myla84: Haha yes I agree mom's pretending to be teenagers is great, and believe me I loved writing the Liz and Caroline scene. I'm weirdly glad that you're confused lol, not because I want anyone confused, but because I want to see if people can put together the puzzle that is Caroline. Speaking of the puzzle, there is another small flashback this chapter, which I hope you enjoy!

Crisibabe: Ahh yes the dreaded girls night, you'll be able to see and I'm guessing that you won't expect this ;) As for the Stefan playing with her hair it's like a weird thing with me because I feel like it's so intimate, so I'm glad you felt the same!

Lemonadey: Oh don't worry I'm like that with Liz too. I feel like this fic is a way to get my LizxCare fix lol.

vonpringle: Haha I'm glad I could make you feel special. It's just a little thing I like to do and I'm glad you appreciate it! Hope this lives up to your expectations.

give-me-tvd: Well I'm glad I gave you the feels. This chapter isn't so Steroline heavy, but very important for Care's character. Hope you enjoy!

innevertheonly: Awe I honestly live for your reviews, and this one was no different. On one hand I'm glad that I got that emotion out of you, but on the other I almost feel guilty. So happy that you went to your mother afterwards, and for the record in my mind you are a survivor. Stay amazing!

Stupid Jo: Haha well i hope this one lives up to them too!

Guest (who was waiting): Yea I'm so sorry for the delay, I'll explain at the bottom, so I don't bore you before you start to read.

Guest (Long): Firstly, I think I'm gonna make a nickname for you of LG (long guest) that way it's easier to label you lol. Also your reviews honestly make me so happy, please never hesitate to leave the longest review in the world! So happy that you enjoyed last chapter, and I'm hoping you'll like this one just as much. I can tell Katherine is annoying you, and I assure you that, that will be cleaned up, just maybe not in this chapter ;). Anyway enjoy!


We're happy, free, confused, and lonely at the same time

It's miserable and magical.

Oh, yeah

Tonight's the night when we forget about the deadlines

It's time


Caroline had barely set foot on Bonnie's front porch when loud barking came from inside. That was soon joined with squealing, and before the blonde could brace herself, the door was flung open and she was tackled into a hug. Their giggles accompanied them, as Bonnie pulled her friend inside her house and closed the door behind them.

Before Caroline could say a word, a small, white Pomeranian came rushing to the door. The small dog was barking like crazy, until it finally sniffed Caroline's hand and began to lick it madly.

"Whoa, Sophie never likes anyone," Bonnie exclaimed, watching as Caroline grinned at the dog.

"I love dogs," she admitted, stroking the small animal. "She yours?"

"Mine and my Grams, I just get to keep her around since Grams lives in a small apartment."

Caroline smiled at her friend. "So this is your house?" she asked, looking around and taking off her shoes.

Bonnie nodded, "Yep this is where the magic happens," she joked. "My parents are away with some friends for the weekend so they said I could have you all over for a massive girls night!"

The smile that came to Caroline's face felt like the biggest smile in the world. She didn't know how, but her friends had the power to make her feel normal and appreciated with only a few words.

"So do you have many activities planned?" Caroline questioned, following Bonnie to the living room, where two large mattresses covered with blankets sat.

"Well other than dancing, singing, baking, facials, and being stereotypical. Not really," she laughed.

"Stereotypical?" the blonde asked.

"Yea, pillow fights, truth or dare, we are going the whole nine yards!"

Caroline rolled her eyes at her friends craziness, as the doorbell rang and Bonnie ran to go and grab it. As Caroline looked around at the many pieces of art on the wall, she could hear Bonnie greeting Katherine into her house.

"Hello Caroline," the newcomer greeted, not being able to stop the sneer from appearing on her face.

The blonde just waved absentmindedly, while gazing at all of the different trinkets on the fireplace. There were rocks from far off rivers, bottles of sand from beaches, gum wrappers from foreign streets, and bottle caps from small town breweries. There were so many collections of small things that other people would overlook, so carefully labeled with dates and locations.

"My Gram gave us them," Bonnie said, making Caroline turn towards her.

"She went everywhere," the blonde sighed. "She must have seen so many things that no one else would have even considered seeing. Was she a journalist?"

Bonnie gave a small sigh. "Sort of. She wanted to write a book called '100 Places No One Ever Sees,' but I think she got to about 85 before stopping."

"Why?"

"Age," she stated simply.

Caroline gazed at Bonnie, a sadness in her heart at the thought of being so close to a dream, only to lose it because of something uncontrollable. All she knew was that she wanted to meet this woman, who had seemed to strike a fire of inspiration inside of her.

"Umm, you're out of ice cream," Katherine called from the kitchen, reminding Carline that she was there.

She vaguely heard Bonnie go towards the kitchen and search her freezer frantically. But all that she could see was the collections of amazing things that one woman had found all on her own. She hadn't needed anyone.

"Okay, change of plans," Bonnie announced. "Katherine and I are heading out to buy ice cream, but Elena is on her way, so-"

"I'll stay," Caroline assured her. "You go, I don't mind staying and waiting for her."

She was rewarded with a hug and a whispered "thank you," as the two other girls left Caroline on her own. With a small sigh, she began to wander around the first floor, taking in the small knick knacks that had obviously been supplied by Bonnie's Gram.

After doing an entire lap, some part of her lead Caroline to the basement, where she found a pool table, a storage room and a large object covered by a sheet. Out of curiosity, and slight nosiness, she strode over and pulled up a corner of the sheet. She gasped, as a large sleek black grand piano was hidden underneath it.

Carefully, she moved the cloth until the cover of the keys was revealed. Then with slow movements, as if undressing a child, she carefully pulled up the lid to see the black and white rectangles. With an odd look of longing in her eyes she rubbed her fingers overtop, before pressing down on a key.

A loud sound echoed around the basement. Long and clean and sure of itself, making Caroline's lips twist into a small smile.

On pure instinct and need she sat on the small bench, and laid both hands on the keys. Memories flew back through her mind of times when she sat in this very position. She could still remember when she first got a piano, at six years old.

Little blonde her had ran around the store, finally stopping at a small keyboard and randomly playing notes that happened to sound amazing. The shopkeeper had said that she had musical instinct and that he could learn something from her. Then he taught her a small piece on the piano, and it was the first time she had ever seen her mother cry.

She almost wished it was the last.

However, she also wished that she still had her piano, but she lost it a while ago. Back when she realized just how talentless she truly was. Nevertheless, as she sat on that bench and gazed at the perfect instrument, her fingers began to move.

She could picture her songbook in her head. She could see the words scratched across the page. She could hear what she had always imagined the accompaniment to sound like.

Slowly she closed her eyes and for the first time in a long time, let herself sink into the music inside of her. Her right hand pushed down into the keys, letting a long B slip into the air. She let herself soak it up before pressing it again, this time with an E accompanying it. Once again she allowed it to fade out on its own before pressing the keys again, this time with a G joining the mix.

The smile that graced her face seemed to light up the room, as she played the three notes again. B, E, and G reverberated throughout the basement for a final time, before she adjusted her hand.

Once again she pushed down, one note at a time, before she formed the second cord, which consisted of B, D, and G. However, when she played them in succession she realized that it sounded as if she was missing something.

As if a vital piece of the puzzle had been taken out.

She bounced her left leg, as she began to think hard, only to notice her left hand that was sitting on top of it. With a mischievous grin on her face, she pulled up her other hand, and as she played the first cord with her right, she pushed down on C.

However, that sounded off, and after a few more tests she finally decided to use the letter E with her first cord. The second cord came easier, and as her right hand pressed on the three notes, her left hand was holding a D.

This continued until she had a total of four combinations, that all came together to create a low harmony. With confident movements she played them over and over, until they were cemented into her brain.

It wasn't until around the tenth time that the thought of singing even came into her mind. After having so many doubts thrown into her head, she knew that singing wasn't truly where her talents laid, but she couldn't stop herself from thinking of Grams.

Of how strong she was.

Little did she know that upstairs, Elena had just come through the door, and after putting down her stuff, the brunette had followed the sound of the piano. The other girl was now standing outside the slightly open door, watching with an open mouth and a recording phone.

Meanwhile, Caroline was still playing the chords in succession, but right when she approached the first for the sixteenth time, she opened her mouth to sing.

"There was a time when I was alone, nowhere to go and no place to call home," she sang in a soft voice.

Within those two lines she had played all four chords so effortlessly, that she almost didn't want to stop playing. The pain in her voice was so evident, as her voice permeated the air. Even as she continued to play the piano she could picture the next two lines in her head.

So with less hesitation, she sung the next part when she played the first chord for the twentieth time. "My only friend was the man in the moon, and even sometimes he would go away too."

She could picture a small blonde girl, staring up at the sky and wondering where her silver friend had gone, as her parents continued to yell a floor below. Mr. Moon had been with her for so long, and for many years he was all she had as company.

Upstairs, Bonnie and Katherine had arrived, right as Caroline decided that she would try all of it together, before covering everything back up. The two newcomers were just walking down the stairs, when Caroline opened her mouth one last time.

"There was a time when I was alone, nowhere to go and no place to call home. My only friend was the man in the moon, and even sometimes he would go away too."

All hesitation from her voice was gone, as her movements were now so sure. She felt as if the music had wrapped her in a warm cocoon and every note was like a kiss on her cheek. Once again she was that six year old in a music store, and she loved feeling like that again.

Her shoulders were completely relaxed, as her fingers played the chords one last time before finally releasing them. With a long sigh she began to push the cover over the keys, before hearing a bang behind her.

She whipped around, only to see Katherine, Elena and Bonnie strewn out over the floor, the door now fully opened beside them.

"What? Where, what?" Caroline sputtered, as her friends quickly rose up and tried to fix themselves.

"Care we are so sorry for spying on you," Elena swore to her. "But your voice is absolutely incredible."

"And that song was fantastic," Bonnie added in.

The blonde just stared at her friends, somehow feeling both shame and pride run through her. She knew that her friends were just telling her that to make her feel better, especially since they were those kinds of people. Caroline knew how talentless she was, and although she was proud of her friends for being nice, she also felt completely embarrassed about the fact that they'd heard her sing.

"Oh umm, thanks I guess," Caroline stuttered. She knew that her friends would still fake it, so she had to at least pretend that she believed them. Believed that she had some talent. "So facials?"

Bonnie and Elena blinked at her, seemingly confused. "Wait, you just want us to ignore what just happened?" Bonnie questioned, bewildered.

Caroline just stared at them, trying to think of an excuse in her head as to why she wouldn't want to talk about it. However as she searched her head frantically, a saviour came to her rescue.

"Guys she obviously doesn't want to talk about it," Katherine sighed. "Let's respect her decision and go and treat ourselves upstairs. Besides the sooner we do that, the sooner we can play truth or dare!"

The two other brunettes shook their heads and rolled their eyes before turning around to walk up the stairs. Caroline wanted to ask Katherine why she did that, but before she could the other girl began strutting up the stairs. So with a shrug Caroline followed her friends up the stairs, praying that her little stunt would never be mentioned.


It was nearly three hours later, and there were still giggles echoing from the living room at 11 o'clock. The four girls were officially pampered with nails painted, faces moisturized and pyjamas on. Currently they were about to start their first round of truth or dare at Katherine's demand.

"So why do you like this game so much?" Caroline asked curiously, as she took a sip of her water.

Before Katherine could speak, Elena opened her mouth. "Because she loves hearing people's dirty secrets. Plus she lost her first kiss during this game."

Katherine just rolled her eyes, as Caroline felt a burn at the back of her throat. She could tell by the apologetic look on Elena's face that it had been Stefan. Even though she had seen them kiss a number of times it still hurt her, besides Katherine would always be Stefan's first.

And probably his last.

"So Elena, truth or dare," Katherine suddenly pronounced, making the other brunettes laugh.

"Umm, truth," Elena decided.

The girl seemed to think for a minute before her face burst with an idea. "How long were you with Damon before he got in your pants?"

Elena gasped and threw a pillow at her cousin, gaping at how forward she was. Meanwhile, Bonnie and Caroline shook with laughter at the exasperated look on their friends face.

"Not that it's any of your business, but about two months. Why?" she suddenly asked, narrowing her eyes.

Katherine just shrugged, "Wanted to know if you beat me and Stefan."

Once again the burn returned to Caroline, this time seemingly more intense. It seemed that Katherine was one of those girls that just had to mention their boyfriend all the time. The blonde found herself wondering if Katherine knew what effect her words had on her.

"Care?" Elena asked, drawing her out of her revere.

"Hmm?" she mumbled.

"Truth or dare?"

She blinked, eyes wide. "Oh umm, truth I guess?" she answered, seemingly unsure.

She didn't want to tell her friends that she had never even played this game before, she wasn't really the close friend type. Besides where she grew up, the games were a lot riskier than truth or dare. Caroline's stomach flipped at the thought.

"Who is the biggest emoji user you know?" Elena giggled.

The grin on Caroline's face spread against her will, as she rolled her eyes. "Stefan obviously," she giggled. "I mean seriously every second message with that guy is pretty much all emojis."

However, her chucking died down when she saw that no one else had joined in. Instead Elena and Bonnie were looking at her curiously, while Katherine just looked livid.

"What?" the blonde asked. "Don't you guys get emojis from Stefan too?"

Elena was already shaking her head before Caroline even finished her sentence. "No. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him use one emoji in my life."

"Pfft, really 'Lena?" Katherine said, exasperatedly. "Stefan's second language is basically emoji."

She seemed to force a laugh, as Caroline looked at her curiously. Katherine had no reason to lie about this, and if Stefan sent Caroline emojis then surely he sent them to his girlfriend. But she couldn't shake off the feeling that Katherine never got emojis from Stefan, as the air about her seemed to reek of dishonesty.

"Um, Bonnie truth or dare?" Caroline asked, wanting to move on.

"Dare," the brunette challenging making everyone whoop.

Caroline grinned evilly. "I dare you to let me text a message of my choice to the last person you texted."

The brunette gaped before lunging for her phone. Only the blonde was too quick for her and before she knew what was happening, Caroline was stood up with her phone in her hand.

"Passcode?" the blonde acquired.

"5497," Bonnie sighed, resigning herself to her fate.

The blonde giggled and went onto messenger, expecting to see the last number as Bonnie's mother. But to her surprise the top name was 'Him 3' making the blonde smirk at her friend.

"Who's 'Him' Bon?" she inquired, grinning at the scared look on her friends face. "Could it be one Lorenzo St. John?"

The rest of her friends squealed at the mention of the british boy that kept eyeing the small girl. They had no idea that their friend was getting so close to him, and they couldn't contain their excitement.

"Just don't send anything to ruin it for me. We are just getting to know each other," Bonnie whined, interrupting their celebrating.

The blonde glanced at her friend with sincerity in her eyes, as she thought of something to say that wouldn't completely embarrass her friend. She knew that Bonnie really liked this guy, and that he felt the same way back. The only problem was that neither of them could pick up the courage to say anything.

So with a small smile she texted something and quickly tossed it to her friend after she hit send. The friend in question immediately unlocked her phone and glared back at her.

"Hey, I'm trying to help you here," Caroline called, raising her hands up in mock surrender.

"What did you say?" Elena asked, excitedly.

Bonnie sighed before reading off of her phone. "Look we've been beating around this bush too long. I have no plans tomorrow, want to make a day of it?"

The other two gasped, as Bonnie continued to glare at the blonde. Meanwhile, Caroline had sat down and was giggling at the fact that Sophie had jumped into her arms as soon as her butt hit the ground.

"Tomorrow is Sunday, and I know you're not busy," Caroline answered, still smiling at the puppy. "I also know you like him almost as much as he likes you."

Bonnie opened her mouth to answer, but right when she was about to her phone chimed. All the girls looked at her, as she opened up the message and beamed at Caroline.

"He said that he can't wait!" she screamed, making all of her friends gleam with joy.

They spent the next few minutes making fun of her and joking about her date tomorrow, as Bonnie just rolled her eyes at their many innuendos. It wasn't until her face was thoroughly red that she decided to continue their forgotten game.

"Kat, truth or dare?" she asked, breaking through the sound of Elena's giggles.

"Hmm, truth," Katherine sighed.

Bonnie thought for a second, before looking at her friend. "Do you believe in soul mates?"

Caroline's hand, that was scratching Sophie behind the ear, halted as she waited for Katherine's response. She remembered when she was young and optimistic and still on a high from Disney movies. So high in fact that she believed in soul mates and one try love and everything that came with it. Before everything was kicked out of her she actually had it in her mind that everything would be okay as long as she could sing a song about it.

She hated how stupid her younger self was.

"Of course I do," Katherine answered, sounding sure and cocky. "I mean there has to be a reason that Stefan and I are always drawn back to each other."

Caroline could see the other two girls nodding their heads out of the corner of her eye, as Sophie licked her now motionless hand. She could practically feel Katherine's proud look as she thought of her perfect life. The blonde suddenly felt jealousy take over her at the thought of the brunettes optimism and chances.

Katherine had the body of a tween girl's dream, the boyfriend written about in books, and the money that suburban families envied.

But it didn't matter because Caroline didn't deserve it anyway. She was stupid for even being jealous because even if she did have all that, she would find a way to lose it. That was her, stupid Caroline that lost all good things before she realized she ever had them.

She was a waste of time and space.

"Oh, cookies are done," Bonnie exclaimed at the beep of the oven. Elena jumped up to help her get them out, leaving Katherine and Caroline alone in the room.

Only, they weren't really alone. Not when Caroline's demons hung so close by.

"Truth or dare," Katherine suddenly asked.

Caroline looked up, unsure of what to do without Elena and Bonnie in the room. "Shouldn't we wait for-"

But Katherine cut her off. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth I guess," Caroline muttered.

The brunette smirked evilly at that. "Okay then, what game are you playing here?" she asked suddenly. "With this whole damaged girl act that everyone but me has seemed to buy. Did you really think that you could waltz your way in here and steal my boyfriend and my friends?"

Katherine was stood up now, following Caroline as she scooted backwards until her back was flat against the wall. Shakily she rose to her feet, only to lose feeling in them when she saw that Katherine was right in front of her.

"Newsflash Barbie, you can't replace me. In fact you can't replace anyone. You worthless piece of shit."

In desperation, Caroline moved to go past Katherine, only to have her wrist grabbed. Flashes of times when bruises grew on that area played behind her eyes, as Katherine shoved her back into the wall. Tears escaped her eyes before she could stop them, and suddenly she didn't know where she was.

"You're hurting me," fifteen year old Caroline cried. "You said you would never hurt me."

"Oh sweetheart, don't you know that I don't want to," he growled, as if blaming her for his treatment. "You know that this is all your fault right? If you would have just listened."

He trailed off as he ran his one hand to her thigh, his other still grasping onto her wrist. Caroline cried out in pain, and fear as he began to lift up her dress.

"Not again, please," she begged, hating how she sounded. "I still hurt from last time."

"You never learn," he sneered, before crushing her against the wall.

Her scream was silenced by his lips, and her tears dried against his skin.

"Caroline!" cried a distant voice, but the blonde couldn't hear her.

She was curled on the ground in a large mass, she couldn't think or feel or move. Flashbacks of memories were forcing their way into her mind, as she tried in vain to push them back.

"Caroline," was called again, this time in a recognizable voice.

A soft hand touched Caroline's hair, and that was it. She bounced up, almost hitting Bonnie, as she began to grab her bag and throw her belongings into it, wildly. Vaguely she recognized her friends trying to speak to her, but she was already too far gone.

She needed to get out.

"Caroline please," Elena practically begged, making the blonde turn around.

Her heart broke at the look on Elena's face. It was stained with tears, as the brunette took in her friends panicked state. Then there was Bonnie, who looked as if she had seen a ghost. Although seeing Caroline like this, she practically had.

But then there was Katherine. Who behind Bonnie's shoulder looked as if she was a cheshire cat who had finally received her prey. It made Caroline shake in fear, as she recalled the look on a very similar face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, before running to the door, grabbing her shoes and fleeing into the night.


I don't know about you

But I'm feeling 22

Everything will be alright

If you keep me next to you

You don't know about me

But I'll bet you want to

Everything will be alright

If we just keep dancing like we're

22, ooh-ooh


Okay before I say anything else, I owe you all a giant apology. Let's just say that I had probably the worst few weeks of my life and even though it's no excuse, that's the reason for the lack of an update. I won't load you guys with the details, but basically stress and family and ugh.

Regardless, I do promise you guys that the next review will be out way sooner, as I can't exactly leave you all on that cliff hanger can I? Where do you think Caroline has gone? And what do you think Stefan and everyone will say when they find out what happened? Also what the hell is up with Caroline's past?

Well I can assure you that answers are indeed coming, and while this chapter wasn't very Steroline heavy, it was extremely important for Caroline's character. So will the next few by the way.

Obviously this chapter was after 22 by Taylor Swift, otherwise known as the official sleepover song. Also I changed the version of Lost Boy on the playlist to match what Caroline plays in this chapter. Which fun fact are the chords I use when playing it on the piano.

Love you all, and again I'm sorry!
~Lizzie

Blog: SterolineIsLightDOTtumblrDOTcom
Playlist: youtubeDOTcom/playlist?list=PL4rm2mcdb_jcdtdu7m6_yDVmgTmBFjRR8