CAROLINE'S POV:

I pulled away from Stefan and wiped at my eyes, angry with myself that he'd seen me cry. Smiling at him weakly, I stood and climbed into bed, adjusting my pillows… "We should sleep."

"Seriously?" he questioned "You're not going to say anything more other than the fact your Mom's ill?"

"What else is there for me to say?" I asked

"You could tell me what's wrong with her…" he replied "And how you feel about it."

"She's got Parkinson's disease," I informed him "and I don't know how I feel. There. Done. Night, Stefan."

"Not done." he proclaimed as I reached out to switch my bedside table light off, him vamp-speeding over to me to bat my hand away "We're going to talk about this."

"I don't know what else there is to say…" I sighed "She's ill, she's not going to get any better and I just have to live with that fact."

"Why didn't you tell me earlier, when we spoke on the phone?" he inquired

I shrugged my shoulders in reply… "I don't know."

"Why didn't you tell me, Caroline?" he questioned

"Because I knew you'd do this." I informed him "I knew you'd turn up here and get the truth out of me somehow, and I was right."

"And that's a bad thing? You know how things go if you bottle them up…" he sighed

"I would've told you eventually." I replied

"Would you?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow at me

"Yeah. I tell you everything. You're my best friend." I admitted, smiling at him weakly

"What has she said? Your Mom?" he asked

"Her condition is being treated with medication, but it's never going to get better," I explained "she's stuck the way she is for the rest of her life, and the worst thing about it all is that she has to give up a job she absolutely adores."

"Maybe there's something I can do…" he suggested

"No, you're not feeding her your blood. No way!" I proclaimed

"It could help, Caroline." he replied

"And how am I supposed to tell her that my best friend's a vampire?" I questioned "No, she'll be okay. John will do everything he can for her and she'll carry on taking her medication and live a normal life like she should do."

"Okay. Just know that the offer's there if you want it." he informed me "Night, Caroline."

"Night, Stefan." I mirrored, smiling at him weakly as I switched off my bedside table light

STEFAN'S POV:

The next morning Caroline and I made our way down the stairs and into the kitchen, seeing her Mom and John stood cooking breakfast…

"Something smells good…" Caroline proclaimed

"Waffles," her Mom informed her "John's secret recipe."

"Yum!" she replied as we sat down at the breakfast bar "One of the many reasons I love being home."

"What do you two have planned for today then?" John asked as he began to plate up

"I don't know yet." Caroline admitted "I might take Stefan on a tour of the local hotspots."

"As long as you're back in time for our shopping trip this afternoon…" her Mom informed her

"I will be." Caroline assured her "I promise."

CAROLINE'S POV:

Mom and I made our way into the bridal store as afternoon drew in on Atlanta and a sales assistant hurried over to us, embracing my Mom in a tight hug…

"Liz," she proclaimed "so good to see you."

"You too, Jane. This is my daughter, Caroline, who I was telling you about." she informed her

"You've been talking about me?" I questioned as I held out my hand to Jane

"All good, dear, don't you worry!" Jane assured me "It's lovely to meet you."

"And you." I mirrored as she shook my hand "Shall we get started?"

"Eager, that's what I like to see." she replied

"Her boyfriend's in town, she's desperate to get back to him…" Mom admitted

"Oh, young love!" Jane proclaimed "I remember when I was your age."

I forced a smile onto my face… "I wouldn't say we're that far yet."

"Oh, please," Mom proclaimed "I see the way you look at each other; you're madly in love! John and I both say so."

"You do, do you?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at her

She nodded her head… "How about some champagne?"

"Champagne sounds great!" I admitted as I followed Jane down the shop

"What do you think, sweetheart?" Mom asked as I stood in the changing room, looking at my appearance in one of the many bridesmaid dresses she'd put aside for me

"I like it." I replied

"What about Stefan? Will he?" she questioned

"Does that matter?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her as I walked out

"Of course it does. He's going to be your date…" she replied

"He thinks I look beautiful in anything," I informed her "but blue is his favourite colour."

"And you like it too? So I think we've found a winner…" she proclaimed

"Shouldn't I try the rest on first?" I inquired

"No, that one's perfect," she replied "you look beautiful."

I smiled at her weakly and glanced down at myself, lifting my head to look at my reflection in the full-length mirror… "Do I?"

"Yes, you do." she proclaimed, hugging me from behind

STEFAN'S POV:

Caroline and her Mom made their way into the house as evening approached, giggling like schoolgirls…

"Good day?" I questioned

"Amazing." Mom informed him "You're going to love Caroline's bridesmaid dress."

"Am I now?" I asked

"Yep," she replied "it's blue, which I hear is your favourite colour and she looks amazing in it."

"Mom, stop!" Caroline proclaimed

"Well if that's the case, I can't wait to see it." I informed her

"Right, I think we need to get you some water…" Caroline admitted to her Mom as she led her into the kitchen and sat her down at the breakfast bar "Someone had a little bit too much champagne."

"How did dress shopping go?" John asked as he walked into the kitchen

"Mom had a little too much to drink." Caroline informed him "But she'll be fine once she's had some water and a cup of coffee."

CAROLINE'S POV:

I hung the bag that my bridesmaid dress was covered in by the hanger the dress was hung on top of my wardrobe door and turned, seeing Stefan stood in the doorway…

"What're you looking at?" I questioned

"You." he informed me

"Great way to sound stalker-ish." I informed him

"You know what I mean." he replied "It's nice, seeing you happy and smiling."

I smiled at him warmly… "That's what being home does to me."

"Caroline, can I have a word?" John questioned as Stefan was about to reply

"Yeah, coming." I informed him, squeezing past Stefan "What is it?"

"I have some bad news…" he admitted "Your car's not going to be able to go back to Mystic Falls with you."

"Why not?" I inquired

"Bad oil leak," he informed me "so it's a good job Stefan's here so you can go back together."

"Yeah, it's great." I replied "Can it not be fixed by the time I have to go tomorrow?"

"I'll have to take it into the shop tomorrow and see, but I doubt it." he admitted "We're snowed under. Sorry, sweetie."

"It's fine," I sighed "thanks for letting me know."

STEFAN'S POV:

Caroline walked back into her bedroom and flopped down onto her bed…

"Is my company really that bad?" I questioned

"You were listening?" she asked

"Of course," I replied "I'm a vampire, I hear everything."

She sighed… "Only when you listen! And no, your company isn't that bad."

"Then why are you so annoyed?" I inquired

"I guess I don't feel good about lying to my Mom." she admitted

"You could've told her the truth today by the sounds of it. Why didn't you?" I asked

"She was happy. I didn't want to do anything to upset that." she informed me

"So what are you going to do when the wedding comes around?" I questioned

"Don't ask me a question I can't answer." she sighed

CAROLINE'S BRIDESMAID DRESS:

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What will Caroline do when the wedding comes around?