Mystic Falls hasn't been the same since Aella Bennett arrived. She's changed the lives of her friends, family, and even the town itself-but the arrival of Katherine Pierce and the Originals is about to bring her toughest challenge yet.
With a new po...
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FORBES HOUSEHOLD
Caroline stood poised in the foyer of home, her slender frame adorned in a meticulously crafted replica of a 1960s ensemble. The soft glow of the light above cast a warm color, accentuating the vibrant hues of her costume as she delicately fastened the final piece—a pair of earrings that sparkled in the ambient light.
She caught a glimpse of movement in the mirror before her, and her cerulean eyes lit up with anticipation as her mother entered the house. Despite the fatigue etched into Liz's features, Caroline couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement at her mother's presence.
"There you are! You almost missed me. How do I look?" Caroline chirped, her voice tinged with a mixture of excitement and curiosity.
As Caroline spun around to showcase her ensemble, Liz's gaze seemed to pierce through her daughter, lost momentarily in the depths of a distant memory. Caroline, oblivious to her mother's reverie, awaited her response with bated breath.
'I'm going to forget that you're a vampire.'
Liz shook off the foggy memory and smiled tightly at Caroline. "Jackie O?"
"Duh," Caroline retorted with a playful roll of her eyes, her costume an unmistakable homage to the iconic Jackie O, complete with a pink two-piece skirt suit and a perfectly positioned black pillbox hat atop her meticulously styled blonde curls.
Liz managed a tight-lipped smile, her fractured thoughts momentarily obscured by the facade of maternal pride. "You look good," she finally offered, her voice carrying a hint of forced enthusiasm.
Though Caroline reciprocated her mother's smile, a subtle unease lingered beneath the surface. "Thanks. Is everything okay?" she inquired, her concern palpable.
Liz nodded quickly, a reflexive gesture to mask the tears welling in her eyes. "Uhh, just some work stress," she mumbled, her voice betraying the turmoil within.
Caroline accepted her mother's explanation with practiced ease, conscious of the demands of Liz's position as the town's sheriff. "Well, you work too much," she remarked with a hint of gentle reproach.
Before Liz could respond, Caroline's phone chimed with an incoming message, drawing her attention away momentarily. "Oh my god! Elena just texted that Damon is going to be a chaperone. I don't know if that's hot or annoying," Caroline exclaimed, her voice infused with a mixture of amusement and uncertainty.
'I was killed September 25, 1864, by my father.'
'Damon was right; you're not a killer.'
'But you're never going to trust them.'
'I used my fear to attack you.'
A knock at the door shattered her reverie, pulling Liz back into the present moment. Vibrant and infectious, Caroline's laughter filled the room as she bounded towards the door, her playful banter cutting through the tension like a well-sharpened knife.
