AN: Sorry if the Liz/Caroline relationship is written badly, I don't have any personal experience to put into writing positive mother/daughter stuff.
Her bags are packed, she's told her mom that she'll come back and clear out her room within a year, but she just needed to go be with Elena. Her mother had nodded, still in disbelief. But she's at the station, in her mom's office and they're hugging because it sinks in that she meant it.
"I'm not going to stop you. This is your life and you should live it how you want it. You're my daughter, and I love you, I'm always going to love you Caroline. Call me if you need anything. I know you're an adult, and you're mature and too old to need me, but I'm here for you. Give Elena my love too." The sheriff says and Caroline cries into her mother's shoulder. Elena needs her, and they've planned this, but she's never planned to be away from her mom this long.
"I'll call every day." She promises, and her mother shakes her head.
"Call me when you want. You have your own life to think about. It might get a little crazy and busy, but when you have time I'd love to hear about it." Her mom says and Caroline gives her one last squeeze before letting go.
"I love you mom." She says, she isn't going to say goodbye. She can't bring herself to.
"I love you too, Caroline. Have fun." Her mother says, and she watches her strong daughter walk out of her office, and the building, but not out of her life.
Caroline plays pop songs to distract her for the first few hours, she sings along and tries to think about positive things. She's never interacted with Elijah without Elena before. Elena will still be there, she corrects herself. She just won't be talking. She stops for lunch before she continues the long drive, she updates Klaus on her location, and confirms that she'll go to the location he had texted her a few days ago.
He tells her to give him a bit of a heads up before she arrives there, and she agrees. She wonders if she's driving into a war zone, as she sings along to a cute song about hope and love.