Stefan walked into the Mystic Grill some time after seven. He felt restless. Damon sat at the bar, drinking whisky. Matt was wearing his blue shirt, serving beers and food and smiling. Stefan wanted to punch him. Why did Caroline smell like him? What had she meant about him spending the night? In what way?

"Hey."

He turned. Elena stood in front of him. Her hair was up and the scent of her skin reached his nose before he could control himself. Sweet, without being sticky.

"Hey" he replied.

He saw that Damon gave a sharp jerk, probably hearing her voice. In that moment, Stefan hated Elena. He really did. She had ruined his already rocky relationship with his brother.

"You okay?" she asked.

He nodded.

"Yeah, sure."

She didn't believe him, he could tell. And she could also tell that she really cared. She never asked if she didn't want to know the answer.

"Is it weird to be back?" she asked.

He nodded again.

"Very."

She bit her lip. He remembered how it felt to kiss her.

"You haven't seen Caroline, have you?"he asked.

Her face changed just a fraction, but he caught it. Disappointment. What had she expected? That he would confess his love for her?

"No" she said.

"Okay. I'm going to look for her."

"I'll come with you."

Stefan shrugged.

"Okay."

…

"Are you mad at me?" Elena whispered.

Stefan felt like laughing out loud. It was so weird. He had sat in this car, millions of times, with Caroline. And now he was here with Elena.

"No" he said, composing himself. "Not really."

"I made a mistake."

Stefan didn't answer. He didn't have one.

"You're indifferent towards me" she whispered.

Stefan pulled over outside Caroline's house. He could see Liz in the kitchen, watching TV.

"I'm just worried about Caroline" he said.

Elena nodded and looked away. He could see tears in her eyes.

"I love you" she whispered.

Stefan didn't move. He didn't say anything. He just watched her face, the face he had longed for every night for a year. Those big, brown eyes. The small mouth. The cute nose. And he felt nothing.

"Say something" she hissed.

"I don't know what you want me to say" he confessed. "You can't honestly believe that nothing has happened? That nothing has changed?"

"I told you" she cried. "I made a mistake. I'm sorry."

"You destroyed me. And now, you've destroyed Damon."

He knew that is wasn't all her fault, but this was his first chance to blame her. For anything. Ever.

"I messed up."

"Yes."

She sobbed into her hands. It felt strange not comforting her. He had always done that, comforted her. Now, he just watched her cry.

"And you treated Caroline like crap."

"What?" Elena gasped.

"She did nothing wrong and still you and Bonnie and her mother tried to blame her."

"I just wanted you to come back!"

"Then you should have called me, not tormented her."

Elena stared at him. Her eyes were hard.

"Why do you suddenly care so much about her?"

"I've always cared about her, Elena."

She shook her head slowly.

"Not like this."

Her voice was soft now. And she leaned in and kissed his lips. They tasted like strawberry and salt water.

"I'll see you" she whispered and got out of the car.

He watched her leave.

…

She opened the door for him before he knocked. She knew she looked like shit, but she really didn't care. She didn't let him in, she didn't step outside. She just stared at him.

"Care, what's wrong?" he whispered.

Caroline tried to find words, something to say.

"I saw you" she croaked. "Just now."

"What?" he asked, looking confused.

"You and her."

"Caroline, what's up?"

"You kissed."

Her voice barely carried. Why was she so upset by this? She had known this would happen. She had always known, deep down.

"She kissed me" he said, still looking adorably nonplussed.

"Sure" Caroline said. "Okay. Fine."

She heard her mother shuffling around behind her in the kitchen. For the first time, it made her feel better. She could close the door in Stefan's face and her mother would still be inside.

"Caroline, please explain" he begged.

And could she ever say no to him.

"We're home" she told him simply. "The pretending and escaping reality is over."

"I don't understa…"

"It's not your fault or mine or even hers. It's just life, you know."

Stefan grabbed her arm.

"You're not making any sense."

"This is the moment when we say that this summer was fun. And we hug. And then you back to her."

Stefan let go of her arm. He suddenly looked older, even if that is impossible.

"I'm not going back to her."

Caroline tilted her head and smiled. It would be easier if he just left. Trying to be a gentleman only made it all worse.

"Caroline, I'm serious. I looked at her today and I felt nothing. For the first time. No love and no hate. Just nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

Caroline finally stepped outside. Stefan stroked her cheek. She closed her eyes.

"It doesn't make sense" she whispered. "You loving me, it doesn't make sense."

She smiled bravely, because that was she did, she put on a brave face.

"Why not?"

"Because how can I compete with her?"

Stefan kissed light kisses along her face, her throat, her collarbone. She tried to keep her head straight.

"I love the way you moan in your sleep and the way you pout when you're hungry. I love the way that you devote yourself to things, like dances or road trips or whatever. And you see it through, you never do anything half-way" he whispered.

She leaned into him because he was warm and smelled nice and was telling her nice things.

"I love the way you looked in that expensive dress I bought you and I love you the way you look when you're too tired to shower."

She snorted.

"And above all that, God, I feel like I have said this so many times, but above all, you make me happy, Caroline. I have never been this happy in my life."

She met his eyes. He wasn't lying.

"It still doesn't make sense" she insisted.

"Love doesn't make sense, Care, that's the point."

He kissed her again and she kissed him back.

"I miss you" she whispered into his neck.

"Don't be cheesy" he told her.

She giggled. He kissed her again.

"I don't you to worry about Elena anymore."

"Okay."

"And I will try to not worry about Matt."

Caroline snorted again.

"Matt?"

"He spent the night."

She rolled her eyes.

"I cried on his shoulder, not very sexy."

Stefan's eyes suddenly became serious again.

"I don't want you to ever cry because of me."

"I can't promise that" she smiled faintly.

He nodded.

"I love you" he said.

She nodded.

"I know."

And even if it all felt like fairytale, he followed her upstairs and they watched a rerun of "Jersey Shore" and ate ice cream. And then, they kissed until she fell asleep.

…

"Can I talk to you?"

Caroline wanted to say no. She wanted to be happy. She was happy. She felt like singing and dancing.

"Sure" she said.

Elena opened the door to the ladies' room and they slipped in. The bathroom was empty. Caroline looked at herself in a mirror. She hadn't showered in a while and hadn't bothered using make up, but despite that, she felt pretty.

"I didn't realize that put you in a bad position" Elena began.

She too was looking the mirror. Her face was impeccable as always.

"Oh" Caroline mumbled.

"I know you were my friend and his friend, but it felt like a betrayal when you left with him."

"He had no one, Elena. You had me and Bonnie and Damon. He had no one."

She nodded.

"I know."

"I never meant to hurt you" Caroline told her.

"Me neither."

They stared at each other in the mirror. Best friends since forever. And now they stood on the brink. It could all end here.

"I was scared that you two would fall in love" Elena whispered.

"No, you weren't" Caroline smiled. "I can't believe that it ever crossed your mind that he might ever like me in that way."

"No, it's true" Elena insisted. "You always made him smile. I felt like the evil witch and you were like some fairy that always made him laugh."

"He would never have fallen in love with me if you hadn't broken his heart."

Elena nodded.

"I know. I screwed up."

They both fell silent. Was there anything else to say?

"Despite this" Elena began. "You're my friend, Caroline. And I won't mess you and Stefan up. Even if I could, which I doubt. I'll stay out of it."

Caroline searched her face. She found only honesty. Elena may have some bad trades, but she wasn't a liar.

"Thank you."

Elena nodded. Caroline smiled at her.

"So, you planned the picnic?" she asked.

Elena snorted.

"Yeah, it was hard work."

"Maybe we can plan prom together."

Elena hesitated for a few seconds and then she nodded.

"That would be fun."

…

Caroline slipped into his car. Stefan smiled at her. She looked happy. Like the Caroline he loved.

"How was school?" he asked,

"Great. I'm on the yearbook committee."

"Of course you are."

She pinched him. He could her and kissed her. She giggled into his mouth.

"What else happened today?" he asked, as he reversed out of the parking spot.

"I made up with Elena and we're going to plan prom. I'm thinking a 40's theme."

"You made up with her?" he asked, sounding amused.

"Yeah."

"That was quick."

"You're one to talk" she sneered.

He smiled.

"So, did you like braid each other hair and…"

"Shut up. She told me that she was sorry and that she wouldn't try and break up us up. And then I asked her if she wanted to be on the prom committee."

Stefan smiled. He loved Caroline. His whole body loved her. Because she was this person. She could be hurt and devastated and cry, but the next second, she was planning dances.

"Well, I'm glad you made up."

"Yeah, me too. What are we doing today?"

Stefan grinned. He had spent all day planning this, they're first real date.

"I called Matt earlier."

"Oh, I hope you were nice."
"I was."

Caroline shook her head at him. She couldn't understand that Stefan could be jealous of her and Matt. She didn't understand how wonderful she was.

"Anyway, I asked Matt to do me a favor, so we're going to the Mystic Grill."

"Oh, fancy."

Stefan tickled her until she screamed.

…

The Mystic Grill was full of people, which wasn't that common at 4:30 PM. Matt was there, of course, working. Elena and Bonnie sat a small table, drinking cokes. Even Damon stood at the bar with Alaric, looking very out of place. Because the decorations had changed. Bright spotlights shone onto a small stage. On it stood a microphone and small screen. Huge speakers also crowded the restaurant.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Well, I asked Matt if he didn't think that Mystic Falls needed a karaoke night. And he agreed with me."

Caroline snorted.

"Have you forced everyone to come?" she asked.

"No, most of them wanted to see you sing."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you're the first one up."

Matt had gotten up on stage. He waved to her.

"Oh god" she croaked.

But delight rushed through her body.

"This is great" she whispered.

Stefan beamed.

"Good" he said. "Now, I've already picked a song for you. You probably know which one."

She went up on stage. Matt introduced karaoke night and her and then gave her a microphone. The music began playing. It was Songbird. She met Stefan's eyes. He looked pleased. Everything was perfect. And she began to sing.

…

Epilogue

Elena stepped onto the platform. Her hair was loose and wavy. Caroline had helped her curl it.

"Dear fellow graduates, faculty members and parents. We're finally here."

Caroline exhaled. It would be fine. Elena had prepared this speech for months and months. Maybe even for years. The whole school, no, the whole town had always known that she would be one to do this.

"This is perhaps the last time you will see us all together, as a group" she continued.

Caroline searched the crowd for someone she recognized. Bonnie's dad was there, filming it all with a huge video camera. She grabbed Bonnie's hand and squeezed. Bonnie squeezed back. Her hand was hot and sweaty, she was probably nervous about more than Elena's speech.

"After today, we will our roads will part" Elena went on.

Caroline searched the crowd again. She met Damon's blue eyes. She giggled. He stood far away and if she didn't have vampire vision, she wouldn't have been able to spot him. He was here. She knew that he hadn't come for her, but it still moved her. She wanted to run off the stage and hug him and whispers that nothing was impossible. Nothing. That she had been wrong last summer, he should fight. If he tried, he could get Elena. But he would have to hurry. She was leaving for Penn State in the fall.

"This town and this school have taught me many things. I has taught me to count and to read and write. But it has also taught me respect and about love. Maybe those weren't real subjects in real classes, but I learned them anyway" Elena said.

Caroline tilted her head to one side. It was hot. No offence to Elena, but she was getting antsy.

"And if we learnt this in High School, I can only imagine what college has in store for us" Elena concluded.

Everyone applauded. Caroline met Damon's eye again. She winked and stuck out her tongue. He rolled his eyes at her.

"Anderson, Emma" the principle read from his list.

Emma, a lacrosse player with ginger hair, stepped onto platform, got her diploma and got down. Her mother cried.

"Bennett, Bonnie."

Bonnie squeezed Caroline's hand again before getting up. Her father shouted something mildly embarrassing. She blushed.

"Donovan, Matt."

Matt was probably the only one who could pull off that hideous blue hat. He had the perfect golden boy look. Caroline whistled as he received his diploma.

And then it was her turn.

"Forbes, Caroline."

…

Her father hugged her first. He smelled like after shave and sweat.

"Congratulations, babe" he said.

"Thanks."

He had bought her car, which was very nice of him. It would come in handy when she moved to Sarah Lawrence in the fall. It was in New York and kind of far away and her father called it weird. But Caroline had driven there in October and loved it. Everything about it. It felt right, even if it wasn't in a small southern town. It was a seven hour drive home, that was far, but then again Caroline had developed a special love for road tripping. Elena would be two hours away, in Pennsylvania. Bonnie would be further away, she was taking a year off to work at a homeless shelter in Washington DC.

"Congratulations" her mother said.

She had bought Caroline a plane ticket, to Italy. Because this summer would be even better than the one before, or at least, that was the plan. Her mother had bought the ticket, but Caroline was paying for the rest herself. She had gotten a scholarship for school and worked weekends at the Mystic Grill. As entertainment. She would sing for drunk people and hungry people and people in love. She loved it. She only earned what people tipped her, but she never went home empty handed.

"You did it" Stefan said.

She hugged him. He kissed her forehead. It had been his idea to go to Italy. They would rent a car and drive around, visit Rome and Venice and Sorrento. Stefan was going back to school, well, to community college in upstate New York. He was going to study Italian. He would be about 23 minutes from Caroline. She could live with that.

"Let's go home and eat" her mother said.

And they did.

...

The airplane landed on Italian soil at ten in the morning. Caroline woke up and opened her window. The sun was blazing and sky was pale blue. They were there. Two months in Italy. Two months to kiss and fight and make up and be together.

"I brought road trip music" Stefan told her.

"You did?" she asked, proudly.

He was such a quick learner.

"Yes, my favorite album of all time."

"I bet it's Poison."

He rolled his eyes, opened his bag and pulled out a CD. She studied it carefully. It was The White Stripes. She had never really listened to them.

"Fine" she said. "It will do."

He snorted.

"Do we need rules?" he asked. "More stuff we have to do before the summer is over?"

She nodded.

"Yes, of course. I think we must make out inside a church. Or even better, the Vatican."

Stefan laughed.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"Well, we totally forgot about speed dating last summer…"

He kissed her. His lips were soft on hers. How could he smell so good after a eight hour flight?

"I think I'll pass on that" he whispered.

"Why?" she giggled.

"I'd rather just be with you."

And then, the seat belt signs switched off and everyone got up. Stefan took them their bags from the overhead compartment and they left the plane. Outside the airport waited a blue Ford, but that is a completely different story.

Thank you again for all the reviews and comments! You're all wonderful, wonderful people!