Hi everyone,

this is a two-shot about Caroline after Bonnie and Damon had disappeared into the light at the end of season 5.

It is more hurt than comfort and the other characters are really OC most of the time.

I hope you enjoy the reading and as always excuse my spelling and grammar mistakes, for english is not my birth language.

Greetings, EvannaLy

When a heart dies

Caroline was petrified. Damon? Dead! Bonnie? Dead! She sobbed silently and followed Stefan who had walked into the dark forest, away from the place where the unbelievable had happened. How would Elena cope with that mess? And Jeremy? He'd already lost Bonnie once. But the two of them had at least each other and Alaric would also be there to comfort them. Stefan on the other hand – he was alone, he had no one left.

She would help him. She had to help him!

Caroline found him sitting on an old stone bench in a very old part of the forest. He had collapsed there and she could see that he was crying. She hurried to him and embraced him without a word. He buried his head in her shoulder, his grip tight around her waist. She was crying too. Bonnie! It pained too much!

After a long time of just sitting there, grieving, she finally managed to bring him home. They couldn't have stayed in the wood forever. „Thank you, Caroline", he whispered as they reached the front door. It broke her heart to see her best friend like this. „Stefan, you have nothing to thank for!" She smiled at him. „Listen!", she started determinedly. „Go to bed. Sleep a little, or at least try to rest! Tomorrow I will come back and we can talk about all of this! We can do this together, we will find a way to make everything right, ok?", „Okay".

She smiled sadly, hugged him again and turned to go home, thoughts swirling wildly in her mind, everything in chaos. After explaining everything to her mother she fell exhausted on her bed, her thoughts still lingering with Bonnie...

The next morning started with swollen eyes and a bad mood. She had barely slept at all but hold herself together – she had to look after Stefan.

Armed with a picnic basket she went to the Salvatore mansion and entered it without a second thought. The time of knocking was far gone. „Stefan?", she shouted into the house. „Stefan, where are you?" Silence. Slowly a bad feeling took hold of herself. She layed her basket aside and started to search the house. As she entered Stefans room, she stocked. All of his drawers were open, clothes covered the whole floor. What was even more obvious were the things that were missing.

„No!", she whispered in fear and rushed to the garage with vampire speed. One glance confirmed her suspicion, his car was gone. She slided to the floor, her back to the wall, her arms clasping around her legs. „No!"

During the next few days and weeks Caroline got more and more introverted. After she had found out about Stefans flight she had tried to call Elena, without success. As she had searched for her in the college after that she had found her in their room, sitting on her bed as if nothing happened.

„Elena, I've tried to-", „Shut up Caroline!". Caroline stared at her friend, disbelieving, stunned. „No offence, Care, but I can't and don't want right now. I've talked to Jeremy and Alaric and we've decided to leave Mystic Falls for a while.", „WHAT?", „There's no chance to change our mind, Caroline. We will travel a bit, celebrate Alarics return. And cut the connections to this cursed city and all its inhabitants!", „You, you actually mean to – are you serious?", „Yes Care, I also meant the connection to you."

Caroline couldn't understand what was happening. Was everyone turning mad?

„But-", „Leave it. It's not like it will be forever." Elena stared at her with cold eyes, colder, as Caroline had ever thought possible. Elena stood up from her bed and began to pack all of her clothes in her suitcase. Only now Caroline realized how Elenas part of the room was already almost completely empty.

Caroline stumbled a few steps backwards and turned around. He was stunned. Her best friends were just leaving her behind, abandoned her! She couldn't believe it.

Firstly she hurried to Jeremy. She had to talk with someone, but he simply told her that he wanted to be alone and and slammed the door. She felt hunted and sweat appeared on her forehead. Matt was the next on her list. He already seemed to know what she wanted and answered before she said a single word. „Listen Care, I know how hard everything is right now, but I need a break, no more vampires, werewolves or hybrids, at least for a while!", „I'm your friend for god's sake! For how many years?", she uttered angrily. „I know. It has nothing to do with you." Another door closed infront of her.

Her despair let her even go to Tyler, but one glance through a window into his living room showed her him together with Hayley and she went away at once. One thougth hunted the next and her heart broke silently in her chest. Stefan! Elena! Matt! Even Jeremy, Tyler! Stefan! She couldn't belive how ALL of them could let her down. Had she failed them in the past? Was it a form of revenge somehow?

She couldn't think of a moment where she had been so devastated before.

It was in this moment she decided to everything in her power to bring Bonnie back. Whatever it would take! In one month she managed to find a willing witch and all details of a possible spell. When she was for 100% sure that everything would turn out right she informed – despite her anger and still remaining pain – all of her friends. They came, all of them, only Stefan was missing. Stefan!

The witch started her ritual chants, ignited the flames, spoke in ancient words. Caroline knelt in the center of a pentagramm – she would give Bonnie some of her life energy. The witch reached the climax and Caroline let some of her blood fall down on the ground, covered with fallen leaves. Everyone held their breath. Caroline felt as if a part of her very soul was ripped away and she collapsed in pain.

In the next moment all flames were extinguished. Caroline lifted her head up and saw Bonnie, standing in front of her, staring at her surroundings in disbelief. Tears of relief ran down Carolines cheeks and she struggled to stand up.

Bonnies eyes were also filled with tears as she saw her friends standing there. She made one, two unsteady steps, then started to run. Caroline began to open her arms, but Bonnie didn't even seem to realize she was standing there and fell directly into the arms of Elena. Caroline turned slowly on the spot and watched the scene before her. Bonnie was pulled out of Elenas embrace into a desperate kiss by Jeremy, then Matt stepped forward.

Caroline was speechless. SHE was the one who had moved mountains to find a way to bring Bonnie back! SHE was the one who had sacrificed a part of her! And despite all of that she wasn't even worth a glance from Bonnie! Elena would always come first, she realized bitterly. Slowly she retreated into the dark shadows of the trees and left unnoticed by the others.

She felt nothing. In a hurry she packed the most important things, throwed them into her car and left the town. She had reached her end. She couldn't move on from this. One last time she tried to call Stefan, but reached only his voicemail, just how she'd expected. She moved her hand over her moisted eyes and raced towards Canada. She wanted to go away. Away from everything. So far away that she maybe would have a chance to forget.

Reviews? :D

In the next chapter Caroline will return to Mystic Falls.