Vampire Diaries: No secrets (Stefan's PoV & Caroline's PoV)

We're born alone, we live alone, and we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion that we are not alone. – Jeremy

It is by chance that we met, by choice that we became friends. – Stefan

The difference between friendship and love is how much you can hurt each other. –Damon

Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. Then there is time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny and a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it's all over. –Caroline

The air is heavy today it has been for quite some time now, probably since the day Katherine returned to Mystic Falls. Elena's heart has taken a devastating blow, and I can't be the one to heal her because I am just as damaged as she is. Damon is off being himself flirting and manipulating people in ways only he can. The only thing that hasn't changed recently is Caroline. It is odd really when I'd first met Caroline I had in a way completely written her off, the only person I cared to know about was Elena. Things have changed to since then Damon is still my brother, Elena will always be my love, but Caroline is my friend, perhaps even my best friend.

I told Caroline this, well I told her that she reminded me of my best friend Lexi, at this her first response was not a question as to who Lexi was but up utter surprise to the fact that I had a friend. I don't blame her after all I spend most of my time with Elena and Damon. Though Caroline had not faltered under all the chaos around she had become much stronger to the point where at times I don't think she needs me. Not the way she did when she first turned. I'm happy for her I am, but a part of me fears that she'll get into something over her head and she won't reach out for help.

Tyler Lockwood

I let these thoughts slip my mind and I headed toward the grill to meet Bonnie. I might've once considered Bonnie my friend if I wasn't so aware of her inner distrust and hate towards vampires. She tolerated me because of Elena she only liked me more than Damon. Hopefully, though one day Bonnie would open up the way everyone else had, but then again Caroline only did because she became a vampire and that may very well be the main reason that we're friends now.

Pushing open the doors to the grill I see Caroline sitting at the table with Matt and Tyler they all seem happy, laughing about trivial high school things. I paused for a moment as I saw Matt getting up he went to the back, probably to pick up his check and left through the back door from what I could hear. It seemed Caroline had not seen or sensed my presence yet as she Tyler went on to talk about something that seemed far more serious and I could not help but listen in.

"Matt can't know Tyler" Caroline said soft but firmly.

"Yeah I know" Tyler responded. He reached out for Caroline's hand but she hesitantly pulled it from his reach.

"Caroline why are you…do you trust me?" Tyler asked.

"I do its just…" it seemed Caroline and had finally noticed me as her muttering halted. She then looked over at me as I had put myself in plain sight now.

"I'll see you Tyler" she said and quickly got up from the table and headed towards me.

"What are you doing Stefan?" Caroline asked nervously.

"I could ask you the same thing, why you're here and about the people you're here with." I responded.

"We should talk somewhere else" she answered.

"Yeah I think we should" I returned.

The two of us stepped out of the grill and quickly scanned the area before taking off into the forest. The chilling air clashing against my skin and Caroline kept increasing her speed as if to test my determination to keep up with her. Finally I grabbed her shoulder and stopped her in her tracks.

"What!" she screamed, her voice cracking just like her heart must have been. I hadn't seen her broken up like this since that night at the carnival.

"Caroline what's wrong?" I asked painfully. Black stained tears rolled down face and her eyes were almost empty.

"I'm trying Stefan. I'm trying so hard. Matt and Tyler, I'm trying so hard to protect them. But I can't, I just can't" she let out as if it were her dying breath. I froze for a second because I didn't know what exactly she was talking about and I didn't know how I could ever help. But then my body responded on its own, I pulled her into a gentle hug in an attempt to calm her down.

"I get it now Stefan" she whimpered.

"Get what?" I questioned.

"Why you seem so serious all the time, it's because you always have so much at stake" she muttered. At that I was loss for words and so we just sat there not saying anything as Caroline continued to cry, nothing I could ever do would make whatever problem she was having go away so I just sat quietly watching her waiting until she stopped herself from falling apart.

…

Stefan probably thought I was crazy from the moment I saw him at the grill I became stiff, I knew how much he hated the fact that I'd risked everything by telling Tyler the truth and I knew even though he never brought it up that he knew about my part in Tyler's first transformation. Since then I'd been by Tyler's side even more often than before. Tyler called me out on it once too after all we were never really friends just people who had to put up with each other due to mutual friends. He asked why I cared, why I was willing to go to such lengths to help him and honestly I didn't have an answer. Matt on the other hand everything with him was once so easy but everything went to hell after I changed, or at least for me they did. At times it seemed like he wanted us to be together again but I knew that it was impossible because of where we are right now, miles apart.

Nothing really makes sense to me anymore I care about them both, yet they are both so different there is no true basis for anyone to make comparison. To makes matters worse Tyler and Matt are best friends and I worked so hard before to get them back to the way they were and they finally got there and now I felt like I would soon rip them apart again and I couldn't let that happen. How was I supposed to protect Tyler from the constant dangers I knew were coming? And how can I prevent Matt from suffering anymore than he already has? With all honesty I don't think I can.

So I'm sitting here, in the middle of the forest, looking like a complete lunatic as Stefan stares at me with his all too understanding eyes. Elena and Bonnie had always been my best friends, even though I knew that they played favorites. But Stefan, he been there since from the moment my world came crashing down, or more accurately coming to a halt. When I killed the man at the carnival and when I attacked Matt. And he was here now even though he didn't know how stupid I was being, trying to be everything for everyone. Finally something inside me stopped my tears from falling and I regained my composure.

…

After a while Caroline put herself back together, but still said nothing. She apologized for being stupid and dragging me out into the middle of the forest, yet despite her best efforts I knew she was conflicted. She started to walk away.

"Caroline do you remember that night in the grill. When you said that we were friends?" I asked her forwardly. She turned back looking at me for a moment before responding.

"Yeah I remember" she answered with a weak smile coming across her face.

"Well then I think we should make a promise" I told her bluntly.

"A promise?" she returned.

I stopped for a moment and smiled, then continued, "Yeah. I want us to promise no more secrets"

She seemed taken aback by this but swiftly recovered long enough to respond, "I don't think I can do that Stefan"

"Why?" I answered back.

"Because you know better than anyone that some things are best kept secret" Caroline shot back at me.

I started towards her until we were about arms length apart then I leaned over to reply, "Not between…not between friends" I said almost humorously, chuckling at my own thoughts.

Again her expression reflected that of utter surprise and a smile came across her face. She started to laugh. Once her laughter stopped she gave a quick smile that slowly fell as her eyes grew empty again. She squeezed my hand for a brief second whispered something quietly and then in an instant she was gone.

Her words still rang in my ear even after she was gone, "We're friends, but friends have secrets too"

We have to distrust each other. It is our only defense against betrayal.