Title: Forever I'm Yours (Forever I do)

Rating: T

Pairing: Stefan/Caroline

Chapter: One

He's not expecting it when it happens.

Despite how many times he's been close.

Or how many times he's practiced this moment, the moment in his life where he stops and thinks.

Oh.

But this came out of nowhere. Stopped him frozen in the middle of the day and gave him no other option but to feel it, feel everything. The rush and the fear all at once nearly knocking him clear off his feet.

Although he can't be blamed fully for it hitting unannounced. It didn't really choose the most conventional moment.

It didn't come during the time when they were travelling, miles of open road ahead of them, voices colliding as they entertained themselves with duets on the radio. Pit stops and breakdowns and spending more hours pushing the car than driving it. Late nights in lonely motels with only each other for entertainment.

Or when they were stretched out after a long day, limbs combined, fingers smoothing over skin and under clothing. Oblivious to the movie running as they replaced dialogue with giggles and action scenes with popcorn flavoured kisses.

Not even when he returns home to find her standing proudly next to her home cooked meal, greeting her with a kiss and promises of "If tastes bad I'll still love you".

No.

It chooses this one.

The one were Caroline sits in her chair beside the fire, hands raking through her hair, lips trembling and body exhausted.

Stefan knelt down in front of her whispering words of comfort as his fingers swipe along her tear stained cheeks.

Listening to her cries and offering up a shoulder with his mantra: I know I know I know.

"I miss her"

"I know"

"And this pain, it feels like it's never going to go away"

He runs his fingers to the back of her neck, pulling her close until their foreheads touch and she releases a sigh.

"It will"

With short nods and sharp inhales of breath she pulls back to look at him.

Her eyes red and raw and completely overtaken with defeat.

"That's the problem with being immortal I guess" she begins and he raises his eyebrow in question. "We're all just going to end up alone."

He watches as she smiles, sad and too far away for dimples.

Her hands slide up to find his and as she intertwines their fingers his eyes lock on their rings joining together.

A reminder that they will never die.

That their existence is meant for lifetimes and more.

And he wants to spend them all with her.

And he's not sure if that's what does it, if that's what pulls the trigger.

But before he knows it the words are shooting out of his mouth and he has no choice but to surrender.

"Marry me"

Caroline freezes.

Breath halfway out her chest, tear mid flow, trembling fingers halted and dancing legs becoming statue.

Her eyes lock on his harder and she's confusing in the signals she sending him.

And that leaves him terrified.

She speaks and her voice is barely there.

"What?"

But despite the signals he pushes on. Because now that the words are out he wants nothing more than this moment.

Wants nothing more than her.

He pulls back from her and readjusts his position. Now on one knee he pulls both of her hand down into his, smoothing his fingers over her warm skin as he speaks.

"Marry me."

She shakes her head faintly.

"Stefan, you can't just say that to make me feel better".

"I'm not doing this because I want to make you feel better Caroline."

Her eyes drop shyly to their hands, gazing at the way he traces patterns into her skin, and swallows.

"Then why are you doing this."

With his finger curled under her chin, he pulls her up to face him, giving her the warmest smiles that makes her shiver everywhere. He raises their hands and plants kisses on her fingers, palm, wrist until he can hear giggles and feels her relax.

"I am doing this because you're you"

Her eyebrows furrow and he grants her with another kiss, just below the knuckles. When he pulls back up his smile his wider and his grip tighter and he can't help but chuckle at her expression.

She's stolen his serious vampire look.

"I'm doing this because you're insane enough to wake me up at 4am with a head full of ideas and theories on life. Because no matter how many times you try you still manage to smoke out our kitchen. Because you prefer to sit in the shower rather than stand because no matter how many times you clean it, it still more hygienic than the bath."

She laughs then.

Eyes crinkled and dimples shining.

And it's beautiful.

"Because of the way you twirl your hair when you're nervous, or when you bite your lip in concentration. Because I love it when you know I'm having a bad day without me saying a word. Because you're my both sober sponsor and the one that convinces me to have when someone asks me asks about home I don't describe a place, I describe a person"

"Stefan…"

"And yes you and I are going to live for a very long time, an eternity if this universe wishes it. But I am too selfish to have an eternal existence without all those things. Without my best friend by my side"

He pauses, takes a breath and dives in.

"So marry me. Marry me and I promise you, you will never be alone"

There are no words after.

Just panted breaths and gazing eyes and the heavy thumping of his heart.

He's about to open his mouth, trying to give her one more reason, but she's leaning forward, hands gripped on his cheeks, and crushing him into a kiss.

Well, it's barely a kiss as their upturned lips fail to do anything coherently.

He kisses her a few more times before pulling back and roaming his eyes all over her face.

She nods once, twice, three times and before she knows it nodding is all she can do.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes"

"You're sure?"

She giggles before leaning in again and gifting him with a kiss.

When she pulls back, lips still lingering, she whispers her answer against him.

"In this lifetime and every other one after that, yes."