I found out that writing fanfic while going back to write the webnovels I had abandoned for months is hard.
But, it's here.
A drop in the ocean
A change in the weather
I was praying that you and me might end up together
It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert
But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my heaven
Ron Pope, "A drop in the ocean"
3. WRONG SITUATION.
Now that he is forced to recall everything they faced through in just a few years, Stefan wonders at the amount of enemies they met one right after the other. Throwing Silas' petrified body to the bottom of the ocean, in the same way he failed to do at the quarry once, is nothing less than satisfactory.
He'd stay there forever, alive but not really, never able to reunite with Amara or have a semblance of peace.
Stefan thinks about Caroline once more, because this isn't very different from what those witches did to her, driving her to death and trapping her soul to stop her from ever finding peace. It's never going to happen in this lifetime, but it still makes him want to go to New Orleans and rip the heads off all the people who'd harm her.
Not that he's going to go around ripping heads just because he can. He's left the Ripper behind a long time ago (or at least is trying to). He only gives himself the satisfaction of destroying Julian's body just in case his mother comes back one day. Perhaps it'd be better for her to stay where she is.
As he drives back to Mystic Falls, he wonders just how difficult it might be to find Klaus and make a deal before he comes just killing people because he can.
One step at the time. The vampires from Pearl's group come first.
Damon can't understand why he suddenly broke up with Elena and questions his secretive trip. Where has he been all this time? There's no doubt he tried to track him but failed.
"Have you seen Elena these days?"
"Why? Do you think it's my job to comfort your girlfriend?"
The way his brother looks away, however, tells him that they might have bonded over broken hearts together.
"It's not your job to comfort anyone, but thanks for taking care of her."
"You were right. The vampires escaped the town. I killed one that was dumb enough to be on his own three days ago, but I haven't been able to find them yet." Damon walks towards him. "Let's say I help you kill these vampires. Will you tell me what you know about Katherine?"
"I don't know more about Katherine than you do."
"Lies! Somehow, you know more than you should, just like you knew about the tomb being opened. You mentioned twice before you went, and I don't believe for one second you broke up with Elena because suddenly you want her to live a vampire-free life."
Stefan frowns, trying to understand what is going on inside his brother's head, but Damon clarifies it soon enough.
"Wherever she is, Katherine isn't yours. I've been waiting for her for over a hundred years, I love her more than you do."
"You think I'm obsessed with that cruel, manipulative monster?" He laughs.
"You were looking for her!"
"I don't need to look for Katherine. When are you going to understand? She ruined our lives and she played with you-ugh!"
Damon buries a stake in his stomach, just long enough that it hurts, before taking it off.
"Shut up."
"It's about time you accept the truth."
There's a long silence as he drags himself to the couch and Damon stands still in the same place.
"Elena thinks I killed his mother. His real mother. Who, by the way, was the wife of the History teacher."
"Did you?"
His brother shakes his head.
"I turned her into a vampire."
Nothing new here either.
"She's going to forgive you."
Eventually Damon comes around, and it's a good thing he and Alaric are able to let aside their differences to go vampire hunting that night.
"Stefan? I thought you left town."
Caroline is surprised to see him in the bakery, but he isn't. It's Cupcakes Tuesday, after all. She always came here while they lived in town.
"Just for a few days. I can't just drop out of school, right?"
He totally wants to, but then he'd have even less chances to see her. Until he tells her the truth, Stefan is forced to play the part, which is why he orders a coffee and the same cupcakes she has left on her table.
"Do you mind if I sit with you?"
She smiles nervously.
"Of course not."
Of course she doesn't, this is a chance Caroline can't miss to learn what is going on in their friends' life and probably the latest school drama.
"I couldn't believe it when Elena told me… about you two." She fidgets in her seat and glances at him just for an instant before setting her eyes back to her own cup of coffee. "Don't get me wrong, it's great that you are back but… honestly, how many times are you going to do the whole break-up and get back together thing? It's getting too predictable."
"Elena and I are over for real this time. Actually, you are the first person from school I've met since I came back."
"Oh."
Caroline thought he's back with Elena or on his way to do so, which is understandable. But what he doesn't get is the look of disappointment in her face when he tells her he isn't back to Mystic Falls for their friend. It's not like he expected her to be happy either, just… not this.
"But you're like-" She bites her lips and then smiles again, shrugging off her discontent. "Well that sucks for me, but what am I to do?"
"I'm sorry. Did I miss something here?"
"Nothing. Just that you and Elena broke up, and I have to endure my boyfriend giving longing stares to my best friend who happens to be his ex-girlfriend. That would totally not happen if she was taken. So maybe I expected you to tell me that everything was back to where it should be, but I'm being selfish again, right?" She stands up after throwing all that without catching a breath. "Sorry, I think I should go."
She doesn't even give her time to tell her she could stay.
Matt is an idiot.
Now that he makes an effort to remember, it was around this time that the four of them went to a double-date. He'd only wanted Elena to have fun, and for some time she has, and everything seemed to be going well, until he noticed Caroline becoming more and more uncomfortable as the storytime went on, even when she tried to participate and act like she was having a good time.
No one intended to hurt her then, but she was certainly hurt, feeling insecure about her importance in her boyfriend's life.
Stefan too was guilty of hurting her in this way, and maybe it was much worse because he'd always been very aware of her fragile side.
He'd been aware and still let her wedding day be the same day she'd remember his death…
Now, however, it's a clean slate.
Perhaps it's just luck he didn't expect to have. Stefan certainly didn't plan to help in breaking Caroline's relationship but if that's what happens? He'll be thankful for this unexpected result.
Day by day, bit by bit, he's going to walk towards her.
