Author's Note: This story takes place after 4x23. This is my first time writing fanfiction, so I'm probably a little all over the place. I change writing style from time to time and I'm not exactly good at writing. I try my best and maybe someone out there will like it. I can only hope. :)

Enjoy!

Tyler came back. She remembered how she could hardly contain her happiness. He was back. They could begin their life together. Everything would be perfect.
Except it wasn't.

Whenever she looked at him, the fire dwindled inside her. The sparks didn't fly between them any more. She wanted to go back to the way they were, but something was different. Maybe everything was different.

He felt it too. They had many talks over the months and finally decided to call it quits.
"We'll still be friends, right?" She asked, afraid of rejection. "Of course, Care. We'll always be friends." He smiled. It was a sad smile and they both knew that they probably wouldn't be friends forever. It was bound to fade with time.

After he left, Caroline felt empty. There was a numbness in the pit of her stomach and she hated it. But it would be worse to continue the relationship until they hated each other. Still, she hated it.

College was fine. She had gotten to know her new room-mate and they had tons of fun. But Caroline still felt empty. It seemed no amount of partying or studying would fill the void left by Tyler. And she wasn't about to find someone new, that would make no sense.

She spent a lot of time trying to figure out what to do about it. She spent two whole weeks before she decided on something. She had to move on, not just from Tyler, but from Mystic Falls.

During the weekend, she went home and talked to her mother. She told her about everything; her break-up with Tyler, her plans of moving on and the idea she had of travelling.
Liz wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of her daughter travelling alone, so she tried to compromise. "If you still want to travel, when summer comes..." She said, smiling at the hopeful look in her daughter's eyes. "- Then I think it's fine. You can take a year off from college and try to, how did you phrase it? 'Find yourself'." Caroline jumped up and threw her arms around her mother's neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She squealed. Liz chuckled and patted her on the back. "But only if you pass you exams!"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "well, duh!" And with that the deal was sealed.

She tried her best to try and act interested in the parties, girl-talks and everything else, but feigning interest grew increasingly harder as they neared the summer. Spring break in particular was hell. Everyone wanted her to go somewhere, but she just snuck her way out of it with pitiful excuses such as, 'I have to study', 'I promised mom to help her out at home' and anything else she could come up with.

Somehow, she got through it. Through it all. All the mindless, numbing lectures. Everything. Summer was here, yet again, and it was time for a new beginning. Caroline's new beginning.
She packed her bags and glanced at her dorm room. It had been an excruciatingly long year, but it wasn't all bad. This year was good for something. Caroline had finally decided to live for herself. And with that last thought she blew a kiss at her old life and went back home to find out where she wanted to go.

-

She had packed half a suitcase - in case she wanted to buy things along the way - and now she wondered which of her chosen destinations she wanted to go to first. It was a hard choice. Europe was big. She didn't know where to start.
If only she knew someone, who knew a lot about which places would be good to travel to...
She stopped in her tracks and rolled her eyes at her thoughts.

She walked back down to the living room and sat on the couch. Pulling out her phone she sighed. She had put a lot of distance between her and her friends, avoiding them and basically alienating them completely. She hung her head a bit at the thought.
Somehow, she managed to still keep in contact with Stefan and Klaus. Klaus of all people! She hadn't heard a lot about how the whole situation was in New Orleans, but it seemed he had regained control just before Christmas.
"Oh, what the hell." She sighed and sent him a message.

So, how would you feel about me dropping by for a week or two?

She anxiously awaited his response. Wait. Why was she so concerned with what he wrote? Why did she care? She didn't, right? She had just gone a year without actually socialising with people, so she was just nervous that she had lost her touch... right?
Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone's buzzing.

I would feel very honoured. Why the sudden interest in New Orleans?

She quickly gathered herself and replied.

Well, not so much New Orleans. I need your advice.

Barely a second went by, before the phone buzzed again.

Need my advice? On what, love?

She rolled her eyes at the "love". looked online and bought tickets for that afternoon. And she finally retorted.

You'll have to wait to find that out. My plane leaves at four. I'll see you later.

You're coming today?

She didn't answer. She could almost imagine the surprise painted on his face. His calm and collected exterior probably didn't waver for a second, but the thought made her smile, so the reality of it didn't matter much.

Just then her mom got home. "Working the night-shift again?" Caroline gave her a compassionate smile and Liz smiled back hesitantly. "Found out where you're going yet?" Liz asked as she drank some freshly made coffee Caroline had made. "Yes, actually. My plane leaves this afternoon."

Liz eyed her and Caroline gave her a bright smile. "So..."

"So?"

"Where to?"

"Just the airport."

"Caroline."

"What?" She looked at her mother innocently.

"Well, are you going to tell me, or do I have to come with you?"

Caroline scoffed at the notion. "Fine," she said, "I'm going to New Orleans first." She brazed herself.

"All the places in the world and you're going to... his town." Liz said, making sure to emphasise the word 'his'.

"Mom, I've already bought the ticket. It'll be fine. While I'm there he'll look after me. We're friends, remember?" Caroline said confidently. She was sure her mother would understand. "It's not like I can forget." Liz wasn't completely won over, but she sighed and put the coffee down. "If that's what you really want," she looked up at her daughter's hopeful face and once again found herself defeated. "Fine." She smiled as she mimicked her daughter's earlier tone. "But if you're catching a plane in a few hours, we'd better get going." At this Caroline ran up the stairs and retrieved her big suitcase. Smiling at her mom they went on their way to the airport.