Hello all! This will be a quick little story, three chapters. I will post a chapter every couple days, so you won't have to wait long for the completion.

This is my take on the aftermath of Sheriff Forbes' death, and how Caroline reacts. I started to write this before her mom actually died on the show, so it isn't really canon in the funeral and emotions being turned off respect.

I hope you all enjoy and please review

I don't own TVD or its characters, or Caroline and Klaus would be happily together!

Caroline's POV

Dead was the one word that described not only her mother but what used to make up all the hope and optimism inside of her. Caroline didn't need the heart monitor beside her mother to know the moment that her heart ceased to beat; it was the same moment that her own undead heart shattered into a million pieces. What was worse was that it was all her fault, she was the reason her mother was dead. She was so stupid to feed her blood to her, she shouldn't have rushed, but she was grasping at anything to save her and now not only had she killed an innocent stranger, but she was responsible for the death of her mom, the one person who loved her no matter what.

She had been numb to the other people in the room; she could hear them but couldn't seem to process what they were saying. What she did see clearly though was the look in their eyes, the doctors with their practiced empathy, Elena, her eyes held sympathy with an underlying judgement, which she knew she deserved. Stefan's eyes showed sympathy as well, there was no judgement and that is what she really couldn't deal with. They had looked at her with understanding, he had looked at her like she was still the same Caroline, and she couldn't handle that. There was no way she was the same, she refused to believe that.

Maybe that is why she found herself here of all places, New Orleans. She had left the hospital, walked out on it all, her mother, her friends, without saying anything. She hadn't even packed, just got in her car and started driving. Fourteen hours later, and a few stops for gas, she pulled her car over to the side of the street.

Klaus had always seemed to be able to see right down to her very soul, as frustrating as that was she needed that right now. She needed someone who didn't know what had happened to look at her and see the truth. She needed someone to see the horrible person she had become, someone who was capable of killing their own mother, and someone who had done the same thing himself. She knew he would be able to tell that her light, as he once called it, was gone. She didn't want sympathy or understanding; she needed someone to see what she felt inside, that she was empty.

She wondered briefly if this was what it was like to shut off her emotions, but she felt guilt, so she knew that wasn't the case. It also crossed her mind that Klaus would most likely not be too happy with her showing up at the present. It wasn't until after their encounter in the woods that she had found out from Tyler that Klaus had gotten Hayley pregnant. And from Tyler's telling of it, Klaus was very protective of Hayley and the baby. It had hurt her more than she wanted to admit to herself, that he had slept with Hayley of all people, and like that hadn't been bad enough, she was having a miracle baby. Klaus' miracle baby. Not that she wanted to bear Klaus' children, but the fact that she would never have the option to bear anyone's children hurt her.

It was hard not to feel used by him after that. He had always made her feel special, but that made her question his true intentions with her. However it didn't change the fact that he seemed to know her better than she knew herself sometimes and right now she needed that perspective.

She needed to pull herself together. She checked her reflection in the rear view mirror, trying to ignore the emptiness in her eyes she touched up her makeup and hoped he wouldn't notice the extra puffiness around her eyes, although she knew better. With a heavy sigh she exited the car and started her search for Klaus. She didn't imagine that it would be too difficult considering what she knew about him. He loved power and making sure that everyone knew that he had it, so dropping his name should lead her in the right direction, although she had a feeling knowing him that he would somehow find her if she waited long enough.

It didn't take that long; she had been in the city no more than a few hours when she felt his presence. She had found a busy bar that screamed supernatural to her and sat down in a booth. After half an hour there she had started to feel nervous about coming and had ordered herself a bottle of scotch. She was now almost done the bottle in front of her, but that didn't stop that feeling that went up and down her spine whenever he entered a room she was in. She didn't dare to look up, she was suddenly all nerves, and a little angry that he could still have that effect on her. But she was here with one purpose and she needed to focus on that, there would be no pleasantries and playing games like he liked to do so often. She would get the validation that she needed and move on, that was all.

"Hello Caroline." My god she had forgotten how his voice reminded her of liquid velvet, especially the way he said her name. Her stomach flipped and she hesitated before she lifted her head to look at him. Stomping down the butterflies she let her eyes move up to meet his.