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FLASHBACK
Caroline has fallen off her bike and is leaning against a tree when Liz walks over to her,"Ok. I've got band-aids, surgical gear, and a medevac enroute for an airlift."
"You're making fun of me." Caroline huffed
" No, sweetheart. I'm making fun of me. There is no greater first than watching your kid ride without training wheels" Liz applies the first aid,"Oh, boy -- and no worst first than seeing them bite the dust. All right. There."
"Mommy?"
"Yes."
"Am I gonna die?" Caroline asked
" I would say your chances of survival are 100%."
"Are you gonna die?"
"Well, everyone dies eventually, sweetie, but not for a long, long time." Liz assured her daughter.
"But what if you die and I'm still here?"
"Well, then you'll be all grown up, and you won't need me."
"I think I'll always need you."Caroline said hugging her mother.
_____________
PRESENT
Today was Phil Coulson's funeral, Caroline practically begged Fury to organize it. Fury knew that a funeral would do Caroline some good for the person that helped the vampire through difficult times. Coulson's death only reminder her of how her mother died and what she dreamt was precisely of her childhood.
She dolled herself up and took a walk outside, everybody thought it was best to leave Caroline alone, even giving Steve a bit of the cold shoulder. She saw Tony in the lab looking over some things that looked very complicated. She walked in looking for a ring she lost yesterday.
"I'm sorry. I'm just looking for a ring. "
"It's okay. By the way, I'll see you at the funeral. I'm sorry about Phil. I know how much he meant to you."
"We don't have to share." Caroline said rather coldly.
"Right."
"I just mean today is pretty much gonna be the worst day of my life. I'm not sure that I need to start it off by bonding with you. No offense."
"None taken." Caroline found her ring and exited the room when Tony said something," Hey, blondie. Today isn't the worst day of your life. Today and tomorrow, it's a cakewalk. And there will be people day in and day out like they're afraid to leave you alone. The worst day? That's next week when there's nothing but quiet. Just a heads-up."
"Appreciate the tip" Caroline exclaimed going back to her room and getting ready to attended to the people in the church.
Many people came to the church including Fury himself. Caroline sat in the from row with Steve at her side, holding her hand knowing that he was needed for her grief.
"We are here today to pay our tribute and our respect to a pillar of our community, our sister, our protector, Agent Phil Coulson. We are also here today to show our love and support for Phil's family and friends."
The pastor's words fade as agents walk up to honor Agent Coulson. They placed an American flag over his casket, "Calling Agent Coulson. This is the last call for Agent Coulson. No response. Radio Number 2-6 is out of service after years and months of SHIELD service. Gone, but never forgotten. Center!"
The officers return to their seats and Fury walks up and stands at the front confusing Caroline.
"Phil Coulson was my friend. In a small talk we had prior, he asked me to pass along a message to the one person who he considered a daughter, but I cut him off before he could say too much. I told him that he could tell Caroline herself one day, but he didn't get that to tell her the long speech he had prepare. He wanted you to know how proud of you he was, and he should be. You're a beautiful, strong woman, a generous friend, and a bright light in a sea of dark. He said you were extraordinary, and you are, and so was he. Phil was a hero to this organization. He was a hero to all of you. And he was a hero to me. Goodbye, Coulson. You will be missed."
As Fury returns to his seat and Caroline stands and walks up.
"Thank you all for coming. This is for Phil."
"Go in peace. Go in kindness. Go in love. Go in faith. Leave the day. The day behind us. The day is done. Go in grace. Let us go into the dark. Not afraid. Not alone. Let us hope by some good pleasure. Safely to. Arrive at home."
Once the funeral was over Caroline returned to her room by herself. She stood there looking outside and seeing the landscape of New York. She headed back into her room. Caroline walked through the door and placed the flag on a table. Caroline feels someone else is in the room and sees Natasha standing behind her.
"I said I was fine, Natasha"
"I don't believe you." Caroline turns around and faces Natasha,"All day, something has been bugging me. You wanted to pack this all in so quickly like you had somewhere you needed to be. I mean, you were so concerned with getting through today without a hint of how you'd feel tomorrow. And then I realized. You don't want to feel tomorrow. That's the plan, right? You're not going to feel tomorrow because you're going it turn it all off."
"I thought I could get through the rough patch and just pick myself up after like I usually do, but then Fury made me realize it's just going to get worse."
"You listened to Fury?"
"I can't do worse, Natasha, okay? I didn't even think there was a worse. It's better this way."
"Better? Care, you're talking about flipping the humanity switch. There's nothing better about that. Phil wouldn't want this."
"I have more control over my vampire side because of Phil. My experience will be different."
"It's not gonna be different, Care. It's gonna be deadly."
"What, do you think that you guys are the only ones who get to escape grief? I'm suffering, okay? I know that the worst part of the pain is going to be gone, and that's what I need. I just need the pain to be gone."
"What about Steve?"Caroline looked at her shock,"What is he going to think?"
Caroline starts crying,"Phil is dead, Natasha. I-It hurts so bad, I can't breathe. I can't-I can't do worse. I can't, okay? I shouldn't have to."
"No one should have to. It's not fair. It's not. I get it. I do" Natasha hugs Caroline,"And I know you think that you have it all figured out, but please listen to me. I'm not gonna let you do this." Caroline cries on Natasha shoulder and reaches for her knife and plunges it into Natasha's abdomen causing her to fall to the floor.
