This is my new two-parter for DE.

I wrote this about 7 months ago- so some things may be different (especially how I imagined S3 and S4 to begin)

Based on end/middle of Season 3 to the beginning of Season 4…

I don't know when I'll update again, (hopefully soon!) but I have two concerts in the next week and I really need to practice.

I do not own TVD, or anything except my brain.

Rating might go up to M in Ch 2… and I'm freaked out because of that. I've never written M before. I'll have to see if it fits, because I still need to fix some writing issues.

So… here goes!

Caroline's POV/No one's

They tried to avoid each other after Stefan left, dancing their own separate dance. The drastic change in their already fragile relationship was blatantly obvious to everyone, and the one way to control his and her emotions was by no contact whatsoever. But no matter how much they tried, the two of them couldn't keep their hands off of one another.

During the day, it was the secret glances and little brushes of hands while slipping past each other. At night, the absence of Damon at the boarding house and no Elena at the dinner table answered many questions.

One night, Caroline went over to Elena's house to check on how she was doing, and when she walked up the winding stairs as quietly as possible and opened her best friend's bedroom door, she found Elena lying on Damon's naked chest, under the covers. Probably clad in nothing but her undergarments, Caroline thought.

The blonde vampire never mentioned this fact to anyone, and the next day the duo acted like nothing had changed.

x-x-x-x-x

Soon, little by little, the 'road trips' grew more and more frequent, with the vampire and human claiming they needed to "find Stefan". The couple went away for lengths at a time, and each time came back with the heated tension between them stronger and thicker than before. The furtive gazes and the tender and loving motions exchanged between Elena and Damon grew at an alarming rate, and finally Caroline had enough.

She confronted Elena, and even though the girl denied everything, Caroline couldn't help but feel that there was more truth behind everything.

x-x-x-x-x

After Caroline's talk, Elena started to hang out with other people from their school, her old cheerleading friends. Caroline saw less and less of her best friend, and Damon, whom she was stuck with until her mother decided to let her back in her own house, grew more sullen and moody by each growing day. He congested un-normal amounts of alcohol, even for him, and by the time Elena visited at night, he was already lying in his bed, nursing his new (and old) hangovers.

It was the night of an especially brutal practice when Elena snuck upstairs after Caroline said good night and had gone into her own guest room. She let herself into his huge room and tiptoed to the bed where a certain dark haired, blue-eyed vampire was lying, pretending to sleep. She lied down next to him and after pushing her long brown hair away from her face, kissed Damon's collarbone. She made it to his chest before he flipped over as fast as any vampire could and took the girl of his dreams into his arms.

Neither got much sleep that night.

x-x-x-x-x

Three months after that night, on her 18th birthday, Elena collapsed in the middle of the Salvatore living room. Damon drove her to hospital while Caroline contacted Bonnie and Matt, who were with Jeremy, to come help.

It turned out that Elena was suffering from a big amount of blood loss and head trauma. Before the nurse could come and attach an IV to Elena's arm, Damon bit his arm and offered the girl on the hospital bed his blood, something he should've done a long time ago. She fed eagerly, and Caroline had to pull the two of them away from their close proximity in order to keep the scene a PG-13 rating. Damon refused to move, and leaned down to place his lips on their other half's, Elena's.

Jeremy stalked out, muttering in disgust, followed by Bonnie. Matt chuckled and walked out after that duo. Caroline turned away from the scene that was unfolding in front of her eyes, but stayed in the room and kept an ear open to listen to the now hushed conversation. She watched from the window's reflection.

Damon knelt down next to the bed and gathered Elena's hands in his own. As he smiled, he said lightly, "Well…"

Elena laughed nervously as she turned a bright pink, which was amazing considering the amount of blood she lost. "Shut up."

Then she turned serious. "Am I dying?"

Damon was silent for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. "Technically, yes. But you're going to come back. Okay, 'Lena?"

A rustling of sheets was heard before Caroline could hear Elena's quiet yet sincere answer.

"I'm done with Stefan."

When Damon opened his mouth to contradict her statement, she hurried on, placing a finger on his lips. "Damon, listen to me. As long as you're there by my side, I'll be fine."

Damon laughed quietly and placed a quick kiss on his love's forehead. "I love you, you know that?"

Caroline, taking that as her cue to leave, quietly slipped out of the room's door. The two remaining members of the hospital room were in their own private world. They didn't notice, and as she was closing the wooden door, she could hear Elena's faint but determined voice that was losing its usual volume. "I love you too. I don't know why it took me so long to realize that."

"Shh, enjoy your rest, darling. We'll discuss this tomorrow. I'll stay here, okay?" He gently kissed her forehead. "I'll always be here."

Elena sighed, comforted, and all was quiet except for the soon steady breathing heard inside of the room. The breaths that slowly grew slower, and slower… until they stopped.

x-x-x-x-x

They would always have problems with each other, but the one thing that really mattered in the end was their undying love for one another. And that made fighting for their relationship till the very end worthwhile.

x-x-x-x-x

So… how was it? I would really like to know! This was originally a one shot but then I decided to make it a two thing.

I have another story for DE in the process, and it's based on a few lines of Ed Sheeran's "Kiss Me".

That should be up as soon as I finish writing its seven chapters. I actually write that story on Saturdays during break at Hungarian school… so… it's going to be a long time. I'm only on chapter 4.

Until next time!

Reviews are a cookie to my stomach ;)

I'LL UPDATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. NO PROMISES, BECAUSE I AM HORRIBLE AT KEEPING THOSE. Well, those with deadlines.

~Allysa