Goodbye Mom
The year was 2048, elderly Elizabeth Forbes was dying of cancer in a hospital in California. She had retired there about 10 years earlier at the urging of Caroline. The vampire wanted her human mother to enjoy her golden years in a warm place. Caroline and Klaus had married in 2020. Liz accepted her son-in-law. She was healthy and happy for several years before discovering a lump in her breast.
Liz immediately consulted the services of Dr. Elena Gilbert. Twenty years before, Elena attended a special medical school in Europe that partially catered to vampires who wanted to be doctors. She returned to the United States along with Stefan. She moved around from hospital to hospital specializing in oncology. She was in San Diego when she got a call from Liz. After tests, Elena delivered the news to Caroline and Liz. The cancer was a bit serious. Surgeries were done along with chemotherapy and radiation treatments. For awhile, Liz was well but the cancer came back and spread to other parts of her body.
Now she was living out her final days in a private home that Elena used for some of her patients.
Caroline was at her mother's bedside reading a book while Liz slept. She liked the arrangements that Elena made for them at this private home. Whenever Liz was in hospitals, Caroline had to pretend to be Liz's granddaughter. Here she could call Liz, "Mom" instead of "Grandma".
Liz was drifting out of consciousness. Caroline was stressed at seeing her mom in pain.
"Mom, I'm here. It's been a nice day today. The sun is out and it's not too hot. Elena thinks if you get stronger, we could take you out in the wheelchair" Caroline said.
Liz loopy from the pain medications didn't respond to Caroline. Caroline hated not being able to have conversations with her mom at times. She heard the front door open. It was Elena coming in. She was carrying her medical bag and lab coat in one of her arms.
"Hi Caroline, how is your mom doing?" Elena asked.
"She isn't too coherent." Caroline said.
"I'll examine her and then we can decrease some of the meds to make her more lucid." Elena said.
The two vampires went into Liz's bedroom. Caroline watched as Elena examined her mother. She watched as the vampire doctor listened to her mother's heart with a stethoscope. Elena also checked Liz's blood pressure.
"Her vitals are stable and I will decrease some of the meds starting now. She should be more lucid in the morning. You have had a long day Caroline. Why you don't go unwind for a bit? I'll stay with your mom" Elena said.
Caroline smiled and said thank you to her friend.
She and Klaus went out to a movie.
It was 4 am. Elena was sitting in a chair near Liz's bed. She noticed the old woman's eyes fluttering open.
She watched as Liz slowly woke up.
"How are you feeling Liz?" Elena asked.
"Better. Where's Caroline?" Liz asked.
"She and Klaus are upstairs. I'll go get them." Elena said.
"That would be great." Liz said.
Elena got closer to Liz and said,"I'm going to check your vitals firs"
Liz then said, "Thank you Elena for doing all of this. You have been a good friend to Caroline during this bad time. Your mom would be proud of you. You have saved lives and helped many people. You may not have been able to save me, but you made things less painful for me and my daughter."
Elena said, "You're welcome. I want to thank you for being a mother figure to me over the years since I lost both my mothers and Jenna."
Later on, Elena went up to get Caroline and Klaus.
Liz requested to speak to Klaus alone.
"Klaus, I want you to continue to take care of my daughter. Even after I'm gone, remember that she will always be my little girl."
Klaus said, "It will be a honor to do that for you. I love Caroline very much and thank you for bringing that beautiful creature into this world in the first place."
Liz smiled at the male vampire.
By the evening time, Liz was very weak. Elena knew the end was coming soon. She was heartbroken for her best friend.
Caroline was at her mom's beside holding her hand.
Liz spoke weakly, "I love you Caroline and I'll be watching over you from somewhere. I got to admit that I'm a bit envious that you will be young forever."
Caroline laughed at that.
The vampire said, "I still kind of wish that I was never turned into a vampire. If I wasn't a vampire I would be a regular aging human right now. We would be able to tell strangers that we are mother and daughter instead of pretending to be grandmother and granddaughter and we wouldn't have to hide out in this house"
Liz responded, "Honey that doesn't matter. We know what we are. Our bond of mother and daughter will never be broken"
Caroline nodded and then took her mom into her arms and picked her up out of bed. She carried her mom out to the backyard.
"Mom the sun is setting." Caroline said as she lowered her mom onto a blanket on the ground.
Caroline then laid next to her mom and the two watched the sunset.
Liz's last words were, "Goodbye Caroline."
Caroline said, "Goodbye Mom."
After cradling her mother's body for awhile. Caroline went inside and told Elena and Klaus that her mother was gone. Elena wept and hugged her friend. Klaus comforted his wife.
Elena went out and brought Liz's body inside. She called for an embalmer to come get Liz's body. Three days later, Caroline, Elena, Klaus and other friends and family said farewell to Liz.