AN UNEXPECTED LOVE AFFAIR – Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries
Written by Véronique, Montreal, Qc, CANADA
Member: Vampdelenea
Writer's note: You will love this chapter! I know that I take a lot of time to update my chapters, and please forgive me….Real life is calling + my other Delena FF which is related closely to this one, but the good side of this is that it's a very long chapter! I listen to the song "These Broken Hearts" from Reba McEntire and Vince Gill to put me in the country music mood. I'm sad this chapter is finished, simply because I had a ball writing it!
- Short preface (End of chapter 2) –
Stefan was walking towards his truck with Caroline in his arms, his feelings all mixed up inside of him. He was sure of only two things right now, the first one was that he could never forget the night that he just shared with Caroline, and the second, the most surprising to him, was that when he saw the stake entering Caroline's chest, and almost hitting her heart, he thought for a split second that his vampire life was ending with hers.
Chapter 3
"A cowboy, a cowgirl and a dance"
Stefan was driving with an empty expression on his face, keeping his sight on the route; his thoughts in turmoil inside of him…Damn him! He should have been more careful! He had promised to protect her and she had almost died in his arms a couple of hours ago. He turned and took a glimpse at Caroline on her passenger seat, her head resting comfortably as she slept. He gently lifted her t-shirt to look at her wound, which was obviously almost unnoticeable to the eyes. She moaned in her sleep, and grabbed his arm, before whispering his name, instinctively sliding her body to rest her head on his shoulder, her hands still grabbing his arm firmly in her semi conscience state.
He smiled, she would be fine, back to her old self in no time, and they could put last night and the incident this morning behind them, not even thinking or talking about it anymore. Well, she probably would forget about it, but for him…If he was honest with himself, it was going to be harder than he initially thought! He was having flash images of her constantly in his mind, especially of her naked! He stroked his eyes to stop it, causing Caroline to wake fully.
"Stefan?" She whispered, before sitting up on her seat and looking around disoriented.
"I'm here Caroline… how are you feeling?" Stefan asked.
"OK. I guess…" She started before lifting her t-shit to look at her wound.
"I checked…You're healed." He said smiling at her, she smiled back at him.
"Was I sleeping for long? You should have woken me up! Where are we? Have you been driving for long? Are we there yet? I'm so hungry …and not for blood don't get me wrong….Well yes, for blood, I need blood...I desperately need blood…But I'm graving so badly for a juicy hamburger and French fries on the side with loads of ketchup on top…." Caroline started babbling non stop to Stefan.
Stefan turned his head laughing out the window.
"Why are you laughing?" Caroline asked him.
"I'm not…" Stefan replied to her while turning his sight back to the road trying to put on a straight face in front of her.
"Yes you are…I saw you laugh!" Caroline replied, pointing at him with one of her fingers.
"No…Yes…" Stefan replied smiling at her. "Well…It's because I'm happy to see that you're o.k., and back to being yourself!"
"Being myself?"Caroline started, raising one of her eyebrows while crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You mean the neurotic never stops talking person?"
"No...Yes….Well…" Stefan started to explain with a sarcastic smile on his face. "…By being yourself I mean the best vampire friend that I have in my life at this moment…." He replied smiling at her with a wink of an eye, reminding her of what she had said to him the previous night. "…And I also realized this morning that I don't want to lose this neurotic never stops talking person….Because I would miss her too much!" Stefan said keeping his sight on the route while passing a quick nervous hand in his hair.
Caroline smiled, he was obviously still very nervous about what happened this morning, and feeling guilty on top of it.
"It was not your fault Stefan…And I know that you're putting the blame on your shoulders right now!" Caroline said to him, putting her hand on his forearm. He turned his head to take a look at her.
"I should have known better…I should have known that Jules was not stupid…That she would put somebody on our trail!" Stefan started, angry at himself more than anybody else. "When I said that I would never let something happen to you Caroline…I meant it!"
Caroline nodded her head.
"I know…" She started. "You're a great guy Stefan Salvatore… I hope you know that!" Caroline said smiling at him.
"Yap…a real gentleman to you since yesterday night!" Stefan replied sarcastically to her, while directing the car to the right side of the road.
"Well…" Caroline started with a sarcastic smile. "You are a little bit rough on the edges…but if you stay my friend long enough…I could transform you to be a real prince of the night!"
"Oh you could, could you?" Stefan replied sarcastically to her whilst stopping the car. He turned his head to look at her, and burst into laughter with her ten seconds later. "You're crazy Caroline Forbes! You know that?" Stefan said still smiling at her.
"I have my moments!" Caroline replied to him.
Suddenly the feeling of this sweet moment between them changed, he stopped smiling and locked his eyes intensively with hers, creating a well known aura of awkwardness and non spoken desire at the same time. He leaned his head near hers, caressing her cheek with a gentle touch of his hand. She instinctively put her hands on his forearms, approaching her lips at a near inch of his.
"How do you think that prince would kiss me if he knew it was the last time he'll ever see me Mr. Salvatore?" Caroline whispered near his lips.
Stefan took her face in his hands, putting his lips on top of hers without kissing her.
"He would firstly say to you…" Stefan started whispering, his eyes lost in her baby blues, his lips almost touching hers. "…that it won't happen….Because he will always be there to make sure that it doesn't!"
He bent his head a little bit more, before closing his eyes; he couldn't look into her eyes anymore! His own realization that he wanted her was driving him crazy! And no…It was not only because of his anger outburst the night before…it was because he wanted more and more, minute after minute, to make her his!
Caroline noticed that he was still keeping his eyes closed and seemed to be in real turmoil inside of him, she was shaking like a leaf, not knowing what to do or how to react with him…Still expecting him to finally kiss her. He finally opened his eyes again, took her chin in one of his hands, gently turning her face to the right, to finally put his lips on her cheek, giving her a sweet long kiss before detaching himself from hers arms.
He got out of the truck, leaving a speechless Caroline behind him.
"Damn you Caroline Forbes!" She said out loud to herself. "What a stupid, stupid girl you are…when are you going to learn to recognize the signs? He's not interested in you…He's not!" She repeatedly said to herself banging both of her thighs with her closed fists.
He came back inside the car, with two blood bags in his hands.
"You have to eat…" He simply said to her with a smile while giving her one bags. "We both have too…"
Caroline agreed by nodding her head to him and taking the bag from his hands.
"Are we near Richmond?" She asked to fill the awful silence in the car.
"Five to ten minutes maybe…It's right ahead of us!" Stefan responded to her in a distant voice, before reaching to his cell phone that was ringing non stop in his pocket.
"Yep…"
"Stefan…It's Alaric!"
"What do you have for me?" Stefan asked before murmuring Alaric's name to Caroline, who nodded her head.
"Apparently, our friend Jules has family in Richmond, an aunt. I was not able to find her home location, but…I was able to get information that she is the owner of one of the oldest stores located on the oldest street of Richmond."
"Nothing else…" Stefan asked him.
"Unfortunately, no man…Sorry" Alaric replied to him.
"I'll go with what I have…with the fact that Caroline was almost staked to death a couple of hours ago, I guess they must be following our tracks as much as we are following theirs!"
"What?" Alaric asked surprised. "Is she alright?"
"Yes! A little bit shaken up, you know her nerves get the best of her… but she'll be o.k.!" Stefan replied to him.
Caroline crossed her arms in front of her chest with a mad expression on her face. "Damn you Stefan Salvatore!" She thought. "Of course, you'll have to blame what just happened between us, on me being a little bit shaken up!"
"I'll keep you informed...Take care." Stefan said ending his conversation with Alaric, closing his cell phone before turning to take a look at Caroline, who was looking at him with her arms crossed and glaring.
"What?" He asked.
"Oh nothing…" Caroline started. "You know me…All shaken up with my crazy nerves… the crazy neurotic Caroline!"
Stefan shook his head.
"And now, you're mad at me!" He replied to her. "You know what I meant Caroline…Don't tell me that it did not affect you…"
"What did not affect me exactly…This morning or five minutes ago?" She asked him, locking her eyes with his.
He turned his sight back to the route in front of him, no expression on his face, obviously not in the mood to answer her back, and started his car again.
"We'll be there in five to ten minutes…Then we'll follow up Alaric's lead…It's the best we have so far…" Stefan finally replied to her.
Caroline turned her head to her side window, before closing her eyes. She knew him enough now to know that it was impossible to reach him when he was closing himself off. When Stefan Salvatore decided that it was not the time to talk, it was not! As stubborn as he was….She knew only one other thing about this all situation! She was way more stubborn than him!
It took them almost an hour to find the Old part of the city, a couple of streets which had kept the charming look of the early 19th century. They finally found the first shopping street of the city, with an old church, pharmacy, butcher shop, and a bit farther….
"Look!" Caroline said to Stefan while pointing her finger to his left side. "The hardware store is the oldest one! It says on the store sign that it opened in 1904!"
Stefan parked his car in front of the store.
"You think that could be it?" Caroline asked.
"We have nothing to lose…" Stefan replied to her, opening his car door, followed by Caroline.
They pushed the glass door entrance of the store, which welcomed them with the sound of its attached bell.
"Hi, is somebody here? Stefan shouted in the empty store.
A middle age woman came from what seemed to be the back of the store, wiping her dirty hands on her apron.
"Hello folks! How may I help you?" The lady asked smiling at them.
"Well…My friend and I, we were wondering if this street was the old section of Richmond City?" Stefan firstly asked.
"It this actually….This street is actually considered a historical heritage, it used to be the first and only commercial street at the beginning of the nineteen hundreds. Are you students and historical diggers?" The lady asked still smiling at both of them.
"Well…Not exactly..." Stefan started. "I'm more in a search of an old college friend…And she told me that she had family in the old Richmond City, an aunt I believe so…" Stefan explained to the lady. "I'm sorry, I did introduce myself to you properly…I'm Mason Lockwood." Stefan said shaking hands with the lady.
"Nice to meet you Mason, I'm Nancy….I know a lot of the old people crowd of this town…Maybe I can help…." The lady replied to them.
"Actually, my friend was in Mystic Fall a couple of days ago and we did not have the time to catch up with her….but I know that she was passing by Richmond after…So we took a chance to find her here….Her name is Jules Johnson…We shared a apartment in Florida for a long time. She told me that her aunt was the owner of a store in the Old part of the City…I strangely thought that it could be this one….And that it could be you!" Stefan explained still smiling, locking his eyes with hers to fully notice her reaction, but the lady did not show any nervousness towards him.
"What's her name again?" The lady asked.
"Jules…Jules Johnson." Stefan said for the second time.
"Jules Johnson…No, that name doesn't ring a bell…And I'm sorry to say that I'm not the aunt of your friend, neither the owner of this store. But a lot of the old store owners already sold their heritage, so that doesn't mean that your friend's aunt is not still in Richmond." The lady started smiling at him. "But, tomorrow the weekly service will be held at the old city church, a couple of blocks away on this street, if you present yourself there; I guess you could probably have a chance to find your friend there, or a relative of hers, usually the old crowd folks in town are there to hear pastor Richard deliver his Sunday speech."
"Yes! We probably should go there…." Stefan replied politely to the lady. "Thank you for your help." Stefan finished saying while gently pushing Caroline on her back to leave the store.
"Wait a minute folks!" The lady called them.
"If you are still in town tonight, you should come to the Annual Old Richmond Dance!" The lady said.
"A dance…" Caroline asked her eyes lighting up at the idea.
"Yes! You should come, it's a real joy!" The lady started. "Every year, it brings the old crowd like me with the new hip young people like yourselves together…This year it's a country music theme…Good music, good food, good fun for everyone…It's taking place at the former flower warehouse…You'll find it easily…" Thelady explained before writing the address for them on a small piece of paper. "Here you go…It's a bit out of the city, you have to go through a deserted route, near a small forest, but you should find it easily." She said putting the piece of paper in Stefan's hands.
"Oh!" Caroline started smiling at the lady. "It seems like a lot of fun!" She replied to the lady while turning her head in Stefan's direction with an implored look in her eyes, putting her hands together as a prayer gesture addressed directly at him.
"Thank you Nancy!" Stefan replied to the lady nodding his head, while putting the piece of paper in his back jeans pocket. "But I don't think that we'll be able to make it!" Nodding his head and taking Caroline by her arms to make her follow his walking pace to leave the hardware store.
"It has been nice to meet you folks!" The lady said while watching them leave the store.
Stefan walked to his car, with an upset Caroline following behind him.
"It's no!" Stefan said.
"What?" She replied pissed at him.
"The silent question that you are asking me in your head…the answer is no!" Stefan replied to her.
"I did not say one thing to you!" Caroline replied angry at him.
"You don't have too! I know you too well…" He said back at her.
She stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, her arms crossed on her chest.
"What now Caroline…" He asked her while opening his car door. She did not budge from her standing place. "Get in the car!" He ordered her to do before taking his place in the driver's seat. She finally moved and opened her own door.
"Could we go to the dance? Please Stefan…." She started after taking a place in the passenger seat. "It could be a load of fun! We could take time to relax; take a bite…I always loved country music! I so much want to go…I don't remember the last time I danced….Please Stefan?"
"Caroline!" Stefan said with a warning voice and stare addressed to her.
"What?" Caroline asked. "You always have your serious vampire look on your face all the time, exactly like the look you are giving me now! I bet you never take time to just let go of yourself…and have fun for a night!"
Stefan stroked his eyes with his hand in an effort to calm himself down, before responding to her.
"It's still no Caroline!" Stefan gently replied for the thousandth time to her. Causing her to cross he arms in front of her chest like a spoiled child with an angry expression on her face.
"And now…You're going to basically make my life miserable, aren't you?" Stefan said to her.
"Well…Considering that because of you I was almost killed for good this morning…You should at least be nice to me…and take me to this dance!" Caroline replied to him with a fair play game in her mind.
"Oh! I see…" Stefan started with a sarcastic smile on his lips pointing a finger at her. "You're going to use the "Let Stefan feel bad card" to wrap me around your little finger!"
"It's true that if you had reacted faster this morning…But, you know me Stefan, I'm always grateful, and I always forgive you!" Caroline said to him with a demonic smile and look in her eyes, silently saying to him "I know what I want…And I'll get it!"
"It's still no!" Stefan replied smiling before starting the car.
"Plus…" She continued. "Probably the old town folks would be at that dance, and we'll have more chance to meet Jules's aunt…" Caroline pleaded to him.
"You never give up, do you?" Stefan said before bursting into laughter.
"Nope…" Caroline replied laughing with him.
The store lady was still looking at them and their car leaving the parking spot through the store window when she heard foot steps, and felt somebody standing beside her.
"You were great Nancy…you told them exactly what I told you to." A feminine voice said to her.
"Yes, I did!" The lady replied. "But, they seem like good people…Are you sure you have to go to such extreme?" She asked before turning on herself, looking at the younger woman standing near her.
"Yes, I'm sure Nancy…." Jules replied to her aunt "Stefan Salvatore and his little blonde vampire friend have to be eliminated tonight!"
Several hours later, Stefan was parking his car in front of the old town flour warehouse; he turned his head to look at Caroline.
"Happy now…I parked the farthest from the entrance." He said to her.
"So happy…" She replied to him clapping her hands together. "Now, I have to change…And you have to put a clean shirt on…"
"I have to what….put a clean shirt on?" Stefan repeated with an open mouth while crossing his arms in front of his chest in disbelief. "What is wrong with what I'm wearing now?"
She reached for his backpack on the back seat, opening it without asking him permission, before turning the contents upside down.
"Don't tell me that you did not bring a clean shirt with you? You can't present yourself at the dance in a t-shirt!" Caroline explained to him.
"Why?" Stefan started. "What's wrong with my t-shirt?" He asked her surprised. "If I had known I would have brought thousands of suitcases on my two day road trip like you did Caroline Forbes!" He finished with a sarcastic smile on his face.
"Oh…Thank God you have one!" Caroline said ignoring his sarcastic remark, passing the clean shirt in his hands, opening her side door and getting out, closing it before reopening the back door. She slid herself onto the back seat while searching frantically in her bags.
"What are you searching for?" Stefan asked looking at her in his inside mirror.
"Turn a light on Stefan please…I can't find a thing, it's too dark…" Caroline started. "I'm searching for a dress…I brought the perfect dress with me without knowing it…It's like I can predict the future like Bonnie or something…."
"Caroline! Bonnie can't predict the future…She's a witch, not a fortune teller!" Stefan replied to her.
"Same thing…" She responded to him.
Stefan opened a light before enquiring from her:
"You're not thinking of undressing yourself in the car, are you?" Stefan asked.
"Ah…Found it!" Caroline victoriously said, while smiling at him in the mirror, showing him a white dress and continuing. "Where do you want me to change? I'll be quick…five minutes to put on my dress; five minutes to put on my makeup…Now turn the light off, and watch for the weirdo's!" She asked him to do before taking off her jean coat.
Stefan turned his head suddenly to his side window, passing a nervous hand on his face and nodding his head in pure denial. That girl had no way of knowing the kind of hell she was putting him through! No way! If he could forbid himself to take a glimpse at her soon to be naked reflection in the mirror, everything would be fine for him!
"Ouch!" She suddenly screamed.
He looked instinctively in his mirror to see if she was ok…Her hands behind her back were trying to open her bra clasp.
"Are you o.k.?" He asked her.
"Yes! It's just my damn bra doesn't want to cooperate with me!" Caroline explained to him, while twisting her arms behind her back. "I don't know why they never think of an easier way for women to open them, what do you think?" She asked him.
"Well Caroline, not exactly my area of expertise!" Stefan replied to her, getting more aroused and nervous by the minute.
"How can it not be your area of expertise? You're a man….and you've been with women…At least, two of them that I know off…Plus you knew the corsets back in 1864!" Caroline said to him. "Did you enjoy taking so much time to…you know….basically have what you wanted in your hands?"
If she could simply stop talking, these erotic images of her in a corset would probably disappear from his head! Not able to endure his present torture a minute more, he suddenly turned on himself to face the back seat and look directly at her, raising himself up and elevating one of his knees on his seat in order to reach her.
"Turn around!" He ordered her to do.
Caroline looked at him surprised, before obeying him. He gently put both of his hands on her back while trying to slide a few of his fingers under the elastic band to grab it without being able to do so. He then tried to snap opened the clasp. Unfortunately, she was right! It seemed stuck!
"It's stuck Caroline!" He said to her.
"I told you it was!" Caroline replied to him.
"Well…Pass it over your head then!" Stefan suggested to her.
"I don't think that I can…." Caroline replied to him.
"Why in hell can't you Caroline?" He asked her.
"Because, I….I wanted a better cleavage this morning, with my low cut t-shirt…and I hooked it on the tightest clasp, which I never do usually…" Caroline explained to a bewildered Stefan. "…That means that my elastic band is now stretching to its maximum, and I can't pass it, because…Well…my breasts are in the way!"
Stefan closed his eyes, "Count to ten…Count to ten!" He said silently to himself…. he knew another part of his body that was stretching to its maximum right about now!
"Then…Wear it with your damn dress!" He screamed at her.
"I can't do that either, it's a strapless dress…So I have to change to a strapless bra…and you are obviously mad at me now!" She replied to him.
"No…." Stefan started. "I'm not mad at you Caroline…I just want us to get going…"
Stefan in a pure frustrated state of mind opened his glove box, searching frantically in it, he finally find a pair of scissors, and he reached back again at Caroline's elastic bra band before cutting it in two.
"Here you go!" He said to her. "No more problems!"
Caroline felt a release from the elastic pressure; she put her hands on her bra cups to help them stay in place before turning to face Stefan.
"You just cut in two a one hundred dollar bra!" She said to him with wide open eyes.
"Well…Did you have a better idea?" Stefan replied to her.
"No…!" She started. "Thank you….I guess!"
"God…" He thought, she looks so beautiful right now…" Her big blue eyes looking at him, her hands in front of her chest, holding her bra like her life was depending on it!
"You're still mad at me?" Caroline asked.
"Oh Caroline…" He started with a small nervous laugh, reaching with his hand for one of her cheeks, caressing it. "I could never stay made at you for more than a second!"
He then removed his hand as quickly as he had put it on her cheek, like he had been burned by it, before turning back on his seat, reaching for his clean shirt, and opening his side door.
"I'll change outside…" He said to her. "I need the fresh air!"
"Great Caroline…." She said out loud to herself while watching him getting rid of his t-shirt, outside, in front of the truck! "Once again you made him leave!"
Fifteen minutes later, they were walking side by side towards the entrance of the old flour warehouse, following a crowd of people who were arriving at the dance at the same time.
"It looks exactly like the "Footloose" warehouse!" She explained to him all excited with a smile on her face.
"What?" Stefan asked her.
"The movie Stefan…." Caroline started noticing his raised shoulders, the name of the movie not ringing a bell. "Gosh! You are really from 1864! It's a classic movie, with a guy who comes to live with his mother in a town that the pastor forbids teenagers to dance!" Caroline explained to him.
"Sorry!" Stefan replied to her with a smile.
"What am I going to do with you?" Caroline asked him.
"Well…I'm sure you'll find a way to educate me!" Stefan sarcastically responded to her while holding the entrance door for Caroline, she looked at him with a big smile on her face, passing before him, he smiled back at her.
"Well…Hi folks…I'm George!" Amiddle age man greeted them. "Welcome to our Annual Old Richmond Dance, this year it's our cowboy theme, every Cowboy, my son, needs his cowboy's hat and every cowgirl girlfriend too!" The man said to him with a fake Texan accent.
"Oh…Stefan..." Caroline said while jumping around with joy. "We need one! Please buy two…One for each of us!"
"What the lady wants…The lady gets!" Theman said to him with a wink of an eye.
"Give me two!" Stefan said smiling back at him.
"Which color son?" The man asked.
"Oh let me pick the colors!" Caroline started all excited. "I know…The white for me and the black for him" She said smiling to the men. "You'll look handsome!" Caroline said to Stefan while putting the cowboy hat on his head.
Stefan paid the man and turned to look at Caroline while smiling to her.
"Well…Stefan Salvatore, don't you look dashing!" Caroline said to him while putting her own hat on her head. "How do I look?" Caroline asked him while turning around on herself making the ruffles of her dress swirl in the air.
Stefan put both of his hands on his waist, took the front edge of his cowboy hat with his right hand.
"Ma'm…" He started with a Texan accent while nodding his head to her. "It would be my pleasure if I could escort you to our table…and Ma'm you look pretty tonight!" Stefan finished his speech with his right thumb in his jeans loop, and a last cowboy hat salute to his lady, making her burst into laughter.
"I do?" Caroline asked him very surprised by his present admission.
"Yes!" Stefan said nodding his head at her. "The dress is looking great on you…but even without the dress, you're still beautiful!"
"Are you still mad about the bra incident?" Caroline asked him while putting her hand on his arm.
"Mad, no Caroline…Pissed would be more like it!" Stefan replied sarcastically to her.
"No, you're not!" She said laughing while giving him a nudge on his left side, making him burst into laughter with her, before adding… "Thank you Stefan!"
"For what…" Stefan asked her. "….for cutting your one hundred dollar bra in two?" He continued still laughing.
"No!" She replied laughing with him, but being serious a second later. "….For being so patient with me, usually guys are not like that, they don't stick around very long, because of my silliness!"
"They're fools…Your cute silliness is what makes you unique Caroline!" Stefan replied to her, showing her with one of his hand a near empty picnic table, before taking a sitting place with her.
Caroline smiled at him; he always had the touch to make her feel great about herself.
"Hello folks! Welcome!" A long blond haired, big breasted curvy woman said to them while making big bubbles with her chewing gum in her mouth. "My name is Daisy-Bri I'm one of the waitress at this annual event tonight! It's a real pleasure to have you with us folks, are you both from around here?"
Stefan and Caroline looked at each other with a big smile on their face, amused by the caricature look of the woman in front of them
"Well…Not exactly…" Stefan answered back. "We're from Mystic Falls, couple of hours of drive from here."
"Don't know the place." Daisy-Bri answered back, before continuing. "…Well, You have chosen a good time to visit the city, It's going to be a great night folks!"
"And you… are you from here?" Stefan enquired, already knowing the answer.
"I'm originally from Texas actually…It's my second year in Richmond…I'm probably the only real country Texan girl here!" She said smiling at both of them with a wink of an eye. "What would it be folks, hamburger with fries, hot-dog with fries or chilly…Easy menu, Easy choice!"
"Finally…" Caroline said smiling atStefan, while clapping her hands together. "I've been dreaming of that hamburger all day!" Caroline continued to the waitress.
"Hamburger it will be then…." Daisy-Bri said smiling to Caroline. "…And for you gorgeous?"
"Same!" Stefan replied to her.
Daisy-Bri left their sitting side to take care of their orders. Caroline took her jean coat off, showing to Stefan her bare skin, without noticing that he was checking her out. She was focusing on her surroundings, a live western band at the far right corner of the room was playing a high tempo beat country music, and several couples were already following them on the dance floor.
"You want to dance?" Stefan asked her, not able to be so far from her a minute more, that girl was like a magnet to him!
Caroline suddenly turned to look at Stefan surprised by his present request.
"You're serious?" Caroline asked him. "You really want to dance with me?"
"I don't see any other woman sitting with me at the table …and it's not like I've never danced with you before Caroline" Stefan replied to her.
"I know but…" Caroline started. "…most of the time, you were obligated to do so…"
"Nobody can force me to do anything!" Stefan replied smiling at her while standing up, and showing her his open hand. "And, you're wearing too beautiful a dress to not dance tonight, plus, with a real cowboy if I may add!" Stefan finished with a wink of an eye and a sarcastic smile.
She stood up, putting her hand in Stefan's, while returning a smile at him. She could swear that she was hearing a non stop heart beat in her chest, even if that was not possible.
She followed him to the dance floor, he turned to face her, smiling, and put his hand on her waist.
"See…You're dancing to country music Stefan Salvatore!" Caroline said smiling at him.
"Yep…Only you Caroline Forbes would be able to make me come to a country dance!" Stefan replied smiling at her. "And… I like it…it's not that bad!"
"I love it too!" Caroline said to him smiling and laughing at the same time. "And look at you…you're pretty good at this, and you have a smile on your face! Alert the media Stefan Salvatore is smiling!"
"And you're making fun of me on top of it!" Stefan said laughing with her. "I'm warning you though…Don't make me do the Achy Breaky dance! Or I will kill you for real this time!" Stefan replied with a laugh at her.
"How can you know the Achy Breaky dance and not know Footloose? It's beyond me?" Caroline asked him.
"I'm special that way sometimes…" Stefan replied still smiling at her.
The music changed to a slower tempo, Stefan suddenly brought her closer to him, raising his hand on her back to touch her bare skin, caressing her with his fingers in a circular motion, creating shivers all over her body.
"It's nice…" Caroline whispered to him while locking her eyes with his.
"Yes…It is nice!" Stefan replied lost in her eyes. "I was wondering…Do guys tell you sometimes that you have beautiful eyes Caroline Forbes!"
"Well…you just did!" She replied to him while smiling and blushing at the same time. "And do some girls mention to you that when you're smiling, you have the most beautiful smile Stefan Salvatore!" Caroline replied smiling at him.
"There is that blonde girl who's always telling me that I'm too serious…" Stefan said with a false serious look on his face.
"Mmm…That's so harsh!" Caroline replied. "You should never talk to that girl again!"
"Yep…That seems a good idea!" Stefan replied, before whispering near her left ear. "…Plus, she's a real pain in this ass!"
"Hey…Not fair…" Caroline said falsely outraged at him.
They heard somebody whistle non stop behind them, making them turn around to see what this was all about.
"Folks…I put your order on the table!" Daisy-Bri screamed waving at them.
"Thanks!" Stefan screamed back at her, gently pushing Caroline out of his arms.
"Thanks for the dance!" Caroline said to him, following his steps back to the picnic table.
"Any time Caroline!" Stefan simply replied to her.
They sat, enjoyed their meals, laughing with each other, like a real couple would do on a real date thought Caroline, exchanging with other people sitting near them at the table, dancing with each other a couple of times, making Caroline wait impatiently for the next dance to be in his arms again. She had completely forgot about their mission, about Mystic Falls, about Tyler…She was too happy to be alone with him tonight! The room was now packed with people…Some dancing, some eating…But all having a real good time like them! This was the best evening of her life, and she could not imagine sharing it with anybody else! Caroline took a glimpse at Stefan who was exchanging with a man sitting near him…She suddenly remembered the first time she saw him enter the school, the first time she laid eyes on him, the first time she knew that she had the biggest crush on him, all these memories creating the most wonderful fuzzy feeling inside of her, like a predicament of something that she could feel in her soul, but not fully understand yet…. Her dreamy thoughts were interrupted by Daisy-Bri who was coming back to their table.
"You mind if I sit with you folks for five minutes?" She asked.
"No! Of course not…Come!" Stefan said to her, with a wink of an eye to Caroline.
"It's my break time…and I desperately need a cigarette…" She explained before offering them her cigarette pack.
"No! Thanks …We don't smoke!" Caroline replied to her.
"Wise choice…." The waitress replied to them, before lighting up her cigarette. "You are having fun?" She asked smiling at them.
"Yes…It's nice…" Stefan replied smiling at her. "…Though…We were here for a reason…we are trying to find somebody…one of our friends has an aunt in town…and we were hoping to find her here."
"You know your friend's aunt name?" Daisy-Bri asked them.
"Well…We know her family name." Stefan replied to her. "Johnson…"
"I think I can help you…" Daisy-Bri said to them before getting up, walking towards George, the man who welcomed them upon their arrival. She exchanged a few words with him, the man nodded his head to her, before turning his back, taking a few steps towards a near table, and giving Daisy-Bri a bunch of paper sheets, then she came back to their table with the papers in her hands.
"I don't know if this can help you..." She started, taking back her sitting position near Caroline. "That's the list of the residents who were invited here tonight with their respective address."
"Oh! You're an angel Daisy-Bri!" Caroline said smiling at her."
"Thank you!" Stefan said also smiling at her while taking the list from her hands.
Stefan looked at the alphabetical list, going through it rapidly to come across the letter "J".
"O.K. Folks….Back to work…See you later…" Daisy-Bri said before getting up and waving at them.
"Bye!" Caroline said to her, before continuing. "You see something?"
Stefan raised his eyes and nodded his head while looking at her.
"Yep…" Stefan said. "We've been played for fouls Caroline!"
"What you mean?" Caroline replied.
Stefan showed her the list, pointing his finger at one name.
"Nancy Johnson, hardware store…I don't understand…" Caroline started, before opening her mouth in disbelief. "Oh my God…The lady at the hardware store is Jules's aunt?"
"Precisely…" Stefan answered back to her.
"But why…" Caroline asked. "…They want us to be here? Why a public place?"
"Makes no sense…" Stefan started. "Except if they want us to be here as a diversion to skip town again…Damn it!" Stefan said while throwing his hat on the table.
"I'm sorry Stefan…" Caroline said to him. "What should we do?"
"Nothing more we can do tonight Caroline...Stay here, see if her aunt shows up…but I doubt it…and go back to the store first thing tomorrow…" Stefan explained to her.
Caroline nodded her head in approval.
They stayed there all evening, but Caroline could see that Stefan was more upset than he was letting her know. It was a bit after midnight that the majority of the people left the event, and Jules's Aunt, like expected, never showed her face at the dance.
They were still sitting at their table, watching the musicians from the country band passing by them to leave the place.
"Good night folks!" One of them said to them.
"Good night!" Stefan and Caroline replied to them.
"We should go now Caroline…" Stefan said to her before standing up from the table.
"So…Did you, out of town folks, enjoy the night?" George who had walked toward their table asked them.
"Very much…" Caroline replied smiling at him.
"Thank you for showing us the list!" Stefan said to him while giving back to him the paper sheets.
"Did you find her?" The man asked them.
"She did not show up." Stefan replied to him.
"Sorry to hear…" The man said.
"Did Daisy-Bri leave already?" Caroline asked. "We wanted to thank her…"
"I have not seen her for a while…So I think she probably left already…When I see her in town I will tell her you appreciation!" George replied to them.
"Thank you!" Caroline replied to the man.
"Eh…Folks…I forgot to ask my team to put away boxes in a back room, and they left already…Is it too much troubles to ask you to give me a hand for ten minutes…" George asked them.
"No….It will be our pleasure!" Stefan replied to him.
George showed them a couple of boxes near the bar, the three of them picked them up, before entering a back warehouse room.
George entered the first one, dropped the box on the floor, then he turned and showed them to put theirs in top of his, leaving a clear path for them to enter the small room, before getting out of the room himself.
"That's a steal door?" Stefan asked passing the door arch and noticing.
"Yes it is…" The man nervously answered back to him. "Back in the days…These doors existed in the warehouse."
Stefan and Caroline dropped their boxes on the floor.
"Here you go George!" Caroline said straightening herself while turning around and losing her smile at the sight of George who was closing the door on them.
"I'm sorry folks!" George said while slowly closing the steal door on them.
Stefan projected himself with his vampire speed to push the door, but it was too late.
"Damn it!" Stefan screamed throwing his hat on the floor.
"Oh my God…" Caroline said with a hand on her mouth. "He locked us in this room!"
George nervously walked back to the main event room, to find Jules and her men waiting for him, he took a step forward to her standing position.
"Thank you George!" Jules said to the man while putting in his hands an envelope filled with money.
"Jules…They are good people…I don't want to be mixed in all of this!" The man replied to her.
"They're vampires! They are not good people George! We had a deal…You did your part, and I'm paying you good money to keep your mouth shut now!" Jules angrily replied to the man. "Now leave!"
The man did not wait a minute more before taking his vest on the bar counter and leaving the old warehouse.
Jules turned to look at the associate armed men who were accompanying her.
"Wait two hours to make sure that the town folks are back in town then set fire to this place…I want to make sure that they burn in hell! And just in case….puncture his truck tires!" She then turned around and left herself.
They had been closed up in that small room for more than one hour already, Caroline her back leaning on a wall, and Stefan nervously walking like an animal from one side of the room to the other.
"Damn it!" Stefan screamed while punching one of the walls. "We're stuck in here, probably for the whole night, If not forever! And there is no way out! No window…And it's impossible to go through that steal door!"
"You're mad!" Caroline said to him. "Don't be mad…It's my fault…It's me who asked you to come to this stupid dance…."
"I did not see that one coming! Damn Jules…Not in me to kill for the thrill of killing…Well…I was like that…But I'm not anymore…" Stefan started while nervously pacing around.
Caroline raised a surprised eyebrow at this recent admission.
"…But I really want to kill that woman!" Stefan said suddenly noticing that Caroline was shaking like a leaf. "It's not your fault Caroline!" Stefan continued to her. "One way or another we would be stuck in the same situation because of her!"
Caroline started to cry and turned her back. He noticed that she was more upset, and approached her.
"Don't cry Caroline! Please don't cry…We'll be o.k.!" He turned her body to face him, taking her in his arms. "Shh….You can't cry!"
"It's always my fault!" Caroline was babbling to him between her cry spasms, putting her arms around his waist. "If I did not push you to come…"
Stefan kissed the top of her hair, caressing her curls with his hand at the same time. She raised her head to look at him in the eyes. He locked his eyes with hers, sliding a lose strand of her hair behind her ear before bending his head to approach his lips to hers, his eyes lost in hers.
"Please…Stefan…Please…" Caroline implored him.
Stefan stopped, trying to know by her expression what she was asking him to do…Stop or not?
"I can't stop Caroline…" He whispered to her, bending his head more, before his lips touched her upper lip in a mix of kissing it and sliding his tongue sensually on its length. She moaned his name, putting both of her arms around his neck; he entered his tongue profoundly in her mouth in a playful erotic dance with hers, kissing her with a ravaging passion, while removing her hat and jean coat, letting it slide on her arms and drop slowly on the floor, pushing her body gently to reach the wall behind her back.
His mouth suddenly left hers, his hand grabbing all of her hair in an improvised ponytail, pulling it away from her face, giving him a clear path to put his lips on the side of her neck, alternating between sliding his tongue, kissing, and gently biting her skin.
"Oh Caroline…" Stefan whispered. "…Fuck, I want you so much…"
He suddenly closed his eyes, realizing that he needed to be the better man here, and not take advantage of the present situation and her like this. He closed both of his fists in pure anger, and pushed her out of his reach, leaving Caroline completely helpless and speechless, her body leaning against the wall.
"I can't do this to you again!" He screamed, before pacing back and forth in the small room in anger.
"What?" She screamed at him. "Stefan Salvatore…If you do this to me one more time….!"
"Caroline…" Stefan warned her. "I'm trying to save you from myself…I'm trying to not force myself on you!"
"Not forcing yourself on me?" Caroline repeated in disbelief. "But…Stefan, I want this…I want this so much…."
"Please Caroline…" Stefan started. "Listen to me…You don't have to do this, o.k.?"
"I don't have to do this you say…but…." Caroline screamed pissed at him. "I want to do this!"
Suddenly in pure rage, she lifted the skirt of her dress, leaving Stefan speechless, but he couldn't help but trail her every move. She dropped her panties on the floor two seconds later.
"What are you doing?" Stefan said to her. "Don't do this Caroline!"
She walked toward his standing position, took his hand in hers before lifting her skirt again, and bringing his hand in direct contact with her wet folds.
"Now…" Caroline started locking her eyes with his. "Is this proof enough of how much I want you…Of how much I need to feel you inside of me…Of how stupid I was this morning to close my bra so tight for you to notice my cleavage…But if you don't want me…Please don't play these games with me…I've been played so often in the past!"
Stefan raised an eyebrow at her admission.
"Play with you? Caroline, I would never do that…Oh Caroline! God! Don't you know how much I notice every damn thing about you…"Stefan started while sliding his fingers slowly away from her wet folds. "I want you so much…since yesterday, the only thing that I have on my mind is you, and…" He stopped before caressing her cheek. "…being with you this way…But we can't Caroline… This is wrong, there is too much at stake here, and you know it!"
Caroline did not listen to him, putting her hands on his shirt, opening the buttons one by one and sliding her hands under it.
"And you're not listening to me!" Stefan said to her in pure desperation.
She opened his shirt and gently put her lips on his chest, sliding her lips from his chest to his neck.
"Caroline…" Stefan whispered before closing his eyes. "Don't do this!"
"Then stop me!" Caroline whispered back at him before raising her skirt again, taking his hand between her thighs. "You want to touch me don't you?"
"You are playing with fire Caroline!" Stefan replied to her, with a half pissed, half aroused look on his face, beforeangrily pushing her with his vampire speed on the wall, and sliding his body against hers.
"If you are trying to scare me Stefan Salvatore…It's not working!" She replied, looking at him straight in the eyes.
"It's not?" Stefan replied to her. "And if I do this..." He continued before putting his hand between her tights again, slowly rising it to her feminine center, sliding it on her soaking wet folds, before entering two fingers into her tight wet walls.
"Oh…Mm…" She moaned, closing her eyes, and biting her lips, to fully feel the sensation of his fingers inside of her, while leaning her back on the wall and grabbing his muscular arms to help her keep her standing position. "…So good Stefan….Oh please don't stop!" It did not take much more for Stefan to increase his in and out movement inside of her.
"God…" He whispered his head leaning on her neck. "You're so tight and so damn wet for me Caroline!"
Caroline couldn't answer him back, she was too far gone already…She grabbed his hair to bring his head in a closer contact with her neck, feeling his lips kissing her tender skin. His movements inside of her were so rapid, intense and precise that it was all she could think about at the present moment
He detached himself away from their embrace, sliding his fingers out of her walls.
"No don't…" She pleaded whispering to him.
"It's ok! I'm not pushing you away…" Stefan replied to her, caressing her right cheek before giving her a sweet kiss on the lips. He removed his shirt, letting it slide to the floor, putting his hands on his leather belt to open it, before hearing Caroline moan in disapproval, surprised, he raised his head to look at her.
"You don't want me too?" He asked her.
She nodded her head in negation.
"I don't want you too….!" She replied to him. "…Because…. I want to do it myself!"
"Then …Come here!" Stefan replied smiling at her.
Caroline took one step towards him, putting her shaking hands on his leather belt before opening it, and raising her eyes to look at him.
"You're shaking Caroline, why are so you nervous?" Stefan asked her, his hand caressing her hair. "Is it because of yesterday? Is it because you think I could hurt you?"
"No!" Caroline replied to him. "No Stefan, I'm always nervous when I'm standing near you…It's always been that way…"
Stefan took both of her shaking hands in his, before kissing both of them.
"Relax…" He whispered to her. "I can't wait a minute more…" He continued more to himself than Caroline. "I want you so much…" Stefan murmured pushing her back on the wall, sliding the zipper of his jeans, pushing down his boxers, finally releasing his hard straight cock out of his restraining clothes.
He took her hand and put it in direct contact with his manhood.
"Work me Caroline…I want to feel your hand on me!" He whispered to her, his eyes closed, both of his palms resting each side of her head on the wall.
She encircled his hard cock in her hand, sliding it in a strong rapid up and down movement, before rolling her thumb on its head
"Oh fuck Caroline…You're so good at this!" Stefan said while opening his eyes and looking at her in the eyes, crashing his mouth on hers in a passionate kiss. He reached for the back of her dress, sliding her zipper down before letting her dress fall on the floor at her feet.
He raised her body up the wall; she tied her legs instinctively around his waist. He grabbed her bottom firmly with both of his hands, before entering his entire hard length into her wet walls with one good push; she grabbed his shoulders, moaning his name repeatedly, her eyes closed, and her head turning from side to side.
"God…" Stefan whispered in her ear while increasing his speed in her. "…It feels so good to be in you Caroline." Stefan said caressing her hair, sliding his hand down her neck, her shoulders, cupping her breast firmly. He stroked her nipple with his thumb in a circular movement, before replacing his finger with his mouth, sucking the entire nipple into his mouth, before flicking it with the tip of his tongue.
"Mmm...Steeefaaan…" Caroline moaned in a whisper feeling her first wall contraction coming at her.
"Yes…I know…Come for me Caroline…I'll Come with you…" Stefan whispered back to her before coming with a last deep thrust in her, feeling her tight satin walls contracting several times on him.
A minute later, he pulled out of her, letting her gently put her feet on the floor again, before releasing her of his embrace, pushing himself away from her, not looking at her once in the eyes, he bent to reach his shirt and her dress on the floor, passing it to her, before turning his back to her to dress himself. Not a hug, not a word, not a look at her, nothing! She looked at him in disbelief with her dress pressed in front of her naked body. "That's your reward Caroline Forbes, for letting him have you…and then thrown to the side!" She retained herself of crying, putting her dress up instead. She suddenly turned her head to look at the door.
"Stefan!" Caroline screamed at him. "Look…There is smoke coming from under the door!"
Stefan approached the door rapidly, seeing the smoke coming from under it, putting one of his hands on the walls, feeling the growing heat on them…and realizing quickly that the warehouse was in fire!
"It's Jules!" Caroline nervously said to him. "She did this! We're going to die Stefan!"
"Caroline!" Stefan said to her while taking her face in his hands. "Look at me! We're going to get out of here…You have to believe me, ok?"
She nodded her head.
The door suddenly opened, Daisy-Bri standing in front of them with a peace of clothe on her mouth to help her breathe.
"You guys! You have to get out of here…" Daisy-Bri said to them while coughing intensively because of the intense smoke inhalation.
"Oh! Thank God…" Caroline said looking at Stefan. "…It's Daisy-Bri!"
Stefan took Caroline's hand firmly in his, before taking her out of the room.
"How did you know we were here?" Stefan enquired.
"I was cleaning the place, nobody knew that I was still here and I saw George closing the door on you two…I hide myself in the back of the warehouse, A few men were there with guns…And a lady was with them…I was afraid…Then I don't remember…I guess they saw me and one of them must have knock me out unconscious, if I take into consideration the enormous bump I have on my head" She explained to them.
"We all have to go now! It's burning hell in here!" Stefan screamed at both of them. "You have to follow every damn step I make o.k.!" Caroline and Daisy-Bri nodded their heads at him.
The fire flames were emerging from everywhere in the warehouse, Stefan was putting one foot in front of the other, not knowing in advance if that step would be his last one…The wood floor burning so intensively that he could not see his foot in front of him.
"We have to take steps towards the bar; it's the only way out from this point…" Stefan screamed at them.
A loud noise was suddenly heard by them, coming from the top of their heads, they all looked above to see a burning wood beam falling from the ceiling.
Stefan pushed Caroline out the way with his vampire speed, without having enough time to save Daisy-Bri., the burning beam falling on her head, knocking her down and unconscious in a second, her body in flames.
"No!" Caroline screamed from the top of her lungs, tears coming out of her eyes, trying to run to her side, being held in place by Stefan with a firm grip on her arm. "We have to save her Stefan!"
Stefan took Caroline in his arms.
"It's too late….We can't do anything for her anymore Caroline!" Stefan said while raising her head with his hands to make her look at him. "We have to get out of here!"
"I'm scared…" Caroline screamed at him tears coming out of her eyes.
"I know you are sweetie…You have to believe in me, ok?" Stefan said to her. "Don't let go of my hand!"
They took unbalanced steps on the burning floor, Stefan always positioning himself to reach the safer path. They finally reached the bar that was ten foot in distance from the entrance, when another loud explosion sound was heard by them, causing Caroline to turn around and let go of Stefan's hand for a quick second. Everything happened so fast at that point, Caroline was thrown against the bar wall, while Stefan fell on the floor near the door entrance. It took a couple of seconds for him to get back to his sense, before standing up.
"Caroline!" He screamed from the top of his lungs without any answer coming from her. "Caroline! Please answer me…" He screamed again.
"I'm here!" He heard her respond to him.
She raised herself on her feet, looking right at him through the flames that were separating them.
"Go without me!" Caroline screamed at him tears running fluently from her eyes. "Go, save yourself Stefan!"
"No freaking way Caroline, I'm not leaving without you….Look at me!" Stefan screamed back at her. "Stand on the bar counter…and then you have to jump through the flames."
"I Can't…" Caroline replied screaming at him. "..I'm too scared!"
"Caroline! Sweetie…You can! You can do this…Focus on me…OK…Look at me…I'll catch you!" Stefan promised her.
"You promise!" Caroline said.
"Yes!" Stefan replied to her. "I will…I swear to you…I will!"
Caroline stood on the bar counter, flames surrounding her; she bent on her knees before projecting her body with her vampire speed through the flames in front of her.
She landed on Stefan who automatically reached for her, and brought her into his arms.
"I got you…I got you!" Stefan said caressing her hair.
"I was so scared…" Caroline replied to him, her head on his shoulder.
"I know sweetie….But we are not out of here yet!" Stefan said, pushing her gently out of his arms.
He took a step towards the glass entrance door, it was closed on them.
"Of course…" Stefan said out loud, before passing a nervous hand on his hair.
"It's a glass door; we'll be able to pass through it!" He continued looking at Caroline, before continuing. "You can't let go of my hand this time, when I will pass through it, it will create oxygen in the room, which could cause an explosion."
"I won't!" Caroline replied to him while nodding her head.
"OK then…" Stefan said, sliding his right hand on the back of her neck to bring her in his reach, before leaning forward to kiss her forehead while taking her hand in his.
"Here we go!" Stefan said.
Stefan projected himself with his vampire speed through the glass window with Caroline at his side, being thrown a second later on the ground by an explosion inside the warehouse.
A second later, he turned his head to look if Caroline was at his side. He was relieved to see her at a near meter of him, lying on the ground unconscious; he raised himself on his forearms, sliding his own body on the ground to reach for her.
"Caroline!" He whispered, reaching to turn her body on the ground, before taking her in his arms. She opened her eyes.
"Stefan!" She said while touching her forehead that was bleeding from a small glass cut.
"It's o.k., it's just a small cut!" He explained to her, before standing up, helping her stand, holding her by the waist.
They turned around to look at the warehouse in flames.
"Daisy-Bri…." Caroline started with a sad expression on her face.
"I know…" Stefan said to her, one of his arms around her shoulders, the other around her waist, his head resting on her head. "It's sad…"
They started to walk towards the truck, the only car left in the parking lot, except for another one which was probably Daisy-Bri's.
"Damn it!" Stefan screamed while giving angry kicks with his feet on one of his flat tires.
"What?" Caroline asked him.
"This Jules is starting to get on my freaking nerves! Look at the tires, she had to make sure that if for whatever reasons we would be able to escape, we could not go far…." He explained to her both of his hands on his waist.
"Stefan…" Caroline started. "Please…" She whispered to ask him to stop.
"I'm sorry Caroline!" Stefan started before reaching to take her in his arms again. "We'll sleep in the car tonight…"
Stefan opened her passenger car door, before raising her body in his arms to slide it on her seat; he then walked to his own door and took place on his seat, before turning to look at her.
"You're alright?" He asked her, while putting a hand on her hair and caressing them.
"Yes!" Caroline replied to him.
"Do you think that help will come because of the fire…" Caroline asked him after.
"I doubt it…" Stefan said to her. "This route is isolated, far from the town…Everybody's gone back home…It's an abandoned warehouse that was only re-opened for the dance…It will take days before they notice and come back…"
Caroline looked at him before nodding her head in approval. Stefan took her in his arms; she rested her head on his shoulders.
"You have to rest Caroline…You have to rest…" He whispered to her, one of his arms wrapped around her, while the other was caressing her hair. He almost lost her twice in one day, he suddenly thought.
They were both watching the warehouse burn in front of them through the windshield.
In the morning, Stefan got out of the car, took a few steps while looking at the sunrise in front of him, before answering his cell that was ringing in his jeans pocket.
"Stefan?" Elena said.
"Yes Elena…" Stefan replied to her while stroking his eyes with his hand in disbelief that he had completely forgot about her.
"How are you? How's Caroline….Did you find Tyler?" Elena enquired to him.
"We're o.k.! We attended an annual dance in town to find information on Jules aunt; Alaric had informed me that she had relative in Richmond, but unfortunately we encountered a big problem along the way…And there is already someone who died in this fucking mess that Jules brought up on everyone!" Stefan explained to her.
"What? Are you both safe? We're you able to find Jules and Tyler?" Sheasked.
"Yes, we are fine now…and no we did not find Jules or Tyler, she found us…long story...Damon is still with you, isn't he?" He enquired, already knowing the answer of that question, but more in need of filing the conversation blanks between them.
"Eh…Yes….He is…are you coming back soon?" Elena said to him.
"No….I doubt it…I have to go now Elena" Stefan replied to her.
"You seem distant …" Elena said to him.
"I have a lot on my mind Elena…But, I'm just happy that you're o.k., if I know something about my brother, it's that Damon would never let anything happen to you! You'll be safe with him!" He said to her.
"Yes…I know…" Elena simply replied to him, unable to pronounce another word before saying. "..When you'll get back, I need…We…We need to talk Stefan…"
"I know Elena…I'm everything but stupid!" Stefan replied to her.
Elena swept away tears coming out of her eyes. He knew about her and Damon! He knew…The how did not matter! She simply felt that he knew…and that he was hurt, distant and silently angry about it! She had been his girlfriend long enough to know his reactions by now.
"I love you Stefan…I will always love you…Whatever happens you'll always be in my heart, you know that, don't you?…It happened….I don't know how…It just happened…I don't want to hurt you…but….but, I have feelings for him…and…" Elena said almost incoherently to him, her tears fluently running on her cheeks. She turned around a second to see if Damon was back in the hotel bedroom, but the bedroom door was still closed.
Stefan passed a nervous hand in his hair, before closing his eyes, dropping his hand with his cell phone in it, to take a second to calm himself down before bringing it against his ear again.
"Yep…Things happen…" Stefan simply replied with a distant voice to her.
"Forgive me… please Stefan forgive me…You will always have a special place in my heart…." Elena started unable to explain herself to him, she simply finished by:
"I love you Stefan!"
"….I have to leave you now Elena!" Stefan replied to her before closing his cell, and throwing it with anger on the ground in front of a speechless Caroline who just got out of the car.
Caroline felt his anger, his sadness, his loneliness… she felt everything about his present deepest feelings…She felt also that her heart would be broken in thousands of pieces very soon by him…She knew that instinctively, as a woman knows always in advance these kind of things. But at the same time, she knew also that she had to be there for him…She bent forward to pick up the cell phone on the ground before putting a hand on Stefan's forearm to make him turn to face her, taking him a second later in her arms.
Next chapter: "Heat waves at the river."
Big thank you to Leanne, and thank you to my readers for reading me & please do comment...There is not many of you who are shipping this couple! And I need to know that you're still alive and kicking!