Bringing Out the Dead

A lot has changed over the years, however, there are a few things that never seem to change.

One is hearing laughter. An other is seeing people happy, cherishing moment with each other not knowing how long they've got left. Children running around as happy as can be without a care in the world.

That's all I can see around me as I sit in the middle of the town square, a warm coffee in my hands. People watching is one thing I'll never get tired of, playing a game with myself to guess things about their lives.

90% of the time I do love who I am, I do love being a vampire, the feeling of being able to do anything that I want, feeling as though I'm on top of the world. But there are times where that 10% of unhappiness creeps in and its especially watching other people live the lives I've always wanted.

To be happy with the man I love, to have a happy family who aren't trying to kill each other or anyone for that matter...to have a family of my own. Maybe just once have one day where I'm not stuck in the middle of drama.

Staring further into the crowd I realise that my last point is definitely not happening today. My heart stops for a moment when my eyes meet a familiar pair of eyes. Without even thinking, I rush over to them and pull them into a hug, sighing with relief when hearing a soft chuckle. I mimic the same chuckle, "This is a terrible hug."

"Well that's what happens when one has just woken up from a dagger slumber as you used to call it."

I pull away from the hug to have Elijah looking down at me with his classic 'older brother' look on his face, "You're not still mad about that? I went to go and take the dagger out of you but then Klaus stabbed Stefan."

Elijah nods, he places a hand on my shoulder, directing me on where he wants to walk, "We have some things to discuss."

"Here we go, am I going to be getting an Elijah Mikaelson lecture?"

Elijah sighs, "Not exactly, however, I must tell you that I have spoken to Damon today." We both reach my parked car, Elijah fixes his suit jacket and looks over to me, "Are you driving? Or shall I?"

I furrow my brows, narrowing my eyes at him, "Is this the part where you kidnap me?"

Elijah soon grows tired of me childish behaviour, he sighs, "Charlotte, would you just please get in the car."

I cross my arms against my chest, "Not until you tell me what this is about."

"Niklaus wants to destroy Stefan and your brothers want to destroy Niklaus." Elijah responds bluntly.

I open my mouth to say something back, but clamp it shut. I grab my keys out of my pocket and throw them over to Elijah, "You can drive."

Elijah catches the keys and we both get into the car. Elijah drives for a few minutes before either of us speak. I decide to be the one to start it off, "So are you going to tell me where you're taking me?" Elijah doesn't respond, "Or which brother you're siding with, yours or mine?" Elijah still remains silent, "I'm just having a conversation with myself again...oddly enough that seems like the normal thing lately."

I flick the radio on when Queen - Another One Bites the Dust comes on, Elijah releases a fed up sigh, knowing it's impossible for me to stay in silence and also that he doesn't particularly favour this rock band which makes this even more fun for me.

I start tapping along to the music against my lap, Elijah growing impatient towards me shuts the radio off, "Stop that."

I scoff, removing my eyes from the window over to Elijah, "Wow, he speaks!" But that was the only two words Elijah would say, silence flooding the car once more.

I turn to face the passenger window once more, fogging up the window as I do so and writing 'HELP!' on it, looking out the window giving my best petrified stare to ongoing drivers beside us.

Elijah soon notices and shoots his arm across, whacking my in the jugular as he wipes away the 'HELP!' on the window, "Charlotte, would you please just stop it!"

I bite my lip to mask the laughter that's dying to escape, it's so easy to wind Elijah up and makes me miss all the times in New Orleans I would do the same thing.

Elijah finally stops the car, when the ignition turns off that's when I look outside to see where we are, I roll my eyes as I look over to him, "An art gallery? Really?"

Elijah stays being the mute he's suddenly become and gets out of the car, which I follow. I am rather partial to an art gallery, however, I would always be with Klaus. I'm not as art crazy as he is but he would still always ask for my thoughts about certain pieces, then he would explain his thoughts, it was one of the few places Klaus would look relaxed.

I've been following Elijah around for at least 30 minutes with no speaking, dragging my feet behind me wondering why the hell I even got out of bed this morning. Elijah stands in front of a big piece of art, I don't even bother looking at the piece, already tired of this before we even stepped foot into this gallery.

I groan obnoxiously loud as I arch my head back, looking up at the pale blue ceiling. Elijah shushes me, but that doesn't stop me, I slowly bring my head forward as I shout, "This is so BOOOORING!!" An array of mumbled scoffs, 'what is she doing?', 'that is so rude', I look over to Elijah who still has his classic older brother glare fixated on his face, I smile over to him, happy about the scene I've just caused and begin to walk out of the art gallery back towards my car.

Elijah appears behind me, arms crossed against his chest, "Will you ever grow tired of making scenes like that?"

I turn to face him, unamused, "Will you just tell me why you've brought me here, Elijah?"

"There's going to be a dinner tonight." Elijah says blandly, getting straight to the point.

"And?"

"And your brothers will be attending, so will you."

I start to laugh, looking over to him with his blank stare, I shake my head as I turn away to look away from him, pacing around the car park, "No! Not happening, Elijah! I am not getting involved in this! I don't trust that this isn't going to end bad. I already know something is going to happen and it's either going to involve either my brothers, you or Klaus getting hurt so no."

I continue to pace around while Elijah stays standing in his spot, "You didn't seem to mind it when my brother drove a dagger into my chest..."

I come to a halt and groan, glaring at him as I throw my hands up in the air, "When are you going to get over that?!"

Elijah sighs, "You have to come, Charlotte. I feel your presence may stop them from doing something drastic."

I shrug, "Damon and Stefan don't care about my opinion or even me being here, Elijah, they haven't for a long time." My voice breaks a little saying that out loud.

Elijah puts his hands on either side of me, making me look up at him as he smiles back down at me, "I do."

I smile back up at him, "You're more of a brother to me than my actual brothers."

Elijah opens the car door for me to get in, "Be there for 7."

I raise a brow in his direction, "You're not going to let me say no, are you?"

Elijah flashes a smug smile, "No."

I stay there standing for another moment, debating with myself whether to actually go or not. But realising I can't win against Elijah, I reluctantly agree, "Fine, I'll come to your little tea party."

I walk back over to the car and get in, Elijah closes the door behind me then walking around the car climbing back into the drivers seat, driving us back to Mystic Falls.

Elijah clears his throat, "Niklaus has told me about the, lets say, journey you've both been on since the sacrifice."

I huff as I sit back further into my seat, crossing my arms, "No kidding."

"I was surprised to hear about everything that happened in those few short months, all the on and off business happened quick, even for the two of you."

I sigh as I look over to Elijah, "Yeah well you know what we're like, Elijah. It's always one step forward then three steps back. Especially with my brothers dark cloud looming over us." My phone starts to buzz in my pocket, I look down at the caller ID and it's Elena, I laugh slightly, "Speaking of..." I answer the call, putting my phone against my phone, "Hey Elena."

"Lola, hi. We need your help."

"What's up?"

"It's Caroline's dad, h-he was stabbed and he was dead but you know Meredith gave him Damon's blood and he-"

"He's in transition." I mumble quietly, but enough to Elena to hear and hum in agreement and Elijah raising a brow over at me as he continues to drive, "Where are you now?"

"Still at the hospital."

"Okay, keep him there as long as you can, I'll be as quick as I can. I'll message you when I'm on my way up."

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3RD PERSON POV:

Elena walks back into the hospital room where Caroline is trying to calm her dad down, "I called your mom and I called Lola, she's on her way up."

Caroline smiles over to her friend, "Thanks."

"Mr. Forbes, did you see your attacker?" Elena asks Bill.

Bill shakes his head, "I didn't see anything. Tried to sneak out the back exit and someone came up from behind."

Caroline sighs, "Look, we'll figure this out, but in the mean time we need to get you some blood."

All their heads turn to the door as Lola walks in, she smiles over to them, removing the hidden blood bag from under her jacket, "Your guardian angel has arrived with said blood."

Bill looks over to Caroline, smiling weakly as he shakes his head, "I'm not going to drink any blood."

"You have to." Elena interjects, "You died with vampire blood in your system. If you don't feed and finish the transition into a vampire then you'll die."

Bill doesn't leave his gaze on his daughter, "I understand how it works. And that's what I'm prepared to do." His demeanour changes, now growing irritated, "Now get me out of this hospital. I smell blood everywhere." Bill walks past the three girls and leaves the hospital room.

Lola follows him out of the room, following him down the hallway, "You could be a little less blunt about this."

Bill stops in his step, turning to face Lola, glaring at her, "I don't take advice from people like you."

Lola flashes a cocky smile, "You seem to keep forgetting your daughter is like those 'people' you are referring to." Bill bows his head at Lola's words, she clears her throat, stepping closer to him as she crosses her arms against her chest, "I heard about what you done to your daughter this summer. My own father was like this, hating a part of me that I couldn't change about myself, something that was forced upon me and throughout my life he let that push us both further and further away, the only times we would be close would be when his hand was around my neck, or fists against my cheeks." Lola's eyes begin to burn with tears trying to escape, she blinks them away and glares at Bill, "What my father failed to realise is that the part of me he loathed didn't make me who I am." A breathy laugh falls from her lips as she uncrosses her arms and throws them up, "Hell, there are some days where I don't even know who I am, but I'm working on that and have been for the last 100 odd years. If I was you, I wouldn't let Caroline end up the same way I did, because out of everyone I have ever met, Caroline is the one person who doesn't deserve to have a good for nothing father who suddenly treats her different to the little girl he once loved more than anything in the world. Our parents live inside us, whether they stick around or not."

"Lola..." Caroline's soft tone comes into play, behind Lola.

Lola sighs with her back to Caroline, she turns to face her, smiling at her weakly, "I have to go, I've got a dinner party to get to. Call me if you need me."

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3RD PERSON POV:

Elijah opens the door. Stefan and Damon are standing outside. "Niklaus, our guests have arrived." Elijah says announcing their arrival.

Stefan and Damon walk through the threshold to see Klaus standing by a dining table, two female servants standing beside him, "Damon. Stefan. Elijah tells me, you seek an audience. Very bold. Let's discuss the terms of our agreement like civilised men, shall we?"

"It's better to indulge him." Elijah says to the brothers as he walks past them and down towards the table.

Stefan starts to walk towards Klaus, with his hands behind his back, "I didn't, uh, come here to eat, Klaus. Fact, I didn't want to come here at all." Stefan looks over to Damon then back to Klaus, "But I was told I had to cause you would hear us out."

Klaus shrugs, "Well, we can sit and eat or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides." He takes a seat at the table, grinning, "The choice is yours."

Damon frowns at the table, deep down already knowing the answer to his question, "Why are there 5 table settings?"

Like clockwork there was another knock at the door. Elijah walks back over to the front door, "That's why." He opens the door to allow Lola to walk in, he smiles over at her, putting his hand on her shoulder as he leans in and kisses her cheek, "Charlotte, you look lovely."

Lola smiles back at him, "Hello Elijah." She steps further into the room, both of her brothers looking at her in shock more than anything, "Well, brothers, fancy seeing you here, huh?"

Klaus stands up from his seat and walks over to Lola to greet her, Lola doesn't even look in his direction, instead walking straight past him towards the table. Klaus chuckles to himself, "This should be fun, let's all take a seat, shall we?"

They all take a seat at the table, Lola sitting in between Klaus and Damon. Stefan glaring over at his sister, not thrilled of her being here, he hated her being so close to Klaus, "What are you doing here, Lola?"

Lola takes a sip of her wine then shrugs, "Elijah told me about this little dinner party you all had planned, I would so hate to miss out on it all." Both Lola and Elijah glance at each other, mirroring the other's smirk.

The waitress pours Damon some more wine, he smirks up at her, "Thank you, love."

Klaus looks over to Stefan, smirking, "You lost your appetite." Stefan raises his brows over to him.

"Eat." Damon snaps at Stefan like he used to when they were children, "I thought we agreed that we would leave the grumpy Stefan at home."

Stefan flashes a fake grin to Damon, he picks up his fork, then giving Klaus the same fake grin. Klaus grins back, "That's the spirit. Isn't it nice? Five of us dining together?" Klaus looks over to Lola sitting next to him, "Such a treat, it's like we're having a dinner with the in-laws, aren't we, love?"

Lola scoffs, not looking away from her glass of wine as she fiddles with a fork in her hand, "Please stop talking or this fork is going in your hand...again."

Klaus smirks at Lola's attitude, his attention then goes over to Damon, "Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger from my brother?"

"Well, I know how he felt about you, so I figured the more, the merrier." Damon playfully winks over to Elijah.

"Well, Elijah and I have had our share of quarrels over the century. But we always make it through."

"Kind of like you and Rebekah, right?" Stefan starts, Klaus looks over to Stefan tilting his head as Stefan continues, "Where is she, by the way? Last I checked she was still daggered because you were afraid to face her."

Klaus smiles slightly, "If you're referring to the fact that Rebekah knows I killed our mother, I've already come clean to Elijah."

"Hey, Stef, remember when you killed dad?" Lola's turn to now interrupt, glaring over to her younger brother, "What makes you think you can be patronising about the whole killing your parents palaver?"

Damon narrows his eyes at Stefan, "Lola's got a point, brother. Might want to dial down the judgment until dessert."

Stefan rests his elbows on the table, rubbing his hands together as he shrugs, "We're here to make a deal, Damon. Doesn't mean we need to kiss his ass for seven courses."

Damon sighs, "I'm just saying we have a long evening ahead of us. Pace yourself."

Elijah clears his throat, attempting to reduce the tension, "Stefan. Where is the lovely Elena tonight?"

"I don't know. Ask Damon."

Both Lola and Klaus start laughing. Elijah looks over at them both confused, Lola covers her laugh up by clearing her throat as she reaches for her wine glass.

Klaus continues to laugh then looks over to Elijah, "I'm sorry, you've missed so much. Ah, trouble in paradise."

"One more word about Elena and this dinner's over." Stefan threatens. Klaus smirks over to Stefan, putting his finger to his lips.

"You know what, probably best just to keep Elena in the do-not-discuss pile." Damon suggests.

"You're probably right." Klaus says agreeing with Damon.

"Yeah." Damon mumbles under his breath.

"It's just..." Klaus puts his fork on his plate, unable to stay quiet on the subject, "The allure of the Petrova doppelgänger, still so strong." He looks over to Elijah, "What do you say, brother? Should we tell them about Tatia?"

Elijah laughs awkwardly as he messes about with the napkin on his lap and placing it on the table, "Now why should we discuss matters long since resolved?"

"Well, given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line."

"Well, we're not going anywhere Elijah." Damon speaks up first, he raises his wine glass, "Please, do tell."

Lola also grabs her glass, slumping back in her chair, "This is going to be fun."

"When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia." Elijah begins his story, "She was an exquisite beauty. Every boy of age desired to be her suitor, even though she'd had a child by another man. And none loved her more than Niklaus."

Klaus glances up towards the ceiling, then over to Elijah, "I'd say there was one who loved her at least as much."

"Wait a minute." Stefan points between both Mikaelson brothers, looking rather smug, "So you both loved the same girl?"

"Our mother was a very powerful witch." Elijah continues, "She sought to end our feud over Tatia and so she took her. Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed in the wine on the night where our mother performed the spell which turned us into vampires. Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us, so for a time Niklaus and I...grew estranged. Harsh words were traded, we even came to blows, didn't we, brother?"

Klaus sits up properly in his seat, "But in the end we realised the sacred bond of family."

"Family above all." Elijah says as he raises his glass.

Klaus also raises his glass, "Family above all." They both clink their glasses together.

Lola smiles softly at the pair before looking over to her own brothers, the smile soon leaves. Realising that right now family isn't as important to them as it used to be, especially when a girl is involved.

Lola notices that Stefan kept glancing over to her during Elijah's story, a grin mixed with smugness and amusement, Lola crosses her arms against her chest, "Why are you looking at me like that, Stefan?"

Stefan shrugs, "You didn't seem to look that comfortable hearing that story."

"Well would you be comfortable hearing about someone from Elena's past?" Lola retorts, she unfolds her arms and sits forward with her arms resting on the table, glancing between both brothers, "Or how about Elena's present?"

Stefan leans back in his chair, "Just makes me wonder if the same thing happened once more just not amongst the Petrova bloodline."

"Whatever you're getting at, you're wrong." Lola bites back, "I know what you're thinking...you think both brother's has feelings for me and vice versa, don't you? That isn't the case at all, Elijah and I merely share a close bond with each other which is simply platonic, isn't that right, 'Lijah?" Elijah nods in response, Lola's attention then goes to Klaus sitting by her side, "Some people may have thought differently but it has been nothing more than that." Klaus looking down at his lap, annoyed. Lola then looks back over to Stefan, pursing her lips, "A bit like you and Lexi if I'm not mistaken..."

Damon clears his throat, trying to stop the conversation, "Okay I think we should stop there."

Lola looks over to her older brother, "What's wrong, Damon? Afraid to talk about the history of who you've killed?" Lola claps her hands together and then looks over to Elijah, "Here's something you've missed, Elijah, Damon killed my fiancee before I met you all...we just laugh about it now, don't we?" Lola glares back over to Damon.

Damon glares back at his sister, "I thought we have moved on from this? That's enough, Lo."

Lola purses her lips, looking up to the ceiling as though she is thinking for a moment, "You know, I've always wondered what happened to James back in the 40s, you remember him right? Left to go fight for our country but never made it back, makes me wonder if you done the same to him..."

"I said that's enough." Damon snaps back, stopping Lola from continuing.

Lola sits back with a smirk on her face, amused. She feels warmth on the top of her thigh, looking down and seeing Klaus has placed his hand on her leg. Lola stays still for a moment, debating with her inner self whether to just let him keep his hand there or not, not long after saying to herself to push him off her thigh, which she does.

"So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?" Elijah suggests.

"That's very simple." Damon starts, "Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan, and Elena live happily ever after and Lola can keep going on doing whatever the hell she wants. No grudges."

Lola rolls her eyes, mumbling "Asshole." under her breath.

Elijah looks over to Klaus, "The deal sounds fair, brother."

Klaus looking at the table, smiling to himself, "I don't think you understand. Elena's doppelgänger blood insures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me." Hit sits up fully, glaring at Stefan, "I will never leave her behind." Klaus stands up from his seat and begins to pace, "Let's say I do leave her here, under your protection, what then? How long before one of you turns her into a vampire?" He comes to a halt behind Lola's chair, putting both hands on either side of the back rest, "Or worse, how long before she dies caught between your feuding? You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her, and that is simply a delusion. Gentlemen, the worst thing for Elena Gilbert is...the two of you."

Damon gives a weak smile, then looks at Stefan, "I'm gonna get some air." Damon gets up from his seat and walks out of the room.

"Let me deal with this." Elijah gets up and follows Damon, leaving.

"All this talk has made me thirsty." Klaus looks at one of the servants and she walks over to him, "What do you say Stefan, Lola? Can I interest you in a little after-dinner drink?"

Lola pulls a face of disgust, "I'll pass, thanks." She gets up from her seat and walks over to a different corner of the room.

Klaus finishes feeding on the blonde servant girl and drops her dead body to the floor, "Delicious. Aged to perfection." He wipes a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb, smirking as he does so.

Stefan stands up from his chair and walks over to Klaus, "Well, I guess the only reason you agreed to this evening, Klaus, is to drive a wedge between me, Damon and Lola."

Klaus shakes his head, "Oh no, you're doing that well enough on your own. Because of Elena, you're gonna lose your brother and you'll only have yourself to blame." Klaus looks over Stefan's shoulder to Lola standing behind him, "You've both already lost your sister, even though none of you would care to admit that." He then glares to Stefan, "It's like history repeating itself again." Lola looks away from the pair, looking down at her feet.

Damon and Elijah re-enter. Damon stands in front of his sister, letting his older brother instincts kick in, "What do you say, Klaus? It's time for you to put something on the table. We've made our offer, now you counter."

"Okay." Klaus walks back to the table, taking a seat in Elijah's previous chair, clearing his throat as he wipes the corner of his mouth with a napkin, "I offer Elena's future happiness. You see, what she needs right now is to be rid of you lot." Klaus looks up at Elijah who is standing by his side, "And to fall in love with a human, maybe that nice football player, you know the blonde one?"

Damon scoffs, pulling a face, "Matt Donovan? Really?"

Klaus shrugs, "Yeah, why not? They'll marry, live a long and fruitful life, and pop out a perfect family."

"And continue the Petrova bloodline. Every few hundred years, you'll have a new doppelgänger to drain and never run out of hybrids, right Klaus?" Stefan retorts.

Klaus smirks, "Consider it a small return on my investment in her well-being. See, after you hand me back the coffin, I'll ensure her safety for the rest of her natural life. You know it's what's best for her." Klaus gets up and walks towards Stefan, "So, what do you say Stefan, hmm? Do we have a deal?"

Stefan starts walking over to Klaus, Damon looks at his brother confused, "What are you doing?"

Klaus holds his hand out to Stefan. Stefan grabs his hand, and smiles at him, "Nice try, Klaus. But no deal."

Klaus' expression soon turns sour, Lola picking up on this straight away, knowing fine well what was going to come next. She rushes over to the pair, standing between them both, glaring up at Klaus, "Don't even think about it, Klaus. I know that look in your eye and it stops now! Damon, get the coffin."

Damon narrows his eyes at his sister, "What?"

Lola turns to face Damon, her voice getting louder and more stern, "Get the coffin, Damon!"

Damon looks over to his sister, feeling hurt and betrayed that she would give in to Klaus' demands, "Fine, I'll get it."

"Go with him, brother." Klaus gestures to Elijah, "You keep him honest. And when you return, I will make good on my promise to you and I will hand over our family." Elijah walks out of the room, following Damon.

Stefan tries to step closer to Klaus but Lola still stands between them both, "Go ahead and kill me, that's what you were going to do before Lola got in the middle, right? I know you'll do it when he brings the coffin."

"You really have given up, haven't you? Where's the fight?" Klaus pushes Stefan's shoulder, making Stefan move back slightly, "Where's the ripper?"

"Both of you stop it!" Lola shouts.

Suddenly, Elijah and Damon re-enter the room next to the other female servant who is carrying a tray, Damon grabs hold of Lola's wrist, making her stand beside him.

Klaus glares at them all, "Elijah...why haven't you left?"

"Where are you manners, brother? We forgot dessert." Elijah takes the cover off the tray the blonde woman is carrying. Two silver daggers lie on it.

Klaus looks at the daggers, panic setting in, "What have you done?"

"What have you done?" Elijah retorts, "You see, I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus. We're doing this on my terms now."

Lola's eyes widen when she turns to see Kol enter the room, looking exactly as he did in the 1900s when Klaus daggers him.

Klaus looks over to his brother, putting his hands up in full on panic, "Kol."

"Long time, brother." Kol smirks, he turns to the side, his smirk growing further when he spots his long lost best friend, "Lottie." Lola smirks back at him.

Klaus starts to back away. Finn suddenly appears. "Finn, don't!" Fin grabs a dagger and stabs Klaus through the hand, causing Klaus to scream out in pain. He rushes away, but runs into Rebekah, "Rebekah!"

She stabs him in the stomach with a dagger, leaning closer to him to whisper in his ear, "This is for our mother." Rebekah pulls the dagger out, Klaus falls back into Kol's arms as Kol restrains him.

Elijah looks at the Salvatore's, "You're free to go. This is family business."

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As Lola drives home, on her own like she always seems to be at the moment while her brothers go off with each other, her phone lights up with Caroline's name flashing up. Lola presses answer on her phone, putting it on speaker as she continues to drive home, "How you doing?"

Lola can hear Caroline's soft whimpers down the other end of the phone, a deep breath before hearing words Lola really didn't want to hear tonight, "He's died, my dad, he didn't complete the transition."

Lola pulls to the side of the road, she sighs, bowing her head down knowing the heartbreak Caroline is feeling right now, "I'm on my way."

Caroline clears her throat at the other end of the call, "No, you don't need to do that, I'll be fine."

Lola can hear hurt in Caroline's voice, clearly indicating that she is in fact not fine, "You've just had a massive loss, Caroline. As your friend I'm coming round to make sure you're okay."

Caroline starts to well up again at the other end of the call, unable to speak for a moment, she finally manages one word, "Okay."

Both of them hang up, Lola starts her car once more, turning around in the road and heading towards Caroline's.

Lola arrives at the Forbes' residence, Liz answering the door, dark circles around her bloodshot eyes, clear indiction she had been crying, "Come on in, Lola."

Lola smiles softly at the Sheriff, "I'm sorry for your loss, Liz."

Liz nods, "Thank you, Caroline is in her room."

Lola walks down the hall towards Caroline's room. She looks into the room, Caroline sitting next to her empty bed with her back to the door, "Hey Care."

Caroline jumps slightly as Lola's presence, she quickly wipes away her tears before turning to face Lola and smiles up at her, "Hey."

Lola sits on the edge of Caroline's bed to face her, "Are you going to be okay?"

Caroline nods, "Yeah I'll be fine." Caroline clears her throat as she stands up from her seat, "How was the dinner?"

Lola rolls her eyes, "Eventful to say the least."

Caroline turns to face Lola, fidgeting her hands trying to say what she has been wanting to say all day to her, "I heard what you said to my dad...about your own father hating a part of you that you couldn't change."

Lola sighs as she stands up from the bed and walks over to Caroline, "Caroline, I didn't mean it, just seeing the way he can speak to you sometimes just brought up bad memories."

"What was the part of you?"

Lola tries to hide her inner self beginning to panic, "What?"

"Stefan told me about the night you all turned, your father didn't even see you as a vampire so I was just curious about what was the part of you he hated?"

Lola starts to panic even more, she knew she had to speak about this eventually but still wasn't ready for it to be known, "You weren't meant to hear that, you can't say anything, Caroline. Damon and Stefan don't even know."

Caroline smiles, "I won't say anything, but you've helped me so much, Lola. The least I can do is be there for you about this."

Lola shakes her head as she begins to pace, "I've said too much already. It's not that I don't trust you, I just think that my brother's should hear about it before anyone else."

Caroline continues to smile and nods at Lola, "I understand."

[[A/N: WTF, last time I posted the story was at 11K reads, now we're at 13K?!?! I FUCKING LOVE YOU ALL!! I hope you know that. You should see my smile every time I see when someone has voted on a chapter or commented on one, every comment gives me LIFE!! I am so excited to write the next chapter...IT'S THE MIKAELSON BALL Y'ALL!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like I've been waiting so long to write the chapter and I AM READY FOR IT!!!]]