Chapter Four

Caroline and Stefan walked hand in hand through the woods behind the Salvatore house.

She kept thinking he would drop her hand at some point, but he kept her hand in his.

Stefan kept glancing down at their interwoven fingers.

Her hand feels so soft. Everytime i touch her im surprised by how much faster my heart beats.

Caroline refused to speak first. She had no idea why he brought her out here and it had her head swimming.

"Caroline, i know you are going through a lot right now. I just want you to know that im here for you. I wasnt here for you this summer, and I want to be here for you now."

"Yes Stefan I know. I know you feel guilty and you want to make it up to me. But you already have, really...im not mad at you about this summer. Im not."

She stepped carefully around the dead branches that lined the ground.

"Then why have you been avoiding me. You've been acting like ive done something to upset you."

Caroline stopped short. She pulled her hand out of Stefans and crossed her arms.

"You know what Stefan? I really appreciate you looking out for me- or whatver it is you ar doing but i just...i dont need you to. Im fine. Im a big girl. I can handle things myself. I dont need your pity."

Stefan could feel her anger rising, but her pain was bubbling over.

"Pity? Caroline. I dont pity you."

"Okay fine, You dont pity me. I dont need you to feel obligated to hang out with me. Ill be fine. Of course im upset about my mom, and of course ill have a really hard time when she dies. But i dont need you to babysit me because my mom asked you to."

Alarm bells rang in Stefans head.

She heard my conversation with Liz. She thinks im only spending time with her because her mother asked me to. She doesnt realize...

"Caroline. I dont spend time with you because i feel guilty or because your mother asked me to." He stepped towards her. putting his hand on her arm. "Im with you, right now, because i want to be. Because i care about you and i want to be here for you."

Her eyes searched his for the truth. The corners of her mouth tipped downwards until a small cry escaped her lips.

"Stefan..I...Im sorry. I just assumed..." Tears strolled down her face and Stefan instincually stepped towards her and pulled her into his arms.

"Hey, Shhh...its okay. everything is going to be okay." Stefan stroked her hair as he soothed her.

"Stefan, thank you for being my friend. Im sorry I-" Her voice was muffled by Stefan's jacket but she continued to speak, angling her head downwards so that her mouth was almost touching Stefans neck. "...Im so worried about my mom, I just dont know what ill do when shes gone. She cant leave me, Stefan...she cant."

"I know, Care- I know." Stefan rubbed her back with one hand while resting his other on Carolines head. "But you are stronger than you realize. You can do this. And i will be with you every step of the way. You have me Caroline, im not going anywhere."

Caroline belived him. She could hear it in his voice. She could feel it in his touch. He does care about her. But how much?

Could he possibly...

She pulled back then, wanting nothing more than to look at his face. As she pulled away from him, her mouth found its way to his cheek. She kissed him softly and then pulled back.

She couldnt bring herself to look him in the eye yet.

"Thank you," she said, then she lifted her gaze to him.

He was standing in front of her with his lips parted, his eyes wide. A smile played on the corner of his mouth.

When her body left his arms, and her lips left his cheek, Stefan came alive. It was as if a switch was flipped. He wanted nothing more than to bring her back to him and never let her go.

If i kiss her, will it ruin everything?

He didnt think anymore about the question before closing the distance between them, puttting his hands on either side of her face and bringing his mouth within inches of hers. He kept his eyes on hers. Her eyes were bright with surprise and when he glanced down to her lips they were curled up into a smile. He felt the corner of his mouth pull up as he brought his lips to hers.

Their mouths moved slowly. Kissing him, Caroline felt like the entire earth was sprinnig around them. Stefan dropped his hands to her waist and pulled her against him. As their kiss deepened he squeezed her hips, and Caroline put her hands around his neck.

"Hey- you two...We are waiting to start the camera...ya wanna knock off the side show?"

Damon was standing at the edge of the woods with Mrs. Cuddles in his hands and a smirk on his face.

Stefan and Caroline pulled apart to look at Damon, then looked back into each others eyes. There was no first kiss awkwardness, they smiled at eachother, knowing it was right.

Why did Damon have to be such a dick? Im not ready to let her go...

Caroline turned to head back towards the house but Stefan grabbed her hand to bring her back to him.

"Wait." He brought his face to hers again for another soft kiss. It didnt last long, but they both could feel the intensity. When he broke the kiss, he kept his hands in hers.

"I wasnt ready to let you go." Stefan smiled at her and she could feel her body ache for his.

Caroline smiled at him and kept her hand in his as she led them back to the house to start Bonnie's birthday party.

Stefan wasnt sure what exactly he felt for Caroline when he came back to mystic falls this summer.

He was sure he felt something more than friendship the moment she walked away from him in her dorm after Friendsgiving.

The first time he thought about kissing her was the night he held her hand on her front porch.

And now, after their first kiss, Stefan Salvatore was no longer confused about his feelings for Caroline Forbes.

I am completely in love with her.

The End.