The burdens of family

44

Alexis came home very late that night. Arkyn decided to let it slide- she had to be there for Jeremy. He let her go straight to her room deciding to chat with the siblings the next day.

The next morning, Arkyn waited for Xavier and Alexis to come down. It was Jenna's funeral, and they were all going. He drove them and met Bonnie at her house.
"Hey." He said softly.
"Thank you for coming." She nodded.
"I didn't know Jenna, but from what I've heard she was an amazing person." He said softly, and she nodded.
"She was." Bonnie said. "You couldn't help but love her." Alexis walked over to Jeremy's side. She put her hand through his and he looked at her managing a small smile. Elena walked forward, looking as though the slightest nudge would set her off. She placed a rose on Jenna's plot, and another on John's. She then walked over to her parents placing her last two remaining roses on their plots. She starts to cry as Alaric walks to put a rose on Jenna's grave. He walked back to the group, putting his arm on Jeremy's shoulder.
They all headed back to the Gilbert house and Arkyn tried to be there for them. He gravitated towards the back feeling it wasn't his place to be there. His brother was the one to murder her after all. The brother he should've helped kill. Bonnie went to go comfort her friend and Caroline moved to his side.
"It's not your fault." She said.
"Feels like it." He said.
"Klaus might be your brother, but you're nothing like him. Elena knows that."
"He hasn't been my brother in a very long time." Arkyn shook his head. He turned to look at Caroline and frowned. "Hey, what's wrong? What happened?"
"Nothing. Just- nothing."
"You're a bad liar, Forbes."
"I'm okay." She said.
"Something happened." He looked at her concerned.
"I was supposed to be the vampire Klaus sacrificed." She said.
"What?" Arkyn looked at her sharply.
"Me and Tyler. He took us and kept us in the old Lockwood cellars." She said. "Damon rescued us so he turned Jenna."
"Being locked in the cellar brought back memories?" He asked and she looked at him in surprise. "Nightmares?"
"How'd you know?"
"It's in your eyes." He said.
"I can't tell Elena because her aunt just died and she needs me more than I need her. And Bonnie keeps getting sucked into all this drama. I don't want to add to it."
"She wouldn't see it like that."
"I know, but still. And Matt can't handle my being a vampire. He pretty much hates me."
"I doubt he hates you Caroline. It's impossible to hate you." She smiled at him.
"Thank you."
"Anytime you need to talk, you should come over. I'm your friend, Caroline, you can lean on me. Destroy another of my favourite shirts."
"Don't make me laugh." She glared at him, holding back a smile. "It's inappropriate!"
"My apologies." He said and she walked to the front.

Arkyn went home with Xavier a little later on. Elena had wanted some space so Bonnie and Caroline has gone home too. Only Alexis stayed behind for Jeremy. She came home late again that night and went straight to her room. Arkyn sat in the living room with a glass of scotch, when there was a knock on his door. He went to go open it. It was Caroline.
"You were right." She said. He took his coat off the peg by the door and went outside, closing the door behind him.
"Nightmares?" He said and she nodded. They started to walk.
"How did you know?"
"When I was first daggered, no one removed it for two centuries. I wasn't tortured the way you were, but I know what it feels like to be afraid. Like the slightest thing can set you off."
"I didn't know."
"Well it's not something I like to advertise. The worst thing was I didn't know who to turn to. I could never tell Elijah or Rebekah. Kol would just react and I didn't want Klaus to dagger him."
"Is that why you didn't want to help us kill Klaus? Because he would dagger you if we failed?"
"Klaus can't stand it when we're happy. Not unless he gains something from it. He'd kill anyone I loved for the fun of it. And if I helped you guys try to kill him, he'd take that as betrayal. He'd burn the town down."
"Really?"
"I stood with Katerina once, and he's been hunting her since."
"I thought he was hunting her because she turned into a vampire?"
"Not this much." He shook his head. "I mean he was definitely pissed, but I helped her. So he hunted down her family and murdered them and tried to hunt her down."
"He did?"
"Like I said. He found it a betrayal. So he did anything to hurt her, so I would hurt."
"Did you date Katherine?" Caroline frowned and he shook his head.
"No. Actually she was with Elijah. She was just my friend." Arkyn said.
"Did it get better?" Caroline asked. "The nightmares?"
"Not for a while. But eventually it will." He said, comfortingly. "Whenever it got too much for me, I went outside, looked up at the stars. They always calmed me down, made me feel freer."
"I guess being paralysed in a mystical coma for two hundred years must have felt a little confining." She said.
"A little." He nodded, with a smile. "You'll get better, Caroline. Just try to avoid being kidnapped maybe?"
"Don't worry. I don't plan on that happening anytime soon." She laughed. "Thanks, Ark. I'm glad Bonnie has you. And I'm glad you have her. You're two of the best people I know."
"Thank you." He smiled at her.
"I think I'm ready to go back to bed now. Bye, Ark." She said.