Because you're you- and I'm me

A/N: I have taken way too much time off. I apologise deeply. Exam Stress and all.

Disclaimer: I don't own the vampire diaries.

~VD~

Everything happened very fast.

After Stefan fell to the ground, unconscious, Elena began to wail hysterically. She ran over to Stefan, dropping to his side. Caroline wanted to go join them, but Damon held her back. What Elena did next, was probably the stupidest thing ever.

She got a rock, sliced her wrist open, and pushed it into Stefan's mouth. Caroline sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. Damon only then realized what would happen now. Stefan's eyes snapped open again. He growled, pushing Elena off. Within seconds, he'd staked Frederick.

Stefan's eyes were full of rage, he was ramming the stake in and out continually, each thrust more violent than the last.

"Stefan he's already dead!" Elena screamed, but to no avail. Caroline finally ripped free of Damon, and with a flick of her hand, she sent Stefan flying off him.

"Distract Elena." She whispered in Damon's ear. Damon nodded.

Caroline walked up to Stefan, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Stefan. I'm going to show you something. And when I show it to you, I want you to keep calm. Understand?"

Stefan stared at her through bloodshot eyes, and nodded, slowly. He didn't seem to be very pleased with this state of himself, fighting it. But was he strong enough? She sighed. She needed to risk him. If there was a way for him to be cured, why shouldn't she help him. Licking her lips, she put her finger on his forehead, and then her face changed. Damon couldn't see it. Stefan nearly doubled over in surprise though. She stared at him, her bright green eyes illuminating. Then something happened in his mind. He relived every single one of his ripper kills. Not in a good way though.

He relived the last moments and thoughts of the people he'd slaughtered. He screamed in agony. Damon wanted to dash over to Caroline, but she threw him off. Glaring at him, Damon backed away. She was in for a long talk later.

Stefan was rendered to writhing on the floor in pain.

"Make it stop!" He groaned out in pain. It wasn't ripper Stefan speaking. She did. He sat up slowly. Elena was bawling her eyes out on Damon's shoulder, annoying the hell out of Caroline.

"Do you understand what you just saw?" She asked, quietly. Elena didn't know about Ripper Stefan.

"Yes." He croaked.

"Do you want to become that person again?" She tested. He shook his head.

"Do you want to go back to murdering innocent people?" She tried further. He shook his head more violent. His mouth was slightly agape. She felt as if she was talking to a 2 year old.

"Good. So pull yourself together. This was a quick ripper detox, it'll be your backup option."

Finally, after clearing his throat, Stefan spoke.

"What does that mean?"

"That means, you're going to drink a few droplets of human blood every day. If you lose it, you keep it together long enough to call me. Got it?" She asked. Stefan nodded.

"Why would you do this for me? I was a complete ass."

"Stefan, I didn't take anything you said back then serious." She shrugged. "Yes, you were a complete ass. But so is Damon. So am I. You're friendly enough, and you're in need of help. Call it my charity case or whatever you will, but I'll help you." She smiled. Stefan smiled as well.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." She winked. Then her face changed back.

"Let's go home, Damon." She suggested. Damon nodded. He picked her up. She closed her eyes, holding onto him tight.

~VD~

"Caroline? Where the hell were you?" Jeremy asked as soon as she and Damon entered her house. He pushed Damon away, hugging her.

"You just left the party, so I came home, but you weren't here. And I think I stood up Bonnie 10 minutes ago."

"I'm fine. Just needed to take care of something minor. Now go court the lass." She ushered him out.

"Yeah, why do I get the feeling you just want me gone so you and Damon can have hot vampire sex everywhere?" Jeremy asked amused.

"Didn't I tell you that was overrated? Besides, we're ordering Pizza tonight."

"Oh, we are?" Damon smirked.

"Yeah." Caroline said, not letting him get any input. She gave Jeremy a quick goodbye kiss to the cheek, before he threw on a hoodie and headed out. Damon immediately wrapped his arms around her.

"You know what?" Damon asked.

"I know a lot of things." Caroline said, jokingly. She ordered the pizza quickly, and then relaxed more into his grip. He stroked her hair tenderly.

"We were so caught up in getting to know each other, we never got to behave couple-y." He murmured into her ear, nibbling it gently. She chuckled.

"You mean too caught up in the sex?" She said, bluntly.

"Same difference."

"Oh is it?" She mused.

"Yeah, which is how I know you were lying when you said to Jeremy it was overrated." He nodded, his voice a content purr. She laughed.

"And how would you know?"

"Because sex with me is fuckin' amazing, or you wouldn't have kept on coming back." He stated, still in his content state.

"If I recall correctly, you were the one who was busy pursuing me."

"Well, you were a tough nut to crack." He admitted, chuckling. They were just standing around, him holding her. It was perfect. And no one was going to interrupt them tonight. This night was theirs.

She turned around in his grip, looking at him questioningly.

"Why me?"

"You're something else." He kissed her neck, softly.

"Is that not a bad thing?" She queried. He cocked his head at her.

"No. It defines who you are more. You're not bland. You're so completely layered that it seems as though one can never know everything about you. But I certainly will have fun trying." He smiled sincerely. Her lips pulled back into an amazingly bright smile.

"Thank you."

"I'm not just saying that, Caroline. It's the truth." He pecked her smile.

"But you planned on killing me." She mused. "Close to succeeding, too." Damon pooh-poohed it.

"Yes. My ego was bruised, that a mere human managed to outsmart me. I don't hold much respect for them. They're narrow-thinkers. But not you."

"But I'm not human."

"So I've noticed." Damon laughed.

"And that doesn't bother you?" She asked, warily.

"How can it? When I, myself, am not?" He inquired, amused. Caroline sighed.

"Yes, but you don't even know what I am."

"True, but I love you Caroline, nothing's going to change that. When you're ready to tell me, I'll accept it. I was trying to rush you into loving me before, and I almost lost you completely because of it. I will never risk that again. So forgive me, if I act overprotective sometimes, but I'm keeping you." He stated, silencing the comment that was on the tip of her tongue.

She practically purred. His kiss made her knees go weak. It seemed like she was about to double over.

Then the doorbell rang.

"Pizza's here." She apologized, freeing from his grasp.

~VD~

"So…what do we do now?" Damon asked, stroking Caroline's hair. She was cuddled into him, her legs resting on his, and her head resting on his chest. She sighed, also content now.

"I don't know." She shrugged.

"Umm….how about, we go mess up the sheets in your bed now, and tomorrow, I'm taking you out on our first official date as a couple?" He stroked her cheek.

"Doesn't the founders party count?" Caroline asked, amused.

"No, that was cut short." He dismissed.

"I was thinking something more…personal."

Caroline closed her eyes, and smiled.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"Good, initiating part one of plan now." He smirked, ripping off her tank top. She gasped.

"Oh my god, Damon!" She yelled. He silenced her with a quick kiss.

"Save that for later, but make it sound a bit more throaty, I like that better." He winked at her, picking her up, and speeding her to her room. Caroline couldn't help but giggle.

"You're mental!"

"I know." He laughed. She kissed him, laughing all the way through. They fell into bed, not being able to keep their hands off each other.

~VD~

"Caroline?" Damon asked, when he couldn't contain the curiosity anymore. She rolled around, sleep coloring her eyes.

"What?" Her voice wasn't sharp, just soft, and loving.

"What are you? Your arm's been glowing for the last hour."

"Why didn't you wake me before then? You probably couldn't sleep at all."

"Yes, I was very distracted." He said, kissing her. "Not so much by the tattoo though as much as the person sporting it. It's very unique." He noted. She smiled.

"It's a cloaking device that was made for me after I died." She recalled, thinking about that time. She was still peaceful, but Damon sat up abruptly, staring at her in shock. She was busy admiring his torso. She was happy now. It might just work out.

Well, until she had to either turn or let him go, but she would dwell on that another time.

"Please tell me I misheard you?" He asked.

"No, you didn't. I died. Both my brain and heart stopped, but at different times. Therefore, I was brought back. And since then, a side of me, seems to be more…active." She tried. This would be hard to explain.

"What side?" He asked.

"When I was….t…tortured." She got out after a bit of stuttering. "Each time they'd bite me, a trace of their abilities would be transferred over to me. Now it seems that the Demons, their bites were more potent. I'm…half…demon." She breathed out. Then she looked at him. Damon looked taken aback.

"I…" Damon paused, shaking his head. Caroline feared for what he might do. Would he abandon her? Mock her?

"…was not expecting that." He smiled. "You know that's only half as bad as what I imagined, right?" He asked, laughing. Caroline let out a breath of relief.

"You'll have to tell me more about that tomorrow." He encouraged. "Now, we should go back to sleep." He yawned. "Can you make the tattoo disappear? I'd be most delighted." He asked, happy. She nodded, brushing over the area with her hand. Then, she closed her eyes, and somehow, when Damon snuggled her close, she felt as though he was holding her tighter than ever.

~VD~

Bit of fluff at the end there, but I guess I'm in a good mood. Read and Review, as always. :3