It had been two weeks since Stefan and Caroline first arrived in Mystic Falls. Stefan didn't hear a single word from Klaus, and neither did Caroline, Damon, or anyone else working on the 'stop Klaus' plan.

In these two weeks, Stefan and Caroline only got closer. He'd take her out to go shopping or to just show her around, anything to take her out of the house for a while. He hated the thought that Caroline couldn't be free to walk around and visit places in fear of Klaus, so he did the best he could to give her as much "normal" as he could. He started teaching her how to fight, how to stake a vampire - because there was the possibility of Klaus sending some low-level vampire to check things out first -, how to defend herself. He did everything in his power to make her as ready as she could be if anything happened.

Stefan and Elena also got closer. They talked a lot. About everything - life, what Stefan did in those five years that he was away, even about Elena and Damon's relationship. Stefan had been afraid at the beginning, doubting that he was really over her, scared that the feelings could come back or that he would hurt himself again. But he was surprised to realize that he didn't love her anymore. He moved on. He had no more romantic feelings for her, which only made it easier to be her friend - which was exactly what Stefan really wanted.

Stefan's relationship with his brother had also improved. More than once, Stefan found himself really thankful for Elena being with Damon for a simple motive: Damon was better because of her. When Stefan told him that he laughed, and trying to turn the attention away from him, he said "You're better now because of Caroline". That took Stefan by surprise. He shook his head, dismissing the thought, even letting out a laugh and changing the subject. He didn't think of Caroline that way. She was beautiful, charming, nice... he could go on forever. If the circumstances were different, he wouldn't deny that there could be some attraction. After all, Stefan was a single, love-free man and Caroline was an attractive young woman - no one could deny that. He found himself often surprised by her. Everything she did, the way she talked, how she was the only one witty enough to reply Damon just as ironically and intelligently as he did when he started to get too funny, how her eyes lit up every time Stefan told her they were going out to visit a new place in the small town, how she said a prayer every night before she went to sleep, how her hair continue to smell like strawberries because she loved the shampoo Stefan bought her so much she bought 5 extra bottles... He really could go on forever. She was special, she captivated Stefan more than Elena ever did, but most of the time he ignored it and swallowed it down because when they were both in mortal danger, running from an original hybrid and putting so many other people in danger he couldn't afford the luxury of letting himself think of Caroline as anything other than a friend he wants to protect.

One night, Stefan found Caroline drunk in her room - no one called it the guess room anymore -, murmuring to herself and gulping down more and more alcohol in the dark. He had been out with Damon and Elena, buying supplies and visiting Bonnie to check on the progress of her search for something that could help, but he decided to come home earlier, feeling uncomfortable at the thought that Caroline was home alone.

"Caroline, you're drunk!" He said, walking in the room and sitting next to her on the floor, squinting.

"And you're stating the obvious!" She pointed to his face, her voice slowed down by the alcohol.

He laughed. "Yeah, right. Don't you think this is enough?" He tried to take away the bottle she had on her hands, but she refused to let it go.

"I don't think this is enough, Mister Salvatore." She said, protecting the bottle with her left hand. "It's not nearly enough. I'm going to die! I can at least get a little drunk while I'm still alive, ain't that right?" She looked at him, and he felt like he had been just punched in the stomach, and her laugh did nothing but double his pain.

"Hey," He said, his voice failing. "You're not going to die. Why are you saying this?"

She stopped laughing, and he could see her eyes were starting to water up. "We have nothing. No way of stopping Klaus without killing him. No way of fighting him. I am weak! I can't defend myself, and I can't expect you to defend me when you have to save yourself and your friends."

"You are my friend, too. I'm saving you, you know that, right? You're not going to die. I won't let you."

"But what if you die?" She said, looking at him with eyes full of tears.

"Then I die." She blinked, and more tears fell down her face. "Klaus has to be stopped. And you - you have to live. You have to leave this town, get on with your life. You could go back to Matt. Get a new job, find a new place, have the life you deserve. Because you certainly don't deserve this."

"I don't want to go back to Matt. I'm over him. He was not a nice guy." She said, sniffling. "But you are nice to me. You're so nice, Stefan." She grinned and touched his face. "Nice." She repeated the word, smiling wider. "You don't deserve this life, either. You deserve happiness."

"I'll be happy once I know you're safe and Klaus can't hurt anyone else ever again. That's my happiness."

She removed her hand from his face, and he instantly missed the contact. She took another sip of her bottle and sighed, getting visibly tired. "Elena is so stupid."

"Why?" He questioned, confused.

"I can't believe she chose you over Damon. You're perfect."

Stefan laughed. "I'm not perfect."

"You are." She murmured.

And then she passed out, with her head leaned on her bed and the bottle still in her hand.

The next day, Caroline walked down the stairs, her hair a mess and her pain written all over her head.

"Does anyone have any aspirin?" She whispered, her hands holding her head.

Stefan looked up from his phone, letting out a laugh at the sight of a hung over Caroline. "In the kitchen cabinet."

"Thanks." She said, walking to the kitchen to take the aspirin.

Stefan got up, following Caroline. "So. Do you wanna tell me why I came home after stopping at Bonnie's to find you nearly passed out on the floor of your room?"

Caroline gulped down some water to help her swallow down the pill. When she was done, she put the glass on the sink and leaned in the counter, sighing. "I was sad."

Stefan nodded. "I could see that. Why?"

She shrugged. "Just life, I guess. Everything that's happening... I think it just took its toll." She looked down, a flash of sadness in her eyes, but just as quickly as Stefan could blink she was looking at him again, grinning. He knew better than trying to touch that subject again. "I don't remember you. Last night, I mean. What happened? I swear, the last thing I remember is finishing my second bottle of whatever kind of alcohol I was drinking and thinking to myself 'I should probably stop'."

Stefan lets out a laugh. "Yeah, well, I came home, the house was stinking of alcohol everywhere, you were sitting on the floor laughing and actually talking by yourself. You saw me and then you just... passed out." He said. He decided to keep their whole conversation out. She didn't need to be reminded of the things she had drunkenly confessed.

"I passed out on the floor?" She asked.

"Yes." Stefan nodded.

"But I woke up on my bed."

"Yeah, I carried you." Stefan said.

Caroline smiled. "Aww, that's adorable." Stefan could feel a blush creeping up his face. "Now you not only run away with me and put your life and your friends in danger - you also carry me to my bed when I'm drunk! Honestly, Stefan. Stop being so nice to me, I might get used to it." She giggled.

"Alright, fine. Next time, you carry yourself to bed, then." He grinned and Caroline started laughing, Stefan shyly joining in.

"What are my two favorite lovebirds laughing about?" Damon suddenly appeared, making both of them jump.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "And I'm out." She said, walking away from the Salvatore brothers.

"Well, you seem angry." Damon said, sitting next to Stefan. "Sorry I interrupted whatever it is you guys were doing."

"No problem, Damon." Stefan fake-smiled.

"So. Last night, after you left Bonnie's place, she had one of her weird, witchy experiences."

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "Witchy experience?"

"Whatever. I don't know and I don't care. But some weird-ass spirits talked to her and apparently, we can do something about Klaus now."

Stefan's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what?"

"Apparently there's a weapon. Remember when that witch cast the werewolf curse on Klaus? Yes, so, apparently, even though she made the thing extremely hard to break, she also made sure someone could do something in case he broke it."

"Isn't that the stake?" Stefan asked, looking at his brother with confusion.

"The stake was meant for the original vampires, yes. But the witch that cursed Klaus, she made another weapon. One that will not kill him - it will only leave him dormant. The spirits have it."

"How are spirits keeping a weapon?" Stefan questioned.

"I have no idea." Damon said. "I don't understand anything about this whole witch thing. I think it's hidden somewhere and they have the location, or I think they have it with them. I don't know, and to be honest, I don't care. Because there is a way out, brother. We don't have to die, Caroline doesn't have to die, and Klaus will still be alive. Which means: everybody wins!" Damon threw his arms up, which made Stefan grin.

"Okay, but wait. First things first. We don't even know what that weapon is. We don't know where it is, we don't even know if it actually works."

"Ugh, quit being so pessimist, would ya?" Damon exclaimed. "Don't worry. Bonnie said she's got it. She'll have more witchy experiences and try to talk to some other spirits and get all the correct information. It's going to work out, you'll see."

Stefan breathed deeply, trying his hardest to be as positive as Damon. "Okay."

It was late, and Stefan, Elena, Damon and Caroline were all sitting by the fire, Elena and Damon holding a glass of alcohol each, telling Caroline about the weapon that could supposedly leave Klaus dormant. Stefan watched her, hair in a bun, eyes widened in excitement and hands clapping now and then, a smile so bright it almost pained Stefan, because he couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong and he wouldn't be able to protect her.

"So there's a way?" Caroline said, smiling. "We can actually stop him and keep everyone else alive?"

Stefan didn't say anything. He kept looking down, staring at the floor. He didn't want to give Caroline hope. He didn't want her to believe everything would end up okay. He was afraid to give her that hope, to put those thoughts into her head only to take it away later. He couldn't count on weapons made by witches, he couldn't count on any of that - he didn't want to. He was a pessimist at heart, but even if he weren't, he still wouldn't be as confident as Caroline and Damon were. It killed him to think that maybe something could wrong, because when he thought about that, he could see Caroline's face, he could see the pain in her blue eyes and the fear and he felt guilty for that. Too guilty.

"If everything goes as planned, yes." Elena said almost indifferently. Stefan admired that. Elena was never too optimistic or pessimist - she was neutral.

"And what if it doesn't?" Caroline questioned, her eyes already less bright. He hated himself even more for that.

"If it doesn't... we just keep on trying." Damon spoke finally, nodding.

Caroline breathed deeply. "Alright, then. Where do we find this weapon?"

"Bonnie doesn't know yet." Elena took a sip of her scotch. "We just gotta wait until she knows its location. When she does, we'll go get it."

Caroline nodded.

"Caroline, you can't get your hopes too high." Stefan finally found his voice. "I mean, it's a possibility. I just don't want you to hold on to this too tight and get disappointed later."

Caroline looked at him through narrowed eyes. "Relax, Stefan." She smiled. "I know."

Damon gave his brother a look, but Stefan chose to ignore it.

"Why are you so protective of Caroline, Stefan?" Elena questioned him a while later, when he was sitting by himself on the living room couch.

He looked at her, brow furrowed. "Because she's my responsibility."

"She's not."

Stefan blinked. "Yeah, she is. I let Klaus take her. I took her away. I have to protect her now. It's all my fault."

Elena sat next to him, sighing. "What exactly do you think is your fault?"

"Everything." He said. "All of this is my fault."

"And why do you think that?"

"I-" Stefan opened his mouth, but the words didn't come out. Elena kept looking at him, waiting for an answer. "I don't know why, Elena. I just feel responsible."

Elena sighed. "You're looking at this the wrong way. See, Caroline thinks you're a hero. Her hero. She keeps going on and on about how you saved her, how she owes you her life." The corner of Stefan's mouth quirked upwards at the thought of Caroline saying those things to Elena. "If you weren't there to get her out of Klaus' hands, she would probably be dead by now."

He shook his head. "I shouldn't have let him take her in the first place."

"Do you seriously think you could have done something about that? Klaus won't even listen to you, you can bet doing what you say is completely out of the question."

Stefan sighed, defeated. "Fine, Elena. It's not my fault, then. But really, where is this going to end? Are we going to find the weapon and stop Klaus with everyone happy and alive in the end? Are we going to keep running for the rest of our lives? Or, is Klaus going to kill all of us, make me pay for running away with Caroline, make you pay for helping me?" His voice was strong, and Elena could feel how guilty he felt just by his tone. "Caroline could be more. So much more. She had a family, a boyfriend, friends. And now what? Now she's right in the middle of the crossfire. It feels like history repeating itself."

Elena knew what he meant. "Don't."

"Yes, Elena. History repeating itself. You were happy. You were human, a whole future ahead of you. I show up, what happens? You lose everything. Everyone keeps dying, you turn into a vampire, you get nothing but pain in the end. It's all my fault."

"No, Stefan, shut up." She said, her voice firm. "Shut up. None of this is your fault. I chose this. I wanted this, because I wanted you. And yes, I lost much, maybe too much, but I'm here. I have Jeremy, I have Bonnie, I have Damon, I have you. I'm happy. And Caroline - she has a chance. If you weren't there, she wouldn't have a chance, but now she has one, and it's because of you." Elena put her hand on Stefan's shoulder. "You have to stop this. All this guilt you hold on to, your stupid idea that everything bad that happens with the people you care about is your fault. You have to stop thinking everyone is going to die in the end, or that everyone is going to leave you. Because when you do that you shut yourself down, you push people away. Five years, Stefan. You abandoned us, all of us. You were so caught up in people leaving you that you left them first. You can't let that happen with Caroline. She needs you. You can't shut her down, you can't try to stop her and change her mind when she finally sees the light in the end of the tunnel."

Stefan nodded faintly, Elena's words hitting him with such strength he couldn't even find the words to try to argue back. "Caroline is human. She trusts people blindly, Stefan, but that doesn't mean she's completely blind. She's smart. She knows what she's doing, she knows what she wants, and she knows that sometimes life sucks and things go wrong. She understands you, sometimes even more than you understand yourself, and we all can see that. I don't know exactly what's going on, but don't push her away."

"I won't." Was all Stefan could say, his voice barely a whisper.

Elena smiled at him sympathetically. "It's going to work. If it doesn't, we'll figure something out, but for now, we all have to believe it's going to work."

Stefan watched Elena as she got up from the couch, walking away, leaving Stefan alone with his thoughts and her words still ringing in his ears.

She was right, he finally realized. Elena was right. But still, it was so hard for him to take her words and turn them into real actions. He had been wrong too many times before, he had too many disappointments in his existence to simply start being positive out of nowhere, to ignore all the things that could go wrong.

He couldn't explain it. He didn't know what he would do if anything happened to Caroline. He wouldn't take it. As long as he kept on being skeptical, he could judge the situation better, he could see the bigger picture and know all the possible outcomes, being able to prepare himself for each one. That way, he had a better chance on protecting Caroline than if he gave up and deposited all his faith on the rumored weapon that would save everyone. He wasn't a stubborn person, though. Elena's words opened something up inside him, made him realize something he hadn't before.

He really was pushing people away. He was using them as excuses, as shields to protect himself from pain. He had to stop. He was being selfish once again, but this time, Elena was there to call him off and help him. He was glad he could count on her as a friend now, as opposed to a shadow of his past, a constant reminder of the time he spent in Mystic Falls where all he experienced was pain and heartbreak.

He would always help Caroline. He would always look out for her and protect her, and he would always feel like her safety was his responsibility. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't his fault. Maybe he really did everything he could to protect her, maybe he could have a way of stopping Klaus. He had the chance to do something now, and he would not let her get hurt, not ever again.

Review please! ;)