Empath ‣ Klaus Mikaelson [1]

Eighteen

Talia was rushed to the hospital despite that she only procured minimal flesh wounds. She did have to have some small pieces of glass removed, but she refused to have surgery when she didn't need it.

Talia was discharged shortly after and went to Liz's house to see Caroline. Liz also refused to keep Talia out of her sight for the night after the vampire encounter.

She entered the threshold of the house, getting immediately surprise attacked by Caroline. She gave her a bone-crushing hug and started crying, having heard from Liz that her sister had gotten into an accident and fearing the worst.

"I was so worried," Caroline cried into her sister's neck. She was so worried that the sound of Talia's pulse drumming against her ear didn't even tempt her to drink, something she knew she would later have to tell Stefan to brag about her progress.

"Don't be," Talia murmured. "I bounce back fine."

"Don't joke, please," she begged. "I thought I lost you."

"You will never lose me," she assured, rubbing Caroline's back. "Now, go to bed. I'm sure you've had a long day."

"I could say the same for you."

"I'm an adult, you are an adolescent. Go to bed."

"Okay. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Care."

Caroline crawled into bed and grumbled about her vampiric urges to be nocturnal.

Talia sat down on the couch and curled up in a blanket.

"Do you want some coffee?" Liz asked.

"Maybe just a cup of tea," she responded.

"Coming right up," she said. "Milk and sugar?"

"Read my mind."

Liz entered the kitchen and quickly returned with a cup of tea for Talia and a cup of coffee for herself. She nursed her own cup and eyed the direction of Caroline's room.

"What's on your mind?" Talia asked, sipping her warm cup of tea.

"Caroline," she responded. "I feel like we're keeping secrets."

"Every teen has their secrets, Sheriff Mom."

"What were yours?"

"I'll admit I might have broken the law a few times, but I didn't kill anyone if that's where your mind is going."

"What laws?"

"I was a serial drinker. After I lost my dad, I felt like I lost everything."

"You didn't."

"He was my home. I thought I lost everything."

"He was a good man."

"The best," she corrected.

"He and I were good friends. He begged me that if anything were to happen to him, I would take care of you."

"And you did."

"But then I messed up. Bill and I were getting divorced and I didn't take enough care of you and Caroline, so you were put in a foster home in Texas."

"The family...they weren't the worst and I made friends in Texas."

"But then June..."

"Not right now."

"Sorry I brought it up."

"It's not your fault."

"Did you and your dad keep secrets from each other?"

"Not really. I'm sure he had some things he didn't want to tell me, but we were pretty open with each other."