"…can you believe that?" Stefan was saying.

He had been catching me up on his life in Mystic Falls. He was on his second year of med school and was finally getting to do work in the Mystic Falls Hospital. Stefan had gone to school at the nearby college and was going to med school through the satellite campus of the University of Richmond. Stefan had wanted to be an oncologist since his mother died when we were fourteen, and his dreams were quickly becoming a reality for him. As his friend, I couldn't have been more proud and happy, but as a failure, I couldn't have been more jealous.

"Bekah's excited to see you," he said.

I let out a disgruntled snort. "I'm sure she is," I said.

Stefan had been dating Rebekah Mikaelson since we were juniors in high school. Rebekah and two of her bothers had moved to Mystic Falls with their mother when we were sophomores, and she had her eye on Stefan from the moment she started school. That was the thing about the Mikaelsons; they always got what they wanted.

"She's actually matured a lot," Stefan said, turning down the main road in town. "She's not nearly as petty as she was in high school."

I rolled my eyes. I couldn't imagine Rebekah Mikaelson being anything but the girl who wanted to steal my spot as head cheerleader and take me out of Stefan's life.

"Uh, we're actually having a dinner thing at the boarding house tomorrow," he said, as he turned into a restaurant I didn't know. The Hunter.

"What kind of thing?" I asked.

Stefan gave me one of his signature looks of irritation.

"Since when does Caroline Forbes turn down a party?" he asked.

Since my fiancé dumped me at one. Since I lost my job at one.

"It's not a big deal, Care," he said, getting out of the car. "It's just a few of our friends coming around for dinner. Elena's got some new recipes she wants to try out."

It was still weird to me that Stefan got along so well with his ex-girlfriend, now sister-in-law.

"Besides," he said as we made our way to the restaurant, "everyone will be so excited your back."

I didn't particularly want to be back.

"Whatever," I said. "You know I'll do it because I love you, but you're paying for my lunch."

Stefan smiled. "Deal."

We walked into the restaurant, and it didn't look like any restaurant that would have been in Mystic Falls. It was a little darker than the grill and was composed mostly of high top tables with a few scattered booths. There were at least ten different kinds of animal heads on the wall. And behind the bar at the far side of the room was a familiar face.

Stefan's brother, Damon.

"Well, if it isn't Mystic Falls's favorite Barbie," he said, throwing his bar rag on the bar and walking over to me.

For being almost thirty, Damon was still attractive. In fact, it didn't look like he had changed at all. Tall, dark, and handsome eternally, it seemed. He even wore the same type of clothes he always did—dark jeans and t-shirts.

"Hey, Damon," I said, as Damon gave me an awkward hug.

Damon had been my first boyfriend when I was fifteen, and he was seventeen. It lasted two months. Enough time for him to take my virginity and for me to decide he was a bastard. That being said, I was still on good terms with him because of Stefan and Elena.

"That was weird," Damon said as he pulled away. I nodded and wrinkled my nose. "Lena didn't tell me you were coming to visit."

"Well, actually, I…" I didn't know how to finish that sentence. I got distracted by the gold band on his left ring finger.

"Caroline is actually moving back," Stefan said. The brothers shared a look. Stefan threatening; Damon irritated.

"You should come to the house when you get settled," Damon said, finally breaking the contest with Stefan. "Elena and I have done a lot with the house. She'd love to show you."

"You and Elena live in the old Gilbert place?" I asked.

"Yeah," Damon said. "Been working on it for two years now. Almost finished."

I smiled thinking of all the great times I had spent in the Gilbert house with Elena and Bonnie. I had more good memories in that house than my own. I knew Elena must have been ecstatic to keep the family tradition going. Elena loved family and tradition.

"I bet Care is starved," Stefan said. "Get us two of the specials, and we'll seat ourselves."

"You got it, little brother," Damon said.

Stefan led me to what I assumed was his usual table. It was one of the only booths in the place.

"So, Damon is working as a bartender?" I asked. "Can't imagine Elena is too excited about that."

"There's my judgy Caroline," Stefan said with a grin. I scowled. "Damon opened this place three years ago after we got the inheritance from Dad sorted out."

"Damon owns this place?" I asked.

"Don't sound so surprised, Blondie," Damon said, coming over my shoulder to put down a glass of water and some silverware.

"Doesn't really look like your sort of place," I said, waving to the wall of animal heads.

"Ric, my business partner, likes to hunt," Damon said. "Besides, it's a theme, Barbie. I thought you would get that better than anyone, or has all that party planning left you since you moved?"

"Damon," Stefan said sternly.

"What?"

"How about you go check on our food?" Stefan suggested. Damon rolled his eyes but followed what Stefan said.

"He doesn't know," Stefan said.

I exhaled a deep breath. "Whatever."

"Caroline?" someone called from the entry.

I looked up to see Bonnie Bennett. I couldn't help it; I turned into a teenager again. I got up, squealed, and ran over to her. We hugged and jumped up and down.

"I didn't know you were here!" Bonnie said.

"It's a super long story," I said. Bonnie leaned over to hug me again.

"We have to get together like old times," Bonnie said. "Girls night!"

I laughed. I sincerely laughed.

"I just got in today," I said. "And Stefan is apparently having some kind of dinner thing tomorrow, but maybe Friday?"

Bonnie grinned. "We can have it at Elena's like old times."

I smiled.

"Babe," a deep voice called over my shoulder. Bonnie looked up with a loving smile.

"Jeremy?" I asked.

I couldn't believe the tall, muscular man I was looking at was Jeremy Gilbert. He was like an adult. I would always think of him as the kid that got his head stuck in the banister when he was eight.

"Caroline?" Jeremy asked, throwing an arm around me. "What are you doing in town?"

"I'm actually moving back," I said, pulling away and looking at Bonnie.

Bonnie studied me for a second in only the way she can.

"That's awesome," Jeremy said. "You should go see Elena after you eat here. She's got some awesome new blueberry scones on special this week with some bitchin' cream cheese spread."

"Yeah," Bonnie said, as Jeremy put an arm around her. "We're actually headed to the bakery for a second to drop off some things. You and Stef should come after Damon poisons you."

"I made the burgers," Jeremy said. "Damon's just in charge of the fries. You should be fine."

"I heard that, little Gilbert!" Damon shouted from the table with Stefan.

I smiled. "You work here?"

"Elena called in a favor for me," he said. "I work nights here usually, and days at the bakery with Elena."

"Lots of work," I said.

"Bonnie and I just got a house on Mansfield, so we've got bills," Jeremy said.

"You two live together?" I asked.

Bonnie smiled up at Jeremy. "Since March."

"Awesome," I stuttered.

"Care!" Stefan yelled.

"Well, I think I better go eat," I said. I mentally thanked Stefan for sharing some kind of telepathic link with me.

Bonnie leaned over and hugged me. "Of course. Come to the bakery and see Elena. Girls night soon!"

I gave an awkward grimace. "Sure." I waved as they walked out.

"What's wrong with your face?" Damon asked as I approached the table.

"Can you get me a shot?" I asked.

"Of what?"

"Surprise me."

"Get it done, Barbie," Damon scrambled off to the bar.

"Found out about Bon and Jer," Stefan said. He squirted some ketchup on his plate.

"And Damon owns a restaurant?" I said. "Seriously?!"

"Care."

"I mean, like, seriously, am I the one person who hasn't gotten it together?" I asked. I got up, my food forgotten, so I could pace.

"Caroline."

"I've had twenty-five years to get my life together," I said. "I've spent the last five years in New York, but I've ended up back here. I was valedictorian! I was head cheerleader! I was freaking Miss Mystic Falls! What did I do so wrong?!"

"Drink up. Barbie," Damon said, setting down a tumbler full of an amber color liquid. It was bourbon, if I knew him. I threw the drink back. Yep, bourbon.

"Like, even Damon has gotten it together," I said, helping myself to another shot from the bottle Damon had put down on the table.

"Classic Caroline freak out," Damon said, taking my abandoned side of the booth and spreading out. He took a long swig of the bourbon after me. "I've kind of missed this."

"Shut up, Damon," Stefan and I said in unison. Stefan struggled out of the booth to come to me.

"Caroline, I know it's been a rough few months, but you're home now," Stefan said. He bent down to my eye level and began to rub my shoulders like he had down many times before.

"I don't want to be home," I said.

"I know," Stefan said. "But you have people to support you here. We're here to help you. We care about you, Caroline. Even Damon."

"Against my will," Damon said, eating my fries.

"People are going to make fun of me," I said. I knew I was pouting, but if I couldn't pout about this, what could I pout about?

"People aren't going to make fun of you," Stefan said. "You've done more than most of the people who live in this town."

"Any body who says anything, I'll take away their drinking rights here," Damon said, finishing off my fries.

"Most of the town does drink here, so that's actually a big deal," Stefan said.

I gave a small smile.

"Hey, Damon, will you get us a couple of boxes?" Stefan asked. "I think Caroline has had enough excitement today."

Damon gave a course nod and swaggered to the back room.

"It really be okay," Stefan said. "We'll take care of you, Care."

"Stefan, I haven't been in contact with most of these people since high school," I said. "Why wouldn't they be delighted by my failure?"

"You saw Bonnie," Stefan said. "You don't stop being friend just because you move away."

"I don't have a job," I said. "I'm living back at home."

"We'll figure it out," Stefan said. "What are best friends for?"

As I hugged Stefan, I realized that, for better or worse, I was home.