CAROLINE'S POV:
It was now a week later, and as I made my way down the stairs that morning after getting dressed and organised for the day, I saw the post had arrived. Picking it up, I saw one from the hospital. Swallowing a lump in my throat, I set the other things down on the table by the stairs and opened it, seeing it was a letter with my operation date…
STEFAN'S POV:
"Hey." I greeted Caroline as I stepped aside to let her into the house "What's wrong?"
"I've got my operation date," she informed me "it's in ten days time."
I sighed and wrapped my arm around her shoulder… "The sooner it's done, the sooner you can get started on your recovery and treatment. That way, you have every chance of getting better."
"Maybe," she replied "but what if it's all a waste of time? What if none of it works?"
"Why are you thinking like this all of a sudden?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow at her
"Because I've been thinking positive for too long and it's exhausting," she admitted "Stefan, I could die."
"Don't you dare say that!" I proclaimed "You're not going to die, I won't let you."
"You won't be able to stop it." she replied "There's nothing anyone will be able to do."
"I could…" I began
"No, that's not an option." she proclaimed
"Why not? It could work…" I sighed "I can't think about losing you, Caroline."
"We have to think about it because it could happen," she replied "I'm just trying to prepare us for every possibility."
"I know." I admitted "But how about just for today we forget that you're sick and do something fun?"
"Like what?" she asked
"Anything you want to do." I informed her
"Anything?" she questioned
I nodded my head... "Anything."
CAROLINE'S POV:
I'd dragged Stefan shopping, leaving him with all of my bags as I made my way from shop to shop. As I was looking through one of the clothes rails, I felt my head go fuzzy. Clutching onto the top of the rail, I shut my eyes…
"Caroline?" Stefan's voice asked worriedly "Caroline…"
"I'm okay." I assured him as I opened my eyes and moved away from the rail
STEFAN'S POV:
I grabbed Caroline as she began to walk away and fainted, a sales assistant hurrying over to me to help. Returning a minute later with a chair, we sat Caroline down in it and I dumped the bags, entwining her hand with mine…
CAROLINE'S POV:
"Caroline? Hey, welcome back." Stefan proclaimed as I opened my eyes
"What happened?" I asked
"You fainted," he informed me as a sales assistant handed me a cup of water "take small sips of that, it'll help."
"Should I call an ambulance?" the sales assistant questioned
"No, she'll be fine, thank you." Stefan replied
I sighed and took small sips of the water as the sales assistant turned and walked away…
"Any better?" he questioned
"A bit, yeah." I replied
"I think we should get out of here." he admitted "Get you home and snuggled up on the sofa."
"Do we have to?" I inquired "Stefan, I want things to be normal!"
"Well I'm afraid they're not going to be, not for a long time." he informed me "We have to face that."
I sighed heavily and took another sip of my water… "I suppose I've done enough shopping for today."
"You think?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me
I smirked at him and he helped me to my feet, leaving me alone for no more than a minute as he returned the cup and chair to the sales assistant before grabbing the bags and escorting me out of the shop, back to where I'd parked my car…
"I'm driving!" he informed me as I went to climb in the driver's side
"What?" I questioned
"I'm driving. You've just fainted. You're in no fit state." he replied
Sighing heavily as he held out his hand for my keys, I handed them to him and moved to the passenger side, fastening my seatbelt as he started the engine and drove us back to mine…
"Home sweet home." he proclaimed as we pulled into my driveway
"Yeah, home sweet home." I sighed as I unbuckled my seatbelt "Stefan, thanks…"
"What for?" he asked as I turned to him
"Today, taking care of me." I informed him "And for not insisting I go to the hospital."
"You're welcome." he replied "And I knew it wasn't even worth bothering about the hospital. You'd have kicked and screamed."
"No I wouldn't!" I proclaimed, feigning shock "How dare you!"
"You would've had a tantrum, Caroline," he informed me "whether you want to admit it or not."
I sighed and climbed out of the car, Stefan grabbing my bags as I made my way up the steps to my front door…
STEFAN'S POV:
I shut the front door behind me and Caroline turned to me as I set her bags down…
"Do you want a drink?" she asked
"I'll make them, you sit down." I informed her
"I'm okay, Stefan, you can stop worrying." she replied "And I think I can make a cup of tea."
CAROLINE'S POV:
Returning to the room a couple of minutes later, I set the tray of tea down and moved over to my bags, reaching into one, making my way back over to Stefan, setting the bag down in front of him…
"What's this?" he questioned
"A little something." I informed him
"For?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me
"For you," I replied "open it…"
Doing as I said, he pulled the box out of the bag and opened it, looking up at me… "Caroline, I can't accept this."
"You can and you will." I informed him "It's a thank you present."
"I've not done anything…" he replied
"I think we both know that's not true," I admitted "and you're going to be doing a lot more over the next few months, so you can accept it and you will."
He smiled at me warmly and moved over to me, pressing his lips against my cheek… "Thank you."
"You're welcome." I replied as he sat back down and removed the watch from the box, fastening it onto his wrist
"How does it look?" he questioned
"Perfect." I admitted, smiling at him warmly
Good job Stefan was there to look after Caroline, who knows what could've happened if he hadn't! What to come next, I wonder?