a distant diamond sky


(a/n: This song right here, I swear it's the Originals theme song. Please listen to it while reading. I honestly don't recommend Rihanna's version though, more the cover by Alex Goot, Julia Sheer, and Chad Sugg. It's just so beautiful and tearjerking.)

(a/n: We shift into Caroline's point of view for this chapter. Some Klaroline that I hope you beautiful people like.)

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'find light in the beautiful sea
i choose to be happy
you and i, you and i
we're like diamonds in the sky
at first sight i left the energy of sun rays
i saw the life inside your eyes
so shine bright tonight, you and i
we're beautiful like diamonds in the sky'
-'diamonds', rihanna

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32 hours later...

The stench of burning flesh is engrained into her nostrils. Every time she opens her mouth to take even the smallest of breathes, she can taste the smoke that had filled the air for at least twelve hours even after burning the body. She remembers Bonnie gently sending the fire down and obliterating it with an incantation under her breath but that smell. God, that smell would always be there.

They had taken Jeremy's ashes and spread them in a small wooded area just outside of town. She sensed that he would have liked this final resting place just fine.

Because that's what it was. A resting place.

He was finally at peace.

Kol was still quite weak. Silas had drained him almost completely dry. He would get his powers back soon enough but he needed to rest and take it easy. This whole not-being-a-vampire thing was coming back to bite him squarely in the ass and he didn't appreciate it too much. In the year she had known him, he was always up and going, always doing something. He was more like Rebekah in that sense, unlike his elder brothers who could be still and dangerous and just downright scary all rolled up into one.

But what scared her the most is that neither Kol nor Bonnie had spoken two words to each other in the past day and a half.

Jeremy had been Bonnie's link to beauty, to humanity. With him, she had been able to escape because-well, he was human. It didn't matter if he was a hunter or had a vampire for a sister or anything. He was still her human Jeremy, her perfect someone.

Kol was so flawed and that came with a thousand years with life. Jeremy had been barely eighteen while Kol was technically nearly over a thousand years old even though he wore a seventeen year old face. His heart would always be seventeen and that's what made him even more similar to his twin.

Caroline wasn't stupid. She could see it. She could see how Bonnie had become Kol's bit of perfect. His own link to humanity. Bonnie had never, ever asked any vampire to become human for her. Not even Damon fucking Salvatore. She just asked them to be better. She always made them remember that they had a choice, different ways to live their lives.

And Kol made that choice. He made the choice to be better and become a better person. Oh, yes, Caroline knew he could still brutally murder someone if they pissed him off. She had witnessed what he could do when they took on the demons that horrible night when they lost Tamara and he had nearly lost his life to Mikael once again.

In her mere nearly nineteen years of life, Caroline Forbes had never seen anything as powerful as the link that Kol and Bonnie shared.

She remembers how she prattled on to Stefan about his and Elena's 'epic' love and finds bile starting to rise in her throat.

God, how wrong was she.

It scared her how much she had learned about love and family in these last few months.

She still talked to her mother at least once a week. Bonnie never bothered to call her dad, occasionally dropping a postcard in the mail.

Matt had no one to call or send a postcard too.

It still saddened her, the life that she thought they were all going to have being gone forever. She still wonders what it would have been like if Bonnie had never saved Kol. If Silas had risen after being awoken by Elena, Damon, and Stefan instead of them. With Silas coming after them personally, at least they still had a chance.

Now they would always have a chance, no matter what happened.

What frightened Caroline the most is how much she had learned in these last months. About how true the bonds of family were. Yes, this family was a bunch of dysfunctional lunatics as Stefan had so lovingly put it but in the end, they would always have each other's backs.


Caroline had snuck out of the safe house early that morning and caught a cab into the city. They were still in the same house that Klaus had moved them into after Marcel's little visit. The penthouse had been covered in too much blood that no one had really wanted to explain to the cleaning staff. Luckily, no one was asking questions about the 'bonfire' because apparently, in this little suburban village that they were currently hiding out in, bonfires and cookouts happened all the time.

All she wanted was to get away. To breathe and to try to relax for a little while.

To maybe get some flowers for Jeremy.

Jeremy had always loved violets. He once told her that they were his mother's favorite flower and she planted them around the house every spring. After her death, Elena had let all the plants die and Jeremy couldn't really get himself to try and bring them back to life.

He had told her that he would love to name his first daughter 'Violet'.

Walking down 42nd Street, she finds herself glancing around at the passing people, at the shops, at the early morning sunrise. Smiling to herself, she cast out her arms and did a happy pirouette right on the crosswalk, not giving a damn about the people that were staring.

"It's a gonna be a good day," she finds herself saying to a woman that was watching her from a sidewalk café table.

The woman returns her smile and gives her a lazy shrug of the shoulder.

"Yes, dear," the woman says.

Caroline can't help but beam, doing another happy turn and freezing.

Maybe it's not going to be a such a good day.

Damon fucking Salvatore was walking on the opposite end of the street, heading right her way.

"Shit."

She vampire sped to a nearby alley, throwing her back up against the wall, not daring to glance around the corner for fear that Damon would be standing right there. Sliding a hand to her thigh, she thumbed her phone, gently pressing it upward until it came out of her pocket. She quickly unlocked the screen and typed a text, hitting send and praying like hell that Klaus wasn't still asleep.


The buzzing of his phone alerted him out of one of the first heavy sleeps he had had in decades. After the faux funeral the previous night, the family had retired to bed, more exhausted than ever. Kol was absolutely drained, so weak that even a light jab from Rebekah nearly sent him to the floor. His powers were slowly returning but it was going to be a bit of a stretch.

It had been the look on Caroline's face that had made Klaus want to break down for the first time in many years. The tears he had shed for her were of her loss. He honestly never cared about the Gilbert boy. He would have happily handed him over to Silas and taken off with his little brother in tow if he had had the choice. But the boy had done something that had earned his everlasting respect.

He saved Kol.

And for that, Niklaus would be eternally grateful.

It had been odd, being in the same house as his brother's killer for nearly two weeks. Most of the time, he was thinking about the ways that he would torture the teenager, make him feel everything that his brother felt. In the end, he was going to stake him right in the heart and let him choke on his own blood.

And in the real end, he found himself grieving for him.

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Klaus turned over in the bed, his fingers reaching out for the warm body that wasn't there.

"Caroline?" he whispers into the early morning dim, spying his cell phone buzzing away on the night stand. He snatches it up and opens the text message, his thick blond brows threatening to disappear into his curls.

The text message read this:

We got company.

He knew exactly what that meant.

Shit.


The first door he bangs on is Elijah's.

"Elijah! Elijah, get up!"

The door opens as his fist reaches up once again, Elijah's brown orbs blinking inquisitively at him. Of course he is already dressed in a dark suit, his hair still a little mussed like he was just beginning to get it sculpted into his hero hairdo.

Yeah, he stole that line from Damon Salvatore.

"What is the matter?" Elijah asks him, a brow raised.

"Wake up Kol and Rebekah and the others. We need to get into the city. They've caught up with us." With that, Klaus turns on his heel and speeds away, leaving behind a very confused brother.

"They-?" Elijah watches him go for a second, his mouth hanging open. "Oh god."


He finds her hiding in a flower shop on the end of 42nd St, staring at a pot of bright purple violets.

The moment that his hand closed over her mouth and his arm circled her waist, she emitted a tiny shriek that was muffled by his palm. His lips brushed her ear and she let out a sigh, recognizing his scent and his touch.

"Shh, you're okay. It's me."

Déjà vu.

Caroline wiggled out of his half embrace, relief flooding her bones at the sight of his drawn face and his cornflower eyes.

"Damn it, stop doing that!"

He just quirks a thick eyebrow at her before retaliating.

"What happened?" he asks softly. Caroline recognizes that note of danger in his voice and sends a mental note to Damon Salvatore to run like the fucking wind because he's about to lose his head.

She had made the mistake of telling Klaus what Damon had done to her and let's just say, the poor wall had suffered. It had gotten bad though, his rage. Klaus didn't calm until actually Kol gave him a whopping aneurism that made even Caroline wince. Then, Klaus vowed that if he ever saw Damon Salvatore again he would rip him limb from limb, no matter who was watching.

Caroline didn't doubt it for a minute.

"Why did you leave?" he asks her, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"I had too," she whispers, feeling his large hands coming to rest on her shoulders. "Nik, I had to get out of that house."

She can tell he isn't even angry with her, just worried. So damn worried.

Klaus gives her a solemn nod before his fingers close around her wrist.

"Come on, let's go."

"Let's go home," Caroline adds softly, her voice almost a whisper.

At the mention of that word, that amazing word, Klaus's dark blue eyes seem to lighten, practically twinkling with warmth and oh, so much love.

Because, god, home was wherever he was. Wherever her loved ones were.

She was home.

The streak of chestnut hair out of the corner of her eye makes her turn, her shoulder pressing into Klaus's chest.

And that voice. That voice.

"Caroline?!"

Her hand rests on Klaus's heart, feeling the growl vibrate underneath her fingertips.

"Hi, Elena."


"Where are they, Caroline?" the brunette demands. "Are they okay? Did Klaus kill-"

"Elena, for once in your life, please shut up."

Whoa. Okay, didn't see that coming.

They are still in the now abandoned flower shop, the owner and the three customers compelled to vacate the premises. Klaus had hit the outside light and flipped the sign on the door from OPEN to CLOSED.

The blonde and the brunette stood a few feet away from each other, practically marking each other up with their eyes. Behind her stands Damon and Stefan, both of them still as gorgeous as Caroline remembers them. Her undead heart aches at the sight of Stefan's perfect face and all she wants to do is reach out and snatch the pain out of his beautiful eyes.

Elena blinks her surprise, taking a step forward. "Excuse me?"

Caroline lifts both of her hands, shaking her head. One hand snaps out towards Klaus who is practically stalking something invisible as he stomps back and forth along the far wall. Lilies and roses hang from elegant bunches from the ceiling and his head nearly brushes against them, making his handsome blue eyes stand out so much more.

Her other hand reaches out towards Elena. Towards the friend that she wishes she still had.

"Bonnie and Matt are fine. They are safe," Caroline says softly. "They're with us."

"What do you mean, with you?" Damon asks from his place against the door. The sunlight shines in, sending lights into his black hair and bringing out the blue streaks.

"All of us have been-" Caroline hastily searches the air for an explanation that she can come up with. She remembers Jeremy's words, his hastened warning before Silas had shown up and looking into Elena's eyes, she knows that it's the truth.

"Because of your idiocy about the cure," Klaus steps forward, taking his place beside Caroline. "Silas has risen."

Stefan's eyebrows threaten to disappear into his hair, worry skating in his green eyes. Damon scoffs, rolling his icy grey ones.

"Oh, please."

"Damon," Stefan whispers, his oak leaf hues landing on his brother before glancing back at Caroline. She can see the fear there and lets out a tiny sigh, inwardly wondering where the hell everything went wrong.

"It's the truth, Elena," Caroline says, taking a cautious step towards her former friend. "He has risen. I've seen him. He-he nearly killed Matt."

"Is Matt okay?" Elena asks again.

Caroline nods, feeling relief beginning to swoop in her belly. There you are. There's the friend that I have known and loved.

"He's fine," she says again. "He's dealing but he's fine and he's happy."

"And Bonnie?"

"She's-" Caroline's voice cuts off for a second and she glances up at Klaus. His tiny nod spurs her on. "She's very happy."

"Is Jeremy with you?"

That question nearly knocks Caroline backwards. She gapes like a fish out of water and Klaus's hand finds it's home on the small of her back, steadying her slightly. She reaches down, gripping his fingers for a second, feeling that strong warmth underneath her palm.

"Um...he was."

All thoughts of a truce are erased from the air. Caroline sees Elena's hackles raise and prepares herself, pulling away from Klaus's touch.

"What did you do?" Elena directs at Klaus this time.

"He didn't do anything," Caroline cuts in, stepping in front of the hybrid.

"Oh, that's a load of bull!" Damon interrupts. He takes his own step forward, joining Elena's side and completely throwing off Stefan's hand when he tries to restrain him.

"Damon, don't be an idiot," Stefan snarls, trying once again to pull him back and being ignored.

"You should listen to your brother," Klaus says dangerously. Caroline can feel him preparing for a fight. God, that's the last thing that should be happening right now.

"What did you do to Jeremy?!" Elena demands, ignoring all of them. "Is he alive?!"

Caroline is becoming angrier and angrier by the minute. Kind of interesting how Jeremy has been 'missing' for well over a week and they just catch up with them now.

Yeah, Caroline's pissed. She's pissed that this whole thing had to happen and Jeremy had to die because of it. That Tamara had to die. She shudders to think who else might become a casualty of this war.

"Elena...Jeremy's dead."


Needless to say, Elena's reaction hadn't gone over well.

Klaus began to mock her for the kind of sibling that she was, earning a hard slap in the chest by Caroline to silence him. It doesn't work, only spurring him on. His anger, his rage at having to watch his little brother die at her and her brother's hands. Guilt flares up because he hasn't thought of Finn in what seems like years and he continues on, his hands ready to snap the girl's neck.

And the fight breaks out.

Klaus darts forward for the doppelganger, ready to get his revenge. He really doesn't give a damn that Caroline would hate him forever, he just wanted this to be over. He wanted this girl dead.

"Klaus, don't!" Caroline shrieks.

The elder Salvatore lunges at him, fangs bared. He easily shoves him out of the way, sending him flying at the opposing wall to where he lands with a loud crunch. Elena flies at Klaus, quickly past Caroline and shoving her to the floor. Klaus gives her a resounding slap across the face to which she returns, leaving three deep scratches across his cheek.

Caroline suddenly finds herself face to face with Stefan. They stand mere inches apart and she can see the hardness in those eyes that she still loves so much.

"Snap my neck."

Caroline wonders if vampires can die from their eyeballs bugging right out of their head.

"What?"

Stefan's voice is low. "Do it!" He starts at her, his own fangs coming out and Caroline reacts, her hands twisting his jaw to the side. She hears the resounding snap ring forth just as sees Damon fall too, his head turned grotesquely to the side.

She gently catches Stefan as he begins to fall, lowering him carefully to the floor. Luckily the still conscious Elena doesn't see it because she is still too busy acting like a cat and climbing the walls, Klaus chasing after her. He manages to snatch her back by the hair and Caroline has to shut her eyes when he breaks her neck, sending her crashing to the floor near Damon.

The two of them stand there over the three unconscious vampires, staring stupidly at each other for nearly a whole minute before the blonde explodes.

"What the fuck was that?!" she shrieks. "Do you have no scruples? Could you not see that this was being worked out peacefully?!"

"I don't give a flying fuck about working things about peacefully with them!" Klaus shouts back at her, the wolf within rearing his ugly head. "They killed two of my brothers, Caroline! Two!"

"And yet, it was Matt and Jeremy that did the actual dirty work!" Caroline snarls back. "I don't see you trying to rip Matt's heart out!" She instantly regrets saying that, finding her mind wondering if he actually is going to do just that once this whole thing is over.

Klaus huffs angrily at her. "Now is not the time, Caroline."

Caroline's hackles rise. "No! Now is just the time! Explain to me why you are letting Matt live but you want Elena dead so bad."

Klaus finally turns around to look at her and finds his tongue twisting in his throat. Even angry, he has never seen her more beautiful. All he would like to do is just kiss the scowl right off of her lovely face but knows that he'd wind up losing a couple of teeth if he tried to do that at this moment.

He steps closer until their bodies are inches apart. Even in high heeled boots, the blonde only comes up to about his nose in height and so he leans down to look her in the eyes.

"Let me ask you this," he whispers, his tone so low that Caroline has to strain to hear him. "If Elena Gilbert had never existed, if Damon or even Stefan Salvatore had never come to town and we did, do you think Matthew or Jeremy would have even thought about going after us?"

Caroline opens her mouth to rebuff and then closes it.

She hates it when he's right.


"Are they okay?"

Of course, those are the first words out of Bonnie's mouth when the others are told about what happened.

Caroline nods, knowing that she's speaking more about Stefan and Elena then Damon.

"Yeah, they'll be okay," she says softly.

"I wish I had been there," comes from behind Bonnie.

Caroline rolls her eyes at Kol. "I bet you would. And Elena would be without a head right now, am I right?"

Kol grimaces at her. "You would be absolutely right, my dear."

"I really don't care what they did," Caroline states in a firm tone. Kol is suddenly reminded of a kindergarten teacher breaking up a fight between two toddlers. "Elena and the others will remain alive."

Caroline blinks and Kol is gone, an irritated Bonnie stomping after him. She feels Klaus's hand on her arm and turns to look into his eyes.

"I apologize for my brother," he says. "Even human, he still acts like an insolent child."

Caroline sighs softly. "I kind of agree with him," she whispers, wincing as the words leave her mouth. At Klaus's alarmed expression, she takes a quick jump back. "I mean—after what happened to him and well, he'd still be dead if Bonnie hadn't put him in Shane's body, I mean-I would kind of want revenge too. But he already got it and in return, we have to run."

Klaus slides his fingers up her arm, his hand coming to rest on her cheek. His other hand joins it, tracing invisible patterns in her skin.

"I don't want to run anymore but I will. I know the second rising will happen soon and I just—I don't want to lose anyone else. I cannot believe I am saying this but all of you mean too much to me, even Rebekah and I just—" Her rambling is cut off by Klaus's mouth closing over hers in one of the most gentle kisses she has ever experienced.

It ends when they both need to come up for air. Caroline sucks in as much oxygen as she can as their foreheads rest together, her eyes meeting his.

"I love you, Caroline," he murmurs, bringing his lips to her temple.

Another sigh leaves her lips. "I love you too."


She really didn't mean to open the book up. Honestly, she didn't.

But it was right there, laying on the bed! Come on, he can't get mad at her for this! Can he?

Caroline couldn't resist when she saw Klaus's sketchbook laying on his pillow. She had a feeling he dropped it there when she called him this morning. But as she flopped down on the bed and nearly sat on it, she felt her curiosity peak.

So she opened it.

And she began to see a life that he would have had if he wasn't a vampire. If he could start over.

These drawings were like photographs. There was so much precision and attention to detail that Caroline couldn't even think.

The first one that she comes too is a drawing of Elijah. He stands at the fireplace, looking into the dancing flames with such a serious expression like the flames had personally wronged him. Caroline cracks a small smile at the sight, having seen that look on Elijah's face so many times before.

The next one is of a small boy that could only be Henrick. Her heart pangs and she emits a breath as her eyes trace the little boy's features. His eyes remind her of Elijah's in a way, always so serious and focused, while his smile is like Klaus's, so large and beaming that it almost hurts to look at him.

Caroline continues to thumb through the pages, not surprised to find many of her. But there are a few of Stefan as well, which does surprise her. She remembers Stefan telling her about their friendship and of his unwillingness to neutralize him once again. They were all the same in so many ways.

In this drawing of Stefan, he looks happy. Actually happy. She can see it's a Stefan before Elena and after Katherine. A Stefan that looked at the world with joyful eyes.

She has to flip the page before she starts crying.

The final drawing that she comes to in the thick book is one of two people.

Kol's smile is so full of light that it practically blinds her. Bonnie's eyes are at peace and it makes Caroline want to emit a breath of relief. They are walking down the front pathway of the mansion back in Mystic Falls, his arms around her shoulders from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder. Bonnie is leaning back into his embrace, both of them laughing at some joke that Caroline desires to hear.

It's true then. Even Niklaus Mikaelson believes in soulmates.

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The door is open for the Klaroline/Steroline sequel. Back to Kennett POV next chapter.

If you haven't listened to the 'Diamonds' cover while reading, please go back and listen to it.

Thoughts and views are appreciated guys. Much love and have a great and safe week and weekend.