Chapter 18

I lay back on the couch as Bonnie finishes preparing for the spell. Our group meeting earlier that day had brought us a few conclusions about the situation. First, we needed to make sure that Nik knew I was safe, that would bring him piece of mind and let him focus on getting out. Second, we needed to find some help for Bonnie if she was going to help get him out from the witches grasp. Thirdly, we needed to do all this while finishing final exams and graduating.

Bonnie suggested that she do a spell that allows me to contact Nik mentally. I can go into his head and we can talk and reassure him of what is happening. That is what I am currently getting ready for. I will go into an unconscious state and connect to Nik. I am a little nervous, but I know I need to see him even if it is just in his head.

"Ok Caroline, are you ready?" Bonnie asks.

"Ya, let's do this" I tell her settling back into the couch. I smell the herbs being burnt and hear her start to chant in Latin. Before long I feel my eyes grow heavy and start to close...

I open my eyes and find myself in what appears to be a clearing in a forest. There are trees all around and I can smell wildflowers in the distance, and hear a stream nearby. This is not what I thought being in Niks head would be like. I hear something behind me and turn around quickly. I see Nik standing at the edge of the trees. I take off at a run and jump into his arms.

"Caroline, what are you doing here? How are you here?" he asks holding me close to him.

"Bonnie did a spell to send me here, I needed to see you and let you know that I am safe. Bekah and Kol and Bonnie and Stefan are protecting me while we figure out how to help get you home." I say pulling back slightly to look him in the eyes.

"How long can you stay?"

"I don't know" I tell him as I pull his head down and capture his lips in mine. It is not the same as having him kiss me for real, but it reassures me that he is alive.

"Caroline, I need you to be careful. Marcel is extremely dangerous. If anything happened to you I would not recover from it. Promise me that you will not do anything stupid. I love you."

"I love you too Nik, we will get you out. You just need to stay strong." I tell him cuddling as close to his chest as possible. He pulls me closer as he sinks into the grass.

"I just want to hold you while I can; I don't how much longer we will get to stay this way." He says kissing the top of my head. We lay in the grass like that for what feels like hours. Neither talking just being together in the moment. I feel my eyes grow heavy...

I wake up again on the couch of the mansion. Sitting up I look around to see Kol and Bonnie asleep on the couch. I get up and go to the kitchen for some blood. I look at the clock on the stove and see that it is 5:00am. I had been out for close to 7 hours. I really did get that much time with Nik.

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The following week was spent studying for exams and researching ways to help Nik. I told my mom I was staying with Bonnie to cram for exams, she was not happy about it, but thought it was better than me being home alone all the time.

I was walking out of my chemistry final and saw Elena waiting for me outside the door.

"What's going on with you Caroline? I mean I never see you anymore, and when I do you are with Stefan and Bekah. I even saw you leave the school the other day with Kol of all people. Why are you spending so much time with them?"

"Nothing is going on. Stefan is my friend which means that I will spend time with him and seeing as he is dating Bekah I will spend time with her too. The day you saw me with Kol was because he was giving me a ride to the garage to pick up my car. I know I have been distant lately, but you know how stressful exams are. I am in the running for valedictorian, so I need to ace these. I am in full study mode. After graduation I promise we will have a big girls weekend and talk about boys and such. Just let me get through the next few weeks." I tell her pulling her into a hug before turning and walking the other way.

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It has been 3 weeks since Nik was captured. We have had a few more mental dates but don't seem to be any closer to getting him back. It is eating me up inside that I am so helpless. I have been trying to focus on exams and graduation, but it only does so much good.

"Hey Care, want to go for a walk?" I hear Stefan ask from the doorway to Nik's room.

"Sure, let get out of here for a while." I respond grabbing a sweater.

We started to walk around the grounds as they were under the protection spell. It was not ideal but it was still a distraction.

"So what are the plans for after graduation" he asks, breaking the silence.

"Well, I was planning on traveling this summer, hopefully with Nik, but that is not looking promising. As for school I have a stack of letters in my bag, but I don't want to open them. I don't want to get excited about starting a life somewhere out of Mystic Falls with Nik, when I don't have Nik. And to make it even harder Elena is going on and on about Whitmore and sharing dorms and I can't tell her any of this so I nod and go along with it."

"Care, one day at a time. We will get Nik back, and you will get to have a happily ever after with him. We have eternity. Stay positive please, you have a valedictorian speech to give in 2 weeks. They need their happy, bubbly, Miss Mystic Falls Caroline to lead them out of high school into their future." He reassures me.

"Thanks Stefan" I say giving him a hug. We pull apart as we here Kol yelling for us.

"Bonnie found something!"