The Baby

Soon the clouds parted and the moon emerged, Caroline looked at the skies and extended her hand to check whether if it was still raining. "That was weird." I sighed and settled onto one of the park benches, contemplating the chaotic scene unfolding at home. A mischievous grin spread across my face as I took a sip of vodka.

Caroline clasped her hands together and sat next to me. "What's happening?"

I glanced at her, taking another sip, as I looked at the bottle trying to peel off the label, "I'm wondering where things went wrong."

"Well, the yelling wasn't exactly the best move when trying to fix something with someone," she said, as she attempted to take the bottle from me.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I tilted my head asking, "What?"

"You're upset over Bonnie right?"

I scoffed and said, "No, well… a little but no." I took another sip as I sighed. I was worried that they will try to kill each other again.

"Then what is it?" She placed her hand on my shoulder and looking intently

"I… I don't know." I turned to her "I don't know why? Why I keep trying to fix everything, even though I know it's a lost cause. I try and try but it remains broken." I sighed and took another sip of my drink. "It's truly a sickness, Bonnie… my brothers, everyone else, they all relentlessly chip away at me."

"I didn't know… You never seem bothered by anything. It's hard to see the ones you love to see them fight everyday. Wondering if you could have made it better. Trying to make it stop." She looked distant almost lost .

She looked at me and said, "But you have to try, because you love them. And that's what matters, Tom. You trying to make things better."

I looked at her and smiled, "That was oddly poignant…"

She looked at me and chuckled and said, "Yeah…" we laughed a little "I didn't even who where it came from." She rubbed my shoulders and said, "It's gonna be okay... trust me."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the idea that a feud spanning centuries could be resolved simply, and I must admit, I was slightly taken aback because I did believe her, even if it was a small part of me.

She got up and reached out to me and smiled, "Come on, I'll drop you home." She asked for my keys.

I snarked at her comment "Ah, that would be a NO. I alone drive my baby." She frowned and said, "Road safety is not a joke."

"And I'm not joking either." I got up and walked straight, "See I'm fine."

"You give me the keys or I can call my mom." She folded her hands and pursed her lips and looked at me, "What will it be?" I fessed up the keys. "Damn it." I regret giving her the vervain now.

Caroline and I got in my car after I picked up the Ice cream from the grill. She stopped in front of the driveway and said, "Now, you get in there and try to get some rest I'll bring her around tomorrow after school."

I stopped in my tracks and turned, "You aren't going to take her to school are you?"

She looked at me with her eyes widened and her face twitching with awkward crooked smile as she revved the engine and said, "What?" She turned the car around and drove away quickly. I took deep breaths "Her mom's a sheriff, her mom's a sheriff, her mom's a sheriff." I groaned and dragged my feet into the house.

I went to the parlour to get myself a drink and I saw that Vicki was still awake and was watching something, she turned around and said, "Hey, you're back and look at that you remembered."

I went to the liquor cabinet and poured some Wiskey for me and sat down next to Vicki. I handed her the ice cream tub and she smiled as she patted my hand. I looked at the Tv and there was some guy biting into a girls neck, while they were fucking. I tilted my head as I asked "What's this?"

She looked at me with a spoon full of ice cream in her mouth and said, "Oh, that's True blood. It's a show about Vampires."

I hummed and said, "Didn't know they were still making shows about us."

She nodded and said, "Yeah there are tons of it and this one gets most of it right… you know the sunlight, decapitation, making vampires." She then stopped and looked at me as she asked, "Hey did something happened at the party?"

I groaned and slid back into the couch and she looked at me and said, "They trashed the room, upstairs… it was bloody."

"Eh, I don't wanna talk about it." A red haired girl appeared on screen and she was taking to this guy named Bill. "That's Jessica, she is the progeny of Bill… you know they kinda reminds me of us." I turned to her and she looked at me and shrugged, "What they do… I was a little out of it when I was born again and so was she, Bill took care of her like you do with me. I'm sorry I thought it was a complement."

She looked away looking dejected and I brought her closer and said, "Yeah, they are a bit like us. But I'm better. You still get real blood. If it was upto my brothers you'd be dead or drinking Bambi."

She chuckled a bit and I thought maybe it wasn't all that bad being here. Trying to make amends with my brother.

"Hey, why did I hear the car taking off?" She asked as she looked at the Tv. I hummed and looked at her, "No!" She gasped and said, "You didn't?!"

I threw my hands in the air and said, "Her mom's a sheriff! What do you want me to do?!"

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(Caroline's POV)

A new day graced the earth, its light bringing life to all beings. As little rays of sunlight made their ways to my closed eyes. I got up, stretched my body before opening the blinds. I looked at the day ahead of me and a smile came across my face, for the first time in a while I was oddly happy.

I got ready and made my way downstairs, I found mom in her uniform, pouring coffee and reading the news. She had a smile on her face as well, looks like everyone was happy today. She heard me come downstairs and looked up and said, "You look chippy today."

"Good morning, Mom… as do you… Chippy? No one says that anymore." I said to her as I sat down at the table and got some toasts and eggs.

"So, whats up with the car in the driveway?" She asked and I stopped stuffing the eggs in my mouth and said, "It's a long story, it's Tom's he was a little out of it yesterday. I'll return it after school."

She hummed and I asked, "Hey mom, why were you at the party last night?"

She looked at me and pursed her lips and said, "There was a report of a fugitive… it's fine, we got the guy."

I looked at her and I could tell there was something amiss with all the things that she just said. "So, Tom huh?" She interjected

"No, it's not like that… he's…" I don't know what he is to me a friend? "Whatever it may be… but I'm not ready to… again."

She looked at me as her eyes fixated on me and her hands gripped the cup firmly, she sighed and said, "Well, if you were… I think he's a good guy."

I can't quite pinpoint the reason, but for some reason, she made me feel good. After breakfast was over, I got inside Tom's car. And I can understand why he calls it her "Baby" This girl is a beast. I revved the engine as I took off for school.

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As I reached school, I could see some of the boys eyeing, but it wasn't me this time. It was Baby and not gonna lie, kinda jelous of her right now. I saw Elena and even her jaw dropped as she saw me pull up. I parked the car and Elena came closer. I got out and she looked at me and asked, "What are you doing with it?"

I explained the whole night to her and I have to say she was kinda shook. As we were in the hallway I saw Bonnie and she looked a little out of it. I stopped Elena as she was taking about Stefan and said, "Have you talked to Bonnie?"

"Not since last night why?" She looked at me and I pointed her out and she was surprised as well. Okay maybe not all of us were happy.