"You're going to have to be really brave now, Sweetie. Okay? Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, Mom. I'll try."

"We Forbes' women fight our own battles. We have to stay strong and be tough, even when it's really hard. I love you, Caroline."

"I love you too, Mum."

xxx

"Caroline, please, you're being dramatic. The Forman Academy is lovely! Stephen works there, you'll only have one roommate, and there are plenty of extra-curricular activities that you can sink your teeth into. Plus, I can't stay in Mystic Falls. My work is travelling around the west coast, not the eastern seaboard. It'll be good for you to have a fresh start, Sweetie. I'm your Father, and Stephen and I…"

"Stop right there, Dad. You and I both know this is not about you having to work. Nor is this about being good for me. Not even about me getting a good education. No, this is about you, and your new "family" with Stephen. I can count the amount of times I've seen you since you left eight years ago, on like one hand, Dad. One hand. So don't you dare pull the "I'm your Father" card with me right now!" Caroline could feel all the emotions welling up inside her again. But she pushed them down she had to stay strong. "Look, legally I have to go where you tell me to go. I get it. But can you cut the bullshit, Dad, and just say it's because you can't be bothered dealing with your broken family, when you have a nice wholesome one elsewhere!"

"Language Caroline! What would your Mother think?" Bill said.

Caroline's eyes widened. "Oh my god, Dad. You don't even get to bring up Mom. Don't you dare! You didn't even know she was sick! You didn't even know she was sick until her lawyer called you to tell she was dead and you had to be a dad again! Do you know why you didn't know? Because you changed your phone number a year ago and didn't bother telling us!" Caroline had enough of her father and stormed out. She grabbed her keys and, with tears threatening to spill over, hopped in the car and drove off.

"Well, that went well," Stephen said sarcastically. Stephen knew his partner was trying to do the right thing, but he also knew that Caroline had called it exactly like it was. Bill didn't want to have to deal with a grieving daughter, nor did he want to uproot the life he'd built since leaving Mystic Falls.

"About as well as could be expected." Bill sighed and looked around the house. He had lived in Mystic Falls most of his life, in this very house for nine years with Liz, and eight with Caroline and he hated being back. It wasn't that he didn't love his daughter or care deeply for Liz, but being back here and being around Caroline reminded him of a time he couldn't be himself, and he never wanted to go back to that.

"Bill, are you sure this is a good idea? We'll only be apart for a few years. The poor girl just lost her mom, is it really worth losing her home and her friends as well?" Stephen said gently.

"I can't be here, Stephen," Bill said quietly. "I can't come back here. It's selfish, I know, but I can't. When we divorced, Liz and I departed on good terms, but that doesn't erase all those times I felt horrible for being myself while living in Mystic Falls. I spent to long pretending to be something I wasn't, I can't do that again. Despite everything, this will be good for Caroline; she just has to figure that out on her own. It'll get her away for thoughts of Liz, as well as that Tyler punk. You know, he didn't stick around for even three weeks after Liz died? Pathetic."

"Okay," Stephen said sceptically, "you usually know what you're doing."

xxx

"And he's sending me all the way to California to go to boarding school! Boarding school! Some stupid, preppy, high class boarding school Stephen works at. I'll have to share a room and bathroom; I won't be on any of the committees! I won't get to go to Prom or graduate with you guys here. I can't do it, Stefan! He can't just uproot my life!" Caroline ranted to her best friend. Stefan Salvatore and Caroline Forbes had been best friends since they'd met in pre-school. Caroline had decided that the boy with the funny hair and the furrowed brow need someone to make him smile. So she did, and still did, all these years later.

"You'll get through this Care, I know it's tough, and this is such contrived advice, but it is true. When I lost my Mom, it hurt. It still does. But you learn to be happy and live with it. A little part of you died with your mom, Caroline, but that's okay, because one day it'll feel okay. It is okay to cry, Care."

"This isn't about missing my Mom, Stefan, this is about me leaving!" Caroline said angrily.

If he was honest, Stefan was very worried about his friend. She had cried the day Liz had passed, but not since to his knowledge. She'd got mad, especially at Bill, and she'd put on a happy bubbly act, but she would never let on how she was truly feeling. Every time she came close she would take a few deep breaths, and then go back to how she wanted everyone to see her; missing her Mom, but coping well. It was like she blocked all the pain of it out or it would consume her.

"I think it is probably good that you're getting away from Mystic Falls. You'll be back here on the holidays anyway. You can stay with us. But some time away from all the memories might make you heal a little faster. If you really don't like it, we can run away together, to Australia perhaps, and live as nomads," Stefan finished his monologue and squeezed her a little tighter.

"What am I going to do with out you, Salvatore?" She mumbled into his chest, "I'm going to miss you so much. And Bonnie. And Elena. And Matt. And, hell, even Damon! How do I do this?"

"You just get on with it, Forbes, like only you can do," He smiled, "I have faith in you." After that, the two of them sat in silence for a little while, both lost in their own thoughts of the future. To Stefan, the lack of Caroline in his future made junior year look kind of gloomy, but he still had Elena and Damon and his other friends. Caroline, on the other hand had all her sorrows and insecurities were screaming in her head that she wasn't going to be okay.

As much as she hated to admit it, however, her dad was right. Caroline felt like she was suffocating in Mystic Falls. No one treated her like she was the same person. All she ever got was pity from people. It was 'poor Caroline' or 'how are you doing since the funeral, Sweetie?' It made her want to scream. That's why she tried so hard to seem okay all the time. She couldn't even show Stefan how broken she was. Maybe going somewhere and meeting people who didn't know that she was basically an orphan would be the light at the end of her tunnel. If it turned out to be horrible, she always had the summer back in Mystic Falls. A breeze blew around the two friends as Caroline took a deep breath, disentangled herself from Stefan, and stood up.

"If I have to live 2000 plus miles away from my home and my family, after my mother just died from cancer, I sure as hell am going to make it worth my while," she said determinedly. "I'm going to make new friends, meet new people, and have fun."

"That's my girl," Stefan said, while getting to his own feet.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go make a deal with my absentee father about my future," and with that, she was striding off.

Stefan pitied Bill if he tried to argue with Caroline's deal.

xxx

"I will go to the stupid boarding school," Caroline stated, striding through the front door into the house. "But Stephen will get me on the Cheerleading squad, and put in good words for me on the different committees. Whenever I have a break, I will come back here, to Mystic Falls, and stay with Stefan. Also, if I find the place ridiculous, I will leave and complete and senior year here, in Mystic Falls, and, again, will live with Stefan. These are my terms, and if you do not accept them, then Stefan says he'll run away with me and we'll live in some obscure place, like Northern Australia. It is hot there, Dad, all the time. And I know how you hate the heat." Caroline finished up her little speech, and looked at her dad and Stephen, daring them to argue with her.

"That… sounds fair," Bill said slowly. Honestly, he wouldn't have known what to do with Caroline over school breaks, so her terms solved that problem. And if she tried to come back here in a year's time, he could just pull the Dad card, and make her stay in school.

"Good," Caroline huffed, "I'm going to pack my things."

Both Bill and Stephen let out simultaneous sighs of relief when they realised she wasn't going to put up more of a fight. As Caroline reached the doorway she turned back and said, "Don't think I didn't notice that the school year starts in five days and I miraculously got a place a stuffy boarding school overnight. That is highly unlikely. How long have you been planning this? Since you got the call that my mom died? Hmm?"

"The day after the funeral actually," Bill said, knowing there was no use in lying.

"Oh, right so only two and a half months then. Thanks for making important life decisions for me, Bill," and with that Caroline had disappeared upstairs.

"Oh damn, she got you good just now!"

"I'm well aware, Stephen."

xxx

It had been a tough few days for Caroline. She was packing, and making plans to see people. She was terrified about going, but kind of exhilarated too. She'd rarely been outside of Mystic Falls, and now she was moving across the country. Today was her last full day in Mystic Falls. Her dad had told her that he wasn't going to sell the family home, partly because Liz had left it to Caroline, and partly because Bill decided to pick his battles with his daughter. After finding this out, Caroline was relieved, she wouldn't have to take everything she owned with her to California. So she just packed her favourite clothes, and a few pictures and other sentimental items. Her friends had organised something for her at the Grill, she decided to call it 'The Last Supper'. Afterward the gang was going to slumber it, just like old times. Caroline was dreading saying goodbye. She just said goodbye to her mother, did she have to say goodbye to her friends too? But she kept reminding herself was is the 21st Century, communication had never been easier and it was going to be okay because she'd be back in no time.

She heard a tap at the front door, and bolted to get it, thinking it would be Stefan coming to pick her up for the last supper. But when she opened the door she was met with the broad-shouldered, sheepish smile of Tyler.

"Hey Care."

"Hey," Caroline said in a small voice.

"I heard you're leaving, why? Mystic Falls is your home?" Tyler said looking confused, and almost accusatory.

"I don't know if you know this, Tyler, but my mom just died. And so I'm going to boarding school. Do you have a problem with that?" Caroline could feel herself getting angry. Who was Tyler to come and ask why she was leaving, he dumped her because she was 'too sad' all the time, and 'not the same girl' he fell for.

"Look, Care, I'm sorry. I didn't come here to upset you. I just was shocked when I found out. I know I dumped you. That was Class-A jerk move, I realise that now. It was most definitely an 'it's-not-you-it's-me' situation, and I can never apologise enough for my horrible timing. But I still care about you, I just wanted to make sure you knew that, and I wanted to wish you luck. Maybe one day we can be friends again." Tyler looked so sincere Caroline hoped she could forgive him one day. He was only 16 and relatively selfish, it must have been hard to try and comfort someone as emotionally unresponsive as Caroline after her mom had passed.

"Thanks, Ty. I'll see you around, okay? Goodbye." Caroline gave him a soft smile Tyler smiled back, turned and walked away, passing Stefan as he walked up the path.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Caroline said, "that was surprisingly unpainful…"

He hugged her tightly before saying, "Let's get going, hey? I parked at the Grill and thought you and I could walk there, you know, for some just us time." Caroline smiled at that. Stefan would forever know exactly what she needed.

"Are you two leaving now?" Bill said coming up behind the Caroline.

"Like you care, Bill. We're all coming here to stay tonight, so if you have a problem with that, leave. And make sure everything is spotless; I don't want to spend my last night in my home with the place a mess. Bye." Caroline huffed, turned on her heel and stalked off. Stefan followed his friend, and looked at her, eyebrows slightly raised. Her moods had been so volatile lately.

"Was that really necessary, Care? He's your dad."

"Stefan, he is my father. He isn't my 'Dad'. He fathered me. Dads are supposed to be there on their daughters' first day in high school, or be there when they win Miss Mystic Falls, or when their mothers get sick, and they don't have anyone to take care of them. Bill is sending me away from my life, and while I decided I would make the most of it, I'm certainly not going to make it easy for him."

"If you say so, Care," Stefan said with a sigh. He wanted to tell her that one day she may need her father to be there for her, and she should try not burning that bridge, but he realised that it was useless. Caroline would work it out eventually, and Stefan would just be supportive best friend until she did.

Their walk to the Grill was uneventful, but so lovely in it's simplicity. Two best friends just hanging out. As they walked through the door Caroline felt a lump rise in her throat, half the town had come out to bid her farewell. Her friends had put made a banner that read "Bye for now, not forever Caroline!" As she read the banner Elena and Bonnie both came up and both hugged her tightly.

"We know you're not going forever, Care, and you'll be back, and it'll be like you never left. But we thought we'd throw you a party anyway." Elena spoke into her ear as they hugged. "You've been through so much this past year, and I don't know how we're supposed survive junior year without you!"

"Oh you guys." The emotions that seemed to bubble just under the surface these days, almost bubbled over, but pushing them aside, she smiled. She was going to miss them so much, but she had to be strong.

xxx

The rest of the party passed amicably, her last chance to fully revel in something that was so Mystic Falls for a long while. As the party started to wind down, Caroline began her farewells; Carol Lockwood, the Fells, Ric and Jenna and a few others. All of them offering similar words of comfort and luck.

Matt, Bonnie, Elena, Jeremy, Damon, Stefan and Caroline all made their way back to Caroline's house, just talking and enjoying each other's company. Throughout the night they talked of times gone by, they played games, laughed, hugged and watched movies. They did everything friends for life were supposed to do, and everything they had been doing since they were toddlers, and yet there was a certain sadness about it all, because they knew that the parties and sleepovers would never quite be right without Caroline.

When the morning came, that pesky lump in her throat rose again as she faced saying goodbye to her family.

Over the pancakes Stefan and Damon whipped up for breakfast, Caroline decided to make a speech.

"I just wanted to say guys, thank you for being there for me. I've known all of you forever, and living without you is going to suck. But I'm not leaving forever, so no soppy goodbyes, or I will cry. And, as Elena so lovingly informed when I was ten, I'm an ugly crier. So please, one line goodbyes and then out the door so I don't change my mind and find Mom's old handcuffs and cuff myself to you, so either you have to come with me, or I have to stay."

"Well, Elena and I have to get home, Ric and Jenna will have our heads. Seeya Care," Jeremy said, "thanks for being the sister who didn't nag me. I'll never forget all the joints we smoked over the years."

"Caroline, I will mi…" Elena started, "Wait, what joints? You two smoked joints together?"

"You're meant to be saying goodbye, not busting her balls," Damon cut in, "This is how you do it. Barbie, you're like the sister I never had, you practically lived at our house growing up. But I won't miss you, 'cause you're neurotic and at least I'll be able to keep my room messy from now on without you cleaning it up for me because it is a 'health hazard' as you put it. So bye."

"How heartfelt, Damon," and she briefly hugged him, before turning to hug Jeremy and Elena.

"I know what you're going through, Care. I miss my parents everyday," Elena breathed into her ear as they hugged, "but it gets easier. For me, I couldn't have left the support you guys gave me, and the happiness I found in Stefan. But I had Jeremy, and Jenna and Ric. Maybe for you some time away will help. But I'll miss you like crazy while you're gone." The two girls finished hugging, and Elena left behind Damon and Jeremy.

"See you round, Care, you'll be back though. You're gonna make so many new friends; you won't know what to do with them all. You're an amazing person, Care, and I'm sorry we didn't work out between us, but I'm also glad it didn't ruin our friendship. You're still my number one girl." Matt gave her his winning All-American smile that made every girl at school swoon. "Or at least in my top three," he added cheekily, before enveloping her in his arms, then striding out as well.

"Oh Care," Bonnie started, tears shining in her eyes, "What am I going to do without you?" Caroline hugged Bonnie so tightly. She knew that, after Stefan, Bonnie would miss her the most. Bonnie had her Grams, and Elena and Luka and all their other friends, but she had always been Caroline's best girl friend and vice versa. "I'm not gonna say goodbye, just good luck. I love you Care. You better call all the time, or I'll have Grams do some of that witchy stuff to you!"

After Bonnie left, it was just Caroline alone with Stefan. When it came down to it, Stefan was always there for her. Stefan had always been her brother and it pained her immensely to know that soon she wouldn't be able to just invite herself over to the Salvatore's and crash with Stefan when she needed a friend.

"You'll be back for Christmas. That's only three months away, Care," Stefan reassured.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Stef. Don't let Elena lead you on too much longer. God bless Elena, but if she keeps flirting with Damon, you just tell her no, okay? Stefan, okay? I won't be here to do it for you and… and…"

The tears almost came then, breaking off any coherent speech, as she took deep breaths to calm herself down.

"I can stay until you leave if you want?"

"No, Stef," she sighed, "It'll be easier if you go now. I won't have to see your furrowed brow, and be seized with the urge to make you smile forever more."

"Hang in there, Carebear. I'll see you at Christmas, with a big fat present. I love you."

"Love you too, Stef. Bye"

As Stefan walked out of her house Caroline sunk down onto the couch tears threatening to fall down her face. She loved her friends dearly, but knew also that she would always love and need them more than they loved and needed her. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to cope with the grief of losing her mother, and the pressure of making new friends, but she knew she had to be strong. But she was alone now, and let her façade drop for just a minute.

"Are you proud of me, Mom?" Caroline said croakily to the room at large. "I know you wouldn't want me to wallow. It was just you and me against the world for so long, with help from the people around us. I know I told everyone it was because Bill was forcing me to go. But the truth is, now it's just me, I can't stay here without you. And I can't tell anyone how much I miss you. I can't bear to be confronted by all the memories in this house. Like this stain," She stroked an ugly looking brown mark on the couch. "I spilt Chinese and I told you it was brain fluid from a stray cat I let in, and you just laughed and asked me if I knew what brain fluid was. Or walking through town and seeing the place you told me that you loved me most of all, in the whole world." Caroline sighed harshly, forcing the tears back. "Mom, please come back, or send me a sign. It can't just be me against the world. " Caroline fought back tears as she finished.

A soft breeze blew through her hair and a police car flashed down the road outside her house. Caroline got to her feet, put on a brave face and went to retrieve her suitcase from upstairs.

xxx

From behind the wall, Bill heard his daughter's heartbreaking plea, and his heart clenched, though he was slightly relieved that she was leaving not just because he said was making her.

"I'm sorry, Liz," he breathed looking skyward, "I shouldn't have taken my frustration out on you and Caroline. Please forgive me."

"Let's go if we're going, before I lost my nerve." Caroline demanded loudly as she came back down the stairs, suitcase in hand. "California, here we come."

Hey Dudes,

So here's a story, and my first foray into publishing Fanfiction. A note on included ships. Klaroline is endgame (rightly so) and is the main ship. I love Kalijah as much as the next person, but for the sake of drama, there will probably be a bit of Kalijah angst (it actually hurts me to write it, but it's an angle I want to explore.)

Tumblr: theoriginalcheeesecake (note the three 'e's) Drop me a line, I'm legit always keen to chat.

Umm so, yar. Hope you enjoyed. :)