To the Wind by asesina
Disclaimer: LJ Smith owns TVD.
a/n: inspired by the Vampire Diaries novels after Damon dies in book 7. This takes place before he comes back at the end of the next novel. It's just a small look at how I think Stefan would remember his brother.
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Stefan wandered down the long path behind the boarding house.
The late summer afternoon was particularly beautiful, but Stefan hardly noticed. The warm breeze tugged at his hair, but he continued down the old stone walkway, deep in thought.
At the end of the path, Stefan came upon the tiny lily garden that was Mrs. Flowers' pride and joy.
He plucked two lilies and carefully examined them, marveling at the simple beauty of the white petals and the long, elegant stems.
Stefan turned his gaze skyward and sighed. He allowed himself to drink in the beauty of the day, the azure sky and the wispy white clouds that circled the golden sun like a heavenly wreath.
He clutched the lilies tightly and carefully laid them at the base of a marble fountain that was just a few feet away from the edge of the forest.
Stefan felt a lump rise in his throat as he slowly knelt down and brushed his hand across the smooth marble.
The fountain wasn't that old, maybe twenty years at the most, but it reminded Stefan of Firenze, of the old world.
There was something sacred about it, some quiet esoteric beauty that only he was able to understand.
For Stefan, the spot had become a memorial of sorts for his fallen brother. Even though Damon didn't have a real grave site, Stefan would visit the fountain once in a while to ensure that his brother would never be forgotten.
"I bet you never would have expected this, Damon," Stefan said with a short laugh.
"You probably thought that I'd be glad about all of this," he continued slowly.
"I miss you, though. I hope you know that."
Stefan paused and swallowed hard.
"I'm sorry I couldn't do anything more to help you. I know it's all over with, but I still think about how much more I could have done-"
He stopped abruptly and choked back an unexpected sob.
"I know you probably don't want to hear this, Damon. I just wanted to let you know that I think about this every day. I just wish I could talk with you about this in person."
Stefan felt a tear slide down his cheek.
"I hope you're somewhere warm, Damon. I hope it's beautiful there and I hope you're at peace," he said quietly.
Stefan sighed again and lifted his eyes to the sky.
The curse of immortal life on earth meant that he would most likely never see his brother again unless he suffered a similarly unexpected death.
The heavy silence of the late summer afternoon seemed to weigh on Stefan's soul for an unbearable, suffocating moment, but the silence ended when he heard a crow calling in the distance.
Stefan's eyes widened. He wiped away a stray tear and slowly stood to his feet.
"Damon?" he whispered.
A fleeting smile crossed Stefan's face before he turned his back on the garden and walked back toward the boarding house.
"Don't you worry, Damon. I'll be back. I could never forget you, big brother," he said quietly, speaking to the wind.
End.