"Kol could have found Caroline cutting herself before Rebekah (Because honestly he should have found her)" – AngelinaGuerin

"when kol finds out how much caroline's father hated what she was and they bond 3 :D" –that-blonde-full-of-light

Sensitive issue of self-harm. Be forewarned.

He's in the Mystic Grill when the Veil dropped and he marvelled at being among the living, of being able to be seen and heard again for a full minute. Then he realized he had to find a way to stay. He had to find the Bennett witch and get her to perform a spell for him. But first he had to finish some unresolved revenge that's been brimming in his gut ever since he got staked.

Where was Elena Gilbert? He was near the kitchens when he noticed the sound of muttering and the smell of blood. And it was fresh blood, not from days old meat or from the chef nicking himself with a knife. He didn't think there was anyone here except Bekah and Matt Donkey-face.

Was there some other vampire feeding there? They could potentially help him find the Gilbitch so he opened the door of the freezer. It was dark so he grabbed one of the flashlights he stole off Bekah when he 'talked' to her and her boyfriend. What he saw he wasn't expecting.

He'd wondered where that blonde vampire went. The one Nik was so into and kept rejecting him. He'd thought she was foolish for her lack of self-preservation at first. Not many people said no to Nik but then he realized she had too much fire in her to fall for his brother so easily.

But he knew from Nik and Elijah leaving for New Orleans that the girl hadn't given in even at the last chance of becoming the girlfriend of the Original Hybrid. Nik could be charming when he wanted so he was surprised she held on from the power Nik presented. She was a strong girl so why was she sitting on the freezer floor cutting her wrists with a knife?

He stared down at her undisturbed. He'd seen more gruesome things in his first century alone. A girl self-harming wasn't anything horrifying. "You know, darling, if you want to die I could just get a stake. It's faster and more effective."

She stared up at him but kept on cutting into the bloodied flesh of her wrist, trying to get to her bones at the rate she was going. "I have to keep on cutting."

"You prefer the hard way then. I'm not surprised."

He moved to leave her to her self-destruction but when he was at the door he glanced back and saw her pitifully continuing to slash her wrists. Pity wasn't something he felt often but considering he did owe Nik some favors, he walked back to her and took a seat on the floor in front of her.

"You know, if you're sad, alcohol and spilling other people's blood helps more," He told her. "Hurting yourself doesn't accomplish much. It just hurts when you have to heal later."

She kept muttering her mantra, "I have to keep cutting…"

He sighed and grabbed the knife from her. He didn't like being ignored. She lunged at him, trying to get the blade back but he pushed her back with one hand, keeping the knife from her grasp. "Now, now, it'll be okay."

"I have to keep cutting!"

She was more urgent now. Reaching for the knife he was easily preventing her from getting. When she realized this was fruitless, she got up and tried to look for something else to cut with. He followed her and placed the bloodied knife on the back of one shelf.

Caroline went to the kitchen and opened counters and cabinets for something sharp. He sighed once more. This should really be Nik's problem and not his. He had other things to do.

Caroline found a small paring knife and started slashing her half-healed wrists again. He sped up to her and took it, throwing it off his shoulder. She tried to run for it but he held her back with his hands on her wrists, backing her up into the table behind her. "I have to keep cutting!"

He winced at her shouting but nodded. "Yes, sweetheart, I know."

She tried to twist out of his grasp but he held her still, "I have to keep cutting!"

"I know, I know." He stared down at her, her blue eyes wild and her hair dishevelled. "Is it friend issues? You jealous of Bennett or Gilbert?"

She threw punches into his chest but her minor vampire strength was ineffective on him. "No? Boyfriend problems? Lockwood doesn't want to return to you?"

"Have to keep cutting!"

"Is it Nik? Do you want to be with him but are afraid of what your friends will think?"

"Have to- cutting!" She's desperate in trying to escape him, almost crying now, her voice breaking. "Cutting!"

"Parents then? Mommy issues? Daddy issues?" She stopped moving and he knew he found it. "Your dad? What's the matter with your dad?"

"Dead." She renewed her efforts. "Hated…vampire…me."

He stared down at her, an empathy bursting within him. "Yeah, my dad was a cunt too."

She was beginning to sob, trying to escape him, not wanting to have this conversation. "Have- to- cut!"

"Look, Forbes," He tries to get her to listen. "You don't need to do this."

She let out a sob. "Yes! I do!"

"Why? Because he hated you? What you are?" Kol tried to get her to see reason. "Both my parents hated me for what I was. And you know what, it wasn't my fault. And it's not yours either."

She was fighting but weaker now, losing the fight. Tears were falling down her face and she kept pushing at his chest. "Hate you, hate you..."

His voice was soft as he spoke, his grip on her hips gentler but not enough for her to push him off. "Nik would talk about you, you know."

She perked up at that, blue eyes wide as she began to come back to herself.

"He said you were strong, beautiful and full of light." He smiled down at her, one of his hands cupping her face. Even looking sickly and tear-stained was still so lovely. "And he's right."

Her wet eyes glistened with emotion so raw it hurt to see and he leaned down to brush his lips over her forehead and she gasped at the light touch.

"Get yourself together. Sadness is breakfast for people like us so keep on going." He raised her chin with two fingers and looked into her eyes. "And you're going to be just fine, Forbes."

She opened to open her mouth but he was gone just as fast it was for Rebekah to enter the kitchen with a flashlight. "Caroline, what are you doing here?"

She looked up at the sister of the boy that just saved her and didn't know what to say. She spotted the bloodied paring knife on the floor and closed her eyes. Sadness is breakfast for people like us so keep on going.

"Nothing."