Chapter 20

After Caroline had packed almost her entire closet, Stefan took her bags downstairs and towards the car. Katherine was leaning against the hood of the car, shooting death stares towards the bags. Thankfully she didn't say anything to Stefan but when Caroline emerged a few seconds later with more bags; Katherine couldn't hold her tongue any longer.

"Did you pack for a year's expedition?" Katherine asked snidely.

Like a true gentleman, Stefan grabbed the remainder of Caroline's things and began packing them in the trunk – with great difficulty due to the limited amount of trunk space already.

Caroline glared at Katherine.

"Shut up, Katherine."

"Just saying. Who you going to be dressing for anyway?" Katherine pulled herself away from the hood of the car and made her way towards Caroline.

Caroline sneaked a glance towards Stefan. She liked to dress up! Was that a crime? Or did she really want to dress to impress Stefan? It was a ridiculous thought; Stefan didn't care for such things. She was sure that he appreciated a good dress every now and again but he wasn't so shallow or obnoxious to be occupied with her clothing. Unlike Tyler who insisted that shorter was much better, he hated it when she wore jeans or longer dresses.

On more than one occasion he had made her feel small and insignificant, as if her appearance affected his. But looking at Stefan now, she knew that he wouldn't ever do that to her.

"A classy gal always has a wardrobe to match, opposed to dirty doppelgangers that have no fashion sense." Caroline answered.

"You're all talk and no action." Katherine crossed her arms and glared down at the blonde.

"Want me to prove that statement wrong?" Caroline's hands gripped into tight fists.

Katherine had a way of pushing a person's button until it jammed.

"You can try." Katherine smirked.

The pair both didn't back down for anyone but luckily Stefan intervened at the right moment.

"Enough. Can we just go now?" He stepped in between the pair.

"Absolutely. Just tell Barbie to sit in the back." Katherine glared at Caroline before she climbed into the driver's seat.

Stefan turned his focus on Caroline and he could see a storm brewing in her eyes.

"Try to block her out. She's always a bit dramatic." Stefan smiled, well aware that Katherine couldn't see his face.

Caroline raised an eyebrow at Stefan.

"A bit?" She asked bemused.

"Okay maybe more." Stefan chuckled.

Caroline smiled slightly before her eyes crinkled in the corners as she glared towards the car.

"I don't trust her." Caroline sighed.

Stefan wanted to hug her and tell her that everything was going to be alright. But he couldn't for two reasons. One, he didn't know what was going to happen. He had no clue what they were even going to do about Elena's situations and of course their situation. And secondly; Katherine was preventing him from wrapping his arms around Caroline.

"Neither do I. But for the moment were just going to have to bear with it." He whispered.

"All right. Just for you." She whispered back with a small smile.

Stefan beamed at that the remark. He opened the back door for and gave her a small nod to reassure her that things wouldn't be too bad before he climbed into the passenger seat alongside Katherine.

Katherine turned the car and the 90's tune – I'm a Barbie girl began playing from the stereo. Katherine turned the dial up so that the car suddenly became a giant metal boom box.

"How appropriate." Katherine shouted sarcastically as she turned towards Caroline and gave her an evil grin.

A bunch of profanities left Caroline's mouth as Katherine chuckled and pulled out the driveway. Stefan couldn't but think that this was going to be an excruciatingly long drive.

After a few hours Caroline had fallen asleep in the backseat. Stefan was surprised because for nearly an hour she and Katherine had been bickering nonstop back and forth. After the first few attempts he had given up, sometimes he just had to act like a typical man and just block everything out. For the first time there was silence in the car and Stefan couldn't help but give Katherine a sideways glance. Her gaze was focused on the road but he could see that there was something that was clearly bothering her.

"You're quiet." He broke the silence.

He needed to know if Katherine was getting cold feet and the only way he was going to figure that out was if he engaged in conversation with her – even though it was the last thing that he wanted to do.

"I've got a lot on my mind." Katherine stiffened.

She had a lot on her mind – she had just witnessed Caroline and Stefan sucking face!

"I'm sure you do. You're obviously plotting your way through this so when the plan goes south you have an escape route." Stefan spat out sarcastically.

"You always think the worst of me don't you?" Katherine turned her head slightly so that she was looking at him.

"Well if the past has anything to do with it; then yes I do." He said bitterly.

There was no ways he would ever be able to trust her. After everything that she had done, she should have been long gone or at least on the other side of planet.

"I never wanted this life for you, Stefan." Katherine said so softly that Stefan had barely just caught on, on what she was saying.

"I'm not interested in your so called pity."

He didn't want to hear her lies. Not now, not ever.

"It's not pity that I feel for you." She answered.

"Let me guess, you hoped that we'd be together someday? I've heard it before Katherine and I'm not falling for it. You didn't care what happened to me and Damon. You think of yourself." He said in a cool tone, a tone that he had hardly ever used.

"Of course I think of myself. There is no one else who's going to look out for me and my interests. But it doesn't mean I didn't care for you. I still do." Katherine snapped.

"Right." Stefan scoffed.

"There's something I have to tell you." Katherine whispered.

She didn't know if it was the right time to tell him about what she had done.

"What?" He sighed impatiently.

Before Katherine could answer, Bon Jovi sounded from out of nowhere. Stefan pulled his mobile out his jean pocket. It was Damon calling him.

"Damon." Stefan answered.

Katherine breathed in a sigh of relief. Perhaps this wasn't the time to bring up the matter.

"Brother. Where are you?" Damon asked from the other side of the line.

"About seven hours outside of Mystic Falls. Do you mind telling me where the hell you are?" Stefan asked annoyed.

"We're not there yet but we're heading to Portland, Oregon." Damon answered.

"Great that means another 36 hour drive till we eventually get there. You really weren't joking about getting out of Mystic Falls." Stefan pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Well according to Katherine her inside source reckons we'll find answers in Seattle."

"Oh yeah I'm sure we will." Stefan spat out as he glanced at Katherine who was pretending not to listen in on their conversation.

"Ever the optimist aren't you, Stefan? If Katherine screws us over, I'll unscrew her neck and this time I won't hesitate to do it." Damon growled out.

"I've heard that before." Stefan said sarcastically.

"Elena's asleep at the moment; do you want me to wake her?" Damon asked ignoring Stefan's jab at him.

Stefan hesitated before answering.

"No ... I'll talk to her when we get to Portland"

"Very well. Will see you then, have a safe trip brother." Damon couldn't hide his shock.

Stefan hung up. Right now he couldn't deal with Damon and his obvious curiosity. If only there was saying that says; Curiosity killed the Damon.

An: Wow guys I can only say thank you for the response on the last chapter. You guys are amazing! Now don't shoot me but there may or may not be an update on Thursday. Real life is imposing on my writing but I will try my hardest to post the next chapter.

There was a review about Caroline's eye colour in the story – I have changed it for the purpose of this story only. Anyway thanks guys and hope you enjoyed this chapter.