Above It All " SEQUEL TO ABOVE ALL ELSE "

Chapter 1

It was that understanding that gave Caroline the push she needed to speak, "So, I'm leaving town for a while."

Liz blinked her eyes as if that was not what she had been expecting to hear, "Oh?"

"Yeah after, I mean," Caroline cursed her emotions for running so hot and cold. One minute she could control herself to the point she felt numb to everything and then the next, like right now, her eyes had a mind of their own and would well up with tears.

A look of sympathy and understanding passed over Liz's face, and in a move that seemed to surprise her as much as it did Caroline, she placed a hand on her upper arm as she spoke softly, "I'm so sorry Caroline. I know what you standing here means for you. And I know just how hard it is to lose someone you hold so dear."

The two women stood staring at each other with tears in their eyes long after Liz had dropped her hand from Caroline's arm.

Clearing her throat Liz pointed her thumb over her shoulder, "Well, good luck on your trip. I should go."

Caroline felt panic rise in her chest at the sight of Liz's back. Without thinking she shouted, "Mom wait!" Her breath caught in her throat as Liz turned back to face her, "I'm sorry. So, so sorry. I know you're not really my Mom and I get it now why you kept yourself distant from me all these years. But, you are the only Mom I have ever known. And even if you didn't get it right, even if I didn't get it right by you; you helped make me who I am."

"Caroline please. Don't." Liz croaked.

Caroline lifted her hands and slowly crept towards her, her eye begging Liz not to turn and run away like she could tell she really wanted to, "Please, just let me say this and I promise you will never have to see me again if that's what you want."

Seeing that she had her attention Caroline waved her hand towards the police cruiser, feeling a tiny bit relieved that Liz followed her to the trunk and leaned against it with her.

"I want you to know that I understand now." Caroline began quietly, "And I can't even begin to imagine how hard it was for you to not only lose your daughter but to out of nowhere have me there. Wearing her clothes, sleeping in her bed, pretending to the whole town that I was her."

"I wasn't allowed to grieve. She was sick, we knew she was dying but still. All of a sudden on the day I lost her I had this other little girl, who looked so much like her, that I had to take in and raise. I had to tell everyone you were her, so I couldn't even ask for the comfort I so desperately needed from my family or friends." Liz gulped, her breath harshly panting from her clenched teeth, "All I could feel was that I was letting my daughter down, that she would think I was replacing her with you any time I allowed myself to care for you."

A far off tone took over Caroline's voice as her eyes smiled at Liz holding her captive, "She didn't. She loved you and only wants you to be happy. She's at peace and no longer felt any pain after she passed in her sleep."

Liz's face went pale as she grasped Caroline's arms asking her frantically, "How do you know that? No one knows she passed in her sleep. How do you know?"

Caroline shook her head as if clearing a fog from her mind, her brows furrowed as she answered, "I don't know. I can just...feel it. God does that even make sense?"

Liz slowly let go of her arms, a look of understanding crossing over her face, "Given whose daughter you really are? Yes." Taking notice of Caroline's confusion Liz continued, "You still have a lot to learn about your family's history and your powers. But before you ask, I'm not the one to give you answers. I don't know much because honestly, I didn't pay much attention. I never thought you would wake up in my lifetime and then after you did..."