Set between 2x18 & 2x 19

Caroline entered the Mystic Grill, making sure that Matt wasn't there. It was supposed to be his day off, but she didn't want to take any chances.

She hadn't heard from Stefan yet and hadn't seen him since the debacle at the 60's dance. Besides, she felt a little bit stupid being so concerned about her love life with so many bigger things going on right now. For instance the fact that one of her best friend was in hiding, pretending to be dead in order to fool a super big bad vampire that wanted them all dead. Or un-undead in her case. Or Damon's. Or Stefan's.

She couldn't help but smile upon remembering the short dance she and Stefan shared. Ok, it had just been to warn her, but it had been nice none the less.

She approached the bar, intending to order something to take away to Bonnie and Jeremy. She didn't immediately noticed the dark figure sitting a few feet from her.

"Stefan and Caroline, kissing in a tree..." a voice singsonged.

She turned to her right, recognizing the mocking tone before even seeing the black hair and blue eyes.

Damon was sitting there, nursing a drink – apparently not the first.

"I'm totally ignoring you," she replied, preparing her money.

He smirked. "But you can't ignore the biiiiig crush you have on my brother."

Caroline tried very hard not to blush. Damn him! "I have no idea what you are talking about. Stefan and I are friends. I know that this is a concept you have no clue about, though."

That hurt. A bit.

"Do you really think I care," he asked, as he hadn't been the one broaching the subject. "You make a cute couple though. Totally Barbie and Ken. You would make very pretty vampire babies."

She rolled her eyes before suddenly smiling. "I see. If Stefan's with me, Elena is free right? How convenient for you!"

He finished his drink and motioned to the bartender to pour him another one.

"I wouldn't do that to my brother," he said dryly, and to his surprised he actually meant it.

Ok, most of it.

"Right...that was super convincing. I, on the other hand, wouldn't do that to Elena," Caroline replied, paying the bartender who had just brought her order.

Damon cast her an exasperated look. "Ok miss BFF, then why are we having this conversation?"

"What conversation?"

With a big fake smile towards him, she turned around, before coming back a second after. "Oh, and Vampires can't have babies anyway."

It was his turn to roll his eyes and watch her leave gladly. It's not that he didn't like her...ok maybe he did. No, he tolerated her. Yes, that was a much better word. Anyway, he always had that slightly vague and deeply buried feeling of guilt about the way he had treated her last year.

And he had been sincere about Stefan. Since Katherine had made him drink her

blood , and Stefan had forced him to complete the transition, he had spent the last century balancing between anger and resentment, obsessing about releasing Katherine, and that had turned out to be a big joke. He should have left then, and go on his merry evil way.

But since coming back to Mystic Falls, the least probable thing had happened : he had started to care. Worse : he had started to love.

So yes, he meant it when he said that he wouldn't steal Elena from his brother like he would have done a year ago without any scruples. If he got to be with Elena someday – and he loathed himself for even just hoping that it could ever happen – it would be loyally. Because until Elena, he had been existing.

Now he was finally living.