The moment I set foot in the city after handing Jeremy over to Pearl and Anna, a blur came straight at me.
Faster than most enemies I've ever faced.
"Nik!"
The shout came from the blur, and I could have dodged — easily. But I didn't.
Because the truth was… the blur was my beautiful girlfriend flying toward me.
She's going to stop when she reaches me.
"Nik!" Her voice got happier with every second.
Too close… time to stop… way too close—
She kept coming. And now it was too late to dodge.
Caroline, stop.
That's what I thought of saying—
Right before she slammed into me.
We went rolling across the ground at high speed.
The impact was brutal.
For a moment, it felt like being hit by a truck at full speed — the air was knocked out of my lungs, my body gave in to the shock, and everything turned into a blur of leaves, branches, and dirt as we were thrown and rolled out of control through the forest.
When we finally stopped, silence returned… heavy, broken only by unnecessarily ragged breathing.
I stared at the sky for a second, feeling my body reconstruct itself almost instantly.
"That…" I muttered, still slightly dazed. "That was new."
"Nik!" Caroline was in my line of sight immediately, eyes wide, face way too close. "Oh my God, are you okay? I couldn't stop, I thought I was going to—"
"Kill me?" I finished, turning my head toward her with a slight smirk. "You almost did, love."
"That's not funny!" she snapped, though the relief was already showing.
She ran her hands over my face, my shoulders, down too quickly, like she needed to make sure I was still in one piece.
"You didn't dodge!"
"I trusted you."
"You're irresponsible."
"You forgot how to brake."
She opened her mouth to argue… but ended up letting out a small, nervous laugh.
"I just…" she paused, taking a breath. "I missed you."
The way she said that… changed everything.
My expression softened without me noticing, and before she could pull away, my hand found her waist, pulling her back firmly.
"I noticed," I murmured.
She didn't resist.
Not even a little.
Her body melted back against mine like that was exactly where she belonged.
For a second, we just looked at each other… too close.
Then she leaned in first.
The kiss came fast, full of longing — not rushed, but intense in the right way. Like every second apart had built up into that moment.
When we pulled back, it was just enough to breathe.
"You took too long," she whispered, still close.
"I know."
"I didn't like it."
"Neither did I."
She rested her forehead against mine, letting out a small sigh… and tried to get up.
She didn't.
My hand on her waist tightened slightly, pulling her back before she could get too far.
"Not happening," I murmured.
She looked at me, surprised… and then that smile appeared.
"Really?"
"After you nearly ran me over? I think I deserve some compensation time."
"That's not a thing."
"I just made it one."
She laughed, shaking her head, but didn't try to move away. Instead, she relaxed against me again.
"You're impossible."
"And yet…"
"And yet," she repeated softly.
My thumb slid slowly along the side of her waist, almost absentminded… almost teasing.
She held her breath for a brief second, her eyes meeting mine again.
"You're awful," she murmured.
"I know."
"And I still missed you."
"That says more about you than me."
She gave my chest a light shove.
"Idiot."
I laughed quietly… and pulled her right back, not giving her space to get away.
Another kiss, slower this time. Less urgency… more intent to stay.
When we pulled apart, she didn't try to get up again.
She stayed there, lying with me, her body fitting like it naturally belonged there.
"We should get up," she said, but with zero conviction.
"We should."
Neither of us moved.
The wind passed softly through the trees, carrying the distant sound of the forest… but in that small space between us, the world felt still.
"Just one more minute," she murmured.
I smiled faintly, keeping my hand firm on her waist.
"All the time you want, love."
And this time… it wasn't teasing.
It was true.
--++--
When we finally came out of the forest back to the entrance of the city, I saw Bonnie leaning against the "Welcome to Mystic Falls" sign.
"Well, judging by the messy hair and loose clothes, I'd say I made the right call not following Caroline," Bonnie smiled at me, and I smiled back. "Don't you have anything to say?"
"I'm back," I said with a grin, walking up to her and hugging her.
"You took forever, idiot. Grandma was complaining, and my mom too," Bonnie said with a laugh. "They said if you didn't show up, they were coming to get us, and we'd never be allowed to live alone again. We'd have to live forever in their new house in California."
"Noooo," I groaned. "Damn, it's way too hot there, I'll melt."
"I told them that, and they said the sun doesn't affect you like other vampires," Bonnie replied. "Since you're kind of a witch."
That's not exactly it. It's because I'm a pure Original. Still… the sun weakens me, and it weakens my bloodline.
I glanced at Caroline, who was literally blushing — and not out of embarrassment from Bonnie exposing us.
If anything… she looked proud.
But that didn't matter right now.
"So what happened while I was gone?" I asked innocently. I needed to know where we were in the story.
"Your father sacrificed Elena and now he's a hybrid," Bonnie said with irritation. "Apparently he stabbed Elijah again and is out there with Stefan. Damon and Elena are trying to save Stefan."
"Why would Stefan go with him?" I asked honestly. Did Damon get bitten?
"Damon was bitten by Tyler," Bonnie said, flipping me off. "Literally a few hours before the sacrifice."
"Did you do what I told you?" I asked Bonnie.
She gave me a thumbs-up and smiled.
"I did. Your father is now mystically neutered," Bonnie laughed, a mix of joy and mockery. "That bestiary you gave me is awesome."
"I knew you were involved in this," Caroline pointed at me. "Why would you want to limit your own father?"
"My love, no offense, but thank God hybrids of wolves and vampires can't become alphas or access vampire magic," I said, pulling her closer by the waist, my hand brushing over her toned stomach. "Imagine my father with alpha power, creating hundreds of monsters and vampire magic. He'd be unstoppable. That's not good."
"Makes sense," Caroline replied, then smacked my hand. "Hey— get your hand off. What's your obsession with my waist and stomach?"
"Good taste," I answered.
She laughed.
"Fine then," Caroline said, letting my hand stay.
---++--
"Why?!" Klaus shouted angrily as he watched the werewolves he had turned die one by one. "Damn it!"
"Well, looks like you'll have to settle for being unique," Stefan said, looking at the bloodbath of hybrids losing control and dying.
"Shut up," Klaus growled. "Let's go. There's someone I think knows something."
And they left.