"It's quite simple, Stefan." Klaus's footsteps echoed through the mansion, green eyes followed his every moment. "I want all your memories of Elena and in return, I'll give you the cure.."
How Klaus had gotten the cure was unknown to Stefan, and honestly, Stefan didn't give a crap about how Klaus had gotten the cure. All Stefan cared about was the simple fact that Klaus possessed the solutions to all Stefan's problems.
When Klaus had said to Stefan that he had finally gotten his hands on the cure, and was willing to share some of it with him, Stefan knew he was going to have to give something in exchange for the cure.
Once he had announced to Stefan what he wanted in exchange for the cure, Stefan was left speechless. His memories of Elena were what kept him company during his lonely nights. His memories of her kept him sane, kept him from turning it all off.
And that's exactly what Klaus wanted. For Stefan to go all full-blown ripper again.
"Do we have a deal, Stefan?" Klaus asked, an amused smirk tugging on his lips.
At his words, Stefan clenched his fingers tightly into a fist. His knuckles coloring themselves into the shade of white.
"Why? Why my memories of Elena!?" Stefan tried his best to contain the anger boiling inside of him.
Without his memories of Elena, she wouldn't be anything but a stranger to him. Without his memories of her, there would be a hole in his heart and he would have no idea how to fill it.
In the blink of an eye, Klaus was standing in front of him, their faces only inches apart. Stefan wanted nothing more than to rip his heart out of his chest right then and there. But there was no point, Klaus would just come back and continue to ruin Stefan's life.
Besides, Klaus had the cure in his possession, and Stefan wanted it...needed it. Ripping his heart out might cause Klaus to reconsider their deal.
"Because, Stefan," Klaus spat his name in annoyance, causing Stefan to take a step back. "I believe that you will be happier without her."
Stefan couldn't believe the words coming out of Klaus's mouth. How could it be possible for Stefan be happy without the memories he possessed of his soul mate? It was simply impossible, and just the thought alone was unbearable.
"The girl has only brought you misery," Stefan could took notice of Klaus's strong dislike towards Elena by the bitterness in his voice as he spoke. "This is not you, Stefan. You're a ripper! A killing machine! That's the real you, Stefan." Klaus concluded.
Stefan found himself shaking his head in strong disagreement at Klaus's words.
"No, Klaus. You got it all wrong. All Elena has brought me is happiness, love and warmth." It was now Stefan's turn to take a step towards Klaus. "Unlike you." His index finger tapped Klaus's chest. "All you have brought me is pain and misfortune."
Stefan remained his ground as Klaus's eyes reflected the displeasure that Stefan's words caused him.
"Fine, Stefan. Believe what you want," A smirk appeared on Klaus's lips, causing Stefan to cross his arms in annoyance.
"So, do you have an answer to our deal? Your memories of Elena, in exchange for the cure..?" He asks, growing impatient at Stefan's indecisiveness. He was worse than Elena.
Stefan's eyes found a sudden interest on the wooden floorboards, his eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.
The cure would be able to fix everything. Free Elena of the sire bond, make her human again.
But would it all be worth it if Stefan could not remember anything about her?
One of the reasons Stefan wanted the cure was because he wanted to be with Elena, grow old with her, raise a family. That would not be possible if all his memories of her taken away and never returned.
A sigh of defeat escaped his lips as he locked eyes with Klaus once again, his jaw clenched for he had made his decision.
"Fine, I will trade you my memories of Elena for the cure." He answered.
Stefan watched in disgust as Klaus's mischievous smirk grew into a victorious grin.
Elena is a vampire because of Stefan's inability to save her, all the pain and sadness she has received this past couple of years have been because of him.
He needed to right his wrongs. The cure would fix everything. Even if it breaks him in the end.
A witch appears next to Stefan, fear visibly shown in her brown colored eyes.
Clearly, Klaus had threatened her in order for her to follow his requests. Klaus has a reputation for making people do his bidding against their will.
Stefan felt shaking, sweaty palms rest themselves on his temples.
The witch inhaled a deep a breath, trying her best to stop her hands from shaking. Stefan closed his eyes, preparing himself for what was to come.
The woman's voice was merely whisper at first, but her voice gained volume as the spell progressed.
Instantly, Stefan could feel the spell taking an effect on him. It felt as though someone had taken a hammer and began to repeatedly pound his head over and over and over again . His lips were sealed tightly preventing Stefan from letting out the yell that wanted to escape his mouth.
As the witch's voice began to lose its volume, Stefan felt cold hands remove themselves from his temples.
He felt himself fall to the ground, his hands raised up to his head wanting nothing more than to stop agonizing pain the spell had caused.
He sat there for a couple of minutes until the pain began to slowly subside. Klaus stayed watching the entire show, amused by it all.
Stefan's eyes lifted removed themselves from the floor to meet Klaus's satisfied expression. A white vial containing a white liquid colored substance tangled from his fingertips.
"Klaus?" Stefan' voice mirrored the pain he felt as he slowly rises from the cold wooden floor. His hand reaches up to touch his forehead, though some of the pain had washed away, Stefan still felt as though his head was on fire.
"Well, it seems that you have kept up your end of the deal. You're memories of Elena, in exchange for the cure." Klaus says, slowly making his way towards Stefan, the smirk still on his face.
Stefan's eyes dropped down to the vial tangled in Klaus's hand, his eyebrows furrowed. "The cure..?" He guesses at the sight of the vial.
As Klaus's words finally process inside of Stefan's mind, his gaze rises to meet Klaus's. "Who's Elena?" He asks, his head slightly tilting to the side, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
Klaus stares at the vial in his hands for a few seconds before placing it in the palm of Stefan's hand. "Yes, Stefan. The cure for vampirsim is finally yours." Klaus replies with a smile at his face. It was obvious Klaus was finding Stefan's questions rather amusing, for reasons unknown to Stefan.
"Elena is no longer important, not in your life anyway. Not anymore." Stefan feels Klaus's hand grip his shoulders as he speaks. "You are welcome, my friend."
Stefan nods his head at Klaus's words, though he does not understand why he would be thankful for not knowing who Elena was.
Stefan looks down at vial resting on the palm of his hand. Something inside of him is telling him that the cure was going to fix everything, if only he could remember what needed to be fixed.
Klaus snaps his fingers and a hybrid appears by his side. "Make sure Stefan gets to the Boarding House." Klaus orders. Without hesitation the hybrid nods once and takes Stefan by the arm and drags him out the mansion and into a car.
Stefan's eye remained locked on the vial through the whole drive. He tries to remember why he wanted.. needed the cure so badly, but it's like his mind had been wiped clean.
What did Klaus mean by exchange?
The car suddenly came to a halt and the hybrid announced to Stefan that they had arrived. Stefan exists the vehicle and walks towards the front door of the boarding house.
He wasn't sure what he was going to say to Damon. Knowing his brother, Damon would ask questions. Unfortunately, Stefan would not be able to provide any answers, because Stefan was also looking for answers to the same questions.
With the a heavy sigh, Stefan knocks on the door a couple of times and waits for Damon to open the door. The vial suddenly felt heavy in his hand.
Damon doesn't keep Stefan waiting outside for too long.
"Stefan?" Damon's words were laced with confusion at the sight of his little brother. Stefan was the last person Damon ever expected to show up after everything that has happened.
"I have the cure," Stefan simply states. There's no point in beating around the bush. Not when it comes to the cure.
Stefan showes Damon the vial resting on the palm of his hand. He watches as Damon's eyes widen in disbelief at Stefan's words.
"H-How?" Damon asks, slowly taking the vial from Stefan's hands and resting it upon his own skin.
Stefan shrugs his shoulders. "We did some kind of exchange. My memories of E-" Stefan stops abruptly at the sight of the figure walking down the stairs.
"Katherine..?"