11

Curled up on the window bench with a cup of hot peppermint tea, Bonnie stares out the window, looking down at the people outside, fluttering up and down the street while wrapped in heavy coats. The light rain that's been falling all day starts to get stronger, with heavy raindrops hitting the glass. This is more of a wet and cold Christmas than the dreamy white, filled with fluffy snow one, but Bonnie doesn't mind. As a witch, she's always been connected to nature, and the smell of rain just screams nature to her. It reminds Bonnie of her sessions with Grams, when she would go to the woods and harness her powers. What would Grams say if she could see her now? This thought often plagues Bonnie's mind. Grams is her idol, and she would never want to disappoint her.

It's probably too late for that, Bonnie thinks. Grams most definitely would disapprove of her helping the Original family and then falling into bed with the Big Bad Klaus Mikaelson.

Footsteps against the hardwood floor pull her from her thoughts, thank Goodness. Reflecting on her life choices and whether or not Grams would approve of them is akin to opening a can of worms. Nothing good can come out of it. This is the life she has now, and she's going to live it.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" Klaus asks, the charm on his words thick like molasses.

"Aren't you the best liar in the history of original hybrids?" Bonnie says, looking up at him with a small smile and not really buying the compliment. At the moment she feels anything but beautiful. A bout of morning sickness has hit her hard ever since last night, and she feels like absolute shit. After puking her guts out for the better part of the evening and with only saltines and peppermint tea in her body, there's no way Bonnie looks good.

"No need to act humble around me, love," Klaus chides, and frowns when she gives him a weak smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "Are you okay?"

With neck breaking vampire speed, Klaus is there next to her in seconds. Unlike Bonnie would ever expect from him, Klaus takes her hands and studies her with extreme care. For some reason she can't explain, most of the lingering nausea Bonnie's been harboring disappears as soon as she catches a whiff of Tom Ford's Grey Vetiver, his cologne. It feels amazing not to have her head spinning around, so she's not going to question it.

"Yeah, I'm better," she answers, inhaling and exhaling in relief. "This pregnancy business is no joke, let me tell you."

At almost ten weeks now, the reality of it all is beginning to set. While there's no bump yet, Bonnie is already feeling different somehow. She's not just a witch, student or dancer anymore. She's going to be someone's mother. The perfectionist in her wants to excel in motherhood just like she would in any other task. Bonnie can only hope Klaus feels the same.

"Are you sure? His heartbeat sounds more elevated than usual."

Klaus places a hand on her stomach, over the white cotton t-shirt. Bonnie's heart swells tenfold when she sees the concern he's showing. Focusing on the barely there bump, the hybrid seems to be having a silent conversation with the fetus. Bonnie wants to crack a joke at that, but she refrains from doing so. Klaus showing unrestrained affection is a rare sight, and there's no way she disrupting that.

Unfortunately for Bonnie, the world doesn't share her opinion. Her iPhone blares with the chosen ringtone. If the unexpected noise startles Klaus, he doesn't let it show. All he does is crane his neck to the side to see who's the one calling Bonnie.

"It's a text," Bonnie explains, even though he hasn't asked anything. After living with him for two years, Bonnie's come to learn the meaning of most of his mannerisms.

Her eyes are quick to scan the words on the small screen. It's me, again. You haven't answered my calls, and I get that. But you're still my best friend and I love you. I talked to everyone, and they're worried. Damon thinks Klaus is manipulating you with something. Jeremy is ready to march down to New Orleans. I said no at first, but this is starting to sound like a good idea. Please, call me back, Bon.

Bonnie is torn. A part of her is upset. Care is, or was, one of her best friends. In a not so distant past, Caroline had been the one who knew all there was to know about her. She could read what Bonnie had been thinking or feeling with just a glance. It's hard to let go of something like that.

However, the other part of Bonnie is angry. Caroline wants to be there for her, but she still doesn't get it. She still thinks Bonnie is the same gullible person that's being manipulated. Why can't Caroline see that Bonnie is the one responsible for her own decisions? If she's not answering calls or texts, it's because she doesn't want to. Not because it's a part of Klaus' master plan to brainwash her. To make matters worse, she goes and talks to everyone about it and wants her to consider what Damon has to say?

No, fuck that.

"Um, it's Caroline. I still haven't talked to her since... you know."

The you know refers to the time Bonnie left Caroline in a restaurant after growing frustrated with their conversation. Even though Bonnie had texted the blonde to assure her they would finish their talk, Caroline's insistence in blaming Klaus for everything had promptly irritated her. And the annoyed Bonnie had taken to ignoring all of Caroline's phone calls and texts for the last two weeks. She'll reply when she's good and ready, and not a moment before. It's almost Christmas, they're in fucking London and Bonnie is in a good place with Klaus. There's no way she's going to start listening to Caroline and ruin the good things happening right now.

"And what does Miss Forbes want?" Klaus asks, watching her frown or straight up grimace as she scrolls through her text messages. From the corner of his eye, he is able to see there's a considerable amount of them.

The little Scooby Gang must be going crazy with this turn of events, Klaus thinks with a pleased smirk. Bonnie's so-called friends have never been able to see her true power and appreciate her. Klaus is certain that they are freaking out, knowing they lost their little witch-for-hire.

"I'm not sure yet," Bonnie answers with a shrug of her shoulders. To be honest, Bonnie's pretty sure she knows what Caroline wants. And it's her ass back in Mystic Falls and far away from Klaus. Needless to say, that ain't happening. So there's no need to mention the emotional manipulation and her threats of everyone showing up in New Orleans. "It doesn't matter right now. Caroline has her opinion and I have mine. I'm not living my life in a certain way just because of someone else."

"Good to know her words didn't get to you," Klaus says quietly, and Bonnie is able to detect a hint of relief in his tone.

Is it possible that Klaus Mikaelson, the all-powerful and cocky hybrid, had been fearful of losing her?

"You know my place is with you. There's not much for me in Mystic Falls but memories."

The last part is still painful for Bonnie; realizing she has no family left. Her child will grow up with no grandparents to spoil him rotten, to sneak him candy, to let him stay up past his bedtime. With so many things already missing from this baby's life, how can Caroline expect her to simply force her child to be without its father?

Klaus looks down at Bonnie. She's moved so her back is resting against the right side of his body; back at staring out the window. Even though reading minds isn't one of his powers, Klaus knows she's not mentally there with him anymore. Her mind is now far away, probably in Mystic Falls.

"You ever think about family? Like, your family?" Bonnie wonders in such a quiet voice he would've missed it if not for his enhanced hearing.

Klaus has to think long and hard about that. Does he actually think about his family? Sometimes, but it's probably not in the same way Bonnie thinks about hers. It's been so long since his family has been untainted that it's hard for him to be reminded of the good things. Sometimes he remembers the potato soup Esther would make when he was sick, but then he would recall her frightening and desperate face right before killing his siblings. There are a few restless nights that he thinks of Mikael, and the abuse he endured at his hands. Those rare occasions are enough to make him want to black out everything that's happened thousands of years ago, when he was nothing but a weakling.

"Sometimes. It doesn't happen often, though," Klaus answers despite not wanting to delve further into this matter. He's more than happy to bury all there is to it when it comes to his past. Unfortunately, Bonnie is not cut from the same cloth as his. His little witch may be strong, but she's still sensitive. Whatever has happened with Caroline is messing with her head. So he just can't shut down that conversation right when she's reaching out to him.

"I've been thinking about my family, that is. Before I went to New Orleans, I was alone. People were there, but they didn't see me, you know? Everyone seemed to be too busy to actually have a conversation with me," Bonnie rambles, and pauses to gather her thoughts. "I just don't want our child to be lonely like I was."

"So you want to contact your mother," the hybrid concludes, not needing Bonnie to say the words. With some tears starting to gather in her eyes, Bonnie nods.

"Does that make me stupid? I know she's rejected me twice now, but maybe this could change things."

"No, love," he murmurs, gathering her face in between his hands. "It makes you human. One of us has to be. Better you than me, I suppose."

Bonnie can't help but chuckle at that. His attempt to lighten her mood is effective, and Bonnie loves him for that. She also loves that he's taken to surprising him at every turn. Knowing Klaus, he probably disagrees with her desire to reconnect with Abby. He's the guy that can hold grudges like nobody's business, so she'd expected to be thoroughly judged by him. Klaus supporting her is unexpected, but she needed that.

"Wow, it's crazy how far we've come. You actually care about my feelings now." Bonnie wraps her arms around his trim waist, interlocked fingers resting on his stomach.

"Don't say that an old dog can't learn new tricks," he jokes. "Just know that you're the only exception, love."

"We both know that's a lie! You may not stop and reminisce about your family's history, but you love your siblings."

If someone were to tell Bonnie she would ever say these words to Klaus, she would advise them some medical attention. After all, this is the guy who kept his siblings daggered and inside a coffin for years.

"I suppose Rebekah and Elijah aren't that abhorrent anymore," he replies, cocking his head to the side as if he's mentally ranking them. A smile graces his lips and Bonnie can feel the vibration of his low chortle. "I've had some good moments with Kol and Finn was fine when he wasn't being Esther's lapdog."

A wave of nostalgia washes over Klaus as he remembers some of the times he's had with them. Creating havoc with Kol in a village near Munich, or simply enjoying a nice night at the opera in Vienna with Finn.

Unprepared to have these types of feelings, Klaus scoffs to himself and shakes his head. It's as if he's hoping the motion will clear his mind of the memories. Emotions like these have only one purpose: make him weak and he won't have that.

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you," Klaus says, happy to change the subject.

Bonnie can tell he doesn't want to continue with this conversation, so she drops it. After years and years of being emotionally stunted, Bonnie doesn't expect him to turn into a sensitive person in tune with his feelings. That's just not going to happen. Bonnie's come to learn that baby steps is the best strategy when dealing with Klaus.

"Okay. What is it?"

"When we get back home, we need to start focusing on our enemies. As soon as word spreads that you're carrying my child, they won't hesitate in using that weakness to destroy us."

Klaus' expression is serious, the lines on his forehead indicating his concern. He may somehow agree with Elijah's 'family is power' opinion, but he's not blind to reality. Anyone creature who desires vengeance will come after them at their weak spot.

The witch sighs. While she's not surprised, Bonnie's been naively hoping they wouldn't have to worry about this until later.

"You're right," Bonnie agrees with a nod. "I'm going to start a little research. See if I can get some information on this particular nature's loophole."

Right after learning she was in the 'family way', Bonnie's mind could only focus on 'wtf, I'm having a child' and 'how is Klaus going to take this?' Now that she knows Klaus's reaction (bad, but dealing) and has accepted her impending motherhood, Bonnie is ready to tackle the mystery that is her ability to conceive a child with a hybrid. Not only is she curious – could that happen again if she were to sleep with him on some future occasion?- she knows that magic is somehow involved. And if magic is involved, Bonnie wants to know every single detail there is to it. If someone's used their powers to warp biology so she could a child, ulterior motives are at play and they're certainly not for her benefit. The amount of power to manage this feat is nothing short of extraordinary, so Bonnie knows this potential enemy is dangerous.

"That's wise, but you need to be careful. The last thing we need is the witches sniffing around you," Klaus warns her, scowling when he says the word witches.

In some other situation, Bonnie would get annoyed at his open disdain for witches. At this moment, though, she shares the feeling. The French Quarter witches- the harvest witches as they liked to call themselves- have nothing but contempt for Bonnie. Already a tight knit group unwilling to welcome other witches, they've adapted a nasty attitude towards Bonnie after learning of her alliance with Klaus. Bonnie can only imagine their reaction when they find out about her child.

"What do you take me for, an amateur? I'm well versed in supernatural espionage, thank you very much!" Bonnie protests mockingly, letting out exasperated huff. Klaus lets out a genuine laugh. A single job trailing one of Marcel's day walkers does not a seasoned spy make. He'll let her have that one, though.

"Sure you are, love," he concedes, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

Bonnie knows he's just humoring her with that last sentence, but she'll count it as a win.

Now the world is really upside town. Bonnie thinks when her surroundings finally sink in. She's in London, with the Mikaelsons. More specifically, she's spending Christmas' Eve with them and she's enjoying every minute of it.

"Who would've thought you're a Martha Stewart when it comes to Christmas?" Bonnie says with a smile, looking around the room in amazement. The living room, a spacious place tastefully decorated with white furniture and complemented by blue and light grey accents, now resembles Santa's Christmas shop.

Ever since arriving in London, Rebekah's put her black Visa to work and made several purchases to ensure their vacation townhouse would be properly decorated for the holidays. Bonnie has no idea how much has been spent, but she has to give it to Rebekah. The blonde's clearly gone out of her way to give them the full Christmas experience. There are mistletoes hanging from the ceiling, five stockings by the fireplace and a big ass Christmas tree on the corner of the room, surrounded by presents of all shapes, sizes and colors. It reminds Bonnie of one of these traditional Christmas movies she would watch as a kid.

"I'm a force to be reckoned with when I put my mind to it," Rebekah agrees, flashing a cocky grin. "Did you like it?"

"Is there any way not to like this?" Bonnie wonders with a laugh, and takes a small sip of non alcoholic eggnog. It's not bad, but a shot of Bourbon would make it a lot better. "I'm surprised. Klaus never seemed to be really into the whole Christmas spirit."

As a matter of fact, Bonnie remember Klaus ignoring the holidays altogether. In the past two years, the witch had taken to spending the holidays with her college friends. It was fun at first, but the feeling of being a guest and intruding in someone else's home had started to bother her real quick. Curiously enough, she doesn't feel like a stranger here.

Even though she's in a different country, this setting feels familiar to her. Which is funny, because Bonnie could barely look at Elijah without hiding her contempt a few weeks ago. Today, she's happy to have him and Rebekah there. Heck, she is the one who insisted on having Klaus invite his siblings to their trip.

"He's not. The holidays were different when we were human and then we had no reason to celebrate," Rebekah explains, a small frown marring her features for a second as she remembers her life from thousands of years ago.

"What caused this change of heart?" Bonnie questions, as she takes a glance at Klaus. As usual, the hybrid is nursing a glass of neat Bourbon and engaging in a conversation with Elijah.

"Well, I thought it would be a nice thing to do. I'm well aware we're far from being a conventional family, but we are one. We're moving on to a different life, so it's no use to keep holding to our old habits."

A little taken surprised at Rebekah's mature response, Bonnie doesn't say anything. This is something she wouldn't expect from Rebekah; having written the blonde off as Klaus' vapid sister. Now she can see the way Rebekah longs to have a 'normal' life and a loving family. That would explain her relationship with Matt, one of the sweetest guys she knows, and her desire to take the cure. In that moment Bonnie is able to see how similar they are even though their life stories are so different. As much as Rebekah likes to put up a strong front, there's a vulnerability in her that's familiar to Bonnie.

"You're right. Everything is about to change and we need to adapt. Even if it means the Mikaelson family will start to celebrate Christmas."

"I wouldn't go so far, love. Rebekah ambushed us into a celebration," Klaus grumbles as he comes up to them. "There's no need for all of this."

Does anyone need to spend hundreds of dollars in Christmas decoration for a vacation home? Bonnie doesn't think so, but she definitely appreciates Rebekah's intention.

"I happen to think that Rebekah did a nice thing, so shut up," Bonnie orders, a small grin to soften her tone.

"Aren't you feisty this Christmas' Eve? Is my little witch showing her claws?" Klaus teases her, enjoying the way her cheeks redden with annoyance.

"Don't think I'll hesitate to scratch you, Mikaelson," she says, staring him in the eye. Her tone may sound menacing, but her amused smile shows she's not angry.

Comfortable on the loveseat near the corner, Elijah lets out a loud chuckle. It's not every day that he sees a barely out of her teen years girl stand up to his brother. And it's even rarer to see Niklaus just take it with a smile. It's quite possible that the young Bonnie Bennett got his brother on his knees and neither of them have realized it.

The rest of the evening goes well, better than Bonnie's expected. Michael Bublé croons Christmas songs in the background and they eat some of the delicious roast tenderloinsitting near the lit fireplace. Bonnie engages in a conversation with Elijah about the evolution of classical music and their favorite composers. Apparently, Elijah had actually met Verdiand he was a dick. While Bonnie knows the siblings are older than dirt, she's never been interested in finding out more details of their past lives. Knowing about Rebekah's time as a nurse and Elijah working as a chef in Hong Kong makes Bonnie see them in a different light. For some reason, it had been hard to imagine them as anything but cold blooded killers.

"Wow, it's late," Bonnie says to herself, after she checks her watch and notices that it's almost midnight. In usual circumstances, Bonnie would be popping with energy, ready to have more eggnogs and sing Christmas carols. This pregnancy, however, is messing with her and it's bed time. "I gotta get some sleep," Bonnie announces as she gets up from the couch.

Even though Klaus seems to be concentrated on a the book on his lap, his eyes follow her every movement. It's not something he consciously does, Klaus's come to notice. He's just naturally drawn to Bonnie and their child's strong heartbeat. How can he not stare at her when she's wearing this form fitting red dress and displaying her best assets? Just like that, Klaus regrets not sharing a room with her. That doesn't mean he won't visit her room later tonight. He wants to be closer to her, to feel her supple skin against his.

Feeling a slight buzz from the two Krug champagne bottles, Rebekah stands up without her usual grace.

"Wait, Bonnie. I have something for you."

The blonde walks towards the Christmas tree and starts to rummage through the various packages sitting on the floor. A smile appears on her face when she spots what she's been looking for.

Bonnie's green eyes widen in complete surprise when Rebekah hands her the delicate, small package in that famous blue color.

"I know presents are usually opened in the morning, but I wanted to make sure you would open this one first."

With care, Bonnie unties the white ribbon and opens it to reveal a baby spoon. It's made of sterling silver, with stars and moon engraved. All the emotions finally catch up to her, and Bonnie's eyes start to water.

"Diapers are a more practical gift, I know. I just couldn't help myself when I saw this."

"Rebekah..." Bonnie gasps as she picks up the object, analyzing its preciousness. To Rebekah's surprise, Bonnie closes the distance between them and wraps her in a tight hug.

"This baby will be born with a literal silver spoon in his mouth, Bonnie. He will be adored, protected and want for nothing. That's a promise," Rebekah assures her in a firm tone, causing Bonnie to release more tears.

This is the first time Bonnie feels like people actually give a damn about her. It's surprising- and maybe a little sad- that it's Rebekah who is willing to let everything go. Bonnie would've expected this kind of support from Caroline, but she'll take whatever she gets.

"Thank you," Bonnie whispers, drying her wet cheeks. "For the gift and all of this. I know it's not easy for you..."

Klaus and Rebekah's relationship is filled with resentment and pain. Between keeping his sister in a coffin for years and killing most of her lovers, Klaus's done a lot to hurt Rebekah. Bonnie knows it must be hard for Rebekah to see Klaus have a child, something she's wanted for herself.

"Like I've said, we're turning the page. As long as my brother stays in line, everything will be okay. We can't afford to fight amongst ourselves if we intend on waging a war against every supernatural creature in New Orleans."

"A war and a baby." Bonnie tries to keep her tone casual, even if a chilling sensation is going through her body. "Think we can handle it?"

"We're Mikaelsons. There's not much we can't overcome."

The way Rebekah says it indicates that she sees Bonnie as a Mikaelson too. 'I'm a Bennett and proud of it!' A small voice in the back of her head protests. Bonnie doesn't say anything, though. She's just happy to have someone in her corner.