Stefan's POV

I chose Jacksonville because Mystic Falls then would be on the other side of the country, therefore much harder to find us. It's just as well that I bought an apartment here in the late 90s, the house was furnished so we could move in straight away.

It's been a few weeks and I know I need to call Klaus and tell him what happened but I rather wait a little longer. I also haven't found a job yet.. It's not as though we need money, we're vampires and me and Damon have a lot of money saved up from all these years, but we want to be normal people. The reason I haven't even started looking for it, is because I feel uncomfortable leaving Caroline and Hope for too long by themselves after what happened in Perth when I wasn't with them. I blamed myself, Caroline got hurt because of me.

I can see that she is starting to get annoyed with me following her every step, although she doesn't say anything because she can see how worried I am something like that will happen again. I need to get a grip, since when have I became so protective and possessive? I mean I was protective of Elena in many ways but not like this.

When Caroline wasn't with me it was like I couldn't function properly, couldn't breathe. On the day that we finally got here Hope wasn't in her best shape, she was very tired and because the furniture in the new apartment wasn't really appropriate for a small child, she didn't even have a crib the first day.

It was late at night and everyone was tired too after a long car ride Caroline and me settled on the king size bed in the bedroom with Hope in the middle, cautious not to hurt her. We bought Hope her crib and all the other necessities the next day but our sleeping arrangement somehow didn't change. We didn't do anything, just talked until we fell asleep next to each other. I wasn't complaining, sometimes we would wake up with our legs tangled with each other or cuddled together which would follow by Caroline apologising and running out embarrassed, but the best part was just walking up to her.

The feelings that I had for her were rapidly growing stronger and I knew that if I didn't do something about them I would go crazy. Either I had to put a stop to this, or step up and tell her how I felt.

You can either be friends with someone or in love with them; I don't think you can be both.

I intended to talk to her today, our neighbours were really polite humans and they invited us the first next day we got to Jacksonville. Today however they proposed that they would stay with Hope and give as a night off.

At first Caroline and I were very cautious about them, but after about 3 more dinners we stated that they were actually really nice. The newlyweds as we found out, were in their 20s, had a small son called Jake and were both paediatricians. When they first met us they thought that me and Caroline were also married and had a child together, she was about to set them straight when I thought that it would be better if they thought that Hope was our biological daughter. I didn't know them and I didn't want them to ask too many questions at first. After a serious talk with Caroline, a bit of shouting and apologising from both sides we decided to pretend to be engaged.

Caroline of course needed a lot persuading to leave Hope with Sam and Alec (our neighbours), but she knew Hope would be in good hands so she finally agreed. Both of us needed a good night out.

It was about 8pm when I brought Hope over to Sam and Alec, stayed there a bit to explain her routine (when she goes to sleep, when she eats) and both mine and Carolines phone numbers just in case.

I tried to stay there as long as possible because 1) saying goodbye to Hope was hard and 2) I wanted to give Caroline some time to dress up just like she asked. I told her that I wanted to take her out to dinner and I quote 'just as friends of course'. After I said it, I somehow regretted it and wanted to swallow the words right away when I saw her face fell.

Ok, I gave her 20 minutes. I said my goodbyes, thanked our new friends and got myself mentally as ready as I could for the night ahead.

Caroline's POV

I knew that sooner or later Stefan and I were going to have to talk about the relationship between us, or whatever it was that we had. We left Perth now a few weeks ago and I didn't really have time to take a lot of my staff, and since Stefan hasn't left my side for longer than thirty minutes I didn't really have a chance to go shopping and buy myself a dress to go on a date. I didn't really think I would need one.

As I was trying to get myself into that black lace evening dress, and trust me it wasn't easy because it was so tight. I stopped half way when I started to wonder why was I even bothering? I mean Stefan said it himself; it was nothing more than just a night out with a close friend. Just as well I could wear my sweatshirt and pants. Oh Caroline, why are you getting your hopes up again? Only to be rejected. He probably asked my out anyway just to keep the appearance of a couple in front of Sam and Alec when they offered to stay with Hope while we have some time to our selves.

I finished getting ready and waited for Stefan a couple of minutes before I heard the doorbell. In those few minutes I looked at the photos above the fireplace of Stefan, Hope and me, all of us sitting on the floor in the living room with Hope in between us. You could see that it was Stefan taking the picture with one hand sticking out obviously holding the camera. It was only our second day there, he insisted on the pictures because apparently he wanted to show Klaus how Hope was growing so fast but the next day the pictures were already hanging in this very place. Now I kind of understood why Sam though we were a family, we looked like one, and a really happy one at that. The one that I thought I would have one day. What are we doing? Playing house?

As soon as I opened the door all of these thought were gone. Stefan stood, casually leaning against the doorframe with his perfectly styled hair and dressed in his black jeans, a black shirt that you could see has three unbuttoned buttons from his collar and his black t-shirt underneath sticking out just a bit. He didn't need to make any effort to look good because he already was ridiculously handsome. I was so consumed by his appearance that I didn't even notice the little bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"These are for you" he said clearing his throat after some time and handing me the flowers, so I wasn't the only one checking him out.

"Thank you, their beautiful"

"Just like you..." I thought heard faintly as I was walking to put them in water "You ready?"

"Yep, I'm ready..."

...

We sat at the very back of a nice little French restaurant called "Le Ciel" that happened to be not very far from Stefan's apartment. He probably picked it out on purpose just to be close to Hope, not that I blamed him. The restaurant wasn't really in my style, the control freak that I was once we got there I thought to myself that I would never plan a perfect date in this place.

I couldn't complain though because It was however Stefan's style; modern little restaurant, at the corner with black, white and red themes around it.

Once we ate our food and called Alec to get an update on how Hope was doing we settled for a walk around the neighbourhood and couldn't stop laughing at some memories that we both shared.

" Ha-ha and do you remember that time when you had that thing with Rebekah?"

"Hey.. Let's not forget your incident with Klaus in the woods" my companion replied earning himself a light hit to the head

"Ok, I don't know what possessed me" and when I thought about it, I stopped laughing "actually that day, I thought it was going to be the last day I have to see or hear about Klaus. That is until Hope appeared" I added with a small smile on my face.

"Look... Caroline, I still remember what you told me at prom"

We stopped walking and I turned myself to come face to face with Stefan "and what would that be?"

"That someday, I will meet someone new and fall in love again"

"And?" where was he going with this?

"And I wanted to tell you, you were wrong" an expected but still very disappointing answer, but this was before he added "I didn't need to meet anyone new, I now understand that I didn't notice what was right before me" my heart skipped a beat when he looked into my eyes with this unfamiliar look to me, holding my much smaller hand in his "And I don't know if it the same love that I had for Elena, I don't. But whatever this is, I think it could turn into something better"

And before I had the chance to analyse everything that he said to me, his soft lips landed on mine. It wasn't demanding, just a sweet little kiss that lasted a moment. What am I doing? I'm not only taking responsibilities for my actions but I have to think about the little girl at home and how will this affect her. The kiss would have lasted longer, as Stefan put his muscled arms around my waist and back and waited for me to kiss him back with just as much affection when I suddenly realised that I had to stop this and pulled back from his embrace. Not kissing him back was probably one of the hardest things I had to do recently.

"Stefan I can't..." I said stepping back from him putting my hand over the lips that only seconds ago were touched by his. "I... I... I can't imagine my life now with not having you or Hope in it"

"Then why?..." I could see the obvious confusion on his face

"We can't, we just can't. If we stay friends Stefan.. I have a guarantee that both of you will stay in my life. If we were to be together, things would just get complicated and.."

"It doesn't have to be li..."

"But it will!" I almost shout as he tried to get close to me again. "You know it will, and I love you too much to let this happen." I finish leaving him as quickly as I can in the other direction.

...

I don't know how long I have been walking around for, maybe few hours. I don't have a place to go rather than Stefan's apartment so I just keep walking around the city in those uncomfortable heels. I need to think things through and give Stefan his space as well.

What were we thinking? I mean, I would lie if I said that I didn't want this. But when it actually happened, I started seeing all the obstacles in between.

And I love him, I know I do. I just don't know if I'm in love with him. I know it's a selfish thought but if it came to a choice where he would have to pick between me and Elena, who would he pick?

Even thou it was the middle of the summer, the nights sometimes could get really cold. So when I stopped feeling my toes and fingers I decided it was time to go home.

When I got to the front door I picked up my forgotten phone from my purse to see what time it was. 1;00 in the morning, great. I also noticed about 20 messages from Stefan and missed phone calls.

I tried to unlock the door and come in as quietly as I could inside not to wake either Stefan or Hope, because he probably already brought her home. Stefan and I only agreed to go out for two hours, and it was way past that, so he had to bring her home anyway.

I haven't been as quiet as I thought because when I turned from the front door after I came inside and locked it, the light in the living room turned on and I saw an angry looking Stefan in the arm chair, combing his hair with his hand several times.

"Where have you been?" he finally said calmly after a few moments, resting his hand finally on his legs leaning forward. His calm voice didn't mask his anger, frustration or whatever it was. I didn't know how to reply.

"Is Hope in her crib? Has she eaten anything? I can make her something.."

"Hope is staying the night with Sam and Alec; I asked them to take care of her while we resolve family issues" Family issues? He wasn't even looking at me right now, was he so angry with me now?

"Ok" I quietly and simply said after cautiously stepping further into the living room.

1 minute nothing...

2 minutes nothing...

I was just waiting for him to say something, anything and I didn't have to wait long. His outburst came straight away when I put my things down on the small coffee table opposite me.

"I HAVE BEEN WORRIED SICK!" he finally stood up, using his vampire power run to stand right in front of me to shout in my face. "I CALLED! You could have at least answered and tell me you were alright, Caroline what were you thinking?"

"I was jus.."

"You were what?" seeing him pacing around all because of me, scared the shit out of me, I hurt him and I regretted it so much. "You know I promised myself that I would never leave you, not again, and to protect you. You're making it really hard for me, you know that?"

"I'm sorry" all of this brought tears to my eyes, "I'm really sorry"

"I care about you... so much" he said capturing my face in his hands and brushing away the tears that stained my cheeks with his fingers "Maybe you don't need to hear it. But I need to know that I.. I said it. I'm the one that needs you now.. Don't leave me Caroline. Not ever."

I knew that he meant what he said; he would never lie to me. And in that moment I realised exactly what I wanted and what I was going to fight for. I hesitantly reached out and grabbed his hand which he then pulled towards his heart. He looked at me and smiled his perfect smile, the one I missed so much, pulled me in close so that every inch of our bodies were touching and gave me a kiss so deep that it was sure to leave bruises.

His tongue felt hot and sweet as it probed the inner contours of my mouth; teasing my bottom lip with a bite and sucking its tender flesh. I could feel an intimate fire seethe and unfurl within my stomach; the cool touch of his fingers finding their way under the material of my dress. Within seconds with found ourselves in our bedroom. The soft caress of his skin against my own was deadly; enough to send electric spasms of joy coursing through my thighs and spine. I suddenly found myself curving my body into him, towards his heated skin and now bare chest. And As I dared to thread my fingers through his soft locks; our eyes met, crystal blue into deep green.

"Don't ever leave me again" The voice was familiar, whispering softly against my ear... dripping with erotic passion and craving.

I didn't need to reply; I slammed our lips together, my hips straddling his thighs as he positioned himself on the bed, and my hand unbuckling his belt.

Sorry it took me so long to write, I hope you liked it. Comment below and give some feedback. Any propositions on what should happen? :)