Quick A/N: This chapter is rated M for so violence, and…well, uh, you'll see!

...{love is safe, comforting}...

Caroline sat at the Grill and waited for Tyler to show up. She smiled at the bartender–who she compelled to give her rounds of scotch–Bringing the glass to her lips and taking a small sip of the golden liquid, she placed it down on the counter when she heard her phone ring. She took it out of her purse and smiled at the screen.

"Hey!"

"Hey, what are you up to tonight?"

"I'm at the Grill waiting for Tyler to show up."

She could feel him grow jealous.

"Oh."

She sighed. "Stefan, trust me alright."

"Alright," He said, sounding indifferent.

"How about this, after I hang out with Tyler, I'll go to your house and we can...have some fun?" She said suggestively.

Stefan grinned through the phone. "Oh, I'd like that. Damon is still gone with Elena, so we can have the house to ourselves."

"Perfect." Caroline purred.

She looked up towards the door and noticed Tyler enter; she waved at him before continuing talking to Stefan.

"I have to go, Tyler's here."

"Okay, I'll see you tonight."

She grinned. "Bye, Stefan."

"Bye, Caroline."

She disconnected the call and turned to Tyler who was just walking up to where she was sitting.

"Hey Tyler." She smiled at him.

"Hey you!" Tyler grinned down at her before enveloping her in a hug.

He released her and sat down next to her, a smile never leaving his face.

"Want a drink?"

He nodded, "Yeah, sure."

Caroline cleared her throat, "Hey, David, another." She motioned to her glass and the bartender got started on making one for Tyler.

...

She didn't know how much they drank, but it was enough to make her a little tipsy. Tyler on the other hand was completely wasted.

"Excusse me for a moment, I have to use the restroom."

Tyler nodded. She smiled at him as she slid off her stool and walked toward the bathroom. She waited a little bit before she took her phone out of her purse and dialed Stefan's number.

"Caroline? Is everything okay?"

"Hellooo Sstefan S-Salvatore." She stuttered.

"Are you drunk?"

Caroline giggled. "Noo."

Stefan sighed. "Care, be careful. I don't want him hurting you."

"He won't." She smiled at a woman who entered. "I've got to go, he's going to think I'm puking."

"Caroli-"

She hung up and left, making her way towards Tyler. She noticed him leaning over the counter, and whispered something to the bartender as he handed him her glass, which didn't need to be refilled, it was still half full. She walked over to him and took her seat, noticing his suspicious movements.

"Here you go." David said as he handed her back–this time a full glass of–her drink.

"Uh, th–thankss."

She looked at it skeptically before taking a sip.

"Caroline, w–want to get out of h–herre?" Tyler slurred.

She nodded. "Okay!"

She brought her glass to her lips and gulped down the remnants of her glass. She smiled at Tyler and then reached into her purse for her wallet, stopping when she felt Tyler's hand on hers.

"It's okay, I've got it."

"Arre you ssurre?"

He nodded and paid the guy before turning and leaving, with Caroline following him.

"Where do you want to go?" She asked, her head starting to feel a bit dizzy.

"The woods?"

Caroline looked at him with a perplexed look. "Uh, okay."

They made their way to the woods and when they got there, Caroline didn't feel herself. She'd been drunk before, but this time felt different, she felt different. She didn't know how it happened so fast, one moment she was laughing at something Tyler had said and the next, he was kissing her.

"Stop!" She said firmly. "Tyler, stop!"

He continued on kissing her. He roughly pushed her against a tree, and violently ran his hands over her body, leaving bruises as he went. She tried to fight him off, she should be stronger than him, and she should be able to get him off of her. But she couldn't. She was too weak. He moved his mouth along her jaw and then down to her neck as he reached for the top of her jeans. His fingers fumbled as he tried to unbutton them, but was unsuccessful. She struggled, she pushed, she fought to get out of his grasp but she couldn't.

He roughly ran a hand up her side. "Looks like it worked." His voice, low and husk growled out. He laughed, mockingly. "Looks like you shouldn't have drunk that last glass of scotch."

What was that supposed to mean? Then it dawned on her. He had put something in her drink, that disgusting excuse for a man, someone she had called her friend, someone she had told Stefan would never hurt her. He had planned this. How could she have been so idiotic? Fight. Fight, Caroline. You need to fight.

"Help!" She screamed. "Someone please help me! Please! Help! Help me!"

He covered her mouth. "Shut up." He hissed.

"Why are you doing this? Tyler? I thought you were my friend. Why are you doing this to me?" Caroline begged. "Stop, please stop!"

He nipped, and bruised, and left his mark. He hurt her, he scarred her. She was scared, so scared.

"I was never your friend Caroline." He gruffly said.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Help!" She croaked. "Help me!"

The tears fell as he began to unbutton her jeans. No one was there to save her. She was alone. She closed her eyes as she felt a cool breeze, an inhuman, a vampiric speed could only cause it. She heard a low growl. She quickly opened her eyes and saw a blur and she was released from Tyler's grasp. She crumbled to the ground as sobs erupted from her body; tears blurred her eyes as she looked at the scene in front of her. Tyler was thrown to the ground, and then the blur had pushed Tyler rough against a tree, and had its hands around his neck. She blinked and they came into focus. Stefan. It was Stefan who had his hands around Tyler's throat. A low, angry, threatening growl came from deep within his throat, as his grip around Tyler's throat intensified. He was here to save her. He saved her.

"Don't you even think of laying a hand on her," He snarled.

Tyler chuckled and threw his fist forward, an action to punch Stefan, but Stefan was swift and he quickly dodged it. Tyler wasn't going to give up that easily, and he fought. The two became a quick blur as Stefan fought back, defending himself and Caroline, protecting her. They came to a halt and Stefan had his hands around Tyler's neck, a low growl escaping him again. It was then when she heard the sound, the sound that rings through her ears at night when she closes her eyes. The sound that haunts her in her dreams, the sound of fist–connecting–with–skull, the sound of bones breaking, the sound of Tyler's neck turning as Stefan knocked him out. His body fell to the ground. Stefan's breath was heavy as he looked down at Tyler, his cheek swollen, nose bloody and darkness under his left eye. He closed his eyes briefly; he didn't look as bad as Caroline's going to look. Brace yourself. He turned and saw her, his heart broke. She was on the ground, knees pulled up to her chest, head resting on her knees as she sobbed. She was broken. He cautiously walked over to her and kneeled in front of her.

"Caroline." He said softly, as he reached out and placed his hand on her knee.

She flinched at his touch.

He pulled his hand away. "Caroline."

She shook her head as her sobs grew louder.

"Did he hurt you?"

She looked up at him then, glassy, tear filled blue eyes meeting light green ones. That was when she broke, when she saw the safeness in his eyes, in his face, in him. She fell forward, her face resting on his chest as the tears fell. She wrapped her arms around Stefan and he held her. Her grip tightened as she cried harder. Stefan's eyes filled with tears, he held her tighter as he blinked back his own tears. He closed his eyes as he rocked her back and forth, rubbing her back soothingly.

"Shh, shh, Caroline, it's okay. You're safe now, you're safe."

"I'm sorry. I'm s–so s–sorry." She cried. "I'm s–so sorry Stefan."

He hugged her tightly. "It's okay, it's okay. It's not your fault. It's not your fault."

She cried harder into his chest at his words.

"Come on, I'll bring you home."

Stefan slowly rose to his feet, with Caroline clutched to him. He wrapped his arms around her and slightly pulled her away from him, so he was able to look down at her.

"Care, come on. I'll take–"

She shook her head. "No." She croaked. "I don't want to go home, I–I can't, I c–ca–" She couldn't finish as new sobs racked her body.

Stefan pulled her close again and held her in a warm embrace. "Okay, okay. I'll take you to the boarding house."

She nodded against his chest. "Thank you." She murmured.

Stefan picked her up, one arm under her knees while the other was around her back. He knew she didn't want to be here any longer, so with his vampire speed he took off towards the boarding house. He opened the door with his foot and closed it the same way. He swiftly carried her upstairs to his bedroom. He carefully placed her on the bed, turning to let her sleep when he stopped. She had reached out her hand and clutched his, in a death grip.

"No." She said frightened. "Don't leave me."

He looked down at her and simply nodded. "Okay," His voice a soft whisper.

He climbed into his bed and Caroline instinctively cuddled into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, and held her to him. She had calmed down now and was just in a state of silence, shock. Silence filled the room, and Stefan's eyelids began to feel heavy and droop closed. He sighed heavily.

"I should have listened to you."

He rubbed his hand along her back. "It's okay that you didn't."

He felt her move and she was now looking up at him, her chin resting on his chest.

"It's not okay. You were being my friend, you were trying to help me and protect me and I just blew you off. I thought that I knew better and I thought I knew Tyler–obviously not–but I was wrong. Tonight could have ended very differently if you hadn't saved me. So thank you."

He looked deeply into her eyes and nodded. "I promised you I wouldn't let anything happen to you." He simply said.

"I know you did, and thank you."

He kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep Caroline."

She nodded and lay her head back down on his chest. Stefan brought her closer to him, and she tightened her hold on him, never wanting to let go. She enveloped herself, loving the feeling of being in his arms and the safeness that it made her feel.

He smoothed her hair, and kissed the side of her head. "Just get some sleep, Care."

A/N: So, feedback is greatly appreciated!