So I've sort of waffling on this chapter. I hope everyone likes it.

"Seriously Care, scoot over. How much space can your teenage butt possibly take up?"

Caroline grunted in surprise when Bonnie hip checked her, shoving her into the arm of her chaise as she tried to wiggle in. Dropping her book, she glared at her best friend.

"Of the two of us, I'm not the one whose butt has gotten bigger. Oomph!"

Rubbing her ribs, Caroline scowled. "Uncalled for Bennett."

Bonnie pushed her hair out of her eyes and glared back, wiggling until they were both squished into the narrow, sun drenched seat. "There is nothing wrong with my ass."

"There is nothing wrong with it getting bigger; I mean damn girl, can you fill out a pair of jeans! But those hips of yours are making my lounging spot uncomfortable."

"Oh shut up," Bonnie said with an eye-roll, elbowing her again. "Don't be jealous."

"Hey, just because the universe wasn't so generous with curves for me, doesn't mean I'm jealous."

"Uh huh. Klaus is obviously a leg guy. It's okay to be a giraffe, Care." Bonnie petted her thigh consolingly. "You've got amazing legs."

"There's nothing wrong with my boobs, Bennett." Caroline made a rude gesture with her hand. "Just because I don't have your ass."

Bonnie grinned at her. "It's a banging ass."

"Brat."

"Barbie."

Caroline's faux-glare cracked and she threw both arms around Bonnie's shoulders, hugging tight. "I'm so, so glad you're here. Have I told you that?"

Luxembourg had been their host city for the last few weeks as the Originals went on a witch hunt. The weather had been amazingly beautiful, and to Caroline's pleasure, her witchy best-friend had taken to exploring like a duck to water. Even if she bitched that a week had turned to nearly two months.

Bonnie went still against her, lungs catching as she visibly hesitated. Caroline pulled back, staring at her friend. "What?"

"It's nothing. It can wait."

"Bonnie Bennett, don't you pull those shenanigans with me. What? Is it Kol?" She narrowed her eyes. "I was explicit in the ways I'd make him suffer if he hurt you. He'd better have taken me seriously."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "What? No. Kol... Kol is a distraction. A really good one, true, but neither of us really have any serious expectations for that. I mean, I'm not going to live forever - he might."

Caribe shrugged. "Yeah, but you've got a few centuries to go, so no biggie there."

"No, I don't."

"What?" Caroline twisted to actually look at Bonnie, flipping up her sunglasses to stare at her. "What do you mean, you don't?"

Bonnie chewed on her bottom lip. "I don't want to live for centuries, Care."

Brows bunching together, Caroline shook her head. "What are you saying? You've got those witchy-herbs that are better than even my vampire fountain of youth; well, less bloody at least."

"I'm saying I've stopped extending my life." Bonnie twisted her fingers together nervously, face pinched. It took a moment to register, and then Caroline felt like she'd been punched in the sternum.

"Please, don't hate me."

Caroline blinked at her, swallowed. "I don't understand."

Bonnie laughed, but it was a jagged, broken thing. Pressing her fingers to her face, she was quiet for a long moment. Caroline sat silent and shaken, waiting.

"Sometimes I hate my magic."

"Bon Bon," Caroline breathed. The knot in her chest was huge, tugging at scar tissue that still bled from her mom. But Bonnie was hurting. Bonnie reached for her hands, gripped them tightly, eyes too wide.

"Do you remember how I loved being a witch, those first few weeks? It's been a long time since it made me that happy. Sometimes, I'm so angry - at myself, Grams... she died, for what? Nothing. Then it was just me. Well, and the constant bombardment of the spirits. Then I died."

Caroline swallowed, "Klaus."

Bonnie pulled her hand free, braced both of them on her knees. Her eyes burned. "I want to blame him. Him, Damon, Katherine, Silas - they broke all of us. They hammered away at our convictions and destroyed our foundations. I hated - hated! - being the anchor. Not having magic hurt - it hurt so much. But it was also a relief."

"Relief?" Caroline ask, brows creasing. "Why?"

"I have done such terrible things with my magic." Bonnie let out a long, shaky breath. "I made those choices. I'm living with them. But sometimes I can't sleep, because of the screams and the faces behind my eyes."

"Oh, Bonnie." Caroline swallowed hard, blinked against the burn behind her eyes. "Why didn't you say something?"

"Because I thought it'd be okay." Bonnie admitted. "That I'd get a few decades under my belt and it'd get easier."

"I wish it worked like that," Caroline said quietly. "But that type of age - we're a long way from it. Did you think I wouldn't understand? I can still tell you about the people I've killed. All of them. Even if I don't know any of their names."

"Would that help?"

Caroline shrugged. "Probably not."

"I'm not afraid of dying, Care." Bonnie looked at her with a pained smile. "I've done that twice. But I don't want to hurt you."

Caroline laughed bitterly. "In what world would loosing you not hurt?"

Bonnie licked her lips, watched her for a long moment. "I want to be a mom."

Caroline choked on air. "What?"

"I want kids." Bonnie repeated. "I'm never going to get normal. I'm never going to find my one and done, but I don't want to be alone anymore."

"First, you're not alone. You've got me. But kids?" Caroline shook her head. "You've never been someone who wanted that. Is this like a witchy midlife crisis? I can buy you a car instead. A shiny one."

Bonnie huffed. "Really Care? A car? And I can't change my mind? Want to move on from the supernatural? Didn't you spend most of your pre-vampire life wanting a white picket fence and 2.5 kids?"

Caroline threw out an arm and frowned. "Look at where that got me."

They glared at each other.

"So what? Your plan is to run off into the sunset with in-vitro fertilization and just, pretend the last twenty years never happened." Caroline crossed her arms and scowled. "Because, no."

"Don't you take that tone with me, Forbes." Bonnie jabbed a finger at her, eyes narrowed. "And no! Just because I don't want to live forever, it doesn't mean I want to push you out. But I want a family."

"I'm not asking for forever, Bon. I'm asking like, for a few extra decades. Why now?" Caroline threw out her hands, encompassing everything around them. "You're just now letting me pry you out if Mystic Falls, and you decide you're just done?"

"It's not like that," Bonnie argued. "I've been thinking about this for a while."

"Seriously? And you didn't think this is something I'd want to know?" Caroline leaned forward, let her monster crawl into her eyes. "You didn't think I'd care?"

"It's my decision!" Bonnie said firmly. "It's mine, Caroline, and put those fangs away."

Caroline clenched her teeth, gaze dark with temper. Closing her eyes for a long moment, she blew out a breath. Squeezing her hands into fists, and she finally nodded.

"I know it's your choice. I'd never try to take that away from you. God, Bonnie, you of all people should know that." Caroline opened her eyes. "But I'm allowed to disagree, right?"

"Yes," Bonnie blinked rapidly. "But please support me anyway. I'm not doing this to hurt you or anyone else."

"I know." Caroline raked her hands through her hair. "Why does the first decision you've made in forever that puts you first, have to be this?"

"Because I need this." Bonnie said quietly. "I just... sometimes I can't breathe, and I just need to know that I can do this."

"Bonnie I've loved you like a sister since we were in pigtails. I'll love you when the world ends. That's just fact. God, you've died for me, for your friends, twice. You've made a deal with your devil to keep us safe. Do you think I don't get it?"

"I..."

Caroline reached over and took her hand. "If living one lifetime instead of two or three is what you want - what your heart needs - then of course I'll support you. Just... now? Like, right now?"

Bonnie's bottom lip wobbled. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes." Caroline sighed. "Yes."

"Thank you."

"I want a whole gaggle of nieces." Caroline told her firmly. "My own personal witch army."

"A gaggle? I was thinking one, maybe two." Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "I'm not some witch breeding factory!"

"Please. You deserve an army of beautiful daughters to inflict on the supernatural world. I'll be Aunt Care. Imagine the chaos."

"Aunt Care-bear," Bonnie corrected, lips twitching. "And no."

"We'll negotiate." Caroline pursed her lips and arched a brow. "Although I'm not sure you've thought this through."

"About what?" Bonnie said warily.

"Growing a person is hard work. Personally, I'd give birth first, then start aging. You're going to need all that youthful energy for those late nights."

"Good thing my best friend is a vampire," Bonnie replied without batting a lash. "You can help with the early morning shifts."

"Did I mention that since I can't have kids, I actually veto diapers?"

"Does this face look like it cares?" Bonnie said pointing at herself.

"Is that how you talk to Kol? How are you even getting laid?" Caroline demanded.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Don't be jealous. We both know Klaus would tap that if you'd just stop being dramatic about sex."

"It's not the sex that I'm being dramatic about. It's the after." Caroline said primly, readjusting her sunglasses.

"Not a cuddler?" Bonnie teased.

"Oh God, how I wish that was the issue." Caroline shook her head. "Unlike you, there is a lack of casual to this."

"Good luck with that."

"Gee, thanks." Caroline wiggled free of the chaise. "Come on, let's go."

"Go where?" Bonnie asked, flopping back. "Hey, what do you know, this is comfy."

Caroline rolled her eyes, hands sliding to her hips. "To find the perfect cheekbones to hand down to your children. You need a donor, since your current relationship is with a vampire; so, being the awesome best friend that I am, I'm willing to ogle the entire male population of Europe to find the perfect one."

"Caroline!" Bonnie sat up, alarmed. "I didn't mean be a mom tomorrow!"

"It'll be fun." Caroline cajoled, lips curving. "Then I can just compel him and totally have everything in place when you're ready."

"The slaughter when Klaus catches you making eyes at other men, not so much." Bonnie growled.

Caroline waved her hand, marching to her room. "It's for science!"

"I imagine Klaus will love that explanation when he's done ripping off heads... Caroline!"

Rebekah found Caroline face, pillow pulled over her head. She pursed her lips, and considered the young vampire. Bonnie returned home that morning with Kol, now that the witches were dead. That had been a fun evening, when was the last time they'd gone on a family rampage? She'd expected some pouting from the blonde, but she'd thought Nik would be around to distract her. Instead, he'd gotten a call that morning, and disappeared to deal with one of his many schemes.

Which meant she was left to deal with Caroline in a mood. Sighing, she strolled into her friend's room. "You look ridiculous."

"I'm sulking. Go away." Caroline growled without moving.

Rebekah rolled her eyes and crawled onto the bed, flopping down onto the second pillow; she paused as she took in the detailing on the ceiling. They'd left the hotel when it'd became clear they'd be staying longer than expected, but how exactly had Caroline gotten the prettier room?

"Caroline, now you're being ridiculous. You knew this was going to happen eventually." Rebekah pointed out. "All humans - even witches - die."

The pillow lifted and one baleful blue eye peaked at her. "Did you bring blood or ice cream with you? Because this is the kind of talk that requires one of those. Or booze."

Casually, she tossed Caroline's pillow across the room. "Stop hiding."

Huffing out a breath, Caroline rolled on her side and glared. "You're such a bitch."

Shrugging, Rebekah arched one brow. "You think you're the only one who's lost someone?"

Sitting up with a growl, Caroline smoothed her hair, eyes a little distant. "I don't presume to know much about what you've been through. And I try not to think about it sometimes."

Rebekah sat up. "Why?"

Caroline sighed and fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "What's it like to outlast everything, Rebekah?"

Rebekah studied the expression on Caroline's face. "Is this why you've been avoiding my brother?"

Caroline huffed. "You can't avoid Klaus. He just sits back and watches. Eventually, he gets irritated and does something drastic, but even when he's giving you space - and I use that term extremely loosely - he's right there."

"It's not terrible." Rebekah said with a shrug.

"Oh my God, seriously? That's it?" Caroline threw up her hands. "It's not terrible?"

"Don't get bitchy with me, Forbes." Rebekah warned, nudging Caroline's shoulder to soften her words. "I suppose the first century is the hardest. Everything you know, all those little touchstones of life mean nothing. No children. No birthdays that matter. Time isn't the clock that beats the drum of your life anymore. It just is."

Caroline pulled her knees to her chest and sighed. "Everyone I've loved, all of them have walked away from life. From me. None of them want to stay."

"And?"

Caroline shot her a glare. "Some of us don't having raging sociopaths for brothers who'd rather drag us around in boxes than let us go."

"Oh, stop being dramatic. You figured the truth of that ages ago. And while he's my brother, you're the one who wants to fuck him."

"Bekah!" Caroline fell back and covered her face. "Seriously?"

"Oh please. Even if I didn't have amazing hearing, this is a house full of vampires. And note, for the majority of my existence it was expected that I live with my brothers since I was unwed. I've heard my brothers having sex; I can't say I was particularly impressed."

"I can't even." Caroline groaned, covering her ears. "Stop."

Rebekah shrugged, hesitated before she reached out and touched Caroline's shoulder. "Caroline, choosing life isn't easy."

"I know, okay? I just, I don't understand. Is it me?" Caroline blew out a breath. "I sometimes wonder, if I'd just been... better, maybe they'd stay."

"I don't know," Rebekah said quietly. "People make stupid choices all the time. I can't imagine death being worth more than life. Even the price we pay for it."

Caroline looked at her hands. "I miss my mom."

"I know. That won't go away." Rebekah said lowly. "It's just, lessens. Eventually, it doesn't hurt quite so much."

"That's what I've been told." Caroline heaved out a breath. "I'm still waiting on it."

"Is that why you're up here sulking?"

"Sometimes a girl just needs to sulk, okay?"

Rebekah shook her head. "Right, because that solves anything."

"Are you lecturing me about being dramatic? You? Is this actually happening?" Caroline twisted to face her. "The person I had to bribe out of our hotel room in Lima because of what's his name?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Rebekah said with a scowl." And please - it's not like you're actually alone. Any loneliness you're suffering from is your choice. And I don't get it. Obviously, you see something in Nik, or you wouldn't be here. So what does it matter if the rest of the world burns, it's not like he'll let you go."

"I wish it was that easy." Caroline sighed.

"Why isn't it?" Rebekah frowned at her. "You're here. We're here. Haven't you picked us?"

Caroline lowered her eyes to trace the pattern on the blanket with her fingertip, she let out a sigh. "Growing up it was me, Bonnie and Elena. I thought one day, we'd be racing our wheelchairs together in a nursing home, after a lifetime of husbands and kids. And now I'm not talking to Elena. Bonnie wants to raise a family and grow old. My mom is gone."

"Those relationships would have changed, regardless." Rebekah pointed out. "And I still don't understand what that has to do with me. With Nik."

Caroline chewed on her lip. "I don't know. I guess Bonnie leaving just stirred up some old worries."

"You're being ridiculous," Rebekah told her. "Look, you want to know your problem? You're still equating your worth by the people around you."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Pot meet kettle."

"Please," Rebekah said disdainfully. "I could care less what people think of me. When the world finally comes to an end, I'll still be here. They won't."

"Yeah." Caroline said quietly. "Most of us won't."

"Oh, you'll be there." Rebekah said with amusement. "My brother seems rather determined about that."

"He might change his mind." Caroline said.

"Caroline - have you ever known my brother to change his mind about anything? He's the most stubborn creature in existence. Your problem is that he occasionally bends for you; you don't realize what that means."

"I know what it means." Caroline argued.

"Not if we're actually having this conversation." Rebekah slid off the bed and headed to the door. "Look, either you actually care for Nik and are willing to be with him, or you don't. You two have been playing this cat and mouse game for almost twenty years. And while I'm sure you're both going to make me regrets this a thousand times over - you need to make a decision."

"What do you think I've been doing?" Caroline demanded.

"Testing the waters." Rebekah responded tartly. "My brother isn't going to change. The monster, the man - all of it. It's there to stay. So stop making the rest of us miserable and just... take him."

Caroline swallowed. "What if he changes his mind? Everyone always does."

Rebekah paused at the doorway. "Nik is a selfish, manipulating bastard who preys on both the strong and the weak, who forces when he should coax. And somehow, you've managed to find whatever slivers of actual emotion he has and claimed them. The only heart that's in danger of being broken is his."

Caroline swallowed. And finally nodded.

"Good. If you'd kept this nonsense up, I was going to throw you at him, naked."

"Rebekah!"

"Please. Like you'd actually mind."

"Rebekah Mikaelson!"

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