Packing is never easy, especially when you know it is the end of an era, relationship wise. Memories come flooding through your mind; there are sad ones and happy ones but nevertheless, they are painful. Making the decision to move out the very next day after her encounter with Klaus could be the most difficult choice she has ever made, especially since she has nowhere to go. Her time wasn't up yet, but she couldn't stay in that toxic environment. Everything and anything would remind her of him, and he had an unlimited amount of times to go and see her whenever he pleased.
That was not ok.
He was the one that chose to break things off with her and by doing that, he had complete control over the situation. He had no problem in forgetting her when needed and then deciding to remember everything good that they had. He was playing a sick game that she did not want to be a part of.
She was just finishing placing newspaper around her dishes when she heard a knock on her door. She rolled her eyes, wishing that it would not be Klaus again. She didn't want to see him, nor did she want to hear what he has to say about her moving so abruptly. He did, though, want her out, so what would be the big deal in her doing so after him declaring that he never stopped loving her like he thought he did?
She opened the door and to her shock it was Stefan. She stood there dumbfounded, looking at the last person she believed she would see. It wasn't that they weren't friends, or that they hated each other, it was just the simple fact that Stefan had a crush on Caroline before she got together with Klaus, his best friend. That is why it was a shock that he was here, alone. He would only ever visit the apartment when Klaus was around, for those obvious reasons. Klaus, being who he is, never wanted them to be alone, in fear that she would realize that he was a better candidate than him.
"Stefan?" She greeted, very confused.
"Hi Caroline, can I come in?" He asked. Caroline stepped to the side to allow him to enter, she waited until he was fully inside to close the door, turning to look at him.
"Not to sound rude, or anything, but what are you doing here?" She asked, crossing her arms against her chest. Stefan walked around the living room, looking at the finished and unfinished packaging going on in there. He took a hold one of the stacked picture frames on the coffee table, noticing that they were pictures of Klaus and her, before placing it back down.
"I have to speak to you." He started as he looked at her. "So, yesterday, when Klaus got back home, he looked a hot mess. I only assumed that he had gone off to drink, like he has been doing but that wasn't it. He told us everything that happened between you too."
Klaus entered his brother's house, going straight to the kitchen and pouring himself a glass of Bourbon. He was replaying everything that had just happened. He thought leaving her would be the smartest choice he could ever make. Go back to being single, not have someone to be held accountable for; he'd do whatever he pleased and not have a single care in the world. At the beginning, that was how it was for him. He partied, kissed girls, hooked up once or twice; he wanted to experience something new.
After seeing her dance with Enzo, and carrying her back to the apartment, he decided he needed to try harder to forget her. His whole tryst started off because of him seeing Caroline dance with someone else. That scene drove him a little crazy, but he decided it wouldn't make him go completely insane. He left Caroline with Kol and then he went to a strip club. He only wanted to forget her, forget the strong hold she had on him, forget all the good that she brought to him. He wanted to start a new life, turn a new leaf, yet, late at night when his thoughts got the best of him, his mind would find his way back to her. Thinking of what she was doing, if she was ok, if he made the right decision; on multiple occasions his answer would be a no. He didn't make the right choice in leaving her and then he would feel guilty and remorse for everything that he has done. Lashing out at her made him believe that she would hate him for that instead of hating him for fucking around.
"Nik?" Kol brought him out of his thoughts as the whole group entered the kitchen. They had just gotten back from the bar; they took some drinks and ultimately decided that drinking at home was a lot more appealing to them that night.
"Where are you coming from?" He asked, taking a long sip of his drink.
"The bar and you?" Kol replied, slightly curious as to what he will reveal.
"Oh, I was just at the apartment, chatting with Caroline." He looked at his glass as if it were the most interesting object in the room.
They noticed that he looked defeated. "What did she do to make you look this miserable?" Damon questioned with his eyebrows knitted together. For the first time since this whole mess started, Damon was intrigued. The only times they ever saw him like that was when he did something wrong and Caroline was mad at him for it.
"Nothing that I don't deserve." He answered, taking another sip. "She went on a date," He licked his lips. "With the same bloke that she danced with at the club. I don't know what got into me, but I could not help but feel betrayed. I told her I wanted her back, but she denied me."
"Niklaus, you were the one that decided to break things off with her." Elijah reminded.
"I know what I did!" He exclaimed. "That does not mean it doesn't hurt to see her smiling towards another man's direction, not to mention seeing her kiss him." He looked pissed.
"Oof," Damon breathed out. "That must have hurt like a bitch to watch. Why did you see that though? And how?" Klaus looked away from them, feeling ashamed and embarrassed.
"I initially intended to go for the poker set, only, but then someone knocked at the door and I thought it was her friends, imagine my surprise to see that man standing at my doorstep. She left and I stayed to wait for her. Once I heard the door open, I decided to go out of the room and there is when I saw them kiss. I don't know how I managed to restrain myself, but I did." He huffed. "My blood was boiling and all I wanted was to yell out that she was mine and no one else's."
"Hey, man, that is how it will be. You just need to let her go and not see her anymore." Stefan commented.
"And you were there when she went out on her first date." Damon added. "Either you want her, or you don't, there is no in between. You can't keep changing her mind, that makes girls go crazy." He added while twirling his fingers around his head. Kol snickered at his comment.
"You know what other things make girls go crazy?" Kol asked. "When you don't leave them alone and when you leave them alone."
"Also, when you don't know what they want to eat." Stefan added.
"Yeah!" Kol enthusiastically agreed. "Like if we can read their minds-,"
"No, no, no, no, no," Damon rolled his eyes as he clicked his tongue before he scoffed. "Look at how you have put us now! We look like 15-year-olds at a slumber party. Grow some balls and be a man, you have got to live with what you did."
"Says the man that drank himself dry when Elena broke up with him." Kol chastised as Damon glared daggers at him. "Break ups can be difficult and let's leave it at that."
"Can you all just shut it!" Klaus exploded. "I understand I made a mistake and I am making peace with that, but that does not mean I have to live this way. I will get her back."
"I knew it." Kol commented as he shrugged. "What did I say? He made a mistake, his head wasn't screwed on properly, he will regret it, and here we are."
"Kol." Klaus threatened. Kol threw his hands up in defense.
"Let's just leave Klaus to his thoughts and call it a night." Elijah insisted.
"And what did he say?" Caroline asked, taking a seat on her couch. Stefan followed her movements, taking a seat as well.
"He told us about your date and how he felt seeing you with someone else. He explained how he wants you back and that he told you that, but you rejected him." He summarized. Caroline pressed her lips as she nodded.
"That is the overall summary of what happened last night, yes." She recognized. "And I rejected him because I feel like he is acting out of impulse. I know Klaus, I know him a lot more than he expects; he is driven by impulsive actions. He got jealous, naturally, he wanted me back. But I can't trust him anymore, not in the way I used to. He decided he was better off without me and I will respect that, and I am also looking out for myself." She took in a small breath. "If I would have said yes, the minute we were back together and under his security and power, he would have felt the same way he did when he broke things off. I can't be tied to him forever, I was ok with it when we were together, but once he told me he didn't love me anymore, that all changed. I don't want someone to want me just because of jealously and them not wanting to see me happy with someone else. Is that being cruel? Is it not fair for me to be selfish?"
"No, you are in your rights to feel this way and to decide what is best for you." Stefan replied. "I actually came here for you." Caroline now looked intrigued. "As I now notice, you are ahead of me."
"What?"
"Well, I came here to ask you to move out as soon as you can. Moving out is what would be best for you and him. Klaus is one of my best friends, it is making me uncomfortable to see him this way, it isn't normal." He explained.
"Yeah, way ahead of you." She replied, looking around her messy apartment. "I'm just not sure where to go. I have almost everything packed but I'm still figuring out where to head from here."
"If you are interested, and this was also something I was going to offer since I made this little trip, but my friend, Lexi, she is about to move abroad for a project at her work and she needs someone to sublet her loft. It is big enough for one, obviously, comfy enough for you, and it isn't that expensive." He stated. "Only if you are interested."
"Yes, tell her I am." She quickly replied. "I am ready to move as soon as possible."
"I will give her a call and get things ready for you." He added, taking his phone out.
"Thank you, Stef."
"No problem." And with that he stepped outside, phone glued to his ear as he greeted Lexi through the phone. Caroline got up from her couch and then she placed her hands in her back pockets. This was really happening. She was moving out.
"This is all too real." She whispered to herself as tears began to form. Packing was one thing but actually knowing that she will be leaving this place that she used to call home was too much to handle. She ran to her room and let herself cry. She didn't want Stefan to hear her nor see her that way. She gave herself a minute to let it out before she wiped away her tears, went into her bathroom and washed her face. "Come one, Caroline! Get it together." She encouraged before she got out of her room to notice that Stefan still hadn't come in.
She went to finish her dishes' box as he came back into the apartment.
"Thank you, Lex, I'll see you soon before your flight." He said before he hung up. He then looked at Caroline with a soft smile. "So, the loft is yours. We should go get those papers signed and you can start moving as soon as today."
"Wow," She breathed out. "I'm actually moving out." She stopped packing again, to regain her composure.
"Yes, you are, it will be a fresh start." Stefan stated. "It's sad but often at times, painful endings are disguised as new beginnings. You will definitely be ok." Caroline smiled at him as she made her way to him.
"Thank you." She hugged him. "You don't know how much you are helping me right now. I was on the right path, but you gave me that final push to jump."
"We are friends Caroline. We were once really close, and I felt like I owed you this; I wasn't here for you when things got rough and I apologize." He replied. "I only hope that because you aren't with Klaus anymore that you will stop talking to me."
She chuckled as she pulled away from him. "That's funny. Kol told me the same thing. Don't worry, if you guys want to keep contact, I won't object to it. You all were a big part of my life and still are, I wouldn't want that to change completely just because this happened."
"That's good to hear." He commented. "Now, let me call up the guys to help you with your things."
"Except for Klaus." Caroline reminded.
"Of course." Stefan chuckled.
