"Enzo," She breaths. He tenses at the sound of her voice, knowing immediately somethings wrong.
"Gorgeous? What's wrong?" He holds his breath, hoping she lost her purse again, but his gut tells him it's much worse.
She sniffles, "Can you please come over?"
He runs as fast as he can, despite his supernatural powers it takes him entirely too long. He finds her standing in her door frame, pressing her phone to her ear with her sky eyes closed.
He presses end on his phone, the dial tone snaps her eyes open, his undead heart drops at the sight of the tears she's fighting. He doesn't say anything, just takes her in his arms and shuts her door with his foot.
Once they are settled on her couch he lets her go, "Caroline?" He whispers.
Caroline wipes at her eyes before taking a breath to calm her, "It's spread."
Enzo feels as if he's been sucker punched by Klaus Mikelson, all the breath leaves his lungs. "What?" He fights out. He knows exactly what she's talking about, but asks anyway, hoping for a sliver lining.
Caroline looks away from his face, not wanting to see what's to come, "The cancer, it's spread to my brain. There's nothing they can do at this point besides make me comfortable."
Enzo stares at her short blonde hair, dumbfounded, "You fought your cancer, a year ago."
"Less than a year." Caroline chances a look up, she finds him staring at her with broken brown eyes, that's all she needs for the dam to break.
Tears begin to stream out of her eyes and she shakes uncontrollably as the sobs take over. Enzo moves them until shes curled in a ball on his lap. His arms are wrapped around her, and head rests where her neck meets her back. He listens to her heartbeat, knowing it won't be there much longer. Enzo feels his own tears make their way down his face an onto her back, but in this moment he doesn't care.
They sit there for hours, long after the tears have dried, enjoying the presence of each other.
Enzo moves, so his chin is resting on her shoulder, "How long?" He has an eternity on this Earth before meeting his fate, he can't imagine it without her.
She doesn't answer him immediately, and his gut tells him to run, "8 months if I'm lucky, but realistically 4."
He doesn't comment, there's nothing to say, and process the information. A moment later he asks, "Who have you told?"
"You." She answers.
They already had this conversation the last time around, and he knows she will tell everyone, but he doesn't want her to put it off. "Tell them tomorrow, right now I'm going to make you dinner and then run you a bath."
She nods numbly into his chest, for once letting him take charge without giving her input. Enzo gently moves her off of him and gets up. He makes her a simple dinner, hoping she will eat some of it as he walks upstairs to her bathroom.
He mentally thanks Caroline for her organizational skills, easily finding her favorites while hot water fills the tub. Once satisfied with everything he slowly walks back to her, finding nothing gone from her plate.
Normally Enzo would argue with her, but he doesn't have it in him to waste their last months fighting, even if it was for her own good. Instead, Enzo carries her upstairs and sets her on her feet. She stands still as he undresses her and places her in the hot water. He places a chaste kiss on her forehead before giving her privacy.
Enzo forgoes the dishwasher in favor of hand washing, needing something to occupy his time while he leaves his ears trained on her. On his second dish he hears her dip her head underwater and scream in anguish. He grips the dish so tight that it cracks. He has felt tremendous pain during his lifetimes, but her being in pain and him being unable to help, is the worst feeling he has ever experienced.
He spends the next thirty minutes picking up the fragments, some which were stuck in the drain, and washing the rest of the dishes. Enzo settles on the couch with a glass of whiskey, watching the embers of the previous fire fade.
He waits until he hears the water from the shower head hits the floor. Enzo stands, leaving the glass on the coffee table, and takes a leisurely pace to her room. Enzo strips to his boxers and lays on her bed, waiting for her.
Caroline steps out, hair soaking wet, but looking more alert. She lies next to him, and once they are a tangle of limbs, with her head on his chest and his hand toying with her hair, does she speak. "Promise me one thing." She says.
"Anything." Enzo says immediately; he will move mountains for her.
Caroline leans her head back so she can stare into his brown eyes, "Promise me you will love and live, even after I'm gone."
Enzo knows he can't promise her that, but he disappoint her either, "I promise to try, after the centuries I spend grieving."
Caroline sighs, knowing that's the best she will get out of him. Then her heart flutters when she hears, "I love you." come from his lips. He's says it all the time, but each time feels as if the first.
"I love you too." She says.
They spend hours talking about nothing in particular before Caroline drifts off, once that happens Enzo reaches for her phone and sends everyone who needs to know a text to stop by tomorrow at 1. He turns her volume off and doesn't answer any of the texts that come afterward.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
Enzo lets Caroline sleep until 11, knowing she needs it and knowing she will be unhappy when he awakes her. "Gorgeous." He says as he lies on his stomach and tenderly rubs her cheek.
She opens her bleary blue eyes and slurs something he can't understand. Enzo smiles at her, "it's time to get up, you have guests in two hours."
Caroline is awake now, glaring at him, "And you thought now would be the best time to wake me?" She slowly sits up and stretches. She grabs her phone, and looks at the time and the messages, once done she takes a moment to calm herself before looking at him. Her voice is deadly calm, "Once this is all done I'm going to-"
He doesn't let her finish her sentence, he presses a chaste kiss to her lips and pulls away with, "118 minutes." he then uses his vampire speed to his advantage, and leaves her shocked.
Enzo chuckles as he settles on the couch with a glass of bourbon, he enjoys turning her life upside down in little moments, she gets adorably flustered.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
He always knew he would have to leave her eventually, she was mortal with dreams of children and aging beside the love of her life, but this is too short for an angel. When he first met her, he knew she would be the death of him, but he doesn't regret a single shared moment, only wishing there were more; he thinks as she sits beside him. Enzo wraps an arm around her as she settles down, rubbing circles on her shoulder with his thumb, "I'm right here, I'll always be here."
"But I won't." She says.
Before he could offer her any words of comfort the doorbell rings. Caroline stands to get it, but stops, holding her head in pain. Enzo's at her side in a heartbeat, "What's wrong?" He asks, holding onto her back.
She waves him off with one hand, "I just stood up to fast."
Enzo helps her sit, despite her protests, "I'll be right back."
Enzo uses his vampire speed to get the door, hearing the impatient grumblings of a blue-eyed Salvatore. He finds six pairs of eyes staring at him with shock as he opens the door. "Where's Caroline?" Bonnie asks, the first one able to gather words, the state of dread is palpable.
Enzo steps back, and gestures for them to come in. No pleasantries are exchanged as the little group fills up Caroline's living room. Enzo sits on Caroline's left, taking a hand in both of his own to offer support as he leans back.
Damon sits in an arm chair, wrapping an arm around Bonnie's waist as she sits on the armrest. Tyler and Matt take the couch across from Caroline, Stefan lingers by the fireplace, and Alaric stands in the frame. All of them were here a year ago, when Caroline gave them grim news, this is much worse.
"I'm going to die in four months." Caroline drops on them in true Caroline fashion.
Bonnie opens her mouth, but then closes it. Damon rubs her back as Bonnie says, "Why? I though you were going to be fine."
Caroline looks at Enzo, he squeezes her hand, silently offering her support. Caroline looks at the group, "I've been having these headaches recently, and went to the doctor. He ordered an MRI, which revealed tumors in the brain. They can't do anything about it, besides make me comfortable near the end."
"But you fought it, and won." Bonnie asks, still in denial while the rest of the group silently processes the news.
Caroline sighs, "I know, all the chemo and the surgeries, but with my family history," they pause, giving Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes a moment of peace, "it isn't the biggest shock."
Enzo doesn't pay attention to the condolences and offers of help, he focuses on the back of Caroline's head, wishing he could take it from her.
Alaric leaves after an hour, offering Caroline a quick hug and verbal hope, before returning to his daughters and wife.
The rest stay through dinner, which Stefan makes, and reminiscence about the past. Caroline laughs and cries with them, but Enzo can tell that it pains her to know she doesn't have many memories left to make.
Enzo holds her that night and listens to her breath as she sleeps. He doesn't want to sleep and lose these precious moments with her, he doesn't want to lose her at all.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
The days turn into weeks too quickly, and Caroline is deteriorating fast. They know 8 months will never be reached.
As Caroline's eyes sight begins to diminish, Enzo reads to her; she loves listening to his accent.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
Bonnie drives her around and they spend hours shopping with Damon's credit card, he own way of trying to help. Caroline hates wearing the ugly glasses, so she relies on her best friend to give her fashion advice. Bonnie and Caroline make up for all the time they are about to lose.
"I think I'm going to become a vampire." Bonnie says over coffee one morning.
Caroline is speechless, a rare occasion, but recovers, "Good."
It's Bonnie's turn to be speechless. Caroline picks up on this and continues, "You two are perfect for each other, you balance each other out and compliment each other, especially with your undying loyalty to one another. If you're happy, I'm happy."
"Thank you." Bonnie says. "I was thinking about doing it soon, so you could say goodbye to Elena."
"Please don't." Caroline says, once again shocking Bonnie. "I already said goodbye to her, and I know this is selfish, but I don't want to live in her shadow while I breathe my last breaths."
Bonnie reaches across the table and takes Caroline's hand, she squeezes it and ignores the weakness Caroline offers in her own squeeze, "You're not selfish. I know how Elena can be and I'm sorry I wasn't more supportive in high school."
"Don't ever be sorry, you have sacrificed more for us than we deserve." Caroline says.
The girls reflect on all they have faced since the Salvatores came back, but neither regret it, both growing into who they are today and finding a new appreciation for life, and love with new people as well as a stronger bond with each other.
Too soon if you ask them, they have to part so Bonnie can get back to her job.
"I love you." Bonnie says as they embrace.
Caroline squeezes her, "I love you more."
They pull apart and Caroline exits the car and makes her way to her house; Bonnie waits until Enzo waves at her before going to work.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
As the weeks turn into months Caroline weakens, and becomes more dependent on her loved ones, Enzo especially.
Caroline lays in the bath, letting Enzo tenderly massages the shampoo into her skull, when she says, "Send me to a care home."
He stops for a brief moment before continuing, "No."
Caroline sinks deeper into the bubbles, "Why?"
"I'm not sending you to a place you will never come back from." He argues.
Caroline sighs, she hasn't told him yet that the prescriptions are no longer helping.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
Tyler brings her alcohol, after carefully checking her medication that Enzo has meticulously organized.
"I'm going to die anyway, so why does it matter." Caroline states as Tyler pours her something that will hopefully relax her.
Tyler looks up at her, with sad dark eyes, "I lost to many people, Care, I'm going to keep you around for as long as I can."
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
The next night, as they lay in bed, Caroline tells him. "Enzo." She says.
"Yes love?" He answers immediately.
"It hurts, it hurts so bad." Caroline says.
He doesn't respond immediately, she knows he's mentally going over her medication schedule, "You can't have another dose yet." He says.
"The medication only lessens the pain for an hour, after that it comes back in full force." Caroline says.
He gently places a soft kiss on her cheek, "Why didn't you tell me?" He asks.
"You don't want me to go, but I need to, they can take my pain away." Caroline says.
Enzo holds her closer, knowing she's right, but not wanting her to be. "Can't I compel people to come here, to let you live out your life in the home you grew up in."
Caroline nods into his chest, "You could, but I don't want to remember this house as the place I died."
"Alright gorgeous, but I'm coming with you." Enzo says.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
Damon rarely spends time with her alone before, now he avoids it like the plague.
When she finds the right moment to spend time together, they sit in silence, but it's comfortable. They have long moved on from their past, and now enjoy each others' company.
"Please tell Liz I said hi." Damon says one afternoon.
Caroline begins to cry, something she's doing to much as of late. It's bittersweet, knowing she will be leaving, but she will get to see her parents.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
It takes them a week to find a place that Enzo approves of; he compelled all of the nurses and doctors to be honest when answering his questions, and then compelled all the patients and their families to be honest on whether are not they think this place is the best.
After all that, Caroline prepares to move. She leaves her childhood home to Enzo. "This is your home now." Caroline says, handing over the keys.
Enzo takes them, "No, you are my home."
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
Before officially moving into the hospice, Caroline plans her funeral behind Enzo's back, not wanting him to have to worry about it. Caroline plans it, and with Matt's help, she knows it will be fine.
"I always thought we would get to watch each other grow old, and have grey hair with many grandchildren." Matt says.
Caroline nods, "I did too." Caroline wipes a lone tear.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
Enzo takes care of the move.
"We're here, beautiful." Enzo says as he pulls the car up.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
Stefan is her first visitor.
Enzo kisses her before leaving them alone.
Stefan takes the chair next to her bed and holds one of her hands. "Death is scary, when I died I knew I would never see this world again. I was wrong, Katherine blood flowed through me and brought me new life. I never got to see the great unknown, but I know this, you will be happy."
Caroline cries, and Stefan continues with shiny forest eyes, "You are a good person Caroline, I'm going to miss you more than you'll ever know."
They share a hug, before exchanging 'I love yous'.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
Enzo and Caroline spend each night together, wrapped around each other to the best of their ability with all the medication pumped into her. Enzo ends each night with "I love you." followed by a kiss, and starts each morning with the same routine.
Her heart still flutters every time she hears those words.
"I love you." Caroline says on the edge of sleep.
Enzo smiles, "I love you with everything I have."
They fall asleep together that night, listening to the others' heartbeat.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
Unlike Stefan, Caroline finds peace in her final moments in the embrace of the love of her life.
~/\_/\_/\_/\_/\_/\~
The sound of her heart stopping brings him awake and makes his body go rigid. "Care?" He asks, hoping his ears deceived him.
They did not, her body no longer holds life.
Enzo gathers her and holds her to him, sobbing into her hair, letting his pain manifest in his body as he treats her with the utmost care. He holds her one final time. "I love you." He places on final kiss on her head.
Before he can no longer fight Damon, Enzo says, "I love you." and lays her down.
A/N This is a present to Loveklaroline, she asked for a story about Caroline being hurt and the reactions of her loved ones. I originally intended for her to be human and hurt by something, but then I watched Miss you already and I had to write this. I don't know much about cancer, so this is not fact based; essentially Caroline discovered she had breast cancer at age 25 (I couldn't find a place to write this in so it didn't disrupt the flow) and fought it, months later it is revealed the cancer spread to her brain. If there are any questions or suggestions, please send me a PM or comment! By the way Elena is still in the magical coma, and will wake when Bonnie dies. This is a crossover between the TV show and book because Stefan is Elena's fiancé and Bonnie and Damon are soulmates.
Loveklaroline, I hope you enjoyed this. I know it's not exactly what you asked for, but the story changed itself (:
Thank you for reading!
Enjoy the rest of your year!