The Scars Not Seen: A Klaroline Fanfiction

10. Wide Awake

Wide Awake

Mystic Falls, Virginia 2010

"I'm your brother, Caroline."

Huh? Wait, what? That can't- Huh?

"Brother." Caroline found herself stating, her voice incredulous, disbelieving. "I have a brother." He must be lying, right? This is just some sick game..

"You do." The stranger-Robb confirmed, his head cocked, keeping a watchful eye on her.

His name, it's so familiar… Robb. Robb. Why do I know that name?

And then it hit her.

Robb. My dreams. The boy in my dreams, the one who took care of his sisters… Who took care of me, my god, he really is my brother… He can't be lying, why else would I dream about him? This is… this is just…

"This-This can't be happening." Caroline stuttered out, her face paler than usual.

"And, yet, it is." Robb, her brother Robb, replied, staring at her with blue eyes that matched her own.

There was silence for a moment as they stared at one another, unsure of what to do next. She examined him, her insides tumbling in turmoil. Here he was, a real piece of her past. Her biggest clue yet. She had a brother. For a long time Caroline had simply thought she had no family, after all, if she did have family, wouldn't they have at least searched for her? But, in all her years, she had never met another member of her family. So she had stopped believing in them, started to think she was just giving into a false hope.

And now…

Caroline continued to stare at her brother. What was she supposed to say? What would anyone say? I can't believe this… Her eyes shifted back down to the scar on his throat, the fang marks.

"You're dead." She whispered, the realization that he was indeed a ghost finally making its way through the confusion in her head. I finally find a member of my family… and he… he… The fang marks seemed to glare out at her. "Did-did I do that?" She asked, gesturing to the fresh-looking scars, her voice desperate and full of shame. Did I kill my own brother?

"No." Robb immediately replied, his face shocked. "Why would you think that? Of course you didn't. My death was the fault of someone else entirely." Towards the end, his eyes grew dark, remembering the monster who ended his and most of his family's lives. Robb brought his eyes back to his sister's face. It was still the same as all those centuries ago. Still the same Caroline, though with a little less knowledge it seemed. Well, no matter, he could help with that.

"I didn't?"

"You didn't." He half-smiled her, trying to provide some measure of reassurance. "That, my dear sister, you can be sure of." Caroline watched cautiously as he approached her slowly, his eyes still glued to hers, as if trying to tell her that he meant no harm.

When one Forbes stood in front of the other, Robb reached out and placed a gentle hand on his sister's shoulder. She froze up for a moment, but did not move away so Robb took that as a good sign and smiled at her. Caroline for her part, felt her heart ache. I have a brother, a family, and he… he seems to care about me. I wasn't just abandoned. Soon enough, she found herself relaxing slightly under his touch.

"You did not kill me, Caroline." He told her firmly. He squeezed her shoulder once and let go, but before he could take his hand completely away, Caroline grabbed it, wanting to keep close to her only known family as much as she could. She just got him; she didn't want to lose him so soon. Robb stared at her in surprise, but returned her grip without a single hesitation.