The words wrap around her like a warm blanket, the familiar voice welcoming her home. It’s been almost a century since someone said her name like that. She’s tried out a few different last names over the years, when the time passed and fewer and fewer people who knew her as she was remain in her life, but none of them ever seem to stick. But hearing her name, said with warmth and understanding and knowing, has her turning around in the tiny liquor store in a tiny town and meeting the familiar gaze of one Tyler Lockwood.
“Tyler,” she grins as she throws herself across the aisle, her arms around his neck and a warm hug for an old friend. “What are you doing here?”
“Same thing you’re doing,” he grins as he hugs her tightly. “Picking up a case of booze for a solo New Year’s celebration.”
She pulls back with a mock gasp. “Rude of you to assume I’m solo.”
Tyler raises an eyebrow. “Am I wrong?”
“… No.” She turns up her nose. “But still rude.” She then flashes a smile. “I meant more what are you doing here in Vermont.”
“Well, I had a date who wanted to get away for the winter holidays,” he admits. “But just before we were about to leave, she dumped me. Wanted a fresh start for the new year.”
Her face softens. “Tyler, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Wouldn’t have worked out, anyway. I kept thinking of how to break the hybrid thing to her, and it never really felt like I should.”
Caroline nods, understanding crossing her features. “Yeah. That’s always the hardest conversation to have.”
“What about you?”
“A fund raiser trip for the school.” She makes a face. “I stayed out the week, just to have a break, but apparently it’s super lonely when you don’t have someone to share it with. Shocker.”
Tyler nods as he eyes her cart of whiskey. “Well, if I don’t have any New Year’s plans, and you don’t have any New Year’s plans… maybe we can hang out together? I’ve got this whole cabin to myself and plenty of food.”
If this were years ago, she might have said no. She remembers how rough things between her and Tyler had been after they broke up, but so much time had passed between then and now, and the idea of spending time with an old friend on New Year’s Eve sounds almost perfect.
“I think sounds like a fantastic idea,” Caroline grins, before looping her arm in his. Tyler smiles, nodding as he squeezes her arm.
“Good.”
* * * * * *
Fun updates about Tyler Lockwood—apparently some time in the last century, he learned how to cook. Normally this would have been Caroline’s role, but she’s content to sit back and watch him work, nursing a glass of wine from the first bottle they opened.
“So. See any of our old friends lately?”
Caroline shrugs. “Kol’s the one I see the most, oddly enough. Between watching over both Rebekah and Hope’s families, he’s been contributing a lot to the school.” She tips her head to the side as she considers. “I ran into Enzo in Sydney, which was nice. I hadn’t seen him since Bonnie’s funeral.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Well enough, I guess. It’s hard to lose the love of your life, especially when you’re immortal. But they had a good life, and he was telling me about all the places he’s taken her since.”
“Good. I should see if I can track him down.” He gives the food another stir. “Is it weird that Enzo is basically family now?
“It is. It’s very weird. But it also makes so much sense?” She shakes her head. “He was the great love that she always deserved. He earned being family.”
“True enough.” He tips his head to the side. “I saw Stefan about a decade ago.” There’s a beat. “Is it weird to talk about Stefan?”
She shakes her head. “No, it’s fine. I’m way over it.”
“‘Way over it’ really doesn’t make it sound like you’re over it, Care.”
She laughs. “I don’t think we were ever going to make each other as happy as we hoped we would. It’s better that we never actually made it to the altar. But how is he?”
“He’s good. Teaching history at a high school in San Francisco. It suits him.”
“Good. Next time I’m out there, I’ll have to swing by and see him.”
He slides the plate of food in front of her, and she lifts the fork before taking a tentative bite. She knows he’s watching her expectantly, so she tries to keep her face as blank as possible. But as the flavors burst across her tongue, she can’t help but respond.
“Oh my god,” she looks up at him in surprise. “This is amazing.”
He grins, smug. “I did an apprenticeship under this amazing chef for a while. He taught me a lot.”
“You learned very well.” She picks up her plate and glances at the dinner table. “I also hope there’s dessert.”
“Oh, there is absolutely dessert.”
* * * * *
After dinner, they take their drinks to the living room, where they watch some New Year’s celebration on TV. Caroline settles in close, letting her head rest against his shoulder, and enjoying the familiarity of it, just for a moment.
“Can I ask you something?”
Tyler turns to her in surprise, raising an eyebrow. “Of course.”
“Would you mind sticking together for a little while?” She straightens to look at him. “I’ve been really feeling the years, lately and… it’d be nice to be around someone who really knows me for a little while.”
Tyler tips his head to the side curiously. “Really?”
Caroline nods. “I’m getting why the Originals always stuck together, even when they hated each other, same with Damon and Stefan. Sometimes, you really just want someone around that remembers you before—”
“Before you became a vampire or a hybrid,” Tyler finishes with a nod. “Yeah, I get that too.” He’s quiet for a moment, his hand finding hers and his thumb brushing against the back of her hand. “And I think I could use a bit of a reminder myself.”
Relief floods her, and she flashes him a small smile. “Thank you. Really.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he nods, as the countdown clock starts behind them. When it hits zero, he leans in, pressing a warm kiss to her forehead. “Happy New Year, Caroline Forbes.”
She smiles as she leans into him again. “Happy New Year, Tyler Lockwood.”
december challenge: auld lang syne | tvdverse | 1,109 | COMPLETE
The words wrap around her like a warm blanket, the familiar voice welcoming her home. It’s been almost a century since someone said her name like that. She’s tried out a few different last names over the years, when the time passed and fewer and fewer people who knew her as she was remain in her life, but none of them ever seem to stick. But hearing her name, said with warmth and understanding and knowing, has her turning around in the tiny liquor store in a tiny town and meeting the familiar gaze of one Tyler Lockwood.
“Tyler,” she grins as she throws herself across the aisle, her arms around his neck and a warm hug for an old friend. “What are you doing here?”
“Same thing you’re doing,” he grins as he hugs her tightly. “Picking up a case of booze for a solo New Year’s celebration.”
She pulls back with a mock gasp. “Rude of you to assume I’m solo.”
Tyler raises an eyebrow. “Am I wrong?”
“… No.” She turns up her nose. “But still rude.” She then flashes a smile. “I meant more what are you doing here in Vermont.”
“Well, I had a date who wanted to get away for the winter holidays,” he admits. “But just before we were about to leave, she dumped me. Wanted a fresh start for the new year.”
Her face softens. “Tyler, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Wouldn’t have worked out, anyway. I kept thinking of how to break the hybrid thing to her, and it never really felt like I should.”
Caroline nods, understanding crossing her features. “Yeah. That’s always the hardest conversation to have.”
“What about you?”
“A fund raiser trip for the school.” She makes a face. “I stayed out the week, just to have a break, but apparently it’s super lonely when you don’t have someone to share it with. Shocker.”
Tyler nods as he eyes her cart of whiskey. “Well, if I don’t have any New Year’s plans, and you don’t have any New Year’s plans… maybe we can hang out together? I’ve got this whole cabin to myself and plenty of food.”
If this were years ago, she might have said no. She remembers how rough things between her and Tyler had been after they broke up, but so much time had passed between then and now, and the idea of spending time with an old friend on New Year’s Eve sounds almost perfect.
“I think sounds like a fantastic idea,” Caroline grins, before looping her arm in his. Tyler smiles, nodding as he squeezes her arm.
“Good.”
Fun updates about Tyler Lockwood—apparently some time in the last century, he learned how to cook. Normally this would have been Caroline’s role, but she’s content to sit back and watch him work, nursing a glass of wine from the first bottle they opened.
“So. See any of our old friends lately?”
Caroline shrugs. “Kol’s the one I see the most, oddly enough. Between watching over both Rebekah and Hope’s families, he’s been contributing a lot to the school.” She tips her head to the side as she considers. “I ran into Enzo in Sydney, which was nice. I hadn’t seen him since Bonnie’s funeral.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Well enough, I guess. It’s hard to lose the love of your life, especially when you’re immortal. But they had a good life, and he was telling me about all the places he’s taken her since.”
“Good. I should see if I can track him down.” He gives the food another stir. “Is it weird that Enzo is basically family now?
“It is. It’s very weird. But it also makes so much sense?” She shakes her head. “He was the great love that she always deserved. He earned being family.”
“True enough.” He tips his head to the side. “I saw Stefan about a decade ago.” There’s a beat. “Is it weird to talk about Stefan?”
She shakes her head. “No, it’s fine. I’m way over it.”
“‘Way over it’ really doesn’t make it sound like you’re over it, Care.”
She laughs. “I don’t think we were ever going to make each other as happy as we hoped we would. It’s better that we never actually made it to the altar. But how is he?”
“He’s good. Teaching history at a high school in San Francisco. It suits him.”
“Good. Next time I’m out there, I’ll have to swing by and see him.”
He slides the plate of food in front of her, and she lifts the fork before taking a tentative bite. She knows he’s watching her expectantly, so she tries to keep her face as blank as possible. But as the flavors burst across her tongue, she can’t help but respond.
“Oh my god,” she looks up at him in surprise. “This is amazing.”
He grins, smug. “I did an apprenticeship under this amazing chef for a while. He taught me a lot.”
“You learned very well.” She picks up her plate and glances at the dinner table. “I also hope there’s dessert.”
“Oh, there is absolutely dessert.”
After dinner, they take their drinks to the living room, where they watch some New Year’s celebration on TV. Caroline settles in close, letting her head rest against his shoulder, and enjoying the familiarity of it, just for a moment.
“Can I ask you something?”
Tyler turns to her in surprise, raising an eyebrow. “Of course.”
“Would you mind sticking together for a little while?” She straightens to look at him. “I’ve been really feeling the years, lately and… it’d be nice to be around someone who really knows me for a little while.”
Tyler tips his head to the side curiously. “Really?”
Caroline nods. “I’m getting why the Originals always stuck together, even when they hated each other, same with Damon and Stefan. Sometimes, you really just want someone around that remembers you before—”
“Before you became a vampire or a hybrid,” Tyler finishes with a nod. “Yeah, I get that too.” He’s quiet for a moment, his hand finding hers and his thumb brushing against the back of her hand. “And I think I could use a bit of a reminder myself.”
Relief floods her, and she flashes him a small smile. “Thank you. Really.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he nods, as the countdown clock starts behind them. When it hits zero, he leans in, pressing a warm kiss to her forehead. “Happy New Year, Caroline Forbes.”
She smiles as she leans into him again. “Happy New Year, Tyler Lockwood.”