CAROLINE'S POV:

"I don't think I can do this…" I admitted as Stefan pulled into Mom and John's driveway

"You can. I know you can." he informed me

"What if I want to hurt them?" I questioned

"Have you wanted to hurt any other humans you've been in contact with?" he inquired

I shook my head… "But this is different…"

"They're your parents, Caroline." he replied "You won't want to hurt them, I promise."

I glanced at him as he entwined his hand with mine and squeezed it. Smiling at him warmly, I unbuckled my seatbelt and dropped his hand, both of us climbing out of the car…

STEFAN'S POV:

I wound my arm around Caroline's waist as she rang the doorbell, the door being opened by Liz a couple of minutes later…

"Come in…" she proclaimed

Pushing Caroline forwards gently, we stepped inside and Liz shut the door behind us as we removed our coats and shoes…

"How're you, love?" Liz asked Caroline

"Okay." she replied, smiling at her weakly

"Caroline's a bit nervous." I explained "But I've told her everything's going to be fine, so she needs to start believing it."

Liz nodded her head in understanding… "Come through. We've got food and drinks all set up."

"Hi, you two." John greeted us as we walked through to the living room

CAROLINE'S POV:

"I don't know how I'm meant to be or act…" I admitted

"It's okay, love." Mom replied

"Is it?" I questioned "It shouldn't be this hard…"

She smiled at me sympathetically and squeezed my hand… "How is it?"

"Being a vampire?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow at her "You can say it. It's surreal, but amazing."

"How do you mean?" she asked

"If I want to be somewhere, I can use my vamp-speed to be there and I'll be there in a minute or less." I explained "But everything else is quite weird…"

"And you're adjusting to it well?" she inquired

"That's something you'll have to ask Stefan." I informed her

"What was that?" he questioned

"Mom wants to know if I'm adjusting to all this well." I replied "Am I?"

"Like a duck to water…" he admitted "We've had a few hiccups, but nothing we've not ironed out quickly."

"Shoot!" John proclaimed as his glass slipped from his fingers

"We'd better get you cleaned up," Mom informed him "come on, through to the kitchen. Can you two clean up in here please?"

Stefan nodded as Mom and John left the room. Continuing to sit, watching as they disappeared from sight, I heard Stefan begin to clear up the shards of glass…

"Caroline…" Stefan spoke

"I want his blood." I whispered

"What?" he asked

"I want to drink my step-dad's blood." I informed him

"It's okay," he replied, placing his hands on my shoulders as he moved to stand in front of me "remember what I taught you, yeah? Breathe in and out, push it away. Come on, Caroline…"

Doing as he said, I began to inhale and exhale, sighing with relief as the feeling disappeared. Smiling at him warmly, I nodded my head, his lips pressing against my forehead as Mom and John returned to the room…

"You okay, love?" John questioned

I nodded my head… "Stefan and I should probably be going soon."

"So soon?" Mom inquired

I nodded my head and smiled at her apologetically… "It's a long drive back and we've got a busy day tomorrow, but it's great to see you back at home and on the mend."

"I'm getting there, day by day." she replied "It's a struggle but I'm getting there."

"She's being modest," John informed us "she's doing fantastically well."

STEFAN'S POV:

"You did so well!" I proclaimed as I drove out of Atlanta

"Apart from the little slip…" she sighed

"You didn't break, which you could've." I informed her "you composed yourself and got your bloodlust under control. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you." she replied, entwining her hand with mine "Do you think next time will be easier?"

I nodded my head… "Definitely. You've got over the first hurdle, so it's only up from here on out."

"I hope you're right." she admitted "Thank you for persuading me to do this; if it had of been down to me, I'd still be wondering whether I should pick up the phone or not."

"You're welcome." I replied

Caroline and Stefan have been to see Liz and John, and apart from a teeny slip, everything went okay. And is Stefan right, are things only on up from here on out?