Hi guys!
To celebrate the numerous reviews that this story got for its first 8 chapters, here's another chapter. It's slightly longer than the others.
Now you can skip right to the story if you don't want to read my off-topic and random opinion about the cure. I've read that Stefan was selfish for wanting to cure Elena because it's only so that she can love him again. Personally, I think that it's because Elena once told him while crying that she didn't want to be a vampire and NEVER wanted to be one. I think that's his motivation for finding the cure.
That's all.
Enjoy your reading!
"I think I'm gonna tell Caroline that I'm here."
"What? No!"
"She's my only friend and I'd like to talk to her. We could let her know, I'm sure she'd keep it to herself."
"You told me that Klaus was following her everywhere. He will know and if he learns that I'm in town, I'm as good as dead," Katherine says flatly.
"I wouldn't let him hurt you."
"Oh yeah, because you're stronger than an Original hybrid."
The sarcastic tone of Katherine isn't lost on Stefan, and instinctively he pulls her even closer to him. They are watching TV in the living-room and Katherine sits in between Stefan's legs, her back resting against his torso. Stefan's chin rests on her right shoulder and his arms hold her prisoner of his embrace.
"I wouldn't let him," he repeats. "But I really want her to know that I'm here."
"Fine, but if Klaus finds me, I'll find a way to stake her before I die and then you'll have no one," she answers with a pout.
Stefan smiles and kisses her cheek.
"Thank you. This movie sucks."
"It's not like there's anything else we can do."
I can think of a few other things to do, Stefan thinks.
"I can hear your dirty mind screaming dirty ideas in my ear, Salvatore."
"Oh, really?"
"Hmm hmm."
"And what does it tell you?"
Katherine puts her hand on his leg and squeezes before slowly moving her hand up Stefan's leg until it reaches his thigh. Her eyes never leaves the TV screen but she can feel Stefan's breath getting caught in his throat.
"Nervous, Stefan?"
"No," he responds immediately.
She smirks. After all, she's a master at seduction and she knows exactly how to get a reaction from a man.
"You know what; maybe we should find a snack. I feel a little bit hungry."
Stefan is quick to agree and he disentangles himself from Katherine.
"Let's just make sure that we don't get seen, okay?"
"Yeah."
They opt to walk instead of taking the car. They are right outside of town and they are fairly certain that no one will be outside this late at night. The first person that they cross path with will be perfect. Katherine lets Stefan walk ahead of her the entire time. She knows that soon he'll give in to his animalistic instincts and he'll want to throw her on a bed and have his way with her. She'd let him do it. She's been waiting for decades to have him again in this way. But something is holding her back, and Katherine tries in vain to understand what exactly. It prevents her from throwing herself at him, literally.
"You okay?"
Katherine was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even see him stop. He reaches for her hand and she takes it gladly.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just thinking."
"Let's be more careful now, we're almost at the park. We should find someone there."
Caroline wakes up to the sound of her alarm-clock and she reluctantly gets out of bed to take a shower. It's seven in the morning, three days after her outburst of anger against Elena and they haven't spoken since. Bonnie chose not to take sides and Caroline thinks it's a wise decision. It's no secret that the witch doesn't like vampires anyway.
After her shower, Caroline brushes her teeth and slips into the clothes she chose to wear for the day. Once she is done, she looks at the mirror and she tries to tidy her hair.
"You look just fine," a voice says.
Caroline spins on her heels and stifles a scream.
"What the—Stefan?"
"Hi."
"You're back!"
He smiles widely at her genuinely happy expression. Then she rushes towards him and hugs him tightly.
"Oh I missed you!"
"I missed you too."
She lets go of him and smacks the back of his head.
"Aouch!"
"That was for scaring me!"
Stefan laughs as he rubs his head. Caroline takes his other hand and makes him sit on her bed.
"Okay, where were you? Why did you leave without telling me?"
"Calm down Caroline, you're starting to hyperventilate."
The blonde vampire takes a deep breath and nods.
"Okay. Okay. I'm listening."
"I was nowhere in particular. I traveled all the way down to the ocean and then I drove back here. I left in a hurry, I didn't tell anyone."
"But why?"
"Because I couldn't stand to see Elena and Damon together. Because it hurt too much."
"Yeah, I understand. I don't know if they're together, though. I feel like… I feel like Elena's trying but Damon's a little reluctant."
"Really? Well, I guess I'll be the one to tell him that it's okay to give in."
"What? No! You are Elena's soul mate, not Damon!"
Stefan sighs. He knows he'll have to tell the truth about Katherine, and that Caroline will react badly. No one in town is very fond of the older doppelgänger.
"During the time that I was away, I… I reconsidered my feelings for Elena. I forced myself to forget what we've lived. I moved on, Caroline. It took me some time, but I buried what we had. I'm not in love with her anymore."
"What? You've been gone for what, two months? You don't forget your true love in two months!"
"No, you don't. I never forgot my true love."
Caroline looks at him incredulously.
"I'm sorry; you lost me. I don't get it."
"All this time, I was in denial of my feelings for someone else. A woman that I loved a long time ago. A person who hurt me, who left me, but who never stopped loving me."
Realization of who he's talking about dawns on Caroline's face.
"Katherine…"
When Stefan remains silent, Caroline gets up and throws her hands up in the air dramatically.
"Katherine! No fucking way! Come on, Stefan! Seriously?"
"Caroline—"
"No! She's… almost worse than Damon!"
"You're overreacting. They're not bad—"
"Not bad? She killed me! She's the reason I'm a vampire! I did nothing to her!"
"I know, I know. I didn't forget that. We all did bad things that we regret. I've spent almost two months with her and I learnt more about her than I ever did in 1864. She helped me, okay? She had no reason to, after the way I treated her. But she did."
"You were with her this entire time?"
"Yes."
"Are you two… together?"
"No."
A heavy silence sets in. Stefan waits for Caroline to calm down, and she doesn't look like she's going to do that.
"Okay, you know what? I'm gonna go to class and pretend like I didn't hear what I've just heard. We'll talk about it later."
"Don't be like that, please. Don't make me feel guilty for something I have no control over."
"How do you know she's not manipulating you, huh? She's selfish, she wants you, she has you and then she'll discard you like you're just a piece of trash!"
"But it's my decision, Caroline. I need my best friend to support me and to be okay with it."
His words seem to soothe her a little. He gets up and she lets him hug her.
"I don't want to see you hurt, again," she mumbles into his chest.
"I promise you I won't. We're not even together and she didn't try anything with me. Yet. She told me she had feelings for me. I already knew that, but just like you I doubted that they were real."
"What made you change your mind?"
"The fact that she stayed with me and she helped me get over my heartache. She helped me get my bloodlust under control."
Caroline steps back and looks at him, shocked.
"You… You're on human blood?"
"Yes," he admits uneasily.
"And you don't feel like going all Ripper?"
"No. I feel fine. It's been a while since I've felt that good, actually."
"Oh my… You really are happy," she says as she notices for the first time the way he's standing, the clothes he's wearing, and the thin smile that never leaves his face. "You are wearing a forest green shirt. I've never seen you wear green. Even your hair seems brighter!"
Stefan bursts out laughing at her last comment and Caroline thinks it's a beautiful—and rare—sight.
"Look, I'm really late for class. But my mom is working tonight, so maybe you could come over and we'll cook something and eat in front of TV and talk and everything."
"Okay. Sure. I'd love that."
"See you, then!"
She plants a kiss on his cheek and she walks out of her room quickly. A minute later, Stefan hears her car leaving the driveway. Carefully, he peaks outside to see if there's anyone around the house. But the street is empty so he slams the door behind him and hurries back to the place he's staying at. Katherine must be waiting for him.
I know that there wasn't a lot of Stefan/Katherine in this chapter but... You might get a little reward for all the reviews in the next one!
OTH-FOQ
