It's been a long time since I've written anything, so go lightly on me ;) If this is received well, I'll keep going.
It hadn't taken long for her to leave. Her friends had survived, Tyler had long since ended it with them, Elena was finally happy and Stefan was… well, back to being broody, dependable Stefan. So she knew they would be okay, for now.
After she had seen him for the last time, she had spent the night regretting the promise she had forced him to keep. That they never see each other again. It had felt so wrong at the time, but had somehow eased the internal pain that came along with admitting her stupid feelings for him. She had thought, before she tasted him on her lips, that she could make a clean break. Try the buffet, but leave empty handed. She was wrong.
At first she had grand plans. She spent a good few nights trawling the internet, writing down flight prices and visa details. In the end she had accepted that it would just be too much for her to do alone, she didn't want to *be* alone in all of the places that he had promised he would take her. So she grudgingly planned a smaller trip, a lighter introduction to a journey that she hoped would lead her to being in a place where she didn't feel his skin under her fingers every time she closed her eyes.
Her bags were packed, the car was stocked and parked out front. She had cowardly texted her friends, telling them she was heading on a very non supernatural road trip with her one and only self and that she'd be in touch when she could. She was honest with her mum, to a point.
"I just need some time, to process everything that's happened… Tyler, Dad… I want to have some peace and quiet for a change." She admitted, while at the same time omitting the one name truly responsible. Liz had surprisingly agreed, encouraging her to spend some time on herself. As a parting gift, she shyly handed over a mini cooler of blood bags and hugged her tightly. For once, Caroline focused on the idea of the fresh blood bagged up before her, preferring the desire for blood over the tears that threatened to fall.
She started with New York. For all her small town bravado, it reduced her to a little girl again. She was entranced by the lights, the people, the *fun*. She was alone, but she let herself stay out all night, dance as much as she wanted, drink whatever she wanted and fall into her hotel bed for over a week. It was definitely the introduction she needed to self sufficiency. Her very nature allowed her to enjoy the finer perks, not that she would admit it but she had compelled a room upgrade and a few (okay, 5) extra nights on the house. She took walks, went shopping (of course), took the subway. She revelled in doing this alone, knowing that if she wasn't a vampire she would be too terrified to walk the streets as she did now.
Once she'd had her fill of the city, she drove south again, all the way to Florida. The sun was like a drug and she sent a short message to Bonnie, thanking her again for the gift of a daylight ring. She couldn't have been more pleased, not only with the beautiful water but the carefree nature of almost everyone she met. She studiously ignored the opposite sex (she was finding herself, after all) but always had to bite back a grin at the attention she received at the beach. After spending so long being neurotic and self doubting in Mystic Falls, it was a relief to ease into a place where no one knew her and she could reconstruct herself over and over again.
It was weeks later that she got back in the car, driving slowly west. Since planning this trip, she at no point had admitted what her true plan was. But it was there, in the back of her head, reminding her often. When she drummed her fingers on the wheel of the car, she jolted when she felt his fingers doing the same on her spine. When she thanked a waiter and handed them a tip, she would feel his hand pulling on hers, pulling her ever further to him. When she was alone at the end of the night, she would ache with longing in her stomach for him to just be *there* and to hold her, to whisper to her that he loved her above all else. She had caught a glimpse of that the night she almost died at his bite, when he had teased her for hallucinating as she breathlessly accused him of loving her. He had got her then, hooked her in as she realised it was true. It was true.
She slowed her speed as she reached the borders of Louisiana, instinctively taking the scenery in consciously now. Had he driven this road? Had he turned this curve, smoothly dragging his hands over the wheel as he did her hips?
The city loomed towards her now and she sucked in a breath, frowning with determination. She was here. He was here.