Elena Gilbert was kneeling in front of Zach Salvatore.
"Listen to me, Zach." She held his hands, "I have to go now."
Zach listened quietly,
"And I am going to leave you here." Elena had curled up her hair, just like Katherine used to. "With Daddy's best friend….Because she is going to take good care of you."
Zach whimpered.
"Daddy couldn't come here, because he has been busy." She took his hands, and kissed it. "Sweetie, I can't take you home anymore."
"No…" Zach said loudly, "I want to see daddy."
"Bad guys are coming after us." Elena continued, "And for you to be safe you have to stay here."
"No!" Zach shouted. "I want Dad...I want to go home."
Zach was throwing a fit, Klaus pressed her arm. She was standing in front of him.
"You have to do it, love." He whispered, so Zach wouldn't hear him, "The only option."
Caroline went towards Zach, and Elena took a step back. Caroline was putting in motion which was second and the last option she wanted to use on Zach.
She held Zach Salvatore by the arms.
"Sweetie, listen to me." She whispered, she was compelling him.
She looked from Klaus to Hayley who were standing side by side in front of her. She had tears in her eyes, she shook her head.
"Please....." She looked at Hayley, "I can't.."
"You have to, Caroline." Hayley nodded, "For his safety!"
Caroline turned towards Zach, she was right. Hayley was right.
"Zach, sweetie….You can have all the memories of Stefan and Katherine...But you will remember vaguely now. Something in the past."
He nodded,
"From now on, you are Zach Mikaelson."
"I am Zach Mikaelson." He repeated.
"You are Hope Mikaelson's twin brother."
"I am Hope's brother."
"Aunt Hayley is now your mother."
"She is my mom." Zach repeated.
Tears become more prominent in Caroline's eyes. Elena and Damon, who were standing behind Caroline, had their hands on her shoulders. Damon felt someone was ripping his heart from his chest. As a human, he was less vulnerable than vampires.
But this was for Stefan. His brother. This was for his nephew. His blood.
"You don't know any Salvatores, sweetie." She took Zach's hands. "You don't know Stefan Salvatore."
She whispered.
"You are no longer a Salvatore." She said,
Tears were at the tip of her lower eyelid.
"You are a Mikaelson."
She let go of his hands, tears dropped on her face.
"I am a Mikaelson." He repeated like a robot.
Caroline stood up, her hands trembled, she covered her mouth. Tears were now falling from Caroline's chin. She made no attempt to wipe them off. She was sobbing uncontrollably.
"You are a Mikaelson." She murmured. Repeating it over and over again.
Klaus pushed her into a chair, he was holding her shoulders, as she cried, and watched Damon say goodbye to his nephew. Her hand clasped on her mouth, as it trembled.
"I'm sorry, Stefan."
"For the better, Caroline." He told her, "For Stefan."
She held her face in her hands, she couldn't look Zach in the eyes.
Elena had gone outside to get a cab, Caroline was standing outside with Damon. He had said his goodbyes to Zach. Not that they knew each other very well as Zach had spent most of his life in hiding.
"I know this doesn't need to be said," Damon told her, "But, take care of my Stefan's son, Caroline."
She nodded.
"Always." She whispered.
"Damon…!" Elena came back in the front yard of the Mikaelson Compound. "The cab is here!"
"I have to go, Carebear." He told her. "But you know where to find me."
She smiled.
"Thank you for coming today." She told him.
"Anything for the nephew, Caroline."
She hugged him.
"Don't feel so bad, Caroline." Damon told her, "I know you would never hurt him."
She smiled.
Caroline waved at them as the car drove off. Klaus appeared next to her.
"Feeling better?" He asked.
She shook her head.
"I killed Stefan's memories in his son's head, Klaus."
"Safety is more important, love." He held her shoulders, "He'll lead a good life here."
"I know…." Caroline turned towards him, "But he is Stefan's son, and Salvatore...The last of them actually."
Klaus shook her shoulders,
"Caroline, love…" He looked at her, "He eventually will turn into a vampire. And remember everything."
Caroline looked horrified.
"It is what it is, Caroline." Klaus told her, "he has Stefan's vampire blood, he will turn into a vampire."
She exhaled sharply.
He was right. And she knew it. She just had to accept that she was raising Stefan Slavtore's son in a cruel cruel world. She had to help him. She had to keep him safe…...In a world of vicious vampires, where a cute seven year old was the cure of vampirism. She had to keep him safe.
"I'll have to teach him how to fight." Caroline sighed.
"We…" Klaus took her hand, "Have to teach them to fight." His focus was on the 'we' and 'them'. Where Zach was concerned, she forgot about everything, her relationship, her work, her hobbies and even herself.
Caroline smiled, she nodded.
"Thank you."
"Always and Forever, Caroline." Klaus smiled, as Hope Mikaelson ran into the front yard, with Zach behind her.
He had cried for Stefan and Katherine since he had gotten there.
He wasn't crying for them anymore.
Because he didn't remember them.