STEROLINE.
Caroline opened the door of the library angrily and left the building with her arms crossed. Stefan followed her, trying to reach her. A bike was coming down the sidewalk and Stefan had to speed up his steps to push her aside.
"Caroline, will you calm down?" he asked.
"Calm down? We've been searching and asking witches of all kinds that give no clear answers for three days. I wish Bonnie was here."
Stefan looked at her, but she looked away, staring at the road with pursed lips. Caroline and Stefan had gone to North Carolina to look for a cure for Liz and the search of three days still had neither rest nor satisfactory answers.
"We should go" Stefan said, knowing that Caroline would not like that idea. The blonde looked at him, disappointed.
"You've given up, haven't you?"
"No, of course not. But we've been searching for three days and we haven't slept at all. You haven't even fed. I won't let us continue with this if you don't recover strength."
"I'm not going back to Mystic Falls yet, Stefan. But you're free to leave anytime."
Stefan shook his head, thinking how stubborn she was.
"Do you really think I'm leaving without you?" Stefan asked, looking into her eyes. Caroline looked him back, noticing how they both stayed in an awkward silence. "Look, I'm just saying we should rest a bit. We won't go back to Mystic Falls if you don't want to, but at least we should find somewhere to spend the night.
Caroline sighed, realizing that it would get dark soon. Stefan raised his eyebrows, looking at her expectantly. The girl, very reluctantly, nodded and agreed. They got into the car and Stefan started to look for a motel.
"Sorry, I couldn't find anything better" Stefan said as they entered the motel room. Caroline looked around, noticing that there was only one bed and a couch. She bit her lip thoughtfully.
"It's enough. We're just going to sleep and then we'll continue searching at first light."
The girl went to the bathroom but Stefan stopped her, handing her a blood bag.
"Feed" Stefan said to her. Caroline took the bag and continued on her way to the bathroom.
When she closed the door, Stefan took off his jacket and t-shirt and sat on the bed, tired. He knew that Caroline could not be in a better mood with all that was going on but he missed her smile. He dropped himself on the bed and stared at the ceiling. The door of the bathroom opened and Caroline came out with a towel covering her body. Stefan looked furtively, feeling a great weight in the stomach. She took her toiletry bag from her backpack and went back to the bathroom without looking at him or saying a word.
Stefan swallowed and sighed. Now everything was more complicated. He was trying to ignore his thoughts to help her but he could not help remembering what had happened the last few weeks. The truth is that he had realized that he had feelings for Caroline too in Thanksgiving and since then he kept thinking about them and looking at her with different eyes. How had he been so blind?
Caroline left the bathroom in shorts and a top. Stefan sat back down on the bed and looked at her.
"What?" Caroline asked, eyebrows raised.
"Nothing."
The girl nodded and walked toward the couch. Stefan frowned.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm gonna sleep" she replied, confused.
"Come here."
Stefan pointed at the other side of the bet and Caroline met his eyes, wondering if he was drunk.
"Are you drunk?" Caroline asked him, looking at him suspiciously. Stefan laughed and shook his head. "It'll be weird if we sleep together."
"It wouldn't be the first time that we sleep together."
Their eyes met and Caroline started to get nervous. In fact, Stefan wanted to be near her all the time as he did not want to stop keeping an eye on her until seeing that she really rested. Caroline sighed and went to the other side of the bed. Stefan watched her helplessly as she sat next to him and leaned back against the headboard. He closed his eyes tightly in order to make his thoughts vanish.
"Well…" Caroline said, breaking the awkward silence. "Good night."
"Good night."
Caroline turned off her bedside lamp and lay down, dropping her heard on the pillow and turning around so that Stefan was only able to see her back. He, however, stayed sat, watching the curve of her hip. "Stop looking at her in this way, Stefan" thought Stefan.
Caroline was staring at the floor and listened how Stefan turned off her lamp and dropped his body completely on the bed. She did not dare to turn and face him, but she was dying to know if he could not sleep like her. She turned around and saw how Stefan clenched his jaw, opened his eyes and looked at her. She smiled slightly and lowered her eyes. Stefan wondered if he would be able to contain himself, though he doubted it. She looked so vulnerable that all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms all the time.
"Thanks for coming with me, Stefan" Caroline whispered. "You're being a great friend."
Stefan noticed the tone of her voice when she said the word "friend". Stefan hated that Caroline thought that he only saw her as a friend, when for weeks it had been the opposite thing. He took her hand gently and Caroline looked into his eyes, a little surprised.
"I know you can't, but sleep a bit" Stefan said. Caroline rolled her eyes at first, but then she agreed and closed her eyes.
After a few minutes, Caroline was already asleep, but the one who was not was Stefan. He was staring at the ceiling, angry with himself for not having being faster and for not having realized his feelings for her before leaving Mystic Falls some months ago. Although that was not entirely true. He had been aware of certain things or at least he had suspected them but he had not dared to harm his friendship with Caroline. However, now that he knew that she had feelings for him, he could not stop thinking about the great opportunity that he was missing by not being with a girl like Caroline.
Caroline moved a little and hugged Stefan, who looked confused. She put her arm over his torso and rested her head on his chest with a sigh as she was sleeping. Stefan held her closer and kissed her on the forehead. "Damn", he thought.
Caroline felt the warmth of the sunshine on her face and opened her eyes lazily. Then she realized that her cheek was resting on Stefan's chest and her left hand was resting on his abdomen. His chin was resting on her head and she was able to feel his breath on her hair. His left arm was around her waist. "Crap", she thought. However, she could not deny that she had missed feeling so close to him.
Stefan moved slightly and began to open his eyes. Caroline moved away from him quickly, which made he wake up completely and look confused. He knew that they had slept cuddled and he did not regret it. They looked at each other and Caroline opened her mouth, not knowing what to say. She got up and locked herself in the bathroom.
Stefan was driving and Caroline was staring out the window, both of them totally silent. She could not stand more that awkward situation and turned on the radio, starting to try different channels until she found a song that she liked. She looked through the window again and Stefan turned down the music.
"Caroline, we need to talk" Stefan said.
"There's nothing to talk about" she replied without looking at him.
"Of course there is. This is nonsense because there's an easy solution to all this."
"I agree with you about that. You should have never come with me and less when you know what I feel, what I felt" she amended "for you."
Stefan stopped the car and without thinking, he grabbed her face and kissed her, pressing his lips against hers hard. Caroline did not know how to react, but when Stefan bit her lower lip, she grabbed his neck tightly, pushing him toward her. Stefan savored her tongue and every corner of her mouth without qualms, but Caroline put her feet on the ground and pulled him away gently. They looked at each other, breathing hard.
"I'm sorry. I know it's not the best time but I couldn't wait any longer without saying that I can't stop thinking about you. And not as a friend."
"Since when?" Caroline asked.
"I don't know. Since I lost my memory? Since the night with the travelers? All I know is that I tried not to feel anything for you. I didn't want to lose you as a friend but then you told me what you felt and I got confused. I didn't know how to act or what to do and…"
Stefan closed his mouth. He had taken a great weight off. Caroline's confusion was visible on her face.
"I know it's unfair to ask you this but do you still… feel something for me?" Stefan asked, waiting for her answer worried. Caroline sighed and looked into her eyes.
"What a stupid question. I never stopped feeling something" she replied. Stefan could not help smiling.
"Come here" Stefan grabbed her by her waist and sat her on his lap. Caroline smiled shyly and dropped her forehead against his. Stefan looked into her eyes and she stroked his cheeks before kissing him. When they stopped, Stefan caressed her chin with his thumb. "And now, let's look for a cure for your mum."