Steroline: Even Now

What?

Caroline's POV~

I begin to walk over to the door, still laughing whilst looking at my children over my shoulder. Don't worry, they aren't covered in pancake mix anymore, we managed to get most of it off. I stare at them contently, pushing the front door open.

My eyes linger on my little angels for a bit longer before they move to answer whomever is at the door. "Lizzie," I smile happily, realising that it's my heretic daughter. "I didn't know you were coming, but now that you're here you can help me decorate with these little monsters," I announce, still laughing.

"Yeah, sure Mom, but you do have some visitors, I thought you could use an early Christmas gift," she replies. She steps aside, allowing me to see the people standing behind her. It's Elena, and what I can assume are her and Damon's kids. Why are they here? They're not supposed to be here. Why did Lizzie bring them here? This wasn't supposed to happen.

"Elena, what are you doing here?" I ask beyond confused and in caution, worried for what this could mean for my younger children. "I brought them because you and Bonnie need a friend right now, plus the troublesome three could use some playmates," Lizzie answers for her.

"Ok, just give me one second," I reply, pushing the door back so that there's only a small gap in between. I quickly rush back into the Kitchen, ushering the kids up the stairs and into Dylan's room. I want them to all be together, just in case something happens. 

I swiftly run back down the stairs and to the door. I pull the door back open and question, "were you followed?" "No," she answers. "Ok, then come in." Elena and her kids enter first whilst Lizzie lingers around the door for a little bit too long. "Lizzie, what are you doing?" I ask. "Just quickly surveying the area one last time," she replies, shutting the door behind her.

What is going on? Lizzie definitely has some sort of plan and considering that Josie isn't here, it's not a good one. So, I ask, "Lizzie, why isn't Josie with you?" "She decided to stay at the school with Dad this time," she responds as she takes a seat on the small, white ottoman in the living room. Elena and her kids taking a seat on the big, white couch whilst I sit in the light blue armchair. 

Now, I don't know what's going on, but I do know that Lizzie wouldn't endanger the triplets. This is what prompts my next question. "Lizzie, I need you to be completely honest with me right now. Is it safe for them right now?" I ask, purposefully being vague but still making it clear to her what I'm asking. "Yes, they are safe, you just need to trust me," she answers honestly.

She's my daughter, so of course I'll trust her when it comes to things like this. Which is why I stand up and walk up the stairs and over to Dyl's room. "Guys, you can come down now, Lizzie and one of Mommy's old friends are here. You guys can keep decorating, but I'm probably going to have to explain the story about how we got to today. Is that okay?" I ask, because even though they're young they still deserve their privacy.

They whisper between themselves for a bit, trying to come to a consensus, as Faith likes to call it. She's becoming increasingly smart. Their answer is them running out the door screaming, "come and get us", heading towards the stairs, me hot on their tails.

Stefan's POV~

After Caroline heads up the stairs we wait a few minutes until we hear lots of little screams coming from up the stairs, followed by another yell that was obviously Caroline's voice. We hear the shuffling of feet before three tiny people come running down the stairs, kids, with Caroline right behind them. She runs after them but they all, for some reason, head in the same direction, making it easier for her to catch them. Though, that's unknown to them.

I soon realise that they're heading straight for Lizzie. They jump at her, giving her a hug whilst saying that they've missed her. Looking around, I can tell that everyone's confused by the level of familiarity between them. I look over at Caroline, she stands there for a moment, smiling at the interaction between the three kids and Lizzie. She looks happy, something that I wished on her every day that I was dead.

The children moved off of Lizzie, still remaining close to her. Caroline takes this as her chance to sneak up on them, wrapping her arms around them from behind and pulling them into a hug. We're all stumped by this, unable to figure out the connection between all of them. That is except for Damon, he has this shocked look on his face, like he has some crazy theory that he actually thinks is true. 

Before I'm able to ask him about it the three young kids run off together and grab out boxes of what look like Christmas decorations. They begin some sort of decorating process or ritual, drifting off into their own world. Caroline turns to Elena and asks, "I guess it's time for an explanation, isn't it?" She sits back down in the armchair and questions, "what do you want to know?"

"Why did you leave Mystic Falls?" Is Elena's first of many questions. Caroline sighs and answers, "I had something to protect. More like something's." Elena is about to ask another question when Stefanie asks her if she and Grayson could go and play with the other kids. She, of course, says yes.

She turns her attention back to Caroline, pondering what she will ask next. "What did you have to protect?" Is what she decides with. We're all staring intently, awaiting Caroline's answer. "Let me start a bit before my departure from Mystic Falls. I knew you would all be confused about why I left because I seemed completely okay, right?" Elena nods in reply. "In reality I was okay, I knew that Stefan would've wanted me to be happy and be there for the girls and to just live my life knowing that he would love me forever." 

She was right, that was exactly what I wanted her to do and to know. She got everything right, it's just not even remotely okay that she had to get it right in the first place. How did she end up here?

"So, I did just that," she continues, "and it worked for a while. I was able to move on. That was until one little thing cracked me right open and broke my heart all over again. I didn't know how it had even happened in the first place, which is why I called Bonnie and disappeared with her and the girls. Speaking of Bonnie, she should be back soon, wouldn't you like to see her again?" She asks Elena, standing up and walking around a bit, obviously trying to dodge the question. "I'm sure she'd love to see you." 

I wonder what happened to her, what could I have possibly left behind that managed to break the strongest person I know. Yes, I know that sounds like such a naive question, but we're the supernatural, we go through lots of weird stuff. Luckily, Elena picks up on her trying to dodge the question. 

"Care, what happened?" She asks, pulling Caroline back to her seat. "Elena," she pauses. " I didn't even know that it was possible, I don't even think it is. I think it might be because I had had Lizzie and Josie but I'm not sure." "Care?" "Elena, it was Stefan's only regret, I know because I could see it. He died-," she chokes up, trying to hold back a wave of tears. "He died before he could see them."

What is she talking about? My only regret is not being able to be her husband in the end. What didn't I see? 

"Triplets, come over here." She calls out, the three children immediately stopping what they're doing. They come over and sit on the armchair with her, the two boys on either side of her and the girl on her lap. "Elena, meet Lucas, Faith and Dylan Salvatore." She announces as she points to each child, from left to right. "I left Mystic Falls because I was pregnant. These are Stefan's crazy and wonderful children that he never got the chance to meet."

What?