Disclaimer: Not mine, as much as I wish it. A/N: For my friend Nat, who suggested this film, and for fantasylover4evr and youweremybestfriend - thank you for your continued support & reviews. x

Just Like Heaven

1.

Caroline Forbes sat in a chair surrounded by an assortment of coloured and scented roses, in a garden which stole her heart, and resonated peace and harmony. The sound of the coffee machine spurting hot liquid and the shake of a hand on her shoulder, woke her from her dream. "How long have I been out?" she asked, pushing her hair out of her face.

Her friend and mentor, Bonnie Bennett sighed. "About fifteen minutes, and you better get outside before Liam takes your promotion." Bonnie folded her arms and gave Liam, their colleague, an unimpressed look. "He's just so smug..." Bonnie said. Caroline snorted into her coffee cup. The microwave beeped and April stirred her leftover bolognaise with a fork to cool it down.

"The dark circles were scaring my patients," Bonnie explained, wiping concealer beneath her eyes. "I can't wait til today is over, any plans tonight?" April took a mouthful of pasta. Bonnie washed her hands in the sink. "I'm going out to dinner with my ex and his mother." April and Bonnie looked at Caroline. "Working," she shrugged, she wanted to make a good impression.

April squeezed Caroline's hand across the table. "You're so lucky all you have to worry about is work." Since graduating college, Caroline threw herself into her job, working long hours to impress Dr Bennett and get the promotion she deserved. Invested in her patients, Caroline spent time getting to know them. "Marry me?" Professor Saltzman asked, oblivious he'd asked her twice already. She smiled, patting his arm. "Yes, of course, just let me call my sister and borrow her dress."

Next, she jabbed some morphine into an erratic patient who lunged at Liam, diffusing the situation, and pocketed the syringe in her scrubs. Liam hurried to catch up, not to say thank you, it turned out. "By the way, I took care of Aaron, while you were sleeping." She frowned. "I wasn't sleeping," she half raced him down the hospital halls, skidding to a halt in front of an exasperated Dr Bennett .

"Liam, how long have you been here?" The Dean asked. "Twelve hours," came Liam's reply. Dr Bennett glanced at Caroline. "A few more..." she admitted. "Liam, scrub up," Dr Bennett said. Her heart sank, and she turned to go. "Caroline, I've made my decision, I want you to stay on as head physician." She stared at him. "You are more concerned for what's best for the patient rather than kissing my arse," Dr Bennett smiled. "But now, I need you to go home, you've been here 26 hours, I know all..." he winked, and Caroline leapt into his arms, promising him he'd made the right choice.

Caroline beamed, walking to her car and heard her phone whistle with a message. She noticed Liam walking towards her. "I didn't know Dr Bennett was going to..." she fidgeted with her car keys. He forced a smile. "I've been offered a job in Atlanta, I wish you all the best." Caroline nodded, climbing into her car, and checked her phone. "Seriously?" she sighed, her sister, Elena, had set her up on another blind date, one she assured her would be the perfect match.

Caroline pulled out from Whitmore Hospital. The road stretched out into darkness. "I'm sorry I'm late, but I have great news..." Elena replied, "Don't worry about it, your date is late too...you better not have changed your mind?" she sounded suspicious. Caroline sighed. "I promised I'd come." At least she'd have something exciting to contribute to their lunchtime conversations on Monday, she thought, besides she hadn't had dinner with her sister in forever. "Good, because this guy is great! He's a friend on an old friend." Caroline turned on the windscreen wipers, it had just started to rain.

"What does that mean? He's fat with a good sense of humour?" Elena sighed at Caroline's sarcastic tone. "Don't you dare say you're busy again, I really had to pull some strings with this guy!" Caroline flinched, moving her phone away from her ear. "Kids, I told you not to play handball in the kitchen!"

The oven door slammed and something was placed on the sink. "Sorry, what was I saying?" Caroline changed the subject. "Elijah's fine, he's been busy at the firm, but he's organised to take us to Disneyland. The girls are so excited, they're - who put Spongebob in the pasta-bake!"

"I'll see you soon okay?" Still smiling Caroline put down her phone, and turned up the radio. When she looked up headlights blinded her, and a truck's horn deafened her ears. She gasped, gripping the steering wheel as a truck came straight for her.

Stefan Salvatore walked up and down the fifth apartment. He found the red couch, and rubbed his hand over the mahogany coffee table in front of the television. If it wasn't for the pink flyer hitting him in the face, he wouldn't have even known this place was for rent. Katherine Pierce's Gucci heels echoed over the wooden floorboards to the window, and back to his couch. "Month per month sublet, there's sunlight streaming through the windows, and a sensational view from the rooftop..."

"I like the couch," Stefan added. Katherine leaned over the couch, giving him an exasperated look.

"And you like the couch." He nodded. "Good couch." It didn't long for Katherine to settle everything. Within the hour, Stefan was able to move into the apartment. The first thing he did was water a dead pot plant he found on the roof, and restocked the fridge with beer. After a week, Stefan really was at home. He barely left the house, and he watched the same video over and over.

A woman laughed. Her eyes were warm and kind. Stefan drained the beer can. She stole some icing from a cake, and danced in a white dress. He paused the video, walking into the kitchen, and crushed the beer can in his fist. A blond haired woman screamed. Stefan yelled in fright. "There's nothing worth stealing here...there's no money or drugs here." She raised her hands. "I'm not homeless, I live here!" Stefan explained. She snorted. "You can't live here, this is my apartment.."

Stefan knew it was too good to be true. "I know what must have happened, rent scam right? you paid a deposit, and I bet another three people paid the same price..." Stefan dug his hand in his jeans to find his phone. "I'm calling my agent." The blond woman hadn't heard him. "That's my couch, that's my coffee coaster..." Stefan watched her lift his empty coffee mug from the table. He had a left a stain on the table. "I can't believe it! Don't you know how to use a coaster?"

"Excuse me, but this is MY apartment, and I don't like being told what to do in MY house." The woman glared at him. "This place is filthy, I'm getting a bucket, and I can't believe you're squatting in MY house... a filthy pig is squatting in my house!" Stefan followed her into the kitchen, shouting that he was not a squatter! "You moved in when?" He stopped, he was yelling at an empty kitchen. How many beers had he had? Was he losing his mind?

A few hours later, Stefan drilled a new lock onto the door. He took a shower, wrapped a towel around himself and took another sip of beer. He wiped down the steamed mirror. "I told you to get out!" Stefan jumped in fright. He hurried out of the room, changed and ran an unnerved hand through his thick brown hair. His heart pounded in his chest as he found himself on his brother, Damon's doorstep. "So, you're seeing someone? That's great!" he said. Stefan shook his head.

"I'm seeing a blond control freak who isn't real," Stefan explained. Damon stared at him. "So, you drank a lot, and you saw this blond controlling woman..." Stefan nodded, gripping his beer. Damon put down his notepad. "I'm not charging you, you're my brother, but I'm worried for you Steffy. You haven't socialised for two years! It's time, man." Damon widened his arms. "This is the world, join it, stop swimming in your own mind. No more hiding out!"

Stefan knew Damon meant well, but he wasn't ready for the real world, so he continued his routine. It had been days, and he had almost convinced himself the woman he'd seen was a result of his intoxication. Stefan had not touched any alcohol since he'd been out with Damon. He figured if he stayed sober, he wouldn't see her again. "Are you insane, what are you still doing here?" Stefan sprung from his bed, wide awake. He saw her annoyed expression, and groaned into his pillow.

"Go away, you don't exist!" Stefan hid himself beneath the pillow and tried to drown out her complaints. When she didn't stop, here tried to help her. "Are you hearing voices or seeing things that don't exist?" She frowned, sitting on the edge of his bed. "Do you often feel paranoid, like someone is out to get you?" Stefan hesitated. "Let me explain something to you. You have fantasised you have rented an appointment that belongs to someone else."

Stefan pinched himself. "I'm not dreaming..." he muttered, confused. The woman pointed at his pillow. "I'm not lying, turn over that pillow - there's a cherry stain. Those sheets are from ECO, and this is my apartment, this is my nightstand, my picture..." Stefan saw her hesitate, pointing at a vacant space on the bedside cabinet. "It was just here! What did you do?" He shook his head, denying he did anything. "I'm calling the police!" The woman marched up to her phone, and he gaped, her hand went through it.

"What did you do to my phone? I'm going to use the one in the kitchen!" He watched her disappear into thin air. That's it, he needed answers.

"I need to know who the previous tenant was?" Stefan said, his eyes sweeping the apartment. The sun warmed his back, and Katherine's sigh reached him, "They didn't want to talk about it..." Stefan ran his fingers over the dusty windowsill, deep in thought. "Tragedy in the family...?" he whispered. "It seems that way. And not to sound selfish or anything, but you better hope whoever it is, dies, because that's the only way these people will give you a real lease."

Stefan poured himself a coffee, and went to put it down on the table. He looked around the room, then placed a coaster beneath his mug, just in-case.

The next day, Stefan entered an occult book store to search for books which would help him deal with the spirit. He stared at the book titles, completely lost, until a man wearing a Mystic Falls' football jersey asked him if he needed any help. Stefan let him pull a dozen books from the shelves. "Communicating is not her problem..." he said, catching one of the titles. Matt nodded, and went to another section. Stefan bought all the books nonetheless, and decided on making contact.

"Come on, are you here? I think you're here...?" Stefan perched himself on the edge of his couch, wafting a candle through the air. He sighed, checking one of the book's instructions again, and then going with his gut. There was only one way to get the woman's attention, he thought. "I've got a hot, moist, cup of coffee and no coaster and I'm putting it down on this lovely mahogany table-" Stefan spilled the coffee all over himself. "Don't you dare!" she appeared in front of him, looking pissed.

Stefan placed the empty mug on the coaster and glanced at his books. "Has it crossed your mind there's something a little off about how you're spending your days?" He began, rising from the couch. The woman folded her arms across her chest. "Yes, it's a little weird having a squatter living in my apartment..." Stefan walked towards her. "I'm not a squatter. Anyway, we're talking about you. What's your name?" The woman frowned, her lips pursed together, like she was offended by his question. Her eyes found his coffee mug. "Caroline, my name's Caroline."

Stefan followed her gaze. "You didn't know that, until you looked at that mug." Caroline narrowed her eyes. "You're dead! Just face it, walk into the light..." He forced her backwards, Caroline getting more and more agitated. "How dare you say that to me! There is no light! I'm not dead, I think I would know if I was dead!" Stefan stumbled back, her fist had gone straight through his head. "You're giving me a headache, it's not my fault that you're dead!" He reminded her, dodging her attempts to punch him again. "I am not dead!"

He pointed at her standing in the middle of the coffee table, and her eyes widened in shock. "I'm d-dead?" Stefan made a not so sensitive comment, and she lunged at him, falling straight through the window. "Good riddance!" He brushed his hands of her, and yelled in fright when she reappeared in front of him.

The days went on, and life as Stefan knew it became increasingly difficult. He suffered through renditions of Caroline singing 'Tomorrow' from the Broadway musical, 'Annie', as he watched the Chicago Cubs on television. He drowned her out by turning up the volume, and received noise complaints from his neighbours.

"That's it! I've tried to be nice," he yelled, putting down his newspaper. "But you're out of here!" He called anyone and everyone to help him exorcise her. A priest whose holy water missed her entirely and his 'power of Christ expels you' grated against Stefan's ear; Ghostbusters who were convinced they'd caught her in a butter dish; Chinese healers who almost gave Stefan hope, until they set off the fire alarms. As a last resort, Stefan asked Matt Donovan from the Occult shop to do a reading.

"I'm not paying you to just sit there!" Stefan grumbled. Caroline rolled her eyes. "He can't see me either, for some piteous reason, only you can see me."Matt sat in Stefan's favourite couch with his eyes closed. "She's hostile, alright," he said finally. Stefan glanced at Caroline. "I like him," she said.

"You should move, man." Stefan raised his eyebrows. "That's your advice?" Caroline beamed. "This kid's got a gift," she said. Matt looked around the apartment. "This place really needs sprucing up."

"I like it here," Stefan said. Matt shrugged. "It's got a view!" Caroline protested. "And a fireplace!" Matt raised his hands. "Whatever, dude. I'm 99% parched." Stefan opened the fridge and gave him a beer. "I told her to walk into the light and she won't!" Caroline retorted. "That's because there is no light, how many times do I have to say it!" Matt sipped his beer, watching Stefan talking to someone over his right shoulder. "Bla Bla Bla," he made a face at Matt, completely forgetting he couldn't see her. "I know I'm dead, okay? I'm walking through walls here!" Stefan shot her a dark look.

"This is the most alive spirit I've ever been around..." Stefan and Caroline both stopped talking. Matt placed his hands upon Stefan's shoulders. "Let her go, dude." Stefan sighed. "How can I, when she won't leave!" Matt's blue eyes had stayed calm throughout their entire exchange. "I'm not talking about spirit girl, I'm talking about the other girl." Stefan pulled back. He didn't want to talk about it.

A light flared in Caroline's eyes. "Wait, you can dish it out, but you can't take it? Don't tell me your girlfriend dumped you, she dumped you big?"

Stefan gritted his teeth. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about, shut the hell up!" Caroline smirked, watching him leave the room. Matt sipped his beer, and then said: "A word for the wise girl, show some respect for the dead."

Caroline found Stefan on the rooftop of her apartment, he faced the clock tower and she picked her words carefully. "I bought this place for the roof, I was going to have a whole garden out here..." When Stefan ignored her she tried another tactic. "Most people who deal with loss, find it helpful to talk about things..." Stefan turned around. "I don't want to talk about Ivy!" His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice had cracked when he said her name. After a few minutes she tried again. "Who's Ivy?"

Stefan buried his hands in his jacket. "She was my wife." Caroline watched him brush passed her, and felt guilty for finding joy in his pain. "Where are you going?" she sighed, watching him fetch his car keys. "To meet my brother, apparently I've spent enough of my time wallowing, he thinks I should meet people, so that's what I'm going to do." Caroline followed him from her apartment to the pub where Stefan ignored her and her snipes about the pub. "This is not going to help you!"

"Oh really? Have you even been in a bar in your life?" Stefan retaliated. Caroline bit her lip, watching a dark haired man hug Stefan. "You made it! What are you drinking?" Damon introduced Stefan to two girls at the bar. "Scotch," Stefan answered. "Don't you dare!" Stefan told Caroline to shut up. One of the girls thought he was talking to her and looked affronted. "You ok? How are those hallucinations going?" Damon asked, looking worried. Stefan faked a smile. "Fine," he lied, clutching the scotch glass in front of him. "You leave me with no choice," Caroline hissed, diving into his body.

Damon watched in bewilderment as Stefan fought himself for possession of his own glass. He slapped himself, yelled at himself to 'stop' and then ended the performance by throwing his drink all over his date. "I'm so sorry," Stefan stuttered, dragging himself from the bar and walking as though he had been possessed by another being. The door slammed, and Damon wiped the alcohol from his face. Their dates glared at him, and disappeared into the ladies'. "Thanks brother," he muttered, downing his bourbon and hoping his brother could sort his shit out, before they got any older.

A/N: Please review. Don't be shy :)