A/N: This is the final chapter of this fic. Before starting this chapter, I would like to thank each and everyone who loved and cherished this story. I loved the way you reacted. I was thrilled to see the comments and reviews here and whenever someone sent me an ask on tumblr for this fic, that made my day. This fic actually started with a prompt which was suppose to be a one-shot. But, I decided to go with multichapters. Anyways, I really hope that you guys will enjoy the last update of this fic.

2 Months, 28 days, 3 hours

The counts weren't important, it was just a regular pass of the time, and he knew that very well. Even though, it was just the plain numbers, he never forgot them to count every single second. Two months, twenty eight days and three hours have been passed since she declared to move out of the city and Two months, twenty eight days and three hours since he didn't object to her decision. How could he? He didn't have a right to do that. He was no one to her, but a friend. A friend who was present in her life, lost in the pool of friends she already has. Why did he even thought of being the important one out of those? She wanted to be friends, and if that is what she wanted, that's how it was gonna be. He had no intention of fighting on that. So, every single day since the day they talked in the hospital corridor, since the day he realized that he was never the one for her, it has been a routine for him. Counting the days. Why he did this? He didn't know the answer to that question. His brain just involuntarily checked the date on that imaginary calendar in his head everyday.

"She is leaving?"

"Yes."

"Permanently?"

"Yes."

"For good?"

"Yes."

"And you are not going to do anything about this."

The last statement was not a question, because Lexi knew his answer to that. And, he didn't say anything.

"Do you want to discuss about it?"

"No."

Maybe it was the right thing to do. To let it go, and move on. It was just a kiss. A moment of momentary lapse. That's what she had told him. It meant…. nothing. However pain her words have caused him, he wasn't going to stop her. And he didn't. He sat there in silence, keeping his eyes dry. But the moment Lexi put her hand on his shoulder, he knew he was going to break. He held her hand tight in his grip, as if he was falling from a cliff, and she could save him. Although he did fell, fell in love and it hurt, it hurt like all the bones in his body were crushed. He had experienced that pain before, a pain of betrayal, the hurt watching your love being in love with your own brother. But, that was all in the past. And he moved on from it. He did reached a point where he almost forgot the pain. And he did the same mistake of losing the emotions.

"When is she leaving?" Lexi squeezed his shoulder under her touch.

"Friday." He squeezed her hand as well. But, now the realization was suddenly hitting him, and everything he had been pushing away from his thoughts and were coming one by one to him, everything came simultaneously, like the Tsunami of her thoughts. Since all his attention was going on the fact that after Friday, there will be miles of distance separating them, he diverted his concentration on his heartbeat. A normal resting heart rate for an adult should be 60 to 100 beats in a minute. He took his hand which was resting above Lexi's and placed his two fingers between the bone and the tendon over the radial artery on his right wrist. Feel the pulse and count the number of beats in 15 seconds, which multiplied by 4 can calculated the beats in a minute. He did exactly the same. The only problem was, it was rising and rising, and it came to around 120 beats. His emotions were all over the place.

"I thought you were going to meet Ben." He asked Lexi when she jumped a step down and sat beside him.

"Thanks for stop talking in monosyllables." She laughed, but he didn't respond. "I thought of enjoying the view today with you. It's not everyday that you see the sunset in your university soccer field you know."

As long as he remembers, that was the last thing they conversed once she sat down.

When he left her on the airport, he felt empty, like something was snatched from him. He had been battling the whole time with himself, if he should tell her about his feelings. But, he couldn't. She almost lost her mother, and he can't put a burden on her. She wanted to be there for her, and he should respect it. And he was trying to everything in his hand, to give that space to her. But, how to handle the stability of his head, he had no idea.

Fifteen days, ten hours had passed by now. And he recorded about what changed since then. Result was : nothing.

He had texted her a lot of times, in a time interval of four or five hours in a day. Not too desperate, in his opinion anyways. To which the only replies he got were his shadow ones.

Hey…

Hey…

How is Liz?

She is better now. Doing some of the exercises doctors told her to do.

How is the shifting?

A lot of boxes still unopened.

Does it feel good to be back in the old place?

It does.

It was weird because, she never talked to him like that. She had always been chirpy even on the calls. Did he ruined it all for them by kissing her?

How are you?

A sigh of relief dropped from his mouth to see her message.

I am fine.

He wrote it down and sent the message.

I miss you.

He didn't know why he mentioned it, or why he hit the send button. But, now her reply wasn't coming and he was panicked.

I miss you too.

His heart rate came to the normal speed.

Anything new?

He didn't want the conversation to end, so he did what he could. Small talks.

Nothing like of saying. What about you?

Usual

He had no idea what was going in her head. He wanted to mend the friendship but she was far far away.

It's cold out there on the soccer field, and it was all abandoned, deserted and literally no other person but him.

I gotta go. Catch you later.

That was Caroline's text. He was about to ask her if he can come to visit her. But, before he could do that she ended the conversation. He looked around himself, cursing himself for ruining their friendship.

"Is this kind of your sulking place now?"

He sighed loudly on hearing that voice. Lexi would never leave him alone, will she?

"What are you doing here?" His eyes were glued to the floor, playing with his lapiz lazuli stone ring on his third finger.

'Professor Rick were looking for you. I just came to let you know."

"Hmm."

He had no mood of meeting the professors, but he had to, as Professor Rick was kind of his mentor, and believed truly in him. Thus, he took a deep breath and walked towards the medical building in his university.

When he reached at his office, he was already waving his finger at him to let him in.

"Did you asked for me?"

Professor stopped writing and directed his eye at him. Stefan must be looking awful, and he could tell that by the looks on his face.

"You can take a seat."

He obeyed.

"Stefan… you are a bright student. Someone who has such a tremendous potential." The start was no fun. Because, whenever someone starts the conversation with that statement, there is always a 'but' followed by. He waited for that 'but' to be pointed at.

"Is everything fine with you?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

The professor opened the drawer on the right side of his desk, and took out a piece of paper. His answer paper.

"Look at the grade."

C-. It was the worst in the history of grades he had ever got in his life. That, didn't mean nobody else did.

"And?" He prompted Rick. He knew the paper was bad, and he didn't sit there to finish half of the questions, since Caroline was all alone, he wanted to be there for her.

"You failed."

"Yes, the grade sucks, but I am pretty sure that C- is not an F."

"Yes, it's not. But, that C you are looking at right now… that is something I changed from F. Stefan, you left half of the questions unanswered. And, it's not like you don't know the answer to those."

Stefan stared at the grade on his paper. Wow, That was the first for him. He brought his eye level to his professor and stared at him instead. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you to get your head out of the mud. I don't know what the hell is going in with you, but you need to see straight and concentrate on you life. If becoming a paramedic is still your dream, I should add."

The answer to that was yes…. yes he still wanted to be the doctor. However, the road to it was feeling like falling.

"I am giving you a pass this time, but, don't repeat it again."

But…. there it was. The word, loud and clear. You will be getting this BUT there is a condition. You are passed BUT it won't happen again for the same mistake. We are friend Stefan, but we can't be more than that. Yes, we kissed, but it was a moment of momentary lapse.

Why do people explain their actions.

"I will try to make it sure about that." He stood up and walked out of his office.

He had to take a decision. He had to forget everything about his feelings.

And that meant pouring his heart out in the unlimited glass of whiskey.

"So, is it helping then?"

"Are you ever going to leave me alone?" Stefan slurred out the words on the girl walking towards him.

"You look alone. So, why should I make you more alone?" The girl smiled and took a seat beside him. The voice was new.

"I, uh, I am sorry. I just thought that it was someone else." He tried to concentrate on her face, but he couldn't. The only thing he could figure out was her blonde hair. However, she wasn't Lexi which he got once he heard her voice.

"No worries. You are from the medical school, right?"

How do you know that?"

"I know a lot of things." She laughed softly. "And you are doing it all wrong." She flirted.

"And what is that?" He flirted back. It has been about 1 month, 2 days, and unknown hours since Caroline left the city. He still felt that day like yesterday. Maybe a little bit flirting is what he needed.

"Let's play a game." Her voice was teasing, and he was all in for that. "If I win, we will finish our night at my place.

"And what if I win?"

"It will be your place."

He looked at her blurry figure. "Game on!" Maybe it was his drunk brain, and maybe in the morning he was going to regret it all.

He wanted to take that chance now.

Shots after shots they took almost thirteen of it individually. He was so drunk that even his legs were unsteady on the road. Or was that the road?

"Okay… do it!"

"No no no no… I don't do such stuff."

"You should then. It's fun."

He took a big gulp, and widened his eyes and blinked multiple times in three seconds.

"Ready?" She whispered in his ear.

A loud buzz of the door bell lasted for about a minute, because he never let his finger pulled away from over the button. He could hear rustling of shoes inside the house, and the grumbles and shouts. She pulled his hand, and they ran… they ran like the little kids once they pull some prank.

She was laughing, and he was laughing with her. He had forgotten that he was Stefan, the guy who broods, the guy who lucks out on people he loves.

He took a breathe after that laugh. He could feel her hand on his shoulder, and when he turned around he could feel her close. He should give in, let it go. Have one day off. Her face started to clear out from the blur, with those blonde curls bouncing around her face. She was beautiful, and gorgeous, and even hotter than most of the girls he have met before.

But, she wasn't Caroline.

So, he just turned his head away, and closed his eyes. He had to come out of this misery sooner.

Two months, three days, and four hours have been passed since she left the city, and he remembered the date. It was not a news. The new thing was he remembered the minutes and seconds for that exact moment as well. Because, it was a long time after which she called him.

"Hey."

Her voice was still melodious like the wind chime, and he could feel the muscles on his cheek flexing and stretching into a smile.

"Hey."

"How are you doing?"

"work and all. How are you?"

"Good. Just enjoying the city. I met my old friends. I was telling Bonnie, she should visit soon."

Only Bonnie…. the invitation wasn't for him. Even though the pit in his stomach was burning, he didn't say anything, and just nodded.

"You should come too."

His heart almost did a tango on it. Even if he hated dancing. "Really?"

"Yeah. Afterall this was your place as well, right?"

"I would gladly come."

Only problem was he couldn't because of the last test he almost failed. He had to do extra studies for the credit, and now he was stuck.

"I am taking some classes for some extra credits this semester, so it's a little tight right now. But, I will really come over there."

She was silent for a minute, as if cutting her own tongue. "Are you mad?"

"For what?"

"I don't know. I am just asking."

He chuckled. The girl he missed so much. "No, no I am not mad." He wasn't mad at her, but he just wanted her back in his life.

"Well, you should be… Why are you so good to me?"

Because I love you.

"Because, you are my friend."

"Yeah… friend." She got silent for a second, but came with a "Hey we never officially said it."

"What?"

"Happy new year."

He laughed with her. "Happy new year Caroline."

The call ended, and maybe that was the day he needed the most. Things were calm, and smooth. He attended his classes regularly, went to his gym in the evening, did his pushups and run every single day. Life was normal. Maybe because he was okay with everything, or maybe because he got some stability. But, majorly he thought that the reason was Caroline was back to talking terms with him. And he won't mind it. He just wanted her in his life. That's it!

2 months, 28 days, 3 hours

24 hours before 11th march, 2004

The time was important. Because he had never felt so happy in a very long time. Because at that exact time, he was talking with her.

"So, you are still in the library?"

"Yeah. A lot of reading to do before the spring break starts." He rubbed his eyes. "Actually, I might-"

"I am in town."

"You what?"

"In town, here…. in Madrid."

"And when were you going to tell me that?" He almost jumped out of his chair, which made a loud noise. He didn't care though. The library was anyways empty except for the two or three people sitting at the corner.

"I was… once I was free. It's… Bonnie… it's her birthday."

"When did you came?"

"Few hours back."

"I am coming there."

"NO" she almost shouted but tried to lower her voice back again."I mean, I am here for another day. I can meet you tomorrow, if you don't mind. I mean, it's Bonnie's day. And I was kinda late in arriving here."

"And you want to spend as much time as you can with her."

"Yeah." She sighed a relief.

"Okay. It will be a perfect day for us tomorrow anyways. Kind of a milestone."

"What do you mean?"

He could clearly imagine the crumbled lines on her forehead.

"It will be a year tomorrow when we met."

"You… you remember?"

"Of course I remember. I, uh, I dropped my novel on your head." He chuckled remembering how she almost cursed him. Her red cheek, her nose filled with anger, and her wide eyes once she saw him.

She laughed on the phone. "You were so scared to see me hurt, you thought I lost my memory or something."

"No, I didn't"

"Yes, you did."

"You are exaggerating." He argued. "I was just concerned."

"Over-concerned, I should say."

"Yeah, yeah… fine."

She was laughing and it was the best thing to hear in the morning.

"So, tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow, it is."

A full-fledged smile on his face. He didn't know for how long he sat like that, but he couldn't wait for the next day. After 2 months, and 28 days, there was the 29th day when he was going to meet her.

11th March, 2004, 7:00 a.m. (Present day)

He is still in the clothes from the last night. He couldn't go back to his place to change, the professor is really giving him the hardest time for the mistake he did just once. But, he didn't complaint. If he can get all his work done, he will have all his time to spend with her.

He checks his watch for the time. Seven in the morning, and she must be on the station. So, he just calls her.

"Hey."

"Hey" she says it back, like she always do.

"Why that sigh?" His brows are furrowed.

"I am running a little late."

"The time will pass. Don't worry." He chuckles at the impatience, because he is the one feeling it, but she is the one showing it.

"Yeah… it will."

He can clearly imagine her tensed shoulders easing out, bringing the smile on her face, while she inhales the orchids in her hand.

"I can smell the orchids."

"How do you know that I have orchids in my hand?"

He knows that she is looking for him around her, and so he continues, "Now, don't look for me in the crowd."

"How the hell did you-"

"Caroline… I just… know it."

"Of course you do."

He chuckles.

"Okay, I think my train is coming. Wait for me."

"I will… I am waiting." He can wait for her even if it takes thousand years. "See you soon."

After ending the call, he checks the time once again on his phone. Still 7 a.m. as if time was standing still.

"There is your coffee." Lexi was right behind him.

"Thanks." He needed that coffee. "I should run now."

"Stefan?"

He was almost running when she calls him back. He is dreading to look at her, because he knows her next few questions.

"Are you seriously not going to face me now?"

"What do you want me to say Lexi?"

"I want you to decide what you want."

"The thought is scary." Scary because he has seen the would be after effects. almost three months of life without Caroline Forbes.

"Why is it scary?"

"Because she is my best friend."

"And here I thought, I was your best friend." He chuckles at her, shaking his head thinking again about Caroline.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." He mumbles. Her stares are enough proof that she won't let him go unless he answers. "I don't know Lexi. I am still figuring it out." Figuring out if he would make things awkward again. "I don't want to mess up things. The place where we are right now, what if didn't work? I will lose her." Again… "And I can't afford that."

"Why do you think it won't work? You think she isn't good enough for you?"

Thing is… Stefan never told her about the kiss or any of his feelings. "No, I didn't say that." Maybe she is using the reverse psychology.

"Then what Stefan? What is holding you back?"

"She is too good to fall for me." He has done the mistakes again and again. "You know, I thought Elena was the one for me, what if-"

"But, Caroline isn't Elena, Stefan. The situation isn't like the one you and Elena had. That love was different."

"I don't think she looks at me in that way."

"You both are being idiots."

"Lexi…. can we talk about this anytime later? I gotta go."

"Fine… don't talk. But, figure it out soon. Life is way too short Stefan. Don't waste it on just thinking out stuffs. By the way, where are you going?"

"Um"

"Are you going home?"

"I don't have a class today, and I have noted down the observations for the experiment."

"Okay. Say my hello to Caroline."

He never told her about her being in the city as well. He has no idea how Lexi does that, reading him all the time.

"Is it that obvious?" He smiles shyly.

"Look into the mirror, and see it yourself."

He would, but then he might be late in catching the bus. He is meeting her in half an hour and the wait is killing him.

He reaches the bus stop, and misses the bus just by a minute. The thought is still running through his head. Should he or should he not. Last time he tried to do something like that, he threw her miles away from himself. He is not going to make that mistake again. Usually he is a patient guy, but, right now, patience is something he threw in the garbage. He starts to look for the bus schedule map in his bag when he found the novel, the one he lended Caroline, and she shoved it in his chest while drunk. She looked so cute that his heart just stopped at the thought.

At the corner of the street, he bumped into someone, which made his novel fell.

"I think you dropped something."

A piece of paper. Even though he had never seen that paper, he took it.

His eyes were wide open.

To Stefan Freaking Salvatore,

I know that this letter is never going to see the light, and your eyes will never fall on this sheet of paper. But, I have to do something. I have to vent it somewhere, or else I am going to be craaazy. Anyways, I had no idea I can write so perfectly while drunk. Good job Caroline. *proudly back-slapping my own shoulder* So, where was I?

Yeah, I don't know how people stop themselves in doing something. I mean I am a control freak. And I should be able to handle it all. But, what I really can't do is handle my feelings for you. I thought I can do it. But, every time you walks into my room, or place, or towards me, or even if I hear your voice, I feel like slipping away. It is driving me nuts, that I have feelings for you and it is all wild and uncontrollable. You have always cared about everyone and that is something I have liked the most about you. Maybe we have came too far in our friendship that I can't do anything else about this. I wanna give a smack on the back of my head, and shout at myself for sulking over stuff. You are my best friend and I can never ever forever lose you. I wish you a happy life with Ivy.

Yours,

Caroline

The girl who love the dumbo named Stefan

/\

He read that tiny sheet over and over again. It must be a dream because it's not possible, that's what he thought. Caroline being in love with him couldn't be a reality. He wanted the time to breathe properly. His mind is racing, the heart beating so loud that the whole city might hear it.

The girl who loves me. He laughs at himself. There is no one around him, but he wants to shout and tell everyone.

"She loves me!" He mumbles looking at the unfolded paper. He is waiting for the dream to break anytime, but it didn't. His eyes were moist, and concentrated at the signed sentence at the bottom.

His phone buzzes right at the moment.

"Stefan…"

"Lexi...you have no idea what just happened. I mean, this is kind of the best day for me."

He was so happy that he was laughing like a kid. He had never done that before. "This thing was with me all this time, and I never saw it. Caroline is right, I AM really a dumbo. I just had to open my backpack, and take this novel out, but I kept it sitting right inside my bag."

He has been talking continuously for about five minutes when he realizes that Lexi is silent.

"You must be thinking, what got into me all of a sudden. How come Stefan is talking so much. But, you will understand once you listen to this. Caroline loves me."

Silence.

Well, he expected to some reaction. Maybe she is in shock like him as well.

"What? No 'I told you so' or no 'I knew it way before you'?"

Still no response.

"Hmm, maybe the sherlock couldn't figure out this puzzle before huh?" He chuckles and reads the paper again. Right now all he wants is to go to Caroline, and tell her everything.

"Stefan…"

"Lexi, I think you should say something other than my name as well."

"Where are you?"

"Near the bus stop."

"You didn't get the bus."

"No, but it's fine. I can take a cab."

"There was an explosion in the train."

Stefan frowned. "Which train?"

"The one Caroline took for this zone."

For a second, he thought it is real. But, it can't be. Everything around him is so calm, there is no chaos and nothing. So, he starts laughing.

"Stefan.. stop laughing."

"Then stop making jokes about terrorist attacks, Lexi." He gritted his teeth. The anger is all over his face.

"I am not joking Stefan. It's all over the news-"

He don't know what she said afterwards, because he starts running towards the station. Everything around him was vibrating with the earthquake. That is how he felt.

This can't be happening, not after the letter, not with her….

"I think you should eat something. Have some sugar in yourself."

Caroline looked at the energy drink can in his hand.

"And I think you should go."

"I am not going anywhere."

"Isn't it your finals today?"

"It is."

"Then go."

"But…"

"Stefan, I don't want you to fail because of me."

"I will be fine."

"I will go only on one condition…. you have to eat something."

"I will take something from the cafe outside."

"Promise?"

Stefan crosses the Television showroom, where the news was on every possible Television set. Multiple moving images of the exploded train on the track. The report is already for about hundred people being injured. It's like the hell dragging him down six feet under the Earth. Caroline! He tries her phone for the fifth time. But, it's still engaged…. dead

"Did you eat?"

"None of your business." Caroline was never a fan of Damon, and the major part was him being so cocky, and also the fact of the pain he gave Stefan.

"No, it's not my business." He pressured at the last word. "But, my brother worries for you. And because of the fact that he is not going to eat anything either unless you do."

Caroline turned her head at him.

"He is asking me, and I am not going to lie." With that, he moved his hand towards him. A piece of muffin in his hand. She might hate him, but she never wanted to make Stefan worry. And thus, she took the muffin and had the bite.

/\

She saw him watching Elena walking towards him. He was glued to his position, and the churning in her stomach wasn't good. She had no idea that Elena still might have some kind of affect on him. She could hear him clearing his throat, and maybe the night before today, was nothing but a moment of heat.

"Thank you." She heard him saying.

"For what?" Elena had asked.

"For coming here."

Something inside her shattered. The insecurity of never to be the one being loved surfaced. A moment before she had asked about the kind of relation they have, and he dodged it. Caroline at that very moment, got the answer very loud and clear. She was a friend. And that's what all she was.

/\

Stefan is right outside the station, and it is a chaos all over the place. People rushing here and there, the paramedic team taking the stretcher and bringing out the injured people. He tries to go inside, but is blocked by the police.

"This area is sealed. You can't go inside."

"MY… my friend is inside."

"Everyone's someone is inside, but you can't go there."

He clutches the collar of the police, which is practically a felony. "My friend might be in danger. I have to go there. I can't lose her." He is losing his head now.

"I am moving back with my mom… She uh, she is getting discharged tomorrow."

"That's good, the more you will spend time with her, the more she will feel better. When will you be back by the way?"

"Stefan…. I am not coming back."

Although he was kicked out of the place before, he managed to go near the track. He didn't know how though. He looked for her everywhere. However, wherever his eyes went, it only saw the red of the blood. And he is damn scared right now. He turns around thinking that maybe she is out of danger, and she is safe, but his eyes deceives him when they fell on the bunch of orchids scattered near the body, the one which the paramedic team were trying to keep on the stretcher.

"So, are we… good?" She wanted to see that glimmer of hope. She wanted him to tell her that it wasn't just nothing. She wanted him to fight with her and argue. And most importantly she was expecting him to stop her, give her the reason to stay.

"Yeah… we are good."

But, he didn't.

He is numb, his knees are shaking, and he couldn't even walk.

"Death on spot."

He hears one person saying that.

Dead…

But, it's impossible. She can't be…

His heart isn't beating anymore, like his soul has been sucked away out of him.

Caroline!

Her name is on loop in his head.

One chance, just one chance… he is begging the higher being. He would do anything to get a moment with her.

"Please God, make her wake up." He whispers, praying over and over again. But, her body is lifeless. He waits for a response, still discarding everything to be real.

She didn't.

Her body was still and flat.

He could feel the blood rushing into his brain, as if he is hanging upside down. Cardiac attacks make your left arm paralyzed. He doesn't know if it is one of those attacks.

"Stefan?"

The names reaches his ears like an echo. The hallucination of the voices in his head.

"Stefan."

The name is called again. This time it is more clear than before. It's coming from behind him.

Caroline is standing there, with a purse on her right arm, and the stain of blood on her dress. His eyes lingers on the blood stain, trying to calm the panic attack inside him.

"It's not my blood. I was just trying to help someone."

He walks towards her, unblinking. Because, if this is a dream, or a hallucination he doesn't want to give it away with a blink of an eye.

"I took the wrong train accidentally. And I knew you will be waiting here. Then, I heard about the explosion, I thought you might-"

He didn't know how she was going to end that statement, because he never realized when his lips landed over hers, and he kissed her as if he found her after a lifetime. There were surrounded with people running around them, the dust fumes in the air. But, he didn't care, because she is here, she is safe, and she is with him.

"What was that for?"

"Just a few seconds before, I thought that you were dead, and at that very moment, something died inside me as well." His hands were resting on either side of her cheeks, stroking them periodically. "I have lost so many moments where I could have told you everything, but I didn't because of all those what-if scenarios. I literally almost lost you right now. But, I am not going to repeat that mistake again. And, this isn't some random speech, Caroline. I can't stop feeling what I feel and I am not going anywhere leaving you because I love you."

She was speechless, staring at him dumbfounded.

"Say something."

"Since when did you started speaking this much."

He chuckles. "Since I met a girl named Caroline Forbes."

"Well, who takes a lifetime to confess what they feel?"

"Someone who is a dumbo."

"Yes, you are a dumbo."

"Hmm… but you are the girl who is in love with this dumbo."

Caroline tilted head, thinking about his statement. "You read my letter!" she almost slapped his chest.

"It was addressed to me."

"Still." she was still throwing the punches with her fist, when his hands stopped her by grabbing them both.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For taking the right train this time."

"I took the wrong one, Stefan."

"No… you took the wrong one a year ago, when we met in the train."

Her eyes went wide. "You… you knew."

He didn't say but just smiled.

"Since when?"

"Since we met."

"You are lying." Caroline huffed.

"The branch which you were talking about that day, it has been shut down for almost a year and a half now. I knew that the moment you told me you were working in that branch. I just never knew the reason behind that lie. And to be honest, it really never mattered to me."

"Well, that's embarrassing."

"It's not important, Caroline. The real question is… do you still… have feelings for me?"

He has to ask her, because if she still doesn't want to take it further, he won't. "I know I kissed you just like that. And this place is the worst possible place for a confession and I should have had asked, and I-"

Her lips were collided with his, and he could feel her smiling under his lips.

"What do you think, the answer is Mr. Salvatore?"

"Maybe I need more explanation." One soft peck on her lower lip. He didn't want to let her go. "Promise me." He whispered. "That you will stay with me forever."

And it's just the beginning of their forever….

THE END...

A/N: So, we are HERE. At the end :) Did you liked the whole fic, or this chapter? The prompt was to write a steroline for the march 2004 Madrid event but with a happy ending. And although I didn't go in detail with the train explosion, I just wanted to concentrate on their build up, and how one thing led to another. And mainly I wanted to give the message of never stop from expressing your feeling. Don't hold back. Life is short, and sometimes worst things happens while you are stuck in making the what-if scenarios. Live in the present, and if you want to tell someone that you love them, then go and say it. Maybe the time wouldn't be wasted in your case, like these two idiots did in this story ;) Happy day. and Don't forget to leave the comments.

P.S.: I have started a new fic called Strings. Go and check that out :)