How It Ends

She was done. Her time had come and now she was leaving, she'd just wished it didn't have to be so empty, so sad. But they'd all agreed, it was time to move on. Elena was a vampire now, but unlike with Caroline, Mystic Falls was still her home, her little brother was here, she still clung to the memories of her human life. She figured she could last there another five years before people started to wonder why she wasn't getting any older. Seven if she was lucky. Caroline wished she could still think like that, but she knew it was her time to leave.

For a while, Elena had been mad, that Caroline was leaving them all here when there were so many things left unresolved, but that was no longer reason enough to stay. There would always be things tying her here, her mom, her friends, her roots. But those things wouldn't last forever, nothing would except for her, and there was so much more to see.

She wasn't sure if Elena could ever truly understand the need to leave. She, and the Salvatores, and the Originals, and countless other people were drawn into this strange town were weighed down by the past. And by the decisions they'd failed to make, the mistakes they longed to right, the people they'd lost, but Caroline felt none of that.

Maybe that's what it was like to turn it off, let the emotions disappear. Or maybe this was simply letting go, the sheer bliss of admitting to yourself that for all your immortality, you can still be a small thing in a big world.

Her friends couldn't see that yet, none of them. So she was leaving them behind, for now.

She'd packed her bags, said her goodbyes and now she was off.

That morning she'd left while her mother was still asleep. If she'd been awake to see her off she would've made her promise to call everyday and Caroline would've complied and she didn't feel like lying to her mother before the sun had even risen in the sky.

She sneaked out of the house and found her friend waiting for her in her driveway.

"Need a ride?" Elena asked. Caroline smiled and loaded her bags into the car, and then it was off to the airport.

The ride was silent, but when they pulled into the drop off zone, Elena finally spoke,

"Care, I may not understand why you want to do this, but I know I can't stop you, so all I'm going to say is good luck, I love you, and as always, I'll be right here waiting for you if you ever need me."

Caroline immediately relaxed, for months that was all she'd wanted to hear form her friend and here she was, offering her the one parting gift she'd wanted most. She leaned across the car and gave her a hug.

"Thank-you Elena." She said. "And if you ever want to join me, when you want to get away from all this, there will be a place for you right next to me." Then she got out of the car and walk over to her next traveling companion, who was tapping her toe impatiently and looking at her with a disapproving glare.

"I don't understand why you're doing this." Rebekah said, her arms uncrossing to wheel one of Caroline's suitcases behind her as she led her to their gate.

"Yeah, I've already heard that once today." Caroline said with a smile.

"Anyone who willingly travels with my brothers of all people needs to be committed." Rebekah said.

"Aren't you traveling with us too?" Caroline called to the girl speeding away down the terminal.

"I've been doing it for years, I'm a lost cause. You, you can still save yourself. Pick a plane, any plane, get away! Run!" She yelled, drawing the eyes of several amused fliers. Caroline laughed and assured Bekah for the millionth time that she knew what she was doing and for the millionth time Bekah disagreed.

But once they were onboard, and Caroline was getting herself settled on the plane she was startled by two small arms wrapping around her shoulders and a voice in her ear.

"I'm really glad you decided to join us Caroline." Rebekah said, and Caroline smiled a genuine smile. She may seem tough and cruel on the outside, but not too deep within Rebekah was a sweetheart.

Rebekah took a seat between an already snoring Kol and Elijah who was happily invested in a good book. The seat next to Caroline remained empty.

She stared out the window for the longest time, soaking up the last images of hometown scenery, it was anyone's guess when she'd be back.

"Are you sure you're ready for this, love?" A smooth voice asked next to her. She smiled and turned to look at him.

"More than sure." She said as the plane kicked into gear and headed for the runway. The flight attendant was reviewing the safety precautions, but Caroline ignored her and continued staring out the window and Klaus continued staring at her. She looked at him and blushed.

Once the plane was in the air Caroline yawned, already feeling the effects of the early morning and the sun that was just starting to rise around them.

She pulled up the armrest between her seat and Klaus' and lifted his arm, placing it carefully around her shoulder, then she nuzzled in close to him. For a moment she felt him tense, then he relaxed and drew her in closer,

"It's a long flight," She said, "We'll need to get comfortable."

AN: So this might sound stupid, but for me, this is endgame. I could honestly care less about everyone else on the show, for me it's been Caroline and The Originals hour for quite some time now. I could watch a show about these five characters watching paint dry and probably be entertained. But as I was saying, for me this is my ideal endgame, even for season 4, Caroline leaving behind Mystic Falls and taking off with the Originals would be... ugh, fantastic. I love her scenes with Klaus, I think a friendship between her and Rebekah would be amazing, because they're two strong willed, confident characters who can kick major ass. And I can only imagine Caroline/Kol scenes would be hilarious!