No actual Steroline, this is just the set up, but I promise it'll be worth it.
Elena's birthday party had not gone as planned. For the last few weeks, Caroline had thrown herself into planning the perfect party. Elena had been so unhappy since Stefan disappeared two months ago that Caroline made it her mission to throw a party so spectacular, Stefan would not cross Elena's mind once. She had fretted over every detail from the colors of the invitations (navy blue and cream with embossed lettering) to the cake (three chocolate tiers separated by thick layers of butter cream frosting). However, the detail she obsessed over the most was her own wardrobe. She told herself she wasn't dressing up to impress Tyler, but she knew that was just a lie. She must have tried every cocktail dress in Mystic Falls before finally settling on a curve-hugging deep purple number that ended at mid-thigh. Her hair fell in waves over her shoulders and she wore silver stilettos on her feet. She was a knockout and she knew it. Even Damon had given her a lascivious up and down look and then tried to play it cool saying, "Not a bad party, Cocktail Barbie." She was feeling great and then Tyler walked in with that plain little brunette and her night was ruined.
As Caroline drove home from the party, she thought about Tyler. She really didn't understand why she was so upset. Tyler had asked to take their relationship to the next level weeks ago, but she had declined, saying she was not quite over Matt. That was only part of it though. She was really scared of ruining their friendship. Since Stefan had gone missing, Tyler was the only person who understood her. Damon and Elena were always off searching for Stefan and denying their sexual tension, Bonnie was trying to figure out why Jeremy seemed so different after his magical resurrection and Matt wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. The Sheriff was still having trouble adjusting considering killing vampires was literally part of her job description.
Tyler's friendship was the only thing keeping Caroline sane and even that was complicated. They were natural enemies, damn it! She knew she put her life on the line every time she stayed with him during the full moon and befriending a vampire was just about the most dangerous thing anyone could do in Mystic Falls. Worst of all, Carol Lockwood was on the warpath. She probably would have staked Caroline herself if Tyler hadn't threatened he would never see his mother again if anyone hurt her. A romantic relationship would just make everything more complicated and Caroline was already overwhelmed. She had encouraged Tyler to date other people, but she didn't really think he would listen.
Caroline let out a sigh as she pulled into her driveway and turned off her engine. As she got out of her car and walked to her door, she paused as she caught a familiar scent in the air. She could not quite identify what it was, but it reminded her of hunting in the woods for some reason. When she opened her door, she listened for sounds of her mother, but it seemed Sheriff Forbes was pulling another late night at the station. After climbing the stairs to her room, she began thinking of Tyler again as she stripped down to her black bra and panties and rummaged in a drawer for some pajamas. Maybe she had made a mistake in turning him down. Being in a relationship couldn't possibly make their situation any more complicated than it already was. But then she remembered that half-apologetic, half-challenging glance Tyler had given her the moment he spotted her at the party. He tightened his grip on the brunette's waste as if to say to Caroline, "this could have been you, so don't blame me for taking your advice."
Caroline let out a frustrated sigh as she slammed her drawer shut. She was just about to head to the bathroom to take a shower when a deep voice from behind her asked, "something wrong?" Caroline whirled around with teeth bared and eyes filled with blood, ready to take on any threat. Her anger quickly turned to joy when she saw Stefan leaning against her window frame, arms folded across his chest and a smirk on his face.