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A Narrow Escape
Tyler and I got a frantic call from our mothers not too long ago asking to meet right away.
Wondering what was wrong, we headed straight to the Lockwood mansion from Elena's place.
"Mom?" I heard Tyler call out as I followed him into the house.
"In here," she replied.
"Mom..." I said looking at the sheriff's facial expression. She was standing right next to Mayor Lockwood.
"What's going on?" Tyler asked.
"Alaric outed us to the council, he told them everything," the mayor began. "The whole council knows what you are."
"He's got them looking for Klaus," my mom continued. "And then they're going to come looking for you. You can't be here when they do."
I shook my head in disbelief. "What are you saying?"
"You both need to get out of town," my mom said.
"I've pulled together some cash," Tyler's mom said. "And Liz has gotten you some new identification. We'll get school records, and—
"Woah, wait a minute," Tyler interrupted her. "You want us to run?"
"We can't protect you anymore," my mom said before I interrupted her. I was frantic and didn't mean any disrespect.
"We can't just pack up and leave!"
"If you stay, you're going to end up dead." I could see the tears welling in the mayor's eyes as the words left her mouth. "You don't have a choice."
I looked at the mayor, then at my mom, then Tyler. I didn't know any words that could express what I was feeling.
My whole life is here in Mystic Falls, I can't leave my friends! But then again, they're all human except for Damon and Stefan. If we run, who will warn them?
"We can't just leave town." I looked at Tyler who was now sitting on the couch. Our mothers had left to do whatever damage control and stalling they could manage, even though I knew it wouldn't be enough.
"Yes," my boyfriend said beginning to try and convince me. "We can."
"No, our friends need us!"
"And our mothers need us to stay alive," he argued. "Look, Stefan and Damon are gonna do whatever it takes to protect themselves, but this is our lives. So, let me protect you."
I guess I will get to see the world with Tyler after all.
"I will go anywhere with you," I began. "And if we have to spend the rest of our lives running, I will run with you."
I can't believe it! We're going to start our adventure together, just the two of us. But, I can't not help our friends.
"But, first... I have to help our friends."
He seemed to be taking this information in stride as he nodded, I could see the cogs turning in his mind. What was he planning?
"I'll get stuff together and meet you at the cellar in two hours."
Oh my god, yes!
"Deal!" I couldn't help but laugh as I brought his face closer to mine to kiss him.
"But, we've gotta travel light." He pulled back from me a little bit. "So, what do you need?"
"Just you." I pulled him back closer to me. "Maybe a curling iron."
He rolled his eyes making me laugh again before he kissed me.
"Oh! I have to tell Bonnie—
"I'll call Bonnie," he said interrupting me. "Okay?"
I nodded, still stunned that this was really happening.
"Two hours. Don't you dare be late."
"Okay," I said with a smile before kissing him one last time before our meet up in the cellar. That niggling feeling came back making me feel as if that would be our last kiss.
I didn't know it yet, but it would be for awhile.
"Tyler!" I called out into the dank cellar. "Tyler?!"
Tears streamed down my face, I couldn't believe this was happening. I should have known that it was too good to be true.
"Caroline?" I suddenly heard his voice.
"Tyler, oh my God!" I threw my arms around him. I thought I was going to lose him.
"Sorry, I was just with Bonnie." He pulled away from me, concern written all over his face. "What happened?"
I looked into his eyes, I couldn't stop crying. "Klaus died. He's dead."
"You're gonna be fine, Caroline." He was trying to console me but I already knew this would happen, I don't know if I'm strong enough to run without him.
"No, it's not me that I'm worried about."
"There's no point," he said with a sad shrug. "I'm a lost cause."
"No!"
"But you're strong," he said. "And you have a beautiful future ahead of you. When you make it through this, just tell my mother I left town like I was supposed to, okay?"
I nodded. There was nothing left to say, nothing left to do.
He placed his hands on my face and pressed his lips to mine. He quickly took control as our mouths moved earnestly against each other. There was something different about this kiss but I didn't think anything of it at the time. I probably should have.
Wrapping my arms around him, I held on tight, savoring our last moment together in what was supposed to be our forever.
His body started to shake as he stepped away from me to turn around, coughing harshly as he did so. He turned back to look at me, fear in his eyes.
"Do you feel anything?" He asked.
"No," I said, the tears coming back to my eyes. "I feel fine."
"I need you to get out of here," he said. "I don't want you to watch me die."
"No, I'm not leaving—
I started openly sobbing as he groaned in pain. He coughed so hard I thought a lung would come out before he fell to the ground gripping his side.
I knelt with him, I couldn't leave him now! Not when he needs me, no one should die alone.
"I'm staying—
"No."
"Yes." There was nothing he could say to convince me to leave his side.
"You run. Or, I'll make you run."
"I'm not leaving." I shook my head as my voice began to crack.
Oh shit. He's changing. I could hear the bones suddenly start to break as his painful transformation into a dying wolf began.
"Go!" He yelled.
The tears kept coming as I stepped back, looking at him one last time, before vanishing into the night.
I couldn't stop crying. The love of my life started dying before my eyes and I just left him in the cellar. I called Elena so that she could tell everyone because I just couldn't do it. I couldn't deal with any of this and I still had so much to do. Seriously, I'm supposed to be halfway to Florida with Tyler and now I'm in the hospital trying to convince Matt that it wasn't his fault now that Elena is a vampire. He's spiraling and I know I've got to hold it together to help him but I can feel myself slipping too.
"If the council is after you, then why are you here?" He asked condescendingly.
"Because, I don't know where to go." And here we go, I'm officially spiraling. "Tyler's dead and everything is different now. And I—
Suddenly Matt pulled me into a hug, letting me cry into his shoulder. The comforting gesture ended too soon. I heard walkie talkies buzzing about checking the hospital and I knew it was the council. I had to get out of there.
I left Matt where he stood and high-tailed it home.
As soon as I walked in the door, I ran around the house at vampire speed packing anything and everything I thought I would need into one duffle bag and my purse.
Grabbing my keys, I stopped when my cellphone rang.
Shit! It's the sheriff calling.
"Mom, hey!"
"Caroline, where are you?" She said into the receiver. "Please tell me its far away."
I was just about to run out of the front door too.
"Where am I? Good question..." I shook my head and stopped by the end table, deciding not to lie to her. "I'm still at the house, why? Is everything okay?"
"No, it's not okay!" She whisper yelled. "I've just been stripped of my badge by the council and they're probably already at the house. You need to drop everything and go, now!"
Realizing that danger was just outside the front door, I ended the call immediately and focused my hearing. It sounded like there were three of them in the yard.
I quickly texted my mom letting her know that I'll call her when I'm safe and vamp ran to the basement to hide my stuff before flashing to the backdoor. I focused my hearing again and could tell they were creeping around inside the house. Before they could get to me, I fled a couple of houses down and up into the trees. The foliage was pretty dense and I had a good enough view to watch my former home. Because once the council was gone, I would be leaving this town... and I'm not sure when I'd be able to come back.
About thirty minutes after the council left, I crept into my house through the backdoor. I knew there wouldn't be any traps because that would put my human mother in harms way.
Taking out more suitcases, I cleaned out my closet of all the necessities... which pretty much included every stitch of clothing I owned. I mean, seriously, I was running for my life. I need it all with me, because what if I can never come back?
At this point, I had basically cleaned out my room. It looks like I never even lived here, haha. I shouldn't be laughing right now but as the saying goes, laugh now, cry later.
Finally getting all the photos, other memories, and everything else I wanted to take with me, I zipped up all three suitcases, two duffle bags, a backpack, and my purse. Don't judge me, I packed and repacked everything to make sure I could maximize the space I had available. I even changed into a sturdier travel outfit too. Smiling to myself, I could just hear Tyler teasing me about all the stuff I had. I was keeping myself busy because at any moment I could literally lose it.
I could feel my eyes welling with tears, but I had to be strong for Tyler.
I will not cry, I will not cry.
I repeated the mantra as I put everything in the car, as I got in and shut the door, as I looked at my home for one last time, as I turned the key I had inserted into the ignition, and finally as I pulled off.
I couldn't hold it in any longer, my eyes watered first then the tears fell onto my cheeks. Heart-wrenching sobs wracked through my body as I finally put Mystic Falls in my rearview mirror. I drove south and didn't stop until I reached my destination.
Without Tyler, I wasn't going to Florida, I couldn't go to Florida. So, it didn't surprise me that I ended up somewhere different entirely.
I ended up way down in New Orleans.
The fourteen hour drive went by pretty quickly as I was speeding like a demon escaping from hell. I got here in an eleven hour blur as I cried myself numb.
Taking a left onto Carondelet Street from the 10 freeway, I drove into the heart of the famous Crescent City. Night hadn't fallen just yet but the time didn't seem to stop the city from brimming with life. There were people everywhere as I drove through the center of what could only have been the French Quarter. A sad smile graced my lips as I thought of Tyler, but I knew he would be happy I found a place to start over. A place to call my own.
But first things first, I needed to find some place to stay for the night and I needed to think smarter and not harder.
Pulling over in front of Cafe Du Monde, I took out my phone and searched apartments for rent French quarter. The first listing that popped up read The Julia at Saint Charles. It sounded too fancy for me to afford but I clicked the link anyway.
Damn. The prices listed started at just over $1500 a month, but there were ways to get around that. I clicked on the link for an apartment I liked and called the number on my phone screen, grateful that the space was currently available.
"Hi, my name is Care Michaels," I said when a gentleman answered. "I'm interested in one of the apartments available in the Julia at Saint Charles."
Wow, how is that the first name to pop into my head? Definitely not a good sign.
"Hello there, Miss Michaels. My name is Brice Lafont and I'd be happy to help you this evening," the man on the other end of the phone call said. "You're in luck as you caught us forty-five minutes before the leasing office closes. If you are able to stop by in say... fifteen minutes, I can give you an application and go over the necessary copies of legal documents you'll need."
"That sounds amazing. Thank you, sir. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with the area so I'll need the address."
After giving me the necessary information, I headed to the leasing office where I compelled myself into an apartment of my choice with all expenses paid for up to a year.
With keys in hand, I took the first step into my new life and into my new home.
ns 15.158.61.54da2
