Salem, Mass - A few days before Caroline coming back to Mystic Falls
Caroline found herself seated in a locally owned coffee shop, patiently awaiting Gail Scott's arrival, a witch whose family has been in Salem since the witch trials. She took a sip of the espresso she had ordered, leaving the pastry suggested by the barista untouched. "Caroline," a woman with raven-black hair greeted her. "Thank you for being so courteous about your request to meet with me."
Caroline wouldn't have had it any other way. She understood that with a simple request and the willingness to pay for someone's time, she could obtain whatever she needed or desired — including the services of witches. "Of course. I truly appreciate you meeting with me on such short notice. Is there somewhere we could speak more privately?"
Gail nodded, "My office is in the back; it's enchanted so that no one can overhear us." Caroline finished her coffee, tossing the to-go cup and untouched pastry into the trash before following the woman into the office. "You mentioned over the phone that you needed help with something."
"Not just something—someone. I need assistance in opening up my mind," Caroline replied as soon as the door closed behind them. She settled onto the couch in the office, while Gail took a seat in the chair by the small desk. Caroline began to pour out her heart to the witch, recounting her lack of memories from her human life, how she had awakened alone with no understanding of her identity, and how she sensed that pieces of herself were missing and yearned to find them. "I just want to feel whole. I know I won't be able to without knowing who I was, where I came from, and who is absent from my life. There is so much unanswered," Caroline concluded.
Gail studied the blonde before her. "Why do you believe you have no memory?"
Caroline sighed, "I don't know for certain, except that it must have been a witch—likely a powerful one—for such a spell to endure for so long."
Gail sensed a bond with Caroline, seeing the shared longing to comprehend one's history. "I will help you," she assured.
Caroline whispered her gratitude to the woman before inquiring, "Where do we begin to unravel this mystery?"
.
Over the past few days, Mystic Falls had taken on an almost eerie calm that both unsettled and comforted Caroline. Since arriving in this small town, she felt as though she hadn't experienced a single peaceful moment. Now, as dusk enveloped the landscape and the full moon illuminated the night sky, she found a sense of relief — it was her favorite time of day, the world was quiet, at peace and for the first time in a while, she felt as if she could truly breathe.
Her thoughts wandered to what felt like a distant memory, one that had haunted her dreams since waking up in Italy so many years ago. It was the reason she was wide awake instead of peacefully resting in her new apartment. She recalled an image of herself in the woods, surrounded by towering trees and bathed in the warm glow of the sun. She wore a long-sleeved, dark green dress and a gentle smile graced her lips as she gazed at the man beside her. Until tonight, he had remained faceless in her mind, but now she recognized him as the man she had shared a drink with just a few nights earlier. Confusion washed over her; why did he seem so familiar?
Caroline suddenly felt a surge of heat in her chest, followed by a sharp pain in her stomach that brought her to her knees. It was the same excruciating sensation she had experienced just a few days earlier during her visit to Salem— the same pain Gail had mentioned, the one that indicated someone she loved and was deeply connected to was suffering. Caroline let out a piercing scream, clutching her arms tightly to her chest as the pain intensified. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to comprehend the depths of this connection - twice in eight days.
Stefan, who had been watching Caroline from a few feet away, saw her suddenly collapse to her knees, confusion washing over him as he tried to grasp what was happening. "Caroline!" he yelled, quickly rushing to her side. "What's wrong? Stay with me!" He knelt beside her, placing a comforting hand on her back while attempting to help her rise from the spot where she seemed frozen in pain.
Inside her, the agony felt like a raging storm, and Caroline struggled to maintain her grip on consciousness. "It's... it's him," she gasped, fighting to articulate her realization before being engulfed by darkness, her world fading into black.
"What?" Stefan exclaimed, panic coursing through him. Without hesitation, he lifted Caroline in his arms and, in a flash, transported them back to the Salvatore Boarding House.