CAROLINE'S POV:

"I swear to God, Stefan, one more word and I'll punch you!" I proclaimed, irritated and frustrated as I held myself up on the bars. I was now two months into my recovery period after the crash and I was reaching the end of my tether. It had now been three months since the crash yet I was only just reaching the end of physiotherapy, a course of three times a week for the past six weeks since my cast had been removed. My leg was now in a brace instead of the cast and it finally meant I'd be able to go home soon, as hospital policy stated until I could walk a flight of stairs, I wouldn't be discharged, which along with my other injuries seemed a near-impossible task.

Stefan had been with me almost every day and night, and he'd agreed to both of us working from my hospital room, as I needed some sort of normalcy…

"I'd like to see you try," he chuckled, standing with his arms folded over his chest at the other end of the bars "Come on, Caroline, you can do better than that. Remember what the physio said? Use your upper strength and push on your good leg."

"I'll use my good leg to kick your private parts in a minute!" I informed him, moving myself backwards to sit down, downing some of my drink

"Stand up." he proclaimed "Come on, stand up!"

"I'm too tired, Stefan," I admitted "we've been doing this for the past three hours. I'm tired, I'm sweaty and I just want to get the hell out of here."

I watched as he walked over to me and placed his arm around my bare waist underneath my crop top, my skin on fire as he lifted me from the chair gently, supporting all of my weight. I was about to thank him when he pushed the chair out of the way and eased my weight onto the bars so I was entirely dependent on myself…

"Walk!" he proclaimed "Come on, what are you waiting for?"

"I'm waiting for you to stop being such a dick!" I replied

"That's better. At least I'm seeing something that's remotely like my Caroline and not this weak girl who doesn't give a crap about getting better." he informed me, leaning over the bars and stepping closer to me "You have two choices – you either stay there until your arms get tired or you give up, proving nothing but the fact that you really don't care, or you walk over to me." he informed me "Your choice. What's it going to be?"

"I'll stay here then." I admitted, trying not to let on the ache that was starting to occur in my arms

"Fine, be my guest." he replied

"Seriously, Stefan, just go away!" I proclaimed "You're not helping anymore. You're just pissing me off."

"You want me to leave?" he questioned

"Yes." I replied

"Then come over here and walk me to the door. Then I'll leave." he informed me

"I hate you so much right now…" I admitted, pushing forwards with my arms, taking a couple of tentative steps forwards

With Stefan's encouragement I continued to walk, and I realised I'd crossed the halfway point on the bars, which was further than I'd ever gone before. Taking two more steps, I sighed into Stefan's mouth as he pressed his lips against mine and felt his arms wind around my waist as I reached him, lifting my bad leg off the floor to relieve the pressure…

"Do you still want me to go?" Stefan questioned as we pulled apart

"No," I replied "and don't think I don't know what you were doing…"

"What was I doing?" he asked

"You were winding me up so I got annoyed and proved a point." I informed him

"It worked though, didn't it?" he inquired

"Yes." I admitted "But I do want to claim a prize though…"

"And what would that be?" he questioned

Smiling at him warmly, I pressed my lips against his firmly… "That should about do it. It's been too long since we've been able to do anything."

"We celebrated last week when it was our anniversary." he informed me "Don't tell me that's escaped your memory?"

"It was in a hospital bed, Stefan." I replied "Not exactly romantic, was it?"

"Well then," he proclaimed as he lifted me into his arms, a squeal escaping my mouth as he did so "how's this for romantic? Caroline Forbes, will you accompany me to the reception desk where your discharge papers are waiting?"

"Really?" I inquired

"Really. I would've told you earlier but I wanted you to prove to yourself you could do it." he admitted "The physio said you can go home, but you have to come for your sessions twice a week, and there needs to be someone with you, so we're all going to take it in turns. I'll stay most nights but I have to go away for a week in a fortnight to oversee the finalities of the new Chicago office, but Bonnie's going to stay with you. It's all arranged, so do we have a deal?"

"Deal," I informed him "now can you take me home please?"

Caroline's going home! How will the rest of her recovery go from hereon in?