Lily Salvatore was awoken by a very strong feeling that she was not alone. She opened her eyes to find herself staring at the wall of the cellar, rolled onto her side.
"Good. I thought i'd have to become corporeal to get you to wake up."
A familiar voice came from behind her, terror rose in her throat as she sat up and confronted her visitor.
"Anne." She whispered, barely able to get the name out of her mouth.
"What did you tell them Lily?"
The woman Lily called Anne was standing close to the door of the cellar. She was dressed similar to how her rescuers dressed, modern. Her hair was long and blonde, her face was full, still possessing her features as a child. She looked as innocent as a newly born doe, wide eyed and a glow radiating from her.
Lily knew better though.
"I- I didn't" Lily stood up and backed against the wall. "They did a truth spell, i had no choice."
Anne nodded, "Hmm."
"I'll choose to believe you." Anne stepped closer to Lily. "You know i cant see into the prison worlds, but now that you're here, I'll be watching, Lily."
Lily nodded slowly before speaking. "I don't want to do this...I don't want any of this anymore."
Anne's delicate face twisted. "You no longer believe in our cause?" Anger began to rise to her face.
"Its not that-" Lily put her hand up, defending herself from the waves of hostility Anne threw at her. "It's only...I had a hundred years to think. Over a hundred years to think about what I did, to my own children...Its not that i'm alright with this world the way it is, I'm not." Lily looked down to her hands. "My sons...they're alive- or I should say they are here."
"I see."Anne's voice was quiet. "Lily, you must remember who we are." Anne moved closer. "You can not simply leave. You have a purpose, and now that you are back- you will be expected to take your place. We are close, closer than ever before."
"Take my place? I don't have any magic. I can't possibly help." Lily shook her head, thinking of how she would escape her past.
"It was taken, not destroyed. It can be restored by the leader of your coven." Anne kept her eyes on Lily, watching her process this moment.
"We will be sending someone to get you out. Be prepared." Anne's body dissipated then, slowly becoming more transparent until she completely disappeared.
Lily let out a breath she wasn't sure how long she had held. Her eyes searched the room, thinking of what she would do.
Seeing her children, after years alone, it awoke something inside Lily. She still couldn't get past her bigotry towards all things supernatural, but the look in Stefan's eyes when he yelled at her. She saw so clearly, his humanity. The beauty of his tortured soul. And it shook her.
Damon hadn't given her more than a second glance after Bonnie explained Lily's actions. She saw only coldness and pain in him. A piece of her became even sadder when she looked into his eyes.
"You're going to need to explain to me what the hell just happened." Lily turned to the cellar door to see her eldest son looking through the opening.
"You saw her?" Lily questioned.
Damon opened the door, "No. I heard you talking to yourself. Which under different circumstances i may find completely normal, but right now...i think you better tell me what's going on." He walked into the cellar, on his face a shadow of emotions.
Lily thought about what Anne had said, she couldn't tell him what happened. But she also couldn't let The Harbingers take her.
"They're going to come for me." Lily spoke with confidence, her posture not giving away the fear she was suddenly griped with.
"The apocalypse people?"
"The Harbingers," She corrected, "Yes."
"Well from what i could tell from your side of the conversation..and the quickened pace of your heart- that's not something you'd like to happen."
Lily studied her son, appreciating his intuition.
"Yes. That's right."
"Damon furrowed his brow in confusion, "I thought you were some badass ready to take down the world. What happened?"
Lily couldn't decide what she should say. There was so much he didn't know, so much she wasn't ready to say.
Eventually she spoke, "Stefan."
Damon's felt the air suck out of his lungs.
Stefan. Of course its Stefan.
Lily could tell the pain she had caused Damon in that moment and it opened her eyes to Damon's struggle.
"You love him?" She asked Damon.
"Stefan?" Damon leaned against the wall. "He's an eternal pain in my ass...but he's my brother. I love him."
"Does he love you?" She questioned, carefully taking in Damon's response.
He sighed and lowered his head. "Sometimes."
Lily smiled softly. She understood now.
Damon was just as tortured as Stefan was. Damon possessed a darkness in him that he struggled with. She could sense something similar in Stefan but the purity she saw in his eyes overcomes the darkness in his mind.
For Damon, his darkness is apart of him completely. Pulling at his edges, threatening to rip his soul from him. He built up walls to keep it all in but she could see the pain behind his eyes and couldn't help but try to figure out a way to ease it.
She saw her sons so easily, she saw them in a way only a mother could.
And she loved them.
/
Stefan awoke that morning with the sunrise shining in through the window, nearly blinding him. He adjusted his face, moving it closer to the back of Caroline's head.
He smiled lazily as he pulled her closer to him, enjoying her presence first thing in the morning. He brought his lips to her exposed neck, kissing her softly making his way up and around to her cheek.
Caroline woke up with a smile on her face, feeling Stefan's kisses coaxing her out of sleep."Good morning to you too."
She turned over to face him.
Being so close, with no one there to interrupt them, Stefan became nervous.
Caroline's body was up against his, and he knew she could feel him pressing against her.
She smiled shyly, bringing her hand up to his face. Her fingers brushed against his cheek softly.
Stefan could feel butterflies again and couldn't help but to lean his face into hers, bringing their lips together. He kissed her softly, just like their first kiss. He kissed her slowly, hesitantly.
The weight of the moment dawned on both of them, his kiss asking a question, waiting for her answer.
Caroline put one hand behind Stefan's neck and slipped the other under his side, making him shift and pull himself on top of her. Their lips parted and Stefan looked down at his beautiful best friend.
She smiled softly up at him, bringing her hand back to his face. Stefan took one of his hands and brushed her hair to the side, taking in the beauty of the goddess beneath him.
They stared into each others eyes, each of them knowing that this was right.
Stefan brought his lips to Caroline's again and whispered, "I love you" against them before pressing them to hers. Caroline responded to the kiss, opening her mouth and reaching down with her hand to his back, pulling him against her.
Stefan reached down to the hem of the t-shirt she wore, slipping his hand under and feeling her body, gently caressing her skin. He worked the shirt up and over her head, exposing her completely.
Stefan looked at her body and smiled as he brought his lips back down, letting them explore. He worked his way down her body, staying there for awhile, before working his way back up. Caroline let out soft sighs that made his passion skyrocket.
With nothing between them, their bodies came together perfectly. They moved in perfect rhythm, their bodies pulsing with pleasure.
Stefan had never felt so completely connected with someone. He could see himself in Caroline's eyes, he could see how much he loved her in them. Caroline's mind went blank, no other thoughts except for her love for the man she was making love to.
When the time came, they climaxed together, letting out cries of ecstasy against each others lips.
Stefan kissed Caroline again, still on top of her, unwilling to separate their bodies.
When he pulled back he just stared at her, not believing that this was his life now.
"What?" She asked, smiling.
"You're amazing."
She giggled. "You got the job done yourself."
He laughed, "I didn't mean that- although that was incredible." He gave her a sexy grin. "I mean- I'm sorry we spent so much time...not doing this."
Caroline laughed. "So much time wasted!"
"What were we thinking?" Stefan smiled down at her.
"You know what else we've never done?"
Caroline's eyebrows raised, her grin was suggestive.
"A date. I want to take you on a date."
Caroline's smile grew wider. "A date? I'd love to Mr. Salvatore!"
Stefan loved the sound of his name on her lips.
He couldn't stop smiling at her, his happiness completely overwhelming all other emotions.
"You know what? I have just the place too. I was going to take you before. I thought it would be a good way to get your mind off of things."
"Oh yeah?" Caroline beamed up at him. "Where?"
"Oh- I'll let that be a surprise." He grinned.
Caroline pretended to pout but then smiled. "I like surprises."
He laughed and kissed her softly.
"I also like that." She said seductively.
"Oh yeah?" Stefan whispered against her lips. "How about this?"
He kissed her again, this time not so softly. Stefan kissed her with every ounce of passion he had inside of him.
Caroline responded, bringing her legs up and wrapping them around his waist. She kissed him back, keeping up with the rhythm of his mouth moving against hers.
Stefan pulled back, kissing down her neck.
"Yes- god yes- i like that too." She whispered.
Stefan chuckled softly, "I can see that."
They spent the rest of the morning talking and making love, not leaving the room until well after the sun was high in the sky.