Authors Note: Okay so, I haven't updated in a long long time. I'm really sorry about that. I've had some writers block on this story. I hope you all will continue to read and review. And I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

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Chapter Nine : Things In Threes

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"No,"

"Yes," Caroline reiterated sternly.

"Caroline, no. It's too dangerous," Stefan replied. His voice was hard and left little room for disagreement. Caroline had only heard him use that same tone with Damon and Elena. It was the tone he used when someone he cared about was thinking of doing something dangerous.

"Tyler needs help Stefan, and I'm the only one that can do that," she explained.

"Why? Why are you the only one who can help him?" he demanded.

"Because he already knows what I am," she replied. Stefan sighed in frustration. He knew that Caroline was trying to be a good friend to Tyler, but he couldn't help but worry.

"I'll tell him about me," he tried.

"No," she shook her head frantically. "He would feel like I lied to him. Besides, the less people that know about you, the safer you'll be," she added.

"So it's okay for you to be put in danger but not me?" he asked, a hint of outrage underlying his words. He wasn't being as rational as usual. He was worried for her and it was messing with his logic.

"You're always in danger," she chuckled. "It's my turn," she finished teasingly. He fought the smile that was making it's way to his lips. He knew that she was trying to lighten the mood and make him forget about his concerns.

"Alright," he finally relented. "Alright but, if that idiot bites you…" he trailed off. Caroline raised her eyebrows at his uncharacteristic name calling.

"I'll be fine," she assured him. She poked his stomached lightly and smiled with confidence. He grabbed her hand before she could retract it completely.

"I'll kill him Caroline. Werewolf, human, whatever. If he hurts you, I'll kill him," he vowed seriously. Her hand was held firmly in his own and their eyes were locked intensely. Caroline had no doubt in her mind that he meant what he had said. Peaceful, logical, Stefan would kill Tyler in a second if he hurt Caroline in any way.

"He won't hurt me," she whispered.

"I hope not," Stefan replied. "For his sake, I hope not".

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"Hey, how are things going?"

"I left your house 20 minutes ago Stefan," Caroline rolled her eyes as she spoke into the phone. He was already checking in on her.

"Where are you?" he asked nosily.

"I'm just hanging out with Tyler," she told him pointedly. Tyler was walking through the woods, by her side. He was doing his best to look uninterested in the conversation but failing miserably. "He says hi by the way," she added, hoping that Stefan would realize that Tyler was right near her and she couldn't talk about certain things.

"Right. Got it," he said, catching her meaning. "Look, I have a few things to take care of today. But call me if anything goes wrong," he ordered.

"Yes sir," she mocked.

"Caroline…" he warned.

"I know, I know. I'll call you," she promised. As she hung up the phone she noticed Tyler giving her a funny look. She tried to ignore it but he was persistent.

"I didn't know you and Stefan were such good friends," he mentioned, finally expanding upon the glances.

"Uh… sometimes he needs help with Elena," she lied nervously. Tyler eyed her suspiciously before finally nodding in acceptance. Caroline sighed in relief, happy that he had believed her story. She wasn't sure which truth she was hiding from Tyler; the fact that she and Stefan were vampires, or the fact that her feelings for him were turning into something that would be anything but helpful to Elena.

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It had been a long and grueling day for both Caroline and Stefan. And as they each struggled with their individual obstacles, they took comfort in the thought of each other. Caroline consoled her uncertainty and worry, with thoughts of Stefan. She thought of his unwavering belief in her. She thought of his smile, small but powerful.

Stefan found himself trapped with a woman he truly hated, a woman who had turned him into a monster. She had turned Caroline into a monster too. And while Stefan was horrified to be trapped with Katherine, he was comforted by the fact that Caroline was safe. The pain Katherine had inflicted upon him was unforgivable, but what she had done to Caroline was beyond that. It stirred an anger inside of Stefan that he hadn't known existed. And if he had to spend eternity locked in a tomb with Katherine, he would do so gladly. As long as Caroline was safe, from Katherine and from the evils that arose with creatures of the night.

"Stefan! Damon?" Caroline knocked on the solid door of the Salvatore estate. She had tried calling Stefan several times, to let him know that things with Tyler had gone well. As well as to be expected at least.

"Scram blondie. Your yoda isn't here," Damon opened the door a crack and quickly slammed it shut again.

"Prick," Caroline muttered.

"I heard that," Damon sang.

"Where's Stefan?" Caroline called, leaning against the door in exasperation.

"Dead," Damon dead panned as he opened the door again. Caroline stumble through the opening and used her newfound reflexes to catch herself before she fell.

"What?" she bit out, un amused.

"Just kidding. He's actually stuck in the tomb for eternity with the queen bitch. I thought it would sound mild compared to the former. But now that I say it out loud… death is actually preferable," he mused. He shot Caroline his patented smirk before sipping on the bronze alcohol in his hand.

"Stop screwing around and tell me what happened to Stefan," Caroline growled. She could feel the panic start to seep through her skin and cement itself in her blood.

"I just did," he snapped.

"He's in the tomb?" she asked, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Younger brothers must have stupid woven into their DNA," he offered.

"Is he okay?" Caroline asked hurriedly, Damon's sarcasm and snark bouncing off of her easily. She didn't have time for his quips.

"Little Jeremy Gilbert tried to play hero and failed miserably. Stefan got his panties in a twist and had to join the fun. That's my brother, Mystic Falls' very own superman, ladies and gentlemen," Damon bowed dramatically. And for the first time, Caroline realized that Damon actually looked worried, upset even. It was this realization that scared Caroline the most.

"Fuck," Caroline muttered. And without another word, she was gone.

"Nice chatting with you too sweetheart," Damon mumbled before slamming the door shut lazily.

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"I smell a rat. Oh, it's you…" Katherine scrunched her nose in disgust as Caroline's blonde hair flashed into focus. Caroline shot the older woman a glare before letting her eyes wander the dim tomb.

"Where's Stefan?" she asked clearly.

"I'm right here," he announced, stepping forward and coming into view.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly, her eyes locking with his own.

"I've been better," he smiled tightly.

"Don't act like this won't be fun Stefan," Katherine drawled, running a finger down his arm seductively.

"A vervain bath would be preferable," Stefan bit out, shrugging her arm away.

"Is that what gets you off now? A little pain for a lot of pleasure," Katherine raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"I'm getting nauseous," Caroline piped up. Katherine walked to the edge of the barrier, her hips dipping back and forth rhythmically.

"Really? You look a little flush sweet Caroline," Katherine observed. "Would you like to join us?" she continued cheekily.

"Leave her alone Katherine," Stefan warned.

"I've always liked things in threes," she smirked.

"You are a delusional, lonely, bitch. There are three words that describe you. How's that for things in threes?" Caroline snapped. Her eyes flashed to Stefan briefly and she caught the smirk at the edge of his lips.

"Can you please give us a minute Katherine?" Stefan intervened.

"Fine," she relented. "But only because you said please," she smiled brightly and ran her hand along Stefan's shoulder as she passed him.

"I hate her," Caroline muttered.

"She's still listening," Stefan replied.

"I don't care," Caroline snapped, glaring at the empty space that Katherine had previously occupied.

"She can't hurt you anymore," Stefan reminded Caroline gently.

"But she can hurt you. And that… that hurts me too," she admitted quietly.

"I'm gonna be fine," he assured her. "But what about you? How did things with Tyler go?" he asked, keeping his question vague.

"As well as can be expected," she answered. Aware that Katherine was listening, Caroline kept her response brief.

"Good. I want you to keep me updated. And if anything goes wrong, I think Bonnie is probably your best source of protection," he advised.

"You need to stop worrying about me," she told him.

"Impossible," he told her honestly.

"It's my turn to worry about you," Caroline told him gently.

"I don't like this taking turns business," he joked lightly.

"You're not very good at it either," she grumbled, crossing her arms.

"Hey, I was having a nice, normal day until…" he trailed off.

"Until you got yourself locked in a tomb with a psycho," she offered.

"I'll admit, the plan was flawed," he shrugged.

"If she hurts you, I'll light her on fire," Caroline warned.

"I'd like to see you try infant," Katherine laughed, strutting back into view.

"Katherine…" Stefan sighed.

"I'm sorry but, if I have to listen to one more second of… I'm so worried about you, no I'm so worried about you… I'm gonna light myself on fire," she groaned.

"Shall we continue then?" Caroline suggested, her eyes on Stefan.

"Don't bother. I'm about to crush your spirit," Katherine informed her.

"Excuse me?" the blonde replied.

"He's not into you blondie. He's all gaga over Elena. And if sir noble were to ever cross that line with someone, it would be with me. I'm more persistent that you… and hotter," she added.

"Okay, first of all, you are the last person I want to be with Katherine," Stefan clarified.

"And second of all, Elena is my best friend. I'm not interested in Stefan that way," Caroline interrupted.

"Right," Katherine smirked.

"Stop trying to cause trouble," Stefan replied.

"Oh please, I'm not the one playing with fire here. If the two of us have hot, steamy cave sex… it'll just be hot and steamy. But if you do the deed with Barbie over there… well I suspect Ms. Gilbert will howl like the banshee that she is," Katherine finished, looking quite impressed with herself.

"Stefan and I are just friends," Caroline clarified.

"Of course," Katherine replied knowingly.

"This argument is pointless," Stefan groaned. "She's just trying to get under your skin," he continued.

"Well it's not working. I know that you don't have any friends Katherine, but I do. And nothing you can say or do will change that," Caroline insisted, crossing her arms defiantly. In an instant Katherine's smirk fell and her eyes hardened dangerously.

"I don't have to say or do anything little one. Elena is gonna get you and your so called friends, killed all by herself," she shrugged tightly.

"Caroline, you should go…" Stefan interjected quietly.

"What?" she replied, her eyes widening.

"He wants me all to himself," Katherine smirked.

"I don't want her upsetting you," Stefan told Caroline carefully.

"I'm not scared of her," she argued.

"It's easy for you to say that now that I'm locked in a tomb," Katherine muttered.

"Don't forget who helped put you there," Caroline snapped.

"Trust me… I won't," she replied bitterly.

"Just- just go see Bonnie. She can fill you in on everything," Stefan suggested.

"I don't want to leave you here alone with her," Caroline said, scrunching her nose in disgust.

"I can handle Katherine," he assured her.

"He sure can," Katherine interjected seductively.

"Ew…" Caroline muttered.

"I'll be fine," Stefan insisted.

"Okay. I'll leave," she agreed. "But only because I can't stomach listening to her any longer," she added unhappily.

"Rude," Katherine replied.

"I'll bring you something to eat tomorrow," she promised, locking eyes with Stefan.

"Yum!" Katherine clapped.

"Something vegetarian," she clarified, earning a smile from Stefan.

"Gross," Katherine gagged.

"Goodnight Stefan. Sleep with one eye open," Caroline suggested.

"Oh… we won't be doing much sleeping," Katherine mused confidently.

"Goodnight Caroline," Stefan replied, ignoring Katherine. "I'm glad you're okay," he added, earning a small smile from her before she disappeared from his view.

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