Title: Leave It All Behind
Author: fadingtales
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries
Ship: Stefan/Caroline
Summary: After finally leaving Mystic Falls behind them, Stefan and Caroline have to learn to leave behind the heartbreak as well. And maybe they can learn to do it together.
It was not an easy decision, but as Caroline finishes loading the trunk of the taxi cab with her luggage, she turns to look at her house, the place that has been her home for the past seventeen years, for the last time. As all the familiar buildings whizz by through the window of the car, she bids farewell to all that she had known, all that she had loved and leaves all of her past ambitions, hopes and dreams behind.
The death of her mom, Sheriff Forbes, at the hands of yet another Big Bad was the final straw that broke the camel's back. She loved Elena, but the cost of her friendship was getting far too heavy to bear. She was done with being collateral damage.
At first she didn't know where to go, the world being such a big place for a freshly immortal seventeen year old. So she bought herself a globe, old school style, and spun it to pick a place at random. Her finger landed on the middle of the Pacific Ocean and so she decided to scrap the whole stupid globe idea and went online to book a plane ticket to Italy.
After eating her weight in pasta, she jettisoned off to Spain. While running with the bulls she finds out along the grapevine that after the big showdown with whatever evil villain that was hell-bent on destroying the town Elena had finally chosen Damon. She isn't too surprised. She wishes them well, even if she had been rooting for Stefan.
Stefan had always been kind to her and she's a little biased. Perhaps it's because she's still harboring just the tiniest fraction of that old junior year crush on him when they had first met. Stefan was the nice one, the good guy. He was the one that taught her how to control herself, how to maintain her humanity. Whereas memories of Damon only made her angry, though she had long since forgiven him, even if he never quite asked for it. She was never the grudge holding sort anyhow. Also the big sum of money he wired into her bank account on the day of her departure was a nice enough parting gift. Thoughts of the Elena and her love triangle back home only occupy her mind momentarily before she is distracted by the allure of French macaroons and the Eiffel Tower.
After indulging in wine and the best of designer labels, she receives an email from Bonnie telling her that she misses her. Homesickness brings her back to the states, but not back to Virginia. She enrolls in a small college in Connecticut, majoring in History. It's nice to bask in a bit of normalcy. She makes friends, worries about exams and what to wear to the parties on the weekends. It's nice, but she knows she can't stay for too long and so she keeps everyone at arm's length.
It's been more than a handful of years and she has long since left Mystic Falls behind. Somehow it still finds her wherever she go. Just before her finals he shows up. Looking very much like he had the first time she set eyes on him. Sunglasses covered his eyes and somehow he can still pull off that leather jacket and hoodie combo to make the girls swoon. He was only passing through town, on his way to New York and he thought he'd stop to say hello. She can tell from the way he looked, despite the flawless hair and the charming smile that he gives her, that he was on edge, and she couldn't turn him away.
They go out to lunch to catch up. She tells him about the places she's been to: Italy, Spain, France. He tells her the next time she goes to France he'll take her to Côte-du-Rhone where he has a nice chateau in the countryside. She smiles politely and tells herself that her cheeks are heating up because of all the spring sunshine. She tells her about her classes and how proud Alaric would be if he knew how well she was doing in her class on American colonialism. Stefan confesses that he hasn't actually been in touch with anyone back home for the past two years. She nods knowingly. Aside from the occasional birthday text messages from Bonnie, she has been otherwise incommunicado herself.
After a long moment of companionable silence, she tells him that it was good to see him again, but she had an exam in half an hour that she had to get ready for. He nods and drives her back to her off-campus housing. Like the gentleman he is, he walks her to her door. They hug and just as he's about to turn and leave, he pauses and asks her if she's doing anything on Friday after her finals.
"I just thought maybe we could grab a drink or something. It's nice to see a familiar face again after so long."
She's hesitant, but nods in agreement.
They get completely and totally drunk at the bar. And finally with the rush of the alcohol in her blood, she finally broaches the big elephant in the room and asks about Elena. He doesn't flinch from the name despite her prediction. He just shrugs and tells her, "Elena's happy." And then they both go back to knocking back shots.
She can tell it from the way his eyes would occasionally follow the co-eds like prey throughout the night that he was just recovering from one of his Ripper relapses. It explained his edge.
When it got too hard, when the sounds of the beating pulses in the room and the rush of blood through veins got too deafening and she can see his eyes darkening, she would lay a hand on his and tell him to breathe. Just like the way he had done for her so many years ago.
At first he'd look at her with an expression of astonishment, before letting out an exhale and soon his eyes would return back to normal. She'd smile at him then and distract him with useless small talk.
When he finally drops her off back home he kisses her. But it's not a kiss of the passionate, messy, drunken variety. It's a soft, chaste kiss on the cheek as she bids him good-bye. It's bittersweet and full of longing and nostalgia and she ignores the way it pulls at her heartstrings and rekindles all those old feelings she had back when she had only been a junior in high school.
He decides to blow off his New York plans and sticks around in town for the next semester, also her last, and is the one to watch her cross the stage with her diploma. Over the past few months they've hanging out more and have been talking about her plans for what is to come after. She knows she can't get a full-time job and have a normal life, but it was nice that she got her college degree. It was something her mom had always wanted for her.
"There's always California," he suggests.
She grins at that and before they know it they're touching down in LAX.
She works on her tan, or as much of a tan as a vampire can get, and enjoys the clubs and the music and the whole laid back atmosphere. He indulges her on all things, including all the shopping excursions, and they joke and tease and work on forgetting all the heartbreak they left behind in Mystic Falls.
On what is supposed to be her twenty-fifth birthday, she gets news that Matt has settled down and gotten married. And for just a moment she aches for the life that could have been hers. But then Stefan slips his hand into hers and squeezes it affectionately and she decides on taking him up on his offer to take her to his chateau in France.
They arrive and almost immediately have possibly the world's most awkward run in with none other than Damon and Elena.
Elena is older now, looking much more like a real twenty-five year old, but in so many ways she's still the same girl that Caroline had known all of her life. She finds out, however, that just last year Damon had turned her by her request. She had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. This whole trip was supposed to take her mind off of it.
Caroline's heart hurts for her and she pulls the brunette into a hug. Stefan and Damon are off on the side chatting and she catches Stefan's eyes as she's hugging Elena. He gives her a small reassuring smile and she returns it.
The two of them decides to cede the chateau, realizing Elena probably needed it more than they did and instead took the first train over to London. The city is buzzing with people and festivities and she realizes belatedly that it was New Years Eve.
They buy some champagne and sneak it in on the London Eye Ferris wheel. Stefan had compelled the operator to make sure that they get to the top in time for the fireworks.
As they ride up to the top, Caroline turns to Stefan and asks him the question that has been niggling at her ever since they left France.
"Do you ever wish that you fought for her harder? Elena, I mean."
Stefan turns to face her and shrugs. "I don't think I could have done anything more to change her mind. I loved her," Past tense, but she can see that he meant it sincerely. "But I think things happen for a reason. I'm glad she was a part of my life, but I've accepted the fact that she chose Damon."
Caroline nods along in silence, watches as the people and the lights scatter about below them.
"How about you?" he asks. "Do you ever wish that things had turned out differently? That you were never turned?"
Her shrug mirrors his. "I mean, I've thought about it, sure. Thousands of times." And she recalls the pain that had hit her when she had first found out about how Matt had moved on, grown up, and started a family. Something she would never do herself. And she lets herself get a little nostalgic about the past, but realizes it doesn't quite hurt as much anymore.
"But what's the point of wishing about something that you can't change?"
He nods knowingly. He's been there before. Wrestled with his own hypotheticals and what-ifs.
"Besides... I'm happy where I am right now," she says without equivocation. And it's not until the words leaves her lips that she realizes how true they are. She's happy. She's so perfectly content where she is right now. Besides Stefan Salvatore, on the London Eye, riding to the top of the world to greet the New Year. It's been years since she's left Mystic Falls, but it's only now that she's finally put it all behind her.
He looks at her then, really looks at her, with a genuine smile on his lips, one that reaches his eyes.
"Yeah. Me, too. I'm happy exactly where I am."
And she knows he's telling the truth because they don't pretend with each other.
When the clock strikes twelve on Big Ben he kisses her. Properly so, on the lips and everything. And this time it's a kiss that means something. It's a tender kiss full of promise for the future, not one aching for the past.
When they finally break apart, he tucks her hair behind her ear and rests his forehead against hers. They share a smile and lace their hands together, watch the sky light up with fireworks. And she knows then that he's right. Everything happens for a reason. And maybe the reason for all the pain and heartbreaks was to lead them right to here, not London, but with each other.
A/N: Just a short little steroline oneshot that I wanted to write. I know most of you know me as a hardcore klaroline shipper, but steroline is actually my endgame. They just complement each other I think. And if there was ever a happy ending to be had, it would be with each other. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Reviews, comments and likes are appreciated! =)