Author's Note - Hey guys, if anyone is still reading Klaroline Fanfic (like I am)) then I wanted to share this story with you. I've been trying to get back into writing on a regular basis, and this is the result so far, I don't know where its going, or how its going to pan out, or how long or short it will be... not much to go on, sorry!

I do know it will be a relatively slow burn Klaroline, in fact, they may not meet for a few chapters in this one initially as it has a much richer background story and character building (hopefully). It is also a dark and angsty fic, so don't read if that isn't your thing.

Constructive criticism always welcome!

The Night Garden

Chapter 1

Caroline narrowed her eyes at the suspect in front of her. Despite all the obvious signs, all the signs that her training told her meant he was lying, his shifty eyes, the sweat on his brow, how one hand picked at the other as he mumbled his responses, as he stuttered out his alibi, she knew he wasn't lying.

She felt Tyler, her partner shift beside her, and took it as signal to convene outside.

She followed his broad back from the interrogation room.

"Well? Tell me we finally got our guy for this" Tyler said, filling his coffee cup as he spoke.

"Sorry. He's telling the truth" she said, watching a scowl descend over Tyler's usually good natured features.

"Are you sure, wait, don't answer that, I know better." He said, taking a large swallow of coffee, before checking the time.

"Geez, we need to get out of here. Let's get rid of this guy and grab dinner?" he offered as he pulled out the paperwork to get the suspect released.

She checked her phone as they started filling in the forms.

"I can't, Matt's waiting, I'm already later than I told him I'd be" she said a little guiltily. She caught Tyler's reprimanding look.

"Stop, you're the world's best adopted sister, so I don't want to hear it. He's a lucky kid" Tyler said, and Caroline tensed for a moment as his hand seemed to hover over hers, and she thought that he might cross that line they had been playing with more and more often in the last few months, since Tyler's divorce was finalised. The moment played out, and awkwardness seemed to swallow any spontaneity the movement would have had. Tyler picked up his pen, clearing his throat as he did.

"You know, this doesn't need both of us. I'll finish up, you go home and see your baby bro."

"You don't mind?"

"Without you, I'd be trying to crack holes in that guy's story half the night, you're really saving me time" he said, a twinkle in his dark eyes. She nodded gratefully, aware of the truth of that statement as she slipped her leather jacket on and wrapped a scarf around her neck, bundling her blonde curls up tightly.

"Well, see you tomorrow" she said, as she slipped out, leaving Tyler in the dim light of the deserted office, quickly making her way down the quiet precinct hallways and through the reception, where she waved to the night staff, before pushing through the door and out onto the street.

The sounds of the city in the night rushed in, cars honking and music playing down the block, a couple of teenagers giggling at a video on their phones as they walked past. She took a deep breath, shrugging off the mantle of all day in the office, before turning and heading down the street toward the subway.

The crowds around union square were already piling up, as she quickly dodged party goers and drunks, stepping lightly down the narrow stairs. Walking against the masses as she turned toward the platform for Brooklyn bound trains, she found the platform eerily quiet for a moment, before spotting an older lady sitting further along, deeply embroiled in a passionate phone conversation.

She typed a quick message to Matt, telling she'd be home soon, and watched for her train. It was something she had always done when waiting in the station, looking along the track, into the darkness, sometimes seeing the signals within the tunnel changing in the dark. She imagined the whole network of underground tunnels, shrouded in perpetual darkness, underneath the city, like a midnight labyrinth.

The training rounded an invisible corner, lighting up the tunnel beyond as it finally pulled to a stop in front of her, the door sliding cheerfully open.

As she got on, she looked to see where the older woman was, seeing that her conversation had prevented her getting on the train. She sat down, the carriage was almost empty, and pulled out her book.

The stops flew past as the travelled the short distance, and as they neared her stop, she looked up to find she was the only one left in her carriage. The train started to slow, and she pushed her book into her bag and swung it over her shoulder as she stood, holding onto a strap, and started to make her way up the swaying train to the door.

As she went, she felt a strange breeze blow through the air, as though someone had opened the window behind her. It blew over her, her arms instantly goosepimpling as it whistled over her with a sigh.

"Caroline" she turned her head, seeing again the empty carriage, nothing to spook her.

Outside the train had slowed a little in the last tunnel and outside the windows were the dense black of the inner walls of the tunnel.

"Caroline" she felt more than heard the whisper brush over her ear and shoulder, and spun around, feeling silly even as she did.

She had definitely been working too much lately, especially on the Jones case, which, for some reason, was really getting under her skin. Maybe it was because the slight, albeit it, extremely slight connection to her, she just couldn't seem to shake it, it was always just one thought away lately.

Divine Jones, a phony fortune teller, decent pick pocket and outstanding con artist had gone missing 2 weeks ago, at best guess, perhaps more. It had only been picked up when one of his regulars had found his flat locked and no sign of him for two sessions, that alarms had been raised.

Inside they had found little evidence that he hadn't just decided to move on. His run down apartment held nothing of real value, except a few stolen mobile phones and about $500 in cash, and an envelope contained a mystery white powder. The cash bothered her, if he were packing up to leave, who wouldn't take cash, unless it had been in a hurry. The powder was at the lab for tests, the phones were being traced back to the owners. It wasn't a priority case, and other ones, such as the one they had been questioning a suspect for this evening were far more important. And yet, her mind kept straying to Divine Jones. It wasn't the first time shed been to his apartment, a fact she had neglected to tell Tyler.

When she'd first moved to the city, 21 and alone, running from her small town and its lack of anonymity, she had finally tried to find answers for the problems that had plagued her, her entire life. Finding Jone's ad tacked up in her local market, she had hesitantly made an appointment. Upon arrival, and being told to cough up $50 up front before her reading, she hadn't spent more than 10 minutes there.

She could recall most of the rubbish he had spouted, straight from tarot reading for dummies. You're different and unique, your future is all before you, you will be successful and meet the man of your dreams, yada yada yada. The only thing of interest, and something she thought of every time she watched the signal lights, was something he'd said at the end, as she had been about leaving, her disappointment clear on her face.

"Watch for yellow lights, remember, they mean danger, caution. No, wait –" his hand had clamped down on her wrist as she tugged open the door, forcing her to look around at him.

"Not yellow, gold, the golden lights. Stay away from the golden light…"

"Why?" she'd asked curious, despite herself.

"Because they will be the end, the end of everything, the end of you" he'd muttered, sweat popping up on his brow. She loosened herself and left, £100 poorer, and no answers, putting the display down to a last attempt to gain a positive Yelp review.

The lights in the carriage flickered suddenly, plunging her back to reality, and she saw her reflection vanish in the glass doors, replaced by darkness. She felt unease snake up her spine, her hand moved to the gun on her hip, its steady weight reassuring her. She was armed, she was trained, she was a cop, and not about to be scared of her own shadow.

As her thoughts resolved themselves, and her childish fear receded, the lights flickered one last time, before blinking on properly, and the train started inching along. The bright lights of the platform replaced the dark wall of the tunnel and she was soon stepping out at her stop, already anticipating getting home. Maybe Matt would want to order a pizza, or Chinese, they could watch a movie, or go out to eat she mused as she ambled along her street. She saw the familiar lights of neighbours, a family taking their small children out of the car at the curb, and someone walking their dog, circling a tree suspiciously, nose to the ground.

She glanced up at her apartment window as she jogged up the steps, seeing the light was off. She hoped Matt hadn't gone out somewhere, she thought as she entered the inner hall, and walked the last flight of steps to her apartment door. She thought fleetingly what kind of pizza she felt like, and she remembered these thoughts in the days and weeks to come.

In the way that you see your life flash before your eyes, before you die, or the way Bilbo Baggins thought of returning home for his handkerchief, she saw the mundane normality of her life, perfect, ordinary and hard won. She remembered those thoughts for a long time, as it turned out they were to be her last. Her last ordinary thoughts, about an ordinary world, where she was an extraordinary girl. Before it all changed irreparably.

Her apartment door was ajar, the darkness inside seeping out. She frowned as she approached, thinking it was strange, but maybe not unheard of that Matt would be careless with locking up. A crunch under her feet alerted her to glass, strewn on the ground, thousands of crystal droplets littering the floor. She stopped in her tracks, her senses flying into high alert, her hand reaching for her weapon. She felt her police training take over, the analytical way she started noting the details of the scene. The scene, she almost shuddered at the thought. It wasn't a scene, she told herself, she was just being cautious. She got to the door and peered into the gap. There was an inky blackness inside, so dark, the curtains must be drawn in the entire place. It was also silent, still and empty feeling. She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind, feeling gently. She slowly nudged open the door, and stepped inside. Her hand reached for the light switch, and she found it already in the on position. As she took her hand away, she felt a wetness on her fingertips. The light from the hall fell over a slash of crimson on her hand, and she bit down a cry of fear. She followed the rectangle of light from the hall further into the darkness. She knew she should call for back up, but she felt compelled to check and see if Matt was here first, if he was hurt. She supressed the thought even as it formed.

She checked the kitchen and sitting room, finding them empty, and devoid of signs of struggle. She progressed further in, and slowly entered her bedroom, stopping on the threshold as she did, her heart skidding into her throat.

The first thing that hit her was the smell, dark and coopery, the blood burned her nose and sent her heart into shock. She edged around the once white bed, and reached for the curtains to let more light in. She stopped, a prickling sensation creeping up her back as she realised they were open. She could see outside, and yet, no light was coming into the room. It was the strangest sensation, as though something in the room was absorbing every stray particle of streetlight.

"Caroline"

She could feel her hair stand on end as she turned slowly to face the empty room in front of her. The darkness seemed like velvet, as though if she reached out to the touch the air in front of her, it would be solid, a thick, spongy wall.

"Come to me"

"Who's there? I am a police officer and I am armed." She called, her voice steadier than she had thought it would be. She slowly raised her gun in front of her, the tattoo of her heart beat beating in her ears. She let her eyes adjust to the dark, making more shapes out, the macabre scene on the bed, blood, too much blood, and then a trail through to the next room. She thought perhaps there was something in the mirror, though it was hard to tell.

"Caroline" the same whisper swept over her, and flinched as she felt that peculiar darkness swirl over her. She spun around, and stepped back, trying to escape the strange thickened air, it smelled of the earth before storms, full of power and foreboding. It wrapped her up, suffocated her, tugged her hair and caressed her face. She fought the impulse to breath, and clamped her mouth and eyes shut. She didn't know why, but she had this awful fear of breathing in the noxious air. She held her breath, and stood waiting, counting in her head, knowing exactly how long she could hold her breath. It seemed to hover, wait around her, before a letting go with a long sigh, and when it started to recede she could see the room start to brighten with the moonlight, which should have been streaming in the window.

"Soon" the voice promised as it slipped completely away, leaving her standing, frozen in her pose, her gun raised at invisible opponents.

Suddenly the lights blinked on, and she could hear the TV come on in the next room, filling the room in cheerful chatter so at odds with the picture she could finally make out before her.

Her bed was smeared in blood, fresh, it was bright, and spilled in a cross pattern, deepest at the corners, making it seem as though someone had been held down spread eagled, and cut, wrists and ankles. She felt a sob shutter in her chest as she saw a shoe, tumbled off in the fray, Matt's blue converse.

The rest of the room was a gruesome tableau, with blood splashed on the walls, and a hand print smeared as the trail moved to the next room. She saw the mirror then, as she followed the trail, seeing her own footprints had walked through it.

Something had been scratched in it, deeply into the surface.

We'll be waiting.

She fumbled for her phone and called it in, her voice shaking as she did, and quickly snapped a few photos with her phone, to remember the scene. She tried Matt's cell, and found it ringing in the spare room, along with his wallet and keys. The rest of the room seemed undisturbed, in the quick glance she gave it.

She was waiting in the hall when the police came, and she waited outside, trusting her colleagues to preserve the scene as she tried to collect herself.

"Caroline! Are you alright?" Tyler's concerned voice came from the hall, and she looked up to see him striding toward her, his handsome face twisted in concern. His sympathetic eyes undid her. She shook her head slightly, feeling an overwhelming urge to cry bear down. She bit her lip and fell in his arms as they enveloped her.

"Matt was here?" he asked, and she buried her face further into his welcome embrace.

"He's hurt, we have to find him" she breathed as she got control of her breathing. She leaned back as Tyler brushed her hair off her flushed face and studied her, his mouth set in a grim line.

"We will" he reassured her, and she stared at him in shock. Lie. He was lying. The knowledge coursed through her veins as she stood, shock numbing her bit by bit as she stared at the wall.

"Let's get out of here, you can stay with me, until we get this all processed. Unless you've somewhere else you'd like to go? Name it, I'll take you" he said.

"I… I don't know. Shouldn't I be here, in case. Just in case he comes back" she said, her voice sounding alien in her ears. Tyler was shaking his head.

"You can't stay in an active crime scene, anyway the perps might come back. Did they take anything?" Caroline went to answer and found she had no idea.

"Let's talk tomorrow, let's get you a shower and some sleep now" he ordered, and she found herself being propelled forward by his insistent arm around her back. The cool night air was like a dousing after the close hallway, the smell of Matt's pain, heavy in the air.

"Tomorrow we will figure it all out, don't worry, Caroline, we will find him" he was saying, and all she could think, as she tensed her jaw and bit her tongue was… liar.

Caroline had known she was different from other children at a very young age. Her mother had always said she was wise beyond her years, and she had indeed confirmed that with every passing year. She had never fallen for the ruse of Santa, even as a young child, never been taken in by any ruse, much to her mother's disappointment. As she had progressed into high school, the problem, if that's what it was had seemed more apparent every day. She was a straight A student, easily able to identify what was important to cover in her revision before the test, despite what the teacher told the class. She never dated much, though she'd been asked. She became known for asking strange questions, lacking in social niceties, and indeed a little awkward and abrupt. When the captain of the football team had asked her to prom, she had looked him in the eye.

"Do you expect me to sleep with you if we go together?" she'd asked, and he'd laughed uncomfortably.

"Of course not Caroline, It'd just be fun, dancing, hanging out, no pressure, I promise" he'd said, with a sincerity born with practised lying, shining in his eyes.

"I don't think so." She'd sweetly replied, walking away without a backwards glance, confirming her reputation as the Ice Queen of Mystic falls.

Since she could remember Caroline had been able to tell when people were lying. She knew straight away when someone told the truth and when someone lied. That gift, if you'd like to call it that, grew in complexity as she got older. To begin with, you could have called it having strong intuition or instincts. However, as she got older, it became more, blossoming as she did. She began to be able to tell when someone thought they were telling the truth, which mean she was able to see the truth of a situation. It was the biggest reason she had become a cop, to use the skill however she could to help people. Lately though, it had started to become something even more, and the newest development, scared her. When Tyler had said that they'd find Matt, she'd instantly known that they wouldn't. That was what her gift was changing into. The ability to glimpse the future. It was a terrifying power, and she wished it away every day, wished to return to simpler times, and yet, each day it grew stronger. It didn't mean that she wouldn't find Matt, or that Matt wouldn't turn up, all she knew for sure, is that if she found Matt, Tyler wouldn't be there.