The Perfect Storm

Caroline took a deep breath and started to walk out toward the end of the rickety wooden dock. It made sense that she was here. It made perfect sense to Caroline Forbes. There was no other place in the world where she would rather be. Here everything was safe and no one and nothing could touch her. The crunching of the red velvet maple leaves under her feet; the deep purple and dull gray of the late evening and the mist rising over Grass Lake flooded her with memories of her childhood. She loved this place, this cottage. Caroline had grown up here over the summers with Elena and Bonnie at her side. Even though so much had changed over the years, here time had stood still. She took a deep breath and steadied herself and repeated her mantra to herself, "Everything will be okay. Everything will be okay." Now, if she could only get herself to believe it.

One Week Earlier

"Lexi, babygirl, you've got to eat something," Bonnie pleaded.

"Any luck?" Caroline asked.

"None. She won't come out. She won't even open the door. She hasn't eaten anything for days now Care. I swear she hasn't touched a thing since the funeral." Caroline studied Bonnie's face. She looked exhausted too.

"Bonnie, why don't you go downstairs and get yourself something to eat. Let me try here. Seriously Bonnie, your mystical magical tea does not count as food," Caroline warned.

"Care, its herbal tea and its good for you, but yeah, you're right. I'll see you downstairs? We've got to get going in half an hour to be at the lawyers by one."

"It's today?" Caroline asked. She was surprised she had forgotten. Caroline was always on top of things. She was supposed to be the obsessive control freak out of the three of them. Bonnie was the one with all the answers, Caroline was the organized one (to a fault really), and Elena… Caroline brushed a tear from the corner of her eye and knocked on the door.

"Lexi, baby, it's Aunt Caroline. Open the door honey."

No answer. Caroline pressed her forehead to the door. She had to be the grown up. She had to be the adult, but what do you say to a 7-year-old that has just lost both of her parents? She turned her back to the door and slumped to the ground. Bonnie was so much better at being the mature parental figure in Lexi's life. She was like a second mom to Lexi. If Bonnie couldn't get through to Lexi, Caroline didn't know what she could possible do. Caroline was the fun aunt, the one Lexi plays house with and the one that takes her out on insane shopping sprees that no seven year old should ever be subjected to. Caroline didn't do this, but she had to try.

"You know Lex, before you came along your mom, aunt Bonnie and I spent every waking moment together. When school would end we would go up to your grandparents cottage and spend the whole summer together. Your mom's parents were like our own. God, we loved them, but when your mom was younger there was an accident. Her parents, your grandparents were driving and your mom was in the back. They died, but your mom, she was okay. It was the hardest thing anyone of us had ever been through. Losing your parents… there aren't words for that. It's not something you ever get over, and it never stops hurting," Caroline concluded. She couldn't find the words to go on. She wanted to tell Lexi it would hurt less and that time would heal, but she knew that wasn't true. Lexi would always miss her mom and for every milestone that comes and goes in a young girl's life, the pain would be tenfold. "A girl's parents are irreplaceable, but then your mom met your dad and they had a love that puts others' to shame. Your dad made her so happy and then they had you. It was the happiest day in all our lives, the day you came along…" Caroline paused when she heard a click at the door.

"There's my girl," Caroline exhaled.

Lexi crawled into Caroline lap and stared up at her with her wet eyes and red cheeks and nose.

"You look so much like them Lex. They are always going to be here because you're here. Your mom and dad will always be here because a part of them lives in you," Caroline said as she handed Lexi half a sandwich.

Lexi took the sandwich and they sat in silence as she ate her lunch. Caroline grabbed a brush and combed her hair, both of them anxious for what one o'clock would bring. Damon and Elena had never declared godparents, but it was a safe bet that the will would state Stefan, Damon's brother or Bonnie as Lexi's guardian. The house or the cottage would have to be sold to pay off the last of the bills and to leave Lexi some money for college. Caroline could finish up her last week of her work contract in New York and move back home to help Bonnie and Stefan with Lexi for a while. There were a lot of details to work out, but "everything will be okay". Bonnie and Stefan would be great and they were like parents to Lexi anyway. Footsteps interrupted Caroline's thoughts.

"Well, hello little miss, it's nice to see your pretty face," Bonnie cooed at Lexi.

"I'm sorry aunt Bonnie for not opening the door," Lexi replied.

"That's okay sweetheart. I see aunt Caroline has got you all ready to go. Don't worry babygirl, you don't have to go in during the meeting if you don't want to. You can stay with aunt Care outside, okay?" Bonnie offered as she reached for Lexi's hand.

As Caroline gazed at the sight in front of her, she thought about what it would be like to be a parent. Elena and Bonnie were naturals and even though Caroline cared for Lexi as if she were her own, Caroline knew that her and Tyler were a long way away from being there. They weren't ready for that kind of relationship. She loved Tyler more than anything and knew she was ready to settle down, but something told her that he wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. It would be too much and too soon for Tyler even though they had been together off and on for 7 years. The thought of her missing boyfriend shook her out of her thoughts. Caroline puller her phone out of her pocked and angrily thumbed the number she knew too well.

"Ty, where are you? You were supposed to be here two hours ago. Look we're heading to the lawyers now so just meet us there. What's with you lately? You've been totally MIA for everything. This is important Ty so please just be there. I need you there. Love you," Caroline said hurriedly.

Grabbing her phone, keys, scarf, and purse Caroline Forbes followed Bonnie and Lexi out the front door for a meeting with destiny.

-/-

Caroline picked up a red maple leaf off the dock and twirled it between her fingers as the cool wind blew her golden curls across her face. Flashes of the last week assaulted her mind…

"I'm sorry there must be some mistake," Caroline said in a voice that didn't even sound like her own.

"Ms. Forbes…" the lawyer interrupted.

"Cut the crap Anna, we've known each other for ages. What the hell are you saying? There is no way that they would ever, in a million years, give Lexi to me. Anna, it's me for crying out loud. Do I seem parental in the slightest to you?" Caroline retorted, her voice rising in pitch and volume.

"Caroline, they didn't give her to you. Lexi belongs with Stefan, but no one has heard from him in years. Not since Elena chose Damon. It's the law to name a second and they named you. The papers were signed only a week before the passed away, I'm sure they would have mentioned it to you, but they probably thought they had tons of time and I doubt they ever thought it would come to this. Regardless, Caroline I need a decision. If you say no, Lexi needs to be placed within the system."

"Anna for fuck's sake. I would never let that happen. Of course I'll take care of her. I love her. It's just I thought it would be Bonnie. She is just so much better at this stuff," Caroline pleaded as she looked up at Bonnie sitting beside her.

Bonnie seemed to snap out of her stupor and turned to look at Caroline. "To be honest Anna, I kind of thought that too. I just assumed I would get Lexi."

The words pierced Caroline. They didn't hurt her because they both knew who was more motherly, but Caroline felt the hurt her friend was feeling. She could see the thoughts running through Bonnie's head. The hurt, the betrayal, the confusion she felt at Elena's decision and sadly, neither of them would ever get the answers.

As if Bonnie were reading her mind, she turned to Caroline and answered the unspoken question, "Elena, Damon… they… they must've had a reason and we will honor their wishes."

-/-

It wasn't long before another gust of cool wind hit Caroline as she stood upon the dock. This time it was a particularly painful one…

Caroline marched up the stairs of the Lockwood mansion. So much had been happening so quickly and she needed Tyler, but he was nowhere to be found. She needed to talk to him about Lexi, about what her future would look like, about what their future would look like now, but his replies were one-word texts and he hadn't answered his phone for days. The Lockwood mansion was still as spectacular and well kept as when Tyler's parents were still alive. He was a good son and did his best to keep their memory alive, it was one of the things Caroline loved about him.

"Tyler? Tyler!" Caroline called out as she rounded the living room and swung open the door to the study. When she didn't find him there she continued upstairs towards his bedroom. That's when she heard the sounds. She should've stopped there. She should've turned around and walked away, but that was not in Caroline's nature. As she swung open the door and took in the sight in front of her, Caroline let her self feel a few moments of grief, before the betrayal and the anger set in.

"Tyler? What the fuck do you think your doing?" Caroline asked coolly. She was surprised by how steady and calm her voice sounded.

"Care, let me explain…" Tyler pleaded as he grasped the sheets to cover him and the brunette next to him. Caroline stared at the absurdity of the action.

"Don't you think it's a little late for modesty?" Caroline spat.

"Caroline, Hayley was just…" Tyler continued. He kept talking, but all Caroline could hear was the loud humming inside her head as she stared at their naked sweaty bodies and the smirk on the evil bitch's face.

"You know I think I'm going to save you the trouble. We're done. Come near me again and I will cut of your favorite appendage. Are we clear?" Caroline turned without looking at the brunette and marched out of Lockwood mansion refusing to shed a tear for the lowlife, but the tears eventually came. They came when she had to explain to Bonnie what happened and every night that week. How could he do this after seven years? But she had Lexi to think about now and it would be better without Tyler. It had to be… it just had to be.

-/-

Caroline squeezed her eyes tightly and then blinked rapidly as if to blink away the memories, the images that would stay with her forever. She felt a gentle tug at her leg and looked down to piercing blue eyes.

"Hey, babygirl, I thought you were unpacking all of your toys," Caroline offered her arms as she bent down to pick up the beautiful raven haired child.

"I got hungry," Lexi replied.

"We can't have that now, can we? Okay, lets see… I do recall that someone's favorite food is mac 'n cheese."

Caroline giggled as she was answered with enthusiastic nods and a hug.

As they walked back to the cottage, Caroline glanced one of the only other cottages just down the lake. It was a beautiful glass lake house that Caroline had always loved, but could never recall anyone ever living in. She glanced over to their lawn and stared at the large orange letters that stated "SOLD". New neighbours, new house, new job, new kid, and a new life was a lot in one week, but as Caroline held Lexi in her arms she finally felt for the first time in the weeks since Elena's death that maybe everything would really be… okay. It was scary, but maybe, just maybe, things would work out as they were meant to.

-/-

Disclaimer as per usual. The story is mine, but everything else belongs to TVD. The future chapters have a more humorous approach. Always open to suggestions. Hope you guys like it!

AJ