A/N: okay so when I am not thinking about Dean/Caroline I am thinking about…Tyler/Caroline or about Caroline/Balthazar. I own nothing but my mistakes.

A/N: Drum roll please…This story starts when we last see Caroline and Matt behind the cage door Tyler has just lunged for Caroline.

Suggested Listening: Draw Me A Map by Dierks Bentley

/A Map That Leads Me to You /

She screamed and turned away her grip on the chains never slipping…even if they wanted to. She wanted; no scratch that she needed to go to him had to tell him that everything was going to be all right. It was an ever-present need when Tyler was around. There was a small part of her mind that said she should be thinking of Matt should be telling him that everything was going to be okay. However, all her attention was focused on Tyler on the medium sized black wolf with the smoky patches around his golden eyes (she knew he would be beautiful). She slid to her knees still gripping the chains if she let go now her and Matt will die and Tyler…he would never forgive himself for that.

"Tyler…" She breathed her voice whisper soft and calm. (She was anything but.) She needed to stay calm stay collected for Tyler. If she could just get through to him, the wolf, no Tyler crouched down a snarl ripping from his throat his pearly white teeth barred. "…Tyler you have to listen to me." She stretched her hand out towards the bars that kept them in and Tyler out. If she could just get him to hear her then it would all be all right. She had to do this they had no other option the full moon was at its zenith; Tyler will still be under the pull of the moon for some time yet.

"Its going to be okay Tyler… everything is going to work out. I promise." it has to it all has to work out. She needed him knew that now, she wonders why it took her so long to figure this out. He thought she hated him. Thought that she was so angry that she couldn't figure out that she was being an idiot She had her reasons -and as right as she was about those reasons at the time- it still did not negate the fact that he was Tyler and she was Caroline. She needed him almost as much as he had needed her during his first transformation. Tyler understood her as she understood him. They had killed in those first days of their eternal life she understood what it did to him to do that. It had been an accident but it didn't matter, it still weighed on the soul.

"Can you hear me Tyler? I'm here and I'm not leaving, you're stuck with me Lockwood." she let herself smile at him small and hesitant but still there. "I wont leave you Tyler, not now, not ever." it felt so good to tell him that to, finally tell him what was in her heart. Her heart clenched when he growled again and she could feel the tears wanting to fall by shear will she kept them back he needed her to stay calm. She had to reach him what other choice did she have? She couldn't let him go through this alone. Tyler seemed to settle after that but she wasn't stupid enough to let go of those chains, instead she sat on the cold -she couldn't even feel it- ground and waited watching for the first signs that it was over.

She could hear Matt moving the gun -loaded- away from him but close enough to grab if the need arrived. "Caroline…is he…will he…?" He couldn't finish what he was saying something she could get but she knew what he was saying any way. "He'll be fine," she muttered sternly as if she was trying to convince everyone in the room and not just Matt, "he has to be." She added miserably he just has to be. Ever since that day -back when they were human- and they had slept together there had been something building in her chest something that only intensified instead of growing weaker. She burned through men got a little erratic in the process. Anything…anything to get that budding something out of her mind.

When she was changed and everything seemed to fall apart and her world went all helter-skelter, Tyler shone like a beacon in the darkness. Even when he was being a jerk, she was still drawn to him. Stefan told her "all emotions are intensified, anger turns to rage. Sadness to despair and love becomes so much deeper so much more." she understands now -she hadn't then. Her free hand gripped the steel cage door and she could feel the tears that she had held back -valiantly thus far- fall feel them burning her cheeks. "When he's free of the moons pull he's…he's gonna need clothes." She told Matt her eyes never leaving the burnished gold eyes of Tyler. "You can…" he starts, stutters a bit and she can hear the strain in his voice. Does he know can he see what she feels for Tyler? Does it shine in her eyes in her body language? "No its better that I go he needs…you can fight him off." she nods unable to speak. She feels so rotten right now; it was her fault. She was the reason they are in this mess.

Matt pinched his lips trying to loose himself in thought -he tried it at least- but failed. It probably wasn't a good idea anyhow what with his best friend a werewolf -still in wolf form- and his um whatever a vampire. His thoughts of them were all swirled together he would have to be deaf, blind and dumb to not see -or hear- the emotion that laced through Caroline or the way the wolf, Tyler seemed to settle when she spoke. Not much, he still held a threatening stance but his eyes were no longer wild and his stance was a bit more relaxed. Yeah, he thought, she has that effect on me to. Could things get any messier?

He loved…as in loved Caroline and Tyler like a brother. Here's the thing of it though…Tyler and Caroline, never mind he wasn't going to give that thought any life right now he'll just wait and see what happens. He just might be reading too much into this. Vicky when she had been alive used to tell him, "go with you gut big brother trust me it never steers you wrong. You just seem to have a third sense for some thing's." he was sure she had meant a sixth sense but the sentiment was all the same. However, this all played out between the three of them Matt was going to have some serious choices to make.

He had just fallen asleep when he heard it. A soft mewling sound, his eye popped open and strayed to Caroline -she hadn't moved an inch- still on her knees one hand gripping the chains like a vice the other holding the bar in front of her here expressive green eyes locked onto Tyler. His friend, his werewolf friend started to shift a little as he did out in the woods when Damon and Caroline were trying to get them away. Each time Tyler cringed or shifted Caroline seemed to jolt as if she was the other half of him. Two half's make a whole. Tyler threw back his head and howled a sound so full of rage and pain that even Matt couldn't help but shift in sympathy.

When it was over and it was safe to go to him she threw the cage door open and ran to him before he could move she had him in her arms holding -and shamefully crying all over- him she couldn't bring herself to care about that though. He was calling her name, he sounded hoarse and still cringed in pain but her name falling from his lips was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. "Tyler you did it!" She cheered happily. She looked up at Matt into his deep blue eyes, he knows, she thought and pain coursed through. She never meant to hurt Matt she had fully intended to love him for as long as he would have her. But, life is funny that way it takes you places you never expected.

"I'm just gonna…I'm going to go I'll be back in a bit." he murmured hefting the gun strap over his shoulder. She nodded biting her lip tears coursing down her face. She watched him go there was no coming back from tonight too much had been shown to much revealed to ever go back to before. Sighing she turned her attention back to Tyler. "Do you still love him?" he asked his voice hoarse and whisper soft as he looked up at her. "A little," she admitted, a part of her would always love Matt he was the first boy that showed he actually cared about her. It wasn't something that can be easily forgotten. "Do you hate me Care?" his voice was a bit stronger now, he was recovering faster than before.

He scooted away from her and pressed his back against the rock wall. "Do you hate me?" she asks looking away from him. She could not look at him she had no clue where they were going or how they would even get there. "I could never hate you Care." She sighed, a smile curling up the corners of her lips. "Then how could you ever think I could hate you." she asks him softly crawling over to him touching his bent knee. "I did…messed up…you could've…" He cut himself off his frustration evident in his chocolate eyes whether it was about tonight what happened a week ago or at the hospital, she had no idea. Whatever the reason she just couldn't let him falter any more. "Ty we all make mistakes. It's what you do about it later that counts." man she had it bad if she was quoting Stefan.

They sat there for a bit she looked at him while he looked at her and she had a feeling that they could go on like this forever. When had he gone from being her frenemy to her friend and lastly -but most importantly- to someone she couldn't loose when did it all change? Was it that night seemingly oh so long ago or was it something else? Did it even matter? He takes her hand in his rubbing his thumb in soothing circles on the palm of her hand making little flames roll through her. "Don't leave me." She whispered looking down on their entwined hands her free hand crept up to cup his jaw. He clamped his hand down over hers, "I wont." it was a start. A start of a new world and a different place for them.

: The End :