Because you're you-and I'm me

A/N: I know, the last chapter was heart-wrenching. It took a long time, so I thought I'd end the chapter with a bang. Well, I almost always do so, but...ah, I get ahead of myself. Thanks for the reviews, my lovelies.

Disclaimer: Will never own the Vampire Diaries

~VD~

Caroline Forbes woke up like it was a normal day. She felt very optimistic. Last night had been fun. She'd spent a nice day with Jeremy, they had had fun. She sighed.

Being a demon wasn't actually as hard as she'd expected. Her life was almost stress-free these days. She was content with it. Turning up the music on her mp3 player, she took her pyjama top off, and danced around.

"I swear you're giving me heart attack, troublemaker." She belted out loudly. She wasn't usually into this type of music. Shrugging it off, she went into the bathroom. Today was going to be a good day. She might go into her lab to research more about reversing the demon side of herself. She had been working on it for the past few weeks. She smiled. It seemed life had finally turned around for her, offering her the bright side.

It looked good for her, finally.

~VD~

"You did what?" Jeremy roared loudly. He glared at Damon menacingly. "How the hell could you? You took away her free will! Do you have any idea how Caroline will react when she finds out?!" He lunged at Damon. Damon evaded him easily. He was scowling at nothing in particular.

"You think this wasn't hard for me, Gilbert?" He sneered. "Of course it was. I love her."

"You did the one thing she could never forgive you, you idiot." He groaned. Damon looked at Jeremy.

"I'm not looking for her forgiveness."

"Then what good does compelling her do? You could've just broken up with her."

"But she wouldn't let me go. She'd turn for me. And I can't let her do that." Damon explained.

"How noble." Jeremy rolled his eyes.

"You ever think she might become a vampire anyway? Accident? I bet her body still stored all the vampire blood that's been pumped into her. What are you going to do then?" He tested. Damon sighed.

"I'm trying to make sure it doesn't come to that. That's sort of the point of my existance now."

"But if it does?"

"She'll hate me because I compelled her, thus..." Damon trailed off, looked at Jeremy. "Why do you make me imagine these situations in my head? She won't turn."

"If she does, all your efforts would be in naught. Too bad, isn't it? She'll hate you, but you could be together. She's going to turn sooner or later. Just one little accident, snap of her neck and boom, vampire." He shrugged.

"It won't happen, I won't let it." Damon said, firmly. Jeremy was back to rolling his eyes.

"You can't control everything, Damon. Especially her. You compelled her to consider you barely tolerable. She won't like hanging out with you. Good luck trying to protect her. Where's Bonnie?" He asked.

"She's telling Stefan and Elena about what happened." He said absent-mindedly.

"I'll play along, but I seriously hate this idea." Jeremy resigned, before ushering Damon out of his room.

This was not going to end well. At all.

~VD~

"What's got you all happy?" Katherine smirked, standing in the door of Caroline's room. Caroline turned around, squealing.

"I had hoped to see you again. Feel like doing something fun today?" She asked.

"Sure." Katherine said, eyeing her amused, yet skeptical. "Come on, spill. Is it because of Damon?" She gushed. Caroline blinked her eyes rapidly. Something in her mind called out to her. But she repressed it. Damon Salvatore? The giant asshole vampire? Maybe Katherine thought she'd be happy cause she hadn't had to see him in a while.

"What would Salvatore have to do with that?" She asked irritated. Katherine's eyes widened for a second, then she shook her head. She laughed.

"He used to make me very happy." Katherine purred, jokingly. Caroline laughed.

"That may be so, but he's a giant asswipe." Caroline dismissed.

"Okay, so, why so happy?" Katherine tested again. Caroline looked at her.

"Today's just...great." She sighed happily. Katherine raised her eyebrows.

"Alright then. You don't have any blood here, by chance? It'd make for a really nice day." She smirked.

"I think I might. Don't ask me why." She said, looking at Katherine's expression.

"Caroline, you can't be compelled, right?" She asked, worried. Caroline glanced up at her.

"No, why?" She looked up, rummaging through the cupboards.

"Just asking. You're taking vervain regularily?"

"No."

"Then how?" Katherine asked, confused. Caroline pushed back her hair impatiently after throwing a blood bag at Katherine.

"Remember?" She prompted.

"Right." Katherine said. How had she been compelled then? Or was she just in very deep denial? There was no recognition in her eyes when she mentioned Damon. She was clearly compelled. Katherine felt the need to find out who did it.

~VD~

"Bonnie, I've said it before. It sucks what you did, but if you think it'll help her, I'm in." Jeremy said, agitated.

"Thank you." Jeremy breathed out, relieved. Bonnie went in to kiss him, but he rejected her.

"That doesn't mean I'll unconditionally do it. The second things turn bad for her, I'll tell her. I can't stand watching this." He said, walking out angrily. Bonnie was left standing in the room, pondering what she did. Had it really been that smart? Jeremy seemed so much against it. He did know her better than she did. She felt as though her mistake was going to come bite her in the ass at some point, but it was too late to turn back now. She sighed.

~VD~

Damon was sitting at the grill, drinking bourbon. He was already back to thinking about de-compelling Caroline. But asking Bonnie to whip up another batch of whatever it was she whipped of would be fatal, and would do no good to his and Caroline's relationship. The one she didn't remember. Because of him. He made her forget. He felt horrible. But it was for the best.

That's what he kept telling himself.

Jeremy's words had struck him.

She'll turn eventually.

One little snap of her neck...

What the hell would he do then? What the hell would happen to her? He didn't know. She wouldn't let him protect her after she turned. It would be hard enough to do so while she was human. He groaned. That was what happened when you didn't think about the consequences of your actions. He'd never done so, but usually an interest of somebody other than him wasn't involved. It was a new concept. He'd already sacrificed his happiness. She was happy now. At least she better be. But what if that changed?

He wanted to drown in the bourbon.

Suddenly, someone slid into the seat next to him.

"Hello, Damon." Mrs. Lockwood said curtly.

"Hello." He said, raising his glass gloomily.

"I don't suppose you can just be persuaded to help with a charity?" She tested. The sheriff appeared beside him.

"He won't do it. He's dating Caroline, Carol."

"No, I'm not." Damon shook his head.

"You aren't?"

"Not anymore, no." Damon said, bitterly. "I'd rather not talk about it. I'm sure she won't want to either. What do you need my help with?"

"There's a bachelor auction tonight." Sheriff Forbes disclosed.

~VD~

"Katherine, what day is today?" Caroline asked at one point, when they were sitting in her garden, doing nothing.

"It's the 30th." She yawned. Caroline shot up like a twig.

"Is it really?"

"Yes."

"Today's that weird bachelor auction. I have to go." She said.

"Why? Anyone enter you're interested in?" Katherine raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Leech. No, it'll just be fun to watch the cougars fight over the young hotties. And Alaric." She added, laughing. Katherine seemed eager to go.

"I can't come though, can I?" She asked, sadly.

"Well, there is something I've been working on, it's not very good. But...I'll give it a try." Caroline closed her eyes, and suddenly Katherine's hair was blonde. Then her face was different.

"Blonde. I like it. Now tell me how you did that." She said, looking at herself in the mirror.

"That's the thing with Demons. You can do whatever you want, if you're willing to accept the price."

"And what's the price?" Katherine asked.

"Varies. I guess I could get all ethical and explain it, but I'd rather not, it doesn't make much sense either way." She dismissed.

"But you've got me curious now."

"Someday, baby." She said, putting her finger on Katherine's lips. "Now let's go look at this town's most eligible bachelors."

~VD~

Hellou. :)