Work Text:
Senior Prank night:
Caroline is walking down the hall she'd just finished a portion of a prank in the art room. And was heading to the gym. She stops and stares with wide eyes as Tyler is dragged from the Gym by a blonde. Who is obviously a vampire, even to her human senses.
She knows the vampire will notice her before she has a chance to run or do anything. So instead she takes a deep breath and tries to stay calm and continues on the path to the gym. Her mom, and surprisingly Damon, had been working with her on self defense against supernatural beings.
"Is he dead?" Caroline asks, looking at the Blonde who has stopped with wide eyes, she keeps her eyes off of Tyler's still form.
"In transition, and if Bonnie succeeds he'll be my brothers first successful Hybrid." Rebekah says, dropping the limb she'd been dragging Tyler by. "Which friend are you?"
Caroline gulps before answering, "Caroline."
Rebekah tilts her head analyzing Caroline, "I'm Rebekah. Your not going to try anything stupid are you?"
Caroline shakes her head, "I assume your related to Klaus and Elijah, with accent. I'm just a human. I do not stand a chance, but could you point me to Bonnie so I can see if I can be of use to look for way to stop Tyler from being permanently dead?"
Rebekah gives a little smirk, and points away from the gym. "The baby vampire, Matt I think it was, is helping her."
Caroline nods and lets out a shaky breath, eyes glancing towards the Gym. She can guess that is where Elena is, probably with the Hybrid Klaus, they'd never actually met. But Caroline had seen him from a distance, and heard him threaten Damon. She'd also seen his and Stefan's handywork.
"Thank you," Caroline whispers, knowing the vampire would hear her. And heads in the direction she pointed.
It doesn't take her long to find her two friends, pouring over some grimoires that had been stored in Alaric's classroom.
They both look up as Caroline enters, both letting out sighs of relief.
"Thank god your okay," Matt says, appearing beside her and pulling her into a hug.
"I...I saw Tyler, with Rebekah." Caroline says, taking a steadying breath.
"Klaus wants me to contact the original witch..." Bonnie explains, before explaining what happened in the gym.
"We can't get ahold of Jeremy." Matt says as he tries again to call the younger Gilbert.
Caroline sits biting her lip and thinking, over Jeremy and talking to the other side. He'd died and now he has a connection, was it possible for another human to talk to the other side and remember?
"Is it possible for a human to talk to someone on the other side?" Caroline asks. "I mean Jeremy was human."
"But I brought him back to life with magic, and was punished for it." Bonnie says flipping through a book. "And humans are only on the other side for a very short period of time, they then move on."
"How long?" Caroline asks, standing up. Ideas already forming, it wouldn't be hard to find a way to stop her heart, there were a lot of way to do that. But then it would rely on someone restarting her heart.
Matt stops trying to call Jeremy and looks at her with a confused look.
Caroline notices his shoes are still damp, him and Bonnie had gone to teepee the pool. The water.
"I don't know, time moves differently there I think." Bonnie says, without looking up, and in frustration slams the book closed.
"I have an idea and neither of you are going to like it." Caroline says, looking at her friends.
Both Bonnie and Matt look at her, and she just starts walking out of the room. Heading threw the
Locker room and out into the pool area. She takes a deep breath and looks at her friends.
"You both know CPR right?" she asks voice scared, and suddenly Both their eyes go wide.
"What! Caroline no." Matt says shaking his head.
"That is to risky, what if it doesn't work?" Bonnie says, grabbing Caroline's arm to pull her away from the pool.
Caroline puts her hands on either side of Bonnies face and looks her in the eyes. Doing her best to show her love and faith in her best friend.
"Bonnie, two of our friends lives depend on us contacting the Original witch." Caroline whispers, "Let the human do the one thing that she can do to help. I trust you and Matt to bring me back. If push comes to shove...I give Matt permission to feed me his blood after you pull me from the water."
A tear falls from Bonnies eyes, "You barely survived drowning as a little girl, you only take showers because you hate baths because you're afraid you'll drown!"
"I know, that is why I'm counting on both of you." Caroline says, a tear falls from her eyes and she steps back. She looks at Matt, "Listen for my heart to stop, then pull me out."
"We won't let you die." Matt says nodding, "Water won't be your end."
At that Caroline exhales and jumps into the water, forcing herself to inhale. Pulling the water into her body, her eyes burn as the world fades.
On the other side, Caroline looks around its like the world she just came from but hazy. She is still wet, but she glances around and beside her is Vicki Donavan, Matts Sister.
"Vicki," Caroline coughs looking at the older girl.
"Thank you for being there for Mattie, I know we didn't get along, but thank you for being the sister I couldn't be." Vicki says, moving the hair from Carolines face, "But we don't have a lot of time."
"I need to talk to the original witch," Caroline says looking around.
On the other side of the pool is a redheaded woman, with tears in her eyes. Something is familiar to Caroline about the woman but she can't place it.
Vicki Pulls Caroline's attention back to her, "I know. She told me to tell you that As long as Elena is alive the transition can not take place."
Caroline frowns but nods, "Okay, I'll tell Bonnie. Want me to tell Matt anything? I can feel it...I think they're bringing me back."
"That I love him, and I am so proud." Vicki says, right before Caroline disappears.
The woman across the pool smiles.
Caroline gasps awake, spitting up water. Matt helps turn her onto her side, rubbing her back, while Bonnie sighs and cries in silent relief.
"Please never do that again," Bonnie cries, pulling Caroling into her arms.
Caroline nods trying to breathe, her throat and chest burn. Her vision is still fuzzy.
"I saw...Vicki." Caroline says, her voice raw and scratchy.
"Vic?" Matt says, emotion filling his voice.
Caroline nods at her friend. It takes another moment and some more coughing.
"She said that she loves you and is so proud...She also had a message from the Original witch." Caroline says slowly, still slightly struggling to breathe.
Matt pulls Caroline into a hug, rubbing her back to try and help her breath.
"As long as Elena is alive the transition can't take place." Caroline whispers, knowing both her friends will hear her.
Tears fall from Bonnies eyes, "We have to tell Klaus, he started a count down. One or both of our friends will die if we don't tell him."
Matt who is also soaking wet from Pulling Caroline from the pool, Stands up. He and Bonnie help Caroline stand but she is unsteady on her feet. The three move together out of the pool to find Klaus.
"Bon...I don't think its that simple." Caroline whispers, her voice raspy from drowning and then coughing up water. In fact she is still coughing. Her eyes are starting to droop
"Get Caroline to a doctor, I'll tell Klaus." Bonnie says, nodding to Caroline that she heard her.
Matt picks Caroline up as she almost falls as Bonnie moves away. He hurries to his truck, putting Caroline in the Passenger seat. Buckling her up at vampire speed and is back in the driver seat headed for the hospital. Caroline falls unconscious even as Matt tries to tell her to stay awake.
Caroline dreams of being little, laughing and running around with another blonde girl. Being in a basement a sanding block in her hand laughing with a man, calling him 'Daddy'. The redheaded woman from the other side was there, they said goodbye to the man, he was in a uniform. There was a gunshot and then water.
A steady beeping it what wakes Caroline, there is a hand holding each of her hands. Both hands aren't dissimilar in size to her own. Slowly she opens her eyes and has to blink a few times. On her right Elena looking tired and paler than normal, on her left is Bonnie her head resting on the bed. Both girls appear asleep. She sees the sleeping figure of her mom, she'd fallen asleep sitting up, and near the door appearing to be guarding it.
"Damon," Caroline whispers, her vision is still fuzzy but she can just make out that it is the elder Salvatore brother.
Suddenly he is right there, looking at her with a surprising amount of concern.
No one else has moved.
"Hey barbie, you had us all concerned. I brought Elena over as soon as I got the message." Damon says, glancing to the pale Brunette.
"What happened...Her?" Caroline mumbles.
"Klaus needs her blood to turn hybrids, he was taking her blood." Damon says, "I got here and scared him off...But won't stop him. Hopefully keep him away for now."
Caroline frowns.
"Not your fault Barbie, You were trying to save her. Klaus gave Tyler her blood, he's still walking around." Damon says, before moving hair from her face, "You gave us quite a scare. You went unconscious on Matt, when he tried to give you blood your coughing caused you to puke it up. Didn't even have a chance to heal you before you coughed it up."
"I've had your blood," Caroline whispers confused.
Damon laughs quietly, "I don't think you rejected it. Body just coughed and puked at the right time."
Caroline nods, still confused.
"I need to get a doctor, we told them you fell in the pool and Matt and Bonnie found you." He whispers before heading towards the door.
Caroline nods again and blinks some more, her vision has almost cleared up.
Her mind is flashing back to what she dreamed, but they didn't feel like dreams. They felt more like when she got her memories back from Damon compelling her.
Suddenly a name forms in her mind, said thousands of time, said in excitement, reprimand, scolding, but mostly it is said with love.
Kelly. Kelly Kelly.
Her mom has woken and is moving towards her, Damon has reentered the room. Nurses and doctors following close behind. Slowly Elena and Bonnie are waking up.
The nurses and doctors start looking her over, her friends moving away. Her mom stepping to her side. There are questions being asked but she doesn't hear them, all she hears is the name being repeated. Then it stops.
She doesn't look to the doctors or the nurses but to Liz Forbes.
"Kelly," Caroline says looking at the woman that raised her.
Liz blinks in confusion, but when Caroline repeats the name Liz gasps.
"Are you Kelly?" Liz asks as tears form in her eyes.
Liz and Bill adopted and named her Caroline when she was 8 years old, as she had no memory of who she was or who her parents were. She'd seen hundreds of doctors and therapists, and i the end it was decided that the experience had been so traumatic that she may never remember. And she'd been dropped off at a hospital not far from Mystic Falls by someone who said they found her floating in the water. No one else in sight, with a head wound. They'd had to preform CPR.
"I think so, that is what they called me. In the...In the dream... Or memories." Caroline says, voice quiet.
The doctor who'd been one of the people who Caroline had seen as a child caught on quickly and gave quick orders to the nurses. And soon he was the only medical staff member in the room.
"It is possible that the experience of drowning now, might have triggered some memories, It isn't common but not unheard of." Doctor explains, before writing down some notes and softly asking her, "Would you like me to continue to call you Caroline? Or would you like to be called Kelly?"
"Caroline, I've had the name longer than I would have been Kelly." Caroline whispers, "It is still fuzzy but I remember some faces, and voices, but they aren't clear."
The doctor nodded and said he'd be back and left the room.
To the side Bonnie and Elena have tears in there eyes as they sit on the couch, they'd befriended Caroline quickly. And knew that it had frustrated her to not know anything before she was adopted.
"Well you're always Barbie to me," Damon says, "But I'm confused."
"Bill and I adopted Caroline when she was eight,..." Liz says and explains to Damon how Caroline was found and then adopted with no memories. About the endless doctors and how frustrated the young blonde got with having such a good memory and great grades but she couldn't remember anything before that date.
Damon looks contemplative before stepping towards Caroline and sitting on the side of her bed.
"Could you have been compelled?" Damon asks, "Or a spell cast on you?"
"What do you mean?" Liz asks for Caroline, who is still filtering through some memories.
"She died Liz, when you die compulsion is undone. She was dead for several minutes by the time Bonnie and Matt resuscitated. Add in on the way to the hospital, Matt brought her back again before he got here." Damon says, eyes glancing to Elena who he'd had a conversation with about meeting her before Stefan. After the sacrifice she'd remembered.
Bonnie makes a noise and moves forward, "Memory spells tend to end with death as well, from what I've seen on them."
Caroline looks up at them, "Why'd no one look for me?"
Damon licks his lips and sighs, "There might not have been anyone to look for you, or everyone thinks Kelly you have remembered your last name yet, is dead."
A tear slips from Caroline's eyes, she'd always assumed she was orphaned. But to think that maybe she was the dead one was not what she would have thought.
"If only the name would come up," Caroline whispers in frustration. Tears fall from her eyes.
Suddenly Elena is on the bed with Caroline pulling her hands from where she was about to start pulling her hair. Caroline is currently in a weaker physical state than Elena who was almost drained of blood.
"Hey, look at me. You will remember eventually. Someone was in your brain and messing with your memories during a traumatic moment. They can't make you afraid of water like that, unless you were actually drowning." Elena whispers pulling her into a hug.
Damon nods, "We can make you afraid, but I've seen how you are with water. And you certainly wouldn't have been able to overcome it like you did to save your friends."
"We are here care, and when the memories come we'll be here." Bonnie says, joining the hug.
Life continues, Caroline slowly recovers with her friends and mom watching her closely, and keeping Stefan away from her. She isn't allowed to start the school year yet. They argued that she wasn't in a good head space and seeing one of her guy best friends without emotions and probably willing to kill her, wasn't good for her. And she hadn't fully recovered from drowning yet. She still had regular breathing treatments, as her lungs had taken some damage. She'd also caught pneumonia, so hadn't been allowed to go back to school, and was on strong antibiotics.
Caroline is escorted by Damon to the Grille one day, since Liz told him she was going stir crazy, so he offered to take her out and make sure she was okay.
She is set up at a booth, a warm sweater wrapped around her and a hot beverage. Matt had made her a hot tea, since she was still coughing regularly. Damon ordered her soup and glared at her when she asked for a milkshake and ice cream.
"Barbie you have pneumonia. You aren't getting ice cream." Damon glares at her until she sighs and accepts the soup.
Several classmates stop and see how she's doing, before wishing her well and taking their leave. She grumbles about missing homecoming, when one of the cheerleaders gets fake pouty about having to take over the planning. Caroline glares at her back as she walks away.
Its during a small coughing fit when someone sits across from her in the booth.
"I see why your friends have been hiding you," Rebekah says, handing her a napkin.
"Thanks," Caroline says, between coughs.
"I thought they were kidding or lying, but you really did drown yourself to talk to my mother." Rebekah says slight awe in her voice.
Caroline takes a few sips of her tea before responding, "And then I got pneumonia. They don't want to risk, blood, I puked up Matts when he tried on way to hospital."
"Mine would be stronger, its ancient. Older works better, and you look like shit. It's been a few weeks shouldn't you be better by now?" Rebekah asks, confused cause shouldn't modern medicine have worked by now.
"My lungs were damaged as a kid, I almost died then. So it takes a lot for me to recover from anything respitory." Caroline shrugs, colds had a risk of turning to a hospital stay. "I've been couped up either at the hospital or at my house since prank night. Damon took pity on me, and my restlessness."
"Yes, from what I've heard, you are normally in charge of everything. And haven't been allowed to do well...anything." Rebekah said, "must be miserable."
"And my friends are focused on you, your brother, Stefan, and Tyler. So haven't really been able to hang out with them." Caroline grumbles, she rubs at her head, she'd been having headache a lot. Coughing didn't help the headache. And she hadn't had more memories, just the same ones slowly clearing up.
"Barbie Klaus, get away from Barbie," Damon says, appearing by the table, glaring at the original, then looking at Caroline, "And you need to finish your soup. One of the deputies is here to take you to the hospital for a breathing treatment."
Caroline groans but finishes her soup and tea, and smiles at the deputy who is picking her up.
She isn't allowed out until her birthday, well technically, it is the date she was found. They don't know when her actual birthday is. But even without a memory she had been able to tell them she was eight. So they picked the date she had been found to celebrate her birthday. Caroline is pretty sure her birthday has passed, but this date has been her birthday for ten years. She doesn't go to school, she'd been taking tests and quizes at home. She's actually ahead of the semester. Teh school said if she wanted to she could possibly test out of the entire year. She had talked to her mom about it, and her mom encouraged her to do it. She'd then be able to focus on her health, and her memories.
She exits the house and goes for a walk, she passes people going about their day. As she walks she notices people that she is pretty sure are hybrids. Damon told her that Stefan had been trying to get rid of them, but they were still around. Elena had confessed to giving a dagger'd Rebekah to Klaus, in exchange for Jeremy's safety. Caroline had told her that she had done the right thing. Matt was having to ignore his best friend and felt guilty he hadn't been more help to Caroline so he'd been trying to 'make up' for it, even though she told him he had nothing to make up for.
Somehow Caroline has found her way to the water, standing on the bridge. As she stands there, she zones out staring into the water.
Suddenly she is in the back of a car, she's with the redheaded woman, who she's realized is her birth mother. The front is a man, one she knows isn't her father.
NIS
Her mother introducing her to the man pops into her mind, he's a NIS assigned to protect them.
A gun shot, and there's blood and a hole in the windshield. Then the car crashed. She isn't sure how but she got out of the car, and there was another gun shot. It missed her, and there was blood in her eyes. Then a splash. She fell into water.
She blinks and suddenly she's back in Mystic Falls staring into the water.
"Caroline," Stefan says, appearing not far from her. Even though she's been told he has no emotions, there is so much emotion his tone.
It is then that she feels the tears. She hadn't realized she was crying.
"I was adopted, and had no memories of my life before eight years old. Since prank night, I've been remembering." Caroline answers his unasked question, "Sometimes they take over."
"You shouldn't be out here," Stefan says, only a few feet from her.
"I wonder if I had a funeral? Even without a body." Caroline whispers, "Maybe they just thought my body couldn't be recovered, I fell in the water after a car crash."
"Caroline get away from the water," Stefan said.
"There was blood, the agent driving the car was shot. He was driving the car." Caroline says, images flashing before her, "The car crashed, my mom she was still. So still, her eyes were wide open, but her chest wasn't moving. I'm not sure how I did it...But I got out of the car. There was blood in my eyes, and I was in pain. I was stumbling, and then there was another gun shot. It didn't hit me, but I stumbled or tripped. I fell into the water. I lost consciousness pretty fast."
"Caroline," Stefan growls and decides fuck it. He uses his vampire speed and moves Caroline away from the bridge. She's still lost in her head when he stops moving.
Stefan pulls out his phone and calls his brother, telling him where he is and the state Caroline is in. It doesn't take long for Damon to arrive.
"Damn it, Barbie," Damon says, grabbing her by her shoulders. "Barbie, snap out of it."
It's no longer just the one memory playing in her mind. It is like a tidal wave of memories have moved to the forefront of her mind.
"Caroline," Damon says, looking at her with fear and concern. Suddenly Damon is thrown away from her, as if by magic. Stefan is also thrown back.
The two brothers look at each other in shock. As Caroline suddenly collapses, landing on the ground. Damon and Stefan both rush forward to her, now convulsing body.
"I got to get her to the hospital," Damon growls out. Picking her up once there is a break in convulsions.
"Damon she threw us 10 feet, I don't think a hospital is safe for her or others." Stefan says. "Take her home, call Matt and Bonnie."
"One hell of a birthday Caroline," Damon mutters before taking off to the Forbes house.
It doesn't take long for Damon to lay Caroline down in her bed, and call the others. Matt is the first to arrive, and then Damon is off to try and find his brother.
Bonnie suggests that they take Caroline to the witch house, if the magic that threw the Salvatore brothers is left from who altered her memories, or it was instinctive magic from Caroline herself. Bonnie and Elena make sure that Caroline is bundled up, and Support her as the four of them head to where Bonnies ancestors are.
Matt says he'll stay outside, watch for anything suspicious.
"What do I do?' Caroline asks leaning on Bonnie.
"We'll sit you down, and I'll try and call on my ancestors." Bonnie says.
Between Bonnie and Elena they get Caroline sitting on the floor, using a blanket they brought to cushion behind Caroline. Then Bonnie sits across from her.
"Now hold my hands," Bonnie says, smiling at Caroline encouragingly.
Bonnie lights the candles with a wave of her hand. And then she starts to try and summon her ancestors.
"Bonnie baby," Sheila Bennett says, appearing beside Bonnie.
Sheila turns to look and Caroline and smiles, "There is someone here visiting who'd like speak to you."
Suddenly a soft hand is gripping Carolines. Caroline looks over and a tear falls from her eyes.
"Mom?" Caroline whispers, seeing the redheaded woman from her memories and also from when she was on the other side.
"Hello Kelly, or should I say Caroline?" Shannon says, smiling with tears in her eyes..
Bonnie stands up and steps towards Elena to give Caroline a moment, Sheila rises and follows.
"You did good bringing her here," Sheila whispers to her granddaughter.
Elena wipes away a tear, "She looks so like her."
Caroline and her mother both cry.
"I remember the accident and there are flashes of memories. I remember my name being Kelly, but not your name or my dads." Caroline says.
"My name is Shannon. Your father's name is Leroy Jethro Gibbs." Shannon says, wiping Caroline's tears.
"A Marine, he was...he was deployed." Caroline says remembering the uniform and him leaving.
"He mourned us," Shannon says, "Grieves for us everyday. Doesn't know your alive, no one does. The man that rescued you from the water was a vampire, who had a witch amplify his compulsion. He realized someone tried to murder you and had succeeded in killing me. So he did compulsion to make sure you had a closed casket. Everyone thought there was a body in it."
"Why'd a witch amplify the compulsion?" Caroline asks.
"To hide your magic, and give you the chance of normal childhood. It couldn't take away the fear of the water, though." Shannon says, remembering watching the vampire compel her.
"He's alive?" Caroline asks, eyes wide.
"Yes, he is." Shannon smiles, "you could go meet him."
Caroline gets to talk to Shannon for a little bit longer, before a tearful good bye. And letting her know that all of her witch stuff is still in the attic of the house LJ Gibbs lives in.
The friends eat cake later in the cemetery, and Matt gets in an argument with Tyler who comes to wish Caroline a happy birthday and complain about them avoiding him. Caroline magic acts on instinct, throwing Tyler away from Matt. Whom he just had bitten. Caroline doesn't know how she even did it, she just heard Matt scream in pain and saw Tyler. And then he was flung into a tree.
Tyler ran away saying he'd try and fix this, and Caroline and Bonnie Carried MAtt to the car. And then together, got Matt into her house. She wouldn't leave him alone. Bonnie left to try and find help, and Caroline set to making her friend comfortable. Her mom quickly came home, with some blood bags. together mother and daughter helped to keep the young male vampire comfortable.
"It is going to be okay," Caroline whispers.
"Thank you, Care." Matt says, smiling up at her. "Distract me. Tell me about your mom, the one you met."
Caroline smiles and talks, starting by describing what she looks like. And that her name was Shannon, and she was a witch. Then while she helps him drink blood, and cleans the bite, and wipes away sweat she tells of the memories she can recall. There are still holes, plenty of them. But it is enough to know that she was fully and truly loved. Then she holds him and talks him through hallucinations.
"It will be okay Matt," Caroline whispers, she can hear the front door open and her mom talking to someone. "I won't let you die. Vicki will haunt me forever."
Matt gives a choking laugh at the comment about his sister.
"No, she wouldn't, she'd know you did everything that you could." Matt laughs through his pain.
"That bite looks pretty bad, sorry mate collateral damage." Klaus says, from Caroline's bedroom doorway.
Both blondes turn to see the original hybrid looking at them with a curious look on his face. Caroline narrows her eyes, trying to not lash out at the only person able to save her friend.
"Are you going to kill him?" Caroline asks, not afraid of the tears falling from her eyes.
"On your birthday?" Klaus says, eyes on Caroline. "I love birthdays."
Klaus talks to Caroline for a few moments, and smiles at her. From his coat he pulls a vial, that even without vampire smell Caroline knows is blood. He hands the vial to her, and tells her happy birthday. And then he turns and leaves.
As soon as he is gone, Caroline is turning to Matt and uncorking the bottle, helping him to drink the blood.
"Rest," Caroline says, as Matt lays back into her pillows once the bottle has been drained.
After Matt is comfortable Caroline leaves the room and find her mom, Liz, the two drink tea and Caroline reveals what she learned at the witches house.
Liz doesn't seem sad, she seems happy for Caroline, glad that her daughter now knows who she was.
"I know there is a lot going on mom, and this is just another thing on the pile." Caroline says looking at her hands.
"Screw the pile, you are my little girl, as Caroline or Kelly. All I have ever wanted was for you to be happy." Liz says pulling Caroline into a tight hug, "And I can do some digging at the station, or have a deputy help. Caroline, we'll find your birth father."
"Thank you, mom," Caroline whispers with tears flowing down her face.
A couple of days later, her friends are off trying to move against Klaus and hiding the coffins with his family in them. Bonnie has reached out to her mother, which is wild for Caroline to think about. Bonnie though busy has also taken some time to bring Caroline a grimoire and help her start to learn a little bit of her magic. But Caroline knows she has way more going on, so encourages her that Caroline will be fine.
Damon texted her that Elijah was no longer dagger'd and all but the locked coffin were given back to Klaus. He has a meeting with Elijah. He is keeping her updated so she stays out of the way, says he put in a lot of work for her to be alive.
Caroline had been having more memories and she is pretty sure she knows who compelled her as a child, so she asks Damon if she could tag along for the meeting with the Original. Damon skeptically agrees, but says he'll be watching her.
She walks alongside Damon as they approach the suited Mikaelson. As Damon and Elijah talk it solidify in her mind that her memories are correct. She doesn't bring anything up, she didn't even tell Damon why she wanted to tag along.
"Alright Barbie we made our plans, I assume you want to talk with him. So I'm going to stand over there, make it seem like you have privacy. But.." Damon says, pointing to a spot.
"But you will be listening to every single word, got it." Caroline says, nodding her thanks to Damon as he steps away.
"How may I help you Ms. Forbes?" Elijah asks, looking at her curiously.
Caroline takes a deep breath and centers herself.
"By any chance about 10 years ago did you save a little girl from drowning? She was in really bad shape, before she ever touched the water." Caroline asks heart picking up.
Elijah looks at her closely, then he looks into her eyes. Suddenly understanding dawns on him. He is looking at the little he saved those years ago.
"In August, when Klaus and Rebekah got to town, I drowned myself in the pool at school. So we could contact the other side, and apparently dieing removes compulsion. No matter how strong it was. I still have holes, but slowly the memories are becoming less fuzzy." Caroline explains, looking down at her hands.
"I'm sorry Ms. Forbes, if my compulsion caused you an issue. But you were an innocent child, and I feared if anyone, including yourself, knew it might happen again. I didn't have the full information, but it was obvious someone tried to murder you." Elijah explains, tucking his hands in his pockets.
Caroline nods, "If was frustrating not even knowing my name, or who my parents were. But now that I am older and the memories are returning, it was probably for the best. My mother and the agent protecting us were murdered, and the person also tried to murder me."
Elijah nods and then turns, before disappearing in vampire speed.
Damon walks up to her and leads her back to his car, he doesn't say a word until they are in the car. "I'm glad you didn't get murdered Barbie."
Caroline laughs, "You tried to murder me."
"But that was before I knew you," Damon says, "And I thought I apologized for that, and everything else. Did that therapist help?"
Damon had managed to find a therapist and compelled them to never reveal anything about the supernatural, then deposited them in front of Caroline. Saying he was an asshole and terrible being, and this was his version of apology. And Caroline had only blinked at him before turning to the therapist. the therapist did end up helping her, and not just with Damon, but a lot of stuff she'd not been willing to talk about before.
"Did your mom find anything about your birth family?" Damon asks, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, but couldn't dig to far without causing questions to be asked." Caroline says, "I'm going to be headed to D.C. soon, apparently my biological dad works at NCIS and hopefully I can get a DNA test done, so that we also have non-magical confirmation."
"Are you excited?" Damon asks, glancing at her.
"I'm scared." Caroline admits, which is funny because she wasn't scared about Klaus being in her house. She wasn't scared about being in a car with Damon, a vampire who had hurt her. And she wasn't scared of so many other things she should have been scared of, but what she was scared of was meeting her dad.
Damon parks the car in front of the Forbes residence, "Caroline, he's going to love you. And if he doesn't, I'll compel someone to kill."
"Damon!" Caroline glares at him.
"Like a fungus you've grown on me, Barbie." Damon says, smirking at her.
Caroline gets out of the car muttering about stupid vampires and makes her way to the house. She spends the rest of her day reading over the grimoire that Bonnie had lent her, and trying to meditate. It wasn't working. Her mom messages that she got a meeting for Caroline with the Director of NCIS. A Jennifer Shephard. It would be the begining of next week. Drive up in a few days, then the next morning talk to the director.
It is getting later in the day when Caroline is trying to figure out what to eat for dinner.
"Barbie!" Damon calls out, followed by the front door shutting. He walks into the kitchen with a shopping bag and a shoe box.
"What are you doing here? Aren't you and Stefan going to dinner with Elijah and Klaus?" Caroline asks, turning away from the cupboard she'd just been looking in. "What are those?"
"Put these on, you are coming with us. We need a pretty blonde distraction, and Matt says that Klaus seemed to like you." Damon says, walking towards Caroline's room. He tosses the stuff on her bed.
"I'm not changing in front of you," Caroline says with a glare, when Damon steps out and mostly closes the door she starts changing. "I'm not going to be useful for this, and I am really stressed Damon, I'm scared."
"This is also to get your mind off of your upcoming appointment. Focus on tonight." Damon says, pushing the door open as Caroline is putting on the heels Damon got her.
"Having dinner and being threatened by thousand year olds, sure that will be a great distraction." Caroline glares, standing up, "How do I look?"
Damon nods looking at her and smirks, "Great, lets go."
They arrive at the mansion, Stefan joins them walking up to the building. He glances at Caroline, schools his look of concern quickly. The last time he saw her she was out of it and accidentally threw him and his brother.
"Don't look at me, I'm pretty sure if I didn't change into this he would have just thrown me over his shoulder and brought me, anyway. Didn't matter that I was in Pjs." Caroline mutters, glaring at Damon, who just smiles.
Stefan, who is supposed to be emotionless, tries to hide the smile that is appearing on his face. But out of the corner of her eye Caroline catches the smile, and mentally pats herself on the back.
It doesn't take long for them to enter the mansion, greeted by Elijah and Klaus. Both have a slight look of surprise that is quickly school when they see that Caroline has been brought with them. Caroline ends up actually eating food, she is the only one who actually needs it of the five to survive. Around her the vampires throw barbs and try to provoke each other.
When the taste of wine hits her taste buds, Caroline zones out. Lost in a memory, of Shannon letting her try wine from her glass one night.
It takes the vampires a surprising several minutes to realize Caroline has zoned out. Klaus had turned from his taunting of the brothers to ask her what she thought, when saw to was staring off into space, a slight smile on her lips.
"Love?" Klaus says, looking at the blonde.
When Caroline doesn't respond, the other three vampires look at her.
"Shit!" Damon says, realizing what is happening. It has been happening slightly less, but still happens.
"What is wrong with her?" Elijah asks, tilting his head.
"Your little memory whammy that was supped up by whatever witch you used." Damon says, appearing next to Caroline but careful not to touch her. "When she has a memory is completely takes her. From what Liz said...She basically fully relives the memory, on repeat. Some last longer than others. Scared Liz when she remembered her accident."
"What accident? What memory Whammy?" Klaus asks, turning to glare at his brother.
"Caroline was in an accident as a child, Elijah pulled her from the water. At least that is what Caroline has said," Damon shrugs, his focus on the young blonde.
Damon's eyes widen when he feels a slight tingling in the air. "We need to get away from her, NOW!" Damon says vamp speeding away to the edge of the room.
Stefan follows his brother, remembering what happened last time, while Elijah also moves away. Klaus is the only one who actually tries to move closer to Caroline.
There is a crackle in the air, and then Klaus is flung away, slamming into a wall. Elijah and the Salvatores also feel pushed back into the wall. But Caroline slumps in her seat, when the power disappears.
"Does this happen every time?" Elijah asks, smoothing out his jacket. He doesn't move to help Klaus up.
"Not sure, but happened last time I was with her." Damon said, moving towards Caroline to check on her.
Caroline's pulse is steady, but as if she is asleep. Instead of being knocked unconscious by a release of magic.
Klaus has slowly taken himself off the floor where he'd landed, his eyes never leaving Caroline. Damon glares at Klaus, because Damon is pretty sure it looks like Klaus actually does like Caroline, in a more than 'like' or curious way, and that doesn't make him happy.
Stefan seems to see what Damon also sees and moves himself to be between Klaus and the unconscious Caroline.
Things then progress back into the threatening, and trying to one up each other. though Caroline is shifted to be laying on a cushioned type bench in the corner of the room. When the other originals are awake and moving towards Klaus, Rebekah notices the unconscious blonde, and has concern on her face when she looks at her. But doesn't see any physical damage, so turns her focus to her family.
It is Stefan who carries Caroline out of the mansion when they are told to leave by Elijah. They drop Caroline off at home before walking away, and talking to each other.
When Caroline gets the invitation from Klaus, and the dress, she sighs and calls Elena to ask her what is going on. And complain about Cinderella fetishes. She also calls and talks to Bonnie, explaining what has happened several times to her. Thinking Bonnie will tell her not to go to the ball, that it would be dangerous to do so. Instead Bonnie does the opposite. Since Caroline is and always has been a very social person, and she has for her health and safety been couped up at home. Caroline simply groans and says she'll think about it, but isn't sure she should...What with accidentally throwing people!
Rebekah ends up stopping by with a necklace as a gift for Caroline, saying she'd been the only one not rude or directly stab her. Caroline blinks and accepts the necklace. She'd heard from Elena that Rebekah had tried to kill her last night, so the other blonde being nice to her was a bit of a surprise. But Caroline shakes that from her head and accepts the gift. The necklace is pretty. With a small diamond, and looks like it would match the bracelet that Klaus had left her, but not quite.
A couple days later Caroline is loading a small suitcase into her car when Rebekah and one of her brothers appear behind her.
"Can I help you?" Caroline asks, confusion lacing her voice.
"Nik decided you shouldn't be traveling to DC alone. You have two options..." Kol says.
Rebekah rolls her eyes at her brother, before walking to Caroline with a softer smile.
"What Kol is trying to say, is either we are coming with you, or a small army of Hybrids will be following you from the city limits of Mystic Falls, throughout your entire trip and then will only stop following once you reenter Mystic Falls." Rebekah says, eyes bright before turning to Glare at Kol who has started talking.
"Lets be real Bekah there will be hybrids following no matter what," Kol says, then mutters about over protective hybrids and not knowing how to talk to girls.
"Why would he care?" Caroline asks, confused. The last time she talked to Klaus was the Ball and she'd thrown his bracelet he'd given her in his face. Though she'd kept the necklace from Rebekah. She also kept the drawing.
"That is a topic better for where no one can hear us," Rebekah whispers to her, while glaring at her own brother.
Kol does a 'Who Me?' gesture, adding a small pout to his face. Both Rebekah and Caroline just kind of stare at him for a minute.
Caroline calls her mom and agrees to call her every hour, and says suspicious she'll let her know and vice versa. None of the Mikaelson's have ever tried to hurt Caroline, in fact they'd gone out of their way to remove her from situations. Or get between her and a threat. Caroline had actually confronted Esther at the ball, even with as little as she knew about being a witch, she could tell Esther was going about her guilt the wrong way. She'd even brought up arguments about vampires being needed. And how many witches went to the spirits instead of nature for answers and maybe the spirits were selfish. Caroline had accidentally also started a therapy session with Esther, that lead to the older witch crying as Carolien awkwardly patted her on the head. The Mikaelson ball was a very strange night for Caroline. And everyone really.
Caroline sighs, "I'm driving, Kol back seat."
The three of them set off, and the 4 hour car ride is spent not in silence. Kol spends most of it talking about Klaus and how he keeps drawing and painting pictures of Caroline. He also points out the cars containing hybrids, and when they stop for gas, he points several out who park across the street.
"Doesn't trust us, his own siblings!" Kol says, throwing his hand sin the air dramatically.
"You literally plotted to kill and or dagger him, several times each." Caroline says matter of factly.
"Well he dagger'd each of us for centuries at a time." Kol rebukes, "bloody hell he dagger'd Finn for most of our existence."
Caroline just sighs as Rebekah starts to argue with Kol. She simply walks into the gas station and gets snacks and a coffee, while prepaying for gas. She goes out and ignores the siblings as they bicker, choosing to focus on filling the cars gas tank.
When they are back in the car she tosses some candy at Kol in the back seat, and also some at Rebekah.
"Are these unicorns?" Rebekah asks, looking at the bag of gummy candies.
"Mine are frogs!" Kol says, ripping into the bag and inspecting the candies.
"Didn't know what you guys like, so just grabbed some random stuff." Caroline says with a shrug.
They are back on the highway, as they near D.C. a thought hits Caroline.
"Do you guys have any form of I.D.? We are headed to a secure location that requires I.D. to get entrance." Caroline says, remembering something Damon said about about some secure locations know about the supernatural.
Kol just waves his hand and eats his gummy frogs. Rebekah rolls her eyes at her brother.
"Nik made sure we got all of that taken care of, vervain has some health benefits or something to human so some randomly drink it in tea. So safer to have an up to date identity." Rebekah says, pulling out her wallet. "I believe your mother also double checked the info to be safe, it cleared."
Caroline nods, and lets out a relieved breathe. She wouldn't be allowed access to NCIS if they couldn't get in.
Caroline drives up to the gate and waits for a guard to check the three I.D.'s, he takes them to the little booth, and makes a call to confirm who she is there to see.
"Sorry about that, we've had to raise more security." The guard says, handing their i.d's to Caroline. "Park over there, in visitor parking. Enter that door there, and a guard will confirm your information once more, you'll all have to go through the medal detector. Then someone will get you some visitor badges and escort you to the Directors office."
Caroline nods her head and double checks the area he'd pointing to for parking. Then the gate is lifted and they are driving into the parking lot. As she parks her anxiety begins to spike. She closes her eyes and evens her breathing, while reciting a series of dates under her breath. Each date is an important event in her life since arriving in Mystic Falls. Some happy, some sad, but they all help to ground her. When her breathing is under control and she feels less likely to panic she opens her eyes. Both Rebekah and Kol are looking at her with concern.
"I'm okay, just anxious. I might be getting scientific evidence and not just witchy evidence of who I am." Caroline whispers, wiping a tear from her face.
Kol leans forward, whispers to Caroline, "If he reacts badly or doesn't want you, or is mean to you...I'll kill him."
"No," Caroline says, fighting the desire to reach and smack the back of his head.
"You say the word, and it will be done." Kol says, before shifting back and getting out of the car.
Rebekah grabs Caroline's hand a squeezes it reassuringly.
Caroline double checks that she has her wallet, and folder that she and her mother painstakingly made. Also, a journal she'd been instructed to keep since she was little. It was the hope that memories would come back. But this one was new and contained the bits of memories that had been recovered. Elena had given it to her for her birthday, with a fancy pen. And it had come in handy, since then.
Slowly she joins the two Mikaelson's and together they walk into the building. The guard is expecting them, and quickly confirms their information, they walks threw the security check without any issues. They call up and confirm with the Directors assistant that they are expected and will be escorted up.
The arrive on the floor of what the guard calls the MCRT bullpen.
"Why's it so orange?" Kol blurts out, "And not a good orange, either."
Caroline rolls her eyes and without saying anything, reaches up and swats Kol in the back of the head.
Rebekah does bite her tongue and from CArolines other side says, "Kol you can't just comment on the garish color scheme."
In response to that Caroline does to Rebekah what she'd just done to Kol, though slightly lighter. Both Originals just roll their eyes, but take the hits knowing it is distracting Caroline from her nerves.
The guard looks like he's about to make a comment but decides not to, and continues leading them through the room and up some stairs. They are lead into a small entrance area, where a woman introduces herself as Cynthia.
"The Director is finishing up a phone call, so sorry." Cynthia says gesturing for them to take a seat, "Can I get the three of you a coffee, tea or a water?"
"No thank you," Kol says, doing his best Elijah impression.
Caroline and Rebekah both turn and look at him.
He throws his hands in the air, "I do have manners."
"I've just never seen you use them," Rebekah shoots back at him.
Caroline looks to Cynthia and says, "Sorry about my friends. They're brother and sister and we've been in a car all morning."
Cynthia laughs and tells her not to worry about it. When the phone rings she picks it up, and hangs up after a quick second.
"You can head in now," Cynthia says, standing to open the door.
They walk into the office that is large, with a conference table to one side, and with windows as a back drop is a large desk. A red headed woman is rising from her seat.
"Hello, I'm Director Jenny Shepard, please call me Jenny." Jenny says, moving around the desk to greet them offering her hand to shake.
Caroline takes a deep breath and steps forward to shake her hand, "Caroline, these are my...friends Rebekah and Kol."
Jenny smiles, and shakes a hand of each of them.
"Welcome, what can NCIS do for you today? Your mother a Sheriff Forbes, said you might have information about a previous NIS case." Jenny said, with slight confusion in her voice. "Lets sit at the table."
Caroline places her stuff on the table and sitting across for the director. Rebekah and Kol sitting on either side of her.
She takes a shaky breath, both Mikaelson's look at her with concern.
"Sorry this is going to be a lot for me to say, and I don't know if you'll believe me." Caroline says, voice slightly shaking.
Jenny smiles encouragingly, she could see that the young blonde was nervous. "Take your time, if you need to take breaks we can."
"Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes adopted me when I was eight years old, I was really banged up from some sort of accident and then had almost drowned." Caroline starts, and opens the folder sliding it towards Jenny for her to read. "The top documents are the reports from the hospital, and then my adoption records, and some later documents. You'll notice I'm listed as a Jane Doe until my adoption, which then I received the name Caroline Forbes."
Jenny puts her reading glasses on and reads through the documents quickly, mostly skimming the information, she notices the date of Carolines hospital arrival, and the hospital she'd bene treated at. thoughts start to stir in her brain but she doesn't want to jump to conclusions, so she nods at Caroline to continue.
"I didn't know my own name, nor the names of either of my birth parents, or anyone else. I couldn't even tell them what had happened to me. All I knew was that I was 8 years old and highly afraid of water." Caroline says, taking in a breath to calm herself. "I saw so many doctors I can't even tell you how many, and eventually it was concluded that I had more than likely been through such a traumatic event that I may never remember what happened or who I was."
"It's okay Caroline," Rebekah whispers, seeing that Caroline's hands have started to shake.
Jenny smiles softly at the teen, and only because of her training does she not flinch in shock, when Caroline looks up from her hand to look at her. She is looking into familiar blue eyes. Pieces sliding together like a puzzle in her mind.
"In August there was an accident, I fell into a pool and thankfully two of my friends weren't far away. They had to resuscitate me, I fell unconscious on the way to the hospital. I died." Caroline says, whispered that she had died as a tear falls that she quickly wipes away.
"We can take break," Jenny says.
"If I stop now I don't think I'll be able to restart." Caroline says, "When I woke up I had new...memories. At first I thought they were dreams, but then I realized they weren't. There was a name being said, a name I was being called. One I'd never remembered. It was like every time that name was said in the past was flooding in at once."
Jenny reaches over and pushes a box of tissues towards Kol, who takes one and hands it to Caroline.
"I'd been so, so frustrated for 10 years. I have a more than perfect GPA, a near perfect recall, but I couldn't remember my name. Or anything about myself. Before I woke up in that hospital bed. Suddenly I heard a name, and it felt right, and then more pieces started to flood my mind. Laughing with another young blonde girl, riding a horse, saying goodbye to a man that I called Daddy as he drove away in a uniform." Caroline says, "and then the pain. I remembered the accident, the gun shot and the blood from the NIS agent spattered through the car. The impact of the crash, my mom's arms slumping away from me. Climbing out of the window, stumbling in pain, blood in my eyes, and another gunshot, and then water."
Beside Caroline, Rebekah is blinking away tears, as she mentally picture a little blonde girl with Caroline's eyes going through what Caroline describes.
Jenny has to take a calm breath to settle herself before she can ask, keeping her voice steady, "What was the name?"
"Kelly," Caroline whispers, loud enough for the woman across the table to hear her.
Jenny lets out a breath and almost slumps back in her chair. Her mind is racing, glad that the MCRT is out on a case.
"Would you be accepting of some DNA testing?" Jenny finally says after several minutes.
"Yes, I'd like to know the truth." Caroline says, not saying anything about meeting the ghost of her mother, Shannon.
Jenny nods and then stands walking to her desk, to pick up her phone. "Our medical examiner is also an accomplished doctor, if you are alright with it he could do some blood draws and our forensic scientist could run the test. She will be running against DNA we already have access to, so it shouldn't take long for results."
Caroline looks to the two vampires with her, they give her encouraging nods.
"Yes, that is fine with me." Caroline says, nodding.
Jenny talks quickly on the phone and also informs those in the room with her that they will do everything down in Abby's lab. Jenny also pulls up some information on her computer quickly and jots down some notes. then she returns to the table collecting the file Caroline had given her.
"If you will follow me, do you mind if Ducky, Dr. Mallord, takes a look at these?" Jenny asks as she guides them from her office.
"That should be fine," Caroline says, following the red head. She is wiping tears from her face, still holding a bunch of tissues.
Kol and Rebekah take up position following Caroline. Anyone looking would think they were trained guards with how they followed and moved, eyes taking in everything around them. Jenny notices but doesn't comment.
They take an elevator down and follow the Jenny into a lab where music is being played loudly.
Caroline can see as each Mikaelson flinches at the volume, but relax when the goth in a lab coat notices them.
"Director Shepard what can I do for you today?" Abby asks, trying for official sounding since she doesn't know who is with the director.
"It is fine Abby, Ducky will be up in a moment. We need a DNA test performed, more than one actually. I have the information it will be compared to written down for you." Jenny says, handing her notes to Abby. "Ducky will be taking some blood from Ms. Forbes, and you will perform the testing. No one, is to see those results except you, Ms. Forbes, and myself."
Abby nods and looks at the notes before blinking at looking up at the director, "But one of these is..."
"I know Abby," Jenny says, cutting her off, "Which is why you will not show these to anyone else."
"Madam Director, hello, which of these young ones is my patient?" Ducky says, entering the room with a medical bag.
Jenny nods at her, and Caroline steps forward with a shaky breath.
"Hi," Caroline says, with a wave.
"This is Kel... Caroline Forbes, I have some files for you, Ducky, about her medical history. We don't want her to have to repeat her story, so best for you to read them over." Jenny says, handing the file to him, She then turns back to Abby, "Are you alright with them staying in here with you till the results come, or should I have them taken to a conference room?"
"They are safe with me Boss Lady," Abby says, with a salute.
Jenny smiles before leaving, "If you or they need anything, I'll be in my office making some phone calls."
Ducky narrows his eyes at the name correction, but accepts the file. None the less, he smiles at Caroline, "This way my dear, best to be seated and comfortable. Have you eaten today? We don't want any risk for you."
"I drove 4 hours here, so not proper food." Caroline admits as she follows Ducky.
"We'll have to get some proper food in you Caroline, we'd thought you had eaten before we met at your car," Rebekah says, sounding upset that Caroline had only eaten a few gummies and some coffee.
"What is that?" Kol asks Abby, pointing at a piece of equipment. It distracts the goth while Caroline is with Ducky, who also takes the time to do a simple checkup of the blonde.
"I'll see if we can get you some proper food delivered, my dear. Some gummy bears and coffee are not enough food." Ducky says, as he exits Abby's office area.
He hands the blood off to Abby, with a quick whisper in her ear. Neither knowing Kol and Rebekah here it clearly.
"She has his eyes," Ducky whispers, while nodding to the notes from Director Shepard.
It doesn't take long for Abby to begin setting up to run the test, as she'd prepared everything she'd need. She answer Kol's questions as she works. He seems to be genuinely interested in the work that she is doing.
Caroline sits quietly, fiddling with random pens. Rebekah a silent precess by her side. Though the older blonde did occasionally take her phone out and was texting someone.
Rebekah nudges Caroline, reminding her to message or call the Sheriff.
At some point Ducky returns with some food, offering a variety of sandwiches to the three guests in the lab. He pours over the file from Caroline, while Abby check and double checks the results from the tests she ran. Picking up her phone and calling the director, who quickly comes down to the lab herself. While Caroline picks at her food with Kol and Rebekah, trying to get her to eat in Abby's office area.
"How do we tell her? How do we tell Gibbs?" Abby asks, both nervous and excited.
"Tell me what?" Gibbs says, from the doorway. This Cause Jenny, Ducky and Abby to all jump.
"Gibbs, you're not supposed to be down here!" Abby shouts, and hurriedly lowers all windows on her computers.
"Jethro!" Jenny says, eyes wide, looking around, trying to look for something to distract him.
Ducky shakes his head and closes the file in front of him. Slowly, he stands and points to Gibbs and then to the seat.
"Please sit," Ducky says, waiting for Gibbs to sit.
Gibbs is glaring at the three of them, but isn't saying anything because he can see three people in Abby's office. Two of which seem to be trying to get the third to eat a sand which.
"I'll stand," Gibbs says, "Now what are you telling me?"
The three look at him and then each other, each going to talk but then no words leave their mouths. It ends up being Abby who finally speaks, and it is more like blurts it out.
"Kelly's alive!" Abby says, and immediately slaps her hand over her mouth.
Gibbs leans back as if he has been slapped, blinking at Abby. That is not near anything that he would have expected for her to say.
"I ran it three times to be sure, against the blood found in the car from the crash. And then also against your on file DNA." Abby says, clicking on her computer to show the results.
On the screen, one window is giving a blinking '100% match', and the other showing a paternal match.
"Jethro?" Jenny says, looking at him with concern.
"I think I need to sit down," Gibbs says, moving over to the stool and plopping himself down.
Unaware to the NCIS employees, they'd been talking loud enough that Caroline had heard Abby's blurting of the results. The sand which falls from her hands onto the desk, and she slowly stands up. The door slides open as she walks toward it. Kol and Rebekah follow closely ready to catch her or hug her if they need to.
Everyone turns at the sound of the door sliding open.
Caroline looks up at Abby, who stares back with an 'oh shit, oh shit' look.
"It matched?" Caroline asks, voice just above a whisper.
Gibbs looks up and looks at her. Taking in her hair and the shape of her face, and then looking at her eyes. Eyes that are red and puffy, but so much like his own. Eyes he didn't think he'd ever get to see again.
"Kelly?" Gibbs says, drawing her attention to him.
When she looks at him, memories of working on a boat, and fishing, and horseback riding flash through.
"Dad," Caroline says, a tear rolling down her cheek.
Suddenly, there is movement from both Gibbs and Caroline. They meet halfway, hugging fiercely. Neither wanting to let go. It doesn't take long but soon there are tears in almost everyone's eyes at the sight of father and daughter meeting for the first time.
The moment is interrupted by a light smacking sound and Rebekah saying, "Don't hug me!"
"There is a lovely moment happening, Bekah! Let me hug you," Kol says, moving to try and hug Rebekah again.