Mystic Falls, 2002.

"Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself Caroline? We could wait until your mother gets here." Grayson Gilbert offered a ten year old Caroline Forbes.

The blonde gave him an assuring smile. "It's okay! Today's Jeremy's birthday, right?"

"Are you sure Care?" Elena Gilbert, her best friend, asked. "I don't want to leave you alone."

"The teacher's here, so I won't be. My mom's just running a little late is all." Caroline assured giving Elena a hug.

Elena returned the hug. "If you say so..."

"Yep, so go already!" Caroline urged breaking the hug. "And give Jeremy my birthday wishes." She added as an afterthought as Elena entered her parents' car.

Caroline and Elena waved at each other as Grayson drove off.

"What's taking mom so long?" Caroline wondered out loud. Sure, her mother had a demanding work life, but she always managed to pick her up from school. Caroline was worried. Maybe something happened?

Shaking the negative thoughts away Caroline decided to just wait. She knew nothing bad would happen to her mother, because nothing really bad ever happened at Mystic Falls anyways.

'I'll just go see if Miss Peters needs help.' Caroline thought after five minutes of waiting. She went inside her school and made her way to her class.

Her teacher, a young brunette with green eyes, was grading tests. "Miss? Is there anything I can help with?" Caroline asked.

The brunette looked surprised to see her. "You're still here Caroline?"

Caroline nodded, "My mom's running late!" she chirped.

"I see," Miss Peters mumbled thoughtfully. "Maybe you can tidy up the classroom for me?"

"Okay!"

The classroom wasn't all that dirty. Caroline's classmates weren't slobs after all, well except for the boys, but Caroline's mom told her it was in their nature so Caroline didn't really hold it against them much.

Besides, she's known most of her classmates her whole life. Elena, Bonnie, Matt and even Tyler. They practically grew up together. But she was only friends with Elena and Bonnie. Matt's mom didn't like her for some reason and Tyler's always mean to everyone.

That's why she left Tyler's table for last, expecting it to be the dirtiest. She was surprised however to find that his was the cleanest, which she shouldn't be considering who his parents were, the only thing laying there was his notebook.

"He needs this to make his homework..." Caroline mumbled grabbing it.

She flipped through it seeing some sketches here and there.

"I didn't know he could draw."

"Did you say something Caroline?"

"Nothing!" Caroline gave her teacher an uneasy smile as she held the notebook close. She felt as if she had just invaded her classmate's privacy.

As her teacher went back to work the effect was instant. She felt guilty for snooping into Tyler's notebook. She'd give him it back tomorrow and apologize. She hoped he wouldn't be too mad at her tomorrow.

Even so, that night before she fell asleep she browsed through his sketches. She was surprised to find out that he was into cartoons and the like. It just seemed odd to her, because he seemed more of a sports kind of guy. Most of sketches were upbeat or cool, but there was a sad one about a man hitting and yelling at a boy drawn in a black and white style.

"Something wrong Caroline?"

Smiling, the blonde hid away the notebook. "Nothing daddy." She smiled at her father. "Read me a bed time story?" She requested giving her father the puppy dog eyes.

He smiled at her. "Of course princess."

Tyler didn't show up the next day.

Caroline's stomach churned uncomfortably, her thoughts wandering to the notebook in her bag the whole day. Her quietness must have been apparent, because Elena and Bonnie had both repeatedly asked her if something was wrong.

She would just tell them that she's fine, which she was really, and that they shouldn't worry. She really was fine, but she couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling away.

"I'm fine." She assured Elena and Bonnie for the millionth time that day. "I'm just..." What was she? Concerned. But why? This was Tyler Lockwood, class meanie. She shouldn't be worried. But yet she was.

"Care, what's wrong?" Bonnie asked frowning.

"Nothing, I swear I'm fine." But Tyler wasn't. And it worried her for some reason. "So let's talk about Matt's crush on Elena!"

Matt, who had been walking by, sputtered in surprise. "I don't like Elena!" He immediately yelled.

"Shhh, don't be so loud." Bonnie hushed him, an amused smile on her features.

"What did you need Matt?" Elena asked with an uneasy smile. She hated it when people keep pushing her and Matt together, even when they've been denying it for months now.

"I'm your best friend, I don't need a reason to hang out." Matt huffed crossing his arms.

Caroline and Bonnie shared a sly smile.

"Elena and Matt." Caroline began singing in an annoying high pitched tone.

"Sitting in a tree." Bonnie continued.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" They finished running away from the angry pair, giggling all the way.

Yet, the thought of Tyler's notebook still rested in Caroline's mind. And she knew it wouldn't stop until she gave it back to him. Which she would. After school. At the Lockwood mansion.

"Caroline? What are you doing here sweetheart?"

Caroline smiled up at Carol Lockwood, the mayor's wife, feeling a little nervous as their blue eyes connected, though Caroline's were more of a blue-green. Carol had always been a bit condescending in Caroline's opinion, just like Tyler. "I'm here to talk to Tyler, if that's okay. I have something to give him. But if it's not okay then that's okay too, um, I'll just go then."

"A lady shouldn't babble Caroline." Carol automatically chided, not losing her polite tone as she stepped aside. "As for your request, just wait inside and I'll go get Tyler for you. He's been...sick."

Caroline absently nodded as she took in the inside of Tyler's house. 'They have a chandelier!' She thought in awe, almost gaping. She had been here some times, mostly for parties and events, but usually she would spent them outside of the house.

She heard voices coming from upstairs before Tyler and Carol appeared.

"Hi?" She awkwardly greeted.

Tyler scowled at her.

"Be polite Tyler. I'll give you two some privacy." Carol said before walking away to the kitchen.

"What do you want?" Tyler bluntly asked once his mother was out of sight.

"You don't seem sick." Caroline observed thoughtfully.

"I'm not."

"Then why didn't you come to school?"

Tyler tensed. "None of your business." He rudely said glaring at her. "Why are you here?" He changed the topic.

"To give you this." Caroline took out his notebook from her bag and presented it to him. "You left it at school the other day."

Tyler took it from her, his glare not easing up. "Why did you take it?" He suspiciously asked.

Caroline glanced away.

"Caroline." Tyler hissed. "Tell me."

"I, uhh, um, you're very talented!" Caroline blurted out, her cheeks dusting up as she realized how loud she had spoken.

"You saw them?" Tyler asked in surprise.

"Yeah, I like them, your drawings...they're nice. I wish I could draw that good." Caroline confessed. "Um, I totally understand if you're mad at me, I shouldn't have snooped."

"No, it's okay. Thanks for bringing it to me."

Caroline absently nodded, surprised at how genuine Tyler's voice sounded. Usually the boy didn't sound the least bit genuine when it came to thanking or apologizing.

"You're welcomed." She smiled at him.

They stood awkwardly for a moment.

"Um.."

"So.."

Both spoke at the same time.

"What?" Tyler asked.

"Bathroom."

"Oh, follow me."

Caroline patted her cheeks determinedly.

She was now a girl on a mission, just like she had been when she befriended Elena and Bonnie.

Her mission? Befriend Tyler Lockwood.

Reasoning? She had this weird feeling. An urge to befriend him.

"It's easy, I'll just tell him to be my friend." She muttered to herself. "Easy." She repeated.

"Help me..."

Caroline started and frantically looked around.

"Help me..."

"Who's there?" Caroline shakily asked.

"Help me..."

"Who are you?"

"Help me..."

"Where are you?" On cue the bathroom door went open.

Caroline was officially scared. There was no one there.

"Follow the trail..."

"What trail?" Suddenly Caroline could see white feathers dancing around in the air. "Oh, that trail..." The whole situation was surreal to her. "How do I know I can trust you?" The ten year old asked.

A gust of wind pushed her forward causing her to squeak. "Help me..."

Caroline stiffened up. No way was she going along with whatever was going on.

Another gust of wind shoved her out of the bathroom. She gripped the edges of the door tightly, refusing to go along with whatever paranormal activity was going on.

"Help me..."

"Fine!" Caroline yelled as another gust of wind hit her back. "Just..stop doing that." She gritted out.

She breathed out a sigh of relief when nothing else happened before looking at the white feathers still dancing in the air. Unlike the wind, the feathers didn't really scare her. For some reason they have her a comforting feeling.

"I'll help." She firmly said and the feathers gained a blue tint to them. She smiled slightly. "Just lead the way."

The feathers flew away and she followed them to a closed room.

"Open it..."

"It's locked." Caroline frowned.

"Open it..."

"How?" Caroline asked.

No answer.

She snorted and glanced at the feathers. "Any chance you can help?" She was going insane, she swore, who else would talk to floating feathers?

She stared in surprise as the three feathers merged and formed a key.

"Thank you?" She murmured grabbing the key.

'This is weird...maybe I'm dreaming.' Caroline decided as she opened the door.

"Okay, I'm here. Where are you?"

"I'm here..."

"Is this a mind trick or something?" Caroline usually wasn't this sarcastic or grouchy, but she liked to think that she deserved to be due to the situation she was in.

She jumped when a box fell off a shelf.

"In the crystal..."

Caroline walked over to the fallen box. "This one?" She asked grabbing a necklace that had an amber crystal attached to it. Immediately, she felt a spark. Blinking in astonishment -she felt more vitalized, if that made sense- she pocketed the necklace. "I'll take that as a yes."

Chapter End

Author's Note:

I have become completely addicted to "The Vampire Diaries" and had this idea, and a friend of mine told me to write it since she's a huge fan of Care so I decided, why not? Keep in mind, I've only been watching TVD for like two week now, and even though I'm at Season Five already, I may screw up with the information when it comes to things that haven't been revealed yet.

Of course, this fic won't really follow cannon. Not by a long shot.

And before anyone asks, there's no definitive pairing planned out yet. This fic will be a harem until further notice.