Steroline: Even Now

Well, here we go

Stefan's POV~

Lizzie leads us out of the ferry terminal, looking for a car big enough to fit us all in at the rental shop. After compelling us a car that is to her liking, she walks out with the keys dangling off of one of her fingers, handing them to Elena who is apparently now driving.

We all pile into the car, me once again stuck with MG and Lizzie, except this time I'm in between them, which is ten times more awkward than the seating arrangements from the plane. Lizzie looks over and smiles at me, striking up conversation. We talk in the back for a while before she inevitably mentioned, Caroline. I'm pretty sure she was trying to reassure me that she's still in love with me. It was sweet that she even cared enough to say something about it. 

"Thank you, Lizzie," I say, thankful for her attempt to make me feel better. "It's alright, but there's one more thing I wanted to mention. I just thought that you might want to know. I don't know if you remember, you probably do, but when Jo and I were younger you had a room that you repurposed that was supposed to be ours. Well, at the Salvatore School that room is the one that we use as our dorm, Mom made sure that it was ours." She replies. 

It's such a small thing but just means so much. I don't really know how to describe what I'm feeling, it's like the words are on the tip of my tongue but I just can't reach them. I can feel tears begin pricking at my eyes, but I push them back down. I turn to Lizzie and give her a curt nod then turn to the window, looking out upon the beautiful, snowy landscape of the island.

"Once we get there it will be hard to prove to Mom that you're actually you, so we'll need a plan. Luckily, you have superhero extraordinaire, Lizzie Saltzman on your side," announced Lizzie from all the way at the back of the car, causing everyone to snicker, plus some obvious, snarky comments from Damon. She turns to me and says, "Stefan, we will find a way to make her believe us but knowing Mom she will need a lot of convincing. You might need to lay back with your vamp hearing and listen to her side of the story. I haven't been able to explain things to any of you yet because it isn't my place. You need to hear everything from her, and I think I have a plan of how."

"What is it?" I ask curiously yet slightly scared. From what I've heard Lizzie is known for having crazy ideas. "You'll find out in a second," she replies. Lizzie then proceeds to ask Elena to pull the car over so that they could rearrange themselves, Elena still driving but now Lizzie and Damon have swapped, Lizzie now riding shotgun.

"Ok, so here's the plan. When I finish telling you the plan, I'll make everyone invisible but Elena, Stefanie, Grayson and me. We'll drive to the house, and I'll come up with some excuse for bringing Elena and the kids. I'll leave the door open long enough so that you guys can slip inside, you'll need to be quiet because she's still got her vamp hearing. Before I let the rest of you actually see and talk to her, you'll need to hear the story from her perspective. There are many things that you guys don't know that determined all of Mom's decisions. It is important that you hear the whole story so that you can respect her decisions and understand why she made them. This is just the easiest and quickest way that I could think of to get this done. Also, try not to overdo anything, after all it is December 1st." Lizzie declares.

"Yeah, knowing Care she'll probably be decorating. She has very strong opinions about when people put up Christmas decorations and take them down. I always laughed about it in High School," comments Elena, reminiscing on the past. I laugh, that did sound like Caroline. 

"Time for phase one," Lizzie begins, "Invisique." Nothing seems to happen, so I ask, "Lizzie, did it work?" "Oh, right, yeah it worked. Forgot you guys could still see each other," she replies. 

"Lizzie, is this the right place?" Asks Elena. "Yep, remember to stay quiet, she'll be able to hear you." After that we all file out of the car, Lizzie leading us to the door. 

She knocks on the door and a few minutes later the doorknob starts to turn. I'm both extremely nervous and excited. The door opens with a swift movement and there she is, in her Christmas pyjamas, looking back into the house laughing out of pure joy. 

She swivels her head around and sees Lizzie, she smiles and exclaims while still laughing, "Lizzie, I didn't know you were coming, but now that you're here you can help me decorate with these little monsters." Her laughter is the thing I've been waiting seven years to hear, her voice the most amazing and beautiful sound I've ever heard.

"Yeah, sure Mom, but you do have some visitors, I thought you could use an early Christmas gift," answered Lizzie moving to the side so that Elena and her kids were in Caroline's view. Her eyes widen in shock. "Elena, what are you doing here?" She asks in confusion and what I think might be caution. 

"I brought them because you and Bonnie need a friend right now, plus the troublesome three could use some playmates," replies Lizzie in Elena's place. "Ok, just give me one second," Caroline says, leaving the door slightly open and running back into the house, us hearing a lot of shuffling around, before reappearing a minute later.

She looks around, surveying the area. "Were you followed?" She questions. "No," Lizzie answered. "Ok, then come in."

Elena and the kids enter the house first, Lizzie holding the door open while the others quietly rush in after them. "Lizzie, what are you doing?" Asks Caroline. "Just quickly surveying the area one last time," she replies inconspicuously, then carefully shutting the door.

Well, this is becoming interesting fast. I'm going to see what happens next before making any judgements, though. You never know what to expect when living a supernatural life. Especially mine, but none of us ever expected any of what happens next.