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"Come on in, Damon."

Just four words, but dear lord, did they have an impact on Caroline's nerver system! She wanted to just join in on Stefan's discomfort and somehow make Elena deny Damon entrance to the house. But that would really raise suspicions, definitely in Damon's mind. Maybe that would've made him interested in her for other purposes as well, and was that really something she wanted now that she was a human again?

Nope.

So Caroline could only stand by and watch Damon walk in with that triumphant smirk, directed towards Stefan, but at one point directly at her and she could see the devil inside those eyes. No humanity Damon was a frightful sight. Devilishly handsome, but so scary and Caroline would be damned if she stood within 3 feet of him. She'd found herself closing in towards Stefan and if she hadn't imagined it, Stefan actually moved a little so he was almost shielding her from Damon's hungry eyes.

Now, though, they were seated around the table in the living room and nothing was hiding Caroline from Damon's view. She could feel his eyes raking over her, occasionally drifting towards Stefan, but almost entirely directed towards her. Same could be said for Stefan, his eyes were on Caroline and Damon the entire time. Caroline could see Elena getting slightly frustrated by the lack of attention from Stefan, but at the same time, she saw Elena's eyes drift far too many times towards Damon.

Caroline knew what was going on in Elena's mind, of course. Maybe not so serious right now, but she knew Elena was already attracted to Damon. She couldn't really blame her, Damon had the kind of looks to drive-

"Earth to Barbie."

Caroline broke out of her reverie as she saw a hand wave in front of her. She quickly glanced at Damon who was looking at her, intrigued. "Sorry, what?" Caroline asked, looking around at the others. She felt her face grow hotter as she realized they had been talking to her, everyone's eyes on her now. "I asked for your name, beautiful," Damon said silkily, drawing Caroline's eyes towards him.

She gulped slightly before bracing herself. "It's Caroline," she said, her tone rather flat. She felt Damon's jaw do the thing as his eyes hardened. This Damon did not do rejection, apparently. Stefan, however, looked pleased as he gave her a half-smile, his eyes softening and just that small gesture made Caroline ease down, loosen up. Damon could stand up and rip her heart out for all she cared! Stefan was pleased with her and was giving her that smile, who cared about the other psychotic vampire in the room?

"I'm just gonna check up on that lasagne." Elena got up and made her way to the kitchen. "I'll help," Bonnie piped up right after, jumping up and following Elena. "I'll come with," Caroline said quickly, about to get up when Damon took a hold of her hand, suddenly right next to her. "I think they can handle it," he smirked, sending shivers down Caroline's spine. She quickly glanced at Stefan to see him looking at Damon's hold on her hand, his shoulders tense, his lips pursed. "Besides, you don't look like the type of girl to do dishes," Damon continued, letting his fingers glide over her hand as he slid down, perching himself right next to where Caroline had been sitting.

Caroline composed herself before slowly sitting down again. She tried to glide a little farther away from Damon's seat right next to her, and closer to where Stefan was sitting, hoping it went unnoticed. "I'm not, but it's nice to offer some help," Caroline said absentmindedly, not really sure why she was conversing with Damon at all. As though sensing her discomfort, Stefan got up and sat down right next to her, looking straight at Damon, his torso turned towards Caroline, an arm draped on the couch behind her. Caroline smiled, though she was dancing inwardly, at the protective gesture.

"Relax, Stef, I don't bite," Damon said, his jaw clenching, annoyance flashing in his eyes. "Unless you want me to," Damon suddenly whispered, looking at Caroline seductively with that smirk on his face. Caroline literally felt her heart do a backflip at the sudden flash of Damon sinking his fangs into her neck the very first time she'd met him. She felt her eyes sting and was for one horrid moment sure that she was about to just break down in front of both Salvatores.

Luckily, Elena came into the living room just that second. "Let's go to the kitchen, food's done," she announced and without even blinking, Caroline launched herself off the sofa and almost ran after Elena. She heard muffled hisses from behind her, but she would not for the life of her turn around and see.

The little amount of time between coming to the kitchen and everyone settling down for dinner, gave Caroline enough time to figure out a plan. She was just going to pretend she got a call from the Sheriff and simply head home. There was no way she could survive another minute with Damon in the same room, not when he was obviously trying to get her interested. There was only so much rejection Damon could take before he snapped, and Caroline knew that very well. She had to get away before it was too late so when everyone were sitting down, she pretended to be on the phone.

"But mom, I've barely been here- okay, fine, I'm coming." She turned to the others, all of them giving her questioning looks. "Elena, I'm sorry, but my mom- she's saying to get home, it's an immergency," Caroline sighed, feeling Damon's eyes burning into the side of her face. She refused to glance in his direction, keeping her eyes focused on Elena opening the oven. "But we're just going to eat, stay for dinner at least," Elena said, but Caroline shook her head. "I'm sorry, but she said it was an immergency. I have to go, but I'll call you later," Caroline promised, smiling at Elena standing there with the lasagne in her hands.

"Okay, fine, but tell Sheriff Forbes this immergency better be worth it," Elena sighed as she made her way to the table. Caroline blew Bonnie a kiss before turning to Damon, knowing she had to adress him, even if that was the last thing she wanted to do. He was looking at her expectantly, as though waiting for her to talk to him, to give into his little seduction. She opened up her mouth to speak when Damon cut her off. "I'll walk you to the door, seeing as the hostess has got her hands full," Damon smirked, staring right at her. Caroline felt goosebumps rise on her arms, her heartbeat suddenly racing.

For some reason, she couldn't even form a thought as Damon started to rise from his chair. She just stood there, paralyzed, frozen with fear. Her mind was telling her to do something, screaming at her to say something to stop him. But all she could do was stand there, wide eyed, waiting for Damon to simply walk up to her and ruin all her work. Luckily, Damon wasn't even halfway up when Stefan was suddenly standing right next to Caroline. "Don't trouble yourself, I've got this," Stefan assured, glaring at Damon. Damon's face hardened, his eyes growing slightly darker as he looked at his brother. His eyes went from Stefan to Caroline and back to Stefan, his lips forming a tight line as he nodded and sat back down again.

Caroline realized her tongue was working again and decided to say something to just ease the tension. "It was nice meeting you, Damon," Caroline acknowledged, grateful that he was sitting on the other side of the table, far away from her. "Pleasure's all mine, Barbie," Damon smirked, winking at her with a knowing look, his eyes still cold. Stefan placed his hand on the small of Caroline's back, giving her the confidence to nod at Damon before Stefan lead her away from Damon's prying eyes. Caroline felt her mood light up, squealing inwardly.

Once again, the protective gesture made Caroline feel weak in her knees. Stefan opened the door for her and Caroline stepped out into the cold air. To her surprise, Stefan followed suit, closing the door behind him. "Stefan, what are you doing?" Caroline asked curiously. "Call me intruding, but I felt like you were slightly uncomfortable and I just want to make sure you're okay," Stefan said softly, those pucker lips drawing Caroline's attention. She quickly shook herself, taking in what he said. "It's not intruding, it's really sweet of you, but I'm fine," Caroline assured him.

"That's good. Hey, what did you wanna tell me earlier? You seemed very troubled about it," Stefan reminded, curiosity lacing his features. Caroline felt a little nervous, but she knew she couldn't tell Stefan. It wasn't the right time or place. "Oh that? It was nothing, I-I was just thinking about something for school," Caroline mumbled, looking down the road. "Are you sure? You looked pretty lost in thought. If there's something on your mind, just know that you can always trust me," Stefan said genuinly. Caroline looked at him, her eyes slightly watery all of a sudden.

"Thanks, it means a lot. But it was nothing, really, Stefan. I had a good time and that's all that counts. I'm just a bit tired so I'll have an early night, I guess," Caroline lied, hating herself for it. "Okay, if you say so. Well, goodnight," Stefan said and Caroline was taken by surprise when Stefan wrapped his arms around her, but did Caroline have to be told twice to hug back Stefan Salvatore?

Hell no.

She was hugging him back, breathing in his scent, feelings his warmth. If she could, she would never let anything end their hug. But it seemed her wish didn't matter; Elena opened the door, her eyes narrowed. "There you are, Stefan," she stated as Caroline quickly pulled away from Stefan. "I thought you'd left or something."

"No, I was just talking to Care here," Stefan said, looking slightly confused as he looked at Caroline, his eyes roaming her face. "Yeah, I was just leaving so- bye," Caroline said, her cheeks hot. "Drive safe," Stefan called and Caroline walked ahead, refusing to look back. She got in the car and drove home as fast as she could. Though she'd been lying to Stefan, she was actually really tired by the time she got home. She got in bed the moment she changed her clothes. She deserved some sleep after a day of survival. She'd survived her very first meeting with Damon.

Maybe she could do this, you know, with Stefan beside her all the time.

"Stefan.." she whispered, smiling. She knew it might be a bit delusional, but she was so sure there was something more between the two of them. That look on Stefan's face earlier, it told her something was changing regarding his feelings towards her. He'd looked confused when he'd pulled away, as though he wasn't sure of why he was hugging her. His eyes, they'd looked clouded for a second, but Caroline could've sworn she'd seen something similar to what Stefan in the future used to have in his eyes when he looked at her. Or maybe it was his protective nature, wanting to shield her from his devil of a brother.

"I'll take what I get, for now," Caroline sighed, closing her eyes, deciding to think that he was being so protective and sweet because he was in love with her. After all, they had a future together.

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