CAROLINE'S POV:
"Hey, how're you feeling?" Stefan asked as I came to later that evening
"A little nauseous, but the consultant did say that was normal." I replied
"Do you think you could eat something? There's some pasta downstairs with your name on it." he questioned
"Not yet." I admitted "Maybe later."
"Okay." he replied "So what would you like to do instead then?"
"Could we go for a walk?" I asked
"It's cold out…" he sighed
"I'll get wrapped up and I'll be fine. Please, Stefan. I just need some air." I informed him
"Okay then." he replied "Grab your shoes and coat and let's go."
Smiling at him warmly, I climbed from the bed and followed him as he left the room…
STEFAN'S POV:
Caroline and I arrived back from our walk an hour later, her making her way into the kitchen to heat up her pasta. As I hung our coats up and was about to follow her through, my phone began to ring, Mrs. Forbes's number appearing on-screen…
"Hi." I greeted her as I answered
"Hi, Stefan," she mirrored "I just wanted to see how Caroline's chemotherapy session went."
"It went well. The consultant was pleased and she's doing okay too." I informed her
"That's great," she sighed "could I speak to her?"
"Yeah, sure." I replied "I'll just get her for you."
CAROLINE'S POV:
Stefan made his way into the kitchen, his phone in hand. Informing me that it was my Mom on the other end, I took it from him as he continued to watch my pasta as I heated it up…
"Okay, Mom, I'll see you soon." I informed her "Love you too. Bye."
"Everything okay?" Stefan questioned as I hung up his phone and handed it back to him
I nodded my head as I sat down at the breakfast bar… "Mom thinks we should take a break to see her once my chemotherapy's done."
"Do you want to?" he asked
"I don't know," I admitted "my mind's too full of everything else to think about that right now."
He smiled at me sympathetically… "It will get easier, Caroline, I promise."
"I know," I replied "but when?"
He shrugged his shoulders in reply and wrapped his arms around me from behind… "Eat, and then we'll watch a film."
"Same routine every night…" I sighed
"We can always do something else." he replied
"Like what?" I questioned "What else is there to do?"
"I can think of something…" he informed me
"What?" I inquired
"Eat your pasta, and I'll see you upstairs in a few minutes." he replied, pressing his lips against the back of my head
STEFAN'S POV:
"Stefan?" Caroline's voice called as she reached the top of the stairs
Moving to the bathroom doorway, I smiled at her warmly… "Hey."
"What's going on?" she questioned
"Why don't you come and take a look?" I suggested, raising an eyebrow at her
Doing as I said, she made her way into the bathroom, smiling at me warmly as she took in the sight before her… "Stefan, this is amazing."
"Enjoy." I replied, pressing my lips against her temple, moving to leave the room
"Aren't you going to stay?" she inquired
"Do you want me to?" I asked
"Of course I do, why wouldn't I?" she questioned
"Because of… Y'know." I replied "I've not seen you like that since the operation, not properly anyway."
"I think I'm okay with it." she informed me
"Yeah?" I asked
She nodded her head… "We've got to move forward at some point."
"Okay." I replied
Watching her, she began to undress, sliding into the bath a couple of minutes later. Watching as she immersed herself in the water, her eyes shutting, I began to undress too, her eyes opening as the floorboards creaked beneath me. Sitting forward, I climbed in behind her and her back rested against my front, a sigh escaping her lips as I pressed my lips to the skin of her bare shoulder…
Another step forward in their relationship – what next?