𝟓𝟔

a/n: Lottie's outfit for the chapter is above!

☆═━ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘 𝐒𝐈𝐗━═☆

Charlotte was folding her clothes and putting them back in her closet at the Salvatore Boarding House. She paused, spotting a purple-colored box inside, and reached out, taking it.

She looked under it, finding a note; from Lina, your favorite BFF.

Charlotte smiled, rolling her eyes at the note as remembered how she had chosen not to open it. Given the terms that she and Paulina were on at the time. The Bernard shrugged her shoulders. They weren't on bad terms, not anymore.

She sat down on her bed, taking the purple covering off of the box before opening it. Her eyes lit up when she found a camera, that looked quite expensive. Charlotte held it up before finding another note inside.

You were always a lover of family, friends, acquaintances' pictures. Just pictures in general. I remember Stefan claiming that diaries were for memories but you treasured pictures far more.

Now I know you are no professional but it's an easy camera to adjust with...Oh, and I took a selfie. I just had to have my beautiful face on that camera, whoever comes after me is your choice though. I am a fair woman.

Happy Birthday, Cherry Jilly!

The brunette smiled, pressing the start button for the camera. She checked the disk to indeed find a picture of Paulina Gilbert grinning widely at her.

A camera. Charlotte never imagined herself taking pictures for people she wanted to stay with her forever but Paulina was right, she treasured pictures. The brunette put it in her bag as it was small enough to fit before she made her way outside.

Charlotte walked down the corridor accidentally pumping into Stefan as he made his way out of his bedroom, "Sorry...Uhm, didn't see you there."

"It's fine," He shrugged it off before raising an eyebrow, "You are going out?"

She nodded, zipping her purse, "Yeah...my head is buzzing. Need a long walk to clear my mind of things," Charlotte answered, letting out a deep breath, "So...I will go now."

She couldn't rub off how awkward that conversation sounded before giving him a small smile and walking to the stairs. Charlotte didn't know why it must come to this but she didn't like it one bit.

She couldn't accept that this was Stefan Salvatore, the boy she used to jump at the chance to see. That once upon a time a happy smile would grace her lips, just thinking about him. Now it was barely hello's. It wasn't her fault but she wished it wasn't his.

Charlotte had known him her whole life and what happened with Katherine wasn't his fault, she learned to accept that. Falling for Elena wasn't something she could hold him accountable for either. Everything that happened before could have been forgotten. They were things she could go past.

But using her, hurting her like that...that was the last straw for them. It meant game over.

No more little glances no one noticed, no more saying she only cared about him because they were friends before becoming lovers, no more worrying about him, no more pretending she was happy for him and Elena, and no more...love as friends, of course.

He followed her downstairs, wanting to talk to her before she swung the door open, walking off the porch. Stefan furrowed his eyebrows together, watching someone's car pull up in front of the house.

"Hey, Kol," Charlotte smiled, her eyes widening slightly, "I didn't know you were stopping by?"

"Well, the melodrama blew over quicker than I thought. In fact, your friend, Lina, is having her seven minutes of heaven right as we speak," Kol shrugged his shoulders, answering with a smirk fixed onto his face, "Get in," He leaned forward, opening the car door for her from inside.

Charlotte shook her head at him, chuckling before getting inside the car. It didn't take him long before speeding off the Salvatores' driveway.

It was too late now. Charlotte had moved on. It was foolish to assume she won't. She was smart, beautiful, courageous, kind, and many things that he wasn't. Stefan knew she couldn't be waiting for him forever, she didn't deserve that.

However, it still hurt when he saw it for himself.

✵ ✵ ✵

Serena stood behind the bar at the Mystic Grill, frowning as she read over the letter her mother sent her. She had picked it on her way out in the morning but only got a chance to read it then, considering the Grill wasn't usually buzzing with people on Sunday mornings.

Dear Serena Lilith,

I know you find it pointless that I wrote this after we pretty much said everything last time. I needed you to know that I wished I could be the mother you deserve and now I can see that I am not and I might never be. I want to say that I tried but I know I didn't.

Serena, you never have to fear becoming like me. I was a stupid teenager with a horrible life and pointless motives. I wasn't good and even now I know I am not but you...you are already an extraordinary woman, you are strong and you aren't like me. You won't go over crying to your friends because some guy told you he didn't like your hair, you won't walk out on your kids, and you won't ruin your daughter.

You won't be me. I want to say that the very best of me is in you but it would be a lie. I didn't raise you. Your grandmother did and I am thankful for her, for that...I just wish she told me where I was going wrong instead of pushing me out of it.

The very best of Izadora and Adam is in you. If it weren't for them, you wouldn't be Serena Bernard. The independent young woman, living on her own, leading her own life.

I just wish that someday you can truly forgive me. I walked away. I did what's best for you. It was wrong before but I know it's right now because it's what you need.

I am sorry.

Coralie Young.

"Hello? Are you deaf?"

She snapped out of it, seeing someone snap their fingers in her face. Serena quickly folded the letter, slipping it into her back pocket. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes but she raised her hand to her cheeks, rubbing her eyes quickly.

"No, I can hear you. How can I help you?" She finally looked at him, asking. Only then had she managed to recognize him as Alec, the unusual guy who came in last night, "You?"

"Me," Alec shrugged his shoulders, looking down at the Mystic Grill's menu for drinks, "Have you got anything good quality? You know like whiskey? Good kind, of course."

"Umm, gonna need to see an ID for that," Serena pursed her lips together as she used a wet cloth to clean off the bar's surface, "And...they have pretty cheap whiskey."

"I am guessing you tried it?"

"Quality testing and you can't prove that I actually tried it."

Alec huffed out, "C'mon, help a guy out. I have had a long week."

"Me too but you still don't have an ID," She forced a smile on her lips, retorting, "There's always apple juice for cases like this?" Serena raised an eyebrow, suggesting.

"Ew, that sucks."

Serena chuckled, shaking her head with a shrug, "You can pretend it tastes like whiskey, bourbon, or whatever," She looked over around the Grill, noticing how unoccupied it was before adding, "I will even join you for an...apple juice drink."

Alec rolled his eyes, running a hand through his hair, "Oh, how awfully generous of you...?" He trailed off, subtly asking for her name.

"Serena, the usual bartender, waitress, and a few other things," She introduced, pulling her lips upwards as she labeled him, "And you are...Alec, the unusual asshole who knocked over my drink."

"I have been called worse for doing even worse."

✵ ✵ ✵

Kol had driven through town, not having a specific destination in mind before Charlotte spoke up, "So...you can drive? Can you teach me?" She asked, running her tongue over her bottom lip.

"I mean you don't have to if you don't want to. It's just that it gets tiring to vamp-woosh everywhere and I am hoping to get a car soon that I should be able to drive and you know—" Charlotte was full-on rambling at the time, she was anxiously reaching over to clutch the necklace around her neck as he cut her off.

"Charlotte, darling," He took his eyes off the road for a few seconds, giving her a smile that just made her melt, "I would love to teach you. Just don't wreck my car, eh?"

Charlotte playfully hit his arm, "I am a quick learner. You won't have to worry about that."

"Okay, we will see," Kol raised an eyebrow debatingly before taking a quick turn, "Ready?"

"Wait...now?" The Bernard raised her eyebrows in question, "I meant it as something to do later...like not today."

"Do you have anything better to do?"

"No."

"Do you have anything to get to?"

"Nope."

He shook his head at her, smirking, "Then I truly don't see where the problem is."

"Uh...I didn't prepare myself," Charlotte stammered, adjusting her bag on her shoulder, "I mean we can do it next week and I will be extremely prepared."

"Charlotte, darling, you don't need a helmet to learn how to drive. You need a car which is present. A licensed driver, also present and now we can start," He parked, finishing and she walked out, realizing they were in an empty driveway, "It's where I learned."

"Wait...so you didn't learn in Portland?"

"Umm...I wasn't interested at the time then it got bored with...what is it did you name it?" Kol raised his eyebrow, trying to recall the exact word.

"Vamp-wooshing," Charlotte bit the insides of her cheeks, answering.

"Right," He smiled, nodding at the expression, "Now, you sit in the driver's seat."

"Look, Kol, can you like—"

"No, I can't."

She rolled her eyes, walking to the other side of the car as he passed by her and got in the passenger's seat. The brunette got comfortable in the driver's seat before reaching over and fastening her seatbelt.

"Okay...what do I do?"

He leaned over, turning the key in the ignition, all the way until the engine started. "Put the clutch pedal down."

Charlotte looked down at her feet and back at him, "Which pedal?"

"The left one."

"Right...the clutch is the left one always...I mean it's common knowledge, right?" She raised her eyebrows, nodding to herself before Kol placed a hand on hers, rubbing it gently in an attempt to soothe her.

"Charlotte...calm down, it's just a car. There's nothing to worry about."

Charlotte exhaled, repeating his words over and over again in her head before turning to him, "Okay, there's a lot to worry about," Kol gave her an unamused look and she sighed, "There is."

"Like what?"

She pursed her lips together, starting, "I have so many things going on in my head and I have read about driving...you need to be absolutely calm to grasp this and I am anything but that. I am stressed and I am nervous and your hand on my hand is kind of making it harder to focus."

He raised an eyebrow, "My hand?"

"Yeah, your hand. This nice gesture is making get all those butterflies in my stomach and at first, I thought I was sick but now I know am not," Charlotte sighed, running a hand over her face as she realized how awkward and inappropriate she must sound, "I like you but Lina said all those things about you so technically I am not supposed to like you. The problem is she said that a little late—"

Kol cut her off, asking, "You like me?"

"Yes!" Charlotte blurted out before shaking her head at him, "Why is this so surprising?"

"It's not, I am just checking..."

"For what?"

"So, it would be appropriate to do this," Kol shrugged his shoulders and she furrowed her eyebrows together before he leaned over to kiss her. It wasn't a quick cute kiss or something that Charlotte had experienced before. Well, she had experienced it before with him. Her emotions weren't present before and she didn't feel like exploding from the amount of butterflies in her stomach.

His hands were sliding up her back and on her neck, entangling in her hair and her fingers were shaking against his skin as her mouth parted against his, making sure to take his mouth through the same action. His breathing hit her cheeks in hot flashes of air and Charlotte could feel her heart beating erratically in her chest. She didn't know what to do with her breath caught in her lungs.

Kol pulled away, raising an eyebrow at the awestruck girl in front of him. She mimicked his raised an eyebrow, "What was that?"

"What was what? I kissed you. In case you didn't know, you usually kiss people you like."

"Not like that...," Charlotte didn't know how to blatantly put it out that was legit her best kiss. She had never been kissed like that before, it was unexpected, "That was...wow."

He chuckled at her choice of words, "Well, you weren't exactly cooperative so you are giving mixed signs, darling."

"I was too shocked, okay? You caught me off-guard. You don't kiss someone like that unless you want to give them a heart attack."

Kol huffed out, rolling his eyes, "Obviously that wasn't my intention—"

He was cut off when her lips crashed into his, it was a quick gentle kiss before she pulled back, giving him a small smile, "But I did like it, just so you know."

✵ ✵ ✵

It was nighttime. Serena had long since abandoned her shift at the Mystic Grill and went over to Caroline's after hearing from Elena about her father's death with vampire blood in his system and the fact that he chose not to complete the transition.

"Caroline...I came as soon as I heard," She stopped in front of the Forbes as she let go of Elena, rising to her feet. She didn't know what to tell Caroline, no one told her much when Adam Bernard died, they said it won't hurt but it did. They said it would pass and it didn't.

She didn't want to lie to Caroline so she just held her friend, running her hand over her back. Serena knew how awful it was to lose a father, it wasn't something you get over. Especially when he is the only person you depend on, it was like waking up every day knowing that your backbone is just...gone. That you are on your own.

It was a horrible feeling and the worst of it was the first few weeks. It was harder for Serena Bernard and Elena Gilbert because their dads lived with them in the same house. They only hoped it wouldn't hurt as much and she could pull through it.

The blonde pulled away from her, asking, "Where's Charlotte?"

"I...didn't call her," Serena sighed, replying, "I am so sorry. I completely forgot but I will get her on the phone, right away."

Serena gave the doppelganger who sat on the porch a look, signaling to stay with Caroline as she walked away to make the phone call. Charlotte answered right away, "Hey."

"Hi, everything okay?"

"No, everything is not okay, Char," Serena ran a hand over her forehead, sighing exsaperatedly, "Caroline's dad is dying. He had vampire blood in his system but he won't complete the transition—Uh, she is a mess and neither I nor Elena know what to do...She is asking for you."

"Oh, my God. I am on my way. Is he—"

"No, not yet," Serena interjected, sighing as she turned around to see Matt and Elena walking up to her, "Just get here quickly, please," She hung up, running a hand through her hair.

Finally reaching her, Elena said, "Hey...Matt is going to take me home. Do you need a ride?"

"No, I—I got here with my car, can't leave it there," Serena rubbed her palms together, "I really want to stay and be there for her but it brings up too many memories."

Elena pursed her lips together, nodding, "I know."

"Charlotte will be there in a few. I am sure she can handle the situation a whole lot better than the three of us combined," She claimed, folding her arms together in an attempt to keep herself warm.

Elena added, agreeing, "She just has a way with words."

✵ ✵ ✵

Charlotte had asked Kol to drop her off in front of Caroline's house. She didn't even bother giving him a proper goodbye as she jumped out of the car and the steps of the Forbes' foyer, anxiously knocking on the door.

God, how I could be so taken with him when she needed me. Subconsciously, Charlotte was already blaming herself for thinking she could have one day for herself where she won't need to think about anyone's problems or troubles. Just herself and her happiness. She was wrong, how could she ever have that.

Liz Forbes opened the door, a sad smile on her face as she greeted the Bernard vampire, "Sheriff...I came as soon as I could. I am so sorry," She had, out of instinct, reached forward hugging Caroline's mother as an attempt to soothe her.

Charlotte was so used to offering people help through hugs that she didn't even realize how inappropriate and slightly weird it could sound to Liz until she pulled away. Although the Sheriff didn't say it out loud, she was grateful for the kind gesture. It was...comforting.

"Is Caroline in her room?"

"Yeah...she is not really in her best state."

Charlotte nodded before continuing to walk down the hallway, after excusing herself from the Sheriff. She stopped in front of the blonde vampire's room. Caroline was hugging her knees to her chest, crying out as she looked ahead of her at nothing in particular.

She took easy steps into the room, calling out so quietly that it almost sounded like a whisper, "Caroline..."

Her heart fell in her stomach when Caroline turned to face her, tears rushing down her face, "He is dead. My dad is dead, Charlotte."

Charlotte moved, sitting next to Caroline as she pulled her into her arms and the blonde didn't mind, crying on her shoulder, "I know, I know..."

"I begged him to stay...for me but he wouldn't," She sobbed out, shaking her head, "God, I used to hate him so much for what he did to me but now that he is gone...I can't..."

"Caroline, he is your dad," She reminded her, soothingly running a hand through Caroline's hair, "You can never truly hate him. It's defying nature."

"I didn't want to lose him," Caroline squeezed her eyes, whispering out.

Charlotte shook her head, pulling away from the embrace to look at Caroline. She couldn't avoid the resemblance. Just years ago she was sitting in front of a crying and heartbroken Angelina Forbes. They both had that face and those eyes, whenever they cried, her heart just...hurt.

"He isn't gone," She started, sighing as she tried to smile, "I have lost my father, too. I can still feel him...around me. Tell you a secret?" Charlotte raised her eyebrow and Caroline nodded, using her knuckles to rub the tears off her cheeks, "When you lose someone that you really love...they are never truly gone."

"They are always there, watching over you because they love you and your dad loved you so much, Caroline."

"He did?"

"Of course, he did. You are Caroline Forbes, you are an independent, badass, strong, and beautiful woman with the world at the tip of her feet," Charlotte stated, caressing Caroline's cheek, "He is proud to have lived long enough to see you as this exact version of yourself."

✵ ✵ ✵