A/N: Second chapter is up! I'm not sure how frequently I'll be able to update but from now on I'll try to upload once a week. Please review and let me know how I'm going. Their story isn't going to be quick or straightforward so don't hate Caroline in this chapter :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries or its characters. Nor do I have any rights to Dolly Parton, Gossip Girl, Pride and Prejudice or The Bronze Horseman.


Caroline remained against Tyler in his car seat for hours. He was ridiculously warm and moving meant exiting back into reality where they'd actually have to talk about what had happened. So she was staying put and Tyler didn't seem that keen to shift her either. He simply rested his chin at the top of her head and danced his fingers down her arm absentmindedly every so often. The radio was a good distraction from the oh my god holy shit what have I done panic cycle that was beginning to give her a headache. Half of her wanted to just fuse against him and spend eternity humming along to Dolly Parton in his SUV but a bigger part of her was itching to bolt out of the car and run half naked all the way home.

It was only when saw figures beginning to enter into the parking lot that she realised school had let out and they were no longer concealed by condensation.

"Tyler we should leave."

"Huh?" He looked dazedly out of the window before sobering and sitting up further as she crawled back into her own seat.

"I think camping is probably a bit ambitious for today."

He nodded slowly but wouldn't look at her, instead focussing on starting the car and backing out of their spot. There was a tense silence as Tyler drove to her house.

"Thanks for the ride."

One side of Tyler's mouth quirked up predictably.

"Shouldn't I be the one thanking you?" He grinned at her unashamedly as his eyes did one last sweep of her body. She knew he was anticipating a slap of some kind by the way he leant slightly towards his window but she could have kissed him for lightening the mood. This wasn't going to get weird. Hurrah!

"You're sooo witty Tyler, seriously you should take that act on the road. Far, far away from me."

She smiled ruefully to show she was joking and he was suddenly very close to her. His eyes bore into her own and she could feel his breath on her lips but then he was reaching out his hand and opening her door for her.

"See? I'm absolutely a gentleman." He whispered huskily into her ear.

She felt a rising panic that he was going to kiss her so she bent down quickly to pick up her wet clothes, almost headbutting him in the process if he didn't have supernatural reflexes.

"Where's the fire Care?" He only half joked.

There was a suspicious gleam in his eyes that reminded her of the 'bad old days' between them as she was backing ungracefully out of the door.

"I should get inside and shower before mom gets off shift."

They both knew there was another four hours before her mom finished (he tended to know the sheriff's schedule so he could avoid her) but she was grateful he simply nodded and shifted back into his seat.

"I'll see you later."

Caroline nodded so enthusiastically she thought she was going to give herself motion sickness and gave an awkward little wave as she shut the door. She jogged to her porch so she didn't give her elderly neighbours a heart attack and the enormity of what she had done hit her as she heard his car roar down the street.

She had slept with Tyler Lockwood! He was her friend. He was also Matt's closest friend which complicated things even further. Sure, both guys hadn't seen each other in months but their distance was mutually decided and amicable. She could tell Tyler missed him. As amazingly fun as she was, he could only take so many hours of Pride and Prejudice mini-series or Gossip Girl marathons before he probably wanted to get drunk and play Madden. She felt ill just remembering how she had practically mauled him and then half fell asleep in his lap all afternoon. She quickly dialled his number while at the same time rummaging through her dresser for a big T-shirt of Matt's to cover herself with. It was best to sort everything out quickly.

"Miss me already Forbes?"

His drawl was annoying alluring. Seriously he could make a girl climax just by lowering his voice and saying how much he wanted to fuck their brains out. Just imagining it was distracting her from the dignified conversation she was trying to have.

"Oh hey. Um hi."

Did she mention how his laugh was also sexy as hell?

"Sorry my mind was elsewhere."

"So was mine."

"Tyler."

"What?"

"Stop it!"

He sighed.

"Stop what?"

"You know what."

"Actually no I don't. I don't have a fucking clue about anything at this point and you called me remember?"

Unfortunately his tone had shifted from playful to irritated and she knew it would make what she had to say so much harder.

"Right I did. I just wanted to say I'm really sorry about what happened earlier. I'm not sure how to explain myself but I just don't want things to be weird. I mean we can't be the first friends to accidently have sex right?"

She giggled shrilly wanting to smack herself upside the head for the excuse of accidental fornication. The idea was ludicrous but she was trying to smooth things over and making light of it all seemed the quickest route back to normality. What had happened was maybe the most amazing experience she'd ever had with someone but it didn't make it right or sensible. She still had feelings for Matt and using Tyler as a sex toy was a drool-worthy but not fair thing to do.

There was an ominous pause.

"Okay."

"Okay? Great. It's just things are already so messy and I just don't want to complicate one of the best parts of my life.

"I get it Caroline. We forget it ever happened right?"

He sounded so closed off she knew she had hurt him but it was better now rather than later. Forgetting was going to be impossible but a repeat was also a terrible idea.

"Today meant something to me, I'm not going to sweep into under the rug, we just can't do it again. I still care for Matt and even if I didn't I'm not ready for another relationship and you probably aren't in the market for one anyway. I mean we are pretty dysfunctional as it is what with our parents practically declaring war on each other. I don't think getting it on constantly is going to make things any easier."

"Relax Caroline, I said I get it."

She released a long breath.

"So you don't hate me?"

"You know that's never going to happen."

It was true. She didn't know how it had happened but she instinctively knew he'd always have her back whether he wanted to or not, at this point she was guessing 'not' but it was like they were bound together by something bigger than their own inclinations.

"Want to come over for movies and popcorn once mom goes to bed?"

"I'm gonna pass, I gotta go."

She ignored the sinking disappointment at his determined refusal. It was the first time since they'd become close friends that he'd ever refused to see her. It was probably unfair to expect his undivided attention anyway, they weren't dating and he could actually be busy.

"Okay cya Tyler."

She blamed her vampire hormones on everything that had happened that Friday, especially when she unexpectedly burst into tears when his line went dead. What the hell was wrong with her?


Caroline was trying to read her favourite novel when her mom came home but she wasn't really focussing on anything in particular. Her body was still tingling a pleasant reminder of her lunchtime activities.

"Caroline you're home?"

Her mom popped her head around her bedroom door in incredulity either that she was in her pyjamas at 7pm or that she was reading a book for fun.

"You don't need to sound so surprised."

To be fair she was rarely in on a friday night but Bonnie and Jeremy were being all secretive and couply, Elena was conspiring with Damon to get Stefan back and none of these activities apparently required her participation. She was initially hurt that Damon had basically told her to keep her nose out of it when she wanted to help in finding Stefan and Elena had said nothing. She may have given them both the silent treatment for a few days but Elena rationalised that they had no leads, no power against Klaus and so the less people that ruined their lives over it all the better. She had relented but made Elena promise that as soon as they had any firm clues they'd let her in on the campaign. She didn't realise however that that meant not letting her into her life at all and so here she was, friendless on a friday.

"Sorry I just was expecting to microwave a meal alone as usual."

Her mother really was a hopeless cook. She only really made food from scratch when Caroline used to be there to eat it also and that was usually just basic pasta dishes. Caroline had loved to make the dinners for them, it made her feel grown up and domesticated and something she could prove to her mother she could succeed at. Since she had become a vampire however she didn't get the same enjoyment from it. Instead of it helping to remind her mother how talented she was, it just pointed at how unnecessary the task for her was now. Still, she was determined to try and have some stability with her mother. Liz was coming to accept she was a vampire but it was still awkward and she guessed a night in was as good a time as any to make some progress.

"I'll make a lasagne if you want. You can get changed and put your feet up and I'll go into Martha Stewart mode."

Her mom smiled tentatively. "It's okay, I have some mac and cheese I can heat up."

"Gross! Lasagne is a much better offer."

"It's fine really, I don't want to interrupt you from your book."

"It's The Bronze Horseman. I've read it a hundred times!"

Epic romance novels might be like crack cocaine to her these days (escapism was excellent for heartache) but if she could improve her own reality instead she knew which she'd prefer. Before her mother could try to dissuade her again she marched into the kitchen and began getting the cheese out of the fridge and putting on her lilac apron.


"Are you sure you didn't have an affair with an Italian mom? Because seriously, I make an amazing lasagne and we both know I didn't get the culinary gene from your side."

Her mother smiled in answer. Their dinner had actually been great, it helped that her food was delicious and that her mom had survived on soggy sandwiches and crackers all day. It was ironic that these quiet, bonding evenings were a rarity when she was a human but they'd both tried to make an effort (however forced or uncomfortable) since she'd become undead.

"So no Tyler tonight?"

Just like that her mother had a way of tanking any merriment. Her suspicious but hopeful prying really irritated her. She knew her mom was just concerned about her but by implication it meant she expected Tyler to rip her to shreds. This was a boy she'd known his whole life and just like that he'd become an outsider.

"Nope."

"Good."

"Mom, don't."

"Caroline all the lasagne dinners in the world won't change my stance on Tyler Lockwood. You're my daughter and Tyler is a threat. Not just to you but to everyone on a full moon. That makes it my business."

Caroline didn't want to get mad at her for being protective; it was the most she might have ever hoped for from the woman who considered vampires an abomination but it was so unnecessary! She had a feeling Sheriff Forbes focussed in on Tyler because he was an easier problem than Damon Salvatore who she avoided like the plague.

"What do you suggest then mom? Sell him to some animal lab? Murder the mayor's son?"

Her mother groaned in exasperation at her typical dramatics.

"If I had any conclusive idea I wouldn't be sitting here. One thing I do know is that the next full moon I'll be there."

"Sorry?"

"I want to check his chains and then sedate him before he transforms."

"You can't be serious. Mom I can handle this! I've been handling this for months and he's never hurt anyone."

"Yet. With my help the likelihood will be minimised further. Sedating him means he'll be in less discomfort and hopefully if it stays in his system when he turns he'll be a fairly docile killing machine."

Liz shook her head in disbelief as she usually did when she found herself talking about situations completely alien to her experience of life thus far. She almost laughed at the absurdity of it all.

"Mom he'll be in pain regardless and he already kind of sedates himself with wolfsbane, I told you. Besides, mixing drugs into a supernatural thing like this is just asking for trouble. It could have an adverse effect and make things worse! You have no idea what it's like mom. I appreciate the consideration but trust me when I say I've thought of every possible way to help him."

Her mother sighed. "Caroline you already have enough on your plate, you shouldn't have to deal with this as well."

She touched her mother's hand and smiled reassuringly. "I want to, really. He needs me."

She did wonder, however, if her mother's idea of witnessing some of his transformation wasn't a good idea. If she saw the kind of hell he went through every month and that he was still a decent human being afterwards she might have more respect for him. She could see if Tyler would let her tape some of it to screen for her mother and then destroy it. The way things were between them at the moment though probably meant it would be a few more full moons before she broached the subject at all.


By Saturday afternoon Caroline had done most of her homework, sorted out her committee schedule and emailed the relevant students about responsibilities they had to sort out for the winter wonderland dance. She tried to be glad she had the time to be organised but every time she looked out the window at the ironically bright day she could only think that if she hadn't got half naked in Tyler's car they might be camping right now. She couldn't bring herself to regret her actions, she just hated that Tyler hadn't texted her all day. Brian Maeby's party was on tonight and she knew he was going (they were both on the football team and one of the mystic 'elite') and usually he'd offer her a ride or at least see what time she was going to arrive. The sun was beginning to set and she hadn't got any reply from him. She debated whether it was worth her time even attending but people would expect her to put in an appearance.

She wanted to call Bonnie and ask her what to wear but she felt like it was a trivial request to divert her time from Jeremy over. She missed getting ready with Elena and Bonnie before parties, it tended to be more fun than the party itself. They'd dance around to Britney Spears and try on each other's dresses and usually sneak alcohol from the liquor cabinet. Tonight it was just her staring pensively at herself in her full-length mirror with a large glass of whiskey in her hand. She didn't even have to bother sneaking alcohol anymore, her mother accepted it as a preventative measure for her 'urges'. Besides, it wasn't like the Sheriff needed to worry about her being taken advantage of while wasted. Even completely plastered she could still throw any potential rapist across a room.

At Karen Marshall's party two weeks ago some gatecrasher twice her age had snuck his hand between her legs while she was semi-passed out on an upstairs sofa and she almost snapped his neck in two. She ended up breaking his fingers between her thighs and bruising his throat before pushing him hard to the ground howling in pain. Luckily the music was loud enough to conceal his groaning and no one else was in the large upstairs hallway so she quickly compelled him to forget and that anytime he thought about taking advantage of a girl again he'd remember the pain he was currently in. The jerk deserved a lot worse and she had to muster all her composure through her drunken haze not to sink her teeth into him. Tyler had come up the stairs minutes later with a glass of water for her and raised a curious eyebrow at the dazed guy wandering around next to her with red marks on his throat and obviously crushed fingers. She had shrugged lazily at which Tyler smiled grimly in understanding. He didn't leave her side again the rest of the night.

She took a dress out of her closet and frowned at it in consideration. She was going to go to the party and keep up appearances that she was the reliable party girl, continue to pretend that she was happy. Yet despite everything, when she thought back to resting in Tyler's arms the day before, she wondered if perhaps then, for a moment, she had been.


Please R&R!