But then she looked up, her hearing far clearer than anyone else's and squinted into the darkness behind her.
"Mommy!" a voice called out and Caroline watched as Josie was running toward her and jumped into her arms, the long dark blue dress flowing behind her.
"Baby. Oh my sweet Josie." She rocked her back and forth in her arms on the ground. "Where's daddy and your sister?" she asked her, stroking her hair and kissing her face.
Elena was in awe of the little girl in Caroline's arms. Her best friend looked so different, so grown up holding her.
"She is being really stubborn and not getting out of the car seat so they are talking to her now. Daddy said you needed us so much today because you were so sad about Uncle Stefan."
She looked down at her daughter seeing her big eyes wide with regret and sadness.
"I'm sorry we were fighting mommy. I'm trying to be nice, I really am. But sometimes Lizzie makes me so mad. She is such a copycat." Josie whined.
Caroline laughed and buried her head in her daughters hair. "Oh I know its hard to be nice sweetie. But she only copies you because she looks up to you and wants to be like you. It must be tough being a sister."
The blonde vampire turned the little girl toward Elena still sitting beside her. "This is your Auntie Elena, Josie. She is like my sister and we fight too but we still love each other so much. Just like you love Lizzie." The little girl smiled shyly at Elena and hid her face against her mom's chest a little. Elena was after all a stranger to her.
"Hi, Josie." Elena knelt down in front of the little girl. "I'm Elena. I used to know your Uncle Stefan really well. I miss him too. Today mommy needs extra hugs and snuggles from you guys because she is so sad for Uncle Stefan. Do you think you and Lizzie could do that for her. Give her like super hugs?"
Josie bobbed her head, her big eyes shining in the moonlight. "You mean like magical ones? The kind of kisses mommy always has for us if we get hurt?"
Elena grinned looking up at Damon's huge smile at her. "Exactly like that! Mommy needs them so much today."
Caroline was sniffling and just watching Elena interact with her daughter, loving every second of it. Elena was going to be an amazing mom someday!
"That's right Jos. When people are hurting we need to do our best to help them know they are loved so they don't feel as sad." Caroline said to her.
Josie brightened up at that looking like she understood her mom. "Do you feel better mommy? From my hug?"
Caroline laughed and rocked her daughter again. "Yes much better. Your hugs are amazing."
Josie beamed at the compliment. She looked up seeing Damon standing standing beside Elena. "Mommy, it looks like Uncle Damon needs a hug too. He looks really sad, like you."
Damon forced a smile amidst the emotions he had been feeling and knelt down in front of the little girl. He opened his arms without a word and Josie wrapped her little arms around his neck. He cradled her against his shoulder and rocked her back and forth and smiled much broader than before, at Elena and Caroline beaming at him.
He loosened his grip on her and leaned back to look in her eyes. "Thank you munchkin. I really needed that. Your hugs are the best medicine." He heard Elena laugh at his words and felt her move to snuggle against him too.
Josie lifted her head and looked around at the others watching her. "Um Mommy?"
Caroline stood up and stepped closer, rubbing her daughters back as she spoke. "Yes baby?"
Josie's face scrunched up a little and she pointed at Jer and Matt and Bonnie. "Umm, I think I need to give out more hugs mommy. Everyone here looks so sad."
There was a flurry of laughter at the adorable little girls observation and Damon let her down from his arms but not before she grabbed his neck with her small hands and planted a kiss on his cheek. That brought another smile to his lips and Elena leaned in, grinning right back at him.
Caroline could not stop the smile from spreading across her face. "That is exactly what mommy meant sweetie. All you can do is your best, every day to make others happy, even your annoying sister."
"That's what the man said too." Josie nodded rapidly from Bonnie's arms.
"What man?" Caroline sat up straighter and heard more voices heading their way. She cast a quick glance at Damon and he grinned at her like he had a secret.
"The man that helped us understand that there are other kids like us and that don't understand the things they do too. And that she doesn't even have a sister and we should be lucky to have each other. He said we could meet her someday, his daughter."
Caroline whirled toward the sounds of the voices coming closer. Then through the light fog in the air she could see them. She blinked once and then twice and then saw Ric walking toward them and he was looking at the man beside him.
"Klaus?" Caroline breathed out hardly believing who she was seeing. The Original vampire walked up to her, carrying Lizzie with him. Her little arms were around his neck, her dark green dress, hanging off his arm and he smiled as he saw her staring at him.
"Hello Caroline."
Klaus let the little girl jump down from his embrace and run into her mother's arms. He was dressed in a gray knit sweater and dark jeans, with his trademark type black boots and dark trench coat on him. Caroline smiled and enveloped Lizzie in a huge hug, holding her head to her neck. She had no idea what to say. She looked back and forth between Ric and Klaus just standing in front of her.
The others had been quiet and just watching what was unfolding in front of them. Elena looked up at Damon and he shushed her before she was going to bombard him with questions. Elena wanted to go and give Ric a huge hug too especially after hearing everything that had happened to him but she did not feel like this was the right time.
Ric was the next to speak, looking at Caroline. "We, uh," he pointed at Klaus, "called a truce for tonight...for you. I admit when I saw him just standing there on the porch I ran for the nearest stake, but Damon texted and told me to try to be okay for your sake Caroline. And Klaus was actually a great help with the girls and knew just how to talk to them and help them understand that they were not alone in all the strange feelings they had discovering their powers."
Caroline's mouth was open in surprise and not sure at all what to say."You what? How did you? How can you be here Klaus?" she asked him, her mind racing all over the place as Lizzie jumped back out of her arms and seeing her sister giving hugs she did not want to be left out.
Klaus cleared his throat and ran a hand through his blond hair. "Damon called me and told me about what happened to Stefan and to you. My heart went out to you, hearing that you and Stefan were barely married a day before he died." He tilted his head to the side a bit. "I'm so sorry for your loss Caroline. I am here simply as a friend, if that's what you want."
She felt like she was still in shock. The last time she had talked to him he helped her sooth one of her babies when they would not stop crying in the diner they had stopped in on their way to Dallas. The babies were just barely born then and Stefan was running from Rayna Cruz. Klaus had promised her he would look out for Stefan and he did.
"I too lost a great love in my life. Her name was Cami and she was radiant, feisty and strong and yet full of compassion and love, just like you," he nodded at her sincerely. "I just wanted to be here for you and for my old friend as well to say good bye to him."
She opened her mouth but had no idea what to say. He had lost a love too? He was mourning too? Seeing him walking up to them, carrying her daughter had been incredible to see. He had always cared so much for her and wanted her to be happy. And that image of him with Lizzie was almost like a snapshot of what life could be like with him in it. She was reminded of Stefan telling her that he was okay with her moving on and he had told her that Klaus loved her and would protect her.
She could not think of anything like that for a long time, maybe ever. But he had lost someone dear to him to so she appreciated his condolences. "Thank you," she whispered to him very unsure how she should feel seeing him again. She didn't know how to feel around him after so much had happened since they saw each other last.
"Your mother's namesake took quite a liking to me." Klaus commented, a half smile on his face, while watching the girls run around. Lizzie had jumped in Damon's arms and him and Elena were tickling her and giggling. "And after I showed her a picture of my Hope she would not stop asking questions about her and wanted to meet her. Our daughters have something in common."
"I'm so happy you could help them. They have gotten really difficult lately not understanding how to handle that they are different." She smiled cautiously at him in thanks and saw Ric clear his throat, turning to the others that were present.
He saw Elena and she looked up at him in the same moment. There were no words but Ric went to her and brought her into his arms in a huge hug. She was like a daughter to him and he could hardly believe she was here and alive in his lifetime. He held her tight and just closed his eyes. Neither of them said anything and they didn't need to. They both knew of the losses they had faced and were just grateful to be able to comfort each other.
Jeremy was next with huge wide arms going around his sister and Ric and the little makeshift family just held each other. Ric had been there for them in a time when they had lost everyone. Every parental figure they had in their lives. He didn't even feel like he could be that for them and so they had agreed to simply take care of each other.
When Ric opened his eyes he saw Damon just standing back from them quietly and he caught his eye. Damon looked down right away and he knew he didn't even know if his long time friend even knew how to start mending things between them. There had been so much that had torn their friendship apart. So many lies and secrets, pain and death. But he knew that life was short and he did not want to spend it angry and hateful. So the young father stepped back from Elena and Jeremy and without giving it another thought turned to the emotional raven haired new human.
Tentatively Ric walked up to Damon and enveloped him in a hug. Damon was shocked and hugged him back curious as to why he was acting more like his friend after so long. He had missed him and thought he would never have a chance to mend things with one of his best friends. Neither of them said a word but hugged each other and then stepped back. Ric smiled at him and he slowly smiled back. It was clear there was more to talk about but this seemed like a thaw in honor of Stefan.
"I want to share that Stefan was a friend to me." Ric started."He cared about me, he did what he could to protect me from getting myself killed when I first came to town hell bent on revenge. He was one of the good ones and I will miss him. I respected him for protecting Caroline when he was being pursued. I saw how much he loved her and how much he loves the girls. He wanted so much to be a part of their lives. And I know they will miss him so much too. He always tried to be a good person, a person you could count on to be in your corner and I want to honor him by keeping him alive in our hearts and continue to tell the girls who he was and how special they were to them and their mom. He died a hero's death and I will never forget him. He sacrificed his soul becoming the devils slave to protect my babies and gave up his future with Caroline for our kids then and now too by destroying Katherine. That was who Stefan was to me" Ric said confidently.
He smiled holding up his lantern. "So here is to Stefan, may his struggle between good and evil finally be over. To my dearest love Jo. I see you everyday in our children and I wish so much that you could see them now. And to sweet Jenna. I still think of you and miss you. May you all have found peace and happiness."
Klaus winced slightly knowing he was the one that took Jenna away from them all and he wished it could be different. But they were all leaving all that aside to remember Stefan so he would do that too. He stepped forward and he too wanted to be a part of this memorial for his old friend. "I am here for Stefan," he said matter of factly."And Caroline. I know many of you and I have a checkered past but I just want to thank you for the offer of peace so that we could for one night, focus on Stefan and what he meant to us."
Lizzie was more curious about this stranger man and stepped closer as she saw him standing in the circle and reached her arms back out to his. Klaus just smiled at the little girl shrugging his shoulders not sure why the little girl was acting so attached to him as he picked her up again.
There was a few nods from the people around him and he smiled in thanks of their understanding. "I knew Stefan way back and I considered him a friend. He was like a brother to me and a friend back then. I hope he truly has found peace and can look back and be happy with his life. Stefan challenged me and I saw that love can do amazing things to a person. He showed me devotion and caring and he was an honorable man just like my brother Elijah."
He looked to Caroline, his eyes solemn. "He always wanted nothing more than to be with you and your children Caroline and he loved you enough to keep you safe when being with you could put you at risk. He put his personal feelings aside and protected you by leaving when he was a target. I'm sure he would have made a great husband and father figure and will be missed very much."
Caroline stood there watching him stare off into the dark sky and her daughter was just watching him as he held her up. But the next moment Lizzie jumped down and Damon quietly picked her up as she reached for him and she stood there smiling watching Elena and Damon smiling at her.
Josie chose then to snuggle herself in her mother's arms as Caroline struggled to find the strength to share.
Klaus watched her cradle the little girl. He understood her and he cared about her. He wanted to be there for her in whatever way he could. He could see she was wrestling with what to say and finding the strength to be open and face the pain of her loss.
Finally Caroline stepped forward and took in a deep breath.
"I will try," Caroline mumbled, feeling her daughter's presence give her strength. "I have so many memories of Stefan. But then I think I have had not nearly enough. I remember seeing him for the first time and finding out everything I could about him that first day the new hot guy showed up at school. He shot me down quick saying we would never happen. I want to share with you what he said about that the night he died."
Everyone was quiet as she spoke, Josie just laid her head on her mother's shoulder and Caroline rocked her back and forth. "I don't know how it happened but Stefan visited me the night he died. He was able to touch me and kiss me and we were able to say goodbye. He told me that he didn't want to leave me. We talked and shared till late at night and I fell asleep in his arms. He was already dead then and he was able to come to me to say goodbye."
She glanced at Ric and he nodded that Josie was asleep in her arms. She cradled her closer, her head against hers and tried to stay strong.
"Stefan knew what he was giving up and he didn't want to go either," she whispered, looking at the ground. "We danced to the first song he said was playing when he saw me as more than just a friend at my prom. When I woke up I thought it was all a dream. But there were candles all over the room, and I could smell him on the bed and he left me a note saying it was real. And that what he should have said was 'You and me were the best thing that happened', not that we were never gonna happen." She felt more sobs and her shoulder's shaking and she motioned to Ric to take Josie so she didn't wake her up.
She held her hand to her face, and closed her eyes just wanting to get through this and put this day behind her. "The day I married him was the best day of my life. I have this hole, this ache, this emptiness in my heart where he used to be and I miss him so much!"
She squeezed her hands closed, struggling to keep her composure. "I know he is in a better place. He saved us all, saved Elena and this town and we can continue to make memories here because of my husband and Bonnie destroying hell."
She started shaking more as she looked around. "But I want him back. I don't know how to go on without him." She felt herself grow weak and the her eyes flickered and didn't focus. She felt faint and then found a pair of hands steadying her, his hands on her arms. "She looked back at him and gave him a half smile. Klaus was there to catch her. He smiled sadly to her, trying to help sooth the pain he knew all too well.
Caroline drew in a deep breath, stepped back from his touch, feeling like she was betraying Stefan just being near the man and spoke again. "Stefan was my rock when Damon and Enzo went missing. I kept Bonnie from giving up and he kept me from giving up on our friends, our family. He was my safe place all the way back when I turned into a vampire and was so lost and scared. Stefan was there every step of the way and I would not be alive if it wasn't for him. He even tried to be there when I was floundering in grief when my mother was sick and spend an entire afternoon in the woods helping me look for a missing teddy bear I had hidden. He was the man I took far too long to see that I loved him and needed him."
She sniffled and wiped her nose and leaned back on the tree behind her It looked like Klaus was wanting to comfort her but she did not know how or what she wanted at all. Her mind was such a mess right now and even the act of comfort as friendship from the man she had lusted for felt wrong and uncomfortable.
"I just wish we could have had more time." Her body shook as she forced the words past her lips. "I am a Salvatore now and I want to honor Stefan's sacrifice too. I know he would want me to live. To be a mother and a friend and a sister. He would want me to laugh and cry and be normal and I want to do my best to do that for him for the girls and their future."
She felt Ric moving closer to stand beside her, the sleeping girl peaceful on his shoulder and she smiled at them and ran her hand through her daughter's hair. She smiled across the circle at Damon too so thankful he took on so much of the planning for this service for her husband. She just had not felt ready to face any of it.
"Thank you everyone for coming and I have loved hearing all the memories and all the good my husband had done. I want to remember Stefan like that. I will love him forever and never forget how much he touched my life. And to my mom, who was taken from me far too soon and it hurts so much that she is not here with me watching me be a mother. I love you mom so much. She would have loved being a grandma. And also to my dad and Tyler. May they all find peace as we try to find our way around life without them all." She opened her lantern and Damon stepped forward and lit hers and then his as well and the passed the lighter around the circle till they were all lit.
Jeremy was standing beside Bonnie and helped light her lantern, and Matt smiled at Caroline and Ric lit his and then the darkness of the night was pierced by the brightness of all the lanterns glowing and symbolizing hope and joy and maybe even new beginnings.
Lizzie had fallen asleep on Damon's shoulder and Ric was cradling Josie as they all released their lanterns to the sky and the wind took them away higher and higher as they watched in awe. Elena was leaning into Damon, her hand around his arm as they looked at each other in the dim candlelight. Elena ran her hand down little Lizzie's' hair, tucking it behind her ear and smiled up at her love.
Ric smiled at Caroline knowing her pain so well too from losing first Jenna and then Jo and she nodded to him, leaning her head against his arms as they watched the lanterns get higher and higher in the sky till they were nothing but tiny specks on the horizon.
Jeremy and Matt stood on either side of Bonnie, their arms around her, all of them knowing the pain and the loss of someone they loved deeply.
Klaus looked around the circle at the all people there. He had hurt some of them so deeply in the past and he was thankful for the truce, so to speak that they offered to allow him to be a part of things to say goodbye to his old friend.
He glanced tentatively at Caroline and caught her eye. He smiled softly seeing she was very much rejected any physical comfort but he wanted somehow to show her how much he was hurting for her too. Losing Cami had been one the most painful moments of his life and he had some idea of the pain Caroline must be going through now and he hoped she could talk to someone about it instead of bottling it up and having the loss destroy her from the inside. He was so glad she had her daughters to be there for her and her friends and hopefully someday she would allow him to be a friend to her again too.
Elena had not even seen Caroline holding it but she was clutching the little snow globe Stefan had bought her so long ago in her hand. She stepped forward and placed in gently on the hollow log beside the crypt. Matt followed and put down his vervain bracelet beside the little snow globe. Jeremy stepped forward and unsnapped his bracelet as well that Stefan had made him so long ago.
The brunette looked up at Damon and fingered the necklace Stefan had given her and thought that was the perfect sentiment too. She unclasped it and dropped it down softly. Damon stepped forward, still cradling little Lizzie in his arms and he slipped off his daylight ring and deposited it too on the memorial while looking up in the sky. He would never need the ring that had been a part of who he was for over a century again.
They all stood in a circle until they could not see the lights in the sky anymore. It was a beautiful send off, almost like they gave Stefan wings and he flew off to explore new heights and could watch them from above as they would go about their daily lives.
He would always be there with them, reminding them to value their lives and their time because no one ever knows how much they get. Time could snatch them up before they knew it and they needed to make the most of each day with the ones they loved, making memories, laughing, crying, sharing hopes and dreams and pursuing them with all their hearts.
That was how they could truly honor his sacrifice.
A/N: This is how I wished they could have honored Stefan.
Next story in this series Damon and Elena's first night.
And it might be the last of the angsty sad chapters. It will be emotional and Damon will be very unstable and reeling in is grief and I can't say for sure what he will all do. All I know is it will be powerful and intense and he will need Elena more than ever.
These poor people have been through so much and it's time for some happiness and living. So chapters coming up will start becoming more happy and them adjusting to living.
I'm sure I will get mixed reviews for this chapter. I was kind of unsure even bringing Klaus to the funeral but as I was writing it just seemed to fit. There will be nothing romantic at all between him and Caroline for quite a while. I didn't go with the timeline of the Originals at all just cause I didn't feel like I needed to. So Klaus did not end up trapped for 5 years like on The Originals and I wrote him softer and caring just more so because of Caroline and his empathy from him losing Cami. All Caroline knew was that he was missing when she searched for him in the 3 years ahead parts. I realize some people might not like him showing up but it was meant in a strictly respectful way.