A/N: Just a short drabble I wrote before the tvd finale after Stefan died. From a tumblr prompt.

"They encouraged each other now in the violence of their affliction." - Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen p7

When Bonnie died she had Tyler. Sweet, doting Tyler. Her rock. But then Tyler left, taking his distraction with him, and she was forced to deal with a broken heart on top of the loss of her close friend. Elena checked up on her twice, but Caroline put on her best smile, walked out of her room the next day and promptly worked on her next project.

Little did they know that while they worried about how she would cope, she was already well versed in taking care of herself. During her parent's divorce, her maternal grandmother took care of her, filling in the gap when her father made himself scarce, his shame over the revelation of his double life dictating his absence. Her mother in turn, embarrassed by being taken for a fool, buried herself in her work, and Grandmother Cynthia made sure that Caroline was taken care of: fed, clothed, loved.

Grandmother Cynthia passed away when Caroline was 12, Liz buried herself even more in her work, Bill moved to the next state and Caroline hibernated in her bedroom for a week. The next week she came out, a smile on her face again, and her birthday party planned.

It was May, her birthday is in October.

When her father died, she stayed in her bedroom for three days.

And now, as she held Stefan's lifeless body against her, she felt exhausted, so tired of pretending to be fine, to be one that's always put together and ready for action. She knew that loss was part of a vampire life, she will watch humans fade around her, and many more supernatural friends lost to violence, but this was one loss she didn't want to brush aside.

But Stefan was her person, her closest friend, her ally against the world, the one who believed in her when she couldn't even be bothered to believe in herself, and god forbid, she just wanted to mourn. She wanted to wail, to tear at her clothes, to curse all the deities that they took this kind and compassionate man from the earth. Who was Caroline Forbes without Stefan Salvatore? He had helped her, moulded her, and he wouldn't be around to see her fly. The single most influential person in her life had no left her, and she never felt so alone.

Tyler was gone, Bonnie was wasting away, Matt and Jeremy were fighting to protect their town, Elena and Damon were mourning too. The one time she was forced to bear the pain alone, she didn't want to.

It was during her fifth day in hibernation that her phone rang, the cacophony of her generic ringtone was a horrible break to the silence she had immersed herself in. She almost thought about ignoring it, but she was keen to just talk to another, that she didn't even care who it was on the other side.

"Hello?" She answered, her voice gravelly after days of crying instead of speaking.

"Hello love, is this a good time?" She heard that all too familiar British accent, his voice more subdued than usual.

"No, no it's fine. Did did- you hear?" She stuttered.

"No I haven't heard anything about what's happening in Mystic Falls," his voice was immediately sharp, "What happened? Are you hurt? What's going on there?"

"It's Stefan," she choked out, "he's he's dead." She sobbed again.

"How did this happen?" Klaus' voice was cold and detached.

"The travelers," she said through sobs, "They killed him. He's gone. He passed through Bonnie and everything. I don't know what to do, or how to go on. I just can't handle the pain anymore."

"Caroline, listen to me," he said to her in a stern tone, "You are one of the most strongest women I've had the pleasure of knowing, but that does not mean that you constantly have to have everything sorted out. You have just lost one of the closest persons in your life, you don't have to know what to do, or how to handle the situation, you just need to take everyday as it comes, and I promise you Caroline, you will be able to carry on with your life. If I've been sure of anyone that would make it through, it will be you."

She smiled faintly, the tears still pouring down her face, "How is it you always know what to say?"

He chuckled, "So are you giving me the name of said traveler so that I can have them killed?"

She sighed, "No, I haven't changed that much. So, why did you call me?"

"I just needed to hear your voice, it's been one of those days."

"Oh no, what happened in New Orleans? The last time you called me, Rebekah left you…" she enquired.

"It's my daughter," he said in a deadpan voice, "She's gone."

"Oh Klaus, what happened? Was there complications in the birth? Is Hayley okay?" she asked. In their short conversations that they had held over the past couple of months, she had realized that the plethora of characters in New Orleans were a part of his new life and even though it hurt that he had moved on with his life so quickly, after she had gotten over the initial shock of Hayley carrying his child, she understood how important the child was to him, and accepted it as thus.

"You could say that, supernatural complications. Let's just say that a child born to a creature like me was doomed from the start. Hayley is fine, she is a hybrid now, long story, but Elijah is helping her heal," he informed her.

Caroline heard the echoes of loneliness in his tone, and she realized that this man, so many states over, who she often dismissed so quickly, was one of the few in her life that truly knew how she felt.

A/N: I just miss Klaroline so damn much :'( Also I'm busy with the next chapter of The Protector and I'm trying to update all my fics by Klaroline Fanfiction Week, so lets hope I actually pull this feat off

Thanks to: Ellavm, MrsLeaMorgan, AngelofMusic44, chillwithJyl, jessnicole, champagnekiss and the guests for your reviews on the last drabble :)