A/N: I would like to start this chapter by profoundly apologising for the extremely long delay in update. I failed my exam and I had to study like crazy, for like 12 hours a day to be able to pass and when I was done studying I was simply too tired to write and the words simply weren't coming out right and I had to start over like 15 times. I know it's not really an excuse, but I am truly sorry. Now, for anyone still reading this story, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for not giving up on me. I also would like to promise you that I am definitely not going to give up on this story as long as you guys are still reading and enjoying it.

I hope you enjoy this chapter and, if you have the time, let me know what you thought of it.

I'm sorry and thank you once again!


Waiting.

That was all Caroline had been doing for the past 3 hours as the doctors ran test upon test on her mother.

Praying.

It hadn't ceased since the ability to think coherently had returned to her. She'd prayed like a madwoman when she'd never done it before. She'd prayed for a miracle.

Burying her head in her bandaged hands-a nurse had practically forced her to have them taken care of- the blonde allowed a fresh wave of tears to escape her eyes as she struggled not to completely fall apart. Her mother would need her to be strong. But being strong was so hard when it felt like someone had ripped your heart out and shredded it to tiny, little pieces right in front of you. It was especially hard when all she wanted to do was curl up in a corner and cry. Thankfully, she was alone, with no one to witness her stellar breakdown.

Alone.

It was both a blessing and a curse. However, the one person who could bring a semblance of comfort had walked away for good, making it perfectly clear that he had no intention of fighting for her. So, even if it was killing her, Caroline would not call him. Why would she call a murderer? Because that's what he was, right? He hadn't bothered to refute the fact even though it went against everything she'd previously seen of him. However, none of that even mattered. She'd gladly give up love only so her mother would live. If that was a bargain she could strike with whatever cruel master puppeteer was up there, she would do it without hesitation. No sacrifice was too big for Liz's wellbeing.

God, if her assumptions were real, if her mother's diagnosis reflected her thoughts, Caroline wasn't sure she would be able to keep going after that as well. It was too much. Too much and she honestly couldn't take it anymore. Where had she gone wrong in life? What mistakes was she paying for?

Time went by excruciatingly slow, a text from Elena announcing that they'd just heard about Liz's seizure and that they were on the way, being the only interruption from her destructive thoughts.

Finally, Harry, a former classmate of Caroline's from medical school, stepped through the doors, heading directly towards the blonde who'd immediately stood up. The doctor hadn't changed much since their University years: same raven hair that stopped right above his shoulders, same expressive emerald eyes, but most importantly, his feelings still shone on his face, the man unable to cloak anything he was experiencing.

He was one hell of a doctor and relief had flooded Caroline's bones as she'd come upon him. However, after seeing the grim expression, pursed lips and wrinkles on his usually flawless forehead, the woman felt her muscles tense.

She knew. She knew what he was going to say before he even began speaking in that raspy voice of his.

"Caroline, I…" he bit his lip, hesitating.

"Just say it, Harry," she felt a tear roll down her cheek. "I think I already know, but I need you to say it. That's the only way it will become real."

Heaving a sigh, the man did as asked, hating himself for having to be the one to break the news. Caroline had been a good friend of his throughout school and he would have given anything for fate not to have put him in this position.

"It's a brain tumor," he stopped at her sharp intake of air, giving her a few seconds to compose herself.

"Malignant?"

With one subtle nod from the tall man, Caroline's entire world came crashing down. Right then and there she resented being a surgeon; she resented knowing the small survival odds.

"How bad?" her voice broke and with it her heart as well.

Normally, Harry would have tried to deliver the news gently, use kind words, but with Caroline that was pointless seeing as she was a medic as well and could read through the lines. So he did it swiftly, in one go.

"Stage IV Glioblastoma."

Green eyes widened at the cruel diagnosis. It was the most aggressive type of brain cancer and the odds were below 5% even if it had been caught earlier. Which it hadn't, because she hadn't taken her mother to the hospital when she should have. She'd been too wrapped up in her own personal mess and had missed all of the signs. An overwhelming guilt threatened to take over her so she squandered it, forcing the strong Caroline back to the surface.

"I want to see the scans."

Knowing better than to oppose a determined Caroline Forbes, Harry complied, led her to his office, shutting the door behind them to ensure privacy and offered her all of the exams performed on Liz Forbes.

Silently, the woman looked through each and every one of them; the only emotion she allowed was a gasp at the MRI. The cancer had spread so much that Caroline wasn't even sure what the best way to proceed was. Fear was clouding her judgment and in that instant she was extremely grateful that Harry was the doctor in charge of her mother's case. He was an extraordinary neurosurgeon and if anybody could accomplish a miracle it was him.

"What…" she swallowed hard. "How do you suggest proceeding?"

"We could try chemotherapy and radiation and hope it will somewhat shrink the tumor, but…"

"But you don't think it will," she cut in when it became obvious that he was not going to finish his sentence.

A shake of the head confirmed her words. Closing her eyes, Caroline willed all negative thoughts out and dug deep to retrieve the acclaimed surgeon that was buried somewhere within.

"What about operating?"

"It's an option, Caroline, but it's very risky. The tumor has grown so much and I'm not sure I could get it out and even if I could," he sighed. "I can't promise there won't be any permanent damage due to its position."

Of course he'd only said things she already knew, but hearing them aloud killed her. Now she could understand the grief of her patients. She could understand the pain. Hell, she could even understand why they blamed the doctors. You had to find someone responsible or you would go crazy. Only on this occasion, the woman did not blame Harry. She couldn't. The sole person she held accountable was herself.

"But she'll die without the surgery."

"She could die either way," Harry's blatant honesty was the proverbial nail in her coffin. Nonetheless, it was appreciated because she needed it.

"Can I see her?" the woman's voice was small, barely above a whisper as she stared at the ground.

"Of course, just ask at the front desk and they'll tell you where to go."

"Thank you," she tried to force a smile, but it was redundant.

"You have nothing to thank me for, Caroline," his elegant features morphed into a warm smile, reminding Caroline why he'd been one of her best friends in med school and also why he'd had dozens of girls falling at his feet, although Caroline had never been able to see him in such light. His kindness shone through every pore of his being and she'd been really lucky to have him take her mother's case. "Discuss it over with your mom and come find me once you've made a decision."

A curt nod later she was out of his office and back into the lobby, knowing Liz's room number, but unable to make her way there. As she was still wavering, the entrance doors flung open revealing a running Elena, Bonnie and Damon right behind her.

The brunette wasted no time and flung herself at Caroline, enveloping her in a bone-crushing hug, her other best friend momentarily joining them. Both girls held Caroline with all they had, offering whatever comfort they could.

"How bad is it, Care?" Elena dared ask once the blonde had pulled back.

"Bad," she sucked in a deep gulp of air. "Very bad. I'm…" droplet upon droplet rolled down her cheeks. "I'm supposed to go in and tell her. How do I do that, Elena, Bon, how?"

Both women had to fight their own tears at seeing the usually composed and carefree Caroline crumble completely in front of them. They didn't even know how to answer that question because had they been in the same position, they would have been much, much worse.

"You just have to be strong. For her," Bonnie gently placed a hand atop Caroline's. "Know, we're here for you, whatever you need."

Whispering a choked 'thank you' the surgeon finally gathered enough courage to face her mother. Violently wiping her face, vainly trying to remove signs of her breakdown, she walked into the room.

The first thought that crossed her mind was just how small Liz looked in that hospital bed, with machines attached to her body, monitoring her stats. Obviously, she knew they were meant to help, but seeing them there only made the situation seem more and more dire.

"Hey," a weak voice greeted her and Caroline nearly lost it right then and there. Instead, she forced a smile and lowered down on the edge of the bed, mindful of all the wires, but still needing to feel her mother close.

"I already know this is bad. That handsome, young doctor has a horrible poker face," Liz went for humor, but neither really felt like laughing. "Tell me. No sugarcoating it."

"Brain cancer," Caroline forced out, feeling another part of her being shredded at her mother's widened eyes.

"Can…" Liz swallowed the lump in her throat. "Can they do anything?"

"Harry can try and surgically remove it, but it's a risky procedure with very slim success rates."

"What are the risks?"

This was the part where she could minimize it. Keep the horrid truth to herself to ensure her mother has a fighting chance, but she simply couldn't. She had to be honest and allow Liz to make her own choices. She would support them no matter what.

"The tumor," the word left a sour taste in her mouth. "It's grown so much that trying to separate it could lead to severe motor or cognitive disabilities. There is also the risk of permanent brain damage," she got out through gritted teeth, emotionlessly breaking the news just as she would to any other patient. It was the only way for her to cling to some self-control and not be reduced to a wailing mess.

"So if I don't do anything about it I die and if I do, there's a good chance I'll be as good as dead."

Averting her eyes, Caroline wordlessly confirmed her mother's assessment, not trusting her voice to speak.

"What would you do?"

With that, Liz had successfully placed the weight of the entire world on Caroline's shoulders. She simply couldn't answer it. The decision couldn't be hers because if something went wrong, she would never forgive herself.

"Don't ask me this, mom. I can't," she allowed the first tear to fall under Liz's gaze.

"Caroline, I need you to. You're a doctor, you know more about this. Sweetheart, please, I'll choose in the end, but I need your opinion," she reached to wipe away the tear.

Leaning into the soft touch, Caroline closed her eyes and tried to lose herself in it. Tried to create a world where her mother wasn't just diagnosed with a deadly cancer, a world where she did not have to weigh two just as dangerous options and make a choice that could kill her too. She would have given anything to be able to switch places with her mom. Anything.

"Caroline, it's okay, just tell me what you'd do," Liz gently coaxed her daughter.

"I…" she tried to put order in her jumbled thoughts, tried to do as her mother was pleading. "I can't. I'm sorry."

Feeling ashamed at her own weakness, the younger blonder wriggled out of the hold, careful not to hurt Liz and ran out of the room, ignoring the desperate screams she left behind.

Drowning. She felt like she was drowning and there was no way to pull back to the surface. Vision blurry, she lost herself in the corridors, heart threatening to burst out of her chest. Reaching a dead end, a secluded area, away from prying eyes, she collapsed on the floor, the pain too much to even keep standing.

Chest heaving, Caroline gave into every single emotion she'd tried to suppress so far, crying until her eyes hurt and her muscles were sore. Quite frankly, she didn't know how long she'd stayed there, couldn't even think of how much of a coward she'd been running off like that when her mother needed her most.

Just as a new breakdown was knocking on her door, the woman felt somebody watching her. Sure enough, when her gaze lifted from the floor, she came face to face with the person she'd least have expected to run into at a hospital.

A slender figure was towering over her, an elegant cream dress hugging the curves of her body, hair pulled back in an intricate braid. Sapphire eyes were looking down on her, but unlike last time they were not disdainful. No, pity was laced within them.

And Caroline hated it just as much.

"What…" she flinched at how croaky her voice came out. "What are you doing here?"

Was she here to mock her? Because any other explanation seemed out of reach to the blonde. Frankly, she couldn't even begin thinking straight and considering these things. They were meaningless in the big picture.

"I used to be very good friends with Stefan and he invited me to the wedding," Rebekah Mikaelson explained. "Although I think he did it mostly to annoy Nik," she chuckled. "But I couldn't miss a chance to see him when he avoids me like the plague any other day."

Nodding wryly, Caroline spoke, "I don't really want to talk about Klaus right now." And she couldn't. With her mother's illness, her problems with Klaus had become background noise. Besides, if those scars were ripped open as well, she was bound to bleed out entirely.

"I understand. And it's not what I came here to discuss anyway," the younger Mikaelson dropped down besides Caroline, resting her head against the cold wall, inhaling shakily before continuing. "I lost my mother a few years ago. Quite honestly, I think we lost her the moment Nik and Henrik walked out of our door. Even before that, I could see light leave her eyes every single day as dad used her as a punching bag. I was young, but I could still see it even though everybody else tried to shield me from it."

Caroline saw her blink repeatedly to push away the tears threatening to fall from her beautiful ocean eyes. But she was her brother's sister and with a few deep breaths she'd gotten the emotions under control.

"Yet, my messed up childhood is not what I came to tell you either. It's just… mom was gone so fast. I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye. None of us did. And I would have given anything, I would still give anything to see her one last time," she shook her head, clearly displeased with the words coming out of her mouth. "What I'm trying and failing to say is that you have that. You still have time and you're wasting it by crying and talking to me when we don't even like each other."

Choked laughs escaped both of their lips at Rebekah's poor attempt of a joke. However, her pep talk had Caroline wiping at her eyes, determination etched into her features. Klaus's sister was right. This was not the time to break down. This was a time to be strong, positive and have faith that things can work out. Also, hearing her story had driven her to realize just how lucky she was to still have her mother with her.

And she was wasting that precious time with meaningless crying.

"Thank you," Caroline stood up, wincing at the popping sound of her knees. At the last second, she turned back towards the Mikaelson, catching her trembling hand rub her face clear of any lingering tracks of tears. "I might actually start to like you. Just a bit," she winked before starting for Liz's room.

"I might too, Blondie," Rebekah shouted after her.

Just like that, Caroline was sure that on some level, a friendship had started to build. And even if life had taken away one Mikaelson, it had brought another in. The threads of her destiny must be somewhat entwined with that family and although Klaus might never come back and she didn't think she wanted him to, at least this way she could know if he was still alive or if he had succumbed to the myriad of demons plaguing him.

While she contemplated that complicated, dysfunctional family, Caroline had reached her own kin's hospital room. Another speck of hesitation was seeping into her heart, but remembering Rebekah's words was enough to dispel it.

"I would do the surgery," she declared as soon as she stepped in, afraid otherwise she would lose her nerve. "I know it's risky and it quite possibly won't end well, but there is still the chance of it working out. And however slim it is, having more time with you is worth all the risk in the world. I love you mom," she climbed in bed and grabbed hold of Liz's hand, squeezing with all of her might. "And whatever you want to do, I will support you every step of the way, but if it were me, I would do the surgery rather than wonder for the rest of my life what could have been."

Beaming at having her daughter back, Liz spoke," And that's exactly why I had also chosen the surgery," she hugged Caroline with all of her might. "I'm so happy you came back," she whispered in her ear, rubbing circles on Caroline back.

Right there and then, the younger Forbes wondered just who was comforting who, but then realized that it didn't even matter. All that mattered was that they were together, they were wrapped in each other's arms and they were taking advantage of the moment, because the future was a big question mark.

Yet, the present was tangible and none would trade it for anything in the world.

Unexpectedly, the door was opened, revealing none other than Harry. "Sorry for interrupting," he appeared visibly flustered at having walked in on such a private moment. "I was doing my rounds and wanted to check in on you."

"It's fine," Caroline flashed him her first real smile of the day. "Actually, it's more than fine because I was going to come find you anyway. We've chosen to do the surgery."

After nodding and assuring that he would start the prepping so it could be done as soon as possible to prevent the tumour from growing any further, tomorrow if he could, Harry bid them goodbye and left.

For the remainder of the day the surgeon refused to leave the room, determined to make the most out of every single second. So they spent their time watching old movies, indulging in the delicious food Elena had sent Damon to fetch, both avoiding the elephant in the room, making believe as if nothing was wrong.

Soon, visiting hours ended and Caroline had been expecting to say goodbye, but the kind head nurse reassured that an exception had been made in their case and that she could spend the night as long as she allowed the patient to rest because tomorrow would be a very trying day. That's right, Harry had cleared his schedule all so that he could operate as quickly as possible, just as he'd promised.

Once more, Caroline felt like the luckiest person in the entire world for having run into Harry. Moreover, she could swear that he had something to do with her being granted special privileges. All she hoped was that she would remember to thank her old friend for it the other day although she didn't really count on it seeing as that would be the day which would decide whether her mother lived or died.

When the clock neared midnight, Caroline reluctantly moved away from the bed where she'd laid curled up in the crook of her mother's shoulder like she'd used to do as a child longing for safety, protection and love. And she'd done it again this time, clinging to Liz like a lifeline, the warm, comforting caresses the only thing keeping her sane. So letting go hurt more than she could imagine, but it had to be done.

"The doctors are right, you should get some rest," she went to stand up when the sound of Liz's scolding voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Caroline, I've been patiently waiting for you to bring it up, but there is no way I am going to sleep until we talk."

"Talk?" the younger Forbes innocently asked, pretending like she didn't know what her mother was talking about.

"About why you were in that state back in the hotel room."

"Oh," Caroline could not help the hurt that seeped into her voice as she remembered everything that had happened. "That's not really important anymore mom and I'd rather not speak of it right now."

"We might not get another chance," Liz somberly reminded and she could have just as well punched Caroline in the gut. No, a hit she could take, but the prospect of losing her mother was too daunting. "Besides, I might be able to help you."

"I seriously doubt it, mom."

"Even if that were the case, Care, there used to be no secrets between us and I'd hate for them to start now."

They started a long time ago.

"It was Klaus," she mumbled instead.

"The Mikaelson boy? Your boyfriend?"

They had sounded like valid questions, but something told her there was more hidden behind them. Maybe it had been the narrowing of her eyes or the barely hidden scowl at the family name. Or her tired mind was conjuring up scenarios, but something told her that was not the case.

"I…" she hesitated because how do you tell a police officer who also happens to be your mother that you had been dating a psychopath killer? You didn't so she opted for a mellower version of the truth. "I found out some things about him I didn't like and we kind of broke up."

"You found out about his family," Liz concluded grimly.

"You knew?" incredulity seeped into her question as she stood up from the bed. "You knew and you didn't tell me?"

Guilt encompassed her mother's tired features and Caroline knew that the last thing she should be doing right now was start a fight, but she could not help it. If only she'd spoken up. It would have saved her so much heartbreak.

"You looked so in love and he looked at you as if his entire world spun around you. I didn't want to ruin your happiness after everything you'd been through."

A hysterical laugh escaped Caroline's lips. "My happiness? Mom, they're a family of murderers. After the way you raised me, how did you think I would take that? How did you think I would accept being in love with a murderer?"

Now her mother looked positively stricken. "At first I only recognized the name because his father had been on our most wanted list prior to his capture. I thought it could be a coincidence," words quickly spewed out of her mouth. "Then, after you left I looked him up and found no warrants issued on his name. In fact, he hadn't been tied to any members of his family in a long time and had even served in the military so I figured he couldn't be that bad of a person and chose to keep quiet. I'm truly sorry if my decision hurt you, Caroline. I'm so sorry I hurt you again."

And just like that, she couldn't stay mad at her mother. Plopping down on the bed, she grabbed hold of her hand, all fight leaving her body "You didn't hurt me, mom. My choices did. It's not like I didn't see any warning signs, but I chose to ignore them all. If there's anyone to blame for any of this it's me."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is," tears rolled down her face. "The first day I met Klaus, he almost killed a man in front of me. And it might have been to protect me, but that manic glint in his eyes should have been enough to make me stay away. For God's sake, he even told me countless times to stay away, but I didn't. Why didn't I just do that? Why did I keep on pushing him to be with me?"

"Because you love him, Caroline and love makes us blind."

"Still, how could I have been that blind? Kiss a monster and not realize it? I've never felt as safe as I felt in his arms. I mean, he's a cold hearted murderer, how twisted is that?"

"Is he? Are you sure?"

With those questions, Liz had turned her entire world upside down.

"What do you mean?"

"I meant exactly what I said. Are you 100% sure that he's just a cold hearted murderer, as you put it?"

"I asked him. I asked him if he's killed people and he didn't deny it. I gave him a chance to explain and he didn't. He just packed his things and walked away. Why would he have done so if it wasn't true?"

"I don't know," Liz helplessly shrugged, hating that she was unable to really comfort her daughter. "All I can tell you is that killing someone and being a cold hearted murderer who enjoys it are different things. In my line of work I've had to deadly shoot two people. Does that make me a sadistic person unworthy of love?"

"Of course not," Caroline didn't even blink before answering. "But the situations can't be compared. Klaus knows me. He knows I wouldn't judge him for that kind of thing so why didn't he just talk to me?"

He did try and you pushed him away.

"Only one person can answer that and it isn't me."

At that, Caroline buried her head in her mother's shoulder allowing a bit of her turmoil to show, welcoming the reassuring, soft circles Liz rubbed on her back, feeling like they were the one thing that keep her from tumbling into a never ending, pitch black abyss. Without her mother, that was the only outcome she could see and there was no coming back to the surface. Caroline knew it. There was no way she could face the mess her life had turned into without Liz by her side.

To her horror, between sobs she'd said just that and judging by how still her mother had grown, she'd understood every single choked up word.

"You can and you will do it, if it comes to it," Liz pulled them apart so she could stare directly into her daughter's clouded green eyes. When she got no acknowledgment, she repeated even louder. "You have to promise me that, Caroline."

Not trusting her voice, the surgeon nodded even if it felt like a part of her was dying along with it. How she would keep said promise was a mystery, but if it ever came to it, she would try. After all, failing her mother twice was unacceptable.

"I won't let you down again, mom," she murmured the second she felt steadier. "I swear I won't."

Some of the guilt Caroline had hidden was coming to the surface, to the police officer's bewilderment.

"Darling, you've never let me down. What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," the blonde faked a smile, hopefully camouflaging the remorse behind it. How could she tell her mother that had the cancer been caught earlier, like when she'd nearly fainted in the house, her odds would have improved? How could she even utter that if something went wrong it would only be her fault for being too wrapped up in her own problems to insist on a checkup?

She simply couldn't.

"It's really nothing," she assured again. "But it's late and you should get some sleep or the nurse will kick me out of here."

With that, she turned off the lights, a few pale rays of moonlight illuminating the room before taking a seat in the dingy, plastic chair beside the bed. Even if she tried to pretend like she hadn't noticed, a pair of blue eyes was transfixed on her as she struggled to find an acceptable position.

"Goodnight mom," she ceased her movement after concluding that there was no such thing as an acceptable position and that she would have to tough it out. Not like sleep would come anytime soon.

"You've never let me down, Caroline Forbes. I need you to know that," her daughter remained motionless. "I love you."

"I love you too," she tearfully declared, watching through half closed eyes as her mother slowly lost the fight against tiredness and succumbed to a peaceful sleep.

Caroline could do nothing of the sort. Her thoughts were too jumbled and erratic to even allow the possibility of resting to cross her mind. Tomorrow would be one of the toughest days of her life. Tomorrow her mother's fate would be decided and she was powerless to do anything to help her.

Helplessness.

A feeling that she was coming to know all too well, which she resented with all of her heart.

Why had she studied for years and years to become one of the best doctors only to not be able to do anything for the one person she cared most about?

More importantly, how could she have not noticed? That was what was literally killing her. If only she'd been more present, more grounded in the present rather than dwell on the past and its meaningless issues. True, she couldn't have prevented the cancer, but she could have discovered it earlier.

And Klaus. Everything her mother had said made perfect sense, but right now her mind simply couldn't deal with him as well.

So time rolled by, Caroline not catching a wink of sleep, tormented by self-destructive thoughts, loathing herself more and more with each passing minute. When Harry came in for a final checkup and woke Liz up, the young blonde managed to hold her façade up. Managed to be her bubbly self and infuse Liz with a confidence she lacked. Had it not been for the tenseness of Harry's shoulders, one would have guessed they were going in for a routine appendectomy.

It couldn't be further from the truth.

For every smile she faked, a piece of her heart was ripped open until Caroline was sure there was nothing left.

"Care, I…" Liz's eyes were bright with unshed tears as she fought for the right words. There weren't any.

"No," she stopped her mother. "Don't say another word. We'll have plenty of time once you wake up."

The police officer wanted to say more, felt like she should, but nothing came to her. So one hand squeeze later, she was wheeled into the ER, away from sight, leaving Caroline in the waiting area, shakily making her way to one of the seats, where Elena, Bonnie and Damon were waiting for her. Her friends had come back in the early morning hours, determined to be there for her.

However insensitive it sounded, Caroline didn't feel any better that they were there with her. Nothing could make her feel better. As the minutes trickled by, all she could do was reply her last conversation with her mother. Maybe she should have allowed a goodbye to take place. But she couldn't bring herself to. Oh God, what if she'd lost the one chance she had of telling her mother how much she loved her?

No news usually meant good news in the hospital, but she'd spoken to Harry before and had pleaded with him to send a nurse out when he could to inform her of how it was going and no one had come out in three hours.

That only meant complications had come up and that Harry needed all hands on deck to deal with them. With that, all of her remaining composure vanished and she allowed a few tears to seep when no one was looking. Unfortunately, when the dam broke there was no stopping it and soon she was crying hysterically in Elena's lap.

"Care!" Bonnie's stern voice managed to overpower her whimpers. "Look," she pointed towards the hospital entrance hesitantly.

For a second, Caroline thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. It couldn't have been. There was no way. But the tall figure was still there even after she wiped her eyes and pinched herself. Basked in subtle light, making his hair look even blonder, eyes a weary but sparkling grey.

He seemed older than when she'd last laid eyes on him, but somehow innocent, with light appearing to come straight out of his body, looking anything but like a psychopath. He resembled an angel coming to rescue her from the worst nightmare of her life, the sunlight creating a small halo, the rays turning into wings, but them she met his tormented, piercing orbs and was reminded that he was no angel.

No, he had enough demons to engulf them both.

Yet, her heart was still hell-bent on viewing him as a lifeline. As salvation.

Klaus Mikaelson.

A dark angel of sorts.

He'd come back and was apprehensively staring straight at her.

The final pieces of Caroline's heart shattered right there.