A/N: My sister wanted a Steraline oneshot so I figured I'd try it! :D Hope u enjoyyy~

The blonde strolled into the woods and she remembered what happened 73 years ago. She's been a vampire for almost 75 years and her dear friends and many of the other Mystic Falls residents have passed away within the last 25 years. Caroline shut her eyes and tried not to remember what horrors happened so long ago.. but it was no use.

-flashback-

"M- mom!" The blonde gasped frightened. She could tell that her mother was dying and she knew without her vampire blood her mom wouldn't make it.

Her mom's short spikey hair was riddled with chunks debris from the trees and the dirt. "Ca- C- Caroline! Please. Forget about me. If you get bit, it'll be the end of you. Leave me to die, honey. I know it won't be in vain. Live your long life, and with no regrets. I love you. Goodbye." Sherrif Elizabeth's body began to become still and cold.

Caroline heard the nearby growling of the wolves, but she was too broken up to try to get away, and sobbed over her mother's dead body. As the black wolves cornered her, she screamed, "GO AWAY!" One wolf pounced on her and was about to bite her. Caroline shut her eyes and braced for the coming attack. But it never came. Something unseen had hurled the wolf off of her and crashing into a nearby tree. The wolf yelped in pain. She opened her eyes to see Stefan vamped out, and angry. In the flash of a second he lifted her off the ground and into his arms. The pouring rain made it almost impossible to dart away, but managed somehow.

They were outside the Salvatore Estate by now and Stefan ginglerly set Caroline down. "You're safe now, Caroline." He said as his green eyes met her watery blue eyes. He didn't have to question why she was on the verge of tears. The younger Salvatore brother knew why: her mom had just been mauled by the werewolves. Stefan wrapped his warm arms around Caroline and she released a flood of tears.

"Mom..." Was all she could manage to say, her voice hushed and barely audiable. The blonde knew she could have easily saved her mother, if she had not been immobolized by her fear. If only she had fended off the werewolves long enough for her mother to get away. Even though she knew that she wanted to respect her mother's decision to pass so she let her die as she wished.

Stefan held Caroline very tightly, almost lovingly as she shivered and whimpered. After a while she calmed down, or maybe it was that she was all cried out? Since the hard rain became a drizzle it was slightly easier for him to hear Caroline. "Thank you, Stefan."

Stefan slightly pulled away and gazed down at the other vampire. "Are you going to be okay?" He asked, concerned that she would do something stupid and pick a fight with the werewolves. Then again, she wasn't Damon. The younger Salvator reminded himself. "If you need anything I'm here for you."

"I'll.. be alright. I just need time." The blonde vampire replied. She just wanted to be alone for now, even if being with Stefan was somehow comforting. "I have to go." She said as she gently pulled the rest of the way out of his arms. She sped off into the night just leaving behind her scent as it clung to Stefan.

-present-

Caroline opened her eyes only to feel someone's gaze on her. The familar fear of being watched plagued her, and she willed herself to transform into a vampire, ready to fight whoever it was. However, when she spun around she did not see who she had expected. "Stefan?" Was all she could manage to say. Her vamped out face returned to normal because she knew he wouldn't attack her.

"You left.. without saying goodbye, Caroline." The younger Salvatore brother stated as he looked at her... angrilly? Why does he look so mad? The blonde wondered to herself.

"I'm.. I'm truly sorry. I couldn't stay here any longer and I had my reasons for leaving." Caroline replied as Stefan walked closer and closer to her, until there was almost no distance between them. Then, Stefan's lips gently pressed against Caroline's. As she began to return his kiss Caroline realized why he was angry at her: he didn't want her to leave because he loved her. Caroline broke apart from the kiss and Stefan gazed into her eyes.

Stefan's face hardened and he gave Caroline a cold look. "I missed you so much!" The Salvatore vampire told the other vampire. "When you left, this entire time I've been waiting for your return. Didn't I tell you? I would be here if you needed anything. Why did you leave?" Stefan asked, though he had a feeling she left because her mother's death.

Caroline stared right back at Stefan. Then she shrugged and said, "I needed a break from everything. Being here brings back so many memories. Some I cherish, but others I wish I could just forget." As her voice trailed off she could see Stefan's face soften. "I really am sorry." She added.

Stefan scooped Caroline into his arms and she let out a squeal of surprise. "Let's go." He said as he smirked and headed toward the Salvatore Estate. When they reached it he wasn't surprised to see Damon drunk and beat up, as usual. He most likely had been picking fights with random vampires in an attempt to find out where Katherine could be.

"Oh.. Caroliiiiine." Damon slurred, as he lamely attempted to walk towards Caroline and Stefan, but he fell flat on his face. "Ooof!" He said from the ground. Caroline was about to go over to Damon and at least help him to his feet but Stefan stopped her.

"Leave him, he'll be fine." Stefan said cooly as he released her arm. He hadn't even realized he grabbed it..

"What do you think happened to him?" Caroline asked, puzzled.

"Katherine." Stefan stated simply, and he sighed as he looked over at Damon who was snoring. "We'd better go somewhere else." Stefan told the blonde as he led her out of the Estate.

"If it's not too much trouble I'd like to visit my mother's grave." The blonde said quietly as she shivered as the image of her mom lying on the ground, cold and dead appeared before her eyes.

The brunette nodded and told her, "Sure, let's go." He hoisted her off her feet once again and took her in his arms. Then Stefan darted forth near the Mystic Falls Cemetary. It didn't take long at all for him to make his way there and once they were outside it, Caroline shuddered miserably.

As they stopped near the graves Caroline lead the way to her mother's grave. When they reached it the familar sadness that haunted Caroline for so long reached the surface again. She felt the hot tears sting her eyes and cried out, "Mom, I'm so sorry. Oh God, I couldn't save you! It's all my fault you're gone." The blonde cried louder then still continued, "I Should have saved your life no matter what! In the end, I did as you wished. I left you there only for you to die before my eyes!" She was sobbing hysterically by now and when she looked up she was shocked to see a white light emmitting from her mother's grave. In an instant Elizabeth Forbes' ghost was there, in front of Caroline and Stefan. Caroline stood still, stunned. She didn't know whether this was reality or an illusion. She turned to Stefan and quietly asked, "Do you see her?"

"Yes." Was Stefan's reply. From what she saw, he too looked shocked and at a loss of words.

Elizabeth looked over the pair and then turned to Caroline. "What happened was inevitable, dear. Nothing you did could have saved me. I want you to know that you shouldn't blame yourself for my death. It was my time to go." She hugged her daughter for a moment and then pulled away. "Please, don't regret doing what I wished you to do. It was for a reason. I was older, and had lived my life enough."

"O-oh okay, mom." Caroline said, shakily. She didn't know what to think right now. Perhaps she had lost her mind and was seeing and hearing her mother, who couldn't possibly be there. Still, Stefan had seen her too so it wasn't impossible.

Sherrif Forbes turned to Stefan. "Take care of her." She said as she slowly began to fade away.

Stefan nodded and turned to Caroline. "Hey. It's okay. You're okay." The brunette said as he wrapped his strong arms around the blonde's frail body. "Your mom simply doesn't want you to suffer, and neither do I. It's difficult to move on, and even though you won't fully heal from this it's going to be okay."

"Yeah. Thank you, Stefan." Caroline hugged Stefan back and he warmed her up. The chill that she felt seemed to no longer exist for that moment. She sighed contently as Stefan lightly stroked her cheek. Being touched by him felt so good, even after two years of silence between them. The bond they shared wouldn't ever break apart, that much Caroline was certain.

As they held each other, in that moment Stefan knew it was the perfect time. He gently broke apart their embrace and Caroline protested at first. Then he knelt down on one knee and pulled out a small box and opened it, revealing a beautiful ruby red diamond ring. "Caroline Forbes, will you Marry me?" Stefan asked, confident that she would say yes.

Caroline's face grew as red as the ring and at first she didn't know what to say. After she hesitated for a moment out came her happy reply, "Yes I will!" She smiled at him and pulled him to his feet. He then put the ruby on her ring finger. Oh wow! It's fits perfect. "How did you know what size ring I wear?" Caroline asked, curiously.

When he heard her unexpected question Stefan turned a bright shade of scarlet. He somehow managed to answer her question with, "Oh, I um.. kept this ring that you left at the Estate that time you and I were..." His voice trailed off as he remembered the night they first made love. It was a warm summer evening 34 years ago. Caroline had managed to get drunk and stumbled into the Salvatore home and into Stefan's bed where he slept. Now that he thought about it, Damon never bothered to lock up the Estate. What an idiot.Stefan thought angrilly of Damon. He returned to the thought of him and Caroline together. Caroline must have fallen asleep on his bed next to him. When he awoke, she was sober and kept at it trying to seduce him. When he finally gave in, his feelings for her deepened and he loved her even more. Stefan was pulled back to reality when Caroline spoke again.

"Oh... that." Caroline replied and she also blushed a bit. "So you kept it all this time?" She asked him, and she felt shocked. It was the marriage ring her father had given to her mother, a beautiful topaz crystal ring. The sherrif wanted her daughter to pass it on and when she got married to use it. Caroline really liked the ring, but felt that when she married it would be best to have a ring her spouse gave her. She promised her mother that even if she didn't use it, she'd still keep it. Her mother reluctantly agreed that Caroline could do as she wished.

Stefan pulled out of his pocket the ring that was passed down from many generations in the Forbes family. "Here you go. This is yours." He said as he dropped the ring into her hand. Caroline held the topaz ring up and it glimmered beautifully in the light.

At that moment Caroline made up her mind and told him, "Stefan, is it okay if we get married but I wear this ring instead? It would mean a lot to me.."

"Sure.. of course you can wear it." The brunette said. He knew why she'd want to wear it. It was her mother's.

The blonde beamed at Stefan then told him, "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Caroline." And with that the both of them made the long walk back towards the Salvatore home hand in hand.

Feedback would be appreciated since it was the first time I wrote for this particular paring and show.