Love's Pain

(This is the first of my vampire diaries, Stelena style… AU season 5 beginning)

Nothing had hurt Stefan more than Elena choosing his brother over him, she broke him in half and now here he was, locked in a safe drowning from the water pouring in. Stefan's luck had gone from bad to worse from one day to the next.

Elena had arrived home to Damon telling her that Stefan had left, her heart broke as the guilt slithered through her body like a snake; she hated herself for the pain she had caused him.

Stefan fought hard against the safe door but it was not budging, soon he was beginning to drift into unconsciousness as the water flooded his body.

The hallucination:

"Look at you Brother… You don't deserve this" His brother's voice filled Stefan's ears.

"It does not matter" Stefan replied.

Damon sighed "You did the right thing, like always"

Stefan swirled the drink around in his glass gently.

"It does not matter" Stefan repeated trying to ignore his brother's words.

"Flip the switch" his brother demanded softly "Get yourself out of this mess"

"Do you remember how long it took me last time… to come back from that?" he asked as his eyes scanned the view through the window.

"It's not fair… you do what's right and you end up here" Damon said pleading.

"It's not about what's fair… It's about what's right" Stefan turned to Damon with a determined look.

"How is this right?" Damon growled out.

"I will not become that monster" Stefan placed his glass down and walked away.

Damon sighed and faded from his sight.

Stefan knew that if he was going to get out, he needed to be strong... he hoped Damon and Elena would realise that they were hanging out with a fake Stefan and come rescue him but he wouldn't hold his breath… no pun intended on the situation he was in.

He was sat back in the same room when the second hallucination came to him.

"Elena" Stefan whispered as the figure of the woman who broke him stood before him.

Stefan" she whispered "You need to be strong" she continued.

Stefan scoffed at her "Why?"

Elena sighed sadly "I'm so sorry for hurting you Stefan" she tried to wipe away her tears before they fell but more fell before she had a chance to react.

"Please" he muttered "Don't"

Elena smiled kneeling down before him "Don't give up on me" she said with a loving smile.

"You gave up on me first, you chose him" he motioned to the distant figure of Damon.

"I may have made a choice but it does not change how I feel about you" she took a deep breath "I Love you Stefan" she planted a deep kiss on his lips surprising the hell out of him.

Stefan woke back up in the safe, he had lost count how many times he had drowned and died in this thing, but he knew one thing, he was not going to die another time, Bracing himself ready he began to push his upper body against the safe door while his lower body was pressed on the back of the safe, he threw every ounce of vampire strength he had at it, the thought of Elena waiting gave him strength and soon the door began to dent and creak slowly, he pushed harder and harder throwing everything he had, his strength was beginning to dwindle but he was not giving up, 'one last push' he thought to himself and with one last mighty effort he pushed his body at the door using his feet to kick off the back of the safe and soon the door ripped open.

Stefan swam hard and fast towards the surface and gasped for breath as he climbed onto a banking nearby, luckily there was nobody around so no danger to the innocent since he was bloody hungry as hell, he needed to feed; the local wildlife nearby should help him enough to get back home.

Elena woke up sweating and panting for breath, she was having dreams about Stefan for a while since he was gone but could not understand why, she still loved him but she chose his brother instead… if he did come back would he even forgive her, she somehow doubted it.

Stefan had fed on a deer, moaning in delight as his strength slowly returned and soon he was speeding back towards home.

Silas had managed to entrap Damon and Elena in the house, Damon had a suspicion about This Stefan being Silas, Elena's mind was focused on what happened to Stefan.

As if reading her mind Silas smiled "Stefan is enjoying a nice swim with the fishes"

Elena and Damon's eyes widened, both fearing the worst for him… that was until the door burst open revealing a soaked and paler Stefan.

"SILAS!" Stefan roared.

"Not possible" Silas backed up slowly.

Elena breathed in relief at the sight before her, her eyes watered at the state he was in.

Silas growled and sped towards Stefan who span out of the way and slammed his elbow into Silas gut, Silas grunted in pain and made a left hook to Stefan who groaned in pain as he was hit hard and fast by Silas's strikes, Damon was trying to break while Elena was silently sobbing happily at the sight of Stefan moving, she loved him more and more with each passing second since he had left, they were soul mates… but her feelings for Damon clouded her mind and she ended up breaking Stefan's heart.

Stefan had gotten a few more strikes in and soon Silas retreated into the darkness leaving behind a tied up Damon and Elena and also a battered and weakened Stefan.

Elena watched as he made his way towards them, to untie them both… Elena felt the ropes loosen around her and soon she hugged him tight.

"Oh Stefan" she whimpered.

Stefan was unmoved by her gesture, with each second he didn't reply her heart broke even more, she had broken him beyond compare.

Damon looked up at him and what he saw made his own guilt build, Stefan broke the embrace and soon he walked away from them both, Elena calling out to him begging him to stop but he refused to listen to what she wanted to say… he faded into the darkness.

Elena fell to her knee's "I'm so sorry" she whimpered to nothing as Damon watched on.

Maybe Stefan would forgive her, Time would tell.

(Please Enjoy)

Lycanboy666