"What?"Stefan couldn't even begin to hide his shock at her words. The last he'd known, Liz Forbes was fine. Stefan knew things happened, especially in their world. People were there one minute and gone the next. He'd seen people he thought would be around forever taken in an instant. He'd lost his own mother when he was young, he'd lost Lexi and countless other people in between. Stefan knew no one was guaranteed tomorrow, but the idea that Caroline's mom was gone still surprised him. Maybe it shouldn't have, but of all the scenarios he thought could move Caroline to such a state, that was one he hadn't even thought of happening.
Stefan was floored. He didn't know what had happened, but he could imagine how devstated Caroline must be, especially after everything else that had happened recently. All he could think of to do was wrap his arms around her again and try to comfort her, even though there were no words that would ever bring her mom back. Well, not unless she happened to show up here in Lawrence.
"God, Care, I'm so sorry. I had no idea-" which was probably going to sound insane to her, he realized, but he was more worried about comforting her over her mother than about all the explanations she wanted or needed. "How did it happen?" That question sounded crazy, to, so he followed up with a brief explanation that he hoped she'd actually believe.
"I know this is going to sound insane, but we're from different times. It.. hasn't happened for me or any of the rest of us, yet. You must be further along than I am, because I was in Portland with Ric and Damon before I showed up here." He wouldn't get into how they had both been here before and how he clearly didn't remember that just as he hadn't. Not yet, anyway.