. He would agree to that."

"Has he forgiven Davina for everything yet?" I asked her and Rebekah shook her head, looking in the direction Marcel had gone, right towards Davina and Kol. "I guess now is the moment of truth." I whispered.

Marcel was apologizing to Davina for everything he had done to make her feel uncomfortable in his home and to make her feel insecure in the city. She always greatly apologized for going behind his back like this.

"It's okay, D." Marcel whispered, pulling her in his arms. "I completely understand why you did it. I forgive you, sweetheart and I will take care of you from now on with Rebekah. You will always have us to care for you and to protect you." Kol smiled a little and Marcel put his hand on his shoulder.

"And you better treat her right." Kol snorted and was about to snap right back but Davina stopped him. "It's okay, Marcel. I trust Kol and I love him. He is good enough for me." Rebekah clasped her hands together as she looked at her two best pals.

"Who said that there can't be a happily ever after?" "I did…and I was right." Katherine mumbled as she looked at the front door. Rebekah and I looked too and we couldn't believe our eyes or ears. Two girls had entered the ballroom. Elena Gilbert and Caroline Forbes.

"Oh, look who thinks it's all perky and fabulous!" Katherine exclaimed in anger as she saw her doppelganger. "Why are they here? Who invited these two?" Rebekah asked, outraged.

As for me, I was lost for words. I saw my worst nightmare in front of my eyes. She was here, at my party at this moment, ruining what Rebekah called it a happily ever after. Katherine cracked her knuckles. "I am going to go and send them back to Moony Land." She exclaimed but I stopped her. "Don't." I whispered.

"What? Hayley, this is your night. You deserve to be happy with Nik and with your family and friends. Are you just going to let her storm into our lives and be okay with it?" Rebekah asked me.

"Just let them stay if they want. I don't want to cause anymore chaos to this party, okay? I want everything to be peaceful." I responded. "If you want everything to be peaceful, let me kick those two out. Is that so difficult to understand?" I just shook my head and looked around the ballroom.

I couldn't see Klaus anywhere. Where had he disappeared to? Then, I could finally see him. He was at the door greeting the two women. "I am going over there. If you won't do anything about it, Hayley, I will." Rebekah said and grabbed Katherine by the arm, pulling her to the entrance.

Elijah followed closely behind with Kiana in her arms. "What the hell are you doing here?" Katherine asked Caroline. She was just smiling and then started grinning like crazy.

"I heard about this party, I heard about Klaus taking over New Orleans so I just thought Elena and I would come and…congratulate him." she said, looking at Klaus like her words had another meaning. Then, her eyes caught mine.

"What is she doing here?" Caroline asked, pointing at me angrily. "Show some respect for the Queen of New Orleans, love." Rebekah growled at her. Elena saw Elijah holding Kiana and keeping rose at his side and raised her eyebrow. I was sure they were wondering what was up with all the children.

"Okay, this is too much to handle. Klaus. I actually came here to speak to you. Can we talk privately?" Caroline asked him sweetly. Klaus caught my eyes and I looked away.

"Very well. Let's talk outside in the garden." Klaus said and led her there. Rebekah looked at me, amazed. "Aren't you going to do something?" I shrugged and whispered, "What is there to do?" Then slowly, I took Kiana from Elijah as she started crying and calmed her down.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Everything will be okay. I promise you." Katherine crossed her arms, face to face with Elena. "Long time, no see." Elena said with a smirk. "I think that was my line." "How's your human life Katherine?"

"Does it look like I am human any longer?" Elena's smirk disappeared and Katherine smiled sweetly in a sarcastic way. Elena observed me holding Kiana in my arms and said, "So that's your baby? Who managed to knock you up?"

Rebekah moved forward, ready to slap her but I stopped her because not too long ago, she asked me the exact same thing. "Kiana is the daughter of Niklaus and Hayley, if you must know." Elijah responded, calmly and Katherine smiled at him, thankfully.

"Klaus got you pregnant? Boy, Caroline's sure going to have plenty to say." Elena whispered.

"And what gives her the right? She does not owe Nik anything and she does not own him! Why don't you just run along back to Mystic Falls, live your drama with the choosing between the Salvatore brothers and take your blonde sidekick with you? People in New Orleans have class and far better interesting lives, just so you know." Rebekah exclaimed.

"How is your life now, Rebekah? Showing off how you managed to get both Damon and Stefan into your bed and probably other men too? It's too sad that men usually find you rather useful for sex but nothing more."

I gave Kiana back to Davina and she was happy to hold her.

I took a step forward towards Elena and said, "Listen, I have agreed to let you stay at this party, despite our pasts and despite the fact that most people wouldn't really prefer you here, but if you so much as make one more disrespectful comment when it comes to my friends, my daughter, or my family, I can assure you that Kol over that will be more than happy to escort you out of this house and out of this town especially after you killed him, so I can imagine that it won't be pretty. Do you understand me?"

Elena nodded slowly, shocked at the tone of my voice. "You messed with the wrong Hybrid Queen." Katherine whispered to her and smirked. Elena moved out of our ways and went to get some punch with Kol keeping a close eye on her.

I moved towards the door that led to the garden. "Where are you going?" Rebekah asked me but she already knew from the look I gave her where. I needed to know what was going on.

Klaus was standing there in the middle of our beautiful garden with many flowers blooming there. We always loved to come here and to share our thoughts and ideas about the city and about our family, our dysfunctional and twisted family, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Now, he was standing there in front of this blonde girl that I loathed deep inside my heart. I stood as far away from them as possible so Klaus would not know that I was eavesdropping on their conversation.

As a hybrid, I could now hear everything from a very long distance. All I had to do was to make sure that I didn't make a sound. "What is it that you came here for, Caroline?" he asked her. She just grinned and shrugged.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on taking over New Orleans just like you planned. You're a King and all now. It must be awesome having the town to yourself, ruling and everything." Klaus smiled and said

"Thank you." She looked awestruck. "What happened to you? You're acting different." "I'm not acting different. I am just showing my true self. I am no longer hiding or pushing people away." "Who gave you that idea?"

"Hayley." he whispered softly. Caroline's mouth dropped. "Are you kidding me? Seriously? That little werewolf slut?" Klaus' eyes turned into dark slits and his fangs were almost shown as he spoke.

"Never dare use insulting words towards her again, love. Do you understand me?" I smiled at him and tried to hide my excitement. He was protecting me. I couldn't believe it.

He had always worshiped the ground that she stood on and now…things seemed different. She couldn't believe it herself. She just whispered sadly, "Why are you defending her? She snapped my neck back in Mystic Falls and she destroyed our plan with the hybrids to…"

"…to kill me?" Caroline gulped and said… "She's a backstabber! She…" "Caroline, love, as I recall, you have been involved in plenty of plans to kill me since I came to Mystic Falls, often using yourself as a distraction towards me while your friends killed my brothers, Kol and Finn."

Caroline was left speechless. "I would say that Hayley saved me that night, even if she didn't mean to. I can't say the same thing about you, sweetheart as you celebrated with drinks when you thought the world was rid of me."

She couldn't get any words out and couldn't say anything more. "Klaus, I…" she began but he just looked at her emotionless. My heart stopped and I smiled dearly at the man I loved. She walked closer to him but he didn't move this time.

"I just came here to tell you that I am finally over Tyler…just like you said I would be." she whispered. I looked at them from behind the bush and my eyes closed. This is the day I feared the most in my dreams, the day she would come here and he would choose her. It was happening and I had to be prepared.

"Very well." He simply told her. Caroline looked like she was expecting much more than that. "You still haven't told me what your connection to Hayley is. Why are you protecting her? Are the two of you like partners now?"

"You can say that." Klaus replied, smiling. Caroline raised her eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?" Klaus looked like he was hesitating to tell her but he finally spilled it all.

"Hayley and I have a child together. That little baby girl that you saw Elijah holding, she's ours." Caroline's eyes widened. "What? You slept with her? How could you…how could you even…?"

The two of them remained there. Klaus, with his hands behind his back, taking in her reaction to the news. "Congratulations." Caroline finally told him with a smile and said, "It must be great to finally see yourself caring for someone other than yourself. This is the person I always wanted to be with." she said and I growled.

Of course she had been using him to her advantage all this time and she would only accept hos offerings if he became her puppy dog that she could tell what to do all the time.

"I'm ready." She said and Klaus frowned. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, love."

"I am talking about you. About us. I can see that you're ready too. You have your kingdom. You are a King. I like that. I am ready for you to show me the world, just like you promised. I am ready for you to take me into your arms, Klaus. You're just as ready."

She said all that in a sweet way and reached out for him, cupping his cheeks. I opened my eyes when I heard that and couldn't believe what I was seeing.

She was making a move to kiss him right there. I could no longer watch something like this, but instead of getting out of the bushes and leaving that place as fast as my hybrid speed could carry or just go over there and stop this, I remained frozen behind the bush as I could see what she was doing.

"Klaus." I whispered, heartbroken. He still had his hands behind his back but his eyes seemed to soften as she moved her face closer to his.

"You told me Tyler was my first love and he was. You told me you intend to be my last…" I heard her whisper "…and you will be."

Tears were streaming down my face and another vision came into my head. The vision of the day after Klaus and I confessed our feelings for one another. I could remember what he told me and how I reacted.

...

I realized that we were finally alone in my room while Kiana was spending some time with Elijah and Katherine. "Klaus, where do we stand?" I asked him. He looked surprised.

"What do you mean by that, my love?" "What kind of relationship do we have? I really want to know." He sighed and looked at the ground for a moment, smiling a little.

"I don't know, little wolf. You just…you make me feel like no one ever has made me feel and the way you have faith and believe that I can be redeemed just makes me feel stronger than ever. Kissing you feels so right and… I haven't felt this way about anyone in a long time." I looked away for one moment, still not convinced.

"Don't lie to me. Not about this, Klaus." I whispered. I know these were words I had said to him that first night we spent together as well when I thought that he was lying when he was telling me about my real parents.

"I wouldn't dare, love." There came the same response. He did not have that smirk playing on his face this time. He looked really serious, but…

"What about Caroline? Are you just planning on standing here in front of me and telling me that you feel nothing for her and…that you don't plan on being her last love anymore?" I asked him as I backed away, tears started to flow on my cheeks. He looked shocked.

"How did you know…?" he whispered but I caught him off as I crossed my arms. "Rebekah told me everything, so you can't lie to me. Sorry to have spoiled your plans." Klaus sighed as he stepped forward and placing his hands on my shoulders.

"I was never planning on doing this to you, sweetheart. I wasn't planning on lying to you." "Then what were you planning on telling me?" "The truth. I am not over Caroline…"

My heart sank at that point and I felt I couldn't breathe as I backed away even more and I turned around to leave but he grabbed my arm and stopped me from leaving as he ghosted his lips over to my ear and whispered, "…but I want to be over her." I didn't know what I should say or do at that moment.

Should I leave him or give him a chance? I didn't want my already broken heart to get smashed into even more little pieces and then for him to throw the pieces in the garbage can when he would be done tormenting me. I could hear Katherine's laugh as Kiana's sweet giggle could be heard from another room.

Since both of us had super hearing, we could both hear how happy the three of them were and how miserable we looked. "I don't know what to do, Klaus." I whispered.

"I don't know what to do to prove to you that I am falling in love with you, my little wolf." he said and closed his eyes in a bit of anger. I wanted to comfort him, but I couldn't. I refused to be a second choice.

"Don't think of me as a replacement, Klaus. I refuse." He didn't open his eyes. "You are not a replacement, love. You are what I want and what I need."

He caressed my face and I couldn't push his hand away. His soft touch was what I wanted and needed as well.

He had told me that he was not over her and as her face inched closer to hers, my fears were proven right. She would always be his first choice.

With tears in my eyes, I remembered one last moment of ours when he talked to me about getting New Orleans back for his family.

I held him tight as he placed a kiss on my neck and making me moan gently. I rubbed the back of neck and thought only about being with him at that point.

"I am going to get New Orleans back, love. I promise you that too and Marcel is not going to stop me. When I become King, I will need a Queen." he whispered as he continued to press gentle kisses on my neck as I stayed wrapped around his neck and massaging his scalp.

I smiled as he whispered "You. Only you, my love."

...

My heart stopped beating. It was not like I needed it now that I was a hybrid. He told me that I would be his Queen, but he couldn't make me epic promises about being my last love.

He couldn't prove that I would be his last love. But he could sit there at that moment and let that woman kiss him after neglecting him, rejecting him, calling him a monster, using him and continuing to play with him for her sexual needs and for him to fulfill his promises to her that he would show her the world.

And she suddenly showed interest in him because he was a King and one with plenty of power to give her whatever she wants. I couldn't believe how easy he was. He was a coward in my eyes now.

Weak! Her lips were about to meet his and I stepped out of the bush with tears of agony and hurt in my eyes as my dress got caught in some branches, but I couldn't give a damn about it at that exact moment.

Suddenly, as if I were snapped out of my nightmare and placed back to reality, Klaus grabbed her arms and stopped her from making any sudden movements. She stopped and fluttered her eyelashes at him in confusion.

"What are you doing?" she asked him.

"Isn't that supposed to be my question for you, love?" She was speechless. She backed away a little and whispered, "I thought that we were going to…you said you would show me the world when I am ready. You told me you would wait for me. I am ready for this now. What's changed?"

"You expect me to just forget your past with your friends and how you hurt my family?"

"You hurt my family and friends too! A hell of a lot worse, might I add. I am here now…and I have forgiven you. Why can't you just accept that? I have forgiven you. Now we can move past that. I am ready to move past that and I have even forgiven you for sleeping with that…Hayley! I have forgiven you for having a child with her. I can look past that. I am capable of moving past that, to be with you."

Excuse me? Forgiven him for sleeping with me? Forgiven him for having a child with me? Who did this girl think she was? She put on that sweet face once again and moved forward again to kiss him but this time, he pushed her away calmly.

"What is going on with you?" she asked, outraged. "I can't do that, love. I'm sorry." Klaus said and my tears stopped washing all over my face as I stood there in the garden and watched them.

I wasn't that far and with vampire reflexes, they could have easily seen me, but they didn't. They just kept on talking. "What are you talking about? You promised me that you would be my last love. You told me you love me."

"I didn't promise you that, love. And I never told you I loved you. You just assumed, sweetheart." Klaus told her calmly. "What? Okay, you have made it clear to everyone that you are in love with me." "I thought I was."

"What about the night of passion we had when you returned to Mystic Falls?" The color was reappearing on my face and I could think well again as I waited for Klaus to say more, but he didn't, he just stood there speechless. What night?

Then, it all came back to me. That night when we were moving forward with the plan to get the werewolves to help us take down Marcel. He was on a mission. He was supposed to reach them. But he got a call from her and headed to Mystic Falls. He slept with her there?

I grabbed my forehead and I could feel my head spinning again. "We had a wonderful night, which could have been more had you not left. What is stopping you now, Klaus? What changed? What's stopping you?"

"My love for her." Klaus whispered. Caroline raised her eyebrows as she put her hands on her hips.

"Your love for your child is stopping you from being with me? That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard." She told him, and I turned around to leave the garden as more tears welled up in my eyes and my vision was getting very blurry.

He had slept with her that night when we needed him most. He had slept with her when I needed him most. He had slept with the one woman who always neglected, rejected him and made a mockery of him and he chose to ignore me and our child and our whole family.

I couldn't even hear anymore what he had told her as I continued walking, paying attention to nothing but my thoughts. "My love for Hayley." Klaus had told her and she gasped.

"Her? You're in love with her? After everything she has done…" "…no more than you have done, love. Don't be a hypocrite!" he snapped at her and she shut up.

"She's the one who had faith in me even in my darkest of times, my vision of myself which pulled me back to reality. She is my salvation. She is my redemption. She offered me redemption through what she gave me, a child. I love her." Klaus told her.

I couldn't hear as the sobs finally broke out of my mouth and I could finally hear him yell out.

"Hayley!" he had seen me and he now knew that I had listened and saw the whole thing, everything but no the last part of their conversation. I super speeded out of there before he could reach me.

I had no choice but to go back to the ballroom so I could get to my room. My face was full of tears and I couldn't care less that people were looking at me. My darling friends, Katherine and Rebekah were looking at me and couldn't believe what they had in front of their eyes.

"Hayley, what's happened?" Rebekah asked. Katherine grabbed my arm and turned me around to face them. "He hurt you didn't he? He fell right away for her charms, right?" she asked me.

I pulled my hand away and ran up the stairs and to my room. Once there, I dropped onto my bed, with a pillow over my face and crying my eyes out. All of my energy, wasted on this.

The dress looked horrible on me now and my makeup was all messed up. From downstairs, I could hear Rebekah's voice and then his voice. "Niklaus Mikaelson, what have you done? Don't tell me you've broken her heart for that twit or so help me…"

"ENOUGH!" Klaus roared and marched up the stairs and I could hear his thundering footsteps coming up to my room. He entered without knocking and I got out of bed, looking at him.

"What do you want?" I asked him. "Love, Hayley, please, look at me." He whispered, sweetly, taking my face in his and connecting my forehead with his. I no longer cried but the remaining tears were still on my face as he wiped them away.

"Love, whatever you heard out there or seen, you have to know that it was nothing. She tried to kiss me and I didn't let her because I love you, little wolf." He told me and I pushed him away at that moment.

"If you really loved me, you would have had the guts to tell her from the start but you didn't. You just stood there and let her make a fool out of you once again!" I yelled at him and covered my face as he came closer and tried to pull me to him.

"Little wolf, I had so much planned for tonight. I never meant to hurt you through this. Just look at me. You know that I love you and her showing up does not change a thing." I looked into his eyes. "You slept with her." I whispered and his eyes froze.

"You slept with her when you went to Mystic Falls that day! You lied to all of us when we had a life and death situation. I cared for you even after that. But what you did…I can't even…"

He finally realized why I was so worked up. "Hayley, things were different back then. I was desperate for her attention. I wanted her to accept me. I was willing to do anything for her; I was willing to do anything to be with her."

"You told her that you intended to be her last love. You are slowly starting to fulfill your promise." He shook his head as he pulled me even closer and wrapped his arms around my waist while my hands rested on his chest.

"I will never forgive myself, love, if what happened tonight affects us in any way. I slept with her at a time when I had no one, a time when I held no feelings for you. Things have changed now, little wolf. After everything we have been through, I know now what love is. Love is not admiration. It is not acceptance. It is not obsession and it is not an infatuation. It's something pure and real when you strongly feel something for someone. That is how I feel about you and it is how I feel about Kiana. And that will never change for as long as I live in this eternal life, alongside you."

I wiped tears away and frowned. "Eternal life?" Klaus sighed and whispered, "You want to know what makes this day special to me, little wolf. You are about to find out." Without any other words, he took my hand and took me to the ballroom.

We were standing in the middle. I was a mess, but Rebekah gave me thumbs up which meant I was still in good condition and emergency makeup kit was not required.

"Natural glow." she whispered to me and I smiled and thanked her. She loved the way I looked without makeup. Katherine also winked as Klaus began speaking.

"Plans have changed, but our love for one another hasn't. Love, power, loyalty and family. The four strong aspects of life. Through this woman standing beside me, I have gotten all four of them. My life changed because of her, for the better. She is my redemption and the woman I want to spend the rest of my eternity in this beautiful city with."

I gasped as I finally realized what he was about to do. He pulled out a silver box from his pocket and opened it up for me. Inside it was a glowing diamond ring. I shook my head, with a smile spreading on my face, not believing what was happening right now. He was proving his love for me.

"Little wolf, I have made many mistakes in my past. And even with those mistakes, you have learned to love me for me and through that love, you have changed my life. Please forgive me right now in the heart of New Orleans, in front of all these amazing people. Please tell me that you forgive me."

I was getting too emotional but I smiled at him and nodded as he smiled back sweetly. "Will Hayley Marshall do me the honor of not only becoming Queen of this city, my Queen, but also becoming my mate for our whole eternity?"

I could hear Katherine squeak with excitement and I remained astounded by his proposal. He was asking me to be his mate, he was asking me in his own way to put that ring on my finger and marry him.

"This is not me intending to be your last with empty words, little wolf. This is me expressing it with meaningful gestures…just as you've always wanted." I smiled and nodded, understanding as tears of happiness now jolted out of me and onto my face.

"I love you. It's always going to be you, Hayley." He told me and I turned around to see my group of people. Our dysfunctional and twisted family. Elijah, Katherine, Rebekah, Kol, Davina, Rose and Kiana.

"Say yes, say yes, and say yes!" The whole room started chanting and Klaus grinned even wider as he looked at me, taking the ring out of the box and holing it out for me. I nodded finally and whispered, "Yes."

He let out the biggest laugh I have ever heard from him, the biggest smile you could ever see from Niklaus Mikaelson as he scooped me up into his arms and twirled me around. I giggled as the others clapped. He set me down and put the ring on my finger.

"Very well, Mrs. Mikaelson." He kissed me on the lips hard at that moment. He was proving himself of how much he wanted me in his life and he wanted me to never forget how important I was to him.

Rebekah came over to us and put Kiana into our arms. Our little girl giggled when she saw her parents and Klaus placed a kiss on her forehead. Katherine and Rebekah each gave me hugs, while Kol popped open champagne he found and Elijah had to deal with Rose running around the place in excitement.

"Congratulations!" They told me and I hugged my two friends back. "I will never forget this day for as long as I live." I whispered and they smiled. "An eternity." Rebekah whispered and Katherine gulped down a long bottle of wine.

"An eternity with you guys. I like the sound of that. The Mikaelson family, together always and forever!" she exclaimed as Elijah pulled her in for a happy kiss.

"I'll drink to that!" Marcel said, giving Rebekah one hot kiss as well and since they felt their relationship couldn't be left out, Kol and Davina also shared their public kiss while everyone clapped.

The big moment was when Klaus pulled me fully to him, never wanting to let me go. "I love you, Hayley Marshall. Always and forever." He whispered to me and I hugged him along with our daughter.

"I love you, my sweet little Kiana." I whispered and then cupped his cheek my hand. "And I love you Niklaus Mikaelson. Always and forever…and after."

That's it, folks! The end of this story. This was a hell of a long chapter with Caroline showing up as promised and we got to see many things in this chapter that led to a fantastic happy ending, just as I promised.

Klaus proposed to Hayley and they all end up being the great and twisted Mikaelson family! Thank you so much for those who read this whole story followed it and reviewed it.

I really appreciate it and even though the story is finished, I really want to see the reviews after the longest chapter I have ever written in my entire life. I can't wait to hear from you. I love y'all, always and forever after!