This happens after season 5 finale.

Stefan POV

I have been searching for months, trying to bring Damon back going from coven to coven searching for a witch that might bring Damon and Bonnie back or at least might know something.

Nothing.

I knew I had to move on, start over. And even if I wanted to, I couldn't go back to Mystic Falls and face all of my friends defeated. Especially Elena, she still has hope that Damon will come back to her, she loves him that much.

I decided to stay in Perth, a small town where I wouldn't bring to much attention to myself. I bought a small house on the outskirts of town and got a job at the nearby garage as a mechanic. The pay was more than enough for me and it was near the woods where I could hunt for blood.

Every day for a month after I came back from work my phone would be ringing with a name reading Caroline or Alaric. I would never pick up; if I wanted to move on I had to leave everything else behind me, even the people that I cared most about. I broke the phone and threw it away, it was that simple.

Another month went past and I got an unexpected message from Klaus asking me to meet him at the outskirts of New Orleans. It's not like I got into a car and did everything he said, but I was in dept to him for saving Damon's life once and we did used to be friends. He sounded very desperate.

It didn't take me long to get there but I wasn't expecting what I saw. An infant wrapped tightly in his arms. I didn't know what to say.

"In spite of our differences there is no one I would trust more with my daughter's life" a baby? How was this possible? I really wasn't in a position to ask too many questions because he told me we didn't have much time. Haley was her mother; she died after giving birth but came back as a hybrid. This was one special girl. He was asking me to take care of her for however long was needed. "Her name's Hope" he said giving a kiss to her forehead and giving her over to me.

"I promise you..." I said looking at his eyes full of tears, first time I've seen him like this "I will not let anything happen to her." I got into my car and Klaus was already gone, it must have been hard even for him. Family means everything to him.

I looked at little Hope in my arms and just realised that my whole world was probably going to turn around for some time. How was I going to manage this? I wasn't ready to be a guardian, but it didn't look like I had much choice. When I got home I laid down her little sleeping body on my bed, she looked so peaceful. I was probably going to have to go and buy all the necessary things for her, like a crib.

I turned off the light and when to sit on the couch, took my phone out and called her.

"Hello?" I missed her "who is this?"

"Elena, its Stefan"

"Stefan? Oh my God, you don't return any of our calls where are you? Have you found something?"

"No I'm just calling to say I'm sorry, I haven't found anything. I'm staying in Perth. I want to start over. Demon's gone Elena."

"What do you mean start over? You have to come back. You can't give up. If.. If you give up then it means I will need to give up" she was crying "And I can't, I just can't. I love him"

"I'm sorry Elena, we got to try and more forward, move on. I know I did" and I hang up. I know it's not what she wanted to hear and it was a complete lie on my side because I haven't moved on. I lost my brother, and I would do anything to get him back, but it's not possible. She needs to let go.

Week later

Taking cared of Hope wasn't easy. I had to take some time off work because Hope needed to be taken care of 24/7. I was exhausted, I didn't have time for myself anymore and soon I would have to figure something out because I needed to work or they were going to fire me. I decided that this time I would act human, get a job the proper way, used compulsion only when necessary and that's why it was that hard for me.

Hope was finally asleep when I heard something downstairs. Klaus warned me that there were vampires or werewolves going to be looking for her, trying to harm her. If anyone found as here we would have to leave straight away.

I looked round the kitchen and saw nothing, but I did take the knife for percussion. I walked around round the living room when a book was chucked of off my head; I turned around only to be pinned to the floor by someone.

"You idiot! You didn't return any of my calls, do you have any idea has scared I was that something happened to you?"

"Caroline? What are you doing here?" I asked as she got of off me

"Elena told me where you were. I mean, seriously? You called your ex but not your best friend. Thanks a lot Stefan" she glared in my direction

"You know it's not like that"

"It's not? Then tell me why you couldn't even pick up the dumb phone?" I can see the hurt in her eyes, I'm so sorry Caroline "We needed you, I needed you. And you didn't care" I had no idea how to answer to this. I hurt her; she had every right to be mad. The tears were staring to pool in her eyes. I couldn't take it any longer to see my best friend in pain and took her into a crushing hug.

"I'm so sorry Caroline. I missed you."

After a few minutes like this, we sat down on my couch and had a drink of whiskey. We talked for a bit, she told me how she dropped out of college, how she and Sheriff Forbes meet just outside Mystic Falls every other Sunday and how she actually became quite good friends with Enzo, because there was no one else with her. I felt bad about that last part; I wasn't there for her when I should have been.

"Sooo.." she started "Are you going to come back with me no?" I can see her hopefulness in her eyes.

"Caroline, it's not that simple. I can't go. I'm starting over"

"It is simple, you pack your bags and we go back. You can start over at Whitmore with your friends around" she smiled at me.

"I just can't" she wasn't happy with my answer, after a few minutes of silence and me finishing my drink I think she realised she wasn't going to change my mind and said.

"Well then, I think I better go" she said standing up, and heading towards the door. That's when I heard the silent cry of Hope upstairs.

"Caroline wait!" I said and she turned around surprised probably hoping I changed my mind "Let me show you the reason I can't go back"

I can see she was confused but she followed me upstairs to my bedroom without asking questions anyway. I walked up to the crib and introduced her to now fully awake Hope "This is Hope" I said looking at her shocked expression.

"Oh my god"

I love Steroline, there is a clip on youtube that I can add a link to, if you want to. It really inspired me to write this story. I hope you liked the first chapter, I promise It's going to get interesting.