Chapter 2: Accountability
Up front I want to say thank you to all who have read the story, and to who ever posted this on Tumblr, and those who reposted, you have my ultimate gratitude. I hope I don't disappoint you.
If you have any suggestions or ideas please let me know. I am always interested in where you all want the story to go.
And of course to the seven people who review this story, a major thank you to you.
Leah- It took me a moment to figure out what OOC stood for, but thank you so much. I try very hard to stay as close to the characters as possible.
Dudeitsstar- :) to you too.
Justine- Here you go…
Caroline enters the Salvatore mansion. She is not looking forward to the next conversation, but she has to tell someone. Stephen is in the library like always.
"Caroline. Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you."
"Tyler's dead." She says flatly.
"We know." Stephan replies in the same flat tone. "You got that call from him last night before you ran out. What happened?"
"Shane happened. That creepy ass professor had a secret after all. He was a hunter, and a witch."
"Was?"
"After Tyler found the Hybrids he threatened Haylie to tell him who was behind it. Apparently Shane promised to tell her about her parents if she helped him. Tyler went after Shane for using the hybrids. Shane had a hunter's sword and …" Caroline doesn't want to remember watching the love of her life being decapitated. "I caught him by surprise." Caroline braces herself for Stephen's reaction to her next statement. "I went to Klaus, after."
Stephen looks confused. "Why didn't you come to me?"
"I was afraid of what you might say. I killed someone, and I don't regret it."
Stephen just stares at her.
"Say something." She whispers.
"There's nothing to say."
"Yell at me. Tell me you're angry. Tell me you're disappointed," She pauses, "Tell me it's all going to be okay."
Stephen walks up to her and took her in his arms.
"It's going to be okay." He says. "I know you don't feel anything now, but when it hits you, come to me. That's what a friend is for."
Stephen lets her go.
"Will you come with me to see Carol? I can't do it alone."
"Of course."
.
.
.
Caroline and Stephen stand in front of the Lockwood mansion.
"Don't rush." Stephen says. "Whenever you're ready."
"When will I ever be ready to tell my boyfriends mother he is dead?"
Stephen takes her hand.
"You are the strongest person I know. If anyone can do this, it's you."
Caroline takes a breath and walks up the steps to knock on the door. She can hear Carol crying somewhere in the house. She is frozen. Stephen knocks for her. When Carol opens the door her eyes are red and tear tracks run down her face.
"I'm so sorry." Caroline says.
"You're sorry? I lost my last bit of family, but it's okay because you're sorry. This is your fault. He was safe when he wasn't here, but you couldn't let him go. You had to lure him back here. His death is on you Caroline." Carol slams the door and Caroline flinches as the sound reverberates through her body.
.
.
.
Stephen hands Caroline a glass of wine.
"I know you have something stronger."
Stephen picks up a bottle of whiskey and hands it to her.
"Better." She unscrews the bottle with vampire speed and starts to chug it.
"Whoa, Caroline. Slow down."
Elena and Bonnie walk into the room.
"Care, are you okay? We just heard what happened with Carol." Elena said.
Caroline stops drinking and looks at them. She sees the pity on their faces and starts to chug again. Elena takes the bottle from her.
"Hey, I was drinking that."
"Not anymore." Bonnie replied.
Damon descends from the stairs. "Should we be worried about an alcoholic vampire?"
"Yes. That's the face I want to see right now." Caroline says rolling her eyes.
"We just want to help you." Elena replies.
Matt and Jeremy are the last to join the gathering.
"Care," Matt says not finding any other words.
Caroline looks around at the room full of people. Her friends, but she can't help but feel like someone is missing. She can't take the pity plastered on everyone's faces. In one quick vampire moment she is out the door and running fast through the woods.
When she stops running she looks around to see that she ran to the old Lockwood grounds. She moves down into the cellar. Memories come flooding back of the first time she watched him turn. She had no idea at the time that he would be the love of her life.
She had loved other people before, like Matt, but her feelings for Tyler were different. Stronger. It was like they had been made for each other, and now her other half was gone.
.
.
.
Klaus watches her from across the square as Caroline stands looking at a tree.
"You look entirely too ravishing to wear such a sad face."
"I thought we established you can only be nice to me when I have a drink in my hand." Caroline replied turning to face Klaus. He hands her a flask.
"Everything reminds me of him. We spent an afternoon under this tree talking about all the things we wanted to do." Caroline turned and pointed to a fountain. "In the summer we would come and swim in the fountain at night." Caroline looks at the Mystic Grill, "And of course we spent a surprising amount of time at the grill plotting your demise."
Klaus had to smile.
"He's everywhere. I can't get away."
"We can be in Paris by the morning. Let me show you what the world has to offer someone as special as you Caroline."
"I can't," She said.
"Why not?"
"I have friends here. A life."
"Walking around this town stuck in the past is not a life. It's certainly not one worthy of you, Love."
"Stop. Stop with the 'Love' and offering me the world. I was perfectly happy here with Tyler, and then you had to come and make it all complicated with your pretty dresses and beautiful drawings. I can't take it."
Klaus took her face in his hand and brought it up to look in his eyes.
"I want you Caroline, and I always get what I want."
Again a major thank you to everyone who has been reading, reviewing, blogging and emailing this story.
I love you all.
-ST