"I've got something I want to tell you…"
"Stefan, can you stop leaving me hanging and just tell me?" I questioned
"I think I'm in love with you too." he admitted "It took me a little longer than it should've to realise it and I'm sorry."
"Does it matter?" I inquired
"Does what matter?" he questioned
"The fact that I know I'm in love with you, does it matter?" I asked
He shook his head… "None of it matters. All that matters is that we're going to get you better and we're going to beat this, together."
I smiled at him warmly… "I've wanted to tell you for so long."
"Bonnie said," he informed me "but you didn't want to ruin our friendship. I get it."
"You do?" I inquired
He nodded his head… "You were scared."
"Yeah, I was." I replied "I still am. What if you change your mind? What if you get scared?"
"Not going to happen." he admitted "You have my word on that."
"But…" I began
"But nothing." he replied "You've got my word. I'm here to stay."
"Okay." I whispered, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip
STEFAN'S POV:
I smiled warmly at Caroline as she bit her bottom lip and stroked my thumb across her jaw, pulling it out. Tilting her chin up as her head bowed, I pressed my lips against hers ever so softly, pulling away from her no more than a minute later, watching her as her eyes stayed closed…
"You have no idea how long I've been dreaming about that…" she admitted as she opened her eyes
"What has the consultant said?" I questioned
"He's given me something for the pain," she replied "and he's going to come and check the wound and dressing in a while."
"Okay. Do you think you could manage something to eat now?" I inquired
"Yes!" she proclaimed "I'm starving!"
"I'll go and see what I can find in the canteen then." I informed her
CAROLINE'S POV:
Stefan pressed his lips against mine once again and I watched as he left the room, letting my head fall back against the pillows, my eyes shutting as the door closed behind him…
"Hey…" Elena's voice spoke a few minutes later
"What are you doing here?" I questioned, wincing in pain as I moved too quickly
"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly
"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied "so, what are you doing here?"
"I came to see if you were okay." she admitted "Bonnie told me you were awake and out of surgery, and that Stefan knows how you feel…"
"Yeah, he does." I informed her
"And?" she questioned
"And what?" I inquired
"How did he take it?" she asked
"He's gone to the canteen to get me some food." I replied
"You don't want to tell me, I get it…" she sighed
"You were a bitch, Elena." I admitted
"I know," she replied "and I'm sorry. You're supposed to be my best friend, we tell each other everything, or at least I thought we did."
"Do you get why I told Stefan?" I inquired
"Sort of, yeah." she admitted "I get that you had to get your head around the news, but why tell Stefan before Bonnie and I?"
"Do you really think she needs this?" Stefan questioned as he walked back into the room "She's only been out of surgery for an hour and already you're bombarding her with questions about why she didn't tell you and Bonnie first. Get over it, Elena. Does it really matter?"
I swallowed a lump in my throat as Stefan made his way to my bedside and set the food and drink he'd got me down on the table, pulling it towards me. Smiling at him warmly, he pressed his lips against my forehead and motioned for Elena to join him outside…
STEFAN'S POV:
"What is wrong with you?" I inquired as Caroline's hospital room door shut behind Elena
"Excuse me?" she questioned
"You heard!" I replied "Caroline doesn't need this, so stop going on about the fact that she told me first instead of you and Bonnie. It doesn't matter. You know now, so what she needs is for you to be there for her!"
"It just hurts that she'd choose to tell you over me…" she admitted
"I know something was wrong with her, and I made her tell me." I informed her "It wasn't as if she just came out with it. I practically forced her into it."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she questioned "Or Bonnie? Or Damon?"
"I couldn't spill a secret that huge that wasn't my own." I replied "It was up to Caroline to tell you all and now she has, so can we just leave it at that and support her through the next couple of months?"
Elena nodded her head after a couple of minutes and smiled at me weakly… "Sorry."
"It's not me you should be apologising to," I informed her "why don't you go back in there and sit with Caroline? I've got some stuff I need to do…"
"Okay." she replied
CAROLINE'S POV:
It was a couple of hours later and Elena was falling asleep in the chair beside my bed. Smiling, I eased myself up and nudged her, her eyes shooting open…
"What is it?" she asked "Do you need a nurse?"
"No, I'm fine." I replied "Why don't you go home? You're falling asleep sat there…"
"Stefan will be back soon, and when he is, I'll go." she informed me
I smiled at her warmly… "Elena, I'm sorry."
"What for?" she asked
"Not telling you and Bonnie sooner." I admitted "You guys should've been the first people I told."
"Stefan practically dragged it out of you, he told me so himself," she replied "it's fine. We know now and that's what matters."
As I was about to reply, the room door opened and Stefan walked in, a bag in his hand…
"What have you got there?" I questioned
"A few essentials from yours." he informed me
"Right, I'm gonna leave you guys to it." Elena admitted as she stood up from the chair "Bonnie and I will come by tomorrow and visit, okay?"
I nodded my head in agreement… "I'd like that."
"Bye!" she proclaimed as she grabbed her handbag and made her way out of the room
"So, what have you got?" I asked Stefan as the room door closed behind her
STEFAN'S POV:
"Visiting hours are over, I'm afraid." the nurse admitted me as she walked into the room to check on Caroline
"Okay." I replied "When do you think she'll be able to come home?"
"If all goes well during the night, tomorrow afternoon." she informed me
I nodded my head in understanding and waited as the nurse woke Caroline up to check her wound and dressing. Once she was done, I moved over to her bedside…
"I've got to go…" I admitted
"Thank you for staying as long as you did." she replied, smiling at me warmly
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" I questioned
She nodded her head… "And then it'll be all systems go, which I'm afraid of."
"I know." I replied, running my hand through her hair "But it'll be okay, I promise."
"I believe you." she informed me, her hand entwining with mine as I stroked it down her face "I'll be back tomorrow morning."
Nodding her head in understanding, I pressed my lips against hers and grabbed my jacket, making my way out of the room…
Stefan and Caroline are together, yaaaaaaaaaay! But Caroline's journey is only just beginning, will everything be okay?
