Chapter Four
Enjoy!
Tyler dropped her at the door of the house. "You're sure you don't want me to wait?" He asked again. She rolled her eyes at him with a smile. "Yes! Go into town, find something useful. Besides, if my mom's home you'll only make things worse." She leaned up to kiss him. "I'll see you in a bit." She reluctantly pulled back and went inside. She started going upstairs to change when the doorbell went. She ran back down and opened the door "Forget something- Damon?" She said, surprised to see the brooding vampire on her doorstep. "What are you doing here? Do I have to break your arm again?" She said with her arms over her chest.
Moving with a speed only vampires can, we slammed her against a wall, holding her by the throat. "Don't threaten me," He growled. "Listen Barbie, stay away from wolf boy." He said, releasing her. "I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, rubbing her throat.
"Don't play dumb, Barbie. Lockwood's a werewolf, and so is his uncle."
Caroline stiffened. "How did you know about Mason?"
"Listen up, Blondie," he said, ignoring her question. A bite from a werewolf can kill a vampire. Keep that in mind the next time you spend the night together."
"How did you know-"
"Please, I can smell it off you. And Elena told me he took you home, and after the whole thing with uncle wolf, she got worried. So I came here, and you didn't come home."
"I spent the night at Tyler's. So what! He wouldn't hurt me."
"Blondie, he already has. See you." He said, pointed at her neck and left. Caroline's eyes widened and she went to the mirror in her hallway. She pulled back the collar and stiffened. Sure enough, there was a small bite. Her hand went to her mouth. It was healed over, though. Her brows furrowed. She didn't know if that was a bad thing or a good thing. She decided that she'd panic about it later. And there was no way in hell she'd tell Tyler.
Thirty minutes later, she was dressed in her own clothes; hair dried and curled, and was heading out the door. A couple of minutes later, she was in town, and approaching the hardware store. She opened the door, and a bell jingled. She walked deeper into the store, looking at the shelves with only a mild interest. Mostly, she was wondering what half these things were for. She walked deeper into the store. She rounded a corner and found Tyler looking at weighted blocks. "Hey." She said, following his gaze. "You think this is enough to hold down a werewolf?" She asked. Tyler looked around anxiously.
"Keep your voice down! How am I supposed to know?"
"I just thought maybe Mason would have told you this sort of thing." Caroline shrugged.
"Well, he said around five thousand pounds would do it." Tyler said thoughtfully. "But how am I supposed to get it out of here?" He asked, mainly to himself. She gave him a pointed look. "What, do you think I'm just a pretty face or something? Bring your car around the front." She said and flounced over to the counter. The guy behind it was middle aged, and was quite obviously very bored. "Hi!" Caroline began with a mega- watt smile. He man blinked at her. "So me and my friend will take three sets of five thousand pounds weights please." She paused, then added "and some chains." The guy looked at her like she was crazy.
"Doll, you sure about that? That's mighty heavy."
Caroline didn't appreciate being objectified by a middle aged man, it irritated her, but she kept the smile on her face. "Oh, I think we can manage. So how much is that?" she insisted in the same upbeat voice.
"Didn't you hear me-"
"Yes, I heard you. God, I'm just trying to get some weights here!" She said in frustration, waving her hands about. "You will let me get these weights, I will pay, take them out to a car and you will forget you ever saw us. Okay?" She said forcefully. She wasn't even compelling him, she was just ranting.
"Um, okay." The man swallowed and started ringing it up.
"Great." She went over, picked up the weights and came back to the counter. "Forget you ever saw us today." She compelled. He nodded, and she smiled and flounced out. Once she got out the door she pretended they were really heavy, and loaded them into Tyler's car. She hopped in the passenger seat. "Did anyone see me?" She asked, glancing back at the store.
"Nope."
"Good."
"Tyler, no matter what happens; I'm not going to leave you. I'm going to help you through this." He wrapped her in him embrace. "Caroline, I know forever's going to be a long time for you. But as long as I'm here, I'm not leaving you." She leaned her head against his chest.
"This is never going to work, you know." She murmured. She felt his arms tighten around her. He sighed, and rested his chin on her head. He'd thought of this already, but it wasn't something he was ready to deal with. "Face it Forbes, you're stuck with me." He felt her smile.
"Yeah. I guess I am." He kissed her on the head. She quickly moved over into her seat. He looked at her in confusion. She looked almost embarrassed. "I haven't...fed." She explained. "I need a drink." She said really fast, with lots of hand gestures. Tyler laughed at her mad ways. "You need a drink?" She turned to look at him.
"Yes. A drink. A very strong drink, preferably. It helps with cravings, emotions, stuff like that."
Tyler started opening the door. "What are you doing?" She asked, confused. He came to her side of the car and opened the door. "Trying to please a very strange vampire." She frowned slightly but got out of the car, standing on the inside of the door while he stood on the outside. He gave her a lopsided smile. "I'm kidding." He said and kissed her gently, and took her hand. She moved around the door and he slammed it. She walked on a small part of a wall like a tight rope. When she got to the end of it, Tyler grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down, spinning her as he did so. She laughed, throwing her head back in delight.
Tyler knew she was worried. She was worried about a lot of things, his transformation, keeping the town safe, her friends, and many other things. So he decided they needed a break. They needed to just be normal. He opened the door to the grill, and he and Caroline stepped in. "Are you sure about this?" She breathed. She glanced around; she knew most of the people here. In answer, he grabbed her, dipped her and kissed her. There were murmurs throughout the people, whispers, bitchy comments, and disappointed sighs. Among that, she heard the clattering of a tray, and the breaking of dishes. She knew it was Matt. Tyler brought her back up again, and she giggled as she blushed lightly. "You're an asshole," She said breathlessly. He put an arm around her waist and slipped the hand in her front pocket of her jeans. "You know you love it babe." He grinned. Tyler had knew Matt was there, and he had just felt the need to show everyone that Caroline was his.
She rolled her eyes at him and they headed to the bar. She knew Tyler wasn't the type to show off a girl, so he must be having possessive wolf tendencies. "He won't serve you, you know." Tyler said. Caroline gave him a look. As they stopped at the bar, the bar tender came over. "I'm not going to serve yo-" He warned. Caroline smiled warmly at him.
"You're going to serve us whatever we want," she compelled. "Scotch, neat. Tyler?" she asked, looking at him with a raised eye brow. Her lip quirked upwards. "Coke." He said. "I'm driving, aren't I?" He said in reply to the look Caroline was giving him. When the bar tender came back, she paid and they headed to a table. "Okay," Caroline said after downing some of her drink. "Couple of things you should know about me." She took some more. Tyler fought a grin. Caroline had always been a light weight when it came to drinking. "Shoot." He said, wanting to see where this was going.
"One: my favourite movie is the notebook." She took a drink. She waved for another. "Two: I liked the twilight books- I love cookies- I like gone with the wind- I don't really find shopping that fun-" Tyler expected her to continue with light hearted things, but she didn't. "My mom doesn't know what I am." She said quietly. "I hate what I am, I'm always afraid that I'm going to kill someone, I hate Damon Salvatore's guts, and I hate the fact that I'm going to see everyone I love die."
She'd finished three drinks by this stage. She nodded. "Yes, I am now hammered enough." she declared, mainly to herself. "Caroline, you're drunk." He said gently. She leaned her head on her hand. "Only for..." she deliberated in her head. "I'd say five or ten minutes." She smiled weakly at him. "I'm sorry. These things just keep getting to me, you know?"
"I get it, Care. You need to talk to someone." Tyler said, his fingers stroking her arm. She took his hand and looked at it. "You're hand is huge." Tyler looked at her; then laughed. She giggled and tilted her head to the side. "Would it be complete weird and inappropriate for me to say I'm happy?" She said with a smile. Tyler felt his heart burst. The hand she claimed was huge took hers.
"Others might think so." He replied. She started playing with his thumb in a vague thumb war way.
"And you?" She looked up into his eyes, her blue meeting his dark ones. She bit her lip, worried she'd said the wrong thing. "I think that you deserve to be," he said truthfully. She smiled at him and nodded to the door. "Let's get going." She said and stood. He joined her, offering his arm. She took it, and they were heading to the door when she spotted Elena. "I'll be right back," She said distractedly to Tyler. She started striding towards Elena, who was talking with Stefan. Elena saw her and started towards her. "Caroline I'm sorry, I didn't know what to-" she started. Caroline looked at her. "It wasn't your place to do anything." She said calmly. "And you told Damon?" Elena stepped back. "I was worried! Caroline, I don't like this." Elena said hugging herself. Caroline held out her hand.
"Phone." She said roughly. Elena looked through her bag, bringing out Caroline's Phone and clutch bag. Caroline took them and stuffed them in her bag. "Yeah, well, you don't have to like it Elena, neither does Bonnie, or Stefan, or Damon, but it's happening, okay? I'd like it if you were happy for me, but if not, I don't give a shit, okay? It's happening; I don't need your permission. It's not like you guys were including me in your plans anyway, was it? So you just continue with your life and I'll continue with mine." She ranted and slammed away from her towards the door.
"Caroline!" Elena said, starting after her. Stefan stopped her.
"Don't," he said. "Let her go. She's angry, she'll be okay." Stefan said. Elena sighed, leaning into him.
"I don't want her to get hurt." She said her heart hurting for her best friend. Elena had already seen Caroline go through so much; she didn't want anything else to happen to her. Even if Tyler didn't bite her, he'd more than likely still break her heart. Caroline was one of those people that has her heart broken time and time again, and Elena was scared that she'll have it broke once too many and no one will be able to put it back together again. "I know," Stefan soothed. "But Caroline is strong, a lot stronger than you give her credit for." Stefan smiled slightly. He'd gotten fonder of the blonde since she'd change, as her no nonsense, fun, sarcastic personality reminded him of Lexi.
"I hope you're right, Stefan. I really do."
Caroline stormed out the door, Tyler following. "Care! Caroline!" He said as she got into the car, slamming the door. He followed and got into the driver's side. "Want to tell me why you freaked out in there?" He asked evenly. He'd heard her rant, and he knew it was to do with him. Caroline pouted and stared out the window. "No." she said stubbornly. He sighed.
"Dammit, Caroline. I can't help unless you tell me what's going on." Tyler said, running a hand through his hair, frustrated. Caroline turned her head to look at him. "It doesn't matter what they think, Tyler." She said gently, believing every word of it. "Come on. Where to?" She asked. Tyler stayed silent. "Care, I want you to borrow one of your mom's rifles." He said quietly. Caroline stared at him. "No." She said firmly, appalled. "Tyler, I can handle this. I don't need a freaking gun." She stated. Tyler looked into her eyes. His were wide and round and pleading. "Please." He pleaded. That made Caroline hold her tongue. Tyler asked, demanded and took. He never, ever begged. Caroline nodded silently. He leaned over and kissed her on the head. She slid beside him on the bench. "So now we wait?" She said. Tyler nodded.
"So now we wait."
The drive to his house was silent, but not an uncomfortable. They were sitting in the sitting room when Caroline started to feel restless. She was never the sort of person to just sit around and not do anything, really. She wanted to do something, anything that could help. "I hate this!" She blurted out, earning her an amused look from Tyler. "I'm going to...to...to bake cookies!" She declared, bouncing up from her seat. "Cookies? Why cookies?" He asked. Caroline whirled around to face him. "Because everything seems a little better if you have a cookie." Tyler chuckled, and Caroline glared at him. "My logic is golden, okay? And it's better than sitting here and doing nothing." She said and flounced into the kitchen. Tyler heard banging and shuffling, and assumed she was looking for ingredients. "So why do you hate Damon Salvatore?" He asked casually, leaning against the doorway in the kitchen. Caroline had her back to him, and he saw her stop measuring out sugar. "When did I say that?" She asked back, wanting to avoid the subject. Tyler started walking into the room.
"Twice. Yesterday, and in the grill today. You said you broke his arm. And you haven't always hated him, because you dated him last year."
"Not by my choice," she murmured, mostly to herself. Tyler stared at her, and she slowly turned around to face him. "What?" He said. Caroline thought back to that day in the hospital. Stefan had been to see her a few times already, and she knew what she was.
"Hey Stefan," Caroline greeted as he came into the room. "I've been watching a marathon of Jersey Shore, and I'm bored off my head. Is Elena with you? Or maybe Bonnie?" She asked hopefully. "Not that you aren't good company!" She added hastily. Suddenly she was aware of another presence behind Stefan, and took in the guilty expression on Stefan's face. "Ah, ma Cherie, alas you have neither," she heard a drawling, bored all too familiar voice in the doorway. "But you have someone much better. Me." Damon said as he stepped into the room and shut the door. Seeing him, her eyes widened and her hand fluttered to her head. It all came back to her, being manipulated, abused, and fed on. She turned to Stefan, who had a concerned look on his face. "Caroline..." he warned, but she was already up and at Damon, pushing him against the door and grasping his arm. "You asshole!" She hissed. Damon looked mildly amused, and that infuriated her further. She twisted his arm, not yet knowing her strength. She only stopped when she heard a sickening 'crack'. She realised her grip, and turned wild eyed, swivelling her head from Damon to Stefan. Stefan had a comforting look on his face, and Damon's jaw was clenched. "You shouldn't have done that." Stefan slipped in between them as Damon approached her in a predatory manner. "I remember, dickhead! Everything!" She hissed at him. Stefan gave his brother a look. "Damon, she doesn't know her strength yet. And you do deserve it." Stefan chastised him. Damon practically pouted.
"Boo, there goes my fun. I never got around to killing her last time."
"Did you just come here to torment me and shunt my recovery?"
"Oh you're fine, Blondie. You're probably getting more attention than you've got in the last year at home." Damon taunted. Caroline glared at him.
"Stefan, why for the love of God did you bring him of all people?" She whined, flopping back on her bed. Stefan leaned against a wall. "He was practically about to throw a hissy fit if I didn't bring him."
"I'm sure he'd have more fun getting drunk oh his ass. Well, I suppose he gets bored, that is practically all he does." She shot at Damon.
"Ouch." Damon said, rolling his now healed arm. "I don't know what I ever saw in you."
"Well, at least I have the excuse it was against my will!" Caroline growled, glaring at him. "Stefan, I want him OUT of here. Please." She pleaded. Stefan nodded and patted her on the hand. He dragged Damon out of the room, who blew her a kiss as he went. She threw a book at the door. "Rot in hell!" She screamed. She heard Damon chuckling, and a thump. "Ouch." Damon grumbled.
"Tyler, you know Stefan and Damon are vampires. I told you that much. Stefan's good, he's been great. He drinks animal...you know. Damon, on the other hand, enjoys compelling teenage girls, abusing them, drinking their blood, trying to kill them, and then compelling them to forget. When I turned, I remembered everything." She said softly. She hadn't told anyone about her remembering but Stefan. Tyler stayed silently, but then he started shaking. "I'm going to kill him," He gritted out through his teeth. "What?" Caroline asked, alarmed. Tyler slammed a book that was lying on the table in front of him against a wall. "I'm gonna kill that bastard!" He yelled, breathing heavily.
"Tyler!" She cried, rushing forward. "Stop!" She grabbed at his arms. He pushed her up against the wall, and she landed with a smash. "He touched you, he abused you, he drank your blood, and you expect me to stop? He's a sick bastard, Caroline!" He yelled, growling. Caroline tried to shake him, but he had her arms pinned against the wall. "Tyler, you can't kill him! You'd be sinking to his level! He doesn't drink from people now; he was just being what he thought he had to be! Sure, he's an asshole, but you can't kill him!" She yelled in his face. "You can't kill him," she repeated. Both of them were breathing heavily, staring at each other. He slumped, and his face landed in the crook of her neck. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He released her arms. She turned her head so her cheek was resting on his hair.
"It's okay, Tyler." She soothed. "I get it. You don't know how to control your anger. You just have to fight it." Tyler finally got his breathing back to normal. "I'm so sorry. I hate what he did to you. I hate that I didn't know." He admitted. He raised his head to look at her. Caroline was gazing at him, a soft smile playing on her lips. "It's like I hate the fact that you were with other guys. I know it sounds...strange, but I hate thinking about other people being with you." He said softly. Caroline put her hands in his hair and tugged on it to get him to look her in the eye. "I'm not with any other guy, idiot. I'm here, in your kitchen, with you. You." She repeated. She spread her hands on either side of his face. "Okay? When are you going to get it that I'm not going anywhere?" She said fiercely. "I'm going to make the cookies now, okay?" She said. She made to move past him, but he kissed her gently. "Thank you." He said simply. She leaned her forehead against his, a stupid smile on her face.
"Warning: My cookies will cause begging for more."
An hour later, Tyler and Caroline were sitting at the island in the kitchen with a plate of cookies between them. "I have to say," Tyler started after finishing his third cookie. "You're baking skills are superb." She giggled and mock bowed.
"I've had time to practice." She said, and bit off another piece of her second. Her head flew up. "Mason's pulling into the driveway. Should I go?" She asked, putting down her cookie and walking to the sink. "You can hear that?" Tyler asked disbelievingly. She nodded; a sheepish smile on her face. "Awesome." He said. "And no, why would you need to leave?" Caroline shrugged, and the front door opened. "Yo, Tyler!" They heard Mason yelled. "I went down to the hardware store, and I seen they were missing some chains, so I guess you already went..." he trailed off when he caught the scent of a vampire. He sped into the kitchen, and grabbed Caroline by the throat. "You invited one in?" He yelled, tightening his grip as he dangled Caroline. Her eyes wide, she held her hands on his to ease the pressure. Her vamp face came out and she struggled to breathe. "Mason, what the hell are you doing?" Tyler cried, grabbing his uncle's arm. "Let her go!" He gritted out. Tyler's grip tightened, and Mason's lightened. Caroline twisted out of his grasp, and fell to the floor, coughing and struggling to breathe. Mason stared in disbelieve as his nephew dropped next to her, running a hand through her hair, over her face, as if to feel she was tangible. "You're okay, Care. It's okay. Just breathe." He chanted as she leaned into his shoulder, her face going back to normal. Mason slumped against a counter. "Oh, hell." He said irritably. Caroline glared up at him, Tyler with an irritated, mildly curious look on his face.
Mason walked over to Caroline, and he could feel her tense. He pulled back the sleeve of her top to reveal a faded bite mark. "You have to be kidding me..." Mason mumbled, and ran a hand through his hair. "What is it, Mason?" Tyler asked. Mason barked out a laugh and looked at him. "You're fucking mated to a vampire, that's what's so very, very wrong!" He felt Tyler stiffened.
"What's the problem if Caroline's a vampire?"
"Oh, there are a lot of problems with that."
"He doesn't need to know about that," Caroline insisted, her eyes boring holes into Mason.
"Don't talk, vampire."
"Wow, that's nice. You sure are hospitable. You try to kill your nephew's mate then tell her to shut up. Real nice. I see we're going to get along great." Caroline said snarkily. Tyler suppressed a smile.
"Why, Tyler, of everyone it could be did you have to choose a vampire?" Mason groaned.
"Well, Mason, it's happened, so suck it up princess." Tyler replied, helping Caroline stand.
"Oh, this is going to be interesting."
That was chapter four, folks! The Tyler/Caroline fight is how I think their relationship is going to be. They're always going to hurt each other, bounce back, shatter each other but the other will be the only one that could put them together again. Yeah, somehow I don't think Mason would react well to Caroline being a vampire. He didn't notice it in chapter two because he was so wrapped up in helping Tyler. I hope you like how I wrote Stefan, Elena and Damon. The possession is going to be part of the mating thing. Tyler will find out about the bite soon. Next chapter is Tyler's transformation! Might take a while as I haven't written any yet. I won't be able to post as often because I go back to school on Thursday, and it's my first GCSE year so no slacking haha.