Surviving Memories

Panic (1)

Caroline closed her eyes, trying not to let her emotions get the best of her.

Klaus was dead.

He sacrificed himself for his daughter and while it hurt to know he was gone, she was proud of him.

Proud of who he had become for his child.

A part of her regretted that she never gave him a chance when she was younger but she was practically a child then.

Someone who struggled with her insecurities and with life in general. And that's not to say she had it all figured out now, she could admit that she still had problems.

She was forever 17 both physically and mentally but she had been forced to grow up for her daughters.

For herself.

She knew why Klaus did what he did. She would do the same for the twins.

They were her babies. Maybe they weren't hers biologically but she gave birth to them. She raised them.

She watched them develop their personalities and watched them learn their powers.

Not to say it wasn't difficult because it was. Having kids was difficult but it was also rewarding.

And now, they were 13 and were shaping up to be amazing young women.

But in the end, Caroline was scared.

She was scared that she wouldn't be able to stop the merge. That she would lose one of her daughters.

That terrified her more than anything else. So, yes, she knew why Klaus sacrificed himself.

If she learned that she would have to die to save the twins from death, she would do it in a heartbeat.

Caroline walked into the twins' shared room. And saw them both laying together.

"Mom," Lizzie said in greeting from where her head rested on her twin.

"Girls," Caroline replied, softly.

Josie frowned at her mom, sensing her distress. "Mom, are you okay?" She asked, sitting up as she stared at her with a concerned look.

"I'm okay," Caroline said, reassuringly.

"Why are you lying?" Lizzie asked, bluntly. Josie's eyes widened and she whacked her sister on the back of her head. "Ow! Mom, Josie hit me!"

"Don't be insensitive then," Josie said, giving her twin a look.

Lizzie sent Josie an offended look, "I was not-"

"Girls," Caroline interrupted, sternly. "Enough."

They both gave her sheepish looks. "Sorry, mom," They chorused together.

Caroline just smiled, shaking her head.

"I am okay, I'm just a little stressed is all," Caroline said, lying.

"Why?" Josie asked, worriedly. "Is something wrong with the school? Or-"

"Josie, everything's okay, I promise," Caroline said, giving her eldest daughter a soft look.

"Maybe, you should have a spa day in Hawaii, that will help with your stress," Lizzie said, giving her a speculative glance. "And you should bring us along because we're your amazing daughters."

Josie facepalmed.

Caroline raised an eyebrow at Lizzie. "Are you telling me to vaca in Hawaii for my stress or because you want to go to Hawaii so you can avoid your finals?" She asked, feeling amused.