"We go for custody of Leo, together, as a couple."
STEFAN'S POV:
"I can't do that to Elena…" I admitted
"Seriously, after what she's done to you?" Caroline asked "Well now I know where I stand."
"I didn't mean it like that." I sighed, taking her hand and pulling her out of the room out of earshot "I can't do it Leo. I can't tear him from his Mom. He loves her."
"You think I was suggesting Elena didn't see him at all?" she inquired
"Weren't you?" I questioned
"No," she replied "but I think we need to get him away from Damon. We know Elena's not going to end her engagement to him, regardless of Leo's feelings, so we need to be the ones to do something about it."
"Caroline…" I sighed
"Don't "Caroline" me, Stefan. Your little boy needs a proper home and a stable family life from people who have good jobs that can give him what he needs. I'm not just talking about the materialistic stuff either. I mean love and hugs. When was the last time you saw Damon, or even Elena sit with him and help him do his homework, or just let him fall asleep on them?"
I pursed my lips together and sighed, bowing my head… "I don't know."
Watching as her footsteps moved closer to me, she tilted my chin and pressed her lips against mine softly… "Exactly. You need time to think about this, so I think it'd be a good idea if I do go back to mine tonight."
"Don't…" I proclaimed as she went to pick her bag up "Stay, and in the morning I'll ring my lawyer and arrange to see if we, you and me, can get Leo's residency changed to be with us."
"Are you sure?" she asked "I don't want you to feel as though I've pushed you into this."
"I'm sure." I replied "You're right. As much as Elena loves him, he's not happy there, and that's all I want for him – to be happy, so he needs to be here with us."
CAROLINE'S POV:
"Right, movie time!" I proclaimed as I walked through to the living room to see Stefan and Leo curled up on the sofa under a blanket "Now I have the snacks, so where's my space?"
Stefan smiled at me warmly and he and Leo moved across, letting me settle at the end of the sofa. Wrapping his arm around my shoulder as I climbed under the blanket too, I rested my head on his shoulder, setting the snacks I'd brought through from the kitchen onto his lap…
"What're we watching?" Stefan inquired
"Harry Potter." Leo and I informed him in unison
"Okay." he replied, his arm tightening around my shoulder as he pressed play on the DVD remote
STEFAN'S POV:
"I think someone's worn out…" Caroline admitted, motioning to a fast asleep Leo who'd spread out at the other end of the sofa
"I think so too." I replied as I moved from underneath the blanket "Can you help me put him to bed?"
She nodded her head as she moved from the sofa too. Picking him up into my arms, we made our way into his bedroom and I laid him down on his bed, Caroline sitting on the edge as she began to remove his clothes and put him into his pyjamas before pulling his duvet over him. Pressing her lips against his forehead, she squeezed my arm as she turned to leave and made her way out of the room…
CAROLINE'S POV:
Stefan walked back through to the living room as I was tidying it up after the film and stopped me as I tidied up the cushions, cupping my cheeks in his hands and pressing his lips against mine…
"And that was for?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him
"You're amazing with Leo." he replied "And that's another reason I love you so much."
"Well, I have a suggestion…" I admitted
"And that would be?" he questioned
"Why don't you take me to bed and show me all the reasons you love me?" I inquired
Squealing in shock as he took a hold of my middle and threw me over his shoulder and carried me through to the bedroom, my laughing was soon covered by his mouth on mine, my legs finding their way around his waist…
Stefan's agreed to Caroline's idea of them getting Leo's residency changed to be with them, but what will happen when Elena finds out, I wonder?
