"That one looks like an octopus," Caroline says, pointing at the sky. The swan boat she and Stefan are lying in on the lake of the Lockwood estate rocks at the sudden movement and she grabs his hand reflexively.

Stefan snorts. "It doesn't look anything like an octopus, Care. It's just a cloud."

Caroline rolls her eyes. "You're doing it wrong, Stefan. Use your imagination! Didn't you guys used to do this in the olden days? I mean, what else did you have to do? It wasn't like you had TV or the Internet. We didn't have cable the summer after my dad moved out because we couldn't afford it. It was awful. I can't imagine surviving for years without that stuff!"

"Well, we had these things called 'books'," Stefan says dryly. "Maybe you've heard of them?"

"Whatever." At that moment, Caroline hears the distant clinking of silverware against glasses from the tent on the shore as the wedding guests demand that the happy couple kiss, and Stefan stiffens next to her.

"That one," she says quickly, pointing to another cloud. "What does that look like?"

"That's just an exhaust trail."

Caroline huffs in annoyance. "I know that. I mean the blob next to it."

"The 'blob'?" Stefan asks. "What happened to your imagination?"

"Stefan..."

"Okay, okay, I'm playing." He falls silent for a moment as he stares up at the sky. "I see... a blob."

Caroline pokes him hard in the side.

"You're impossible!" she exclaims.

Stefan sighs. "Impossible. Unimaginative. Boring. That's why she's marrying someone else."

Caroline presses her head against Stefan's temple.

"She wanted normal," she says firmly as her chest tightens at the thought of what she's lost as well. "And so did Tyler. That's why they dumped us. Because we're too awesome."

Stefan laughs and turns to press a brief kiss to Caroline's cheek. It starts to tingle, and she grips his hand more tightly to prevent herself from reaching up to touch it.

"You are awesome," he says.

"You are, too. Say it, Stefan."

"Okay, okay," Stefan says placatingly. "I'm awesome, too. There, you happy?"

"It'll do. Baby steps." Caroline's voice takes on a slightly scolding tone. "I see I have quite a task ahead of me. Thank God we have an eternity because we're going to need every minute of it."

"Yeah, thank God for that." Stefan's voice is devoid of any sarcasm, and, for a moment, Caroline thinks he might actually be looking forward to spending an eternity with her.

Stefan points to the sky. "That one looks like a bird."

Caroline groans. "That is a bird!"

Stefan pulls her closer and she can hear his grin in his voice.

"Baby steps, Care. Baby steps."