Because you're you-and I'm me
A/N: I lost inspiration for a while, I didn't really know where to go from there, but I'm back. Please don't kill me.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries.
~VD~
Solitary.
Conflicted.
Desperate.
Vengeful.
Regretful.
Broken.
Subjected.
Founders Day, Mystic Falls
Caroline Forbes was pacing. She never paced. That sort of nervous activity was left to people who actually still gave a damn about something.
She didn't. Did she? A sigh broke the silence that had been hanging over the bathroom she'd locked herself in at the grill 10 minutes ago.
Of course she still gave a damn, otherwise she wouldn't have locked herself in here as soon as she felt Damon Salvatore approach.
Oh God, she was pathetic.
For all she knew, he could still be out there, he probably would be, given the fact that it always seemed like he was magically drawn to alcoholic beverages, preferably strong and bitter.
Seemed to suit him.
Never mind the fact that she had a tendency to do the same.
A little, pathetic smile ghosted over her face before the bathroom door was opened, breaking her out of her reverie.
Something like that really shouldn't startle her. Mentally, she made a note to seek out a less populated spot the next time she chose to hide like a coward from one, admitably handsome, vampire.
"I can smell you Caroline, come out." Katherine's voice made her roll her eyes. So her solitude was over then. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.
~VD~
Only minutes after Katherine Pierce had entered the bar, she felt ready to curse Caroline to infinity and beyond.
Three weeks it had been, since Caroline started reverting back to being immensely antisocial. One would think she'd had to go through her entire ordeal again.
Katherine wouldn't wish that on her, but by god, she just wanted her friend back.
But then she'd entered the bar, to find Damon Salvatore staring right at her. The way he was staring at her you'd think he had her all figured out. It only unsettled her momentarily, as she smiled at him, and then proceeded to stomp into the bathroom.
"I can smell you Caroline, come out." She said, with an eye roll she was sure was reciprocated.
For about 10 seconds, she heard nothing. Then there was a fair bit of shuffling, until Caroline finally emerged out of one of the stalls, looking miserable.
"Come on, Jeremy is probably worried sick." Katherine tried, poking Caroline a bit.
"I can't." She groaned.
"Oh stop that shit. You've been dissappearing and reappearing for 3 weeks straight. Almost nobody's seen you. And it's taking their toll on everybody. I get that you just want your solitude, but come on. People need you."
"I don't want my solitude, I'm hiding." She growled. Once more she was torn between wanting to pace, and ripping Katherine's hair out in frustration.
"From what, exactly?" Katherine challenged, pointing a brow upwards. Caroline made a strangled noise that startled Katherine to some extent.
"Damon."
"Last time I checked you had nothing left for him. How come he's the cause of all this now?"
Katherine knew of course. Caroline and Damon had an explosive relationship. And even thoguh Caroline was adamant on being uncompellable, somehow she'd forgotten about Damon. It baffled her.
A small part of her was worried though. Sure, this might have been a one time only thing, but it proved that it was possible. It shouldn't be possible. Caroline wasn't supposed to be subjected to anyone anymore.
With a shudder, Katherine recalled the mission she herself had been compelled to do. So far, she was resisting. She was being selfish, of course, and she was aware.
But something inside her didn't want to leave Caroline's side. There was a need inside of her to protect Caroline. Never mind that she was probably the greatest threat right now.
Conflicting.
If she really wanted Caroline's safety, she would leave, but she couldn't. It tore at her heart.
The conflict between what's best for your friend, and what you want.
~VD~
He was desperate.
The little wench had done a thorough job of staying away from him. Especially frustrating, that was, after they had spent such a night together.
Of course, his plan was working. She wasn't with him. She could live the life she always wanted. With a human. One who could stay with her through her life.
Except she didn't want that, did she?
She still felt the need to be physically close to him, the sexual desire didn't leave, only the mental attraction.
He wasn't sure if her despising him would have been worse.
And now, she was avoiding him, which had been his original goal, but his mind simply couldn't cope.
His body was having a hard time as well.
He'd still seen her though, at the miss Mystic competition, which she'd rightfully won.
It had been hard for him not to talk to her.
Even keeping his eyes off of her had proved harder than ever, but she seemed to have no trouble doing so, and that agitated him. It annoyed him, it tore at his heart, but it was best that way. Wasn't it? It really should be.
It was best for her, that was all that mattered.
So he had seen her hurry into the bathroom the second he had spotted her in the grill. Didn't help much though, as her scent was still heavy in the grill, the place he had first laid eyes on her.
And when he'd turned his head to the bathroom an endless amount of time later, he saw her leaving it with a girl who looked like Elena he couldn't dare recognize as such because she seemed so different, all he could do was watch with numb fascination as she was once more ripped from him, and every time seemed to be more painful than the last.
Desperation tore at his heart, and killed off his feelings one by one.
~VD~
There was a certain feeling of pride that came with a perfect plan of vengeance.
Caia did not consider herself a bad person, most of the time. What she did, she did out of love. She truly believed that Casper loved her, and he had been ripped from her side.
It wasn't justice that the little girl should get away with that. Wasn't fair that she should live while one part of her heart had died.
Call her old-fashioned, call her sadistic, but Caroline Forbes was going to pay for what she did to him.
What she stopped.
They could've gotten rid of Klaus. The sacrifice of one girl's life was surely worth it.
It was not too late, she knew this.
Her few remaining followers knew this.
Dishonorable lot most of them were. Jumped ship at the first sight of a little girl demonstrating a fair amount of powerful magic. It was pathetic, but she could not be picky if she required help.
But the plan, the plan was too good.
This was what Casper would have wanted.
She would see to it that it would be executed right.
After all, what is feeling vengeful, when it doesn't give you satisfaction in the end?
~VD~
Klaus Mikaelson never really got around to feelings most of the time. He had more important things to do, and the philosophy of living without feelings had always worked for him.
But now, he found himself regretful of his actions.
It was strange, and unfamiliar, and he hated it, because it made him feel somewhat human. It made him vulnerable, and yet he could not tune it out. He hadn't heard from Elijah in a while, which was good, because Elijah had a way of bringing up the subject of Caroline Forbes' demise constantly.
He had managed to re-dagger Kol a while back, but it felt like it was penetrating him too when he did.
Klaus had forced himself not to regret it though, and it had been easier to accept, because he could always resurrect Kol.
Regret was a truly horrid thing, and he couldn't have that, especially when his enemies were uniting to bring him down. There was never a more pressing need to be careful. After all, he was still unsure, but hoping, that the secret of Mikael did along with Caroline. She had known how to kill him, she had known how to temporarily release his werewolf side. It had been magnificent, but it was indeed regrettable that that secret had died along with her.
So, over the past weeks he'd been hell-bent on discovering other ways of releasing his werewolf side, that didn't involve uneccessary sacrifices, since it was clearly possible, but no witch could help him.
In the end, he came to the decision of giving Mystic Falls a visit. He might even visit Caroline's grave and offer her mother some consolation. But thinking of that made him bitter, because he wasn't even sure if he could have saved her if he stayed.
Sure, he would probably have gotten out alive, he was an original, for gods sake! But would he have had the strength to save her as well? Would he have considered saving her? He was selfish, he would always look out for himself first. So, sure, he was mourning her now, but he sometimes considered it better that she died, because it was better knowing he had chosen to walk away, instead of failing to save her. Failing her was better than failing himself.
But the regret stayed rooted in his gut.
~VD~
Founders day had been amazing. It really had been. Matt had partnered with Caroline on the float, and even though Tyler Lockwood felt a twinge of jealousy, a more prominent feeling had taken his heart.
He felt broken.
Caroline might be dead, for all he could tell. If she wasn't already, she might die. There was really no telling, but it was all his fault. That much he was sure of.
He had worried a little, when his mother had begged him to leave town, but didn't think too much into it. She always had her little fits of insanity, his mother.
He wasn't exactly sure what happened. All he remembered was the worst pain he'd ever felt in his life searing through his head and then his entire body. The crash itself didn't stick to memory. Matt told him though. Told him all about what happened.
Caroline had collapsed, they'd all muttered among themselves. They wouldn't tell him anything, but he did pick up words like 'internal bleeding', 'surgery', and 'peaceful passing'.
And it was all his fault, and he felt broken.
It never seemed to get better though, because the next piece of information he'd had to stomach was that his father had died.
Granted, his father had sometimes been straining, but he was his father, and the loss was another heavy blow he didn't want to have to take, but maybe life just wanted to break him a little more.
He'd never wanted to give up so easily, but he was just too exhausted these days. Maybe there would be something for him to live for, but right now he just felt too broken.
~VD~
Katherine Pierce could only watch as the world went up in flames around her, figuratively. Of course, she was informed about the Gilbert device and it's activation, so she'd sought out Caroline's lair as a safehouse. And it had worked. She had been saved.
But once she'd emerged into the ruins, she saw the extent of the damage that had been done. And she had to admit, it did scare her to some extent...
It wasn't until she felt the compelling urge to follow through with the mission she had been subjected to, that she realized things could get a lot more bloody.
~VD~
Did you like that? It sort of set the tone for the next 3 chapters or so, which will probably be the end of this story, because I do need to finish this. After all, then I can finally get back to the other stories that still need updating. :) Let me know please.