*Author's Note: To answer the question left in the review from kacomu I just wish to point out that there won't be any rape in this story; not in the present storyline or in any flashbacks. Caroline will be in a dark place in her life, but is from the deaths of loved ones (one in particular) but that is all I can say about that matter. I will not be giving out who the person is or who that person was to Caroline until much later in the story. There will be several hints along the way for this person, but it is still only one part of the story; reflecting on the "why" Caroline becomes so "dark" in a way of speaking. There is also still a threat looming in their present time that Caroline will try to keep secret from everyone that isn't already involved, as well as other plans and agreements to be made. This is an all human setting, but Caroline is going to resemble as an emotionless person to many, but when everything is said and done it will show otherwise. Thanks again for the reviews, views, favs, and follows to my stories and I hope everyone enjoys.
Chapter 2
Caroline went about her day as she normally did, but she knew it would be different since Stefan had come to the city; even more different because he had brought a girl and her brother with him this time. She didn't want to think about what she would be walking into when she went home, so she pushed it out of her mind and focused on her work. She had been lucky to be able to use her lunch break to go to the clinic since they had an opening and they only needed to get her blood and do an exam; the whole appointment hadn't even taken up thirty minutes of her hour long lunch. When the end of the day came she wished she could go to one of her favorite clubs and get a drink, but she knew she had to go face Stefan first so she made sure everything was ready for the next day before she clocked out and left.
Driving home she realized she had only stocked the house with groceries for two people and stopped at the grocery store to get more; getting more frustrated when she didn't know the other two people's preferences or if they happened to have allergies. She pushed her frustration down and stopped at the Chinese restaurant to get some take-out so she wouldn't have to cook; once again remembering she had to buy for 4 people instead of 2. It irked her how Stefan had made this visit a semi-surprise with not telling her when he would arrive or that he would be bringing along friends when he knew she hated surprises, but she couldn't hate him. She knew he kept wishing everything would be like it was when they were younger and they hadn't seen how cruel the world could be, but she didn't see any chance of that happening for her so she wished he would just give up and live his life already.
Walking into her house she went straight to the dining room and set the take-out down before going back to the car to get the groceries. She didn't pay any attention to her surroundings until she got everything in and had begun putting the groceries away; nearly screaming when she saw a man in her kitchen she didn't know. Immediately she picked up a knife from the knife block and held it up in front of her, but the man just held his hands up and yelled for Stefan. Hearing her brother's name she recollected herself and lowered the knife slightly. She waited until she saw Stefan coming up behind the man with a girl before she put the knife away and opened the refrigerator to get her tequila out. Pouring herself a drink she looked at the other three people in the room before speaking.
"I'm assuming these are the guests Stefan?" Caroline asked and Stefan came up to give her a hug that she returned barely before beginning to drink from her glass.
"Yeah… this is Rebekah and her brother Klaus." Stefan answered as he waved his hands between the other two in the room.
"Sorry… I momentarily forgot about guests when I saw a guy I didn't know standing in my kitchen." Caroline said before going back to putting up the groceries. "If you wanted me to have a heart attack I'm sure there are easier ways." She spoke again as she glanced towards the man she learned was named Klaus.
"Sorry love… I didn't mean to startle you." Klaus offered and she nodded before finishing her task. When she was done she gestured for them to follow her as she walked towards the dining room and getting the plates to sit down and eat.
"So… what are we eating Carebear?" Stefan asked and she gave a sarcastic laugh in return before turning the bag around to show the store logo and taking her seat.
"I thought Chinese since I didn't really feel like cooking… and I didn't know what everyone would eat." She stated emotionlessly before setting out the plates and serving her own food. Once she was sure she had everything she wanted to set her plate down and walked back into the kitchen to get a soda. She felt them staring at her but she was too tired and frustrated to really care as she sat down at the table and began eating. She watched them go about getting their drinks and dipping out their plates before putting her attention of her plate.
She heard the brother and sister talking about the food but she ignored them as she continued eating; catching a glance from each of them out of her peripheral vision, but she didn't return the attention. When she was finished she spoke only to tell them to put their dishes in the dishwasher when they were done before she headed towards her bedroom. Once she was in her casual wear consisting of jeans and a long sleeved shirt she walked back downstairs with her planner in hand and grabbed a bottle of red wine to take with her to the living room. Walking into the room she saw Rebekah and Stefan stretched out on the couch together and Klaus partly stretched out of the loveseat so she put her planner in the recliner and set the bottle of wine on the table. She went back to the kitchen to grab a bottle of white wine and 4 glasses before rejoining the group and pouring herself a drink.
"Whatcha doing sis?" She heard Stefan ask and twisted her neck to let it pop before taking her seat and holding her planner up for him to see.
"I'm going to work a little and then I'm probably going out again." She stated and saw Stefan's face fall a little.
"Why don't you take a night off and stay here? I haven't seen you in a while… and there's a lot to talk about." Stefan asked and Caroline squinted her eyes at him as she tried to figure out what her brother was up to. Remembering the other two people in the room she got a little suspicious since he hadn't brought a girl to her house before; even though he had dated quite a few over the past few years. Adding to that he hadn't brought a girl's family around her before either and she wondered if Stefan was getting really serious with the blonde next to him.
"Like what?" Caroline asked and Stefan shrugged a little with a smile as he looked to Rebekah. Seeing the two of them looking at each other like many of her clients it all clicked in place in her head and she put the planner down on the end table before looking back to them. "Let me guess… you're engaged?" She asked and saw both of them smile as they tried to form words so she held up her hand to cut them off. "Congratulations Stefan… I'm sure you'll be happy." She stated and offered up a small smile with a nod before sipping at her wine.
"We want you to plan the wedding… and we want to have it in New York so you'll be there; I know you won't go back home." Stefan spoke and Caroline gave him another smile before nodding in agreement.
"Alright… and since you're my family I won't charge you for planning it. I'll tell my assistant in the morning to pencil you guys in… and I'll bring home some samples so you can begin picking a venue and the other services you'll need." Caroline rambled on as she saw her big brother smile before pecking his fiancé and running over to pull her out of the chair. Feeling her feet leave the ground and being spun she started smacking Stefan and yelling at him. "Put me down! Stefan I'm warning you… I'm tired and hung-over so I won't think twice about hurting you!" She warned and felt relief when he put her back on her feet, but it was short lived when her head started pounding again; she hated hang-overs.
"And you have to be a bridesmaid." Stefan added and she looked at him like a snake preparing to strike.
"I plan weddings… I don't participate in them." She stated absolutely serious and hoped he would drop it, but she saw him try to give her a puppy dog face.
"Please Care… you're my only sister and Bekah doesn't have any sisters." Stefan begged and Caroline growled in warning before smacking him repeatedly on the arm.
"Stefan Salvatore… you are without a doubt… the most annoying brother ever." She stated and flopped down in her seat with her finger held up in warning so he wouldn't pick her up again. He seemed to take the hint and moved to sit with Rebekah again while Caroline began rubbing her temples in contemplation. She didn't want to be in a wedding but she couldn't take any happiness away from Stefan since he had been the only one that hadn't left her alone the past few years; the only one she considered family left alive. "I am soooo gonna regret this." Caroline mumbled before downing the rest of her wine and refilling it.
"It'll be fun Care… and you'll get to see everyone again, plus meet the rest of Bekah's family…" Stefan started but Caroline looked up with a glare on her face directed towards her brother.
"What do you mean everyone?" She asked and saw the smile slip from his face as he ducked his head.
"Well… EVERYONE you used to talk to is coming for the wedding… and you should know they miss you." Stefan stated but didn't further elaborate after she put her glass down on the end table and walked out of the room. She ignored him yelling for her as she ran to her room and locked the door to begin changing again. While changing she called a cab to come pick her up and browsed through her contacts until she found one of her friends with benefits. Once she heard he was available she told him to meet her at her apartment before finishing getting ready and walking back out of her room. She saw Stefan leaned against the wall with his head turned towards the room she had boarded up years ago before turning to look at her. "Stay home Care… we'll talk about it."
"I don't want to talk Stef… I'm going to go deal with my frustrations a different way and you better not show up later. I'll be back home tomorrow." She replied as she made her way downstairs again with Stefan following behind her. She could see Rebekah and Klaus staring at her but she ignored them as she tried to push Stefan's voice from her mind and watch for the taxi.
"Care I know you don't want to see them… or talk to them… but it'll only be for the wedding and then you can go right back to ignoring them if you want." Stefan tried reasoning with her but she glared at him before turning back to the window. "Don't do this… please… I can't keep watching you do this to yourself…"
"Do what Stefan?" She asked as she turned to glare at her brother. "Ruin my life? Do what I want when I want? Or is it that you can't accept that THIS is my life now? Just give up already…" She threw at him as she pushed him away from her to see him looking at her brokenly.
"I can't lose you Care… you're my little sister." Stefan whispered and she closed her eyes as she leaned against the wall. When she looked back at him she saw him still standing there and she wished she could send him out of her life so he wouldn't watch her spiraling down, but she couldn't.
"Then don't tell me what to do Stef… you have to accept that this is my life to choose how I wish to live it." She finished just as she heard a car honk and turned to see the taxi outside waiting for her. She pushed away from the wall to give him a squeeze on his shoulder before walking out of the house and riding away.
Klaus POV…
Klaus had been watching the exchange as Stefan announced to Caroline his wedding, and saw she had forced herself to smile for her brother but it hadn't reached her eyes. He couldn't figure out what would have caused the woman to isolate herself all the way up in New York when her family was in Virginia. He knew she only ever saw Stefan when he came to visit, but she hadn't been in her hometown since she was 17. Watching her further he could see she wasn't lying about being tired and hung-over, even with her make-up trying to cover the dark circles under her groggy-looking eyes. What he hadn't expected was to see her take on a dangerous glint in her eyes with the mentioning of her townspeople coming to New York; she looked murderous.
Further surprising him and his scared-looking sister she stormed out of the room, only to walk past it a few minutes later dressed for what he would call a night of debauchery, with her brother behind her pleading for her to stay home. He had seen a few pictures of Caroline at Stefan's house, but they were of when she and Stefan were a lot younger; and none of them gave any indication that she was anything but a the blonde, bubbly sister he had thought she would be. Seeing her push Stefan away from her and tell him to stay out of her choices reminded him a little bit of Rebekah, but she had never been THAT violent towards him or any of their brothers. He looked over at his little sister and saw her watching the scene play out much like he was, but Klaus knew she wanted nothing more than to run to Stefan.
When Caroline left he saw Stefan bang his head back against the wall before coming back into the living room and taking his seat next to Rebekah. He saw his sister rubbing her hand over Stefan's back as Stefan put his head down in his hands. Rebekah continued her soothing motions until Stefan rose up and lifted his hands in somewhat defeat as his mouth opened to close again. Klaus could sympathize with him a little in that moment as he thought about what he would do if his sister had acted like that towards him. Then he wondered if that was how his siblings felt when he went out and carried on his many conquests; yet he didn't think he had acted like Caroline did when called out on his actions.
"I don't know how to stop her." Stefan whispered towards Rebekah and Klaus watched his sister drop her head a little before looking towards him. "I'm sorry you guys had to see that… she's not usually like that, and I know you must think she's a bitch, but she's not; she's just hard to get through to."
"I think you're just going to have to let her do her thing until she stops on her own." Rebekah stated before turning back to Stefan. Klaus knew Rebekah was thinking about him when giving her advice and he winced inwardly as he wondered again if Rebekah thought he would act like that if she or their brothers kept on him about going out so much. "I would help… but if you don't tell me what made her turn to this… then I don't know where to even start." Klaus heard Rebekah stress but Stefan shook his head before looking between them.
"That's the thing… I can't tell ANYONE what happened. She wouldn't talk to me again… and she'd probably just make things worse to prove a point." Stefan stated and Klaus could see the truth in his words from the look of fear in his eyes; he was afraid of losing his sister.
"So why doesn't she want to see anybody from Mystic Falls?" Klaus asked and Stefan gave a small huff before leaning back against the couch.
"Because that's where it all started… and she hasn't been back or talked to anyone in 8 years." Stefan explained before clasping his hands together over his waist. Klaus wondered what would drive a person from their home at 17, but the list wasn't very long and nothing in the house gave away the answer from what he could see. He was about to pry further but Stefan spoke up as he looked at the ceiling lost in thought. "Her mom married my dad when we were 15 but we were already best friends at school… I met her when I began dating her best friend at the time and we were 13 then. She even dated Damon for a little bit before her mom and my dad began dating." Stefan reminisced with a chuckle before running a hand over his face. "She never could stand Damon after they dated and never claimed him as a brother when our parents married; always saying how gross it was after they dated, even though they never even kissed."
"I guess I could see her point on that one." Rebekah jutted in and Stefan laughed with a nod as Klaus continued to watch them. He didn't want to offend Stefan, but he couldn't help but think how he wouldn't date again either after dating Damon if he was a woman.
"Oh well… time went on and all of us went through several relationships. When we hit junior year she met a guy out of town at one of her cheerleading competitions and he got her in a lot of trouble. Leaving her to deal with the problems he created, her mom thought it would be best to send her to live with her grandma up here."
"What problems?" Rebekah asked and Stefan shook his head again.
"I can't say what exactly… but when we were 18 her mom died; she had fainted and when taken to the hospital we found out she had an inoperable brain tumor and she died a couple days later. Caroline couldn't make it back to see her before she died. I think in all actuality, Liz's death is what started Caroline's behavior but it didn't make itself known until a couple years later." Stefan explained and Rebekah looked over at Klaus before looking back to Stefan. Klaus knew Rebekah still missed their mother, but there wasn't anything to be done about it; you can't bring back the dead.
"What made her progress to how she is now?" Rebekah asked further and Stefan shook his head yet again.
"A lot of things… but she got really close to someone before Liz died and that closeness helped her grieve. Caroline's grandma didn't take Liz's death as well and died a few months later leaving Caroline this house. Since Caroline had been here for a while she decided to stay and live the new life she had created; she was in college, she had friends, and she was really happy. I came to visit her a lot and stayed with her one whole summer before things got bad." Stefan continued the story and Rebekah gave little smiles in encouragement as Klaus tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Hearing Stefan explain that she lost her mother and her grandmother a few months apart, after being moved here by her mother in the first place kept him slightly confused. What would cause a mother to send her child away? What would be so wrong that a mother wouldn't support her child?
"What happened after that?" Klaus asked, finally speaking up and watching Stefan's eyes water.
"The person she got really close to that helped her grieve through her mom and grandmother dying, plus the fact she had been moved up here, died when she was 20. She took that death really hard… she still does. I think she blames herself… and how she interacts with others is a form of punishment for herself; she hasn't accepted everything."
"So you think she's spiraling in grief and just acting out like she's still a teenager?" Klaus asked and Stefan shook his head.
"Not quite… I know she's still grieving but she's not acting like a teenager. She had cut almost everyone out of her life from back home once she came to New York, but because I didn't think she had ruined her life she kept contact with me. And I know that technically and legally she isn't my sister anymore, but I still feel that she is and I don't want to give up on her. If Rebekah was going through what she went through you would understand and feel exactly like I do." Stefan argued and Klaus raised his hands so Stefan would calm back down. He knew Stefan was right and he would do anything to help and protect Rebekah, but the girl hadn't seemed to hate the life she had at the moment. Being one for a promiscuous life himself, he didn't see what was wrong with it or why Stefan was so worried; but then again, he didn't know Caroline and Stefan did.
"Why tell us? What do you think we can do about it mate?" Klaus asked and Stefan raised his hands in surrender.
"I didn't tell you guys to get your help… I just wanted to give you some insight so you don't judge her from day one. And I need you guys to understand that I can't just sit back and do nothing; I honestly believe she didn't cut me out of her life for a reason. I think deep down she wants to get through everything and be somewhat like herself again, but she's too stubborn to see that." Stefan answered and Klaus nodded, but something still didn't set right with him.
"So why doesn't she want to see anyone from Mystic Falls?" Klaus asked and Stefan shrugged his shoulders as he thought about how to answer.
"It's not that she hates them because she doesn't. The only ones that knew her situation when she left was me, Damon, our dad, and her mom; nobody else. And I think she kept herself distanced from everyone to keep from remembering or to keep them all from finding out. Damon hasn't even told Elena and I know that because he still feels guilty he didn't support her more when he had the chance, and he knows Elena would get mad at him because Caroline was her best friend back then." Stefan explained and Rebekah scrunched her nose a little with Elena being brought up. Klaus couldn't blame her since Elena was Stefan's ex, but he knew she shouldn't feel intimidated because now Elena was Stefan's sister-n-law.
"How can you be so sure she didn't tell her friends?" Klaus asked and Rebekah turned to look at Stefan for his explanation.
"Because she told me and if there's one thing I can STILL say about Caroline… she doesn't lie; she doesn't see a point to it when everyone could see through her lying when she tried to. She only told her friends that she was moving away to get started on college and she did do that, but she left out that she was getting sent there; just like she left out how much trouble she had gotten into." Stefan stated as he held up a finger. "Matter of fact it's how I can tell when she's hiding something; since she can't lie worth shit she leaves out little details and doesn't give a full explanation… or she rambles to get you distracted." He finished and Rebekah chuckled.
"That must be where you got your rambling from then." Rebekah theorized and Stefan nodded with a little smile. "So… I know you said you couldn't tell us who it was she got close to, but could you tell me what he or she was like?" Rebekah asked almost shyly and Klaus watched as Stefan seemed to have an inner monologue going on inside his head over that question.
"He was everything to her… and he was just so full of life; just like how she used to be. The only time they were apart was when she was at work or school, so needless to say, they did everything together." Stefan spoke as his eyes drifted off in memory and Klaus had to keep himself from rolling his eyes; it didn't make sense for the girl to become so cruel over a boyfriend dying.
"She couldn't find another boyfriend?" Klaus asked impatiently as he tried to keep from laughing at how absurd it all sounded.
"Brayden wasn't her boyfriend… he wasn't a lover of any kind; and that's as much as I can tell you." Stefan snapped at him and Klaus grew more confused than he had been. There weren't many times Klaus couldn't figure out everything about a person quickly, but Stefan's little sister Caroline was becoming one of the times he couldn't figure everything out; and it was unnerving. "But Brayden had a way of getting everyone to like him… it didn't matter who you were; everyone that knew him cared about him once they met him."
"Did you like him?" Rebekah asked and Klaus was glad his sister had asked so he didn't have to. He saw Stefan nod as he swiped a hand over his face in an effort to keep from crying.
"Undoubtedly he was my best friend in the world… but he died and everything went to hell. I was up here visiting them when it happened… he just fell over… and the paramedics revived him. He was in the hospital for 6 hours before he died and there was nothing they could do; he apparently had a genetic heart condition that hadn't been caught before." Stefan explained as he finally gave up the battle against the tears he had been keeping at bay.
"That's awful… Stefan I'm so sorry…" Rebekah began as she comforted her fiancé and Klaus looked away from the scene; he felt bad knowing how painful it was to watch someone you care about die. "You don't have to keep going." Rebekah said softly but Stefan shook his head.
"No… I want to. The only ones there have been to talk to have been Caroline and Damon and neither of them are really easy to talk to." Stefan explained in a rush before taking a calming breath. Klaus tried, but he couldn't honestly think of a time when he had seen Stefan so troubled before. "The doctors had to sedate her… and after they released her and after the funeral I stayed to take care of her… but it was like she died too. She did the grief counseling and after I was pretty sure I could trust her by herself I went back home. When I came back she was completely different and every time I confronted her about it she would just close up; said it was the only way she could cope, so I didn't stop her." Stefan finished with a shrug and Klaus remained silent as Rebekah continued running her hand over Stefan's back and shoulder.
"Maybe going out IS how she copes… or maybe it's what she's letting you think." Rebekah theorized out loud and Stefan shrugged his shoulders to indicate he didn't know.
"Whatever her reasons are though, it isn't anyone's choice but hers mate… you're sister isn't a little girl." Klaus stated as he watched Stefan's jaw tick but he didn't say anything; same as Rebekah remaining speechless while glaring at him. "I'm not trying to tell you what to do Stefan, but I am suggesting you take her advice and cut down on the interference. You've got a wedding coming up and the last thing you need is to have the wedding planner running out every night because you piss her off; sister or not."
"What would you do if it was Rebekah we were talking about?" Stefan countered and Klaus shrugged as he quirked his eyebrows.
"I would obviously try different tactics when failing initially, but I can already tell you that you're being too clear in your intentions and it will undoubtedly backfire. You need to learn the trick of being inconspicuous in your approach… just ask Bekah since she's had all of us keeping an eye on her through the years." Klaus finally replied as he remembered all the boys and eventually men he and his brothers had gotten rid of in their quest to protect their little sister. "At least act like you're backing off while you get more information and figure out how to get through to her. Do you even know where she goes or who she goes with when she leaves the house?"
"Sometimes… but it's not always the same places or people she goes to and I don't even want to imagine what she does when she goes." Stefan replied with a grimace and Klaus rolled his eyes, but he could still understand where he was coming from; it reminded him of himself every time his sister had went out with a new boy toy. "There are a few guys she actually keeps as friends that I know she's slept with, but unless she goes out with one of them I don't know who her company is."
"Well I propose we all hit the clubs with her… and instead of staying on her back about her lifestyle when we go you should let her be so you can get more details. She's never going to tell you everything, but she might give you more information than you have now." Klaus explained as he imagined the fun he could have at the bars while Stefan began his mission to get his little sister back on track. "But you have to remember something Stefan… your sister is a grown woman and she looks as if she can hold her own against you; you have to realize you could fail and then the bond you two share would likely fall apart. You can only push a person so far before they snap and push back… and if that happens you might as well not come back to see her." Klaus finished explaining as he remembered his own experiences as well as his sister's reactions every time he and his brothers had stepped in. Eventually everyone had backed off of him and he had calmed down as a result but he wasn't planning on stopping anytime soon; his life was for him to choose.
"I'll see what I can do… your plan is a good one, but I don't know how to follow her around and not react to what she does; I've never followed her to the bar or even went past the door of her apartment since I'm not allowed there unless it's an emergency."
"Well you aren't going to figure it out today… so I suggest you take a few days to prep yourself while we all settle into the city. You and Bekah have wedding plans to go over and I don't really want to get into that until I have to." Klaus replied with a smirk and stood from his spot with a stretch. "I'm going to go scope out the nightlife in the meantime… if I see your sister I'll let you know she's alright." He offered before heading to his room to get ready himself; he really didn't like getting involved in other people's problems or being drug in to fix them. He saw Stefan nod to him as he passed, but didn't offer anything else as he continued on his path. Now he could look forward to enjoying the city as he planned; which was coincidentally the same plan that Caroline had made.
