Capital Letters

two

Nathan woke with the first rays of sunlight streaming through his window, painting the room in soft, golden hues. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing the anticipation etched across his face. Today held a daunting agenda, a day filled with responsibilities that weighed heavily on his mind.

The weight of the impending hours pressed upon him as he swung his legs over the edge of his bed. The idea of a long, exhausting day loomed in the forefront of his thoughts, beginning with his first stop: the hospital. Caroline needed him, and that alone propelled him forward.

Caroline's request had been a persuasive one. She had summoned him to her side for a visit, and he couldn't refuse. A sense of obligation tugged at his heartstrings, a commitment to the one who had captured his affection.

Yet, beyond the hospital visit, another duty awaited him. Elena and Bonnie had enlisted his help in setting up for the upcoming carnival. Caroline's persuasive powers extended to involving him in this task, too.

He also wanted to avoid Aria yelling at Damon for what he did to Jeremy. Nathan heard all about it in a phone call from Elena. It was all Katherine's fault. She got into Damon's head, broke his heart and Damon snapped. Literally. But he couldn't worry about that right now.

Stefan could deal with that and Aria could deal with Damon while Nathan goes to the hospital to see his girlfriend. But Damon was distracting himself, and he brought Aria along with him to investigate the Lockwoods.

Navigating the familiar halls of the hospital, his footsteps echoed in the quiet corridors. But as he neared Caroline's room, his brisk pace faltered. A foreboding scent lingered in the air, and his hand hesitated over the doorknob. The metallic tang of blood tainted his senses, sending a shiver down his spine.

A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open. The room was dimly lit, the blinds drawn shut. Nathan's brow furrowed in confusion as he stepped further inside, shutting the door gently behind him.

"Caroline?" he called softly, his voice tinged with worry. He set a bag containing a burger from the grill on the nearby table and began to scan the room. There was a distinct absence of her presence, and anxiety tightened its grip on his chest. "Your mom said you weren't eating. I brought you a burger from the grill."

His footsteps led him to the window, a last attempt to find her, but a sudden movement halted him in his tracks. A hand, stronger than he remembered, reached out and restrained his own. Panic surged through him as he instinctively reacted, his grip tightening around the throat of the intruder.

In that moment, he believed it to be Katherine, the architect of so much trouble. But when his captive's face came into view, his heart plummeted. Caroline's familiar features stared back at him, her eyes wide with fear and pain.

"No," Nathan whispered, the word barely escaping his lips as he released her with a swift, horrified realization. It couldn't be. The very thought was unimaginable. "How'd this happen?"

Caroline gasped for breath, her hand clutching her throat as she tried to speak. "I don't know. I don't even know what's happening!" Her voice was a desperate plea. "My head is killing me, my gums are burning. I'm burning!"

Nathan's gaze dropped to the floor, where he spotted the necklace he had gifted her, discarded beneath the hospital bed. His heart ached as he retrieved it, his hands trembling.

"Caroline, I'm so sorry. I should've been here every second," he muttered, his voice choked with guilt. He took a step back from her, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "How did you—" The words caught in his throat; he couldn't bring himself to utter the devastating truth. "I need you to tell me everything that happened."