It had been two weeks since Bonnie and Caroline's midnight tryst on the kitchen counter. Couch. Floor. Wall. Caroline had been blissfully happy the next morning as she woke up feeling deliciously sore and light. Only, Bonnie didn't seem to feel the same way. Or if she did, Caroline wouldn't have known because Bonnie was gone by the time that Caroline had woken up. She'd found her bed empty and perfectly made up. After hours had passed, Caroline had been worried that she'd freaked Bonnie out. But on the other hand Bonnie had initiated the kiss so, she was confused as to why she would be upset with her. Maybe Caroline had taken it too far; pushed the accelerator down too hard. She should have gone slower, what was she thinking!? Of course, Bonnie was freaked out- she'd practically flattened Bonnie out like a pancake against the wall like a crazed wolf. Or vampire. Oh God, what if she'd hurt her? She'd never forgive herself.

Bonnie eventually came back that morning after running ten miles- apparently to start training for the Mystic Falls Charity Marathon in the fall, but Caroline could tell by the way Bonnie walked out of every room Caroline entered that she'd been staying away for more reasons than training. In fact, Bonnie now trained everyday in the morning and the evening- sometimes at lunch. Which meant that between work and volunteering with the Founders Council, Caroline hadn't seen Bonnie in two weeks. Two weeks that felt like two years. When you have eternity to live, time doesn't feel like anything. It's neither fast nor slow- it just is. But those two long weeks felt to Caroline like what she imagined desiccating must feel like.

"Okay, this is fine," Caroline thought as she stood in front of her mirror changing her sweater for the 27th time. "I'll just ask her what's wrong. That's what mature adults do. And I am a mature adult. I mean, technically I'm 18, but really I'm- you know what? It doesn't matter. I'm just gonna do it. Definitely going to stop talking to myself. Just gonna rip the band-aid off. I can handle interpersonal conflict."

Smoothing back her hair and adjusting her sweater to reveal a healthy amount of cleavage, Caroline cleared her throat and began rehearsing. When she wanted to be sure to nail her interview for Miss Mystic Falls, she simply rehearsed for days. Sometimes without eating or sleeping. And that was exactly what she was going to do now. Because if there was one thing Caroline Forbes knew how to do, it was to commit. Except this was way more important than Miss Mystic Falls. This was Bonnie.

Caroline cleared her throat.

"Bonnie, will you please have a seat? We have matters to discuss." What was she, a Jane Austen character?

"Bonnie, about the other night. It felt right to me. Did it feel right to you?" Too formal.

"Bonnie...Bonnie...Bonnie, we've known each other for forever. Literally. And I know it's weird because I'm not going to die and you are one day, but…" Too insensitive. All this time she thought she'd been single because of supernatural things beyond her control, but now she realized- that just maybe, it was because she was awkward as fuck.

The front door shut indicating Bonnie, who seemingly was growing tinier by the day, was back from her morning training session. Caroline didn't hear it of course. Or the footsteps creaking up the stairs.

"Bonnie, I need to talk to you."

"I'm right here."

Caroline jumped around with wide eyes.

"Bonnie!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Quickly, she tried to gather herself.

"Oh, you- you didn't." She propped her hand on her hip channeling all of the authority and calmness she could muster. I just was- am surprised to see you here. Here in my room. You're here in my room. Yep, here you are. How was your morning run?"

Bonnie, clearly confused by this reaction, had begun to pick at a frayed thread on her leggings.

"Uh, it was good. It's starting to get chilly out."

"Yeah, I can't believe it's already almost time for the Founders Ball."

"Yeah." Caroline stared at a piece of chipped polish on her fingernail and made a mental note to fix it later.

"Yeah." Bonnie didn't make eye contact either.

"Bon-" "Car-"

They both spoke at the same time.

"You go ahead." Bonnie finally looked at her.

"No, you go first."

"Okay. Look, I know that I've been...MIA lately." Bonnie shifted her weight from foot to foot nervously. Caroline was starting to get worried. Maybe something really terrible had happened to Bonnie. Something that didn't have anything to do with her. She could already feel the rage in the pit of her stomach starting to simmer at the thought of somebody hurting Bonnie. Keep it cool, Care.

"What? I mean you've been training, but you know, I've been so busy with volunteering and doing my own thing that I didn't really, I didn't really notice."

"Caroline."

"What?"

"I know when you're lying."

"No you don't." God, Bonnie loved the way she looked when she was caught and she knew it.

"You're a terrible liar. You twirl your hair and can't look me in the eye."

Immediately letting go of the strand of hair that was between her fingers, she slowly shifted her gaze back to Bonnie, which she realized, she didn't know had left her in the first place.

"Fine. I may have noticed a little."

"I just needed some time."

"You don't have to explain anything, Bon."

"Yes, I do."

"I know that it was spontaneous and we'd been drinking and the glowy fire and/"

"Caroline."

"What?"

"Can you shut up for just two minutes."

" I am fully capable of listening. I do not talk that much. I do have some decorum, I was Miss Mystic Falls. And I'm still talking, okay fine. Point made."

Bonnie tried to arrange her face to look annoyed, but the glint in her eye held more amusement than anything else.

"I'm not like you."

"I know. You're a witch."

"And you're still talking."

"Sorry."

"I'm not...confident like you. I don't know what I want to do with my life- and unlike you- I don't have forever to figure it out."

"Bon-"

"Please let me get this out."

Caroline nodded for her to continue.

"I've never gotten the chance to even consider the possibility that I could have a happy ending too. You know, over the years, I watched all of you guys- all of our friends- fall in love, sometimes multiple times, and every time I came close, it was taken from me. The people I love get hurt. The people I love die. I don't get to fall in love. And I don't know if it's me or some twisted punishment from my ancestors or if it's just plain bad luck or what, but for someone who draws her power from the universe, the universe has never been on my side when it comes to affairs of the heart."

"That's not true."

"Then why does mine always end up the one that's broken?"

She didn't know the current state of Bonnie's heart, but the look on her face right now was crushing Caroline's.

"So, what are you saying? You don't want to be with me because you're scared I'll hurt you? Bon, I would never, ever, in a million years hurt you."

"No."

"No, you don't want to try this? Try us?"

"Of course I do. You know I do. You have to know I do after the other night."

"I'm not going to hurt you Bonnie. I'll protect you and your heart. I promise."

"I'm not scared that I'll get hurt, Caroline. I'm scared you will!"

"Me?"

"Yes. You think you're invincible, but you're not. And everytime I love someone- I lose them."

"Bonnie, nothing is going to happen to me."

"You don't know that. You can't possibly know that."

For once, Caroline didn't know what else to say.

They both stood there in the middle of Caroline's room. The only sound was Bonnie's heart pounding, and Caroline knew she was the only one who could hear it. She wouldn't dare say anything, even though the sound made her want to wrap her arms around Bonnie until it calmed. Even if Bonnie didn't want to pursue this new thing between them, she was still her best friend and she hated seeing her in pain. Especially when she seemed to be the current source of it.

Caroline opened her mouth to say that they should just forget it. That she didn't want to argue. They could pretend like nothing ever happened and they could go back to the way things were. She'd rather Bonnie in her life as a friend than have her avoid Caroline everytime she turned the corner. But before any sound had the chance to escape, Bonnie took a small, but deliberate step towards her. She could see her green eyes peering at her from under strands of hair that had popped loose from her ponytail. They looked at her with a cautious curiosity. For some reason it gave Caroline hope.

Bonnie knew she was being ridiculous. This was Caroline for christsake. Her friend. Her... lover? She knew that Caroline was misreading all of this. That Bonnie wasn't sure of how she felt. That she didn't want this. That she was going to let her head lead over her heart. But she had never been more sure of anything in her life. She'd needed time to think through things. She wasn't like Caroline. She needed space. On her feet and in the moment was not how Bonnie processed things. She wished that Caroline could read her mind right now. "Just come hold me, please." She squeezed her eyes shut and in two steps Caroline made her way across the room and had Bonnie tight in her arms.

"How did you do that?"

"I'm a vampire. I cover ground pretty quickly."

"No. You- you knew exactly what I was thinking. How did you do that?" Bonnie stuttered.

Caroline gently tucked her fingers under Bonnie's chin and tilted it towards her.

"I'm not a mind reader."

"Then, how-"

"I've known you forever, Bonnie Bennet. I don't need magic when it comes to you."

After a few moments of just soaking in the stillness of their bodies together, Caroline lowered a kiss so gentle, it barely brushed Bonnie's lips.

Tilting Bonnie's chin up once more, Caroline whispered. "I want this."

Bonnie looked back up under her thick lashes and nodded. "I'm in."