My Little Corner of The World

Do people not think it’s possible that Tyler’s look of utter horror was not due to guilt but the fact that this sick mofo is going to spin a story like this to his girlfriend, who this sick mofo has a thing for, and said girlfriend is very insecure? Maybe he’s scared that she’ll believe it because he didn’t come out and say he had a girl help him, and that look was not one of being busted, but rather him realizing how fucking manipulative Klaus is? Or is that too logical for some people?

TYLER DID NOT CHEAT.

I’m honestly not trying to start a ship war, but I legitimately don’t get the Klaroline ship and why it has so many followers. It literally came out of nowhere for no reason, and I’m still confused about it.

Is it because people buy into Klaus’ lost boy bullshit? Because people think Caroline needs a man like Klaus to show her the world beyond Mystic Falls? Is it because they think she can “save” him? 

Ick. 

Caroline doesn’t need anyone to show her the world; she’s perfectly capable of doing that on her own.

And she shouldn’t have to save Klaus. If this asshole wants to be saved, maybe he should give it up to a higher power or something.

I don’t know. I’ve seen some contrived ships, but these two top that list. 

Just going to go on record and say Tyler did notcheat on Caroline, but it shows how low the writers are willing to go, doesn’t it? Fuck Klaus. Fuck the writers. Fuck this show.

I just love how natural they seem together, like two pieces of a beautiful puzzle that everyone else discarded after trying to mold them into something they weren’t. Turns out, they were always a perfect fit, but only for each other.

The Subtle Things

It’s the subtle things about her relationship with Tyler that really make them different from everyone else, all the other high school couples, and no, not just talking about the fact that she craves blood every day and he turns into a wolf, albeit a very cute wolf, once a month.

For the first time in her life she feels comfortable with being her. There’s no checking, no filter, no rehearsing speeches.

She doesn’t need to get up in front of a crowded audience and sing to get the guy to notice her, because the guy has already noticed her.

She doesn’t go to bed wondering what outfit to wear, or write a list of what she did wrong, or feel inferior.

She doesn’t need accept the fact that he will never love her, because he already does love her, and it feels good.

It’s the way he slows down when she wants him to during sex, or speed up. It’s the fact that he doesn’t cringe after watching her consume a blood bag.

It’s how he always has his hands on her, but not in an invasive or inappropriate way; he just finds a way to touch her, or kiss her, or let her know that no matter what, he’s there.

It’s his little texts, his quick emails, his smile when he sees her.

She doesn’t worry about other girls hitting on him, because she believes that they are meant to be.

It’s why she doesn’t need to worry or analyze why they haven’t said I love you’s, because they both feel it; it’s just not necessary to say it.

She doesn’t need to publicize their relationship to show everyone that she got the guy, because now she knows that it’s not a competition, and their relationship is simply just for them.

Whoever would have thought that the most complex of relationships could be so simple, so subtle, so amazing?

Caroline.

And Tyler.

And you know what? That’s all that mattered.

Thanks for the new thread!!

I am always so impressed with how much CA and MT can do with so little. They always seem to make every scene they have shine with greatness.

I too want there to be a “boyfriend/girlfriend” verbalization, but I think part of what is so spectacular about these two is that they don’t feel the need to validate their relationship through words. It’s always actions.

For me, it’s difficult, because I am a person who communicates with words. I’m a writer, always have been and so for me to love this couple so deeply who is much more show than tell says a lot.

They are just comfortable with each other, no second guessing, and for me, I think they ARE together already.

It was such a subtle scene, and yet, so completely encompassing what these two mean to each other and a testament to their relationship.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love a “Caroline is my girlfriend” scene, but I have a feeling we’ll get more than our fair share of admissions of love that will make us swoon and squee.

Cobra Starship’s “You Make Me Feel” comes on the radio and you immediately think of Caroline and Tyler.

Nothing else.

And you’re smiling like an idiot.

We’ll Save Each Other

1999:

It’s the first day of school and already Tyler Lockwood has gotten himself in trouble. Of course. Even at six he knows that he’s an embarrassment to his family. He forgot to bring the rest of his school supplies with him, and if he doesn’t have them he’ll have to sit in the time out corner and then catch up on all the work. He feels like crying, but he won’t. He’s an important person, as he’s told over and over by his mother and father. A Lockwood, and as his father loves to remind him, Lockwood men don’t cry.

Suddenly, a pretty blonde girl wearing a light blue dress sits next to him. She smiles and puts her hand out for him.

“I’m Caroline Forbes.” He just rolls his eyes.

“I know who you are. Your mom is the police lady.”

“Yeah, she is.” She stops, and then giggles. “You know, when we were little, we used to play together. My mom told me.”

“Oh.” He doesn’t feel like talking, especially to a girl. He tries to look around for another place to sit because he can only imagine that she’ll keep talking and talking. But, she doesn’t. Instead she puts her crayons and colored pencils in the middle of the desk.

“You can use them too.”

And so he does, and he doesn’t get in trouble that first day. Oh sure, there were other days he’d get in trouble, but that day Caroline offered him a saving grace, and he’d never forget it.

2003:

Caroline wants to stay in bed forever and never leave. Her dad left and the whole town knows why, he’s gay. He fell in love with a man, and now nobody will stop talking about it. The other kids make fun of her and they say really mean things about her daddy. But Liz Forbes doesn’t want to hear it.

“You’re going to school. You need to face adversity.” Whatever the hell that meant.

So, Caroline goes to school and is sitting in class when Billy Palmer turns around and starts in with her.

“I heard that if one if your parents is gay, it means you’ll be gay too. It’s in your genes!”

And all the other boys and girls start laughing.

“No, it’s not. It’s not genetic, Billy.”

“How do you know? Your dad got married. Maybe you’ll get married and realize you’re gay too. Everyone stay away from Caroline! She’s got the gay gene.”

Another idiot, Sean Picker chimed in.

“No wonder she doesn’t have a boyfriend. Caroline likes girls!”

The whole entire class erupted in laughter as she ran out of the classroom into the bathroom where she stayed until lunch.

When she came out and joined Bonnie and Elena they were talking about the latest gossip.

“I can’t believe Tyler did that! He’s going to be in soooo much trouble.”

Caroline approached the table.

“What did Tyler do?”

Bonnie and Elena just looked at each other, unsure of what to say.

“Uh, he punched Billy.”

“He what? Why?’

“Um, cause of you.”

Caroline was stunned. Her? She and Tyler barely interacted.

“Me? Really?

“Yeah, he told Billy to stop talking about you like that, and when Billy wouldn’t Tyler punched him.” Caroline looked around the schoolyard to see Tyler sporting an ice pack on his hand. She got up.

“I’ll be right back.” She sat down next to Tyler on the swings.

“What do youwant?”

“I just wanted to say thanks.” Tyler shrugged.

“I didn’t do it for you.” Caroline turned her head away from Tyler so she could smile.

“Oh, of course not.”

“I didn’t,” he insisted adamantly.

“Okay.”

2008:

He’s such a fucking idiot. How can he be failing math, really? What’s the point of even questioning how, the point is he is failing math and if he fails a class he can’t play any sport. And he needs to play a sport. He just has so much aggression, and he doesn’t know why.

His dad makes it clear that he had better get his ass straight, or else. So, he goes to the student tutoring center. He’s supposed to meet his tutor today. He hopes it’s not a wimpy guy, but some hot girl.

And to his chagrin it’s Caroline. Damn.

His relationship with Caroline has been somewhere between rocky and non-existent. They’re friends, but on the cusp, only because they hang in the same circle. Matt is his best friend and he’s dating Elena, and Elena is one of Caroline’s best friends so of course they all hang out. He can’t pinpoint it but Caroline bugs him. She’s just so peppy. Doesn’t anything get this girl down?

“Tyler, are you paying attention?” He smiles cockily.

“I guess not.” She rolls her eyes.

“No wonder you’re failing.”

“Excuse me?”

“You obviously spent zero effort on this. I swear Tyler, keep this up and you’re not going to amount to much.” He snorted.

“Like you? Caroline, you’re not fooling anyone. You think you’re going to end up being this superstar, but you won’t. You’ll aim for the stars and all you’ll get is crap. You want to know why? Because you’re fake. You’re annoying and nobody believes this act you put on. I’m not going to amount to much? Please. You’ll end up getting pregnant from the first guy you sleep with and end up a lonely, depressed, stay-at-home mom who realizes when she’s 30 that she peaked at 18.”

Caroline just stared at him for what seemed like forever.

“Fuck you.” Tyler got up and walked out, but before he did he turned around.

“No thanks.”

2010:

Caroline is running for student body president and boy is it harder than she thought. She’s stuck at school one day putting up posters when who comes into the hallway but none other than Tyler Lockwood. She groaned. They hadn’t spoken in two years.

Oh sure, they nodded when they were around each other, but no real conversations, nothing of substance. He was downright mean and she didn’t need that.

She’s climbing the ladder to put up a poster when she suddenly slips and falls, right on her butt.

“Shit!”

She looks down at the nasty scrape on her arm which is bleeding.

“Are you okay?” she hears a voice come from beside her. She pulls herself up.

“No, not really, but why would youcare?” He comes to her side to help her walk.

“I’m sorry about that day. I really am. I just, I get angry sometimes.”

“Well, welcome to the world.”

“Yeah.”

They look at each other for a minute. “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. No big.”

“Okay, then I guess I’ll see you around. Bye Caroline.”

“Bye Tyler.”

Late 2010:

Everything has changed. Caroline is a vampire and Tyler is a werewolf.

She was just with him through his first transformation and it was the worst thing she’s ever experienced. She wanted to take away all of his pain. It’s ironic, Tyler was the boy who had made her life miserable at many points in her life, and now it was like they had this unbreakable bond.

She wanted to save him, that’s all there was to it.

2011:

Tyler is frantic. His mom promised him Caroline would be okay and she wasn’t. He needs her, he needs to be with her, to have her in his arms. He prays that she’s still alive because if he’s not, well, he doesn’t know what he’ll do.

He goes to Liz, who has an idea where she might be, and she’s right.

Caroline’s being held captive by her father, the bastard.

Liz allows him to go get Caroline. He unchains her and puts back her daylight ring on her finger, aware of the possible foreshadowing, especially as he carries her in his arms over the threshold.

He goes with them back to Caroline’s house and lets her have her moment with her mother. Then he enters the room.

“Would this be a bad time to give you crap for sneaking out on me?” She laughs, and offers him a spot in her bed. He takes it and lets her lie on him.

She starts to cry. “He hates me. My father hates me.”

He sooths her the best he can.

He wants to save her, that’s all there is to it.

He ends up falling asleep, but wakes up to Caroline sitting up in bed.

“What’s wrong?”

“How can we do this?”

“Do what?” He’s confused.

“Us. You and me. It’s impossible. We’re bred to be enemies. Someone will always want us dead. I feel like we’ll always need to be saved.” Tyler shrugged.

“So, we’ll save each other. We’re not the vampire and the werewolf. We’re Caroline and Tyler.”

Caroline looked at him and smiled.

“Yeah, we’ll save each other.”

Okay, be prepared for another Alyssa rant.

I found this quote and I think it fits TC perfectly

“Love is not blind - It sees more and not less, but because it sees more it is willing to see less.”
-Will Moss

If anything, this episode just personified why Caroline and Tyler are right for each other. Just like in the transformation episode when Caroline was there for him, he was there for Caroline. He didn’t think about what danger he might be putting himself in with Liz, or what the outcome might be, such as her telling him to stay away from her daughter, he just did it because he needs Caroline in his life.

And he was willing to get to that door no matter what. And when he saw her? The first thing he did was say “We’re going to get you out of here.” He unlocked those chains so fast, and then looked for her ring and put it on her, and carried her out, even though under normal circumstances she is highly capable of walking on her own and her strength outweighs his. And this is another example of why I love them, because they are not afraid to be vulnerable around the other person. Caroline just let Tyler carry her out of there, just as he let her be there for him during his transformation, even though he didn’t want to hurt her, or to see him in pain.

And the end scene? My heard just flip flopped. He doesn’t intrude on her moment with her mother, and waits for her to give him the okay to come in. And then he breaks the ice by making her laugh, and she allows him in her bed, and they cuddle. Once again, a couple not defined by grand gestures, but by the little ones. What a call back to 2x21. Tyler just let’s her cry, because in that instant she needed to cry. She didn’t need to hear falsities or “it’s going to be okay,” and I thought it was such a beautiful scene.

Sometimes we tell people it will be okay because we want it to be, and we know they do too, but the truth is, it’s not always the best thing to tell someone.

Caroline just needed Tyler to be there for her, and he was. Physically and emotionally. I’m sure he’d stay the entire night if she wanted him too.

Both Caroline and Tyler know who the other person is and they accept them, faults and all. People keep saying how Caroline and Tyler are not monsters, and that’s entirely true, but the truth is they know they each have sides to them that are dangerous, but because they love each other and they trust each other implicitly, they are less inclined to notice their significant other’s flaws. And I’m not just talking about Caroline’s need for blood and Tyler’s tendency to turn into a wolf once a month, but their human flaws. Tyler gets angry and Caroline is neurotic and insecure, but it doesn’t matter.

This is truly one of the best written TV couples and I am just flawed by how much is said without actually being said in such few scenes. I got so much more out of the episode from the five or so minutes we got with Caroline and Tyler than I did with 55 minutes of D/E/S.