* le sue parti virili _ His manly bits

The ride back was comfortably quiet. It was the first time that they had relaxed in each other's presence since she had come back from her meeting with Padrino. Tyler honestly couldn't help the cold stone of fear that dropped into his stomach whenever he thought of Caroline meeting with a man who had the power to destroy them both, a man known for his ferocity, his cruelty. He couldn't help the fear that nothing but pain would come from placing herself in his clutches. But looking at her, his heart felt like it would burst from his chest with the…love he felt for her. Yes, he could identify it now. It was not only the love of two friends who had been through hell together…but it was the love a man had for a woman, the forever kind. He was sure of it.

The radio was playing softly in the background and he smiled as he heard her singing along. He wished it could always be like this. The simple things. The simple things… like singing along in the car with his best friend. He refused in that moment to let the Cosa Nostra ruin it.

Tyler couldn't help his grin as she squealed, "I love this song!" Reaching over she raised the volume as she sang along.

The day I first met you

You told me you'd never fall in love

But now that I get you

I know fear is what it really was

This was how it was supposed to be. He slipped his hand in hers as she turned to him singing. Squeezing her fingers he wished she would give his poor heart a break. Seeing her like this, at her most beautiful, her smile radiant as she sang along, his heart was speeding up in the rhythm that he had come to recognize as Caroline's. It did a sweet hop, skip and a jump whenever she smiled at him just so and he could honestly say that he was falling in love with his best friend.

The deep boom that pierced the night startled Tyler and when he heard the accompanying 'pop' he knew something was wrong, very wrong. The front tire swerved and he let go of Caroline's hand to try to right it even as his brain raced to catch up to what was occurring. The bridge, they were on the bridge! He couldn't believe this was happening as the car made contact with the rails and suddenly the river was approaching, its deadly waters getting closer and closer.

"Open your door!" he screamed unsure if she had heard him over her screams unsure if she had been able to process his words before they crashed into the water. The cold water that hit him was a shock to his senses. It threatened to cripple his movement but he was free. Looking over at Caroline he saw her struggling to hold her breath and he knew how she felt as the cold water made it hard. The air was burning his chest now and he knew he had to move if they were going to survive this.

Grabbing her hand he pulled her from her seat, her fingers clutching his frantically and he was glad that they could both swim. She hadn't gotten her door open but his had let in enough water to equalize the pressure quickly so they could escape. Once they were free of the car he pulled her with him , as far away from the site as possible, swimming under the water for a few yards before he swam up breaking surface with Caroline; both of them gasping for air. He turned looking up at the bridge and saw them. Four of them, but the shadows hid their faces. Tyler grabbed Caroline's mouth as she was about to speak, forcing her to look in the direction they had gone off the bridge. She gave an almost silent gasp, shrinking back into him.

"Care," he whispered, turning her to look at him "Not a sound. I need you to be absolutely quiet. We're going to try get to the shore and hopefully the woods will hide us until we can get out of here. "

He felt her shake her head, showing that she understood. And so they treaded water, moving silently through the darkness until they came up on the shore. Tyler looked over his shoulder seeing the men split up, moving down to the river and he knew they had to find somewhere to hide, pronto. He cocked his head to the side motioning to Caroline that they were headed into the woods. He didn't recognize any of the faces which meant that they were not from Mystic Falls. This gave him hope that, even if they got to the car and noticed that there were no bodies inside, they would be able to lose them and hopefully not lose themselves.

For once Tyler wished he could hear Caroline's inane chatter about anything. But the seriousness of the situation had left them both speechless. Someone had tried to kill them! The cold which was seeping into their clothes added to their discomfort. They had been moving for the better part of an hour further and further off the path and he honestly hoped that they could find somewhere, anywhere to rest but that was looking grimmer by the minute. The only good thing from going this deep was that they had lost the would-be murderers already. But he knew if they didn't find somewhere to hide out, somewhere to get warm and rest it wouldn't make much of a difference.

"Care," he looked at his best friend who was clutching her hands tightly to her chest, "We need to find somewhere to bunk down and get warm for the night."

"T-Ty," she muttered through chattering teeth, "T-this I-is…" She gritted her teeth trying to speak as clearly as possible, "T-this is Smallwood property. We're about a mile from the cellar."

"How do you know?" he asked surprised that she knew the maps so well.

"H-historical s-society r-remember. This," she placed her hand on the tree just in front of her, "is the only white oak we have left in the town."

"I love you," he grinned at her, pulling her quickly to his chest.

"I-I l-love y-you t-too b-big b-boy," she teased, "L-let's get there, my ass is freezing."

Caroline had never been so happy to see their haunt in all her life. She knew it would provide a secure place for the night with gated bars that could lock and an outer door that could barricade. She really wished that they had some clothes down here but at least they were blankets to keep her warm because right now she could no longer feel her legs. She pulled out a bottle of water and some snacks and spread the blanket out as Tyler locked them in. The activities taking longer than it should have with trembling fingers inhibiting her. Tomorrow they would worry about what to do but now she just needed to get warm.

"You need help?" she heard him ask.

"Y-yeah…" She answered turning her back to him and motioning to the zipper. In any other situation the thought of Tyler Lockwood undressing her would be titillating. The sound of the zipper releasing in the silence a prelude to more pleasure ends. But tonight all she could think of was getting warm and the fact that someone had tried to kill them and would likely have succeeded if not for Tyler's quick thinking.

She turned around and met his back as he faced the wall to give her privacy. Caroline dropped the dress and her underwear which was still damp from their involuntary swim. Hanging it quickly over the hook in the wall she climbed under the blanket. She knew this was going to be all kinds of awkward but… Survival 101. Create a cocoon of insulation. Body heat transfer _ preferably with dry clothes and normotensive person but as it was well, naked and mildly hypothermic were their only options. Sighing she turned on to her side facing away from him, the cool air hitting her skin causing her teeth to chatter and said, "T-tyler. Y-you're g-gonna have to climb in here with me... n-naked."

Tyler was pretty sure he had imagined her voice. And that would literally be the best and worst thing that could happen tonight. The best thing because if he was having a vivid dream in his warm and snug bed it meant Caroline was safe and no one had actually tried to shoot them off a bridge. But if this was a dream he was missing out on a longtime fantasy of his. Caroline naked. Not that he had ever dreamed that he would have her when they were both frozen so cold that le sue parti virili* couldn't react even if he had a mind to; which he definitely did. Caroline…naked. Lying waiting for him. It was hard not to see the benefits of that situation.

Taking a deep breath he let it out slowly as he turned toward her. She was the one now facing away giving him privacy.

"Yeah…um," he tried to answer coherently but…Caroline naked.

"D-don't w-worry I-I won't jump your bones," she teased as he finished taking off his clothes. Awkwardness and longing aside, she was cold. Close to freezing actually, he felt her skin as he touched her. Slipping his fingers between hers he slid in behind her keeping his pelvis a safe distance away from her tempting backside. He felt rather than heard her sigh of contentment and he held her as her body shivered. Placing a kiss on her forehead he urged her to sleep.

Tyler had no intention of sleeping wanting to keep his ears alert in case their hiding place had been found, but his body's protest proved overwhelming and with the symphony of Caroline's slow breathing he had been lulled to the sandman's domain. But now he had awoken, feeling decidedly warmer with Caroline's warm body pressed into his. Caroline's warm…Sometime in the night she had turned seeking the warmth instinctively, hands thrown over his waist, one leg draping over his and again Tyler was hard-pressed not to see the benefits of the situation. Closing his eyes he tried taking slow deep breaths but no matter how many he took, he couldn't get the image from his head of Caroline bared to him, completely, totally, unconsciously. It wasn't helping that he could feel the rounded warmth of her breasts pressed into him, branding him with their tips. His…manly bits were no longer so frozen; were in fact heated to fever pitch and he was acutely aware of how little effort it would take, to well, take her.

"Caroline," he croaked as his hands unconsciously gripped her bared hips, "Care, babe. I need you to wake up."

The sleeping beauty merely moaned and snuggled closer into his warm and Tyler couldn't help the groan that emerged.

"Care," he bit his bottom lip honestly fighting the urge to roll her onto her back. His head dipped and he could smell her. Vanilla and sugar like the shampoo she used and underneath an essence that was totally Caroline. Warm and spicy, sweet and exotic, she smelled like home. Tyler honestly couldn't find out if he was cursed or exceedingly blessed when her hands slipped down his chest, caressing his body. His eyes immediately drooped and for a second there was literally no thought but pleasure coursing through his body. But as her hands reach below the waist he knew he had to stop her.

But then Caroline lifted her face to his, meeting it in a kiss. Yeah, he would stop her… as soon as he found the strength to let her go. His hip snapped forward on impulse when he felt her lips open and allow him entrance. He knew he needed to stop this right now! Tyler pulled back his breathing ragged but instead of letting him go, his best friend started kissing his neck, pulling on his hair as he groaned loud enough to wake the dead.

"Care…Care…I-I need you to be awake right now, please tell me you are awake." He knew he was begging but if she wasn't conscious he didn't know what he would do with himself. And then the most awesome thing happened. He saw her beautiful baby blues, glazed by lust and heat.

"I'm awake and I want you," She whispered into his ear.

Tyler didn't waste a minute, it had been too long, he wanted her too much and she was willing and ready. There was no way he would be able to say no. Touching the side of her face he tilted her head so that she was looking straight into his eyes. It was a chance for her to back away from this, the last chance because he knew that if they did this he would never let go. But Caroline just closed the distance between their lips and he was lost. It was intense, like a firestorm of heat, rushing, consuming in its intensity. Her lips branded him and he knew he just knew he was spoiled for any other woman. Pushing her back he pulled away the blankets, not wanting to leave her lips but knowing he couldn't let the opportunity pass to see her bare skin. To learn it like he knew his own. Tyler took his time, touching with fingertips, grasping with hands, feeling her shivers as he explored every inch with mouth and tongue. He didn't let go, couldn't let go until she was shuddering in his arms and then, only then could he find his release in her. And when finally they lay sated her breathing calming down from its unevenness, he whispered the three words he knew he wanted to say…

I love you.

The first thing Caroline was aware of when she finally opened her eyes was the warm masculine body covering hers. Tyler… God, what had they done? What had she done? She had all but begged him to make love to her. But last night had been so terrifying, so harrowing and then she had woken up to everything she had ever wanted. Tyler's warm naked body next to hers and she had…forgotten all but how he felt. And she had wanted him, wanted him with such need that she had lost it, offering what no guy could refuse. A naked willing woman.

She was an idiot!

Of course he had wanted her last night. They had been through a nightmare and then almost frozen to death. It was a natural reaction and add to that she had been butt naked! Like Tyler would say no. She groaned aloud mortified that she had acted so desperate, that she had made love to a man who did not love her. Oh, he loved her…as a friend. And had she taken the time and waited he could have fallen in love with her. But as it was she would forever be that best friend that he slept with that one time.

Gritting her teeth she slipped slowly, quietly out of the circle of his arms knowing that there was no way she would face him like this. She had barely turned her back to him when she heard his sleep husky voice call out to her.

"Care," he said.

When she looked back he was smiling, that grin that she loved so much. The one that said he was happier beyond words.

Yeah happy he got laid!

If damn it if that thought didn't wipe any warmth out of her. And so she did what she always did when she got nervous. She rambled.

"I was just searching to see what we had for the trek. Our cell phones are totally trashed and if the papers hadn't been in the bubble wrap and the chip in that case..."

"Care," he tried to interrupt and she could see the confusion on his face but she just kept going.

"We would be totally screwed. And we need to get back to the house and let Padrino know that some tried to kill us because Mason has got to be worried sick. And there is no way I would risk him thinking we betrayed him. So get up and let's get a move on."

"No." The answer came out simply.

"No?" she repeated dumbfounded. She was so shocked at his response so much that for a minute she forgot she was avoiding his eyes and turned to face him.

"No… you don't get to run away from what happened between us." He continued throwing back the covers and with a small squeak she placed her back to him.

"What? I wasn't…"

"Yes you were. And I want to know why?"

"Look, Ty," She chanced a glance and saw with some regret that he had put on trousers, "Last night was…intense, feelings were heightened. Someone had just tried to kill us! We were cold…"

"What other excuse are you gonna throw in there? The water affected our brains? Really Care?"

"What do you want me to say? We're best friends and…

"I know we are best friends Caroline," he stepped toward her, "As for what I want you to say…How about last night was amazing and you enjoyed it."

"To what end? We're best friends…" she protested as he stepped even closer.

"You keep saying that, like its some barrier or hindrance," he was right in her face now, "And the answer is forever."

"What?" she could barely breath, barely think with him so close.

"You asked me to what end and I'm telling you, forever. I want everything with you Caroline. "

She almost caved, she almost did with the intensity in his eyes but last night was a fluke, "Look you don't know what you're saying. We were almost killed last night and we had good sex and…You don't know what you are saying."

"It wasn't good sex it was great. It was the most amazing time of my life."

She shook her head turning her back to him. She heard the deep sigh he emitted before he spoke, "Why won't you believe me?"

"Let's just…we can sort this out later. We have to get to Padrino…"

Caroline's attempt at escape was interrupted when the banging on the door startled them both. For a few seconds they stood absolutely still but as soon as they were about to panic Mason's voice came through and they were never happier to hear someone in their life.