A/N: I do not own anything from TVD or the song. I suggest you listen to One By One by Billy Bragg and Wilco as this is a tribute to that (it's one of my favorites) and it's inspired by it.
Black fountain pen scratches across white paper as she tries in desperation to finish her last, most difficult but also most important, letter.
Though, she can hardly see her own writing through the tears obstructing her vision.
She curses lowly, hiccupping a sob as one tear and then another drops and mars her goodbye.
She's taking the coward's way out, she very well aware, but after tonight she knows she has to leave.
Just remembering the look of betrayal and pain on his face directed at her, by her actions, she thinks and a sharp pain assaults her already battered and bruised heart, her deadened organ.
Caroline's left hand comes up, wipes at the smudges, trying to erase the evidence of her weakness.
It only smears the ink further, and she pulls her hand away, the pale flesh now darkened.
A stain on her hand to reflect the stain on her soul, she thinks it's fitting and deserved.
While he is a large part of why she's doing this, it's also for herself.
All of her hopes, dreams, and aspirations for the future are so far out of reach with each passing day in Mystic Falls.
She feels like she's drowning, and there's no one to save her.
Though she will never age and literally has forever, Caroline is fading here.
She glances up from her place at her vanity table, the mirror shows what she knew she would find.
Red-rimmed eyes, tears streaking silently down pale, sick looking skin.
She's verging on grey, grey in undertone, black slashed palm, ever darkening eyes that once were so bright and filled with life and light.
All the schemes, her eyes flash to his drawing of her propped against the looking glass' gilded edge.
No longer would she receive his earnest gaze, his warm regard and whispered promises.
Whatever sliver of humanity he had by now has surely vanished, maybe even that very night lost into the clouds overhead.
All her dreams, they're falling away, slipping beyond her reach the longer she stays.
She finishes the letter, though mere words cannot convey all that she wishes she could say and show, wishes he would understand.
Caroline's on her feet now, ready to depart out the door, out of their lives, but before goes…
She picks up Klaus' picture of her, holds it close in her hands.
Her eyes with the light that is left imprints the image in her mind with no little regret.
She has to leave now, but maybe, maybe one day. She has forever to hope, and forever to wait.