Author's Note:

IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!
This is a very dark story that deals with the subject of extreme violence and abuse and its aftermath. While it doesn't go into graphic detail about the event itself, the recovery and descriptions of the trauma could affect someone who is familiar with this. Please do not read if this if it is something that will upset you or be a trigger for you.

Also, while I have done research on dealing with this sort of subject, I am not a professional and this is a work of fiction. Therefore, I don't claim that the methods of treatment described here are the proper or correct ones. If you have experienced any sort of trauma like this, please seek help and do not use this as any sort of guide.

Last, while I appreciate any and all reviews and critical comments, if this subject matter offends you, do us both a favor and just don't read it. For those that do, I promise there will be a light in the dark subject matter and the entire point of this is to show the strength that lies within people and how tragedy can bring together the most unlikely of allies and bring out the humanity in just about anyone. Its also a story of how strong people can be and that they can overcome and triumph over just about anything surrounded by love and support.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy.

Prologue:

It was a warm late Spring day. Caroline Forbes had just successfully finished her first year of college, she and Elena were finishing packing up their dorm room.

"Jesus Barbie, how much stuff do you have in here?" Damon complained as he eyed up the remaining boxes that he and Tyler were carrying to the car.

"Well, I lived here for almost a whole year Damon. Its all a necessity."

"Really? Five make up kits are a necessity?"

"One is for day, one for evening, one for dressy…."

"Ugh, enough, enough! I shouldn't have asked." Damon said, he looked at Tyler. "You have my sympathies man."

Tyler grinned at him. "Its worth it, especially since you have to unload it all while we head to the beach."

Damon glared at him. "Remind me how I got roped into this again?"

Elena stepped up behind him and kissed him on the cheek. "Because you are a wonderful boyfriend who understood that my best friend needed a getaway."

Damon sighed. "Fine, but we are going to need a getaway after unloading all this."

"We'll work on that, but I need to spend time with Jeremy before he goes off to school."

Caroline zipped her suitcase closed and looked over her packing check list one more time. "I think I have everything for the beach. So the sooner we get the rest of this loaded up, the sooner we can leave." She told Tyler with a grin.

Tyler and Damon picked up several more boxes.

Caroline and Elena exchanged a glance as they left and then burst into laughter. "We did it!" Caroline enthused. "We survived our first year of college and managed to make good grades despite all the drama."

"Drama? What drama?" Elena joked.

"Oh, you know the 2,000 year old vampire drama and the deep dark mystery of your family drama." Caroline teased back. "But it was all in a year's work for us."

"Yeah, I mean, after dealing with the Original Family a 2,000 year old immortal was a piece of cake."

Caroline's smiled faltered for a second and she turned away so Elena wouldn't notice. She would never admit to anyone, even herself, how much the knowledge that Klaus had a baby with Hayley had stung. She hadn't seen or spoken to him since she found out and she didn't plan on it. Not that she was planning on seeing him or speaking to him before she found out. She was happy with Tyler.

"That's right, don't call Silas a vampire." She said lightly.

"I'll just call him dead." Damon's voice called out as he and Tyler returned. Damon wrapped his arms around Elena.

"Have you heard anything from Stefan?" Elena asked lightly.

"I talked to him last week. He was up in Seattle. He's doing pretty good, all things considered." Caroline answered.

Damon nodded. "Any clue if he's going to be ready to talk to us any time soon?"

Caroline smiled sadly. "Soon is a relative term for vampires, remember? He's trying his best, but he needs to be away from all this for a while." Her smiled turned brighter, "And so do we." She told Tyler.

"Well, if you two 'ladies' would help with these last few boxes, then this could be our last trip." Tyler told her.

Caroline sighed. "I don't know? What if we break a nail?"

Elena laughed and then picked up a few boxes. "C'mon Care, as you said the sooner we are packed up…."

"Oh all right." Caroline begrudgingly agreed taking a few more. They followed the boys down the stairs. "Has Jeremy heard anything from Bonnie?" Caroline asked.

"No, he thinks that since we got rid of Silas and got Qetsiyah to destroy the Other Side she has moved on."

"I hope so. I just wish we could talk to her one more time."

"Yeah, me too." Elena sighed. "I never even got to thank her for giving me back my brother."

Caroline leaned closer to Elena, it was impossible to give her a hug with the boxes in both of their arms.

"I'm sure she knows. I'm sure she's watching over us right now."

The two girls headed outside where the boys had managed to load up most of the boxes. Tyler was standing by his car, looking confused. "Ok, I understand how you can collect all that stuff in a year's time, but why do you need all this luggage for ten days at the beach?"

Caroline fake pouted at Tyler. "Why so I can look beautiful, just for you."

Tyler shrugged, while trying to arrange her luggage so they could see out the back window. "I'd be happy if you wore your bikini the whole time."

Caroline rolled her eyes while Damon snorted behind her. "See Barbie, men have simple tastes and less is more."

"Thank you, Damon." Caroline commented dryly.

She turned and looked at Elena. "I'll miss you." She told her.

Elena hugged her tight. "I'll miss you too, but I want you to have fun and relax."

"I plan on it. If you could keep the drama down til we get back…."

Elena pulled away laughing. "How about you stay out of trouble until you get back?"

"Who, ME?" Caroline laughed with her. Then she shot Damon a look. "Take care of her."

"Always." Damon assured her.

Damon and Tyler nodded at each other and then they both climbed in the car. Elena and Caroline had one more brief hug and then followed their boyfriends to the vehicles. Damon took off first, but pulled up beside them and rolled down Elena's window.

"Hey, Malibu Barbie, make sure you put on lots of sun block." Caroline just rolled her eyes.

Tyler laughed and took her hand as they watched the others leave. "We are going to have a great time." He said taking her hand and kissing it.

"Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Caroline enthused.

With that they pulled out.

~.~

None of the vampires present had noticed that they were being watch. Just out of sight around the corner of the building, five vampires sat watching them close.

"Mmmmm, Barbie." One of them said with a grin that showed yellowed teeth in his mouth. He said the words like he could taste them on his tongue.

"I always wanted a Barbie to play with." Another agreed with a dirty laugh.

"Boss said we gots to break 'er." This vampire who appeared to be the oldest when he was turned. "Only rule wuz that she could answer his questions when he got 'ere."

"She look like she's got sum fire to 'er." The youngest looking one said. "Daddy, can I take first crack at her?"

"Sure boy. We wanna ease 'er in." He looked behind him at the fifth vampire who sat on the ground sharpening his knife. "By the time we let your brother at her, she'll tell evrythin she knows."

"Let's get going." The first vampire walked over to where they had parked a large F150 pickup truck. "We gotta get 'Barbie' to her dream house."

"Y'uns remember that "Barbie" song that was out a few years ago?" The youngest one asked as they walked away.