Unbreak the Broken

I'm Almost Me Again

Chapter title is a lyric from Almost (Sweet Music) by Hozier

Season 1: Episode 1🩸

The old phone on her night stand was both a good sign and a jarring throwback. It was the HTC Aria and the first ever cellphone her mom let her have. She'd gotten a new one halfway through her Junior year, which meant she was about when she expected to be.
The next indicator of her current place in the timeline, was slightly more horrifying. She expected it, of course she did. The clumsiness of her steps, the dull senses. Caroline wasn't a vampire anymore.

Nothing had prepared her for the sense of loss she felt at being human once again. She'd lost nearly everything in her life, but being a vampire felt right. When she was human, Caroline was shallow and insecure. It felt awful for her to revert back to the existence she had before, but those insecurities were long gone. Caroline was -mentally- a grown woman. She could handle this adjustment.

She checked the date. It was September 5, only a day before the start of her junior year. Stefan and Damon were coming to Mystic Falls, and Caroline had a lot to do.

She stopped dead when she opened her closet. Caroline was not prepared to wear fashion from 2009 again, not at all. She spent the next ten minutes finding a pair of pants that weren't skinny jeans and a blouse that wasn't ridiculous.

Thankfully, Caroline could fix the mess that was her hair. Another half hour adjusting her hair and makeup and she had a middle part once more. She would never admit that she was wasting time before she had to go and face the ghosts of her past.

When she couldn't spend any longer in her childhood bedroom, she sighed. "Time to face the music."

Caroline grabbed her phone and her car keys before heading downstairs. Her mom wasn't home, thankfully. Caroline wasn't ready to face her quite yet.

She the drive to Richmond was pleasant enough, and it gave her plenty of time to think. She, Kol, and Bonnie clearly hadn't thought this all the way through. Kol had given her instructions on what to do when she met him, and Bonnie drilled some key details into her head, but she was woefully unprepared. Thankfully, Caroline Forbes just didn't do unprepared.

Walmart was her first stop. The time-traveling blonde headed straight for the tea. Lemon verbena was common enough and contained a plant she sorely needed: vervain. She also bought a carving knife and a few journals for planning.

Unfortunately, Caroline didn't know of any witches in the area, so she found the next best thing. A botanist was likely to have what she needed. She bought vervain seeds, a plant pot, and some soil. It would take a few weeks to grow, but Caroline could be patient when necessary. The shop didn't have wolfsbane, but she wouldn't need that for several months.

She stopped by a boutique and picked up some clothes on her way back.

Her mom still wasn't home when Caroline got back. She didn't know whether to be relieved or gutted. She put her new plant pot on her windowsill and planted the flowers she bought. If Zac Salvatore died this time around, the town's vervain supply would likely go with him. She had big plans for the flowers, but that would have to wait. Caroline decided it would be best to go to sleep and deal with the rest of her preparation tomorrow.

'Human sleep is weird ,' Caroline thought when she woke up. It had been a very long time since she felt hungry and tired like she did now. It was dull and heavy, unlike the sharp and pinpointed feelings she had as a vampire. Her breath caught when she checked her phone and found a text from her mom.

Mom- Had to head into work early. Have a good day

Her mom had texted her. When she was a teenager the first time, Caroline would've rolled her eyes and ignored the message. Now, older and wiser, Caroline found herself near tears. She resolved to fix things with her mom sooner and save her as fast as she could.