A/N: Okay, so, this is kinda a rewrite of Never Let Me Go and White Flag. So.. yeah.. anyway, I hope you like it. Thanks for reading. Please, review!

I'm coming home.

I'm coming home.

Tell the world I'm coming home.

Let the rain wash away

All the pain of yesterday.

I know my kingdom awaits.

And they've forgiven my mistakes.

I'm coming home.

I'm coming home.

Tell the world I'm coming.

Coming Home (Part II) – Skylar Grey

6/3/13

Falling. That sensation of your stomach dropping inside you. Your heart thundering in your chest. That feeling like your lungs are empty and you can't scream. But you can't. It's a feeling related to falling in love. The feeling you feel when you missed a step on the stairs. Only this time, you can't catch yourself. It's that lurching sensation when you propel forward and plummet several feet. And you flail hopelessly. But you can't seem to catch hold of something – anything – to stop yourself falling. Falling from ten stories up is a petrifying experience that I never want to relive. And falling from ten stories with vampire blood in your system sucks!

~ Caroline Forbes

A soft gasp resounded in the room as a teenage girl with shockingly blue irises bolted upright. She combed her dainty fingers through her platinum tresses. A low sigh was propelled from her rosy lips as she relaxed visibly.

It was that dream again, Caroline Forbes thought frightfully. It was the fifth night in a row that she'd dreamt of it. A fog, a crow and a man. In her dream, she was walking through the forest, and she'd noticed the fog.

It was thick as molasses. And opaque. So opaque that she couldn't make anything out. In the dream, she'd gotten so cold. She could feel her clothes stick to her. Cold and wet. Then she'd seen it. The crow. It loomed overhead, like a terrible omen.

She knew she should've turned back. And left. But she couldn't. She had to keep going. So, she kept walking. And that's when she'd bumped into him. The guy. The guy so sinfully gorgeous. And so arrogantly aware of it.

The guy your mother would instantly hate if you brought him home. And the guy you'd bring home just to spite her. The dream always ended the same way. He'd kill her. Everytime. But for the life of her, Caroline just couldn't figure out the significance of it.

With a soft sigh, she relaxed. Then she noticed the sticky feeling in her palms. The kind of sticky feeling that makes your stomach turn and makes bile rise in the back of your throat. Heart thundering in her chest, Caroline turned her hands over.

A reddish brown sticky substance was caked to her hands and crusted under her fingernails. She glanced down at her white bedding was covered with red stains and black feathers. Caroline inhaled a shuddered breath as her aquatic oculars widened immensely.

Her crimson lips parted in horror as she raised her eyes. Her oceanic orbs were met with a horrendous sight. A crow, laying on its back, rested on her desk, a pair of metal scissors stuck into its front. It looked like a grotesque taxidermy animal.

Stuffed, prepared and set on her desk. Like a disgusting present. She raised her eyes, quivering from fear, attempting to avoid the unwelcome sight of the bird. What she saw was even worse. Written in the crow's blood, scrawled on her mirror, almost like a vile love letter, were the words: He's coming.

This time, Caroline's lips parted in a shriek. "So, what have you been up to?" Elena asked in almost conspiratorial tones. Oh, you know. Having recurring nightmares. Waking up to murdered animals and blood-scrawled messages in my room. Caroline thought acerbically.

"Nothing," She said cheerfully, feigning an exultant smile. She shook her head, her platinum tresses whirling around her head like a whirlpool of molten gold. "Okay," Elena said slowly, studying her friend's expression. "Well, we need to do something tonight. I need some girly fun."

Caroline cast Elena a sidelong glance, "Oh?" "Yeah," Elena said with a heavy sigh. "I keep feeling like something's missing." A frown creased Caroline's forehead. "I know. It's weird. Some things seem familiar. Others…" The blonde trailed off, a wistful look in her eyes.

She emitted a low sigh as they entered the History classroom. Students filed in after them. Their teacher, Mr. Saltzman, looked up from his book and slid his feet off the desk. He eyed the class before saying, "Morning, all."

"Morning, Alar – uh – Mr. Saltzman." Caroline stammered, blinking. She glanced at Elena, an awkward blush rising in her cheeks. Elena mouthed, since when are you on a first-name basis with the teacher? Caroline held her hands out in confusion.

Alaric moved on, unfazed by Caroline's slip-up. He was talking, but Caroline couldn't hear him. She picked up a pencil and began scribbling absentmindedly on a blank slip of paper. It was only when she'd finished the drawing that she'd realized what she'd done.

It was a sketch of a bird – a crow – lying on a desk, a knife struck through its heart. Caroline dropped the pencil, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips before she swallowed thickly. There were words scrawled all over the paper. He's coming. He's coming. He's coming.

The two words were repeated over and over. At the bottom left corner, the words, he's coming for you, were written in an almost urgent hand. Caroline picked up the scrap of paper, shoving it into her bag quickly.

She'd just zipped her bag closed when a loud thump resounded in the room. She jumped, shrieking. At first, she'd believed she was the only one, before everyone else, made varying sounds of surprise. Mr. Saltzman had yelled, "Jesus!"

She whirled around in her seat, a gasp catching in her throat when she saw the bright red stain. It was smeared on the window. "No need to be alarmed people." Alaric said. "Is it dead?" Someone said, aghast. "No," Mr. Saltzman said, doubt seeping into his voice.

He opened the window and leaned out. When he righted himself, he was cradling a bundle of black feathers in his hand. He latched the window shut with his free hand before turning to the classroom. Caroline drew in a trembling breath as realization dawned on her.

He was holding a crow. The crow stirred weakly in his hands. "The poor little guy just knocked himself out," Alaric said a troubled smile forming on his lips, "Probably watched too many Windex commercials." He said, feigning lightheartedness.

"Class dismissed," He finished distractedly. "I need to get this little guy to the vet." Everyone gathered their books, murmuring bewilderedly amongst themselves. Caroline grabbed her books and her bag, leaping from her chair.

She burst out the front double doors and rushed towards her car. "Caroline!" Someone called after her. She didn't wait or turn around to see who it was. All she knew was that her nerves jangled and her stomach felt as though it were twisting and turning inside her.

She didn't want to stay in that place another moment longer than she had to. Caroline unlocked her car with a push of a button on her keys before jumping into it. She jammed her key in the ignition and turned it, the engine sputtering to life.

Caroline yanked the car into gear and sped from the parking lot. She breathed out deeply, her hands trembling as she gripped the steering wheel. She couldn't understand what was happening to her. She got so worked up. Over a crow. A bird. It made no sense.

But then again, nothing ever did. Anymore. And the dreams… they were the worst part. She pulled into the driveway of the Forbes Residence, a frown forming on her lips. The house seemed to loom over her in disapproval.

She shook her head as she climbed out of the car and walked towards the front door. Her hands trembled as she unlocked the door and staggered into the hallway. Caroline glanced around, a stillness weighing down the atmosphere.

Her mom hadn't been there for hours, it seemed. She pushed away from the door and stumbled upstairs and into her room. Caroline collapsed on her bed gratefully. Grabbing a pillow, she clutched it to her chest and willed her body to relax and her mind to stop racing.

She'd just closed her eyes when she heard the front door slam shut, her mother calling for her, "Caroline!" Caroline bolted upright, her heart jolting in her chest. "Caroline," Her mother said from the doorway, "I got a call that you bolted from school? You want to tell me what happened?"

Caroline blinked up at Sheriff Forbes blearily, her vision clouded with tears and uncertainty. "I don't know. I just… " She trailed off, sighing. Her mother gazed at her, confusion clouding her eyes, "Did someone do something? Or say something to upset you?" Maternal protectiveness seeped into her tone.

"No, Mom, "Caroline began, "I wasn't anyone or any one thing. I just…" She broke off again, drawing in a breath, "I've been having these dreams," Caroline whispered, "Dreams about… this guy. And a crow. And I woke up this morning with a crow on my desk."

She raised her azure globes to meet her mother's shocked face, "Someone had killed it. And left it there." Caroline's voice cracked as she spoke breathlessly, "What's wrong with me, Mom?"

Liz Forbes enveloped her daughter in a warm hug, whispering, "Shh… shh… It's okay. I'm here, now. We'll figure this out together, Caroline." Caroline clung to her mother as her world shattered around her, showering her with the broken pieces.

Her heart thudded painfully against her chest as her eyes stung with unshed tears. Her resolve broke with a loud crack. Sending her reeling as she shuddered, pain bursting through the floodgates, tears flowing freely down her face.

She sobbed into her mother's shoulder. Night had fallen by the time Caroline stopped crying. She'd laid her head on the pillow, her head thundering angrily. Her nose stuffy from crying. Caroline gazed up at the ceiling sightlessly before closing her eyes.

Her eyes snapped open seconds later when a tapping sound resounded through the room. Caroline sat up, seeing a crow, an abnormally large crow sitting at her window. Her heart leaped towards her throat.

Caroline's hand flew to her throat as she swallowed a sharp cry. The crow cocked its head to the side, eyeing her. Almost as if it were sizing her up. In a crude and lustful way. Caroline picked her pillow up and tossed it at the window, shrieking, "Go away!"

The crow gave her a reproachful look before emitting a frustrated caw and unfurled its wings wrathfully, fluttering away from the window. Caroline collapsed against her pillows, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Closing her eyes, she blew out a soft sigh, thinking to herself, it's okay. It's all gonna be okay…