Chapter 5

Caroline groaned slightly as she looked down at her shoes once again, Stupid mud.

Looking up towards the three that stared back at her slumped form, Caroline watched as Alaric made his way down to Caroline while trying to ditch some of the extra obstacles that formed on the muddy hill.

"Here let me help you there," Alaric said chuckling slightly. Grabbing hold of Caroline's hand, they proceeded up the hill. Smiling sweetly at the man, Caroline responded, "Thanks."

"I told you that you shouldn't have come, Blondie," Damon yelled over his shoulder as he followed Elena's oblivious form up the muddy hill. Stopping briefly, he turned to face Caroline and Alaric making their way up to him.

"Just try not to slow us down alright?" Damon asked annoyed before looking back forward.

Frowning at that, Caroline followed closely behind Alaric while eying the back of Damon's form which seemed to be pretty far away up the hill.

She couldn't help but feel like ever since Damon had apologized and maybe even gotten closer to her, he seemed to be constantly attacking her with harsh remarks. He just seemed to be even more annoyed with her presence. It confused her, but angered her more.

What was his problem?

"I want to help find Stefan too," Caroline muttered under her breath all while she stomped at the mud.

Deciding in distracting herself from Damon who practically stuck to Elena who was far up on the hill, Caroline looked over at Alaric that seemed to rest his weaponry against his shoulder. Gazing at all the arrows that the man carried with him, Caroline sighed internally at how desperate all of them had gotten for the past couple of days.

Every time there were to be any clue of Stefan, they all would arrive at the scene almost immediately, but they were always just a few second late because Klaus and Stefan always seemed to disappear by the time they could even got near. They never gave up—she was never going to give up on Stefan.

-x-

"I told you to stay home today," Damon sang out when he heard Elena groan in frustration before him.

They had finally got to the top of the mountain and found nothing but a giant blood stain present in the middle of the grassy field. He knew neither Elena nor Caroline wanted to see any of it because it was hard to believe that little Saint Stefan would ever do anything to hurt another being. Ripper Stefan strikes again, Damon thought to himself grinning faintly. There was no humor written on his expression.

"What was I supposed to do Damon?" Elena asked annoyed before turning around to face the dark haired man. Her eyes found Alaric and Caroline who walked onto the field in surprise. "I can't just stay locked up at home with Alaric and you, knowing that Stefan needs us!" Elena yelled in frustration, tears brewing at her eyes at the sight of the two girls that lay dead before her.

She wanted all of this to end. Stefan couldn't do this—he couldn't be this.

"You don't think…"

"Stefan was here," Alaric whispered back at an awestruck Caroline.

Caroline's heart sank. "We're too late," she breathed out before swiftly turning around again. She needed to be away from the scene. Once again, the four of them had missed Stefan and Klaus. They were always a step ahead…

"Caroline," Alaric whispered out at her descending form.

Ignoring the man, Caroline focused on the mud and logs below her feet when wanting to get away from all of this. Stefan was her friend. He's not a killer!

Damon had Elena's crying form in his arms. Looking over at Alaric that eyed Elena with concern, Damon's brows furrowed at the missing blonde who was next to Alaric just a few moments ago. He watched Alaric point towards the downward direction of the mountain and Damon sighed before taking hold of Elena's forearms and forcing her to look up at him.

"We'll find him," he voiced out softly, his eyes meeting her big brown ones.

Elena flinched when a gentle hand touched her shoulder. Looking over at Alaric who was behind her now, Elena sighed before leaning into the man that was like a father to her. Letting him guide her towards the end of the mountain top, Elena didn't bother look back when Damon let out a sigh from behind both of them.

She knew he was getting rid of the bodies and yet she couldn't look back.

Her Stefan did this.

-x-

"Why'd you lie to me like that?" Caroline asked softly from beside Elena who seemed to be focused on the twig underneath her. Finally stepping onto concrete, Caroline kicked at the small stone at her toe before looking back at Elena who seemed to sigh deeply from next to her.

"I'm so sorry Care," Elena said in defeat. She rubbed at her head quickly before managing to look over at Caroline who urged Elena to continue. "With Stefan gone, Damon's been there for me and I-I honestly don't know what got over me," Elena said softly.

Caroline nodded slowly—very slowly. She tried to process everything being said. Looking over her shoulder and at Damon and Alaric that were still walking down the muddy mountain, Caroline felt butterflies at her stomach when Damon managed to look away from the ground and back at her. She smiled unknowingly at him only to have him smile back. He smiled back.

"Care?" Elena asked, confused over her dazed form.

Eyes widening at her blushing exterior, Caroline snapped her head away from Damon quickly. She heard the low chuckle that escaped him from metres away. Her heart was thumping and thumping fast. Brows furrowing at her bodies react towards just a smile from the older Salvatore, Caroline hadn't noticed Elena call out for her again.

"Huh?"

"You alright?" Elena asked, slightly worried about the blonde's flustered form.

"Y-Yeah," Caroline responded, her gaze focused on finding the car that was parked before Elena and her. She sighed at the sight of it. "I just want to get out of here," Caroline muttered.

"Like I said before," a voice whispered at her ear, "you shouldn't have come."

Caroline's eyes widened at the voice. Turning her head a little too quickly, Caroline cursed internally when her nose brushed Damon's. He was grinning hugely and before Caroline could look forward, Caroline found herself to trip over her own feet, only to have Damon's hand grab at her waist. Hands at his chest when both seemed to have stopped, Caroline moved slightly against Damon, her nose hitting his again.

Her heart was racing. It was racing—really fast.

Elena eyed the two for a bit before forcing herself to look away. It was nothing. Caroline fell and Damon caught her, there wasn't much to it. Trying her best to avoid the two before her, Elena moved closer towards the car.

Damon grinned. "Why are you so nervous?" he asked curiously.

Caroline awkwardly took her hands off of Damon's chest only to have him release her as well. Stepping away from him slowly, Caroline licked at her lips quickly before walking away from him again. "I'm not nervous," she muttered. Jerk, she thought to herself before moving towards the car that Elena was already in.

"What was that about?" Alaric asked Damon when finally making it down the mountain.

Damon looked over at Alaric and sighed before grabbing some weaponry from his best friend. Moving closer to the car, Damon looked at Alaric who was still grinning at him.

"She visited me after Lockwood bit me," Damon stated matter-of-factly.

Alaric's brows arched, "What?"

Damon nodded. He honestly didn't believe it either…a lot had happened that day.

"I kissed her," Damon blurted out, his voice laced with boredom.

Alaric's eyes widened at that.

"What?"

"I kissed Caroline Forbes."

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