Disclaimer: I don't own TVD, The Originals, Legacies, or their characters. I do own the characters I make up for the sake of the story. This is a fanfiction, not for profit.

Trigger Warnings For this Story!

Mentions of Rape, (No scenes will be fully written out)
Abuse, Violence, Cussing, Death.
Rating has been changed from T to M just in case.

-Daybreak-

This morning when Caroline woke up, she could feel today was going to be different. She remained productive and busy, but there was no sense of accomplishment. The world around her was fine, moving at the same speed it always did. She was the one moving in slow motion. The last thing on her list was to go to the library for an essay she was finishing up. All she had to do was push through one more task, and she could go home.

The thought of home reminded her that she had new furniture coming in tomorrow. She needed new furniture because she had rid herself of everything her mother had touched when she flipped off her humanity switch. It was the memory of her mother that had Caroline fighting back tears. She'd passed away almost a year ago. Most days were okay; some were harder than others.

It was passing by the Sherriffs station that sent her over the edge. The memory of her funeral and her fellow officers calling for her over the radio. The desperate hope that she would answer back. That she was somewhere on this earth waiting to be rescued. But she wasn't. Caroline drove past the library to the outskirts of town and pulled over on the side of the road. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her as if she could escape her grief.

Before she knew it, she was deep in the forest, finally able to breathe. Caroline cried. Images of the letter she would never get to read haunted her, another mistake she would have to live with. What had that letter said? Were they words of encouragement reminding her that she could get through this and that she was proud of her? Had she begged Caroline not to switch her humanity off? Something else she wanted done in her memory?

Caroline would never know.
There were no do-overs this time.

"I miss you." Caroline barely choked out. She clutched herself and sat on a log. 'She's gone, and I'm here alone.' She thought to herself, sobbing. She had friends, and it wasn't that they didn't understand her pain. They had all lost people. But they had their own lives. Mostly, she felt like they didn't want to deal with her at all unless they needed her.

It could very well be her own insecurity, but she couldn't shake how she felt. Like she was trapped on the other side of the glass looking in.

Besides, Bonnie had come back from the dead. She couldn't burden her with her pain.

Elena. Elena almost killed her mother, and regardless of the circumstances, she has never forgiven her. She tried so hard to. After her mother passed, the anger and resentment became final.

Stefan was great, but he was busy helping Damon find the cure, and their friendship had taken a hit before her mother's death.

Tyler and Matt were her exes. The way Tyler treated her still was a mix of hatred and possessiveness. Matt exists, sometimes he judges, rarely did they talk anymore. Why would they?

The first stage of grieving was denial, and it hit Caroline the hardest. Denial made it feel possible that she could drive home or to the station, and her mother would be there. No one knew her better than her mother. She knew when something was going on with her and the right advice to give. She knew it all. Now Caroline was here alone.

The sound of leaves and twigs breaking forced Caroline out of her thoughts. Katherine Pierce stood a few feet from her. "Hey Care, funny seeing you way out here." Caroline rolled her eyes. She knew it was Katherine, by a few clues she'd picked up on over the years. "Should you be here? You know Klaus is back?" It was Katherine's turn to roll her eyes as she mock shook in her boots. Caroline wiped her face and composed herself. Taking in a deep breath holding it for a few seconds before releasing it.

"He's back at the Salvatore mansion with your friends looking for cures and preparing treasons. He doesn't have time for little ol' me. Weird of you not to be with them, though." She probes, not willing to act like she didn't see Caroline was upset. "He'd make time." Caroline cautions, but the space between them falls silent as Katherine studies her. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what was happening. Katherine is a lot of things, frustrating most of the time, but also incredibly bright.

"Your mom?" Katherine guesses, and Caroline nods. While they are many miles away from everyone, Caroline drops her guard. Katherine was an enemy to her friends, but it had been years since she had been hers. She couldn't explain it, but it was easy talking with her. Not just Katherine, with Klaus and Rebekah too, surprisingly enough. Though it's rare when they could talk, their conversations were meaningful and meaty, ones of substance. Maybe in another era, things could be different, and it would be possible to get to know them more.

Right now, she didn't think she could do that to her friends. What kind of message would that send? 'I know they threatened or hurt you, but they seem wicked cool, and all that is in the past!' That would add a whole other layer of complicated to her life right now.

Though, if she was honest, she was more willing to talk to Katherine now. Katherine didn't judge; she operated in the grey area Caroline lived in. Or maybe it was because she had made her a vampire. Katherine became a vampire to save her life. When she turned Caroline, she saved hers too. Who she would have been, the girl she would have stayed was no one she wanted to be.

"I don't want to talk about it; I feel like I'm never going to stop crying."

"She was your mother. If there is anyone worthy of lawless tears, it's her." Katherine encouraged, but Caroline shook her head. "She would want me to move forward and move on. Not wallow in what can't be changed."

"She would want you to be happy. She would also know that you won't get there by holding in your pain until it rots you. Are you trying to become me or worse, the Mikaelsons?" Katherine jokes, and it makes Caroline laugh a little.

"They're not so bad." She defends them, but Katherine had a sneaking suspicion that she's protecting Klaus, whether Caroline realizes it or not. Katherine gives her a knowing smirk. "They or He? And before you lie, remember that I know you two bumped uglies in this very forest." She teased, and Caroline laughs.

"He isn't. He's just compli-" Caroline stops herself mid-sentence, remembering who she's talking to. What Klaus did to Katherine was horrible. She wasn't about to twist the knife by defending him to her. "For you he is. You two have an awful history. But I know a different Klaus." She corrects herself.

There's a look of gratitude in Katherine's eyes. Klaus slaughtered her entire family. He hunted her. Yes, it was eons ago, and he had changed, some.

"I've been fine; today just hit me all at once. I needed to clear my head get some air. What are you doing out here?" She asked, shifting the questioning away from herself. Katherine lets out a hard sigh.

"Believe it or not, I'm meeting an old friend. Klaus being here threw a wrench in my plan to meet like civilized people, and now I have to navigate the woods like some dog." Her tone drips with irritation. There was much to unpack, so Caroline went with the first question that came to mind.

"Who are you meeting around here?" Curiosity got the better of her. Could it be Stefan? Katherine never really got over him. Could it be Elijah Mikaelson? They have more than history. "I don't think you know her, but Nyx is an old friend." Her answer sounded casual, but Caroline could swear it was a test. She didn't know anyone by that first name, but should she?

"So you're not here to see Stefan?" Caroline poked. Katherine laughed. "Why? Has he asked about me? Did he finally come to his senses?" Caroline shook her head. "I don't think he feels like he can if he wanted to. Lots of history, hurt feelings, betrayal. None of us are saints." Katherine shook her head.

"You have the least amount of blood on your hands. The least to regret," She tells Caroline. Caroline lets out the breathe she was holding. "My regrets aren't really about what I did more so what I didn't do." She confesses but doesn't maintain eye contact.

"Oh, you're definitely talking about Klaus. Listen, I don't like him, hate him actually. But no one better than me knows how the heart wants what it wants. So, if you're just going to be left with regret, go get your man. Pretty obvious he's sitting around waiting. Maybe you could put in a good word for me." The two smile at each other but stop before either can speak. The air around the two women becomes loud, and the women share a gut feeling they're in danger.

Glances are exchanged in place of words. An arrow narrowly misses Caroline, and they duck for cover. "What was that? You're friend?" Katherine shakes her head no.

"Caroline Mikaelson! Give up now, or die a slow and planful death. Up to you, but you're coming back with us dead or alive." A hooded man shouts from a distance.

"Did he say Mikaelson?" Caroline whispers to Katherine, who looks to be just as confused. The man gets closer, then more noise, more people.

"Care, look at the arrow!" Katherine says, pointing to the arrow lodged in the tree. "White oak," Caroline says with shock.

"Come on, run!" Without thinking, Caroline grabs the arrow. The two bolt out of the woods and back to Caroline's car to find the tires are slashed. It's been ransacked and destroyed. They quickly take off towards the city. It's there that they stop and reaccess. "I don't think they followed us," Caroline says, trying to hear past the adrenaline pumping in her ears. "This felt like a threat, not an attack. Do you have any idea who they were?" Katherine asks, but Caroline denies it.

"Not a clue! I talk to Klaus; maybe he'll know. Come with me. I'll get in his way if he tries to get you." Caroline promises but Katherine declines. Both women ignore how fast Caroline thinks of Klaus. She could talk to any one of the family members. Rebekah would be the most logical, but she chooses him with confidence.

"Hard pass. Look, talk to Klaus. I'm going to go see what I can find out on my end." Caroline nods. "No chance that mysterious friend I've never heard of until today is involved, right? I have to ask the two events are too close to each other."

Katherine laughs. "Life lesson, there's never a zero chance of betrayal. But Nyx isn't like that. She has no reason to do this. I'm pretty sure those guys were hunters. That white oak arrow has hunter like markings." Something doesn't sit well with Caroline. It's not that she feels like Katherine was lying, just that she was holding back something.

"They said Caroline Mikaelson," Caroline said it out loud as if trying to work out the enigma. Katherine nods. "I heard it too. You two didn't secretly-" Caroline cuts her off.

"No! We secretly that one time in the woods, and that's it!" The two women walked, getting ready to run in separate directions. "Well, be careful. I would message Klaus. Wife or not, if you don't show up when you say you will, he'll come looking for you." Katherine said. Butterflies fluttered under Caroline's skin. He would. He would worry enough to come for me if I was talking too long. That was the Klaus I knew.

Caroline: [Code Red. Heading to Salvatore House. Hunter's showed up in the woods; they have white oak arrows. I have questions.]

Caroline sends the text. Katherine gives her a puzzled look. "Why didn't you tell him they called you a Mikaelson? See, Care, even the random enemy, knows about your connection." She teases.

"I want to see his reaction and shut up! There's nothing for them to know." Katherine rolled her eyes. "No one believes you, but fine, I'm getting out of here. I'll call you."

"Yeah, stay safe. Let me know what you find out." Katherine disappeared.

A message from Klaus ringed on her phone.

Klaus: [Where are you, I'll come get you.]

Caroline: [Center square by the park.]

Klaus: [On my way]

-End Chapter One-

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