la casa di Salvatore | 02 | c. forbes

[ 12 ]

Chapter Twelve
June 31st &
July 5th, 2009
06/31/09 + 07/05/09

Caroline wakes up in the hospital. Everything is a little blurry and her head hurts like a bitch because of the bright lights. She can just make out her mother sleeping in the chair beside her bed along with Bonnie, Jeremy, Elena, and Tyler on the couch, fast asleep. Sheila was sitting in another chair, staring at the wall in front of her.

Caroline made a small noise when she tried to move. Everything ached. Especially around her stomach area.

What the hell did she do?

Sheila looked up at the noise, smiling at Caroline when she saw the girl awake. "Good afternoon, dear," she said quietly, hoping not to wake anybody.

"Mm," Caroline gives a small wave, exhausted, "what happened?"

"While you and the girls were out, you slipped and hit your head pretty hard. They were trying to call people, but there wasn't reception out there. Athena and I heard them yelling for help. Athena carried you back to her car and then we drove you here," Sheila explained as Liz began to stir.

Caroline's brows furrowed and she looked around a bit. Athena wasn't there.

Sheila gave Caroline a sympathetic smile, seeming to understand what she was searching for.

Liz's eyes opened blearily before they snapped open when they saw her daughter awake. "Caroline," the woman breathed, standing up and rushing to the bedside even though it was only a couple of feet away.

"Hi, mom," Caroline muttered, hugging the woman back.

"Oh, sweetheart, I was so worried. What were you guys doing in the woods? I told you not to go there," Liz sighed, brushing Caroline's hair back with a worried frown on her face.

"Athena took us the other day," Caroline said with a shrug, "'Lena and I just wanted to show Bon the river."

Liz's frown deepened and her eyes flicked over to Sheila. The woman shrugged her shoulders, giving nothing away.

Caroline rubbed her face and looked over at Sheila. "Where is she?"

Sheila sighed a bit. "She left," she replied. Caroline frowned sadly, laying her head back and staring up at the ceiling. "I think she didn't know what to do with herself. She was... well, you know. She told you, didn't she?"

The blonde sunk into the bed a bit, her eyes softening.

I had a lot of people die on me.

Athena probably ran because she didn't know whether or not Caroline was going to be okay.

"I've been meaning to ask..." Liz said as she looked at Sheila with slightly narrowed eyes, "what have you two been doing this whole time?"

Sheila tilted her head curiously. "What do you mean? I used to babysit her. We're just catching up," she shrugged, standing up and pulling out her phone.

Elena jerked awake suddenly. "Caroline!" She exclaimed which in turn woke the other three. The four of them rushed to the bed, speaking over each other in their effort to make sure the blonde was okay.

"Guys!" Caroline shouted and they all quieted down. She chuckled a bit. "I'm fine, just a little sore."

"Good. Good, good," Elena sighed, looking relieved. "We were so worried when you didn't wake up."

Caroline shrugged a bit and nodded. "Thanks for getting help."

Bonnie squeezed Caroline's arm, "always."