"There's actually something growing inside of you," Kol whispers laying on his side while Claire lays on her back. The only clothes that cover her body are a loose pair of sweatpants and a matching bra. She was starting to show even though she is only about 9 weeks along. 

Claire didn't know how this pregnancy would go seeing as the baby is half-vampire and half-human. It's never happened before. To say her mates were anxious about it all is an understatement. The unpredictability of the pregnancy put them on edge, heightened their protective instincts.

"Yes, my love, that's how pregnancy's work," Claire smiles at Kol. He seemed absolutely fascinated by the entire thing. Claire believed that now that Kol could see her stomach forming, the thought of having a child was starting to settle in. So far he seemed very excited, she hoped it would stay that way.

"I can't hear him moving, is that normal?" Kol questioned resting his ear on her stomach while looking her in the eyes. She smiles and runs her fingers through his hair.

"He won't move for another couple of weeks, he's not big enough yet" Claire informs him. Kol nods relaxing slightly. "You're going to make a wonderful father." She mutters. He gives her a sheepish smile. He lifts his head and moves further up her body. He nestles into the crook of her neck, his arm wrapping protectively around her.

"I'm scared" He whispers so quietly that she barely heard it. Claire places her hand on top of his arm, she rubs it lightly.

"It's ok" She mutters. "So am I" He lifts his head again and places it on her forehead. "I'm by no means an expert with it comes to children, we'll learn together." She assures him. "Besides, the first one is just a practice dummy" She teases which gets him to relax.

"Well, in that case," Kol rolls on his back and brings her onto his chest. She giggles and straddles his lap. "Let's get working on a spare" He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.  

"Oh, no, Mr. Mikaelson" Claire sits up. Her hand presses on his chest. "You're getting one out of me, that will be enough for a while." He pouts playfully. "Trust me, one is enough. We already have to look after Madelyn and now this one, I don't need to have to worry about a third. Not right now at least."

"You drive a hard bargain" Kol mutters.

"So, I've been told" Claire smirks and leans down on top of him. She snuggles into his chest. He kisses the top of her head. "We're gonna have to get up soon" She mutters. His grip around her tightens.

"No" He whines. She smiles slightly. "I don't understand why we have to attend" He grumbles.

"Because, as Mikaelson's we are held at a different standard in the town. It would be considered rude if we did not attend the memorial for Mayor Lockwood. This town already has its suspicions of us, their still uneasy and don't know what to think. We need to ease their minds and show them we're on their side, that we care for this town and we do that by attending the ceremony."

"Would they consider it rude if they found out that our family is the reason they're having this ceremony?" Kol wonders out loud. Claire rolls her eyes and slips from his grasp.

"Besides, Carol and my mother were close. We're not only showing support for the town but my mother as well." Claire pointed out. Kol rolls on his side and watches Claire get dressed into something more flattering with a lazy smile on his face. "What?" She asks softly. He hums and raises his eyebrows. "That look on your face, what are you thinking?"

"When you were making your speech on how we need to be sensitive and supportive of the town's loss, you said 'as Mikaelson's we'..." Kol explains. Claire smiles slightly. "I guess I just like the thought of you considering yourself a Mikaelson." 

"Well, unless you boys would rather change your last name to Forbes, then I guess it's Mikaelson for me." Claire winks at him. He grins and appears in front of her.

"Mrs. Mikaelson" He whispers holding her waist. "I like the sound of that" He mutters.

"So do I" She whispers back. He grins even wider and pulls her into a gentle kiss. Though hardly anything that had to do with Kol stayed gentle. Claire smirked and he lifts her off the ground, her legs circling him. He slams her back into the wall, their bodies molding together and their lips becoming one.

"Have you ever thought about it?" He asks suddenly pulling away. Claire struggles to catch her breath.

"Think about what?" She mutters, her mind slightly jumbled from the passionate kiss he had given her.

"Marriage" He clarifies. "Have you ever thought about it?"

"Caroline and I have our entire weddings planned by the time we were 10. Over the years we've updated our ideas" Claire smiles at him.

"So you want to get married?" He asked her.

"We have eternity to worry about marriage," Claire tells him. "Would I like to marry you and your brothers? Yes. But I haven't even graduated high school. I don't know what my future holds for me. Now isn't the time for marriage but sometime in the future I would love to be Mrs. Mikaelson in every form and on every document." Kol grins widely.

Kol slowly sets Claire down but keeps her pinned against the wall. She wraps her hand around the back of his neck and pulls him to her. He smiles and kisses her softly. It isn't a long kiss but it's full of promise.

"You know, there are multiple lifetimes where you would be shamefully looked down upon for being with child and not married." He muttered grinning.

"Well, I was already shamefully looked down upon in my first pregnancy. I doubt this will be different in that aspect." Claire smiles no longer bothered by that fact. "Claire Forbes, Mystic Falls whore." She jokes.

"You're not a whore," He said not liking it when she talked about herself in such a way. "You're my mate" He kisses her forehead. "My world" He kisses her nose. "My happiness" He kisses her lips. "My humanity" He kisses her chest and drops to his knees. "And you've blessed me with our child." He kisses her stomach. "Our miracle child" He mutters brushing his nose against her bump affectionately.

"I love you" She whispers running her fingers through his hair. He makes eye contact with her and stands. He kisses her but she won't let him get further than a few moments. "But we're still going to the ceremony" He whines and she smirks.

Within a few hours, everybody was ready for the ceremony. Claire took Madelyn with her feeling slightly guilty. While she held a strong hatred for Tyler, she could remember quite a few good moments with Carol. Yet Claire never once let Carol see Madelyn, hold Madelyn. Tyler made his choices, yes they were the wrong choices but they were Tyler's. Carol wasn't the one to make Tyler abandon Claire and Madelyn, Carol wasn't the one who made Tyler say all of those things about her. Claire would have wished for Carol to knock some sense in her brain but it wasn't Carol's responsibility, it was Tyler's.

"Claire, over here" Caroline waved Claire and the Mikaelson's over. Claire smiled at her sister and lead her mates toward her. She then noticed Matt, Bonnie, and Jamie sitting with Caroline. She greets her friends before handing Madelyn off to Caroline. Claire then walks over to her mother.

"How are you holding up?" Claire asks. Liz glances behind Claire and notices all the Mikaelson's, the boys at least seeing as Rebekah was in a different spot with Asher and his family, were watching Claire with such intensity that it not only started Liz but intimidated her. If Liz wasn't sure about the Mikaelson's taking care of Claire, of protecting her before, she is now.

"I'm alright" Liz smiles at Claire. "I just hope we find who did this" Liz said eyeing Claire for any hint as to who had killed the mayor, Claire gives her none. "I'd love to give the ton some closure."

"I'm sure you'll find them, mom" Claire comforts knowing it wasn't a good idea to go telling everyone that Klaus had killed the mayor. Although she knew Klaus would own up to it, even brag about it if Claire would let him. "You know I'm here for you."

"I know" Liz hugs Claire. "Go take a seat before you're.... before they lose it." Liz clears her throat glancing at the Mikaelson's.

"Don't let them intimidate you, I'd never allow any harm to come your way" Claire assures her.

"You know, it's supposed to be the mother protecting the daughter" Liz points out.

"And you've done a wonderful job. But that was when we lived in the old world, we live in the new world now. A world where we don't only have to worry about bad humans but other... people, as well" Claire said not willing to say anything 'supernatural' since she didn't know who could hear her and who couldn't. "We have to play by a different set of rules now and at the moment, I have the resources to protect the ones I love. Let me use them." Liz smiles at her daughter.

"I don't say it enough but I'm very proud of the woman you've become" Liz smiles at her. "Both you and Caroline" She adds knowing Caroline was listening. Liz glances at her eldest daughter in the stands and sees her smiling back at her. "Now, go take a seat, it'll begin soon." Claire nods and returns to her mates. They relax only when she's within their protective group.

"Do you think Tyler will show?" Caroline asks.

"If he does, we're going to leave him alone," Claire said clearly. Her mates begin to protest. "It is his mother's ceremony. Show some mercy. You can go back to hunting him tomorrow" Claire bargains with them.

"That's very kind of you, Elskan," Elijah says a few seats down.

"Too kind" Klaus grumbles from his spot. Claire smiles and grips Kol's hand. She sits between him and Caroline. Bonnie, Jamie, and Matt sit on Caroline's right while Kol, Klaus, Elijah with Madelyn, Finn, and Henrik sit on Claire's left.

"Carol Lockwood always said that togetherness in times of tragedy leads to healing, that one community is stronger than a thousand of its members. But how does a community stay strong after losing its leader? And Carol was so much more than a leader; she was an open-minded friend and a concerned mother, taken from us too soon by a terrible accident." Claire's mother speaks to the crowd.

"A terrible accident" Claire whispers. She makes eye contact with her mother. She knew that's what they were telling the town but knew some people wouldn't believe it to be the truth. Claire grips Kol's hand as she looks at Liz. Her mother knew Claire knew something about Carol's death and the look in Liz's eyes gave Claire an unsettling feeling.

"And the little mutt runs as always" Klaus whispers. Claire turns her head seeing Tyler standing and leaving the gym.

"Please join me in observing a minute silence in her memory" Claire gives the more mischievous brothers a hard look, warning them to stay silent before bowing her head with the rest of the group. "Thank you so much" Everyone looks up at Liz. "In the wake of this tragedy, the town has selected an interim mayor. Many of you may already know him. Please welcome Mr. Rudy Hopkins."

Claire glances down at Bonnie. She recognized him as Bonnie's father. As if feeling her gaze, the Bennett witch glances at the siphoner and nods, confirming that it was indeed her father. Claire looks back at the interim mayor.

"Thank you so much, Sheriff. Carol Lockwood put this town first. That's why I'm here to talk to you guys. You folks are the future of Mystic Falls..."

Bonnie's father continues to address the town but Claire tunes him out. She looks at her mother, who is already looking at her. The familiar unsettling feeling hits her again. She didn't know what was in store for her future nor did she know the future of Mystic Falls but she did know, everything wasn't going to slow down as she had hoped.