Coming Home (A Klaus Mikaelson Story)

17. How Did I Get Here?

Third Person POV

Damon sat there holding Jennifer's body as a car screeched onto the driveway sending gravel flying behind it. Caroline was out of the car before it came to a full stop, running over to him.

"no no no no no no no...." Caroline just kept saying the one word over and over, her face managing to go even paler than normal. She slowed as she got a few feet away. Damon looked up at her,

"I don't know how..." He stumbled to think of the right words to explain, so Caroline would understand, so that he would understand. "I was waiting here for her, she shot me a couple of times. I honestly thought she was going to kill me. I managed to get the bullets out while she was on the phone and then I... I didn't mean to Caroline, it was an accident."

Damon looked down at Jennifer lying in his arms. She almost looked like she was sleeping. Something splashed onto her face as he held her and he realised they were his tears.

"She wasn't going to kill you Damon, she was on the phone to me. She told me to come get you. She was just angry and confused." Caroline whispered. She blamed herself, she should have told Jennifer the truth from the beginning, or stopped her from leaving with Damon the night before. She just didn't know how to.

Now it was too late. Caroline just stood there, to the world it looked like she was quietly watching Damon and Jennifer. But in reality her mind had travelled back thirteen years.

Caroline was five when she first saw the older girl. She thought she was so cool, the way she dressed and talked. And she always had time for the younger kids. At first Jennifer didn't really pay a lot of attention to the little blonde girl who always seemed to be around, until one day Caroline was being bullied by some older girls. In the blink of an eye, Jennifer had put herself between Caroline and the bullies.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" she had shouted at them.

A young frightened Caroline stood in awe as this girl fought for her. after the bullies ran off she turned to Caroline, a big smile on her face.

"Hi, I'm Jennifer Fell. You can call me Jenni though. Why don't you stick with me, I won't let anybody hurt you."

Five year old Caroline had looked up at her saviour and in a shaky voice asked, "You will? Does that mean we're friends?" Caroline couldn't hide the hope on her face, causing Jennifer to laugh. She looked down at the younger girl, feeling protective of her and ruffled her blonde hair, the way her father did to her, "Sure kid. We'll be like sisters. I always wanted a sister. We'll look after each other, I'll watch your back and you watch mine.  Deal?"

Jennifer put her hand out and trying, but failing, to hide the smile on her face Caroline put her hand in the older girls and they shook.

Caroline was pulled from the memory by her cell phone ringing. She glanced down at the caller ID, 'Mom'. Lifting the phone to her ear she pressed the answer button. She knew she had to tell her mom what happened and she tried to control her voice, "Mom, I have to tell you..."

She didn't get to finish as her mother started speaking over her, her voice was relieved and panicked at the same time. "Oh thank god Caroline, you're safe. Look do you know where Damon is?"

Caroline's eyes flicked to Damon, he was lowering Jennifer gently onto the porch swing. Then he came to stand beside Caroline, she answered her mother,

"Yeah, he's here with me. Why, what's wrong?"

Her mother paused for a moment before answering, "It seems that Jennifer found out the truth about what happened to her parents this morning."