STEFAN'S POV:

"I'll get it, Liz." I called from downstairs as the phone started to ring

"Thanks, Stefan." she replied as I made my way into the hallway to get it

"Hello? No she's not here right now, can I take a message? Christopher Newport University, Virginia? Why are you contacting my girlfriend? Right, okay, yes I'll pass on the message and ask her to get back to you. Thanks for calling. Bye."

"Who was it?" Liz asked as she made her way down the stairs as I set the phone down

"Christopher Newport University, Virginia." I informed her "They said Caroline applied to study there in the Fall and has been accepted. Did she tell you about it?"

I watched Liz as she swallowed a lump in her throat… "She was going to tell you, I know she was."

"When did she get the letter?" I asked

"Friday," she informed me "she told me Saturday when I was discharged from hospital. It was just a pipe dream for her, Stefan, one she never expected to come true."

"But now it has," I replied "what did she do with her acceptance letter?"

Liz bowed her head and cleared her throat before looking up at me once again…

"Liz, what did she do with her acceptance letter?" I questioned

"She burned it," she informed me "threw it onto the fire."

"Why?" I inquired

"Her reasons are for her to tell you, Stefan, not me." she replied

CAROLINE'S POV:

"Hey," I greeted Stefan as I walked into the house after my shift "what's the matter? Is it my Mom?"

"No, she's fine, she's sleeping." he informed me "It's you, actually…"

"Me?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at him

He nodded his head… "And the fact that you've kept something from me."

"Stefan, I don't know what you're talking about…" I admitted

"Cut the crap, Caroline," he sighed "your Mom told me that you were accepted to Christopher Newport University in Virginia but you threw your acceptance letter onto the fire. Why did you do that?"

"How did you find out?" I asked

"The admissions office phoned, wanted to make sure you'd received the letter." he informed me "But that's not the point. Why didn't you tell me, Caroline?"

"Because it was a pipe dream," I replied "something I wanted to happen but thought never would."

"When did you apply?" he questioned

"When school started to talk about colleges," I informed him "I never dreamed of being accepted though, and now it's over and done with, can we just forget about it?"

"It's not over and done with, Caroline," he proclaimed as I walked into the kitchen, him following me "one, you didn't tell me and two, you threw it onto the fire so that I would never find out, why did you do that?"

"I can't tell you…" I admitted

"Why not?" he inquired

"Because it'll break your heart." I replied

"And you don't think this is?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at me "Caroline, just tell me…"

I sighed and ran my hands over my face and through my hair as I sat down at the breakfast bar, motioning for Stefan to do the same. Taking his hands in mine as he did so, I stroked my thumbs over his knuckles in unison and looked up at him… "One of the reasons is Mom – who'll look after her if I decide to go to university 7 hours away? But the other reason, it's you…"

"What about me?" he questioned

"The main reason is that I don't think our relationship's strong enough to survive the 7-hour commute." I informed him

"You don't?" he inquired "Why not?"

"After everything we've been through with Elena…" I began

"So that's what it's about?" he asked "Elena? You don't trust me to be around her, do you?"

"I trust you. It's her I don't trust." I informed him "She'll jump at the chance to get you back if I go."

"Maybe so," he replied "but that doesn't mean I'd reciprocate."

"I know." I sighed

"Is that all you have to say?" he inquired "I know? Really?"

"Where are you going?" I asked as he stood up

"I just need some time and space to think…" he admitted as he walked to the back door and made his way out, shutting it behind him

STEFAN'S POV:

"Stefan," Marie, Caroline's boss proclaimed "what are you doing here? Where's Caroline?"

"She's at home." I informed her "We had a row, so we're having a bit of breathing space."

"What about, if you don't mind me asking?" she questioned

"She applied to go to university in Virginia," I admitted "and she got accepted, but she threw her acceptance letter onto the fire."

"Do you know why she'd do such a stupid thing?" she inquired

"She says it's because of me and her Mom." I replied

"And you don't believe her?" she questioned

"No, I do," I replied "I'm just hurt she didn't tell me. Maybe she's still hurt after what I did…"

"What did you do?" she asked

"Something stupid," I admitted "that's all you need to know."

She smiled at me warmly… "Well I suggest you go and put things right and do everything you can to persuade her to go to university in Virginia. She needs a break from here what with everything. She needs to live her life…"

I nodded my head in agreement and sighed heavily, running my hands over my face and downing my drink before climbing from the stool, thanking and saying goodbye to Marie before leaving…

CAROLINE'S POV:

"I know why you didn't tell me about university in Newport…" Stefan admitted as he walked into the living room as he returned to the house as evening fell on Mystic Falls

"Why's that then?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at him as I turned to him

"Because you don't really love me." he replied "Since the bet, anyway, I've just been a shoulder to cry on for you, and I get why you've put your guard up, but you need to understand that I love you, Caroline."

"I know that." I informed him "And how can you say that?"

"You don't have to deny it anymore, Caroline. You can tell the truth now," he admitted "maybe you were more hurt about the bet than you let on and maybe you still are, so now's the time to tell the truth, do you want to be with me or not?"

"Of course I want to be with you, Stefan." I proclaimed "The bet was a stupid thing, yes, but that's in the past for me, and I've moved past it. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but if I didn't love you and was just pretending, do you think I'd have let you move in here? Do you think I'd have let your brother and sister move in too? Do you think I'd let you share my bed? Do you think I'd throw an acceptance letter from a fantastic university that I really want to go to on the fire if I didn't love you?"

"Then why did you?" he questioned "Why did you throw it on the fire, Caroline? There has to be another reason…"

I swallowed a lump in my throat and looked down at my stomach, letting my hands rest there before looking up at him… "I think I'm pregnant. That's why I threw it on the fire."

Dun, dun, dun! Caroline thinks she's pregnant? Whaaaaaaat?