Caroline woke up the next morning feeling like crap. Her mouth was dry and her head hurt and fangs itched. She didn't want to wake up. She wanted to sleep until the hangover was gone, but she couldn't. She could hear the shower running in the bathroom and her mind immediately snapped to Stefan. To the kiss. She took a soothing breath of air and opened her eyes.

She was in her own bed, wearing only her t-shirt and panties. Stefan's bed was unmade, His leather jacket was carelessly lying in a corner. It wasn't like Caroline didn't remember what had happened, she did. She just wanted to confirm to herself that her memories were correct. No, she hadn't slept with him, but she had kissed him. Or he had kissed her. Or something like that.

"Hey" she said as he came out of the bathroom.

He had wrapped a white towel around his waist. His hair was wet, his chest damp.

"Hey."

He sat down on his bed. She tried not to look at him, but it was hard. She tried to ignore that he was naked, five feet from her, only being covered up by some tiny fabric.

"I'm going to have a shower" she announced.

She got up too quickly and felt her head spin. She had to sit down again.

"How do you feel?" he asked, smirking.

"Wonderful" she replied.

"I bet."

His tone wasn't awkward or forced. He smiled openly at her. Didn't he remember the kiss? Or did he just didn't want to talk about it?

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Noon."

She lay back on her bed.

"The shower was very nice" he said. "You should try one."

Images of him showering popped into her head. Soup and big hand of smooth skins and… No. She wasn't going there.

"Last night was fun, though" he commented.

She tried to see anything in his eyes that showed that he had the kiss in mind. She found nothing.

"Yeah" she said weakly.

He came over and held his hand out to her.

"You need some help getting back up?"

She shook her head.

"No, I'm fine."

She got up on shaky legs and headed towards the bathroom. It wasn't until she was in the hot water that she could relax.

…

Stefan tried to make himself shake off the feeling of dread. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. They weren't supposed to kiss. He began to pace the small motel room. He heard the shower running. He didn't want to go home. He didn't want to wreck everything. They weren't supposed to kiss!

And he wasn't supposed to enjoy it.

…

They spent the day inside. It drizzled constantly and the sky was gray. Gone was the heat and the clear skies. Caroline sipped blood from a bag and Stefan only went out for an hour to hunt. He came back with tousled hair and muddy shoes. She watched him. And then she couldn't bare it anymore. She didn't want to feel tense and awkward and God knows what else.

"Stefan…" she began.

He looked up from the book he was reading. Tolstoy. He was rereading all the Russian classics, she was reading Us Weekly and People.

"Yeah?" he asked, putting the book down.

"Last night…"

Her phone rang. She picked it up, it was Bonnie. She pressed IGNORE.

"What?" he asked.

"Don't you remember?" she asked, her voice tiny.

For a moment, she thought that he would say no, but he didn't. Instead he nodded.

"I wasn't that drunk" he smirked. "I don't have memory loss."

She smiled weakly back.

"We should talk about it."

"We were drunk" he said, slowly.

She nodded. Yes. That was true. But she had never before, even when drunk, felt the urge to kiss random people. Maybe she had because it would be fun or exciting, but she had really wanted to kiss Stefan.

"You're right."

His face was guarded, but she found no agenda in it. Maybe he just wanted to forget it.

"You're my best friend, Care. I don't want this to screw it up."

She nodded.

"Me neither."

He leaned over and tousled her hair. She laughed and tried to get even. They ended up in a pile on the floor, playing a game of who was stronger; Stefan on animal blood or Caroline with a hang-over. He won. Her mind was elsewhere. It had gone down fine. He just wanted them to friends. Just like she did.

Then why did it feel like a letdown?

…

They stayed in Forrest City for another four days. In continued to rain and they spent days sipping coffee in their hotel room and their nights at the karaoke bar. Caroline sang almost every night. She loved it. They didn't get drunk. They didn't kiss.

As they left and hit the road, Caroline sighed.

"I wish they had a college here" she said.

"You want to live here?"

"I love it. It's small and cute and perfect."

Stefan shook his head at her. She yawned and tilted her head against the window.

"And where are we going next?" Stefan asked.

"To a wedding. We need to crash one."

"Oh, right."

She yawned again. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, but she didn't pick up. Bonnie had been calling her twice a day for the last couple of days. Caroline didn't really feel like picking up.

"And how do we find a wedding?"

"We will."

He didn't question her, just headed for highway. It stopped raining as they passed Jacksonville.

…

They got gas in Little Rock. Caroline hated the city right away. It was big and noisy and smelled like petrol (or maybe that was because she was at a gas station). She went inside to pay. There was no point finding a good wedding here, Caroline just wanted to drive on. Instead she just paid for the gas and went to the ladies room to wash her face. Inside, her phone rang. She sighed and picked it up from her bag. DAMON SALVATORE read the display. She felt surprise. Had Damon ever called her before?

"Hello" she answered.

"Hey."

She stood in the smelly restroom. She didn't dare go out, not wanting to Stefan to see that she was talking to anyone.

"Where are you?" Damon asked.

His tone was uninterested, but Caroline knew better.

"Why?" she asked. "Why do you care?"

He snorted.

"Are you mad at me, Barbie?"

She ignored the stupid nickname.

"Yes."

"Oh."

He didn't say anything, neither did she. Instead she clamped the phone between her shoulder and her ear and began to wash her hands.

"Stefan doesn't pick up when I call."

"You don't say. I wonder why."

"Look, Caroline. This isn't as black and white as you think…"

"You stole your brother's boyfriend, knowing that it would destroy him."

"He would have done the same thing."

It was Caroline's turn to snort.

"Are you kidding me?"

She dried her hands and grabbed the phone again. She had become use to fighting with people over the phone. Maybe something to enter into her college applications.

"Look, I didn't call to bicker with you" Damon sneered.

"Ouch, now I'm hurt."

"Can you give the phone to Stefan?" he asked.

"No."
"Why not?"

"I'm in the ladies' room."

"Are you stuck there or what?"

"Damon, I'm not giving him the phone. He'll pick up when he's ready."

Damon growled.

"Elena and I broke up."

Caroline almost dropped her cell onto the gross floor.

"What?"

"Yeah, last week."

"Why?"

He didn't answer. She didn't really want to know anyway.

"I almost killed Matt" Damon finally confessed.

Caroline felt her stomach turn ice cold. Matt. Wonderful, loyal Matt.

"What?"

"She kept going about how good of a boyfriend he used to be and that she and I always fought."

"So you tried to kill him?"

"It was a mistake."

"Is he okay?"

"Fit as a fiddle."

Caroline rubbed forehead.

"You tried to kill Jeremy and she forgave you."

"I know."

"Why not now?"

"We've been, ehm, rocky, for a while."

"Shit."

Damon snickered.

"Do you want to tell Stefan this?" Caroline asked.

"Yeah."

"Wait until he picks up."

"You won't tell him?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's not my place."

She hung up. Her whole body felt weak and quivery. Matt. Oh Matt. All he had ever done was been around. And he got dragged into all sorts of shit. And what would Stefan do when he found out that Elena was single? Would he go home?

…

"Was there a line?" Stefan asked.

She nodded mutely and got back into the car. Just as she did, her phone rang again. It was Elena.

"Hey" he said. "How about we shut our phones off for a few days?"

She hesitated a second.

"Okay."

She turned her phone off and shoved the bottom of her bag. Then she closed her eyes and tried to breathe normally.

"You okay?"

"Let's just get out of here. I hate Little Rock."

"Okay."

She turned to volume up and Stevie Nick's I don't want to know boomed out into the car.

"Is there a single song on this album that's happy?" Stefan asked, smiling.

"Yes" Caroline replied. "But most of them aren't. There about crappy relationships and not knowing when to just give up."

"Like this one."
"Yeah. Stevie Nicks, who wrote it, was with this guy called Lindsay. And they loved each other but they were so incompatible. They fought all the time. Stevie wrote this song and Lindsay Go your own way about it."

Caroline thought of Damon and Elena. They were angsty and difficult but had loved each other. And now it was over, just like it had been for Stevie and Lindsay. Should she tell him that? Should Caroline tell him what Damon had said? She didn't want him feel guilty, didn't want to open wounds. And she really, really didn't want him to leave.

"I don't want to know" Caroline whispered.

"What?"

"It's the name of the song."

"Oh."

I don't wanna stand between you and love, honey/
I just want you to feel fine

She did just want him to feel fine. And maybe she wanted herself to feel fine too. Was that so bad?

…

When Caroline fell asleep, Stefan left the highway and went looking for a small town that she would like. He ended up in tiny town called Sweet Home and had about 1000 inhabitants and 74 % African Americans. He found a tiny B&B, owned by an old lady who rented out a spare room and carried Caroline inside. She slept restlessly and moaned in her sleep. He covered her with a blanket and put a cold hand on her forehead to cool her down. There was only one bed so he lay down beside her. It didn't have to be weird. It was a big bed. Right?

…

Caroline woke up feeling hot and clammy. She was covered in blankets and the room was pitch dark. She reached one hand out and felt Stefan's skin against her fingers. His skin wasn't as warm as hers. And he was just next to her. Maybe it should make her uncomfortable, but she was happy that he was there. At arm's reach. Close enough to touch. He was here with her. Not with Elena. Right now, anyway. If she told him what Damon had told her, would he choose to leave? Would she be his second choice, just as she was everyone else's?

"Do you feel okay?" Stefan whispered.

She had realized that he was awake.

"I feel like I have a fever."

"Vampires don't get fevers."

"Then I'm a hypochondriac."

He laughed. She couldn't see him, but she could picture his face. She could picture every part of him. His chest. His arms. His thighs. His back. His neck. His eyes.

"Maybe you're freaking out."

"Maybe."

She felt his hand stroke her hair. She didn't know why, but whenever he did that, she felt better. Maybe she was a cat.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked softly.

"Not really."

"Okay."

He put his arm around her. It felt like having an ice pack on wound. She closed her eyes and nuzzled her face into his skin. Her feet pressed against his ankles.

"You're burning up" he whispered.

She nodded and sighed in pleasure as he reached over and cradled her against his chest. She could feel every breath he took. She could feel his muscles through her thin t-shirt.

"Do you remember the first day we met?" she whispered against his throat.

"Yeah."

"Seems like long time ago."

"I told you that nothing could ever happen between us" he said softly.

She didn't dare respond, not knowing how.

"And then Damon tried to kill Vicki Donovan" he continued.

Vicki. Matt's sister. Caroline felt the stab of guilt again. Matt was hurt. And she was holding something from Stefan.

"You feel better?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Yeah."

"Try to get some more sleep."

He kissed the top of her head and after a while, she fell asleep.

…

Stefan felt hypnotized by her breathing. In. And out. In. And out. He couldn't sleep, wasn't tired. He felt happy and sad and moody and high. Caroline had draped herself over him. In her sleep, she nuzzled even closer. Their legs were entwined, her thigh dangerously close to his boxers. He could feel the curve of her breasts against his chest. And is his nose was the smell of her. Like flowers and spices and person. Even though she was a vampire, she still smelt like human. He loved that about her. How she could be a vampire, but still, in every way, be teenage girl. Stefan hadn't felt like teenage boy in years. Well, until the other night when he had got drunk and stupidly kissed Caroline outside that pub.

…

"Why do I feel like you're always the one nurturing me when we did this trip to cheer you up?" she whispered.

He smiled.

"Good morning."

He carefully untangled himself from her, but kept the arm around her shoulders.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Fine."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

She did look better. Her eyes were brighter and her skin had a glow. He couldn't help but stroke her cheek with his thumb.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Sweet Home."

"What?"

"It's a town, it's called Sweet Home."

She giggled.

"That's wonderful."

Stefan felt a wave of glee. She had reacted just like he had wanted her to.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"Just after eleven, I think."

"Let's watch TV."

She picked up the remote and flicked to some kids show. He smiled. He had no hurry leaving this bed.

"How old are you?" he teased her as a purple crab began singing on the TV.

"Not 170 or whatever you are."

"Ouch."

"I like kids shows. Things always end well."

"And not in real life?"

She sighed.

"No, nothing ends well in real life."
He nodded. She was right.

…

"Is there any weddings around here?" Caroline asked the lady that they rented their room of.

"Why?" the woman asked.

"We're going to one, but we lost our directions."

Caroline shrugged to herself. It was a lame explanation, but what the hell.

"No" the woman answered. "I don't there's a wedding here."

"Too bad."

She left the kitchen and met Stefan outside. He was wearing jeans again, Those perfect, perfect jeans. She wanted to run her hands over them, to feel their softness. But she didn't. That would just be weird.

"We'll have to leave" she told him. "No wedding here."

"Let's stay the day. We can hunt."

She nodded and they headed for the woods. Caroline left Stefan and hunted alone. She was in the mood for something bigger than a rabbit. Maybe a doe or something. She tread lightly on the dry earth in look for one. Everything was quiet. She thought of nothing. It felt like bliss. And then, a stick broke behind her. She flung around. Nothing there. Her pulse went up. An animal? She took a step forward and when she did, she felt the weight of something come over her. In panic, she tried to fight it off. She kicked and screamed and bit.

"Hey" he whispered. "It's just me."

She relaxed.

"You. Scared. Me."

"Just repaying you for doing this to me in Memphis."

She turned around and straddled him, holding him to the ground. He panted and smiled at her. Stefan Salvatore was the most handsome man she had ever met. Everything about him was perfect.

"I…" she began, but trailed off.

It would be so easy to lean down and kiss him. She was just few inches from his mouth. Just a kiss. It didn't mean anything.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm hungry" she scuffed and got to her feet.

He got up too and squeezed her hand.

"How about we hunt together?"

She nodded.

"Okay."