"Close your eyes, lean your head back," Claire whispers gripping the extendable showerhead. Stormy blue eyes pour into hers. She waits patiently. Slowly, his eyes closed and his head tilts backward.

Sitting on the edge of the tub, Claire raises the showerhead and wets Klaus's hair. Her hands run over the blond locks making sure she got all of it. She pushes a button, pausing the water flow once she's satisfied. Reaching out, she grabs the shampoo and puts it in her hands.

Klaus leans towards her allowing her to wash his hair more comfortably. She massages his head, making sure to wash all the blood out of his hair. She doesn't only wash the blood away but the stress and the disappointment of the day. Claire knew the disloyalty of the hybrids, their attempt to subdue and kill him, hurt him more than he was willing to admit. 

All Claire wanted to do, all she could do, was be there for him. Assure him that not everybody is against him, that not everybody is trying to kill him. She wanted to show him that he had people who love him, who are still on his side.

When she's done, she stands and grabs a towel. Klaus stands as well and steps out of the tub. She turns to him. Her eyes meet his and they stay there. She gives him a soft smile and begins to dry his body. 

"I love you" He whispers. His hand grips her chin gently. "Thank you." He mutters pressing his forehead on hers. She smiles, her hand wrapping around the back of his neck.

"I love you, Niklaus Mikaelson" She whispers to him. "Nothing is going to change that." She assures him. He smiles kissing her lips lightly. It's soft and short but Claire can see how much she means to him and she hopes he knows how much he means to her. "Get dressed, I'll be downstairs." She mutters. He nods reluctantly letting her go.

Slipping out of the bathroom, Claire makes her way towards the steps. She's about to go down them when she notices Elijah sitting in his office seemingly in deep thought. She changes direction and stands in the doorway. It takes him a few moments to notice her presence making her slightly uneasy.

"Everything alright, Elijah?" She asks softly. He releases a sigh and stands up.

"Tyler Lockwood and Hayley Marshall are nowhere to be found," Elijah tells her. "The town is going insane over Carol Lockwood's death, thankfully no one witnessed Niklaus drowning her" Claire instantly notices the annoyance in his voice. She walks into the room and towards him. 

"Don't worry about Tyler and Hayley... We outnumber them, we always have. They can't get to me, they can't get to Madelyn" Claire comforts him. She grabs his hands and intertwines their fingers. "And I know Klaus shouldn't have killed Carol but he did and there's nothing we can do about it now. All we can do is show the town our sympathy, offer our condolences." 

"As always, you're right" She smiles rubbing her thumb over the skin on his hand.

"Maybe now that Tyler and Hayley have gone, the hybrid problem is nonexistent, everything will start slowing down now." Claire hopes. "It'll be nice having to just worry about high school and not who's trying to kill who." She smiles at Elijah.

"I'm sorry we've pulled you into this life" Elijah whispers to her.

"You didn't pull me into this life, you made this life better" Claire assures him. "No stop stressing and worrying over things we can't control. Come downstairs with me." She begins to pull him towards the door. She smiles when she sees him following her without resistance. She leads him downstairs where the others, excluding Klaus, were.

"Well, this town sure knows how to party." Kol grins with a drink in his hand. Claire smiles slightly at him. She lets Elijah's hand go and goes towards Madelyn. Claire sits on the floor, watching Madelyn play with her toys.

Finn takes a seat on the floor beside Claire. She smiles and leans into him. He kisses the top of her head, grabbing her hand. She plays with his fingers, her eyes resting on Madelyn. 

"She's going to be turning one soon." Claire smiles.

"A grand celebration is in order" Kol declares. He scoops Madelyn up in his arms and tosses her in the air. Madelyn's giggles are enough to lighten the mood and bring a smile to everybody's face. "The whole town will be invited."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Claire said. Kol rests Madelyn on his hip and looks to his mate. "Kol, the mayor just died, murdered. The last thing this town needs is us parading around celebrating Madelyn's birthday. Besides, I just want it to be close friends and family." 

"But-" Kol pouts.

"Her second birthday you can invite all of Virginia if you so wish," Claire promises. "But let's keep this one small." She bargains.

"Fine, but I get to plan the second," He said pointing at her. Claire smiles and nods accepting the deal, not truly knowing what she was getting into.

"I suppose I can also tell everybody that I'm pregnant then as well," Claire mutters nervously. "Seeing as we didn't exactly make the dinner, Elijah planned."

"It'll be alright, Princess" Finn comforts.

"I'm just nervous how my mother will react" Claire mutters. "She wasn't exactly happy the last time."

"Well it's not like it's exactly your fault, darling" Kol piped up. "Who knew we could knock you up?" Kol shrugs.

"I don't know but don't think just because I can get pregnant that I'm going to allow you lot to make me into a baby-making machine" Claire snipped pointing to each of them. "I just got done being pregnant and now I'm pregnant again after this baby is out, I'm taking a vacation for a couple of years," Claire said snuggling into Finn.

"As you wish, Princess" Finn grins holding her close.

As the days drew closer to Madelyn's birthday, Claire couldn't help but focus on what she's lost in the past year rather than everything she's gained. While she's gained a beautiful daughter and the most handsome mates within the last year, she's also lost a child.

Aaron consumed close to her every waking thought as it drew closer to not only Madelyn's birthday but his. The two would have been twins had his heart been strong enough. The guilt, despite how hard Claire tried to ignore it, was starting to consume her. She blamed herself for his death and no matter what anybody told her, she continued to blame herself.

She tries to focus on Madelyn's party and getting everything ready but that only consumes a few hours a day. Her mates and family try to distract her but there's always that moment in the day, that moment where she's alone and it hits her. Those are the moments Claire feels as if she's going to fall apart.

"Give me your foot," Elijah said walking over to Claire about two days before Madelyn's birthday. She was in Klaus's art room. She had been laying on the couch, sketching in her notebook when Elijah walked into the room.

"What?" She questions. He kneels by her feet and takes the one closest to him gently. He slides her shoe on and does the same with her other foot. "Mind telling me where we're going?" She said as he helped her stand. He takes a moment to look at what she had been drawing.

The rough sketch is of Claire in the hospital, hooked up to machines. The detail in her face, while amazing, is heart quenching. Elijah could see how torn she looked. The look of happiness yet complete heartbreak as she holds her surviving child close to her.

"In three months and seven days, I will have had the pleasure of knowing you for an entire year," Elijah says. Claire smiles at him, her heartwarming at the thought. "And while my brothers have not had the privilege of being in your life for as long as I have, we all have something in common."

"And that is?" Claire asks. Elijah doesn't answer right away. He moves closer to her. He cups the side of her face gently as a sense of seriousness rests in his eyes.

"None of us have met Aaron." Claire whimpers as she hears his name being spoken out loud. His other arm wraps around her and he pulls her against his body. "I know what is coming up, I know how hard this is for you. Ignoring it will not help-"

"You think I'm ignoring this?" Claire snapped moving out of his arms. "How can I ignore Aaron? He's all I ever think about" She glares at Elijah.

"And when was the last time you visited him?" Elijah asked. Claire looks away from him. "The last time you talked about him? Talked to him?"

"He's dead, how can I talk to him?"

"The dead listen better than the living" Elijah speaks. "I know how hard this is for you-"

"Do you?" Claire asks quietly. "Can you even imagine how hard this is?" She looks at him, tears welling up in her eyes. "Can you imagine having a child, two children grow in your stomach for months? Can you imagine being so excited to finally meet them and even though you haven't met them you love them with every fiber of your being? How about one of them being ripped from your arms? Can you imagine not being able to protect them? Or hearing the words, 'he didn't make it' or 'his heart failed'? Can you imagine that?" Claire closes her eyes and shakes her head. "That kind of pain cannot be described, cannot be imagined, only felt."

"Show me, then," Elijah said moving towards Claire. She looks at him, frowning her eyebrows. "Through the bond, manipulate my emotions. Help me understand." He pleads.

"I can't" She whispers shaking her head.

"I want you too," He said grabbing her hands. "I want to understand because seeing you like this and not knowing how to help is painful enough." He explains to her.

"I don't want you to know that pain, I just want you to accept that what I'm feeling won't just go away," Claire whispers to him. "Nobody on this planet loves Aaron more than I do and the pain of him not being here, of me not being able to watch him grow and experience life is unlike anything you've ever felt," Claire explains. "That pain won't go away even if you drag me to his grave, even if I talk about him or talk to him."

"The pain will never go away" Elijah agrees. "But it might become more bearable." He tells her. "If you share the pain with me, with my brothers. Confide in us. Let us bear your pain with you, let us help. You've helped us in ways that not even you and your brilliant mind can comprehend." Claire smiles slightly. "Let us help you. Your pain is ours just like ours is yours. Besides, this isn't just for you. We want to see Aaron. Even dead, he is apart of our family."

"Always and forever extended to you and your family the moment we found you, love" Claire looks past Elijah and sees Klaus. "Your children, your siblings, your mother, Hanna, and Sarah are within that vow. We take care of our own. We protect them. We're there for them. And we honor their memory." Klaus says walking towards Claire.

Claire smiles at the two of them. She felt calmer and not so alone. She pulled both of them into a tight hug. They pressed their heads against either side of hers.

"Your pain is ours, your happiness is ours, we're in this and everything else together. Always and forever" Klaus whispers to her.

"Always and forever" She whispers and gives them both a soft kiss. Slowly, they pulled away and Claire leads them downstairs. There, everybody was waiting for her. Caroline was holding Madelyn on her hip. Finn, Henrik, and Kol were standing by the door. Even her mother was with them. "Hi, mom" Claire whispers hugging Liz tightly.

"Hi, Baby" Liz whispers hugging her just as tightly.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Liz asked and Claire nodded strongly. Liz smiles and runs her hand over Claire's hair. "I love you." 

"I love you too, mom" Liz smiles and the group of them left. The closer they got to the graze sight, the more anxious Claire got.

"I've only ever been here once" Claire whispers to the ones that road in her car. Kol, Elijah, Finn, and Klaus looked towards her. She simply looks towards the graveyard. "I could barely stay to watch them bury his casket. It was so small." A few tears fall Claire's face. She releases a painful laugh. "I say I could barely stay but in reality, I never wanted to leave. Matt and Jeremy quite literally dragged me away." Claire wipes her tears.

"Love-" Klaus doesn't get to finish. Claire steps out of the car and walks towards the gravestone. 

Aaron is buried beside a tree. It pained Claire how lonely his grave looked. It was away from everybody else's. Two rows behind Aaron and five spots to the left laid Noah South. Three rows in front and eight spots to the right laid Bill Forbes. 

Aaron William Forbes
December 18th, 2009
A moment in our arms, forever in our hearts

"Kol, Finn, Klaus, Elijah... Meet Aaron" Claire whispers knowing that Henrik had experienced all of this while he was on the Other Side.

Claire rests a hand over her stomach. She tries not to let the terror take over but she can't help but fear an added headstone beside's Aaron's. She closes her eyes and wills the thoughts away.

Henrik pulls Claire against his chest, holding her as tightly as he could. She clings onto him like a lifeline. She couldn't stop the tears so she stopped trying.

Caroline set Madelyn down. The vampire twin wipes her tears away. It pained her to see Claire like this. She remembered how Claire was when she found out about Aaron. How Claire was when she was released from the hospital. She could only imagine how things could have turned out if she wasn't able to snap Claire out of her daze.

Claire sniffled as she watched Madelyn walk up to her brother's gravestone. Madelyn reached out and ran her fingers across the writing as if she knew that it was her brother who laid there. She sat on the ground and played in the grass with a wide smile on her face. The sight was strong enough to lift Claire's spirits, even if it was only for a moment.

"Can I have a moment?" Claire whispers. "Alone with Madelyn." Henrik kisses the top of her head before reluctantly letting her go. Her other mates make some sort of comforting gesture before leaving her be. 

"I'll be with dad if you need me," Caroline said. The twin hugs each other tightly.

"Tell him I said hi" Claire whispers. Caroline clenches her eyes and nods silently, not trusting her voice. They pull away and Caroline walks over to Bill's grave. "Mom, please just give me-"

"I want to say something," Liz said. Claire looks at her mother for a few moments before her gaze turns towards Madelyn and Aaron. "I was wrong to have treated you like I did when you were pregnant."

"I forgave you a long time ago mom" Claire whispers.

"That doesn't change the fact that I did it," Liz said. Claire glances at her mother. "You're not the only one who blames themselves for Aaron's death." Claire frowns her eyebrows. "If I had paid closer attention if I would have helped you and gotten you to the hospital the moment you started to get sick, maybe I could have saved him."

"Mom, no" Claire whispers hugging Liz tightly. The two of them grip onto each other tightly. "It wasn't your fault. I knew there was something wrong but I ignored it, I brushed it off. I shouldn't have done that."

"You were 17, you didn't know any better. I should have been there for you. I should have helped you but I didn't and I'm so sorry, Claire... I'm so sorry." Liz grips her daughter tighter.

"It's ok, mom... It's ok" Claire whispers comfortingly. "I don't blame you... I never did." The two of them reluctantly pull away. "There's something I have to tell you," Claire said not able to hold it any longer. "I'm pregnant again and it's Kol's."

"What?" Liz asked wiping her tears away. "You're pregnant?"

"I didn't know it was possible. Kol's a vampire, it shouldn't have happened." Liz slowly nodded trying to wrap her mind around it. "Mom, just accept that it's happened. You don't have to be happy about it, you can be disappointed in me if you want but please don't shun me again. Please, I need you." Claire begs.

"Oh, Baby" Liz pulls Claire into another hug. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise" Liz whispers hugging her tightly. "I'll be there for you this time, I promise" Claire relaxes and smiles slightly.

"Thank you" Claire whispers pulling away slightly. Liz smiles at Claire.

"You don't have to thank me, it's what a mother should do." Claire smiles and nods. "I'll leave you two to it" Claire nods again. Liz kisses Claire's forehead before joining Caroline by Bill's grave.

"You know who this is, don't you?" Claire says sitting on the ground talking to Madelyn. The almost one-year-old climbs into her mothers' lap. "It's your brother... His name's... His name's Aaron." Claire whispers. Madelyn coos and squirms until she's comfortable. 

Claire closes her eyes, cuddling Madelyn. She images Aaron and Madelyn playing in the backyard together. She imagines Aaron with dark hair and bright blue eyes. She imagines him being as close to Madelyn as Claire is close to Caroline.

"Baby mine, don't you cry... Baby mine, dry your eyes. Rest your head close to my heart, never to part, baby of mine" Claire sings quietly in Madelyn's ear. Claire begins to rock the two of them. Madelyn yawns and snuggles in her mother's embrace. "Little one, when you play... pay no heed what they say... let your eyes sparkle and shine, never a tear, baby of mine" Claire was surprised at how her voice was able to stay together despite the tears falling down her cheeks. "If they knew all about you, they'd end up loving you, too... All those same people who scold you... What they'd give just for the right to hold you." Claire's eyes open and look at Aaron's headstone. "From your hair down to your toes, you're not much, goodness knows, but you're so precious to me... sweet as can be... baby of mine."