Today was another day of failure, of plans going south and the tables turning on them. Only this time, it turned on her. So here they are, packing her things and getting ready to leave. Where? They have no idea. But it doesn't matter, because home isn't a place, home is the person you want to be with for every second of your life.

And after what happened to her today, he didn't even think twice. If leaving this town behind would mean that they'll be safe, then be it.

He's carrying the boxes and putting them next to the door when he hears her footsteps.

"Stefan?"

"Yeah?"

He looks up and he can tell that she is nervous for some reason. He waits for her to talk.

"I know that we should be leaving, but I was wondering…" A pause. "I mean, we can leave at morning, right?" She titles her head with a smile.

"I just wanted to spend one more night here, you know?"

He smiles then, looking down and shaking his head.

"Yeah, sure." He says with pressed lips, trying to hold his stupid grin.

"And um," She starts again, hands intertwined together as her heart beats a little faster. "You can stay here... too"

He raises his eyebrows.

"If you want to of course, I mean if you want to go back to Matt's place then you can go you know?" She is rambling now, eyes closed and eyebrows furrowed, trying to cover what seemed to her as a slip.

"Well, I don't know, I mean I didn't tell Matt." He titles his head with a smirk.

"Shut up." She chuckles.

He nods with a smile before licking his lips.

She turns around and walks two steps, leaving him to go back to the boxes.

"Stefan?"

"Yeah?"

He looks up again, and she looks more nervous than before. Her heart is starting to go louder and louder. He frowns.

"You know? In the middle of everything that happened today, being tortured and all." She chuckles nervously at the mention.

"Caroline-" He interrupts only to be interrupted.

"No, just listen." She holds out a hand to stop him "I just- I got to think about… some stuff."

She gulps as she takes a step closer, hand going up and putting her hair behind her ear.

"I mean… you, this… us." She sighs, struggling with the words.

He tilts his head with his eyebrows furrowed, his heart racing just like hers.

"When I'm with you…I'm happy." She chuckles as she steps forward. While he stands still, eyes not even blinking.

"And… I've been trying to find a reason for us to… wait. But… there isn't." She pauses. "You said you'll wait for me to heal, but I realized that... all I need to heal... is you."

Her eyes are shining with hope, her heart pumping like drums. She thinks whether this is enough or she should go further, because this is the best she can do.

"I know this isn't some great speech or anything, but I just- are you gonna say something?" She closes her eyes as she starts to freak out. This isn't easy, and him standing there and staring at her as If she was speaking hieroglyphic makes it even worse.

"I, uh..."

He licks his lips again, taking a breath before taking a step closer.

"I could kiss you." It comes out as a whisper, voice deep and low. It makes her shiver.

"Oh." Is all what she can say, if that counts as a word. She watches him as he gets dangerously closer. It has been months since they were that close, since he looked at her like that and didn't try to hide it or look away.

It's time.

His hand goes up to her hair, burying his fingers in there while his free hand holds her own. The feeling of his fingers intertwined with her own, drawing circles on her skin. The feeling of his fingers playing with her hair, the way his eyes look at her freely, not trying to hold back, the way they hover around her lips.

It all feels good.

But not better than the way his lips feel against hers. It's just like their first time, slow and hesitant. She feels him holding back for a moment, giving her space in case she wanted to pull back. Well, as if.

She realized that she isn't good with words, at least not now. So she convinces him with her lips, pulling him closer. Hand going up to his neck.

This moment, this feeling, it makes her forget about all the time they were apart. Although she is mad at herself for making them wait all this time. But it doesn't matter. Nothing matter right now, except that she's kissing Stefan Salvatore.

And this time, there are no curveballs in their way.