Mystic Falls, VA | Friday Evening

[puppywithatutu]

Okay, so this time they were seriously going to make it, not only to Mystic Falls, but to Caroline's mother's house! Caroline was convinced it would be great - plus she'd run out of entertainment at the lake with all the annoying rain. How dare it refuse to let up after two days when she was trying to make the most of a mini vacation

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[need_no_moon]

Jake was pretty sure the stalling had been all Caroline and he wasn't nearly as strong enough to resist the promise of lots of sex and sharing a bed with her for a little longer. The changes that were about to happen to them weren't all something he was looking forward to, so he hadn't complained.

"Or more annoying," he suggested, moving up behind her. "I thought we'd agreed you'd call her."

[puppywithatutu]

"She likes surprises," Caroline lied, not bothering to glance through the side light before leaning on the door bell again. "And you're a really good one. Kidding! She knows."

[need_no_moon]

"You're trying to instantly remind her of what she's been missing out on, huh?" he checked, reaching out to poke her side at the kidding.

[sheriff_forbes]

The door bell pulled Liz away from some case files she was reviewing and she cringed at the second ring, moving faster to beat her visitor to a third push of the bell.

Caroline was laughing as Liz pulled the door open with an exasperated sigh. "Caroline! You have a key, you know?"

Okay, so Liz had been expecting Caroline and her boyfriend to show up at some point, but to be honest, she had somehow thought that point was the next day.

[puppywithatutu]

"I know, but Jake wanted to surprise you," she said, reaching out to give Liz a quick hug despite the way her mother was sighing at her.

[need_no_moon]

"Hey!" Jake protested, frowning at the back of Caroline's head. "Keep me out of this. This is all on you."

[sheriff_forbes]

Liz looked amused, backing up and opening the door wider to let them inside. "Don't worry, Jake. I know when to trust this one."

Or at least she thought she did.

"How was your trip?"

[puppywithatutu]

Caroline grinned back at Jake. He was totally her new excuse for everything. "It was long. I'm ready for a nap."

It had barely been two hours.

[need_no_moon]

Jake raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

Okay, so he did comment but not about their trip that day. "I don't think she's actually made for long trips," he said as he moved inside the hall behind Caroline. Then, remembering that he did sometimes have manners, he stopped and held out a hand to Liz. "It's good to see you, ma'am. Thanks for letting me stay here."

[sheriff_forbes]

"You can skip the ma'am," she said, her smile not that unlike Caroline's as she bypassed his hand to give him a hug.

Caroline couldn't help piping up, "Yeah, just call her Sheriff."

[need_no_moon]

Jake was left stunned for a moment as he hadn't expected a hug as somewhere in his mind he'd spent the last couple of weeks convincing himself that Caroline's parents would hate him for stalking her daughter like this.

Apparently not and he chuckled when he finally managed to move to lightly hug Liz back. Obviously, Caroline wasn't going to be helpful right now "I'll try to remember it," he promised. Somehow it seemed completely different from calling Bella's dad Charlie. For one thing, Liz didn't have a mustache and for another, he hadn't known her his entire life.

[puppywithatutu]

"Liz is fine," she clarified, giving his back a pat and pulling away.

Feeling a little antsy, Caroline started down the hall towards the kitchen. "Please tell me you've gone shopping this week and there's actual food in the house."

[sheriff_forbes]

"Yes, Caroline. I remember your last visit very well," her mother called, smiling at Jake and shooing him down the hall in front of her. "The two of you eat as much as my deputies on a stakeout."

[need_no_moon]

Jake's ears turned a nice shade of pink, grateful his back was towards Liz for the moment as he followed Caroline, wishing he could reach for her hand. "I'll pay for the food and stuff. I'll be going some job interviews soon and my dad's given me some money to pay for the first few weeks."

[sheriff_forbes]

"Oh no, you are not to worry about any of that. I got a call from your father just the other day, in fact," she informed them, watching her daughter freeze up a little as she poked through the refrigerator. "We squared everything away and agreed that you two need to save your money. You know, get together a little nest egg to start out on."

It was probably wrong that she was hoping Caroline would choke a little.

[need_no_moon]

Jake was choking, or at the very least gaping and doing a mighty gold fish impression. Now if only he could stop wondering if his dad and Liz were going to build up a phone relationship. His dad seemed to get along with Sheriffs after all.

"You don't have to do that," he said after a surreal moment. It came out as a stammer.