AN: So this started as a one shot and I was encouraged to build on it. I have brought it back to canon before I diverge it away again. It's really not very friendly to Damon or Elena, but given the poor way they treated Stefan in 5x04, I feel it fits the story. Enjoy!

A gentle tap on his door woke Stefan from his slumber. He wasn't surprised to find himself in an unfamiliar bed; he supposed that this form of disorientation would be his life for the foreseeable future. He jumped out of bed and pulled open the door. At the threshold stood Caroline, clad in a black dress that hugged her figure, her blond curls neat save for a single straggler that he longed brush into place. To keep his hands busy, he scratched his bare chest. Her eyes widened as she checked out his lithe, toned body, clad in only a pair of boxer briefs. He wanted to tease her for her blatant ogling, but she looked sad, so he didn't push it.

Caroline coughed "Erm," she stuttered. "You might want to put some clothes on. My mom's home."

"Okay." He said, grabbing a t shirt and jeans from his bag and put them on, all the while completely unconcerned that Caroline was trying and failing not to stare.

"I bought coffee." She handed him the cup. "And one of these. Do you want to try it?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I?" He took a sip and set the cup down.

"Human blood, Stefan." She pulled her best 'duh-you-know-why' face.

"I seem to remember someone trusting me with the fresh stuff last night. What's changed?"

"Maybe I was a little… Maybe I jumped the gun… Stefan, I was silly. I took this whole sober sponsor thing too far." She looked down, studiously avoiding his gaze.

"Hey," He gently took her hand. "I've lost all my memories, but I know you, I trust you and well, you need to trust me. Is that all your upset about?"

She hesitated for a second. "It's Bonnie. My friend, our friend. She's dead."

"What happened?"

"Honestly, I just don't understand. I just don't want to think about it. Because if I do think about it, I'll just start to cry."

"I'm sorry. I...I wish that I could remember her."

Caroline laughed harshly. "I don't know, Stefan, maybe not being able remember is a blessing. I'm never gonna see her again. I spent a whole summer thinking she was having fun with her family and... that you were in Portland drinking coffee and writing weird hipster poetry. I have no idea where…" She stopped abruptly.

"It's okay."

"It's not. I should have known something was up with Bonnie, with you, but I was so self-involved, I just… and now what? I'm supposed to just learn to move on? How do I do that when all I have is this sadness and this anger and–"

"Me. You have me. Look. You were there for me last night. Sounds like you're always there for me." He gently placed his hand on hers. "So, let me be there for you, okay?"

Caroline sighed closing her eyes. "There's going to be a funeral."

"So…?"

"So…?"

"I may not remember Bonnie, but funerals aren't about just for honouring the dead. They are for the living, or in our case the undead, too." He winked. "For those that are left behind to find peace."

"Stefan... Elena will be there and Damon."

"I'll have to face them sometime. Frankly, I don't care enough either way. I'll be on my best behaviour, Scout's honour." He lifted his hand in a mocking salute. "Let me do this for you."

"Okay." She whispered softly.

"Now, can I have my breakfast?" He held out his hand for the blood bag "B+? Really?"

"Hey. What's wrong with a bit of positive thinking?"

"Or a bit of positive drinking?" He grinned, taking a deep swallow of blood, feeling instantly better.

Caroline groaned. "Enough with the horrible puns, you're going to need a suit."

Stefan looked around the motley collection of beings gathered to honour Bonnie Sheila Bennett, a petite, pretty brunette with luminous green eyes. Stefan was surprised to find out that he hadn't put the moves on her either. Damn there were a lot of attractive women in his old life, it made him wonder again, why the hell he had been so obsessed with Elena. To shut him up, Caroline had introduced him to Jeremy a buff, yet annoying youngster who apparently dated Bonnie during the short periods of time when both he and the witch had been alive.

Life in this small town was weird.

His brother was there, of course, holding up a sobbing Elena. Damon was playing his supportive boyfriend role to a tee, lapping up the attention. Yet an air of insecurity, of desperation clung to him; he might not remember his brother, but he could read him like a book. His journals had been an enlightening treasure trove of their bad behaviour. He knew full well that neither he nor Damon had any right to be here given how they had treated Bonnie and her family in the past. And all for the vapid creature clinging to his brother's side. A girl who, just 24 hours earlier, had been flirting with him, trying to remind him of all the good times they had shared, while casually keeping her relationship with his own brother a secret. It wasn't like Damon had 'fessed up that either, a surprise given that their relationship appeared to be defined by falling for the same woman. He decided to keep them at arm's length, it was probably safer that way.

Next to them stood, a tall, blond guy, his face sad and sceptical at the same time. Caroline introduced him as Matt Donovan, former quarterback and now bartender at the Mystic Grill. Putting on a polite smile, Stefan shook his hand and exchanged pleasantries, even though he had no recollection of him and he was dying to rip into his neck and feed. Matt however didn't seem convinced, he couldn't really blame him.

"Care, how do you know that's Stefan and not Silas? His mind could be fried or he could be faking it."

"I know it's Stefan, I just do okay."

"He was pretty off with me, yesterday." Elena butted in.

Caroline looked like she was trying to swallow what she really wanted to say. "Trust me, it's Stefan."

"And he was awful to Damon."

"Elena." There was a warning note in Caroline's voice.

"But..." The brunette clearly wasn't listening.

"Elena, this guy has a rose tattooed on his right shoulder. I doubt Silas has the same one."

Elena visibly recoiled at the implication of Caroline's words. The scene was observed by Damon, now stood by Stefan's shoulder. Quietly, so only Damon would hear, he murmured "You know it's me; why would you let your girl put Caroline through that?"

"It's always fun to watch Blondie hang herself."

"Well, from what I can see, it's just made Elena green with envy. I think I can safely say that backfired on you. This is a funeral, Damon. Let's behave with a little decorum." He turned his attention back to the whole group. "I may not remember Bonnie, but I'm here to support Caroline." He stepped back putting a respectful distance between himself and the rest of the group. "Jeremy, shall we proceed?"

One by one each of the group laid a memento on the tree stump – a treasured photograph, Bonnie's grimoire, a whistle, some pom poms. Elena scattered a handful of white feathers before falling into Caroline's arms, tears rolling unchecked down their faces. Stefan quietly observed feeling nothing, but a vague sadness for a girl taken too young. His instinct was reach out and envelope Caroline in his arms, holding her until her tears ran dry, but he held back genuinely unsure, despite his bravado, of how deep their friendship went. Jeremy gently delivered a heartfelt message from Bonnie to each of them, eliciting more tears. When it was all over, they waved goodbye, promising to meet up at the Salvatore Mansion for the wake.

The wake itself was a hushed, slightly tense affair. The vampires drowned their sorrows in Damon's best Bourbon which he begrudgingly offered up. Jeremy and Matt were more careful, sipping the amber liquid. Occasionally, Jeremy would add a comment of Bonnie's which Stefan found simultaneously comforting and creepy. After having exchanged small talk, Stefan excused himself to pack a bag of clean clothes, hair products and some books from his room that looked promising. He knew he couldn't stay here, but he had no idea where he might go or what he might do. Being around Caroline, his blood lust seemed less, he felt calmer. He could rely on her, but she had her own life which she would eventually want to get back to and where did that leave him?

Returning downstairs, he headed to the kitchen eager to see if there were any blood bags stashed in the fridge. He stopped at the doorway when he heard Caroline's voice. "I thought he would come. I phoned him, Matt. I left messages." She sounded distressed.

"Care, what can I say, I'm sorry. I think it's best if you let it go. He's not coming back."

Stefan's brow furrowed. He had no idea who they were talking about. A boyfriend, maybe? He had caught Caroline kissing that Jesse fellow who didn't seem to have any connection to this group. To his admittedly confused eye, their relationship had looked pretty new, in that flirty, getting-to-know you phase, not established enough to be dragging into their supernatural world. No, it wasn't Jesse. He peeped around the corner, to see Matt gently rubbing Caroline upper arm. Despite the gesture being entirely platonic, a tiny dark flare of emotion shot through Stefan, the urge to feed on Matt returning with avengeance. He shook himself, maybe be had needed a little bunny blood to temper the human stuff coursing through his veins.

He coughed lightly alerting the two of them to his presence. They jumped apart, looking guilty. "Would you mind if we left now?" Stefan asked politely, desperately hoping that Caroline would agree. He need not have worried, they were soon in the little red Porsche heading back to the Forbes house.

Pulling up outside, Stefan decided to bite the bullet. "You and Matt, who were you talking about?"

"Tyler." She replied, not elaborating further, turning her head away from him.

"Caroline, I have no idea who that is. You're going to have to tell me." He knew he was being manipulative, using his amnesia to get her to open up when she clearly didn't want to. He had promised her he would be there for her and he was going to keep that promise.

She looked doubtful for just a second like she didn't think he could handle her woes so he reached out and gently laced his fingers through hers. She sighed and proceeded to tell him the sorry tale of Tyler, Klaus and his horrible revenge. Stefan was vaguely aware of Klaus from some diary snippets and he knew that he was not a guy you wanted to piss off. He felt bad for Tyler, but it was clear that he wasn't coming back to Mystic Falls. "Hey. It sounds like we've both been ditched. We should team up; I bet you would make an excellent wing woman."

She winced a little, but was obviously amused by the idea. "I don't think you need any help."

"I don't know. My taste in women seems kind of terrible."

"I won't be insulted by that." She added, lightly punching him on the arm. She smiled tentative at first, then spreading as he smiled goofily back. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything." He protested. It felt good to see her smile after a day of sorrow and heartbreak. "Let's get inside, enjoy a little nightcap and get some rest."

"After all, tomorrow is another day." He looked perplexed. "Scarlett O'Hara. Gone with the Wind. Oh, never mind. It's probably not your scene, even if you were around when it was set." With that, she exited the car and beckoned Stefan to follow. He didn't hesitate, hoping that Liz would mind having him as a house guest for one more night.