Caroline had never actually been in the Lockwood mansion before. She knew where it was, and that the Lockwoods were one of the most prominent founding families of Mystic Falls, but she had never actually been inside their house. Even when she started dating Tyler, she didn't date him when he lived in Mystic Falls. They had bumped into each other in Chicago while she was living there, going to fashion school. He was going to school, too, and their relationship just evolved from there.

When Caroline went into the house, she looked around and was in awe; the place was just magnificent. From the way that Tyler had always talked about his family, Caroline knew that they were very well off. The Lockwood line had been mayors of Mystic Falls since the founding of the town in 1864.

Her head was starting to swim. As Caroline never backed down from anything in her entire life, she wasn't sure that this was where she was supposed to be. She wasn't a founder of Mystic Falls anymore. Sure, the Forbes family was a founding family, but Caroline just didn't feel like a Forbes anymore. She didn't belong here. As Klaus escorted her into the big ballroom that evening, Caroline could feel herself start to lose control. She was starting to shake and she felt like she couldn't breathe.

Klaus saw it, too. When he felt Caroline tighten her grip on his arm, Klaus looked at her, smiling, and rubbed his hand over hers, "Relax. It's going to be okay."

Caroline shook her head, "No, it isn't. Do you know who lives here, Nik?"

He nodded, "Sure. The mayor lives here."

"Not just the mayor," Caroline said, shaking her head. "Carol Lockwood."

Klaus nodded slowly, "As in Tyler's mother." It was a comment, not a question. Caroline nodded, even though she really didn't have to verify it for him, and she felt herself start to go back into her shell. Her gaze was shifting to the floor, and she grew silent. Klaus knew what was happening right away – Caroline didn't do this very often anymore, but back when they first met, it was all that she ever did. Klaus turned so he was facing her and looked at her, "Caroline, look at me."

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to regain her focus, and took a deep breath before looking into his eyes. He smiled weakly at her, "You're okay. You're going to be okay. I mean, you've got all those friends of yours who are going to be here and I'm here, in case she starts anything. You're safe, I promise."

Caroline nodded, even though she really didn't believe him, and took another deep breath before taking his arm once more and walking into the ballroom. For one brief moment, she almost felt like she belonged. Caroline had spent practically her entire life being on the outside looking in, seeing all the people who had friends and belonged, but not being one of them. And now, here she was – at a real founder's party, like she really mattered.

She and Klaus danced a few times during the night, and she had even had some champagne. Now, Caroline wasn't really a champagne type of girl, but a few sips didn't hurt her. The night was almost perfect when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She turned around, "Hey, Stefan."

Stefan smiled at her and then looked at Klaus, "Elena wants to dance with you. She didn't get a chance to meet you like the rest of us did." As Klaus left, Stefan held out his hand and Caroline hesitated for a moment before reaching out and grabbing it.

"You look really beautiful tonight, Caroline. I don't think I've ever seen you dressed up like this before."

"Yeah, well, I guess we really haven't spent much time around each other in dressy occasions," Caroline said as they swayed to the music.

"Have you seen Damon today?"

Caroline shook her head, "No, and I'm glad. He keeps hitting on me."

"And you keep telling him no. He hasn't had that happen in a very long time." Stefan chuckled as he twirled Caroline, "I bet Damon really likes your fire. He doesn't get told no very often. You do have fire, Caroline. Does Klaus like that about you, too?"

Caroline's eyes widened, "Wait, do you think that Nik and I –" she burst into giggles. Stefan watched her silently, utterly confused.

"Sorry," she said, getting her giggles under control. "Nik and I are not a couple. He's my brother. That's all that's ever been between us, and that's all that'll ever be."

Stefan nodded understandingly, "He seems awfully protective of you."

Caroline nodded, "I sure am lucky to have him in my life. He's always been my rock."

"What about a boyfriend? I mean, shouldn't your boyfriend be your rock?"

"No boyfriend, Stefan," Caroline said, shaking her head. "No boyfriend ever again. I give up on love; my last relationship was just an utter disaster.

They danced in silence for a few moments when Caroline looked up and saw her; Carol Lockwood. And she was coming toward Caroline.

She pushed herself away from Stefan, "I, uh…I've gotta be somewhere else. Anywhere else."

"What's the matter?"

Carol Lockwood approached them before Caroline had a chance to get away, "Caroline Forbes. What are you doing here?"

"I, uh…Elena wanted me to come tonight," Caroline said softly. Carol just made a face.

"Do you really think that you really belong here, Caroline? I'd think that, after living in Richmond for the last ten years, I wouldn't expect to see you at a founder's party. I mean, what would your parents think?"

"Really, Carol? I mean, really?"

Damon was at the bar, not even ten feet away from where Carol and Caroline were standing. He couldn't pass up the chance to get on Carol's bad side. He stood and calmly walked over to them, looked Carol up and down, "Do you honestly think that you have any right to tell her that she doesn't belong here, Carol?"

"I didn't say that…"

"Yeah, well I can speak your language. I know what you're doing to her, Carol. Here's my question, though; what makes you so much better than her, considering you married into being a founder. Think about it, Carol; do you even belong here?"

Carol went silent for a moment, watching Damon closely, "You know, before you go defending this girl, this nobody, you should really get to know her. You'll change your tune."

With that, Carol walked away, and both Damon and Stefan turned around to see that Caroline was gone. She had bolted out the front door before anybody could notice.

-x-

Caroline was so upset with herself. For once in her life, Caroline had actually thought maybe, just maybe, she'd be able to blend in, have somewhat of a normal life. But nothing in Caroline's life had ever been normal. Caroline was walking down the street after taking off her heels, carrying them in her left hand. She knew that her makeup had to be running from the tears that just wouldn't stop. She reached up and rubbed her eye; seriously, she had been such a goddamn fool. How could she think that she'd ever be normal? Nothing in her life was normal, not ever. She was just pissed at herself.

That's when she heard the car behind her. She could tell from the sound of the motor running that it wasn't Klaus' car.

"If you're going to run me over, just do it already," she said bitterly. Then she heard his laugh.

"Damon?" She asked. She shook her head, "I don't care, I was serious."

"I'm not going to run you over, Caroline. Just get in the car."

She shook her head, "I'm going to go and get my car and get the hell out of town. Carol was right; I don't belong here."

"C'mon, Caroline, don't be stubborn. It's at least ten miles to the boarding house; you can't walk that far. Just get in the damn car and I'll drive you."

Caroline chewed it over in her head for a moment, and, against her better judgment, she got into the passenger's seat. She looked at Damon, "What the fuck are you doing here, anyways?"

"A thank you would be nice," Damon replied sarcastically, but his smile faded away when he saw the look on her face. "Don't you worry about Carol. She's a bitch. She's always been one and will probably always be one. She's the stereotypical, overly-religious, thinks she's better than everybody but her son, bitch."

"Actually," Caroline said, "I'd say that she and her son are about on level ground when it comes to that."

"Did you date Tyler?" Damon asked, his voice soft. Caroline could only nod.

"What for? That guy is a massive tool."

Caroline smiled weakly, "He was so sweet in the beginning. He was everything I thought I ever wanted." Her gaze was fixed on the floor, "That's the thing about growing up with nothing; you don't know the good from the bad. You have to take things at what they're worth, and I was so blind. I was so stupid."

"Tyler is the biggest douche I've ever seen," Damon said.

When they got to the boarding house, Damon came around and opened Caroline's door, "Here, let's get you inside."

He wrapped his suit jacket around her shoulders and escorted her into the boarding house. He led her into the parlor.

"C'mon, let me fix you a drink. It'll make you feel better."

Caroline nodded, sighed, and looked at him, "Sure. I mean, why not?"

Damon poured her a glass of bourbon and handed it to her, and she drank it in one gulp.

"Well, you know how," she said, only half sarcastically.

She nodded, "Sometimes life gets so fucking bad that I need to get drunk. I've never drank with anybody else before, though."

"Not even your brother?"

"Who, Nik?" she asked, and he nodded. "His name is Klaus, by the way. I don't think you two had ever been officially introduced." Caroline took a gulp of the drunk he handed her and answered, "Nik is – well, he's everything to me. I love him to death because he's the first person in my pathetic little life that ever cared about me. I mean, I had Elena, and that was all good, but I needed someone else – someone who lived near me. Nik – he helps me."

"Do you even remember life here in Mystic Falls before you left?" Damon asked her, handing her another glass.

Caroline took a swig of it and then shook her head, "It's fuzzy. My parents died when I was eleven, and I can remember every little thing that happened after, but before, it feels like…it's blank. I can remember bits and pieces, like something Dad would say, or a certain dress that Mom wore. I don't remember much else. It's like…you know, on TV, when they're doing a flashback, how the screen is all blurry right before?"

Damon laughed, and that made Caroline giggle, "I'm serious, Damon. I know it's probably a lame ass analogy, but it's the best I can come close to when describing my memories. You know, Nik is dead convinced that I've blocked stuff out because of the hurt and pain that I went through, but do you know what's funny?" Caroline waited for Damon to shrug and then she continued, "I remember every little thing that happened after they died. I can even remember what dress I wore to their funeral. It's weird, because a lot of my horrors, a lot of my demons, they happened after I was put into the system."

"You were never adopted?"

She shook her head, "When it comes to adoption, people want babies and little kids. They want, like, four and five year olds. I was eleven. It's like, when someone wants to adopt a dog, what do they get? They get a puppy. They're the easiest to train. It's the same with foster kids."

"What about Klaus' family?" Damon was pretty interested now. There was something special about her, but he just couldn't put his finger on what it was.

"Esther wanted to adopt me. She was ready to." Once again, her gaze was fixed on the floor. "My case worker said that she couldn't. I had too many problems; I was too many problems. I was fourteen by that time and I was a stubborn, obnoxious, moody teenager. She said that I was unlovable, that I was unadoptable."

"You've got to know that was bullshit," Damon said, enraged. He wasn't really enraged just because it was Caroline; it was more the fact that someone would tell any kid that. "There is no one in this entire world who is unlovable. And I bet Esther would agree with me."

I don't know, Damon," Caroline said, tears in her eyes. "Looking back on what I was, or rather, who I was, sometimes I wonder if what she said was absolutely true."

-x-

Four hours and two bottles of bourbon later, Caroline was pretty buzzed. Damon gave her credit, though; the girl could really hold her liquor. What Damon didn't know, was a while back, Caroline had stopped drinking. She needed to make sure she stayed in control of herself.

"Tell me something, Caroline," Damon said, watching her closely, "How does somebody who only drinks to get drunk have such a high tolerance for alcohol, anyway?"

Caroline grinned, "I've consumed my fair share of alcohol, Damon. I just don't like to drink around other people; that does not mean that I don't drink alone."

"Why is that?"

"What? Why don't I like to drink around other people, or why do I like to drink alone?"

"It's really actually the same question, boiled down to it," Damon answered and Caroline giggled.

"Sure. It's just that when I drink alone, I don't have to worry about people taking advantage of me. I've never ordered a drink in a bar."

"Have you ever even been in a bar?"

"Sure. I've been to The Grill, and there are a few bar and grills and sports bars in Richmond and Chicago that I like…"

"Sports bars? What about a regular bar?"

Caroline shook her head, "I don't like regular bars. I've known my fair share of drunk people, and I don't like them. They're scary."

"Then you haven't found the right people," Damon stated, and it made Caroline silent.

"I enjoyed getting drunk with you, Caroline, "Damon said. "You're not the worst company in the world."

"Is that a compliment?" Caroline asked.

"Damon thought about it for a moment before answering, "Yes. Definitely a compliment."

"You know, Damon," Caroline said, taking a drink of water out of the glass that sat beside her, "I've bared my soul tonight. I'm not usually like that, but I have to know – what's your deal?"

Damon shook his head, "I don't know why I am even going to tell you this, but there was this girl. She was amazing and I could've seen myself growing old with her." It was Damon's turn to watch the floor, "But I was just fooling myself. She wanted both me and Stefan, and she enjoyed playing us against each other. It took years for me and Stefan to get back to an equilibrium where we could talk, laugh, and trust each other again."

"Yeah, but you're the Salvatore brothers," Caroline said, looking him straight in the eye. "Your love for your brother is better than anything else. You guys care about each other and want what's best for each other, right?"

Damon nodded, "Yeah. Just remember that the first time you ever see us have a fight."