Chapter One
Sequel to Changes
Caroline let out a low grunt when her back seemed to hit the tree behind her. Chest heaving against the chest that seemed to be pressed against hers, Caroline looked up at the dark haired man that seemed to be grinning down at her. She rolled her eyes at his smug expression. Her hands roughly finding his chest, Caroline threw him off of her, causing his form to go flying through the air, taking a few more tree branches with him when hitting the muddy ground underneath him. Caroline grinned at the soft moan that escaped the man, followed by a painful chuckle.
"And she kicks your ass again," Stefan stated, a grin plastering at his face when gazing at his brother that lay grunting on the grass.
Scowling at Stefan, Damon looked over at Elena who seemed to attack his younger brother again, only to fail miserably when Stefan took hold of her frustrated form without even gazing in her direction. Getting up from the ground, Damon looked over at Caroline who seemed to be grinning at him. Rolling his eyes at her, Damon looked back at Elena who seemed to let out an annoyance breath.
"Is all of this really necessary?" she asked, awkwardly pulling away from Stefan who seemed to laugh at her exhausted self.
"Yes," Stefan started, "If we're ever going to face Klaus again, we've got to be prepared."
"He's got gallons of your blood Elena," Damon stated when rushing over to Caroline in a blink of an eye and clasping her hands behind her back almost instantly causing her to huff in an annoyed breath when she tried moving away from his reach. "That equals more hybrids," Damon started, pulling at Caroline's arm causing her to yelp out his name, "And more power."
Spinning an annoyed blonde in his arms, Damon grinned at her shocked expression before wrapping his arms around her waist and bringing her even closer towards him. She seemed to giggle at him before pulling away from him and Damon sighed before putting his attention back on Elena who seemed to be struggling against Stefan again.
"What about Samantha?" Elena asked before elbowing Stefan in the ribs, causing him to stumble a bit backwards. "You've got my brother watching over her when she doesn't even seem to remember her own name," Elena said, before spinning around in Stefan's arms and grinning when she finally got him to loosen his grip on her. She knew she got this fighting thing down.
"How'd she lose her memory?" Caroline asked curiously, walking towards Elena's side that was now completely out of Stefan's arms. Nudging Elena in the shoulder with hers, Caroline grinned at the brunette for doing so well and laughed when Elena mouthed 'I know right' back at her.
Everyone seemed to look over at Damon who sighed before making his way closer to the three too. "I don't know," Damon stated, "She must have done it to herself when Klaus had started attacking her."
"She was under pressure that night," Stefan began, "When Klaus attacked her, she probably freaked out." Kicking at the stone under his foot, Stefan looked over at Elena and Caroline who stood before him.
"So you're saying she made herself forget her own memories on accident?" Caroline asked, starting to make her way closer to the cabin. She looked back at the three that started to follow her to the place that they had been practically living at for the past three months.
"I guess we'll never know until she remembers," Stefan stated sighing when remembering visiting the young witch and Jeremy in Connecticut. She seemed to be terrified at the sight of both of them and he couldn't help but feel bad for the oblivious girl that probably felt caged up in her room that she never seemed to be getting out of. Damon and Stefan had rented a small house for the younger Gilbert and the witch to hide out in and he'd check up on them almost regularly and would come back with the same information. Samantha didn't speak up almost ever. She never talked to Jeremy whenever he were to make his way into the room or tried to converse with her. She did nothing other than sit on the bed in the pretty deserted room with her own empty thoughts.
"When she does remember, we've got in the big secret she was keeping from us," Damon grumbled, "I'm sick and tired of Klaus and would love to see him dead."
"She said she knew a way how to kill him but it just seems unsettling when thinking about it," Stefan explained, "He's an Original…there's got to be a catch."
"I guess we'll see then," Caroline sighed. Walking over an extra tree root that peeked from the muddy ground, Caroline smiled at the sight of the Cabin come into view.
"I'm tired of hiding," Elena muttered softly. She sighed when Caroline looked over at her with the softest expression she had ever seen. "I just want Bonnie back," she finished, her eyes darting away from Caroline's and looking over at the nearing Cabin also.
"We'll get her back," Caroline reassured. She watched as Elena looked over in her direction and Caroline smiled at her before scooping her arm into Elena's and practically pulling her closer and closer towards the Cabin.
"But for now," Caroline whispered down at her, "Let's call it a night."
Jeremy brought his hand up to the door that he had been visiting almost every day now. Slowly knocking at it, Jeremy shifted awkwardly at the sniffle from the other side of the room. She was crying again.
Hesitantly taking hold of the door knob, Jeremy opened at the door, he peeked his head in only to come face to face with the young witch that seemed to shuffle far onto the bed at the sight of him. She was scared. She was scared of him. He had gotten used to that reaction for the past three months now. She had always been terrified of him and would always softly question him on why she was held here or what he wanted from her. Jeremy would never answer though, he'd just hope that she'd eat the food that he'd bring her and not be too frightened of him. He hoped for that but it never happened. The pale brunette would barely touch the food or look up at him. He had gotten used to all of it.
"Dinner," Jeremy stated awkwardly, bringing in the plate of food in front of him before slowly walking towards the bed. He watched as she shuffled farther away from him, her hands gripping at her knees, her eyes studying him. She was completely terrified.
Placing the plate on the far side of the bed, Jeremy forced himself to smile reassuringly at the girl before putting his hands up in surrender. "Just please eat it this time?" Jeremy asked, slightly begging the girl before walking towards the door again.
Taking hold of the door knob, Jeremy sighed before letting go of it. Turning back around, Jeremy's eyes became fixed on the girl. This was always a routine for him. He'd simply drop off food then leave. What if he were to change that? Maybe trying to talk to the girl and acting less and less of an abductor would reassure her that he wasn't here to hurt her. He was here to hide her from Klaus who was the one that wanted to kill her. But then again, Jeremy couldn't defend himself with that information because the girl would simply become more paranoid. She had no idea what her name was, or that she was a witch, or that she helped Klaus plan out his whole showdown. She didn't remember any of it and Jeremy didn't want to be the one to tell her. Not yet, not just yet.
Taking a step closer into her, Jeremy sighed deeply at the sight of her tense before him, her face hiding at her knees. She was trembling and Jeremy softened instantly.
"I'm Jeremy," he started, "Jeremy Gilbert."
He watched as the girl seemed to slowly look up at him, her brows furrowed slightly and he smiled reassuringly at her before taking in another step. She seemed to tense again and Jeremy started again, "I've got an older sister, Elena Gilbert. I'm from Mystic Falls."
"The past three months you've been locked up in this room because you've been scared to come out," Jeremy hesitantly began, "You haven't eaten, you haven't talked to me and I understand that."
"You're confused and have no idea who you are, how you got here. All you know is that you're in a rented house, in Connecticut, and are living with me," Jeremy said, talking in another step and grinning slightly when the brunette didn't flinch. "You're scared because you have no answers…but I'll try. I'll try giving you some answers," Jeremy sighed, "I just want you to know that I'm not here to hurt you."
He watched as the girl looked up at him, her arms loosening a bit at his words. Lips twitching into a small smile, Jeremy neared to bed further. "I'm not going to hurt you," he stated softly before sitting down onto the edge of the bed that was farthest away from her.
She looked up at him and he smiled at her. "I'll answer any of your questions. I just need you to eat before I do," he stated, chuckling slightly at the girl who seemed to hesitantly nod at his soft form.
Taking hold of the plate that was beside him, Jeremy placed it closer to her before watching as her gaze fell between him and the food. Nodding at her in reassurance, Jeremy watched as she slowly took hold of one half of the sandwich. Smiling at her when she slowly brought the food to her lips, Jeremy shifted on the bed when she seemed to bite on the half and chew. Chew, chew and chew.
She seemed to only finish the one half and he watched as she pushed the plate away from her. Sighing, Jeremy figured that was probably the best he was going to get from her for now. He was surprised he had even gotten this far. Only took him—well—three months.
"Who am I?" the young witch asked quietly.
Jeremy licked at his lips before looking at the brunette before him. Eyes narrowing when trying to collect as much information that he could muster, Jeremy smiled at her before responding to her question, "You're Samantha. Samantha Brown."
She seemed to look away at that point, her lips pursing together as she tried to process what Jeremy had just said. "Samantha," she seemed to whisper to herself.
Jeremy smiled before getting off the bed. He watched as her eyes shot his way. "If you eat the other half, I'll answer another question," Jeremy promised, grinning at her hesitant exterior.
He watched as she nodded at him and he smiled when she seemed to reach for the other half this time. Walking towards the door, Jeremy took hold of the door knob before opening at it. Turning around to face her from the other side of the door, Jeremy pointed at the staircase. "I'll be back in a bit," he started, "Get your question ready."
He smiled when she seemed to slowly nod at him. Closely the door behind him, Jeremy sighed before walking over to the staircase that wasn't that far from where he stood.
Elena's eyes gazed up at the night sky. She sighed when viewing the dark clouds when no star seemed to be in sight. Looking down at the darkened water surrounding the dock that she was currently sitting on, Elena's eyes shut closed before letting the soft noises of nature creep on her. Crickets, water, leaves rustling in the wind. Crickets, water, leaves rustling in the wind. Crickets, water—soft footsteps nearing her. Elena's eyes fluttered open when looking over her shoulder, only to spot a familiar blonde making her way towards her and closer to the dock.
"Hey," Elena whispered out when Caroline seemed to sit down next to her on the wooden columns underneath them.
"What you doing up?" Caroline asked, before passing Elena a small blanket that she had brought with her from inside the Cabin.
"Couldn't sleep," Elena stated softly before smiling at the blond and wrapping the blanket over one end of her shoulders. Urging for Caroline to take the other half, Elena chuckled when Caroline seemed to roll her eyes at her before wrapping herself into the blanket too.
Caroline's lips pursed together before she neared her friend further, their sides pressed together as they simply sat next to and looked at the lifeless sky together. "I couldn't sleep either," Caroline started, "I've actually been trying to avoid Damon and the bedroom actually."
Elena's brows furrowed at that before she looked back at Caroline who sat next to her. "Why?" she asked, curiosity and concern filling her voice.
She watched as her best friend sighed deeply before letting her eyes shut closed. "It's been a long few months Elena," she started, "I-I've been having these dreams."
Elena's confusion grew at her friends words. "What dreams?" she asked, her hand finding Caroline's under the blanket. It was clear that she was worried about the blonde.
Caroline's eyes narrowed at the sight of the concerned brunette and she bit at her lips quickly before kicking herself awake and out of her thoughts. She couldn't have people be worried about her. She didn't even understand what was happening to her, how was she supposed to get other's to understand?
Forcing a smile on her face, Caroline let out a tight giggle before looking back at the water that flowed below the dock and all around them. "Just dreams, nothing big," Caroline stated quickly.
"Caroline—"
"Why couldn't you sleep?" Caroline asked, interrupting Elena before she could question her any further. She watched as the woman before her seemed to see right through her forced expression. Caroline sighed internally when Elena seemed to finally look away from her and let everything slide. She was thankful because Caroline wasn't ready to describe exactly what she was going through at the moment. The dreams were just so vivid and confusing where Caroline was far off from normal. She wasn't okay, but that didn't mean she was going to rain on everybody's parade. They needed to get Bonnie back and that was the only thing important right now…the only thing.
"I don't know," Elena stated softly, "I guess it's just the anticipation towards the fact that Klaus could attack any time."
Caroline raised her eyebrow at her friend. "Is that really the problem?" she asked, smiling when Elena seemed to let out a sigh in defeat.
"No."
"What happened then?" Caroline asked curiously.
She knew something was going on with the brunette by the way she carried herself the past three months. Something was bugging her best friend and she wanted to know what.
"Is it because of Bonnie being gone—"
"No, it's not that," Elena started, sighing, "It's not about Bonnie."
"Then what is it?" Caroline asked, confusion creeping up on her.
Elena sighed. How was she supposed to tell her best friend that she had kissed the one friend of hers that had been through everything with her? How was she supposed to tell Caroline that she had kissed Alex Jones, only to get rejected and humiliated; all before he left? How was she supposed to say any of that?
"Nothing important," Elena stated softly, smiling softly at the blonde, "I don't think it's ever mattered." Elena pushed the thought of the man out of her head. It was a mistake. He clearly didn't feel the same way and he had proved that to her three months ago. It was time to just forget it ever happened instead of mopping about it on the dock every night. She had to get over him.
Caroline's eyes softened at the sight of the girl before her. Pursing her lips together, Caroline forced herself from saying another word. It was obvious that whatever was bothering the brunette was something she didn't want to speak to Caroline about. Caroline respected her privacy and wasn't going to question her further, no matter how much she really—really wanted to.
"We should go back in," Caroline suggested softly, watching as Elena nodded in her direction.
"I'll be a minute," Elena stated, "Right behind you."
Smiling at her, Caroline nodded before rubbing at Elena's forearm before slipping out of the blanket and getting up on her feet again. Stepping away from the edge of the dock, Caroline slowly made her way towards the Cabin once again, her thoughts wandering back to the torturous flashes in her mind of things she couldn't explain, and yet, couldn't share.
"What do they mean?" she whispered at herself before nearing the open porch to the Cabin.
Forcing a smile at her face once again, Caroline put on the façade of normality once again.
She was fine.
I'm fine.
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