Caroline was giggling in the woods, running from tree to dark, shadowy tree. Peeking from around them and teasing him. Beckoning him to follow her deeper. She would disappear for only a moment, only to pop back out and give him a clue. Springy white gold curls. A curved finger. The toe of her boot.

Then her beautiful, illuminating smile and laughter. Stefan couldn't help but chase her. She wanted to be chased. He stopped in the field of holes where she'd been digging weeks before. He whipped his head around, hoping to see her peeking from around another tree. But there was nothing but the stillness of the forest. And the holes.

He looked back toward them. They were now one big hole, deep and dark and empty. Empty except for one small spot of light. He leaned over the hole to get a closer look. A spot of gold was glinting in the setting sun. He bent over the hole further to try to reach it. Suddenly, a hand grabbed his.

Caroline was in the pit now, clawing at his hand, pulling him in, with a terrifying smile on her face. He tried to pull away but his muscles wouldn't work. A moment of peace in her otherwise mad face, then she released him, falling deeper into the abyss. Stefan tried to urge himself to reach for her, to dig for her, to save her. But he just watched as she sunk deeper in the cold earth. His face smiling of its own free will, him trapped within.

Something was wriggling out of the hole now. A long, thin, shiny thing. Stefan watched helplessly as it climbed out of the darkness, over the toe of his boot, up his leg. A snake. White and gold. Beautiful and deadly. It slithered up his thighs, his stomach, his chest.

Finally in control of his body, he reached out quickly to grab it. He was startled when his hand found only the thin, porcelain wrist that was tickling up his chest. He hesitated for a moment as he slowly faded back into reality. It was just Caroline. His pretty little snake. He let the dream wash over him and wash away immediately.

"Down boy," Caroline purred in his ear, tossing her bare thigh over his.

He came alive at the feeling of her warm skin sliding against his. So normal Stefan was running rampant in his unconscious. Trying to control his dreams, make him feel guilty, make him regret this. But Normal Stefan didn't have Caroline naked in his bed. Wrapping her soft skin around him like a glove. Normal Stefan was fighting a losing battle.

He smiled as Caroline climbed on top of him, her knees sinking into the mattress on either side of his hips. She would hold him down. Hold them both down. No one was getting out of the pit. Not anytime soon. Her hair tickled his face as she leaned down to kiss him. Sweet venom on his lips.