Tonia: Good to see you back here! Maybe this chapter answer some questions.

Susan: Turning Caroline into a vampire isn't an easy decision. If I do choose to go down that road, then you can expect some of the drama from my other fic.

Guest: Will Nadie Petrova come? Probably, at some point. But I don't think Stefan is worried about it, just like he isn't that worried about some of the minor obstacles. You judge if that's a good or a bad thing.

Sterolineshipper: I hope this fic gives you some entertainment after the tiring workweek. You are right that Caroline doesn't really see Stefan as someone dangerous and the only way that's going to change is to see him, well, being a vampire with her own eyes. In the same way, she has to get theurgency of Matt being in danger for his ignorance of the vampire stuff to tell him about this. And she's not there (yet).


Ain't it funny how the simplest things in life can make a man?
Little moments that pass us by
Oh, but I remember

The first kiss, the first night, the first song that made you cry
The first drink, red wine, on a step in Brooklyn
I still feel the first fight, and we both made it out alive
And I can't wait to make a million more first times

Ed sheeran, "First times"


9. EVERYTHING THAT'S YET TO BE.

"I guess it's time to say goodbye to Liz Forbes."

"You are not going to kill her, Damon."

"She is suspecting us! And it looks like I'm the only one who is worried about us. What, are you going to kill me too like you did with Katherine?"

His brother has got this madness in his eyes that hasn't left him since he came to see the supposed love of his life dead in the Boarding House. Damon sent Elena off in a way that has Stefan wondering if they are going to get to the same place they did without all the drama that came along with Klaus (and him choosing to go away).

Sometimes he really wants to tell Damon what is about to happen, because then maybe (just maybe) he'd understand. But as long as his brother is so unstable, he can't take the risk.

"I'm not going to kill you, but I'm not beyond other measures to stop you."

"Wow, all this for blondie? I heard she isn't even talking to you. She chickened out quite fast, didn't she?"

One thing Damon knows how to do is this, laying the finger right into the wound. So Stefan entertains the idea of stabbing his hand with the can opener Matt has left on the counter while serving the drinks… and that's when she walks into the Grill.

Caroline knew this was bad. Her mom just left with Mason Lockwood, and the latter did try to put vervain in Damon and Stefan's drinks earlier. He failed, but it doesn't change the fact that her mom suspects them now.

She did promise to herself that she'd stay away from the blood-sucking people in town, but even she knows that was just a poor attempt to fool herself. And besides, he killed Katherine, who was supposedly his first love, right after she told him the vampire bitch was threatening her. Ripping his ex's heart out, he surely knows how to make a girl feel special.

Not that she and Stefan were nothing more than friends, of course. He did it for all his friends, that woman was a danger to everyone.

But she follows her mom and Mason up to the Grill. It's not surprising that Stefan and Damon are there. And Matt, who's serving the drinks and his eyes meet with hers just for a fraction of a second, and it's enough for her to realize that he's in.

Maybe he doesn't know everything, she doubts her mom would just tell him about vampires, but he's certainly helping the Sheriff prove whatever they need to prove. He's so sure Stefan has something to do with the sudden distance that led to their break-up that it's not strange he'd do anything to screw him if he believes that's the right thing to do.

Striding towards the Salvatore brothers, she steals Stefan's glass before he can take it to his lips.

"God, I was thirsty."


It will only get worse with Mason when the guy eventually finds out that Katherine is dead, and who killed her. But at the moment, Stefan couldn't care less (in the long list of enemies he has faced through the years, this is nothing).

All he cares about is that Caroline is back to speaking to him and that she cares enough to save him, and even Damon, even if it means going against her own mother.

"Are you sure she's not going to remember anything? Like how I was an accomplice in bringing two vampires home and drugging her and kidnapping her inside our own house to stop her from going to her job?"

"It's for the best, Caroline. If we don't compel her, she's going to keep suspecting until Damon finally snaps and does something worse."

He sits by her side on the couch.

"Yeah, knowing that we depend on Damon's mood to stay alive really makes me feel better."

"But you still helped us."

"I'm still your friend. I know what I said before, but I was scared. So I was a bit unfair, because you've been there for me, and I am not the best person to be friends with, but I do try. What I'm trying to say is…" she pauses when his hand finds hers, and her eyes seek his, "you are important to me, too."

Stefan wonders if he's reading too much into this because of his own heart desire, but he's one move away from leaning in to kiss her when a new visitor arrives, and the moment is gone.

"Caroline."

She flinches and immediately stands out, putting distance between them when she hears Elena, who is looking at them with narrowed eyes.

"Stefan, what's going on?"


It is easier to look back at his actions from so many years ago with this new perspective and call himself an idiot. Not for having loved Elena or chosing the heroic-sacrifice for the people he cared about, but for making things harder than they needed to be, willing to be part of a love triangle that made him miserable, at odds with his brother (again, nothing new there) and incapable of enjoying life the way he could (and should) have done. Such a waste of time.

But everything is so distant now, except for Caroline. Is it because he'd been waiting for her for years, picturing the moment they would meet again?

One day he'd just find her in their fireplace, whiskey in hand and ready to tell him all the amazing things she'd done in life, and he would listen to every bit of it, even if he'd witnessed most of it himself, happy to see her live happily. That's how Stefan had imagined it would be.

After waiting for so long, he's got so old. Elena being not quite in love with him anymore but also upset that he seems to be getting closer to Caroline is just expected from someone her age, he still wants to tell her this is none of her business.

This, too, is a waste of time.

"You and Caroline… Do you have feelings for her or something?"

"I don't want to talk about this with you, Elena."

"You said there was no future with us. But then you stayed, and now this. I just don't understand."

He sighs.

"There's nothing for you to understand. Aren't you seeing Damon now?"

"And you're totally fine with that?"

"Yes," he nods, twitching his lips. "That's your choice, and I wish you all the best."

He leaves before things become more awkward than they already are.


Now that they are back to being friends, Caroline decides they should definitely have a movie night once a week, and it's like that this isn't a good thing, but Stefan suspects it's only because she doesn't want to go to their usual hang-out spot where Elena, Matt, Bonnie and probably everyone else will be watching (and judging). This works better for him, too.

"I signed up to join the school paper." She tells him while they're making more popcorn in the kitchen.

He wonders how she has time for everything, but it makes sense she would try this too (it's surprising she hasn't already, considering she always plans ahead than most people of her age, and last time she chose journalism as her ultimate career path).

"That's great…" But she doesn't look so excited. "Isn't it? Don't you want to study journalism?"

"How do you know that?"

Ah, that's something he isn't supposed to know yet.

"I think you told me once."

She doesn't press for more.

"The school paper sucks, so I didn't want to waste my time on it. But when I saw the announcement, I just remembered how my mother didn't even believe I could make it. So, I'm going to prove her wrong." Then she changed the topic and went back to her cheerful mode. "Ice cream or cake? I made that one yesterday, but it's good, I promise."

"I feel like you are trying to stuff me with food today."

"Du-uh- You said it helps with the cravings for blood. I don't want you to eat me."

"I would never hurt you."

"I know that." She bites her lower lip. "So I'm being paranoid again. There's really nothing I can do to help, besides you are used to being with humans, I mean, you did date Elena…"

Back to the same thing again. He sighs.

"I'm sorry for putting you in a difficult position."

"You don't have to. I'm just getting what I deserve, I guess."

She isn't looking at him, her face turned to the left, so he puts his hand on her cheek, caressing her softly and asking with this gesture for her to look him in the eye.

"Caroline, this is the furthest thing from wrong. In fact, it's one of the few right choices in my life. I like you."

No, he loves her, but it's too soon to tell her that.

"But why?" She whispers, her blue eyes reflect her doubt.

"Because you are you."

She chuckles.

"What kind of answer is that? You-" She doesn't finish what she was about to say, hands wrapping behind his nape as her lips meet his.

The memories can't compare to the actual feeling of having her close, and he hugs her tightly, as if it could stop them from ever parting ways again.

It's been so long since he kissed her, and what starts as a hesitant, soft touch soon becomes more demanding. If it's him or her, Stefan can't tell.