My Salvation
"So, you and Caroline, huh?" Lexi said with a smirk and Stefan replied with a playful eye roll while he continued to pound his gloved fists to the punching bag before him and his best friend took a sip from her water bottle. "Give you two one night to make up and you're already sleeping together again… I'm sure Damon is having a field day with this one, isn't he?"
Stefan shook his head as he landed one last punch and almost immediately throwing his gloves to the gym floor when he was done. He swallowed hard to catch his breath before swiping his drink in one fell motion from Lexi's other free hand. He eyed her judgingly and she only replied with a wink as she watched him wipe the sweat off of his brow with this forearm and breathe in a deep sigh at her troublemaking eyes. His tank was now soaked from their workout—or more appropriately, from the sexual frustration he'd decided to channel into his boxing when he did, indeed, wake up that very morning after his birthday on Damon's coach, with Caroline Forbes. But not exactly the way Lexi or Damon wanted.
Or even he wanted if he was completely honest with himself. That was another thing entirely he'd have to save for his wildest dreams.
"Sometimes, I find it impossible that you, of all people, used to screw my brother—and then, you make comments like that," Stefan said and Lexi scoffed with a shudder before folding her arms over her spandex Nike crop top. "And it makes perfect sense why you two dated."
"Trust me—I've been repenting for a century to right my wrongs. I even told Bonnie about the time he drunkenly crashed our after-prom party on the boat wearing Zubaz and a pair of ski goggles with that god-awful fog-horn. Damon used to have a crew cut. Would you believe she actually laughed?" she said as Stefan snorted and Lexi shook her head. "But anyway—this isn't about your trash bag of a brother or my regret—this is about you and Caroline…and the fact that you two are finally on speaking terms again… Well, more than speaking terms to be honest—"
"We're just friends, Lexi. She is my friend," he reiterated, as she rolled her eyes and he placed his bottle to his lips again. "We 'slept' together in the literal sense of the word. I.E; we stayed up all night, talking about everything, and before I knew it? I passed out. And I'm guessing she did too, because I doubt she would have chosen the uncomfortable morning after if it was her decision.
He recalled opening his eyes that very morning on Damon's couch not only to Caroline's head resting on his chest, but his arms wrapped protectively at her waist, even amidst his dazed and confused state caressing his hands against her back, just like he used to when they were actually a thing. They were creatures of habit and he fell right back into his old ways almost immediately, with no time and absolutely no warning. Even unconsciously.
And it wouldn't have been so awkward, except Damon was there—of course—the second Stefan opened his eyes and came to, with a cup of coffee in his hand, his towel around his waist, and a smirk on his devilish lips as he mouthed his words slowly so Stefan could understand without imposing the risk of waking Caroline up—who was still snoring lightly, though the sun was shining brightly into the apartment.
"This is like Vegas all over again," Damon noted and Stefan dead-panned as his brother walked away smiling and whistling at his victory.
His song choice? "You Shook Me All Night Long," by AC/DC, naturally. Stefan even heard it playing minutes later from Damon's stereo system in the kitchen, as his brother began to sing along as loudly and obnoxiously as ever, while cooking up some eggs.
"Mature, Damon," he thought to himself before glancing down at Caroline again—the girl was as limp as a log in his arms; fingers pressed to the chest of his shirt as he sighed—debating whether or not he should go back to sleep as well or remove himself from this situation, before things got even tenser than they already were last night.
He decided on the latter, as he slowly attempted to ease out without disturbing her, and so that he could stretch his legs. That plan immediately failed when Caroline stirred at the movement and before Stefan could guide her onto a pillow she her hand pressed firmly—and involuntarily—right onto his crotch; her eyes remaining closed and he squinted hard though he couldn't stop the hiss that escaped his lips.
Hello, morning wood.
That woke her up for sure. Specifically with an unconscious moan before she realized what she did, as her eyes fluttered open and Stefan feigned a smile, though he was breathing painfully. That flipped into a very conscious "Oh my God," as Caroline sprung to her feet and stumbled for a second as she looked around uncomprehendingly before realizing she was still in Damon's apartment and that she'd accidentally slept here. With Stefan, on the couch—against her better knowledge and judgment.
And she'd just now inadvertently groped Stefan's penis.
This was already shaping up to be a long morning and it just started 15 seconds ago.
"Sorry," she said with a nervous glare as she blinked profusely. "And hi," Caroline added breathlessly. "I've been sleeping alone the past few months—obviously—so I'm not always entirely aware of my, uhm… surroundings, when I wake up," she explained before she swallowed hard.
But she felt it. Stefan's very big surrounding. Why couldn't she just stop talking, now?
He watched on as she brushed her blonde curls out of her face, adjusted her dress, and smiled charismatically though she was sure her cheeks were as red as a tomato. It was clear she was as shaken up by this as he was—which was a good thing, he supposed. Even if he was sure he was going to have blue balls for the next five days.
"It's okay… And… hey," Stefan replied just as anxiously—his mind still reeling at the fact that Caroline was here standing before him and this wasn't a dream; dimpled cheeks, a timid stance, and electric blue orbs when their eyes met and he swallowed hard. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, I slept great," she said—instantly regretting the speed of her words as she cleared her throat. "I mean… It was uhm, fine, for a couch," she fidgeted before turning her attention to the ground where her heels had been haphazardly discarded and she knelt down to put them on her feet.
She wouldn't have been surprised if she went flying face-first into the coffee table, with the way this morning was going. Her nerves were making her completely unbalanced. Nothing physical had even happened—aside from a hand hold or knee-grab, here and there—and she already felt like she was running away from something.
Why? Why did it feel like that when he was just supposed to be her friend?
"Good… I'm glad," Stefan nodded as Caroline sent him a hasty smile before standing to her feet and now searching for her clutch. "Uhm… Damon is in the kitchen. If you wanna say hi—"
"Damon's here?" Caroline halted with raised brows before suddenly hearing the classic rock blasting and him singing just beyond the door and she inhaled while smoothing out her dress in an even more hurried manner than she seemed in before. "Right… Damon's here. This is his apartment. I'm an idiot. I-I gotta go—"
"Oh… Okay," he said as she whizzed past Stefan quickly and towards the front door, grabbing her clutch off of his end table right by the exit. "You sure you wanna head out so quickly? He's making breakfast, if you're hungry."
"I'm fine, honestly," she said hopping on one foot to fasten her strappy heel while avoiding his eyes. "Plus I promised Bonnie we'd go get manicures, so I should probably go get ready at her apartment… Across the hall," she reasoned and he nodded when her palm touched the door knob to see herself out.
Caroline?"
She stopped instantly at sound of his velvet voice and turned around to face him—his forest green eyes glowing and her insides doing that somersault-thing again, the longer the silence extended; this time, a full five seconds, in which she died and reincarnated 18 times.
"Stefan," was all she could say plainly—shakily—in response and he smiled at the nervousness beyond her eyes because he felt that too.
One night at this and they'd already flubbed twice—once with "sleeping together." The other, with her palming Stefan's manhood. The least they could do was get this goodbye right—especially because he didn't want it to be a goodbye at all.
"I'm glad you came," he said, taking a slow step in towards her, which served to not only triple her heartbeat but his as well; they were both feeling everything. "You know, I wasn't expecting you, at all…. But… I'm happy we talked and you're doing a lot better with everything—"
"Me too," she nodded—tucking a loose strand behind her ear before folding her arms. "We really got a lot out in the open and —"
"Made great progress and—"
"Set a lot of things straight," she finished his sentence as he looked down at the ground and she cleared her throat. "And I'm happy you enjoyed your gift—"
"It's awesome, Caroline… Really, really thoughtful," Stefan said as a smile cracked on her lips—his as well—as he recalled opening the skillfully wrapped gift-box the night prior to reveal a vintage Leica Rangefinder camera that nearly made his heart combust like a little kid in a candy shop. She explained she'd seen it in an antique store on Long Island when she was searching for some pieces for her house and it made her think of him, though it'd been years since he'd kept up with his photography hobby. "It was… my favorite gift by far. I can't thank you enough."
"Don't mention it," she said with an awkward smile while he listened on. "I, uh… I have to go. Bonnie's gonna kill me—"
"Of course, yeah, I don't wanna hold you up," Stefan said softly—he was standing so close yet so far away, as he imagined sifting his hands through her sandy blonde hair right at that exact moment; the tension was absolutely killing him.
"Thanks… Pal," Caroline punched his shoulder lightly—and Stefan watched her recoil almost instantly at the fact that she'd just called her legal-husband a "pal" and even attempted to hit his arm like old buddies do.
Except old buddies didn't keep in mind the rock hard muscle beneath that shirt, when she inhaled a deep breath and suddenly couldn't stop herself heating up at the thought.
Yup. This "friends" thing was going to be horrible.
"So… see you around, maybe?" she asked, in a voice so small he almost hadn't even heard her ask it.
"Definitely," he confirmed and with a nod but not another word, the door was swung open as she damn near ran out like a bat out of hell, as Stefan was left standing there to drown in his own thoughts, which were coincidentally interrupted by a pair of footsteps behind him and an award-winning smirk he knew he didn't even have to turn around and see. He just felt it beaming right on his back.
"Damon, don't even start…"
"You two are so unbelievably screwed," his brother laughed before he turned around to see him holding tray and chewing while Stefan folded his arms. "Scrambled eggs to match your scrambled thoughts?"
They were indeed screwed.
"Stefan. We've been friends all our lives," Lexi brought him back to reality as he met her eyes, snapping out of his thoughts. "If you really think I'm just going to let you play this whole thing off like it's casual and meant nothing—"
"It was casual, Lexi—"
"Too casual for me to ask her to be in the wedding?"
"One thousand percent yes, too casual for you to even think about asking Caroline to be in your wedding," Stefan said and Lexi stomped her feet before letting out a long whine while he held up both of his hands. "I know, Lex. And I realize it's ultimately her choice, but—"
"So why are you so afraid of me asking her, Stefan?" Lexi questioned as he ticked his jaw. "It's not like she doesn't know about my and Marcel's engagement— she even sent me a text congratulating us after I'm assuming she got the save-the-date a few months ago."
"But did she sound excited about coming?" he asked and Lexi pursed her lips. "Because surely nobody who just missed their own wedding wants to go be a part of somebody else's. Much less, even show their face."
"You're doing it," Lexi nudged his chest and he sighed as he remembered his commitment to Marcel to be one of his groomsmen when his best friend's announced their upcoming December wedding at The Angel Oresanz Center right in the city and they'd asked him to be a part of it; he just couldn't say no, despite how anxious the idea of a wedding after missing his own made him feel. "And not for nothing? Caroline is not that fragile. She's a strong person—just like you. You've gotta give her more credit, Steffy."
"I am, I do, I just…" he trailed off at the idea of watching Caroline walk down the aisle—or even more accurately, coming down the aisle with him—at a beautiful and extravagant wedding that wasn't her own, and he instantly got depressed about it, despite how selfish that made him. He just couldn't help feeling like he was getting kicked in the throat.
"I'm sorry about your June wedding. You know that, right?"
"I do."
"And I'm not doing this to be insensitive, Stefan," Lexi added genuinely as he met her eyes. "Marcel and I… we've wanted this for a really long time and it's finally right—with my boutique picking up and him officially becoming a signatory on his parent's company. We're both finally in the right place."
"You are," he nodded, "And I'm happy for you both. I mean it, Lexi. You're both my best friend's and it's amazing that you two are building a life together… It's a great thing—"
"And the only thing that could make our great thing even better is if you and Caroline could join us," she said as he sighed and bit his lip. "We love you, Stefan—we love Caroline. And it would be the happiest day of my life and an even bigger honor if you could both be a part of it," she added and he nodded his head as he met her eyes. "You don't have to worry about the pressure of being the best-man and bridesmaid; Sophie and Thierry already accepted—"
"Okay," he said as Lexi's eyes brightened up and he exhaled before speaking again. "At least let me throw the idea out there to her, first," he finally conceded and Lexi clapped happily and he sighed. "Maybe I can…talk to her about it, over dinner, or something."
"A date. With your wife who's totally still into you, by the way. That sounds perfect," Lexi smiled.
"It's not—"
"Gotta go!" she exclaimed before reaching in and planting a quick kiss on his cheek and grabbing her towel to head towards the locker room. "I have to go meet he florist, but thank you, Stefan. Let me know what happens! I've already picked out the perfect bridesmaid dress for her—and tell her if it's any conciliation, I've got you two paired up. Love you!" she winked and he shook his head as he grabbed his gloves and she disappeared.
He and Caroline "paired up." That's exactly what he suspected they should be afraid of.
XXXXX
"You're in a good mood," Caroline heard, as she snapped out of her thoughts and looked into the round blue eyes of the woman before her, casting a smile and finally sitting up in her chair. "Most days, I have trouble getting you to talk because you're too upset… Today, you just seem too distracted. But in a good, happy, bubbly way."
Caroline smiled guiltily at that before shaking her head and clearing her throat.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Parker… Jo, I mean," Caroline said as the women grinned and her clip board and pen remained in hand. "I just… I had a really good night, last week, and I've been dying to share it with you and now I'm still tongue-tied… It's like… I don't where to start," Caroline confessed.
The therapist offered a consoling smile at that before placing her materials down and folding her hands over the desk; her eyes still completely focused on Caroline as she parted her lips to speak.
"Okay, so… how about today, I don't write anything down? No pressure, no records, just me listening—like I was one of your friends. Pretend you are telling this story to Bonnie or Elena," Jo encouraged and Caroline nodded at that obeying. "Is it about Stefan? Did you end going to his birthday party?"
"Yes and no," Caroline confirmed as Jo raised a brow and she held up an index to explain herself. "It is about Stefan. But I didn't go to his party, I… showed up on his brother's roof, two minutes before his birthday ended and then he invited me down to the apartment where we… drank coffee and talked about everything. Our parents, our jobs…us. We talked about us."
"And?" Jo asked curiously as Caroline like her teeth. "Do you think you two are finally on the same page, again? Was any solid progress made?"
"I do," Caroline said and her therapist smiled softly as she spaced out for another moment—remembering his voice, his touch, and his smile ringing through her head, like some sort of romantic comedy playing on loop.
And that was so far from where she had been when she first came here for help; her entire world falling down around her and herself with it, as she spent most days crying to Jo about all of the things she wished she could fix.
Herself, included.
But just as the seasons changed, so did the tides, as Caroline began to feel more purpose within herself—when she realized she wasn't just Liz and Bill's daughter, just Logan's mistress, just Klaus' punching bag, or just Stefan's girlfriend/wife. She was so much more than that and expressing her hopes and dreams—as well her fears—helped her to get right back on track towards what she saw as her personal journey—and that was to be as happy and healthy as she possibly could be.
And she knew one person, at least, who contributed to that journey, even when he didn't know it.
Sure, she was still insecure, neurotic, control freak Caroline—as evidenced by her mini-meltdown when she thought Stefan had found a girlfriend. No amount of security in her life would ever really change who she was. But she'd realized all it took were a few honest words from him about it—and that brooding, romance novel stare—to make her see that her fears about Stefan losing interest or moving on were unwarranted because he definitely wanted her, still, just as much as she wanted him.
Even if they were playing their hand at this "friendship" thing for a while.
Or however long they could handle it, at least. It'd been only a week since seeing him again, and she was already imagining every single sex position she wanted him to put her, when they would inevitably fail at this platonic thing and end up in her or his bed.
Or on the floor.
Or maybe even the shower, like old times.
"He's fine with the friendship thing," Caroline finally said as she reigned in her thoughts Jo listened on. "He says however much time I need… and I appreciate that."
"As I'm sure he appreciates your honesty with him," Jo said and Caroline nodded as the woman tucked her brown hair behind her ear. "Speaking of honesty… Klaus… Have you… considered telling Stefan the extent of the abuse in your relationship with him or is that something you're not willing to dig up, again?"
Caroline swallowed hard at that as her mind bounced back to the session where she finally revealed just all of the ways the man had hurt her and subsequently spent the next hour sobbing onto Jo's shoulder while the woman met her with silence and simply held her tightly all the while.
Honestly speaking—that had almost been enough for Caroline; being able to finally talk to someone other than her abuser about everything he had done to her. She didn't spare or sugarcoat any detail when Jo made it clear that she needed to know everything and so Caroline told her. From the abusive words to the times he'd physically threatened her life—there was now someone else besides herself who knew everything, and didn't for one second make her feel like she was crazy, like she'd imagined it—or even worse—like she'd deserved it.
Because she hadn't at all; and Jo was intent on hammering it into her head so that she knew it too.
Now, she did—100%. She just wasn't sure that gave her enough confidence yet to tell Stefan. She wanted him know at this point, simply because she hated the idea of still hiding any part of herself—no matter how ugly it was.
But was she still giving Klaus the power and control over her that he wanted by being honest and understanding that he really hurt her?
That was what she needed to figure out. She could only hope her self-questioning about it wouldn't begin to eat her alive before she came up with an answer.
"I—"Caroline started and stopped before she finally shrugged and Jo remained silent to give her a chance to think. "I… do think I want to. I just don't know when… or how to say it, I… get word vomit, 99% of the time when I'm afraid… Or I get angry. And I don't want to give Klaus the satisfaction of letting him tear me down again. He doesn't deserve one more tear about of me. He doesn't deserve anything."
"Of course not, Caroline. What he deserves is to go to jail for domestic abuse and battery—and I hope you will come forward, someday about this… As for getting emotional—it doesn't make you weak to get upset about this, Caroline—or to still feel residual resentment towards him," Jo clarified and Caroline nodded with understanding as the therapist sat up and met her eyes. "And I know you're hesitant to report him to the authorities just because you don't want to reopen old wounds, but may I suggest a healthy outlet to expressing yourself?"
"Like what? I've been shopping way more than I need to, these days."
"Maybe writing, again, like you used to?… Or even an open mic night. I know that you like to sing—maybe singing about it will help you confront it… And gain the confidence to confront Stefan. You shouldn't be ashamed to be a survivor… Because that's what you are—you survived. It's a scary feeling but let that empower you, Caroline—in all aspects of your life. Personally, emotionally, spiritually…and physically."
Caroline nodded quietly at that as she watched on as Jo tore a piece of paper from her memo pad and quickly scribbled down a few names before handing it to her; her eyes scanning over every name in cursive.
"There are a lot of bars on the South Shore that do open mic night—where you don't have to worry about running into anyone either," Jo said as Caroline gripped the paper and looked up into her eyes. "Consider it, Caroline. Seriously. You deserve some time to heal and then some. I think this could be good for you." Caroline nodded at that and tucked the paper into her pocket with a sigh before Jo offered a smile and softly bit her lip. "Now… back to Stefan—"
"I fell asleep with him on the couch that night of his birthday," she revealed before pinching the bridge of her nose and shaking her head at the ridiculousness as Jo followed her eyes. "And when I woke up, I… accidentally may have grabbed his penis," she blurted to which Jo guffawed until she realized she was serious.
"Oh?" she said, stifling a laugh and Caroline had to bite back a smirk of her own while looking up and closing her eyes. "Just on impulse or were you trying to jog his memory—"
"Seriously? Don't," Caroline held up an index and Jo laughed heartily as the serious look remained in the blonde's eyes and she eventually failed at holding as well, erupting into genuine giggles as she explained the awkwardness as animatedly as only Caroline Forbes could.
This included arm waving, exaggerated speech, and about a thousand emotions that could've filled a normal human up, ten times over, on any given week. For Caroline? It was minutes.
And just as she'd reached the tail-end of the story, Jo was reaching forward for Caroline's cell phone on the desk—much to her confusion—before she finally handed it back and the blonde's brows raised when she looked at what Jo had been so intent on sharing on her screen.
It was Stefan's contact card, straight from her address book. Caroline swallowed hard and the therapist remained tall as her eyes traced over the phone.
"What am I—"
"Call him," Jo instructed and Caroline's eyes widened as Jo stared on like a mad woman. "Oh, come on. It's been a week and it is 2015. You are a strong, forward, resilient young woman—"
"Who is content fantasizing about Stefan instead of actually hanging out with him. Just in case I accidentally assault him again."
"Let's be real—I don't think he minded," Jo said and Caroline ticked her jaw and the woman smiled. "And… I'm sure you got him a gift for his birthday. Don't you wanna follow up? It was probably sincere and really special—"
"Yeah, some super-nerd hipster camera I may or may not have spent a fortune on," Caroline said as she folded her arms while simultaneously remembering the smile on Stefan's face as it coursed through her bones and began to warm her heart. "Not like money is an object when it comes to him."
"But I'm sure you're dying to know if he's used it or just… how everything is going, in general?" Jo urged and Caroline remained stoic before the therapist sighed in frustration. "Call him, seriously."
"And say what, exactly?" Caroline asked incredulously as the phone remained in her hand. "We haven't even said a word to each other post-Fondle-Gate… I mean, if you don't count the really cute Snap Chat message he sent me last night—our cat fell asleep on his chest."
"And you didn't respond to that?" Jo shrieked.
"I didn't know what to say!" Caroline exclaimed as she recalled the warm fuzzy in her stomach at the fact that Stefan was not only using social media, but using it to communicate with her, after he'd made it a point so many times to state just how ridiculous he found all of these things. "Stefan doesn't Snap Chat regularly—he barely even texts."
"So, what you're saying is that there is no replacement for actually hearing each other's voices and seeing each other's faces? Hm. That's insane," Jo said sarcastically and Caroline pursed her lips as her fingers tightened on the phone. "Call him, Caroline. Please. Your session ends in five minutes and I need to know how this all plays out."
"Fine, I'll call," Caroline said as Jo's lips parted into a huge smile and the blonde shook her head before pressing the send button and placing the cell to her ear. "But if he sent that picture to everyone and I got excited for no reason—"
"Do you honestly believe that he did?"
"No, but—"
"Alright then," Jo concluded and Caroline growled beneath her breath as she listened to the phone still ringing on the other end before it finally went to voicemail and she hung up before it prompted to leave a message at the beep.
Caroline tossed the phone back onto the table before clapping her hands together tightly.
"I got his voicemail. Happy? It's a Saturday morning, why would he answer? He's probably in the office, doing accountant things or out for a run, or something—"
Caroline's words were interrupted when the phone in the middle of the table began to buzz almost immediately, and Stefan's name and picture flashed across the display as she took in a deep breath and Jo smiled as she tilted her head.
She was enjoying this way too much.
"I'm not—"
"If you don't answer, I will. And I'm sure you really don't want me to say what I plan on saying," Jo warned and Caroline quickly swiped her phone off of the table before sending her a deep scowl—her heart beating triple time as she pressed accept and exhaled a deep breath.
This was real—this was actually real.
"Caroline?"
"Stefan, hey," managed to say lightly without sounding like a complete bimbo, though she absolutely felt like one. "What's… going on?"
"I am currently checking the mail and then going off to my Uncle Zach's… Gail is away on business so I promised him I'd babysit Aiden for a hours so he could get some stuff done today," Stefan revealed and Caroline suppressed the smile that threatened to cross her lips as she remembered Stefan's five-year old cousin that she hadn't properly spent time with since Thanksgiving. "Sorry I missed your call before. I was trying to find my helmet."
"Helmet?"
"Motorcycle helmet," he clarified before clearing his throat. "I got a bike…Well, Damon got me a bike. And I was going to get rid of it but I figured with all the nice weather and my desperate need to unwind from all the work stuff—"
Caroline didn't even hear anything else he said, because she was too busy swooning at the idea of Stefan on a motorcycle, zipping throughout the city streets. It was like he knew exactly what to do and say to have her melting at every cavity and turning into complete putty on the floor.
She looked up to see Jo was taking notes on this, with a smile plastered to her face.
This woman really could have been Satan.
"Congrats… on the bike," Caroline said when there was finally a pause—not even sure if they were still on that topic. "And tell Aiden I said hello, if he even remembers me… It's been a really long time."
"Of course he does," Stefan reassured as Caroline bit her lip. "But I'll send my regards anyway."
"Thank you—"
"Unless you're free and you want to tell him yourself?" he asked and Caroline swallowed hard before looking down. "I'll be at their brownstone, on 6th. You're totally welcome to swing by… No pressure."
There was a lull between them for a moment as Caroline felt her heart positively stop and Jo watched her curiously as it became apparent the blonde was absolutely tongue-tied and terrified and had no clue what to say.
What was she supposed to say? Of course she wanted to talk to him—see him, even—but five months away from someone was a long time and you didn't just jump right back into it after that, did you?
You couldn't, anyway, right? It certainly didn't feel like it.
Of course she wanted to see Aiden and go running through the halls with him as she once did before; her mind recalling the happy screeching of the little boy and Zach and his wife Gail's satisfied smiles as they saw their son taking such a liking to someone so important in Stefan's life. They'd offered for her to come over many occasions since then, but between work and her life positively falling apart, Caroline had never taken them up on the offer. Now here it was, again, but this time? With Stefan as her ex-boyfriend, in tow. What if things got even weirder than they did the other day or—even worse—Aiden started asking questions about what was going on between them? Kids at that age knew more than they should have for their own good. It would be an absolute nightmare if this kid somehow heard all of the things the paparazzi said about them. And if he could actually repeat them.
"I, uhm…"
"That was forward of me, wasn't it?" Stefan resigned and Caroline inhaled as she heard him take a breath. "You're just barely getting used to me again, and I'm already asking you to help play baby sitter."
"No, it's—it's fine, Stefan," Caroline stuttered before swallowing her pride and meeting Jo's eyes. "I was… actually calling because it's been a few days and I figured we could make some small talk about the camera but… truth is I just wanted to hear your voice… And I guess I wouldn't mind seeing you too," she said as she bit her lip slowly.
"…You sure you don't mind? You know Aiden, he can be a handful—"
"All the more reason to give you a hand," she said and she could feel Stefan's smile over the line as a dash of hers appeared across her cheeks. "I mean, yeah—we're friends, right? And what are friends for?"
"You're… absolutely right," Stefan said and Caroline caught her breath the moment he agreed—an impressed look floating on Jo's face when the girl smiled—still in complete disbelief that she actually was going to see him and she hadn't gone into cardiac arrest in the process.
She was petrified, sure. But Jo was right—it was time to start empowering herself. And what better way than seeing the one person who still could absolutely dismantle her?
Maybe it really was time to get a handle on this ticking time bomb filled with tension that was between them.
"Okay, uhm so… I guess I'll see you in a bit? Should I bring anything?"
"Condoms," Jo mouthed and Caroline felt her face turn beet-red as the woman smiled and she cleared her throat to shake the thought out of her head.
"Yourself. Yourself is fine. I'll… see you soon, Caroline."
"See you soon," she hung up—her mind-racing as she looked up to see a very proud Jo Parker smiling at her grandly before she let her own laugh fall from her lips in disbelief while the woman clapped her hands ecstatically.
"See? That wasn't so hard!"
"What do you mean, it was terrifying!"
"But was it worth it?" Jo asked and Caroline pressed her lips shut; the hint of a smirk ghosting across her lips before she finally nodded—much to no one's surprise.
Stefan Salvatore had always been worth it.
And it seemed as though the universe was intent on never letting her forget that.
XXXXX
Rebekah took in a deep, nervous breath as she remained propped up on the exam table in the doctor's office; her heart pounding as she let herself think just to how she got here, what she would do, and what this all meant for her as she watched the woman before her writing furiously as they continued on in complete silence.
She always wondered just how much shit doctors talked in those notes. Probably a lot about her, considering she'd been late, moody, and curt since showing up to this place.
She couldn't help, really; she'd always hated even getting check-ups because she always had this intense fear that something would be wrong with her—there definitely was, most of the time.
But who wouldn't rather live in blissful ignorance than an unhappy reality? It was the reason she came to New York, anyway—to escape her unhappy reality—but it quickly caught up to her in more ways than one and she couldn't say she was surprised at all.
Just lonely. As lonely as she had been, since day one.
"Do you smoke, drink, or do any drugs, Rebekah?" the woman asked bluntly and she shook her head no before meeting her eyes.
"No. Not in the past few months, anyway."
"Single?"
"Yes," she nodded and the doctor checked something off as she nervously curled her toes. "Just me… And well, now…" She stopped as the woman sent her a sympathetic stare and she nodded before clearing her throat and forcing a smile. "Just me."
But it hadn't always been, her thoughts reminded her, as she flashed back to the night that started this—that got her wrapped up in this, and him again—while the doctor continued to rattle off some information that was need-to-know.
She was too easily trapped in her memories.
"I told Stefan to get down there to knock some sense into her and it seems he's forgotten the task at hand," Rebekah heard, as she turned around with a bottle of Moet in hand and came face-to-face with Enzo—his gaze casting over the champagne she'd obviously taken from the special collection in his private suite, overlooking the entire club. "I'd ask you to give it a go, too, but it seems you're a bit occupied."
Rebekah offered a dry smile at that—her eyes remaining ahead as she watched the blonde down below igniting spark to everyone around her; dancing so wildly and freely, as if she had no care in the world.
As if she weren't suffering as well.
Rebekah realized she envied her, as she watched Caroline with her hands in the air, laughing with Stefan, Damon and Bonnie who had just joined her on the dance floor and—interestingly enough—Hayley, who seemed to be her biggest fan, as the two snapped pictures together, sung happily to one another, while remaining glued to each other's sides.
Rebekah took a swig from the bottle.
That'd been she and Caroline, once upon a time, before everything went to shit. It was funny how things really changed.
"As her boss, I can see why you're upset… But as her, well… former-friend, and in the name of feminism, I say let her be," Rebekah replied after she swallowed the champagne down. "She's had a rough few months."
"Haven't we all," Enzo said, calmly.
Yes. Yes, they had.
She'd retreated back her by her lonesome when she got sick of entertaining guests—or boys, in particular—as it became clear the ones at this event cared very little about who she was or what she did. She'd met at least four who didn't even bother to ask her name before trying to get her to go somewhere private where they could "talk" on their own. Ultimately, they were just in competition to see who could fuck her before the others if she were desperate enough and if she would let them.
She realized she couldn't exactly peg them as wrong because she had been that way plenty of times; the one who would have—and had—done that sort of thing just because she was bored and lonely.
Hell, she'd done it with the man standing right in this suite.
She let the bottle escape her lips as she heard Enzo's footsteps nearing her—slowly and calmly—before he finally took a seat beside her and stuck his hand out. Rebekah sighed with disappointment when she half expected him to take it then reprimand her for attempting to get fucked up on the job—like Caroline clearly had done—but instead he didn't. He rose the bottle to his lips and took a healthy swig as well before placing it down between them and staring at the dance floor, too.
Silence engulfed them for the next few minutes and neither denied the reason why.
Because it was still weird—the way she'd come into his life and how she was now remaining here, entirely because of him as well.
They'd stopped whatever "thing" they had between them two months ago, despite him offering her a job until she got on her feet and her reluctantly accepting it, even though neither wanted to admit that the sparks were still there.
The attraction and understanding hadn't gone away just because they wanted it to; nothing had simmered at all. And for Enzo, it was hard—especially because he knew Rebekah was having a hard time, in spite of the smile she painted on her face every day.
And it was harder than he wanted to admit with each second that he had to watch her struggling. Especially when it came to Caroline, and her brother, Klaus.
Especially when it came to him.
"I'm sorry for being another person you have to babysit tonight—I just needed a moment to myself. Seems you needed one too," she finally spoke. Enzo nodded admittedly to that, as he took another swig from the bottle before setting it down and licking his teeth. Rebekah's eyes remained on him all the while. "What's wrong? I know you're not this bent out of shape about Caroline being… Caroline. You've been testy all day. The entire week, actually. Clearly you've got a lot on your mind."
"I'm sure I'm not the only one," he replied as she parted her lips silently before grabbing the bottle. "I know you and Caroline got into an argument—you two make it obvious when you're at odds with one another. And I guess it's not really my business, but… I apologize if this job has done more to strain that; what's going on between you two is tough as it is."
"I'm thankful for the job, Enzo, trust me… It's not that either, it's my brother," she said as he pressed his lips shut. "It'll always be my brother and there isn't a damn thing that I can do about that… And I can't say that I blame her, anyway, the more I think about it. Nik ruined everything with her when she was so in love with him… He broke her heart… And as big of an asshole my brother may be—and despite how disgustingly amazing Stefan is for her—I can't say I'm shocked over the way he's reacted to this… to losing her, for real. He was her entire world. I don't think anyone's ever loved him more than Caroline, has."
"Except for you," Enzo replied as Rebekah found his eyes and his obsidian eyes and remained silent. "You love your brother, Rebekah. And I have my reservations about that, considering the fact that he's an idiot who doesn't deserve you or Caroline in his life… But I know what it's like to care about someone who doesn't treat you well," he added and Rebekah didn't say anything to that, so he continued. "It was my birthday a few days ago—something I never tell anyone because I never cared about, ever, to be honest but… a part of me expected Maggie to call. And she didn't. She's still playing missing and I think not hearing from her now that I know she's alive out there somewhere, living a new life, finally woke me up…And… I think I'm ready to file for a divorce."
Rebekah remained still—flabbergasted, most definitely—at the words that escaped his mouth as she stared at him quietly—his gaze meeting her own as the only sound between them was the muffled music from the club.
"How are you…" she started and stopped, "What will you have to do to get one?"
"Well, in exchange for the proof Katherine and Giuseppe have indicating she's alive? I don't know—I don't know what I'll do, because I refuse to hurt Caroline, and they haven't contacted me since then—eerily enough. But… I need to let go, Rebekah—for real. And I know you know what that's like—needing to remove someone who hurts you from your life, despite how much you love them, but… it's a scary feeling all in the same. It's absolutely terrifying the day you realize you may need to be alone because you have to finally put yourself first… You have to put your needs first."
A moment of silence passed as Rebekah thought about his words—how they not only applied to him, and her, but Caroline as well—before she finally nodded in agreement.
She knew this was something he'd been putting off since he found out—a small part of him probably hoping Maggie would return one day—but that was over. Just like she needed to stop hoping her brother would change one day, as she realized she spent most nights by the phone waiting for a call.
She spent most of her time praying he would want her back when she shouldn't have even needed him.
She didn't need him at all.
She broke out of her thoughts when Enzo finally rose to his feet to leave and Rebekah stopped him by his arm when he looked into her eyes and swallowed hard.
"Thank you," she said as he followed her eyes and his lips remained shut. "For…being a good friend. Not just with helping me out with a job, but… for trying to fix things with Caroline and I. I-I haven't really been at my personal best when it comes to helping other people but… you've always been kind to me. Despite what you've been going through, which is something I can't even imagine."
Rebekah bit her lip when she felt Enzo place a hand to her cheek—his thumb stroking against her jaw ever-so-lightly as she breathed in slowly and inhaled the scent of his cologne. His stare never faltered—even when he slowly dropped his hand—and he continued to look at her like he saw the universe in her eyes.
And then some.
"You're just as important as anyone, Rebekah, remember that," he said and she bit her lip as her heart warmed at his words. "Don't sell yourself short—or act as if you owe the world so much, when there are others who owe you quite a bit as well… I know that I do."
Rebekah swallowed hard at that—blinking back the water in her eyes as she watched him smile at her one more time before he finally turned to leave; his hands in his pockets and her heart in her throat as she realized this was it. This was the moment when she'd admit it to herself that she'd fallen for him, despite all of the reasons why they could not—and probably would not—ever be.
Because things didn't work out that way for people like Rebekah. There was no such thing as knights and fairytales in her universe.
But she wanted there to be.
She wanted it so badly.
"Enzo," she said, stopping him in his tracks as he turned back around to look at her—his serious eyes narrowing on her gaze when she moved in towards him, standing face-to-face for a silent moment before she timidly reached in and placed her lips to his.
The kiss couldn't have lasted more than ten seconds, perhaps not even five—but it felt like an eternity—as her hands crept onto his neck and he just stood there, allowing her lips to form against his own with so much passion—and so much feeling—until she finally pulled away. Her cheeks were warm from her bashfulness, but she cleared her throat confidently anyway as he didn't say a word, while still trying to take it all in.
Trying to take her in.
"I didn't give you anything for your birthday," she stated clearly as he lifted a brow. "And uhm… I guess that was it. Probably a bit underwhelming for you, but—"
Her words were cut off when their lips met again—this time, his move, as he pulled her in towards him and Rebekah nearly stumbled into his arms as he planted them around her waist and she easily formed her own over his shoulders. She devoured his lips as quickly and hungrily as he did hers for just a few moments until they were separated again—and Enzo let out a deep exhale as he brushed his thumb against his lipstick stained mouth and Rebekah pursed her own when she realized just how much she'd been craving that.
She'd needed that from him, for so long.
"Don't let me do that, ever again," he said much to her surprise, as her eyes widened and he backed away towards the door; the air in her lungs ceasing as she followed his fiery stare. "You're my employee and I'm your boss—it makes for messy, imbalanced power dynamics—"
"I don't care," she said as she moved in towards him and held his hands. "I don't care if you're my boss, Enzo, because I know you as more than that—and I know I mean more to you than that."
"I'm still a married man," he cut her off as she felt him let her hands go and he took another step away again. "And you deserve someone available—"
"I deserve someone who wants me," she cut him off and he inhaled deeply as she stepped in again and followed his eyes. "Because you do… you always have… And that's what I want. That is what I deserve."
Enzo pursed his lips as Rebekah placed both hands to his neck softly and he shut his eyes for a moment before he felt her mouth press to his jaw and he tightened at her touch.
"This won't stop if we don't," he said to her gently as she continued. "You realize that don't you?"
Rebekah stopped for a moment—his brown eyes were gleaming as he was trying his best to keep his hands at his sides, while hers remained to his skin. He was right; if they started this again, the chances of getting out were slim to none, because they were both just too addicted.
Addicted to touch, to emotions, to feelings; and to feeling like something. This made them both feel like something.
Rebekah released her hands for a moment as he exhaled—ready to turn around and see himself out, just like before, and without another word.
But he stopped when her fingers lifted to the side zipper on her dress—her pull slowly trailing down the fabric until finally it fell to the floor and her eyes shot to his. Enzo swallowed hard as she took a step in closer and planted her hands to his chest slowly. The gaze in her eyes was hypnotic.
She was the ocean—and he surely wanted to drown.
"I'm okay with that if you are," she replied and he licked his teeth as she still followed his eyes. "I was… hoping for that, actually."
And that was all it took, as she immediately felt her back against the wall, his body pressed to hers, and her hands undid his suit jacket and tie, while their lips collided continuously at the speed of light.
And that wasn't the last night it happened—it only went on from there. Just like they both knew that it would.
Which was what led her here; in front of an ultrasound machine, receiving a sonogram, because she was three months pregnant. And none of her friend's knew—she'd avoided Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena for this exact reason—and she had no idea what she was planning to do, seeing as she was now on her way towards being a single mother and there wasn't a single soul she could be honest with this about.
Except—
"Am I too late?" Rebekah and the doctor heard, as the door opened slightly to a nurse gesturing the familiar man inside, but him remaining gingerly in the frame, as the woman awaited the blonde's approval, though merely a look of shock had laced her features.
Enzo, in the flash; staring at her with wide eyes and an assured stare because he was finally seeing it; Rebekah was pregnant and now it was real and he couldn't have been more taken by it or the fact that it was his.
He was going to be a father.
And her surprise never faltered either because this was it; he was here. Sure, she'd told him—because he had a right to know she was carrying his child—but she didn't expect him to actually show up, much less, talk to her ever again; not when he had a company to run.
And not while he was still married.
But she supposed there was a first time for everything, as Rebekah felt a strange sense of security wash over her and she nodded affirmatively—which prompted relief not only from him, but the doctor as well, who was putting on gloves the second she'd placed her clipboard down and flipped on the screen.
Enzo took a seat right beside her and—with Rebekah's permission—her hand into his.
That suddenly made the scariest moment of her life maybe not-so-scary. This actually felt comforting.
"Let's get started, shall we?" the doctor said with a smile as she picked up the gel to squirt onto her stomach and Rebekah bit her lip as Enzo offered her a smile that further calmed her nerves. "I think Dad has missed a lot and he deserves to be caught up to speed."
XXXXX
"Okay seriously? This game is rigged!" Caroline said, as her hands slammed against her videogame controller and Aiden shrieked happily as his Mario zoomed past Caroline's Princess Peach—putting him neck-and-neck with Stefan's Yoshi, who was still currently in first place. "Last I checked? You hated Mario Kart. How are you so good at it now?"
"Aiden—remind Caroline what it is I say about being a sore loser," Stefan replied and the young boy's eyes remained on the flat-screen in the living room though he was speaking a mile a minute.
"Don't be a loser—be a learner!"
"Thank you, Aiden."
"You're welcome, Cousin Stefan."
Caroline's mouth dropped as she turned to Stefan's eyes and she was met with a sly smirk that equally annoyed and enthralled her.
"Don't do that," she held up an index and Stefan scoffed as he feigned ignorance, though the smile on his lips was growing even wider.
And she was, well, drowning in it.
"Don't do what? Teach my cousin sportsmanship and grace? I'll have you know I'm just trying to be a good role model, Caroline."
"Yeah, well, I think you're an ass—"she stopped as she realized he wasn't even pressing any keys anymore and a smile spread to her lips when seconds later, the sound effects from the game were blaring, signifying Aiden's victory, as the kid dropped his controller and screamed; causing an eruption of laughter from both she and Stefan when he turned around and leapt onto the couch and into their arms excitedly.
"I won!"
"I know, you totally crushed it. Good job, buddy!" Stefan said as he gave him a high-five and ruffled his dark brown hair. "I knew you could do it."
Caroline felt the smile on her lips growing as she watched Stefan rise to his feet with Aiden hanging onto him like a koala—a playful growl emitting from his lips as the boy laughed hysterically while Stefan held onto him tightly and attacked him with kisses.
She couldn't help but marvel how good Stefan had been with the child since being here—making him laugh, scream, and smile, as he habitually swept him up into his arms, nuzzled his face, and asked him questions routinely about how old he was, what his favorite subject was in school, and what his favorite games to play were, too.
And they made sure to play all of them too, as Caroline mentally counted on both hands all of the activities the three had engaged in today; including board and video games, a trip to the park, lots of eating, and even a little baking—they'd made brownies and cupcakes.
Aiden had been running on sugary fumes since showing up to her door step with Stefan; the little boy immediately running into her arms and hugging her tightly as Caroline squeezed him back just as lovingly and Stefan locked the door behind her. He told her everything there was to know about himself in a matter of five minutes and she felt butterflies every time she looked up and saw Stefan staring at her; completely enamored by how much Aiden adored her and seemed to take a liking to her instantly, even though it'd been months since their last meeting.
It felt like only yesterday, to her. And being around Stefan—and in Stefan's life—felt like home.
She missed this so much.
So much so, she didn't even freak out when they'd gotten stopped more than three times while Aiden was up on Stefan's shoulders at the park to hear that their "son was adorable," to which they stopped beginning to explain that it wasn't what it looked like and they finally just went with it.
They were having too much fun to correct every single wrongful compliment and secretly? She didn't think that she wanted to.
They were still in "friends mode," and worlds away from being ready to be "married," again, but there was something about this—about him—that made her wish that she was ready; it made her want to have all of this and more, with him.
Maybe it was the way he always let Aiden win. Or the way he just seemed so protective. Maybe it was just in her head.
But whatever it was—it was making it harder and harder for her to act like this was nothing; like she didn't miss every single second of being around him, though she knew the distance was still for the better.
And the time was what they needed to ultimately heal and hopefully start this the right way. She wanted nothing more than to be on the right track again, and she was getting there—in almost every aspect of her life.
But she missed him—and that was common, she realized. What was so abnormal about wanting to be around someone who liked you? Appreciated you? Respected you? Loved you?
It wasn't that unusual at all. And she had to stop making herself feel like it.
XXXXX
"Aiden's finally asleep," Stefan said, as he walked back into the kitchen where Caroline was packing away a few dishes; a smile gracing her lips when he stood a few feet before her and looked into her eyes. "Three books later. Who knew that was all it took?"
Caroline let out a laugh at that, as she watched Stefan beginning to clean up with her; the kitchen was a mess from their baking fiasco and the aim was to have it spotless again by the time Zach came back—which was estimated to be within the next two hours.
As Caroline bid Aiden a goodnight and stayed behind to get a head-start on the clean-up as Stefan put him to bed, she couldn't help but smile to herself at just how successful this day had been. And just how afraid she was of it all, just a few hours ago, now to be in Zach's kitchen, side-by-side with him, like it was normal.
Like they were normal. Like they were friends.
"He really seems to admire you," Caroline said lightly as she closed the Tupperware holding a few brownies before heading to the fridge and stacking it in. "And you're… really good with him. It's like you're a natural."
"Pot, kettle, black," he responded as Caroline turned around and pursed her lips while Stefan's hands pressed to the table and her eyes couldn't help but trace over his arms as she gazed at his bare skin. "He loves you too. A lot… And he told me he misses you."
"He said that?"
"Yeah, he did," Stefan answered honestly and she blinked softly as he looked to the ground. "He… also told me not to be worried about you. Or us. My… five-year-old cousin is convinced things will work out in the end so I… have no choice but to believe him, right?"
Caroline bit her lip at that as Stefan went to work on cleaning the remnants of flour that were on the counter and she stood there quietly; soaking in the fact that even Aiden could see it—the spark, the tension—and they weren't fooling anybody at this point, pretending it meant less than it really was.
It meant a lot—it meant so much more than she could put into words.
Stefan meant so much more.
"How did he—"
"He overheard me and Zach talking," he revealed as Caroline stood silent. "I told my uncle I invited you over and he asked how we were doing… so…"
"How are we doing, Stefan?" she asked as she followed his eyes and he bit his lip.
"I was hoping you could tell me."
"I'm glad you invited me," Caroline said as Stefan listened on and she smiled gently at the relief filtering behind his eyes. "I mean it. I'm… really happy you gave me a chance to hang out with you and with Aiden. I've missed so much being away all these months and being here… it reminded me what it felt like to have everything back… And to have you, in my life."
"You still have me," he said when he met her eyes and shook his head as she swallowed hard. "I don't think you've ever not had me, Caroline."
A longer pause passed; this time as Caroline folded her arms and he made his way over to the dishwasher, where he placed a few more things in and started it quietly—the low hum the only sound between them.
"It's great to see you happy," he finally said as he wiped his hands before standing in front of her again. "I mean it. It's… hard, doing this and reminding myself that we're starting over and things can't be the same as they were before. But I'm happy you're happy—"
"Because of you, Stefan. I'm… happy because of you," she stated with conviction—and much to his surprise—as her hands landed on his shoulders and she took in a deep breath at the feeling of his skin against her fingers; her eyes ingesting the sight of his muscular frame in that V-neck t-shirt as she felt herself staring longer than she needed to, but shorter than she wanted. She looked back up into his eyes when she regained focus. "I'm... happy because of me, too—I've worked so hard at this; to finally feel like myself again, but… I feel the most like me when I'm around you, Stefan. And… 'friends' or not, that means so much to me. You will always mean so much to me."
Stefan watched on as a slow but sure smile crossed her lips— a stream of content dancing behind his eyes because that was all it took; just a few simple word from Caroline Forbes to make not only his head spin but his heart burst, as well. And right now? She'd done both. As effortlessly as she'd always had.
"I know you have a life and your job and stuff, but… I was hoping we could hang out, again. Soon," she said bravely, as he followed her eyes and she swallowed hard. "I-I don't care what we do—we can even play Mario Kart again, and you can call me a sore loser—"
"A learner," he corrected and she bit back her smirk. "It's called learning."
"It's called… me pummeling you into the ground, if you keep making fun of me."
Stefan laughed at that as Caroline grinned knowingly; her hands slowly dropping from his shoulders to her sides when she realized she was still touching him and if she stood any chance against the infectious smile that was plastered to his lips, she needed boundaries. A.S.A.P.
"How about dinner? Tomorrow night?" he said softly as she folded her arms and he trailed her eyes. "I can make it up to you, for being such a—"
"Jerk?" she asked and he smiled as her smirk ghosted across her lips and she hugged herself even tighter while he stared on. "Besides—I don't need your pity party, Stefan… I also don't need your annoying, random… frustratingly cute Snap Chat messages of you cuddling with my cat."
Stefan snorted at that as she remained firm.
"So you did see that? And you just chose not to respond."
"Why would I? You probably sent it to every girl in the city."
"Do you really believe that?"
"Well, no…"
"Good," he replied and her cheeks blushed for just a moment before he grabbed the tray of cupcakes and held it before her as she tilted her head. "Have one. You're not you when you're hungry."
Caroline scoffed at that.
"I am not cranky."
"Where's Maury with the lie detector when you need one?" he asked as she hit his arm at that as Stefan continued to smile and she reluctantly swiped a funfetti vanilla frosted cupcake off of the tray anyway; her eyes studying it for a moment before she looked back up at him and licked her tongue across her teeth.
"Fine. I'll have one. But only because they were really good… And not because you're being a self-righteous douchebag about it."
"Ouch," he placed a hand to his heart and pouted playfully, as she dipped her finger in the frosting and held it in front of her lips. "Show a little mercy, Caroline. I'm a lot more fragile than you think."
"Hm, well—"she started as her dragged her finger across his cheek and she smiled at the dollop of vanilla frosting on his face as he opened his mouth a little bit and let out a laugh of disbelief while Caroline remained tall. "Maybe you should hit the gym more, if you're so weak. I mean… It's quite obvious you've really let yourself go since we broke up."
Stefan shook his head with a grin and no more than three seconds passed before Caroline squealed—as a can of whipped cream suddenly made it into his hand and the bottle of chocolate syrup into hers when the two instantly erupted into an all-out food fight. Throwing cupcakes at one another, scooping frosting and launching it across the room, and even breaking out the flour, as the kitchen went from almost completely clean into a sugary, dessert explosion.
Caroline felt sprinkles down her bra and Stefan had something syrupy in his hair, as the two chased each other childishly around the island counter top; repeatedly calling for the other to cease fire, though it never seemed to happen, as someone always did something to keep the war going until they were both completely covered in so many ingredients, it was any wonder they hadn't woken Aiden up.
He was still sound asleep in his bedroom and they were—ridiculously—having the time of their lives.
"Okay, enough!" Caroline called—holding up both hands in surrender as a giggle passed her lips and Stefan neared towards her with the whipped cream still in hand. "I've gotta get these sprinkles out right now. They're grating my chest."
"Maybe you should have thought before you attacked me with the bottle of chocolate syrup and the caramel one. At the same time."
Caroline let out a little umph when her back finally hit the refrigerator behind her and she was left with nowhere else to go as he continued to step in; she'd be cornered in less than ten seconds at the rate he was going, and was it even worth running anymore? Stefan had been trained to compete in marathons. She could barely keep up with a brisk walk on the treadmill. There was no way she could outrun at this point.
"It's called being crafty," she said as he bit back a smile and she followed his eyes when he finally made it before her—can still in hand as he shook it lightly but held it at his side and listened. "Besides…" she added, as her hands surprisingly landed on either side of his neck and he lifted a brow when she stroked her thumbs to his skin, and circled them near his ears. "The hero hair looks great. No matter what happens to it. I promise you're still a stud."
"Stud, huh?" he asked as she licked her lips and her hands remained against his skin. "What happened to pal? I thought you were set on that one."
"I was…" she admitted, before still staring into his eyes as he looked straight back into hers. "Until I realized just how hard it is pretending you're not attracted to your best friend… Especially when they happen to look just like you," she confessed.
Stefan was completely frozen at that—as their gaze locked on one another and Caroline swallowed hard and shut her eyes for a moment; relishing in the feeling of her hands against his—his body pressed to hers—for just a second before looking at him again and realizing she was suffocating.
Sinking, helplessly, beneath the big blue sea that was Stefan Salvatore, though she was desperately trying to hold onto her life jacket.
She was trying to come up for air, but she couldn't.
Looking into his emerald eyes was like swimming against a current she knew she had no chance beating. Each touch felt like a wave crashing and she wanted to drown.
She needed to, so badly, she realized—as her eyes blinked slowly; following the part of his lips and the shift of the Adam's apple in his throat with each gulp he took and every breath he inhaled.
This was it—he was it; the eye of the storm. And if she wanted a chance at life—to land ashore safely—she should just leave and forget this ever happened. They could go back to being friends.
But if she didn't want that; if she wanted to be shipwrecked—
Stefan's eyes shut tightly as Caroline's lips finally pressed to his—deeply, hungrily—as her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, the can of whipped cream fell out of his fingers, and his hands pulled her in by the hips so tightly, she nearly lost her breath as they continued to kiss each other so unceasingly, it was as though they'd waited an entire decade to do this.
Maybe even a century.
She moaned softly against the taste of vanilla, sugar, and everything else they were layered in, directly coating from his lips to hers; melting into the touch of his hand gliding up past her waist and getting tangled into her hair.
She was crashing, burning, sinking—just like she knew that she would—but somehow it was okay.
She finally felt okay.
Because with her back pressed to the wall and the slow grind of his hips against hers as they completely devoured each other—mouth against mouth, tongue against tongue, teeth to lips, and nails to skin— for the next thirty minutes straight, she knew.
She knew drowning in Stefan's abyss was her destiny; and feeling every moment of his salvation was her fate.
What the point in waiting if she knew who she loved? And if she knew she wanted to love him for the rest of her life?
Stefan lifted her into his arms, and her legs tightened against his waist as his lips formed against her neck and Caroline's eyes closed tightly to take in the complete and uninhibited bliss. He felt it all too.
He needed this just as much as he did.
So when his phone began to buzz in his back pocket, he didn't bother to answer it; much less even separate his lips from hers. Because there was nothing more important than the feeling of her smile against his lips, in this very second.
There was nothing more important than her; and he was going to make sure she knew that.
He was going to give her all that she wanted.
A/N- Hello all! Lots of things happening in this update including the reveal of Lexi's engagement, Rebekah's pregnancy, Steroline being a little awkward/cute with each other and FINALLY, a kiss after the five-month drought. Thoughts on who was calling Stefan, or why? We shall find out soon. ;) As always, thank you for reading and reviewing. You all mean the world. Steroline in TVD 7.01 was greatttttt and I hope you're all as excited as I am to see them this week. Ta-Ta for now! ;)