𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄
just because i carry it so well doesn't mean it's not heavy

MILLIE ABSOLUTELY DESPISED herself for what she had said and done the day prior. Everything had piled up, and on top of that, the brain she had eaten was from a ptsd ridden soldier who had taken their own life from how angry and full of guilt they were.

But no matter how scared she was to face the consequences of what she had said, she knew she had to go and apologize to Caroline. The blonde vampire didn't deserve anything she had said to her.

And that's why she's standing outside of the office door, trying to calm her anxious breathing.

"Millie, I can hear you," Caroline's soft voice filtered through the door.

Millie sucked in a breath, her bottom lip going in between her teeth. "Oh..." she gulped. Reaching forward to open the door with shaky hands, the blonde zombie opened the door, and immediately was met with Caroline standing in front of the desk with sad tearful eyes that instantly broke the younger girl. Her lips trembled and then she was crying, "I'm so sorry!"

Caroline choked back on a sob while shaking her head. "No, I'm sorry. I should've—"

"I had no right to say those things to you," Millie rushed out, clutching her chest cause it felt like her heart was being strangled. "I never should've blamed you for all the things the... the foster parents did and said to me. I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry."

Caroline shook her head, body shaking as she tried to hold back her cries. "You were right about some things, sweetheart. I should've fought harder to keep you. I should've fought harder to find you. And when I thought you were dead, I should've hunted down all the information I could to... to find out what happened. I don't know why I didn't... other than the fact that I was scared." Millie blinked at her, confused. "By the time I got the courage, you were already grown up. I thought you had a nice family with a happy childhood. And I didn't want to ruin that. I didn't want to... ruin you. I was broken, and such a scared person even before I turned into a vampire. This town wasn't safe, I didn't want to bring you into the mess. I tried to leave this town multiple times when the twins were growing up, but we kept coming right back. I just..." she shook her head, not knowing what else to say.

"I love the twins, they're my baby girls, yes. But... you're mine too," Caroline smiled even though tears were streaming down her face. "The moment I held you in my arms all those years ago, I never felt happier. For once, I felt whole. For once, I truly loved something more than myself, and your little baby eyes just stared up at me with just as much love. You were so little and fragile, I never wanted anything to happen to you. I still don't want anything bad to happen to you." She swallowed thickly, reaching out with shaky hands to cup Millie's crying face. "I love you so very much. Don't you ever doubt that, sweetheart. I wish I could take all your pain away and store in a box out of your reach, but I can't. I can't change your past, I can't take away all the pain that conjured from all those years in the foster system, but I can help you make better memories now. I can make sure you're loved and taken cared of now. I want to show you what true, unadulterated love is."

Millie stared up at her mother, body trembling, before she fell into her chest, sobbing loudly, gripping onto her like her life depends on it.

CAROLINE AND MILLIE had spent probably a full hour just holding onto one another, crying into each other, gripping onto one another like they were about to die. Once they had calmed down enough, Caroline suggested talking to someone about all of Millie pent up feelings that she never lets out.

And honestly, the zombie agreed.

So, for the past hour and a half, Millie had spent talking a few things over with Emma Tig, the school guidance counselor. She had laughed, had cried, had smiled, and then felt drained by the end of it.

But right now, she is between her sisters on their beds that they had pushed together, a huge screen in front of them playing the Barbie movie with Margot Robbie.

And suddenly, everything feels a bit lighter.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆

— hello there strangers, long time no see. sorry about that. this month has been very hectic. it was my birthday month, also i went to a couple concerts with my friend, and it's now been a week and three days since my dog has passes which was... very emotional.

— sorry that this chapter is very short, but it was just to show that millie isnt always the 'sunshine' character, she has darkness in her as well, and just like everyone else in the tvdu, she is a bit broken, but it doesn't mean she can't be put back together.

— also, six more chapters to go !! are you guys excited ???