A/N – Another random one-shot that doesn't really tie into anything but eh, I'll add it to Asleep, because it's my story and I'll write what I want to. So yeah, read, and review, and you guys are the best. I mean it. T-

III

Caroline found herself running for her un-dead life through the woods. Blinded by a vervain grenade that hit her square in the face by none other than our latest super-villain Jeremy Gilbert, who had to go all bad-ass Buffy the Vampire Slayer on her and try to stake her in the middle of the Winter Carnival. So here she is running at full vampire speed even though she can't see for shit because really Jeremy? You couldn't go after Damon who you know, actually killed you before, or Klaus who compelled you and is like totally evil, or even Stefan who is basically the reason your sister is a freaking vampire now? No, you have to target sweet, innocent, Caroline Forbes, who helped baby-sit you when you were still in freaking pull-ups, who was your first kiss during a game of spin-the-bottle in the 7th grade, who even let you cop a feel on your 14th birthday. Yeah, let's go kill her. That seems like a fabulous idea. Because what is Caroline, if not the proverbial victim in every effing storyline.

So where else would Caroline be then in the woods, blinded by vervain, tripping and falling and cursing every time she hits a root or a stump or a dip in the ground that makes her ankle twist in a not so attractive way. What else would she be doing then screaming and crying for help while Jeremy chases her armed with wooden stakes in his white wife-beater, which is all he seems to wear lately, because what? You're biceps are too freaking big for t-shirts? Give me a break.

She can feel the snow crunch under her feet, can hear the birds chirping loudly in the trees, can smell the crispness in the air, but she cannot see. Everything is blurry and cloudy and so hard to distinguish until she is right on top of it, and what the hell happened to her vampire healing? She's been running for at least five minutes, surely she should be able to see by now. But she can't, and her breath is getting short, even though she's pretty sure she doesn't need to actually breathe, and she hits something hard. Not hard like a tree, but hard enough that it makes her fall back slightly from the force of the impact, and now she's falling backward, but before she hits the ground there's a pair of strong, leather-clad arms wrapping around her and pulling her back to her feet.

"Stefan?" she says breathlessly, even though deep down she knows it isn't Stefan.

"Try again," Damon says as he holds Caroline carefully at arm's length.

"Oh God! Why is it always you?" Caroline whines, as her faces scrunches up in a not so attractive way.

"Not exactly the thanks I was looking for Blondie," Damon says flatly and she can't help but notice that his hands are still on her arms.

"I can't see and Jeremy's trying to kill me and I can't see Damon!" She knows she's a little frantic right now. She can't stop it, and God she's sorry if she is not really in the mood for Damon's quips right now.

"I think it's called Hysterical Blindness," Damon says simply, calmly, and hello? Vampire Hunter on the loose!

"Where's Jeremy?" Caroline asks dumbly after noticing that they've been standing in the same spot for a couple of minutes now and she has yet to feel a wooden stake through her heart. She can feel Damon shrug, then inch closer to her and finally pick her up and throw her over his shoulder. And yeah, she would much rather have the wooden stake at this point. Just saying.

"I think half the town heard you screaming through the woods," Damon says as he begins to walk back towards the way she came. "I'm pretty sure Stefan grabbed Jeremy, or maybe Klaus, or maybe it was Tyler. I don't know. It's getting a little hard to keep track of the boys in your life Blondie."

"I have no boys," Caroline mumbles lamely as she lets her body go limp over Damon's shoulder and she starts to see stars dance across her eyes.

"Hmm, yeah tell that to the boys," Damon says as he picks up speed and heads for the Boarding House.

"The Carnival was ruined," Caroline whines and she can feel the breeze picking up her skirt and "Damon! Watch my skirt!"

"Oh I'm watching," Damon says slyly but moves his hand and protects Caroline's "innocence" for the duration of the journey. "Listen," Damon says switching topics as he turns down the street to his home. "The Carnival may have been ruined, but look on the bright side. You're alive. Well as alive as you were when you woke up this morning, so I mean, that's a good thing right?" Caroline sighs loudly at Damon's lame attempt to cheer her up and wiggles against him annoyed.

"I think I can walk now."

"It doesn't matter. We're here," Damon says as he stands Caroline upright, once again holding her at arm's length. "Can you see?" he asks as he bends slightly so he is eyelevel with her. Caroline bites her bottom lip and nods as Damon takes her by the hand and leads her into the house. "Good, now let's get you a drink."