CAROLINE'S POV:
I made my way out of class and down the corridor that afternoon, pulling my phone out as it vibrated in my pocket, seeing I had a message from Stefan…
"I've made my decision. Can you meet me at my car please? X"
"I'll be two minutes; just need to stop by my locker x"
"Caroline, where are you going?" Bonnie questioned
"To see Stefan." I informed her as I continued down the corridor
"But we've got lesson…" she replied
"And?" I inquired "My boyfriend needs me."
STEFAN'S POV:
Caroline walked across the parking lot to me and I stood up straight, smiling at her warmly as she reached me…
"So, what are you gonna do?" she asked
"I'm gonna head to the police station now and drop the charges," I informed her "it's what I need to do."
"Then I'm coming with you." she replied
"What about your lesson?" I questioned
"What about yours?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow at me "C'mon, let's go."
CAROLINE'S POV:
Stefan and I sat in the reception area of the police station when we saw his Mom be escorted out. Moving over to the reception desk, she collected her belongings and signed out and turned to us…
"What are you doing here?" she questioned
"We're here to take you back to the motel, Mom." Stefan informed her
"You think I want anything from you after you had me arrested?" she asked "Not a chance!"
Stefan and I followed as she made her way out of the police station and began to try to hail a cab. Looking at Stefan, I sighed heavily and moved over to her…
"Why don't you just get in the car?" I suggested
"I don't want to." she replied
"Why are you being so petty?" I questioned "Stefan knows he did wrong, and he's sorry for that. Do you have to be such a bitch?"
"Excuse me?" she inquired
"I said do you have to be such a bitch?" I asked "Stefan just wants you to realise the consequences of your actions and be sorry for what you've done and get help for your problems."
"You think you know about my problems?" she questioned "Honey, you know shit about my problems. And as for my son, he can go to hell for all I care."
"How can you say that?" I inquired
"He had me arrested!" she proclaimed "So I can say it quite easily, actually."
"He had you arrested because you hit your son, who was also trying to help you, FYI." I replied "And that's how you thanked him."
"He was being nosy, interfering in business that doesn't concern him." she admitted
"So instead of telling him to drop it, you hit him?" I questioned "Mother of the Year…"
"Who are you to judge me?" she inquired "You're nothing. You're no one."
"I may be nothing and no one to you, but I'm your son's girlfriend, and I care about him and your other two kids." I informed her "They're going through hell seeing you this way, and you can't even be bothered to try and sort yourself out for their sakes. You're being a bitch."
STEFAN'S POV:
"You're being a bitch."
"Mom!" I proclaimed, moving over to Caroline as her hand connected with her cheek "What the hell?"
"Did you hear what she said to me?" she inquired
"Yes, I did," I replied "and it was all true. You abandoned your kids, and instead of bickering with Caroline, you should be thanking her. She and her Mom have been nothing but good to us."
"I need help, Stefan…" she admitted
"Yes you do," I informed her "but I can't be the one to help you. I've got my own stuff to deal with."
"Like what?" she questioned
"My exams, my relationship, my own life." I replied "That's what I need to focus on, and the only person that can help you is you."
"So you're leaving me?" she asked "Abandoning me?"
"I think it's time you had a taste of your own medicine." I admitted
Taking a hold of Caroline as she clutched her cheek, I escorted her to my car and unlocked it, helping her into the passenger side before shutting the door behind her and moving to the drivers side, taking one last look at Mom before climbing in, starting my engine and driving off…
CAROLINE'S POV:
"Are you okay?" I asked Stefan as I walked into the room, a bag of peas on my face
"Are you?" he questioned
I nodded my head… "I'm just glad Mom's not here. I don't know what I'll say to her when she sees the mark."
"I'm sorry." he sighed "For bringing all this to your door."
"It's fine," I replied as I moved to sit on the bottom of my bed "you thought your Mom was going to get help and she didn't. That's not your fault."
"I just wish she'd see the amount of hurt and pain she's causing," he admitted "why can't she see it, Caroline?"
I smiled at him weakly and shrugged my shoulders in reply, dropping the peas to my bed as I saw the tears in his eyes start to form. Wrapping my arms around him, I buried my head into the crook of his neck and let my lips press against the skin…
"What are you going to do about Damon and Lily?" I questioned as we pulled away minutes later
"I don't know," he replied "do I tell them I had our Mom arrested or…?"
"How do you think they'd react if you did?" I asked
"I have no idea," he sighed "I'm gonna call them and check in, and then take a shower. It's been a long day."
I nodded my head in agreement… "How about I order us takeout?"
"That'd be nice," he informed me "there's some money in my wallet for when it arrives."
Forty minutes later, a knock at the front door sounded and I made my way downstairs, Stefan's wallet in hand. Opening the door to the delivery guy, I opened Stefan's wallet and handed him the money plus tip, taking the bags from him and thanking him as I shut the door. Setting the bags on the table, I was about to shut Stefan's wallet when I caught sight of a picture of him and Elena. Swallowing a lump in my throat, I shut it and set it down as I heard Stefan make his way onto the landing…
"Something smells yummy!" he proclaimed "What're we having?"
"I'm not that hungry anymore…" I admitted "I might take a walk, actually."
"Caroline, what's wrong?" he questioned worriedly
"Nothing, I'm fine," I replied "I won't be too long."
"Talk to me," he begged, taking a hold of my wrist as I pulled my coat on "what's going on?"
"Why do you have a picture of Elena in your wallet?" I inquired
STEFAN'S POV:
"Why do you have a picture of Elena in your wallet?"
"I…" I began "She was a huge part of my life, Caroline."
"I get that," she replied "but what about me? Why am I not in there?"
"Is this what this is about?" I questioned "You're jealous because there's not a picture of you in my wallet?"
"No, Stefan," she proclaimed "it's not about that. You should know what it's about…"
"I know she's done some despicable things, but she's a good person deep down." I informed her "she was my first love. I can't get rid of her that easily."
"Okay." she replied "Let's eat, shall we?"
"If it upsets you that much, I'll get rid of it." I admitted "Do you want me to?"
"I want you to want to," she informed me "I know she was your first love and everything, but I'm your girlfriend and you say you love me, you have to see my point of view on this."
"And I do," I replied "why don't you go and grab me your favourite picture of us and I'll put it in here?"
"And what about the picture of you and Elena?" she inquired
"I'll throw it out." I informed her, reaching for my wallet and pulling it out, ripping it in two in front of her "I'm sorry that it upset you as much as it did."
She smiled at me weakly and pressed her lips against mine… "I'm sorry too, for being stupid jealous."
Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her into me and pressed my lips against her hair…
Action-packed chapter – Stefan has given up on his Mom, but is yet to tell his brother and sister. How do you think they'll react? And what about Caroline finding a picture of Elena in Stefan's wallet? Is this about to set doubts in her mind or will everything be okay? Hmm, I wonder…
