Chapter 2
"I'm stuck in a bad 80s movie." Damon says with a groan. Then he sighs and flicks his hands at Caroline in exasperation. "What?"
"What's not to get, Damon. I'm from the future." She turns to walk away, but Damon grabs her arm.
She yanks free of him. "Don't touch me."
As she leaves the alley, Damon stares at her in surprise. She's broken his hold on her twice. Future or not, how old is she?
"Where are you going?" he asks.
"I just crossed through an inter-dimensional portal that feeds on magic," she says over her shoulder. "I'm hungry."
"I guess your two friends back there weren't enough to tide you over?"
Caroline snickers as he follows her across the street to the now empty park. "You really don't know anything about time portals, do you?"
"Okay," he says. The overwhelming need to drink something that burns springs to the forefront of Damon's mind as he frowns at the blonde. He considers just leaving the crazy vampire and heading to the Grill for a shot of bourbon. "Assuming I actually believe that…"
Ignoring the cool breeze that brushes against her bare ass under the long coat, Caroline spins to face him with a raised eyebrow and her hands planted on her hips. "What, you'll believe that I was abducted by aliens, but not that I'm from the future?"
"Yes."
Caroline scoffs, and Damon sneers back at her. "For all I know, this is the same freaky genetics that make Elena and Katherine possible."
"That's not genetics. It's magic. They are doppelgängers," she says, crossing her arms over her chest. "They look alike, but they are completely different people. I am Caroline. The same Caroline that just left with my…"
Damon watches her stern voice crack and stumble at the mention of Liz, and he almost believes she cares for the Sheriff. Almost.
"You know what," Caroline says. "Forget it. I don't need you to believe me. And I don't need your help."
She whips around and stomps away in a Caroline-like fashion. Damon watches her leave, debating whether to go after her. She's obviously lying about time travel. Seriously, how stupid does she think he is? But she hasn't explained why she looks so much like the real Caroline. And her comments about doppelgängers suggests that she knows something about Elena.
And there it is. If the crazy blonde has information on Elena, Damon can't let her just walk away with it. Even when Elena may be mad at him. Like, royally pissed.
'Yes, Damon. You have lost me forever.'
He grimaces at the memory of Elena's words. Whether she meant them or not, they hurt. But Elena wants any information available on doppelgängers. She even asked about them during their trip to Duke. Since the hottie with a crossbow was a bust, maybe this Caroline imposter can provide some much-needed insight.
Or she could just lie about it. Only crazy people claim time travel, Damon says to himself. But he follows after the blonde anyway. And even crazier people listen.
Damon catches up to Caroline at the center of the park. The police are gone along with the unconscious teenagers, and the melted remains of the monument are taped off with yellow police tape. Caroline searches the area with her brow twisted in confusion, prompting Damon to ask.
"What are you looking for?"
"The portal. It's gone."
"How can you tell?" Damon says, looking around. It occurs to him that if he's not careful, he might stumble through an invisible tear in reality…or at least somewhere else. The imposter did appear out of thin air, she had to come from somewhere, but definitely not the future.
"It's a hole in the fabric of time and space, Damon. They are kind of hard to miss," Caroline says, throwing her hands up in the air.
"You need to get your story straight, imposter Barbie. Lightening and some strange noises preluded your arrival, but I never saw anything that I would consider a portal…to anywhere."
"Really?"
"Nope," he says. "I mean you're welcome to describe it to me, but I'm pretty sure you're full of shit."
Caroline frowns and glares at him until a thought occurs her.
"I think, you're exact words were 'swirling vortex of doom'," she says with a sly smile. Caroline strolls away from him and through the park, much to Damon's annoyance.
He frowns, but follows after the blonde vampire. My words? Right, like I'm going to believe that. Time to get this train back on track.
"Let's pretend like I actually believe you."
"Which you don't," Caroline says over her shoulder as she crosses the street. "Because you're paranoid. And delusional. And a jackass. And…"
"I said pretend."
Caroline stops in front of a newspaper dispensers and rips it open.
"That's just it, Damon. I don't have time to play your game of twenty questions." She pauses from her thievery to look up at the elder Salvatore brother. "That is what you want, right? Information on something. Because as certain as you are that I'm lying about the time travel, there's a tiny part of you that believes me. And God forbid Damon Salvatore pass up the chance to gain an advantage on all his current and future nemeses."
Caroline cocks an eyebrow at him while Damon glares and mumbles. "Whatever."
She chuckles at his typical response and pulls a newspaper from the dispenser. She unfolds it to search for the date and frowns when she finds it.
"I just turned," she whispers. "That means I'm still in high school. Junior year. With Elena and…and Bonnie."
The joyous smile that spreads across Caroline's face as she mentions the teenage witch surprises Damon. It's genuine. That's twice now that this imposter has displayed a real emotional response that he might expect from the baby vamp. Either this Caroline is a fantastic actress and knows exactly how to channel the real Caroline, or…
Nope. No way. Not even gonna go there. I don't know what this crazy chick is playing at, but she is NOT a time traveler.
Meanwhile, Caroline presses the newspaper to her chest as she remembers one of her closest friends. She remembers all the fun they had as kids and the trouble they caused as teenagers. She remembers watching Bonnie grow older and raise her kids. She also remembers how much she misses her old friend and hopes to get to see her during this visit. But that's not why she's here. Caroline shakes her and places the newspaper back into the dispenser.
"I need to find them," she says. Her eyes flicker with a renewed determination.
"Who?"
"Jo and Lizzie." Caroline continues down the sidewalk away for the town square, and Damon follows.
"And Hope too, I guess," she says.
"Who the hell are they?"
"They're my…they're witches, sort of."
"And I suppose they are responsible for the…"
"Time portal," Caroline says with a smirk.
"Light show and disappearing acting. So, why do you have to find them?"
"Because they're in trouble. Or they're going to cause trouble. Either way, I have to find them and bring them home."
"To the future."
"Yes, Damon. To the future." Caroline rolls of her eyes with an exasperated sigh. "Now, have you seen anything suspicious lately?"
"Suspicious like a swirling vortex of doom or Chris angel's light show?"
"Now, you're getting it."
"I'll tell you what," Damon says. He grabs Caroline's shoulder, and she faces him.
"You answer my question, and I'll answer yours," he says.
"Fine." She crosses her arms over her chest and sucks on her cheek, waiting for his question.
"Tell me what you know about doppelgängers."
"I don't have time to explain everything, but they're basically supernatural beings created by the universe to balance out a crazy witch's attempt at immortality 2000 years ago. Every few hundred years, they are born and their blood is incredibly valuable to certain witches and…Klaus."
"Who's Klaus?" Damon asks.
"Nope, you're turn."
Damon frowns. Now, he has more questions than when he started. Who's Klaus? Is he looking for Elena? Why is Elena's blood so valuable? Does that mean Katherine's blood is valuable? Does Katherine know about the doppelgängers? Are there more than just Katherine and Elena? Damon needs answers, and he knows that once he answers her question, this Caroline is gone. So he makes a little gamble.
"If you're really Caroline from the future, shouldn't you be protecting the time line? Why are you telling me something I shouldn't know yet?"
"Because this time line has no effect on mine. No matter what happens here, I go home to same present that I left." Caroline cocks her head to side. "That's two questions I've answered now. And you're still at zero. Which makes me think that I'm not going to like your answer."
Damon considers this new information for a moment before continuing. "That doesn't matter. The real Caroline would still care about Elena, no matter what time line she resides in."
"What are you getting at, Damon?"
"Tell me everything I need to know to keep Elena safe."
Caroline purses her lips at him. Of course Damon wants to protect Elena. That's what he does best. At least that never changes. He'd do anything for Elena. Anything.
"Okay, Damon. I'll tell you," Caroline says with a wicked smile. "But you have to help me find the girls."
Damon considers her offer with a stern expression. He already has his hands full with a werewolf and Katherine. Well, actually Katherine is Stefan's problem now. And if this Caroline is telling the truth, her knowledge could help Damon protect Elena. Given enough time and groveling, Elena may forgive him. For killing her brother.
Not likely. Damon admits to himself. But that doesn't mean I'll stop protecting her.
"Deal," he says.
"Great, now tell me if you've seen anything suspicious."
"Sorry. Other than your flashy entrance, I've got nothing," Damon says and Caroline groans.
"That doesn't make any sense. I was right behind them."
"So they entered the portal just before you did? Shouldn't I have seen them?"
"Maybe." Caroline continues her trek down the side walk. "Unless they didn't anchor the portal."
"So they closed it? Maybe they're in a different time, and you're all alone here," Damon says as he walks beside her. "Vampire Barbie — Lost in time."
"It doesn't work that way. Besides, I thought you didn't believe me."
"I don't. I think you're batshit crazy." Damon flashes a half-smile at her. "But, you're the only one offering answers. Whether they prove to be true or not, we'll have to see."
Caroline smiles at the typical Damon response, glad to have him on her side. No matter how annoying he can be, Damon always seems to get things done.
"First thing's first, I need blood and then shelter. It's going to be dawn soon."
"Ahah! Caroline has a daylight ring, therefore you are not from the future."
"Do you really think I walked through a time portal butt naked?" Caroline asks, and Damon can't help himself.
"Honestly?"
"No, Damon. I did not. When you walk through a portal, everything in your possession is destroyed. Clothes, jewelry, hell even my skin was melted off this time. Time traveling is a bitch."
"So we're talking Terminator rules?"
"Really? God, you and Stefan both. You never change," she says. When Damon glances at her in confusion, she explains. "You've both said that before."
Check out my short story blog at kellyanixDOTcom or my new Fantasy Adventure novel series at kellyanixDOTcom/kajiwarriors.