Welcome to my newest creation! I'm not going to lie, it'll most likely suck but fingers crossed it isn't that bad.

So for my new baby, everything in the Vampire Diaries realm that has happened up until season 5 has happened.. only I'm going to fuck shit up by claiming Damon and Bonnie are NOT stuck on wherever it is they landed after the Other Side fell. Deal? Good. And also, Mystic Falls is not protected by traveler magic so they can still live there if they want, and Bonnie kept her magic.

And as for the Avenger realm, Thor just left with Loki back to Asgard (sadly he won't appear in this fic) but Steve and Bruce stayed in New York, and Clint and Natasha are hanging around on the Helicarrier. And no, this will not seep into IM3, Thor: TDW, or CA: TWS. As much as I love the Winter Soldier, I'd be shit at writing him so I'll leave that to the excellent writers of this site and not fuck up his image.

The year this fic takes place in is 2014 (we'll move up the Battle of New York to 2013 instead of 2012 for reasons). Caroline was born in '92, turned in '10 so that'll put her at 17/18? But for this, she be forever 17. So when she takes the job with SI, she'll be freshly "22". Just thought I'd get that out of the way before anyone starts telling me I'm wrong about something.

Now on to the good stuff. Hopefully..

"We're only young and naive still. We require certain skills."

Caroline's eyes flutter open, the sleepy blonde blinking against the early morning sunlight and yawning as she reaches for her alarm radio.

"The mood it changes like the wind. Hard to control when it begins."

The song turns off when Caroline clicks off the alarm, she stretching like a feline before throwing her covers off with a grin.

Today's the big day- the day she and mother load up all of their belongings and head for New York City.

xXx. XxX. xXx

The Forbes had lived in Mystic Falls all their lives, Caroline living and dying there, but it's about time that they move on. It's a bit funny when Caroline stops to think about their leaving, they having been through many life and death situations in Mystic Falls yet the thing that finally makes them realize Mystic Falls isn't for them is when her mother finds out she has cancer.

Elizabeth had been devastated when she found out, Caroline even more so when her mom told her she wasn't going to go through the treatment. It hadn't been a tough decision for Liz since her own mother had it when Liz was about Caroline's age, and Liz had watched the rise and then devastating downfall of her mother's health going through chemotherapy.

She had told Caroline she didn't want that for herself, that she rather live out the rest of her time without all that misery that came along with chemo and radiation. So Caroline accepted it after many arguments and tears, and then sadly asked her mother if she'd be willing to let her turn her.

The answer was not only no.. but hell no.

Caroline had gave a watery giggle at her mother's expression when she'd answered but then the giggle turned into full blown sobbing at the thought that she'd be losing her.

They didn't tell anyone and tried to continue on as normal even though people were starting to get suspicious of Caroline suddenly wanting to spend every waking minute with her mom. But the second Liz started getting flu after flu and the local doctors couldn't figure out why, Elizabeth decided to call it quits as being the town's Sheriff.

Of course, with Liz's resignation, lots of eyebrows were raised and questions were asked but Liz simply stated that after everything they've been through with Mystic Falls, she just wanted a break. But with having such a close knit group of friends, they obviously knew that just wasn't the case but Caroline or Elizabeth refused to elaborate after that.

They tried to live a quiet life in Mystic Falls but since it's Mystic Falls where the Katarina Petrova look-a-like lives, they don't get much downtown. For some reason, everything pretty much boiled down to every damn supernatural villain wanting to get their hands on Elena Gilbert. And for what reason, no-one really knew since the doppelganger blood was pretty much null and void since Elena bit it years previous, and was now one of the undead.

But still, since it was Elena, everyone had to sacrifice their plans and lives to help save the Princess of Mystic Falls, and Caroline had finally had enough.

She had driven around town the following night of her decision, collecting empty boxes from local shops to start packing up their home. Her mother hadn't put up too much of a fight, her only condition being that they not sell the house in Mystic Falls because no matter what, Mystic Falls would always be where they grew up. And Caroline only agreed because the longer they disagreed about something, the longer they were in Mystic Falls. So while letting down her friends via text whenever they asked if she wanted to hang out, Caroline drove around town picking up boxes to start their packing. But while she was busy picking up said boxes, she hadn't counted on anyone spotting her out and about.

xXx. XxX. xXx

Stefan watched with a frown as Caroline moved around her house at vampire speed, picking up nick-knacks and moulding newspaper around them before placing them in a box. Clothes were shoved into duffel bags and suitcases, and dishes were placed with care in boxes of their own.

The once lived in home was now becoming more bare as the seconds ticked by and the elder vampire wanted to know why.

His knock on the front door halted Caroline's progression and then earned him a curious yet sheepish blonde vampire answering the door.

"Going on vacation," he had asked with a raised eyebrow. Stefan watched as Caroline tried to paste on a smile but she couldn't lie to the one person who was further up on the best friend list than the girls she actually grew up with . So when her expression crumpled and her eyes became teary, he immediately pulled her into a hug. "What's going on?"

"My mom has cancer," she had sobbed into his chest.

And of all the things Stefan expected, that was nowhere on his list. So far, every problem they've come across was supernatural so to have something non-supernatural be the problem for one of his friends, he didn't know how to proceed.

Caroline had continued to tell him what was happening, that her mom refused treatment because she saw first hand how bad chemo affected a person, and that she refused becoming a vampire. Stefan had wanted to talk to Liz- to make her see that staying was better than dying- but Caroline refused him. She had accepted her mother's decision, even respected it, so they were leaving town to live out her mother's life away from the drama their little town provided.

"Do the others know?"

"No," Caroline confessed. "And you can't tell them. I'm going to tell them when we're on the road in the morning so they don't argue with us to stay."

She had then went on to explain that Elena and Bonnie would fight the hardest with her, and Damon possibly with her mom but Liz didn't need that stress. She was already sick- only getting sicker as the months passed- and she needed to focus on her mom and not dropping everything because Elena Gilbert was in trouble once more.

Stefan had tried to explain that it wasn't Elena's fault, and Caroline knew that, but it didn't stop everyone from pausing their life just for Elena. She was one of the people who did that- who realized it- and was tired of it. And when she told Stefan to say otherwise- that none of them were continually pausing their lives for something that had to do with Elena- he remained quiet because he knew she was right.

So after promises to keep quiet, and promises to keep in touch, Stefan left Caroline but not before bidding Elizabeth farewell and luck with her health.

xXx. XxX. xXx

Caroline hops into the shower without giving her clothes much thought, she only needing something thin and comfortable for all the moving they were going to do that day.

She gets through her normal morning routine in a rush- soaping up, scrubbing down, lathering up her hair and rinsing it out. She brushes her teeth and scrubs her face in the shower, shaving all too quickly and thanking her lucky stars she didn't nick herself. Sure she was a vampire but those little nicks still stung.

And it's only when she's piled her hair into a damp sloppy bun atop her head- dressing in a flimsy pink camisole with a pair of cutoff denim shorts and pink converse does she realize something's off downstairs.

There's not one but two voices that she can hear.

Running downstairs at vampire speed, Caroline finds her mom leaning against the kitchen counter and holding a cup of tea in trembling hands. And before she can even ask her what's going on, Stefan's trudging back in through the kitchen door with an easy grin.

"Stefan?"

"Hey, Care. Finally awake I see."

"I don't- what are you doing here?"

Caroline's gaze ping-pongs back and forth between her mother and friend, Stefan slowly smirking as he leans against the counter next to Liz. "You didn't actually think you'd get everything to wherever it is you're going with just your little car, did you?"

Caroline opens her mouth to retort only for nothing to come out when she realizes her mistake Stefan just so kindly pointed out. "Dang it."

Liz chuckles at her daughter. "It's a good thing you have even smarter friends." And that- that earns a mock offended gasp from Caroline and Liz chuckles some more after sipping her tea. "Stefan got us a moving truck," she smiles tiredly. "I told him the couches, beds, the stove, the refrigerator, and dining room furniture were staying so he went ahead and started loading up everything else. You just have to help him with whatever boxes were left upstairs."

Caroline turns wide, surprised eyes to her friend and he shrugs sheepishly. "I figured I'd help out. You, of all people, deserve a break. And if that means helping you skip town then so be it. I'll always be a phone call away."

If the blonde vampire gets a little misty eyed, no-one calls her out on it and neither do they laugh at her for suddenly throwing herself at Stefan to hug the life out of him. But when the hug lingers, he does offer a laugh and pat her back affectionately before telling her they need to pack up before the rest of the town wakes up and people realize there's a moving truck at the back of their home.

Caroline gives a watery laugh before agreeing, quickly thanking her friend and then sets out to help him load up the last of their belongings.

And it isn't until Caroline's locking up her childhood home and joining her mother by standing next to her Ford Fiesta does Stefan finally ask where it is they're headed.

"Just a day's drive away," Caroline confesses. "We're heading up to New York." Stefan seems skeptical about their location but Caroline can only shrug. "I know it's not the quiet life but it'll be a busy one. That and the fact that it doesn't sit on a Hellmouth like Mystic Falls apparently is. We can be happy there."

"Only you would make that Buffy connection."

Caroline cracks a grin, sharing one last lingering look at her home before turning her back on it and gesturing for her mom to get in the car. "You don't have to go with us," she tells him. "My mom can drive my car and I'll drive the truck. I don't want everyone getting mad at you when you get back into town in a truck that they'll connect back to me."

"It's fine," he waves her off. "We're all grownups, anyway, and besides.. you said you were going to tell them."

"I am. I will. When we're on the road."

Stefan rolls his eyes all in good humor, nudging his fellow vampire towards her car while he walks back towards the truck.

Caroline settles in the driver's seat of her car, turning to stare at her mom while reaching in between them and gripping her hand in her own. "We're making the right decision, right?"

"Of course," Liz smiles at her. "Don't let the actions or the supposed actions of your friend's scare you into staying when you know deep down you don't want to. You're a grown woman, Caroline, and you're allowed to things for yourself without fearing what others might think."

Care beams at her Mom, nodding her head along with her words before taking a deep breath and starting up her car before pulling out into the street. And it isn't until they're passing up the Welcome to Mystic Falls sign and Caroline spots Stefan in her rear view mirror does she start to idly fiddle with her phone.

"Don't worry about it," Liz tells her, suddenly taking Caroline's phone and powering it off. "I'll tell them. You just worry about keeping your eyes on the road."

Caroline sighs out in relief, nodding and quickly telling her Mom to text Stefan first that their phones will be off so if he needs to talk to them, to come up with some sort of signal so she knows to pull over. Liz does as she's told and squeezes her daughter's shoulder right before sending out a group text to Damon, Alaric, Elena, Bonnie, and Matt from her personal phone.

"I know this is not the most mature way to say this but this is the only way Caroline and I felt comfortable in doing so. Things haven't been as hectic as they normally are in Mystic Falls but they've been hectic nonetheless. And with certain health problems coming to light, Caroline and I decided that it was best we leave.

As far as we're concerned, the move is permanent but we will keep our house in Mystic Falls in case that ever changes. So, please, don't throw any parties there or let the enemy of the month destroy it. I'd like it in the same condition as I left it.

And with that being said, don't bother trying to change our minds. We're already on the road- moving to a place that will remain undisclosed until we're settled in comfortably- and will call you when we next get the chance. So don't hire any PI's and don't threaten Bonnie to use magic to find us. This is our choice and we're standing by it.

All I ask for now is that you give us our space and peace, and respect our decision."

Feeling a bit relieved herself, even if the text turned into a mini-novel, Liz quickly sends the text to the group and then powers off her own phone.

It was time to move forward and not dwell on the past.