"Tyler, just call me back. Please?" The last word was almost a whimper. With a deep breath Caroline hung up her phone and laid it on her bedside table.
She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream out for someone, anyone, to help, to make it better. But all her friends were in the exact position she was. No one had time to comfort her. They had their own emotions to deal with.
She felt her heart constricting, the grief beginning to hit her like a tidal wave. Jeremy was dead, Elena's humanity was gone, Tyler was on the run, and she was alone. There was nothing she could do to fix it. No amount of home-baked casseroles or cups of tea would make a difference. Not this time.
She heard a ragged sobbing sound and idly wondered where it was coming from, only to realize seconds later that it was her. She gasped, tears streaming down her face and began to sob harder. She needed someone, she couldn't be alone tonight.
Through her tears she reached for her phone and scrolled through her contacts to find his number. She knew she shouldn't call him. In fact, she shouldn't ever speak to him again especially after what happened with Tyler. But she needed him and right now she didn't give a damn about what anyone would say about it.
He picked up on the first ring.
"And to what do I owe this pleasure?"
His sweet accent flowed from her phone. She couldn't answer. She only sobbed harder.
How did things get this bad? Why did this have to happen? The questions cycled through her mind.
"Caroline? Love, what's wrong?"
Once again she couldn't answer. She just cried into the phone, hoping that he would just understand. That he would make it better.
This can't be real. This can't be happening.
"I'm driving over."
She could hear the sound of his car accelerating through the phone. The growl of the engine increased as the tires screeched through turns. Then, there was the sound of a car door slamming outside and shortly after the sound of her front door opening and closing.
She continued to clutch the phone to her ear, unable to let it go.
This wasn't supposed to happen. It wasn't supposed to end this way.
She saw a shadow on the floor and looked up, blinking the tears out of her eyes. He was standing in the doorway to her room, his eyes full of concern.
After a moment he walked carefully towards her as though approaching a frightened animal.
"Caroline." He murmured soothingly, coming to kneel down in front of her whilst his hand reached upwards to gently hold the hand that was still clutching her phone.
"Caroline, love, let go."
His words pierced through the haze of emotions that were enveloping her and she relaxed her hand slightly. He gently removed the phone from her hand, ended the call, and placed it on her bedside table.
You need to tell him. You need to explain. Speak Caroline!
"Jer- Jeremy's dead and Elena lost her humanity and- and…" she said in between sobs, desperately trying to explain.
"Shhh. It's alright, love. Come here." He murmured, moving next to her on the bed and gently pulling her down to lay her head on his chest. He pulled up the blankets to cover them and wrapped his arms around her, placing his lips on her hair.
Hours passed and he continued to hold her, gently rubbing her back as her tears soaked through his Henley.
Slowly, her sobs quieted into whimpers and sniffles and soon after that the soft rhythm of this hand rubbing her back lulled her into an exhausted sleep.