Angst

Every person is born with a tattoo on their body, a tattoo only they can see which spells out the first words their soulmate will say to them. From the moment Caroline first learned the purpose of her mark she was enamored. Someone who would be her perfect match? Who would love her best? Why wouldn't she want such a thing?

So, she begged her mommy and daddy to teach her to read. Demanded bedtime stories every night as she eagerly followed along. Listened to their voices as they trailed their fingers across the words. Later, Caroline would recognize their expressions as indulgent amusement, neither unaware of the motive behind her drive.

But they were happy to encourage her learning, and so Caroline read the words on her arm at a precocious four.

If he doesn't feed, he'll die anyway, love. Consider this an experiment. It's okay.

She did have to check the dictionary several times to understand the word ex-per-i-ment (experiment!). And then several more times in puzzled confusion to try to make sense of the meaning of the words.

Eventually, she had to admit defeat and ask her parents for help. Under their concerned eyes, they told her not to worry about it. An answer she didn't accept though an explanation wasn't forth coming for several years.

That was how she learned her soulmate was likely a vampire.

More years slipped by, and her feelings about vampires changed with the seasons. As a child, despite her parents' warnings and horror stories she didn't care. Why would she, when surely they would love her regardless?

When she grew older and realized a soulmate didn't necessarily equate to happiness, wariness set in. But even then, surely she should judge on an individual basis? After all, one didn't have to be a literal monster to be monstrous.

And then the Salvatores came to town. Stefan with his quick dismissals and his brother, the murderous rapist. Caroline managed to get the better of Damon, but only just, only thanks to her father's lessons. That was when honest concern about her soulmate entered her heart.

Of course, such concerns became distant once Katherine killed her. With the seemingly endless plots surrounding Elena. What did it matter if her soulmate was a vampire, when she now was one too? When Elena was on the chopping block to be sacrificed on a near literal altar?

Werewolves. The Lockwoods. Elijah. Klaus. The sacrifice. Elena's death and resurrection. Stefan's roadtrip from hell. It seemed her life had become one disaster after another and she had no time to dwell on her would-be soulmate.

It just figured that when she stopped looking he would show up. And that he would be her enemy. The scourge of the supernatural world even.

Poison burning in her veins, her body aching as it slowly rotted from the inside out, Caroline couldn't help but laugh at the bitter irony. So long she had stared at her words and wondered who her soulmate would be, and she hadn't even processed him saying them at first.

Tyler dying. Her classmates used as puppets. An ancient blonde bitch sparking her temper like no other had before her. Klaus' condescending placation was just another buzzing voice to her racing mind.

Later she would recall what he had said. Later she would silently soak her pillow with tears for the death of a long held dream. Later she would decide it didn't matter, she could find her own happiness.

And now the happiness she had chosen for herself has killed her. On the orders of her soulmate.

God, what a joke.

Even men such as Klaus were once boys with kernels of hope for a perfect love in their hearts. He had liked to imagine that his rather foreboding words could still be promising. Perhaps, she would be a shield-maiden that he defeats in battle? A strong, glorious woman he could prove his worth to.

Mikael and time beat such ideals out of him. And soon he would hear his words so often they lost all meaning to him.

After all, nearly everyone he met asked, Are you going to kill me?