pairing: stefan salvatore and caroline forbes, implied carolines forbes and tyler lockwood, implied damon salvatore and elena gilbert

summary: when caroline forbes gets a new apartment, she doesn't expect to get a super-hot neighbor as well.

She remembers it vividly.

It was mid afternoon when Caroline Forbes stepped into the old, stone apartment building. Outside, the rain was coming down quickly and she was soaked from head to toe, not even a centimeter of her shirt being spared. Not the kind of impression you want to make on your soon-to-be neighbors, you know? As a junior attending Boston College, she had decided that moving into her own apartment was long overdue and that the old apartments on the outskirts of campus would fit her nicely.

Or maybe she just didn't want to deal with Elena another year. Caroline surely loved her best friend (rather, she felt like she had to - they had been friends since they were children; but that was another story, for another time) but damn, her boyfriend had to be one of the most irritating and crude people Caroline had ever met. Damon Salvatore. Even the name was like poison in her thoughts.

But then she remembered how Elena could hardly stand Caroline's boyfriend. Tyler Lockwood was the quarterback, the star, the boy every girl wanted. The one Caroline got. She knew that it was bad to think of him that way, but it wasn't like anyone would ever find out. Either way, her and Elena had some arguments about who the other was dating. It wasn't anything new.

Caroline was pulled out of her thoughts by someone clearing their throat at the front desk. She hadn't even noticed that someone had come out of that back room in which they were previously hiding in. A smile crossed her face despite how she must have looked - she only prayed that her mascara was not running down her face right now. If it was, their would be a complaint being sent to Maybelline about how their mascara actually wasn't waterproof.

"May I help you?" The man's voice come out short, blunt. Caroline felt her eyes wander to his name tag, where it read 'Elijah Mikaelson' in small, red letters.

"I'm Caroline Forbes. I'm here to pick up my key." She felt a bit bad for Elijah, as it looked like he wasn't having a very good day. Or a very good life, if he was roped into such a boring job. "And whatever else I have to pick up. I think the key was it though? Unless I have to sign some more things. But I guess you would tell me that, so -"

Elijah held out the key to apartment 16B, cutting Caroline off in her rambling. "Oh, thank you!" She exclaimed, anxiously snatching the key and holding it tightly in her now closed palm. To say she was excited was an understatement. Turning curtly, she looked around once more and threw him a charming smile. "Have a nice day, Elijah!" He looked down at his name tag before scoffing and going back to the vampire den.

The blonde couldn't help but notice a little bounce in her step as she made her way to the elevator. Finally, a sense of real independence. It wasn't like college wasn't enough independence, it was… But living on her own, without Elena and what sometimes felt like Damon; it was almost a new start. Hopefully, no one here would know of her around campus, no one would know she was dating the famous Tyler Lockwood.

With a jolt, the elevator doors opened and Caroline stepped inside. Looking around, she took in her surroundings. Sure, she wasn't expecting much from such an old campus and almost equally as old building (okay, not quite, she may have been exaggerating) but really? The cheap gold paint was chipping, there were too many cobwebs to count, and the red carpet was really giving Caroline the creeps. Lovely. How could she not notice this when she first came to visit?

In an instant, the elevator stopped on the second floor and shakily, the doors opened. Caroline stepped out and took a deep breath before speed walking to her (all hers, no one elses) apartment. 16B appeared on a thick wooden door and she felt stupid, her hands so shaky that she was fumbling with the key and couldn't get it into the slot. No one was watching her, anyway. Unless someone was peeking through the peeping hole; but that would be a bit creepy.

"Do you need some help?" Caroline let out a small shriek of surprise as a voice came from behind her. What was with everyone sneaking up on her today? She looked behind her, a nervous laugh escaping her lips as she looked at who the voice belonged too.

"Um, possibly? I can't seem to get the key in." Her gaze fell to her shoes, stepping away from the door to face the mysterious boy.

"I noticed." He chuckled, picking up the key she must have dropped when she screamed. In an instant, the door was unlocked. "So Elijah wasn't lying when he said someone new was moving in."

"No, I guess not." Caroline looked up and met eyes with the stranger for the first time - and she could feel her breath catch in her throat. He was, well, beautiful. She shouldn't be thinking like that, not when she was dating Tyler, but damn. Damn. "I'm Caroline. Caroline Forbes."

"Stefan Salvatore." He took her hand and shook it, watching as a look of realization came over her face. His smile fell at her blue eyes widened. Caroline didn't mean for that to happen, of course not, but he was a Salvatore. She couldn't help it.

"As in, Damon Salvatore?" Now it was Stefan's turn to be shocked.

"Did you sleep with him?"

"Oh, God - ew. No. Never. Not that that would be a bad thing? I mean, what I'm trying to say is… Is he your brother?"

Stefan sighed. "Unfortunately."

Caroline raised an eyebrow. Pressing into Stefan's family problems right after meeting him probably wasn't the smartest of all her choices, but Caroline had always been good at putting her nose where it didn't belong. "Do you two not get along?"

"It's complicated."

"I see."

And awkward silence filled the air. The two just stared at each other, neither wanting to stay the next thing. Stefan cleared his throat finally, looking Caroline over again. "Hey, did you need a towel? I couldn't help but notice that you, ah, are kind of soaked."

Caroline's cheeks turned a shade of rosy pink. "Uh, please." While talking to Stefan, she had totally forgotten about what she looked like. A monster, most likely.

And then, she swore that she saw a smile cross the nicer Salvatore's face as he lead her into his apartment.

Looking back on it now, she feels very stupid.

Five months later, Caroline and Stefan laugh about how they first met. It was a good story to tell, she figures, but an embarrassing one. However, she wouldn't trade it for the world. Fumbling with her key never would have lead her to meeting the love of her life.

Month one - Caroline was still getting adjusted to her new apartment. Stefan was there along the way, helping her unpack and introducing her to all these really cool people. Bonnie Bennett was another one of her neighbors, and she was super fun. Caroline got close to her quickly. Three more of the Mikaelsons happened to be present in the building, and they were all… Interesting, to say in the least. Rebekah had to be her favorite, seeing as Kol and Klaus were just creepy. Caroline even came to realize Elijah wasn't so bad. But when it came to all of her new friends, Stefan became the one she relied on like no one else. Best friends.

Month two - Stefan finally opened up to Caroline about his family issues. Turned out that when Damon and Stefan were teenagers, Damon had fell for the same girl Stefan had. Katherine Pierce. Katherine tore the two apart, and the two brothers had never been the same again. Tears had been shed when Stefan relived the story. Caroline felt her heart break a little bit for him and couldn't bring herself to ask whatever happened to Katherine. Later, she would learn that the bitch had disappeared off the face of the earth a few years ago.

Month three - Caroline caught Tyler cheating on her with Vicki Donovan. For the second time, Caroline was left with a broken heart by a Donovan's hands. Earlier in her life, the blonde dated Matt, Vicky's brother. Things were thrown, especially vases and words, and the breakup between Caroline and Tyler was messy. They hadn't spoken since. Stefan was the one who consoled her, who held her as she cried and ranted about how much of an asshole Tyler Lockwood. Month three sucked the most, in Caroline's personal opinion.

Month four - it was time to go back home for holidays. Caroline and Stefan talked almost every night on Skype, reliving that day's events to the other. Stefan briefly mentioned that he and Damon were starting the converse again. Caroline mentioned that her father, who had left her mother for another man, had shown up at her and her mom's quaint house. That wasn't pretty. Caroline would be lying if she said that she missed Stefan more than she cared to admit.

Month five - well, month five was a whirlwind. Back to college after the holidays. Back to what normal was. But Caroline had another problem; she may have fallen in love with Stefan Salvatore without even realizing it. For all she knew, she was still mourning her breakup with Tyler. Then, Stefan went on a date with Rebekah and he appeared to really like her and wow, Caroline felt so jealous. For the first time in five months, she went to someone other than Stefan for her problems. In the middle of the night, Caroline found herself in her old best friend's arms, a blubbering and emotional mess.

Elena had always been good with relationship advice, though she never took any of her own. While Caroline hated the idea of telling Stefan how she felt and risking their tight friendship, she knew it was what she had to do.

Stefan was shocked. Caroline was angry. They didn't talk for a week, until Stefan knocked on her door and when Caroline opened it; he kissed her like he meant it. It was passionate, full of love, desire, need, and unspoken feelings of five months. More words of affection were spoken that night, as well as words that made Caroline blush when she thought of them.

She thanks God every night for that storm and Elijah Mikaelson, who gave her the key to something new.

As cliche as that was.

this was really just an idea i had, and when i decided to put it into words, it didn't really work out? anyway, reviews would be lovely ((: