Take Comfort in Me

Chapter 1: Bedfellows

Author's Note:

I realize I'm still writing two other fics, and they will get written, but this is coming off my need to fend off my HKF (hiatus killer fatigue) and the promo of TC sexin'.

Potential spoilers.

Enjoy!

Caroline Forbes didn't know how in the world she found herself at this very moment having sex with Tyler Lockwood, but she was. It could all be traced back to earlier that night during Elena's party.

Flashback

Caroline looked around the Salvatore house proudly, patting herself on the back for all of her hard work. The party would be delicious, and Elena would have a good time. Damn being stuck in her "my boyfriend had disappeared funk," damn that to hell. The girl had been through enough and she was going to celebrate, if Caroline had to force her to the whole damn night.

She was about to get herself a drink when WHAM.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry," she said not noting the person she rammed into. And after she did, she wished she hadn't. Matt. Matt-I'm-dumping-you-because-you're-a-vampire-and-I-can't-handle-it-Donovan. "Matt, I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Clearly." Okay, guess Matt wasn't going to make this easy, but when was it ever easy and not awkward to see an ex? But Caroline was determine to make the transition from exes to friends as uncomplicated and painless as possible. She could do that right? After all, their entire relationship amounted to what, a few months at best. They had been friends for most of their lives, or at least acquaintances. They should be able to be friends. So what if he didn't want to be with her?

"How are you doing?" Matt sighed in annoyance.

"I'm fine Caroline."

"Good. Great. How's your summer going?"

"How do you think it's going Car? I'm busting my ass at the grill to pay off lousy bills."

"I'm sorry, Matt. I really am."

"Could you just not?" Caroline was confused.

"Not what?"

"What's with the snow white act?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means we're over. Stop trying to act like you still care."

"But, I DO still care, Matt."

"Well, stop. You're just making it worse." Caroline started to walk away when she felt this rage come on.

"Know what Matt? Let's get one thing straight, you dumped ME, okay? Not the other way around. You didn't want any part of this. If anything, I should be the one who's upset, and instead I'm going around tiptoeing around YOUR feelings trying to make you feel better. What's wrong with this picture? God, I'm just…I'm done. Next time I see you Matt, I won't say anything. Or better yet, I'll tell you to go to hell."

Caroline felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders, she was elated, and free, and she had to suddenly use the bathroom.

Goodness, the Salvatore house was like a damn museum. It was funny, she had been here many times before, and yet she always seemed to find a new room or artifact. She actually laughed, picturing Damon with this golden rooster statue that she found.

On her way to the bathroom she found Elena standing in an empty room just staring out the window.

"Hey 'Lena. What are you doing?" Elena, looking stunning in her white dress turned to face one of her oldest friends and shrugged.

"Just trying to get some air."

"Some air, inside the house?" Elena sighed.

"What do you want from me Caroline? I'm trying."

"You call this trying? Elena, you're so far from trying. Look I know it's hard knowing Stefan is out there and he may not be coming back, but you've got to admit that you're letting your life pass you by."

"Oh, really? Is that what you all think? Is that what you all want me to do, get on with my life?"

"Well, yeah. Have some fun, try to get back to some semblance of normal."

"Caroline, nothing about my life is normal. And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are you 'living your life'?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means have you seen the way Tyler looks at you? You'd have to, unless you're blind, and I don't see you doing anything about that." Caroline shook her head.

"Elena, you've got it all wrong. Tyler and I are just friends" Elena nodded.

"Now who's in denial?" And with that, Elena walked past Caroline.

Caroline left that conversation thinking Elena was crazy. She was just so wrapped up in being depressed over Stefan that she wasn't thinking clearly. Tyler and Caroline, that's crazy. Of course she liked him, he had become one of her best friends. They spent almost every day together, had lunch, and did random stupid stuff to pass the time.

But that didn't mean she liked him, or that he liked her.

They were friends.

Friends.

Friends. Good friends.

Best friends.

Platonic friends.

She was trying to keep that in her head, but then she spotted Tyler dancing with some girl…Sophie something or other. Tyler Lockwood, dancing? She laughed. She couldn't picture Tyler dancing, with anyone.

How come Tyler never told her he could dance?

How come Tyler never asked her to dance?

Wait, why was she thinking about Tyler dancing? She didn't care who or what he danced with.

The music suddenly shifted from hip hop to slow and Tyler moved closer to his date.

Caroline felt a lump in her throat. Tyler and this girl were getting a little too close for comfort if you asked her. Not that it was any of her business. Tyler and her were friends.

So why was she getting greener by the minute watching them? Why? Why?

She couldn't answer, or rather she didn't want to, so she went to go do some other stuff to pass the time. By the time she was done, the party was nearly ending and she decided to help clean up. She noticed Tyler out of the corner of her eye coming up to her.

"Hey Caroline. Great party." He was smiling. He had such a cute smile.

"Thanks Tyler. Thanks for helping me set up." She smiled back.

"No problem. Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah, I did." And then the thought popped into her head, it would have been better if I would have spent it with you. "Did you?"

"Yeah, I did. I really did. It was nice, you know, to be normal for one night." He smiled again. That gorgeous smile.

"So I noticed." Tyler gave her his confused look. "I saw you dancing with that Sophie girl. I never knew you could dance." Tyler chuckled.

"Well, if that's what you call dancing…"

"Yeah." She looked at him, he looked at her. For a moment their stares were frozen.

"Well, Forbes, I gotta get going, I'll see you later," he said, grabbing her into a hug.

Caroline found herself wishing he'd never let go, but he did, and she was left to clean up the party.

It wasn't until she was home an hour later where she really started to digest everything that had happened. Her sudden courage with Matt, her talk with Elena, seeing Tyler with that girl, her reaction to Tyler's hug.

Oh my god, it was so obvious. Caroline Forbes was in love with Tyler Lockwood! She was totally in love with him. She wanted to be with him. Why couldn't she see it before? Well, because Caroline liked uncomplicated and Tyler was complicated enough before being a werewolf. And she was a vampire, and a werewolf bite could kill a vampire.

But there were other things. She was never going to be what anybody truly wanted in a lover. She always said the wrong thing, no matter how hard she tried. Failing with Matt was bad enough, but failing with Tyler would be heartbreaking, for he was the truly one person she could be open with. She could cry and look like shit with him and he'd still smile and tell her she was beautiful.

She didn't want to give away what was left of her heart, because if that broke she'd have nothing left.

But Elena was right. She was letting her life pass her by, and she wouldn't do that anymore.

Fifteen minutes later she found herself at the Lockwood's front door. She knocked, and thankfully Tyler answered.

"Caroline, is everything okay?"

"Yes. No. Um, is your mom home?"

"No, she's out. Why?" But this was not the time for speaking. Caroline grabbed Tyler and kissed him, kissed him fierce and long. He returned the kiss and before she knew it, they were upstairs in his bedroom. He took his shirt off and she took hers off, and threw him onto the bed.

And here we are.

Caroline jumped on top of Tyler ready to devour him as if she were a person who had not eaten in weeks. But Tyler took his hands and braced her.

"Caroline, what, what is this?"

"I just, I just don't want to talk about it, I don't want to talk myself out of it. All I know is I want to be with you Tyler. I want to be with you so badly."

"Is this because of our conversation earlier? About me being horny, because you don't have to do this."

"I'm not. It's not because of that. I. Want. You."

"Caroline, you have no idea how long I've waited to hear you say that." Finally, Tyler released her and together they moved inside each other and became whole until there was no Tyler and Caroline, it was just TylerCaroline as one entity. One unit, one mind, one body, one soul.

If only they could stay like this forever.