I am so unbelievably sorry that I did not post this chapter up when I said I would! I didn't realize how busy this semester would make me until I started day one, so unfortunately the next update will be posted in two weeks(an attempt for it to be on Friday the 3rd will be very high and if not, then the 10th ). P.S. I had a wonderful birthday, loved your reviews(your words are so inspiring), and do not own Vampire Diaries in the least.

Chapter Four

Or

The Date

"Miss Forbes, she's waiting for you," she said coming up to me. My hands lost their clutch on my purse as I slipped it over my shoulder to follow her into room. I kept my head down with every step I took and concentrated on breathing. The walk was short but it still managed to give me chills as we reached room number 512.

Twenty four hours ago Tyler and I were sitting on my couch watching a movie. He was making me laugh, again, and had asked me out on a date.

I said yes.

Now, exactly twenty four hours after we made plans for tonight, I stood him up for a phone call that impacted my life.

"Caroline, you can go in," the nurse said to me. Why did she look at me with pity? Did I really look that scared? The doctor said everything was ok. Why was I so scared?

I walked up to the bed that held the most important patient in the hospital. "Hi mommy," I said sitting in the chair nearby. It scraped against the floor as I tugged it closer to her. The noise seemed to make the building even colder.

"Caroline, what're you doing here, don't you have class tomorrow morning?" Of course the first thing my mother would say to me is about school.

"Mom, you were in a car accident, school can be postponed. Besides, I'm ahead in all my classes."

"That's my girl," she said sternly, a hint of a smile on her lips.

Just informing you (so you won't be confused) that this is a flashback.

It seemed like seconds, when in truth it was hours ago. Class had just ended and I was on my way home excited about the date with Tyler. I already picked out the outfit and was going to pin half my hair back, I had even started putting on the make-up when I got the phone call.

I recognized the area code of my hometown and answered. "Hello?"

"Caroline Forbes?"

"Dr. Skyles?" Our town was so small, I knew immediately who the voice belonged to.

Timothy Skyles worked in the emergency room seventy hours a week. "What's wrong?" The term 'is everything ok' would have been stupid under the circumstances.

"It's your mother. She was in a car accident." He then began to tell me that she had a concussion that they had under control so she wouldn't have any brain damage. Her neck had a cut where the seat belt dug into her skin. Her ankles were swollen from hitting the pedals and her arm was broken after the impact of the tree.

Back to present

"How're you feeling, Mom?" I'd never seen my mother look so frail before. Instead of her blond hair looking vivacious and eye catching, it seemed to have lost its light. Her eyes had half their shine as she looked at me and her surroundings. The bruise on her cheek made her broken arm look great in comparison.

"Well, they gave me morphine, which you shouldn't try unless you need to. Did you know that I almost hit a person? She was walking towards me on the road. And no, I didn't notice her because it was raining. My police officer, oh gaw this is such a fun feeling. Caroline honey can you hit the button for me? I need more pain medicine; I'm beginning to feel my broken bones again." I'd never seen my mother in this state before, high off morphine that is. I rarely saw her period for that matter. All my life she'd been consumed with being sheriff and taking care of, what I now know, vampires from taking over our town to the best of her abilities.

"Honey, I'm fine. You need to go back to school. Now get out! GET OUT CAROLINE!" I got up, shocked that she was yelling at me.

I was more concerned and worried than anything else. Not only was my mother a person who was mean when doped up, but crazy alongside it.

Flashbacks about how my life would have been like if she were a drunk ran through my mind. I shuddered at the thought.

"Excuse me," I said going up to the nurses table. They all seemed to have the same look, either annoyed or overly concerned.

"Is everything alright?" one of them piped up.

"My mother, Sheriff Forbes, seems like she doesn't need me right now, should I wait for her to be excused, or come back later, or-"

"Well visiting hours ends in three hours, and we need to keep her overnight and watch her concussion or any negative signs for the next twenty-four hours, so if she doesn't need you, you may leave or stay. Your choice really."

I went home.

Nothing had changed since the few months I was away at college. She took down the Christmas decorations and the bookshelves needed dusting, again. Nothing changed.

I walked up to my room, shocked to see the door shut. Elizabeth Forbes made sure always to leave it open.

Elena, Bonnie, and I were having vampire issues and I didn't come home until five one morning. When I walked inside, my mother was waiting on the couch with a wine glass in her hand just waiting for me to give her the dirt. Because I refused to tell her what really happened that night, she grounded me for the rest of the school year. Since then she always kept my door open to keep an eye on me since I had lost her trust. I guess since I left for college, she kept it closed.

Today was such a long day. How was I going to explain this to Tyler? I didn't even call him on my way back home to let him know that I wasn't going to make it to our date. He probably thinks that I purposefully stood him up. Although why he'd want to go on a date with me, and the fact that he actually liked hanging out with me, is something I don't think I'll fully comprehend.

I was never the girl that guys were interested in. They went after people like Bonnie and Elena.

I stood on the sidelines and never put my foot out there. Who knows, maybe it's about time that I do.

I know I should have called Tyler and let him know why I wasn't able to make it to dinner and I should call Elena to let her know I was back in town, but the thing that was calling me the loudest was the shower.

Thirty minutes in bliss of streaming heated water pouring down my body felt extravagant. It washed off the car ride, my mother who looked like she was on her death bed, the date that I ditched… all of those horrible things. Of course by the time I got out, I had ten missed calls and five messages.

I tied my hair up and slipped into my pajamas before collapsing on my bed to check out the missed calls.

Three were from Tyler, two from each of my best friends, two from Stefan, and even his brother, the devil's spawn, left me a message. All the messages were the same, "Where are you, we heard about your mom, why aren't you picking up and how are you doing?" But the one that stuck out at me was when I heard his deep voice crack in my ear. "Hey University, I guess you weren't really feeling the Italian for dinner, huh? I told you we could have gotten Taco Bell, but you were the one who begged me to go somewhere expensive and high maintenance. Anyway, I hope everything is ok, because I know you're not ditching me. We both know you want to get some of this Tyler action, I mean I would if I were you. It just proves you have good taste. Anyhow. Call me back when you get this. I'm home and waiting and concerned, and still just as attractive as when you left me last."

I couldn't help but chuckle throughout his message until I called him back. "University, so nice to hear from you," he said on the third ring.

"Hey Tyler. Sorry about tonight."

I heard him shuffle some papers around, probably homework, on the other end. "I will forgive the fact that you stood me up, but only if you don't do it again." The fact that he wanted to go on another date with me was heart lifting.

"I don't plan on it." I hope he heard the sincerity in my voice.

"So what happened tonight, University?" I glanced at the clock as I began my story. It took me fifteen minutes to explain to him everything about my mother and how she's staying overnight at the hospital and how I need to take care of her a little bit before I go back to school. He listened patiently and intently from start to finish.

And then my doorbell rang. Tyler, being the understanding Angel he was, said goodnight and we hung up.

I went downstairs as the doorbell rang again and peered through the peephole. Elena was standing there, clutching her elbows and biting her lips. "Elena, I was just about to call you," I said swinging the door open.

She looked up, concern sketched in her expression, "Caroline, how's you're mom? I've been trying to get a hold of you all day but you haven't been answering."

"I know, I'm sorry it's just," I took a deep breath. "So much has happened and Elena I'm so glad you're here. Come inside."

I should have known then and there, but stupidly, I didn't. The Elena I called best friend would have had Bonnie with her. Instead of waiting for an invite, she would have barged in my door attacking me with best friend hugs and not be convinced that I was ok because my mother almost died, something she understood too well.

Instead, I just invited a vampire into my house. "Katherine," I said in realization.

Her act of concern switched to a calm smile. "Thank you Caroline for making this too easy for me," she said before her eyes turned dark and her silvery teeth lunged for my neck.

Hey, sorry if this was choppy, I finished the chapter just now and hurried so you wouldn't have to wait any longer for those of you who were looking forward to this one. I hope it shocked you, threw you off, and made you excited for the next one which will be posted on either Friday the 3rd or 10th. I highly doubt I'll have time to post it up the 27th(this Friday), but I will do my best on all aspects.

The fact that you picked this story, read it up to now, and (hopefully) enjoyed it, has put a big smile on my face!

-Pheyth.