live2write123: i'm probably the WORST uploader in fanfiction history! i know i keep on deleting this story and re-adding it, but it's only because of two reasons:
- one: i'm a MASSIVE perfectionist and editor and if i see something i made a big mistake on or i want to change something, i want to simply edit it but i cant, which leads me to reason number two...
- and two: for some reason my editor on my account never works. it says it made the changes but it NEVER does and it makes me more aggravated that i can't edit it so i delete it and repost it. i'm really sorry for this, but your support is fully appreciated. don't take out my lack of knowledge of this website on my story! if you like it, i'd really appreciate it if you would continue to read, review and favourite :3. thank you so much, enjoy and please review :)!
ps. this chapter is based off of around the time Damon had just kissed 'Elena' (but as well all know, it was really Katherine) and after the kiss, he goes to the Mystic Grill to find a familiar face from his past.
pss. i need to clear something up. since Caroline is a 900 year old vampire in this story, i feel obligated to create a new character in her place since Caroline's character in the series started to expand after she was turned into a vampire, which happened in the early episodes of season 2. i'm thinking about it, but tell me what you think. should i create a new character for this story or just avoid it altogether? please state your opinion on what i should do. :)
Chapter Three: Hello, Old Friend
Present Day (Mystic Falls, Virginia - 2010)
Caroline could never forget the feeling of returning home, stepping forth into the tragic little town called Mystic Falls. This was the very beginning for her and every moment that occurred here, they were forever stored away in her memory like a photographic album. By the time she and Katherine's plane had landed in Virginia, it was already dusk and the sun had fallen behind the horizon an hour or two ago. The first thing she realized that he wasn't currently present, wreaking havoc of this fragile town. The air she breathed in and out of her lungs was clear and fresh for the first time in a long time since she had ever stepped into Mystic Falls. But that didn't stop the fact that there were still vampires crawling amongst the oblivious humans of this town. The vampires of Mystic Falls were bound to be yanked back to this place, the birthplace of all vampires. Caroline knew the feeling, she could never wander away far long enough, withstanding the magnetic pull, until her guard was down enough to drag her back.
"It's as if we never left, isn't it, Care?" Katherine said, riding shotgun of the black 1970 Dodge Charger while Caroline drove the car to the most decent hotel they could stay at until they could rent out a temporary apartment.
Caroline sighed. "I couldn't agree with you more. But did you really have to compel that guy at the airport? He's going to wake up tomorrow and realize that his fifty-thousand-dollar automobile is suddenly gone with no trace of recollection of what happened to it."
"Oh, Caroline. You worry too much. You know, for a vampire that's nine-hundred-years-old, you're always so tense and anxious all the time."
"I have a lot to worry about, Katherine. One day I could be undead and living to see another day or I'll have a stake through my heart and my body will end up at the bottom the ocean somewhere."
"Well then, think of this as a vacation before we run back to California, okay? Long before he ever returns, and if he ever returns. We've been over this conversation for the entire day. On the way to the airport in California, on the plane ride to Mystic Falls, and now this. Please, for me, let's just have a great time in the town that use to be ours. I promised you that we would leave if he even finds us. Now I want you to promise me that we'll always stick together and that you'll forget about this paranoia you feel about returning here, okay? I know this place means a lot to you, but try to understand why we're here. I'm not here to get ourselves killed."
"I know you're not. But I will agree to your promise. I'll forget about being this anxiously paranoid little girl and become the enjoyable, high-spirited Caroline you know and love. Happy now?"
"Ecstatic. Now, let's create some damage."
"With a low-profile, right?"
"Absolutely. I wouldn't think of it any other way. It adds more suspense to the situation."
When the night sky had fallen over, Caroline was finishing her shower and Katherine had completed unpacking her suitcases. They agreed to have separate hotel rooms just in case particular compelled men came by for a late night snack in the middle of the night. Katherine had claimed she has 'business' to tend to, and Caroline didn't request an explanation from her. She learnt that the hard way. Over the centuries, Caroline learnt that Katherine hated, more the anything, was to tied down or questioned for her motives. Even though Caroline was much older then Katherine, she refused to lay down constant rules and punish her for her actions. Caroline was a strong believer in freewill and she would never take that away from her. Because she knew that if her freewill was forcibly removed, she would lose Katherine's friendship and respect altogether, which wasn't worth losing in exchange for her cooperation.
"I'll be back later tonight," Katherine said as she finished curling her hair and sliding on her dark denim jacket. "But don't tell me you're going to stay here and wait up for me, because I can't exactly tell you when I'll be back."
"No, I'm going to go out soon enough as well. I'll find a supply of entertainment in this miserably dull town."
"Well, whatever you end up doing, remember to cover up your tracks if you decide to drain the poor boy."
"I will, if you remember to keep a low-profile, okay?"
"Yes, yes, I promise. Now let's look forward to spending this vacation together and dropping the idea to bring up the agreement, deal?"
"Deal. I'll be seeing you, preferably tomorrow."
"Au revoir." She said, cheekily with a small wave before disappearing behind the front door.
Caroline rolled her eyes, walking through the door that attached the two hotel rooms together, leaving Katherine's room and entering her own. She jumped onto her bed, laying sprawled out onto the surface before turning on the TV to a very old, black-and-white movie. It was some unfamiliar film about old myths towards supernatural monsters of the night. It reminded her of the time in Mystic Falls, over a century and a half ago.
Flashback (Mystic Falls, Virginia - 1864)
"Miss Katherine, tell me why I have returned to this town?" Caroline Forbes demanded harshly as they rode in a horse drawn carriage to an unfamiliar destination. It was a miserably stormy day in Mystic Falls, the sun had not risen and a sheet of grey had swarmed over the sky in Virginia. But at this particular moment, Caroline was too distracted to worry about the weather. Currently, she was rather irritated at her friend's actions to return to this town.
Katherine sighed, sharply and aggravated. "I do not need to explain myself to you, Miss Caroline."
"You are fully aware of my feelings towards this place after everything I have told you regarding my past. There is too much of a history behind the surface of this town for me to make a reappearance. We could have gone anywhere, why Mystic Falls?"
"Something is pulling me here. I must discover what it is." She explained, incompletely.
"Whatever you have planned up your sleeve, I better not end up dead because of your little games, Katerina."
"As always, Caroline, you are truly the wet blanket on our every travel across the country." Katherine snapped back at her before pleasantly looking over at the young girl sitting beside her and smiling at her. "Luckily, I have Miss Emily to accompany me and to keep me sane from this old pessimist."
Abruptly, the carriage came to a stop in front of a massive white manor. The door to the carriage opened and Emily was the first to be helped out of her seat. Katherine shot Caroline a serious look that had clearly had stated: do not ruin this for me. And then with the flick of her head towards the opened door, Caroline followed Emily outside, staring down at the young boy who stood outside the front door of his home with his hands tucked behind his back.
Katherine was the last to exit the carriage, she had her eyes glued onto the boy in his tan, knee-length jacket. At first, Caroline believed that Katherine would end up killing him and his family from some mysterious massacre in order to gain their marvellous estate and vast land. But by the look in Katherine's eyes, Caroline could see the similar passion buried beneath her friend's facial facade. She recognized the excitement for the reason that Caroline felt the same way centuries before towards her true love. The man she and Katherine were currently avoiding at all costs.
The boy could not have been a day over twenty, but definitely over the age of sixteen. He had slowly stepped forth from his home to greet his visitors. He had soft features, a strong jawbone, predominant cheekbones, beautiful emerald green eyes, and sandy blonde hair in a stylish cut. "You must be Miss Pierce." He welcomed, sweetly.
Katherine smiled before offering her hand. "Please," she said softly, "call me Katherine." She curtsied, politely.
Without a second thought, he took her gloved hand and brought it to her lips. Caroline bowed her head out of respect before he introduced himself as Stefan Salvatore and led the three ladies inside for a tour of the house. Caroline knew that Katherine wanted to stay here for awhile. She had another plan to execute, leaving Caroline in the dark again. But if Katherine managed to create a fake story to keep their identity away from the humans, Caroline refused to object. Katherine wanted to stay for longer then their usual trips across the country of hopping one town to another. And staying, they shall do.
Present Day (Mystic Falls, Virginia - 2010)
Caroline found herself walking through the doors of the overpopulating Mystic Falls Bar and Grill. If she was going to live amongst the current civilization of this town, she would at least try to live like one of them. She walked through the crowd, her heels clacking against the wooden floorboards until she reached the bar on the opposite side of the room. She leaned her elbows against the bar counter, waiting until the bartender smiled flirtatiously at her and approached her. "Hey beautiful, what're you having tonight?"
She easily turned off her nine-hundred-year-old vampire mind and flipped to a side where she acted like the age she appeared to be: a seventeen-year-old teenager. "I think I'd like an apple martini, please and thank you."
Caroline discovered that if she smiled and flirted her way to gain an alcoholic beverage of it in a public place, the bartender would be too smitten to realized how young she appeared. But there was always the expected night where they demand to check her ID. But luckily, according to her fake ID, she was twenty-two and legal to drink freely in the United States.
He smiled. backing away from the counter. "Coming right up."
Caroline winked his way before twisting around her body in the bar stool to scan the room. Underage teenagers were playing games of pool and darts, laughing and joking around like normal seventeen-year-olds should. It was something Caroline never had and never would. Nine-hundred years and never once did she understand a normal high school experience. It was amusing to see ordinary, unaware teenagers to live their lives as if there isn't a trouble in the world. As if they weren't surrounded by a bunch of undead, bloodthirsty monsters that snack on humans everyday. 'Animal attacks'. What a petty excuse to cover up a vampire trail.
"An apple martini for the lovely lady." The same bartender's voice came to her ears, ripping her away from her thoughts towards the happy-go-lucky teenagers. She turned around in her seat and thanked him for the drink before sipping out the delicious green substance. Her vampire senses were high on alert as she heard the bell above the front doors chime, indicating that someone had entered the room. She remembered this presence before, but she felt relieved it wasn't him to crash the party already.
"Bourbon on the rocks." His alluring voice told the bartender after he had sat on the opposite end of the bar. While the familiar vampire waited for his drink, Caroline stopped the bartender, telling him to give his customer two drinks instead of one and that the second glass of bourbon was on her. When his drinks had been served, he questioned the second drink. The bartender pointed in Caroline's direction. And the persuasive silver-grey eyes of Damon Salvatore widened once his sights landed on Caroline as he remembered her instantly.
Flashback (Mystic Falls, Virginia - 1864)
It had only been three days since Caroline and Katherine had been taken under the care of Giuseppe Salvatore and his two sons. Unfortunately, his eldest son, Damon, was currently occupied with his participation to defend his country in war as a solider. Once again, Caroline was stuck inside the Salvatore Estate while Katherine pulled on her charm, spending her long days with the younger Salvatore brother, Stefan. She found herself effortlessly descending into sheer boredom if she did not find something to keep herself busily entertained. With the Lockwood Founders Ball around the corner and arriving any day now, she needed an escort if she was attending alongside Katherine.
While visiting inside the Salvatore library, she had come across an old picture beautifully mounted by a gold frame. There were four figures: a man that resembled a younger version of Giuseppe with a young woman standing beside him while their two son sat in front of them in a small loveseat. One was evidently Stefan Salvatore, sitting in front of his proud father while assumingly Damon was seated in front of his now deceased mother. He had black hair, wearing a formal suit and his gloved hands were knitted together on his lap. He easily resembled his mother, who had long black hair that was pinned back into a complicated style. She was indeed beautiful, leading Caroline to wonder how her human life was cut short. But Caroline would never pry, reopening the wounds that this family had healed together over the years.
Suddenly, the two massive white doors opened. Caroline felt as if she was caught in a lie or doing something she shouldn't be doing. It was the boy in the photograph. Damon Salvatore, wearing his grey soldier uniform and cap. He must have just returned from the war moments ago.
"Oh, forgive me." He said briskly after studying the blonde woman. "I thought my father was in here."
"No, I am sorry. I was returning a book I had finished borrowing from Mr. Salvatore."
"Are you the woman staying with Miss Katherine?"
"Indeed, have you already met her?"
"Yes. She is outside with my brother."
"My name is Caroline Forbes, and you must be Mr. Stefan Salvatore's older brother, am I correct?"
He nodded, respectfully removing his cap before walking towards her with an outreached hand. "My name is Damon. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Caroline smiled, kindly. "And you," she whispered as Damon kissed the knuckles of her gloved-hand.
Present Day (Mystic Falls, Virginia - 2010)
Caroline raised her martini glass towards him and smiled at him with a knowing look on her face. "Good evening, Damon," she acknowledged him before sipping from the rim of her glass.
"Caroline." He whispered, still very bewildered at the sight of a woman from his past. He knew that if Caroline Forbes was here in Mystic Falls, then Katherine Pierce wouldn't astray too far from her side.