Unstoppable | The Vampire Diaries

43. Modern Family Reunion

"Is that the last one?" Chris asked Liz, dropping a cardboard box into the middle of his living room floor. Riley and Caroline walked into the house, each carrying a box themselves.

"I swear I'm done," Caroline promised, glancing at the boxes around the room. How had she managed to accumulate so much stuff?

"Thanks for letting us move in," Liz said to Chris.

"Klaus has been invited into your house," Chris reminded her. "Plus, we would have done this eventually... right?"

"Right," Liz agreed with a grin, kissing him.

"Ew," Caroline yelped, while Riley faked throw-up noises.

"Oh, the joys of having teenage daughters," Liz said sarcastically, as the girls laughed and took their boxes to Riley's bedroom.

"Hey," Caroline said, grabbing Riley's attention. "I know that you wanted to keep your house a vamp-free zone so... thanks for letting me in."

Riley rolled her eyes. "Care, you can't honestly think that I wouldn't let you in here."

"I just... I don't get it. I mean, I don't trust vampires, and I am one. Look at what Tyler did. Look at Stefan! So how can you?"

"Tyler and Stefan are idiots who are being manipulated by Klaus. That doesn't change how much I love you. You're my best friend Care."

Caroline smiled and wrapped Riley in a tight hug. "I love you too."

When they stopped hugging, Caroline walked to the closet and started pushing Riley's clothes aside. "We need more space. A lot of it. How do you feel about getting a second closet? Or maybe we could get a walk-in one? That would be so cool!"

Riley lay back on her bed and tried not to laugh at her new roommate's enthusiasm. Living with Caroline Forbes was certainly going to be an adventure!

***

Later that day Riley decided to check in on Damon. The last she'd heard, Stefan was still missing, and since she hadn't heard from the blue-eyed vampire since the plan at homecoming went awry, she wanted to make sure he was OK.

"Damon?" she called. The house was eerily silent.

Then, in a second, someone was standing in front of her. Klaus.

"Funny, I was looking for the other brother," he said, smiling menacingly at her. "Where is Stefan, Riley?"

"I'm pretty sure he left town the second he was out of your control," Riley informed him, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

"Well that's a shame," Klaus sneered. "You see, Stefan has something that belongs to me."

"This sounds like a conversation you should be having with Stefan," Riley crossed her arms. "It doesn't concern me, does it?"

"That depends..." Klaus said. "Stefan has Elijah's body. And he's threatening to drop it into the ocean. So if you still care for my brother, you'll make sure that Stefan gives him back to me."

Riley didn't want to think about Elijah, about the way that he'd betrayed them. But in the back of her mind, she always thought that he'd eventually explain himself. She couldn't imagine never finding out why he'd done it. And in a way, she wanted the chance to forgive him.

"What are you doing here, Klaus?" a voice asked. At first, she assumed it was Damon, so seeing Stefan standing in the room caused the next words in Riley's mouth to die on her tongue.

"Almost running Elena off of Wickery Bridge got the desired effect, I got rid of my hybrids. Tell me what I need to do to get my family back," Klaus said. He tried to sound menacing, but there was a slight hint of desperation in his tone.