Chapter 10

An: Just wanted to grovel a bit and say that I am so sorry for the delay in this chapter. If I could sit and write all day I would. So one more day then Vampire Diaries Season 5 starts let's hope Steroline happens and if not … then we always have fan fiction to keep us going.

At first he didn't move. Just stared at her with an empty look on his face, but like a blank canvas his eyes shifted and another creation was born. Caroline could feel the goose bumps crawling up her skin as the realization dawned on her. The ripper had taken over him yet again. It couldn't be possible but when she glanced down at dried blood on his shirt it became clear to her that he must have relapsed in the time that they had been apart.

Caroline was contemplating what to do when, Stefan all of sudden moved at rapid speed and was right in front of her.

"What did you do to me?" He snarled out.

Caroline stiffened in fear. Stefan had a good few decades on her – after all she was only a year and in vampire terms being older meant being stronger. A fight with him would lead to her death.

"I don't understand. How did this happen?" She asked gesturing towards him.

Stefan scoffed.

"This is the version that I prefer but you've asked one good question. How did this all happen? Why did I lose my grip by the sleeping with you? Hmmm? What makes you so special?"

"I don't know. You're the one that was chasing after me, so why don't you tell me?" She replied trying to be witty and brave, but she ended up sounding weak and fragile. And neither was going to help with the situation that she was in.

Stefan anger diminished in matter of seconds. She raised a good point? Why was he so attracted to her? Even his weaker self was drawn to the blonde goddess before him. He couldn't think of his irrational state of emotions so he opted for oblivious cruelty. His forte. Stefan smirked deviously at her.

"You're Caroline Forbes. You have a reputation"

"What's that supposed to be mean?" Caroline asked annoyed.

"It means doll face that you might not be the wealthiest on the Forbes list but you're definitely the easiest … If you catch my drift." Stefan smirked.

Caroline's face fell. That was a low blow.

"You bastard." She growled out as she tried to shove him away from her but he stood his ground, after all he was older than her.

Stefan laughed in her face. He loved watching her small face scrunch up in anger. It gave him some indescribable pleasure to watch her get angry.

"Ooh love it when you talk dirty. Next time we talk dirty when we're together again … intimately." He smirked.

Caroline's body began to shake in anger.

"There is no next time. Never going to be a next time." She growled.

Stefan scoffed.

"Keep denying it. You wanted it just as badly but I'm not here to talk about. I'm very angry with you. You bring up some unsavory reactions within me and I want to tear you down inch by inch." His breathing became heavy as he moved in closer towards her.

Caroline's breathe halted. Would he kill her?

"Go ahead. Kill me. That just might trigger your humanity back on and the world will finally be rid of you." Caroline whispered.

Fear was consuming her. There was a chance that he would kill her and perhaps it would be just what he needed. The final kick for Stefan to beat him. So maybe dying wouldn't be the worst thing to ever happen to her.

" Tsk Tsk who said anything about killing. I want to tear you down a very different way. Claim my revenge." Stefan stroked the side of her face.

Caroline shivered, scared and attracted to him. But she couldn't fall for his tricks, not now. Not after everything that happened. She couldn't stick her head in the shark cage again … that would be idiotic.

"No. I'm done with this. Call me when Stefan re inhabits his body." She said shakily tying her hardest to be brave and tough but even to her own ears she sounded weak.

But he couldn't take no for answer. Not when his other queries hadn't been answered. He needed to know what made her so special – why she bought out feelings within him.

"Not so fast. I want to know what you did to me! Was it a spell? Did you and your witch friend decide to set up an intervention for me? Make me feel things for you?" He grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer towards him.

"Of course not. Why would I do that? I would never do that even if it was to help you. Elena would have been the one to do something like that. She's the one who you love." Caroline scowled.

"I don't love her. I haven't for a long time. Even when I was your precious Stefan. How can you love someone when you see them pining for someone else, when that someone else is your own flesh and blood. This whole ripper me was a long time coming, Klaus may have flipped the switch for me given me some initiative but regardless she would of chosen Damon over me and I wasn't going to be pathetic. That's why the good me is slipping away all the time because he knows it was coming to too. But the real question is, what does he see in you. Huh? Or what do you see in him?" Stefan breathed out, his breath caressing her face as he stared deeply into the grey abyss of her eyes.

Caroline didn't answer. She didn't know what to say because truthfully she didn't know how she felt about Stefan. The first time she had seen him she had sensed that there was something about him, something that told her gut that he was the one. Even though they were never together; she still had that nagging feeling.

Stefan continued when she didn't answer.

"So the problem lies with you. I want you but I know you're going to bring him back."

"Guess so. You'll just have to stay away from me then." Caroline whispered.

Stefan frowned.

"Not a chance."

He lowered his head and re united their lips together fiercely. Instantly she returned his demanding kiss with hers. His hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer towards his body with them both groaning out in pleasure.

Stefan maneuvered them so that her back was against the wall of the gym. He gently lifted her until she wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands were swift and skilled as he removed her of her clothes. Caroline unwound herself from his form long enough so that she could remove the last of her clothing.

Then in a blur they were moving together intuitively. It was a primal urge that drove them together. Stefan barely the registered the sharp pain in his shoulders as she dug her nails into hard muscle. Suddenly he wasn't deciphering anything anymore – he was just Stefan now. He should have stopped when he realized what he was doing but when she slid his arms around his neck, urging him on, he lost all control and lost himself in the pleasure.

Stefan's legs were shaky as he held her close. Caroline was barely breathing and she was shaking. He lowered her to the floor until both her feet were planted steadily on the ground even though he could feel that she was limp as a ragdoll.

Caroline could feel Stefan moving her until she was standing on her own two feet. But she could barely register anything her eyes were screwed. She was so lost in her emotional state, torn between guilt and lust, right and wrong that she couldn't dare open her eyes, she didn't want to face the reality.

She knew that she couldn't hide from it forever so when she opened her eyes she was expecting to see the same smirk and mischievous eyes of ripper Stefan but instead her eyes met the horror struck , grief stricken , jade eyes of Stefan. Panic gripped the both of them. Neither wanted to confess how right it felt because it was so wrong.

Stefan couldn't look into her eyes. He couldn't come to terms with what was happening with him. The emotions that were flooding him were overwhelming. It terrified him that he felt happy and not guilty. Without another thought he dressed himself hurriedly before glancing over towards Caroline who still stood naked, staring at him with the same face that he was sure that he was wearing now too.

What could he possibly say to her? How did they move on from this? Even now looking at her, his body craved her touch again. It wasn't the ripper wanting her, he wanted her. Terrified with that thought alone he took off, leaving Caroline alone with her own turbulent thoughts.

An: So another cliffhanger sort of. They both realize that there is something else pulling them closer together. So what is it? You'll just have to find out … Still a long way to go before the truth is revealed. Thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter. Really means a lot and it's only a pleasure to write for such awesome readers. Hopefully next chapter will be ready by next week - working on Beginning of Love sequel so trying to get as much as I can done before I start posting that story.