If You Gotta Go, Go Now

Pairing: Caroline/Enzo

Other Characters: Elena Gilbert, Damon Salvatore

Disclaimer: I do not anything and everything related to The Vampire Diaries

Author's Notes: Well, this is my first venture into Carenzo fanfics after falling in love with them, especially Enzo, recently. This is also an AU fic. The original version of this story was actually written for another fandom but I've rewritten it to fit Caroline and Enzo. So don't be surprised in case if you're into that other fandom too and find a fic that's nearly identical to this one.

Please do leave a review! I hope you like it.

He was tired of always being left behind.

Never good enough.

Never the right one.

Never him. It was never him.

It seemed a whole lot of bitterness. Yes, it did. But it was the truth in the eyes of Enzo.

Love is for fools. A fool he was far from being.

People come and go. That's the way of life. If they want to go, then go.

"Don't let the door kick your ass on the way out."

"I hate weddings."

"So you've told me for the seventh time in the past…" Caroline Forbes glanced at the rose gold watch around her left wrist. "Five minutes?"

Enzo rolled his eyes; his attention drifting back momentarily to the bride and groom sharing their first dance. "I don't know what Damon ate that made him pick me as one of the best men."

If there was something consistent about Damon and Elena Salvatore, it was the fact that they were unpredictable. Hell, the road to happily ever took so long and so many heartbreaks to reach that Enzo lost count of the many times he wished he could bash their heads together. So when the engagement finally happened and the congratulations and the about-damn-time sentiments have been given, no one was really surprised when the couple opted for three sets of best men and maids of honor instead of the tradition one pair, for the sake of being fair.

Naturally, Damon's only brother, Stefan, was the automatic choice as the first best man, followed by Elena's brother, Jeremy. Katherine, the bride's twin sister, likewise was automatically a maid of honor, leaving the last two spots for Caroline and Bonnie Bennett, the best friends. It went without saying, then, that the last best man spot went to Enzo, the groom's best friend. And since Jeremy and Bonnie were dating and Katherine couldn't stand Enzo, Caroline's fate was sealed and here she was, sitting beside her partner as their best friends swayed to their chosen music while said partner complained every fifteen seconds or so.

"And here I thought it's because you're his best friend." She muttered under his breath.

"What did you say, Gorgeous?"

"Nothing." The blonde smirked for a moment before a dreamy sigh escaped her lips. "Elena is one of the prettiest brides I've ever seen."

"She is." Enzo conceded, taking the time to study the woman who was the third of the maids of honor.

She smiled as Damon twirled his bride around, causing her to giggle happily. "I want a wedding just like this."

"You don't even have a groom yet, Goldilocks."

A swift kick to his shin was the reward for his effort. "Ruin the moment, why don't you?"

He tried to glare as best as he could and keep his list of profanities into a hissed minimum. "You're one violent woman, Gorgeous. I need my leg."

"You can function on one just fine."

"Sir, ma'am, it will be time for the best men and the maids of honor to join the bride and groom on the dance floor after this song."

Enzo smirked at Caroline. "If I end up stepping on your toes, it's going to be your fault."

She flashed him a sugary sweet smile. "Step on my toes and I'll make sure you won't be able to walk at all."

"What is up with women and fairy tales?" Enzo asked out of the blue as he watched Elena enter the airport terminal with Damon, nearly floating the entire way in happiness and excitement for their honeymoon.

Caroline arched an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know really. It's just that…" His shoulders lifted in a slight shrug. "I think it's too overrated."

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe it's 'cause you haven't found your princess yet."

"I've had my share of princesses and wicked stepsisters, Goldilocks."

"But not the right one."

Enzo frowned thoughtfully.

"No, never the right one."

"What the hell, Enzo?" Damon yelled in surprise some weeks later; the raven haired man standing in the doorway of Enzo's home, surveying the carnage in what usually was his pristine living room. "What the hell happened to you?"

"That bitch, that's what!"

"What?"

"The most recent ex… You still remember her, right? Maggie?" His speech slurred; Enzo sitting on the carpet in the middle of what Damon now thought of as a disaster zone. "Found out a while ago that some bastard knocked her up."

The taller man pursed his lips. "There's something more to that, is there?"

"She gave birth today."

They only broke up six months ago.

He never slept with her in respect of her 'wishes'. And that was hard for Enzo, okay, 'cause sex was sex and he loved it. But at that point in time, he loved the woman more.

They'd been together for a year and a half.

A fool he actually was, after all.

Enzo nearly growled at his front door when the incessant knocking still hadn't ceased. He hadn't gone out since that night he told Damon about what happened and save for the other man's attempt to somehow clean all the mess, nothing much had changed. Enzo really wasn't in the mood to anything and he was more not in the mood to see anyone else. He didn't need to see the pity in their eyes or their efforts to cheer him up and help him move on.

It wasn't hard to move on from a two-timing, maybe even three, four, ten-timing, woman like her, thank you very much.

How could some people find it in themselves to break people's trust as if it was as easy as tearing paper in half? He never really understood it. Because that's what pissed him off the most. Trust had always an important, fragile thing to him. It was one of those things he didn't give away so easily. Why would anyone do that to him? Was he really that stupid for someone to just step all over him? He didn't deserve this kind of betrayal. No, absolutely not.

"GO AWAY!"

The knocking stopped for a moment but continued in a heartbeat.

Groaning, he gingerly got to his feet and made his way to the door. Friend or not, someone was going to get an earful by the time he was done.

Caroline scrunched her nose when the door finally opened and gave her good view of the mess inside. "You look like shit."

"Thank you, Gorgeous. Now go." He made a move to slam the door shut, only for the slim blonde to squeeze past him and into the house. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Cleaning up."

Enzo frowned. "I don't need your help."

"I'm not doing this for you." She pinned him with a look that shut his mouth. "I'm doing this as a favor to Elena and Damon. I'm doing this for your house, believe it or not. I don't give help to people who don't deserve it."

"Are you saying that I actually don't need help?" He snorted. "That's new."

"Deserving and needing are two different things." Bright, clear blue eyes scanned him from head to toe. "Right now, you need help. But you sure don't deserve it."

She left it at that, going to pick up the trash that scattered all over the room and depositing every piece she collected in the garbage bag that she got from her purse that he didn't even notice she had. Enzo stood off to the side, silent and face unreadable, watching as Caroline started cleaning up a house that wasn't even hers. Her words struck him, more than he'd ever admit to her out loud. But he saw the truth then, no matter how painful it was at first… not that he'd ever tell her that either.

And so he helped her clean.

"Elena?"

"Huh?"

"You said you're doing this as a favor to Elena and Damon." He repeated her earlier words that he tossed a couple of cans into the garbage bag. "Damon, I'd understand but Elena? She only tolerates me because I'm the best friend of her husband."

"Well, Damon was going on and on about the slump you're in and how you won't snap out of it and you know how he can get if and when he decides to not stop talking about something."

"Ah."

"I hate people."

Caroline looked amused. "Ah, so I was right. You're an alien."

"Let's add smartass to your list of qualities, why don't we, Gorgeous?" He rolled his eyes at her efforts; the two seated on the chairs in the back porch of his home, watching the stars glitter in the sky… or so she described them as such herself. Behind them, all was right in his home. Everything was back in its rightful place with the trash properly disposed of and to never be seen again. Caroline had banned him from anything alcoholic until further notice and so he was currently nursing a cup of tea in his hands as a replacement. "Seriously. I hate people."

"Why?"

"Because they just come and go."

The blonde looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Not all. You have so people who care for you. They didn't leave you, right? And I don't think they ever will."

"You said 'they'." Enzo turned to fully face her; his gaze slightly narrowed and questioning. "So does that mean you're not one of them? That you'll go and leave too?"

"Do you want me to stay?"

"That's all up to you." He turned his attention back to the stars; a smile twitching the corners of his lips. "But just so you know, I won't tolerate any… quitting."

A satisfied hum left her throat.

"I'll stay."

Enzo stirred in his sleep, abruptly turning away from the sunlight flitting into the room from outside.

He groaned slowly, shifting his position, before he slowly opened his eyes, blinking groggily as he realized was on one side of the bed. He normally slept and woke up in the middle. Stretching his legs, he yawned and glanced down at his body. He froze. He wasn't wearing anything. Enzo sat up, wincing slightly at the sudden movement, bringing the covers up so that it remained sheltering the lower half of his body.

What the hell happened?

"So does that mean you're not one of them? That you'll go and leave to?"

"Do you want me to stay?"

"That's all up to you. But just so you know, I won't tolerate any… quitting."

"I'll stay."

I'll stay, my ass. No one ever did.

"Hey, you're awake."

His eyes snapped up in surprise to his bedroom door, finding Caroline leaning against the doorframe with a small, albeit hesitant smile on her face and her arms crossed over her chest. She was dressed… to an extent. Enzo noted that the gray shirt looked much better on her than it did on him; the thought threatening to bring out a smirk on his lips but he fought the urge to, knowing that at this moment, things had changed between them.

And he'd bet his ass that she had nothing under that shirt of his.

"I am."

"Well… I… Uh." Much to his amusement, she blushed. "I kinda got hungry so I went down to look for food. I hope you don't mind that I ate. I could always replace what–"

"You stayed."

Caroline didn't say anything for a long moment and hesitantly moved; her eyes never leaving his. Slowly and in careful, measured steps, she made her way to the bed, climbing onto the vacant side and drawing the covers aside. She copied his stance and leaned against the headboard, letting her long, slim legs stretch across her before pulling the covers up to her waist. Managing a small smile, she watched the emotions that crossed his face as she inched closer to him so that he could wrap an arm around her and pull her close.

"I did."

"She can infuriate me so much that… god!" Enzo ran a hand down his face. "She could be such an idiot sometimes!"

Damon smirked. "But you've been married to that idiot for fifteen years now. So what does that make you?"