A New Beginning (sequel to Coming Home)

17. Always the basement

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Caroline was once again in the forest with Stefan. This time however, she was waiting on Sophie to contact her. With the renewed hope that Damon might come through for them with the location of the witch, she wanted to let Sophie know.

She briefly wondered how Rebekah was getting on. The original blonde had decided she didn't want to wait for demon to figure out whether he was going to help them or not, and for that reason was currently searching the town herself.
Caroline was pulled from her thoughts when Sophie's voice filled her mind. The young witches voice was so feint Caroline almost missed it. "Sophie? Is that you?"
"Of course it is. Do you have many witches talking to you in your mind?" cam the abrupt reply. Caroline's eyebrows rose in shock at the tone. "I'm sorry Caroline," Sophie whispered. "It's getting a lot harder to maintain this spell. Especially now that I know what's keeping Jennifer trapped."
Stefan watched in silence as Caroline talked to herself, or at least that was how it appeared to him. "What is it?" Caroline asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
"It's Jennifer herself. She's fully aware that she is in an altered reality, but somehow she is keeping herself anchored there. I think it has something to do with her parents being there. I don't know how..." Sophie's voice cut off abruptly.
"Sophie?" Caroline called to the empty air, "Sophie?" No reply came, and Caroline found herself looking at Stefan with new found fear. Why had Sophie disappeared mid-sentence? And how on earth could they force Jennifer to once again lose her parents?

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I told my parents I would see them later. They didn't want to leave at first, but I convinced them that I was fine. They eventually got in their car and left. I watched them drive off until I couldn't see the car anymore, then I turned to Nik. My smile faltering when I saw his expression.
"What's wrong?" I asked, stepping closer to him. I reached out for him but he pulled away from me. Hurt, I stepped back. "Nik, what is it?"
"Jennifer, you're supposed to wake up." He stated, his voice low. "Once you became aware of this false reality, it should have cancelled the spell and you should have woken up."
I looked at him in confusion, "What are you saying?"
"It's not Bonnie goddamn Bennett keeping you here, it's you." I could hear the anger creeping into his words as he spoke. I opened my mouth to speak, to say anything, but no words came out. I didn't know how to explain, how to make him understand.
Now it was him that moved closer to me, he placed his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye as he spoke, pain replacing the anger in his voice. "I can't do this Jennifer. I can't stay here with you as you and our baby slowly die. I'm sorry." I felt his lips press against my forehead and I closed my eyes, but opened them again when I felt the air change around me. I was standing on my own.
Nik was gone.

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Nik awoke with a gasp. He looked around wildly and realised he was back in his own house, in New Orleans. He was in his own bed, Jennifer still lying beside him, unconscious.
The door to his room burst open and he was instantly on his feet ready to attack. It wasn't needed however, and he relaxed his stance slightly as Sophie entered the room.
Sophie could barely stand, she was as pale as a sheet, and her sunken eyes and deep dark rings under them. "Why did you do that? Why did you leave?" Her voice was strained as she spoke, "It took everything I had just to keep you there. I won't be able to send you back."

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I stood in the carpark, staring at the spot where Nik had been for almost an hour. I could still feel where he had kissed me. How could he ask me to choose? Finally, I looked down at my flat stomach and realised something.
There was no choice.
I understood what I had to do. First, however, I had something to take care off. I had a chance that most people didn't, and I planned on using it.