Water under the Mystic Falls Bridge was warmer that night. Apparently summer had stepped in quite early that year. But there was something unusual about the air, it didn't feel like the usual soothing one that lightens up the heat and refreshes the mind and body. Rather it had the warmth of blood and a feeling of nostalgia to top it up.

"How could you?" screamed a female voice out of nowhere. The voice was rough, filled with anger and disappointment. "You promised me that you would never again do that to yourself and others! Yet you broke the promise and made a regretful mess of yourself. You have disappointed me Stefan, you have disappointed the only person who was with you all the time when you needed someone by your side."

"Hey Stefan there you are!'' Damon's voice was playing in his head. Just the usual, calm and sarcastic voice of his elder brother who liked to play mind games with Stefan. ''You know what? It's actually good to see you this way, it makes me feel better as your...Guardian!'' Damon's voice chuckled and then scoffed.

The female voice grew colder and got closer to Stefan growling with painful anger. "I trusted you enough to take care of yourself and this is what I get. Does it make you feel better now Mr Ripper?" The voice got surprisingly close to him and the rageful girl tried to push Stefan and throw him to the ground. But she couldn't. Lexi was so engulfed by her emotions that she forgot she wasn't one of them, she belonged to the other side where they couldn't touch anyone from this world.

Stefan looked behind. ''LLLL...exi'' he whispered and was shocked, embarrassed to stand in front of her who was staring coldly at him. He looked at his hands which were filled with blood and his suit that had minor drops of blood on it. Was it really Lexi or was his mind playing games with him again?

''Oh yes, I am sexy and I know it!'' Damon remarked. ''Look at that...someone isn't doing justice to that suit after all. Mind if I borrow that tie brother?'' his voice interrupted.''It would ease up your neck and won't choke you when you feed or cry the next time "Damon taunted Stefan again."

Stefan looked down. He didn't have enough courage to look in her eyes. Those moist eyes filled with anger and disappointment calmed the ripper inside him for the moment. He swallowed nervously and tried to look up wanting to speak but the deformed body of his unfortunate victim laying inches away from him shut him down.

''LOOK UP HERE!'' she screamed at Stefan. ''Who the hell do you think you are, last time...you know it very well what happened last time when you walked this path Stefan. There is nothing in the end except regret and guilt!'' Lexi clenched her fist. ''Yet you are repeating the same mistake again. I understand you are hurt, you have lost alot lately but that doesn't mean you go out of your mind and act like an uncontrolled version of your crazy brother!''

''Lexi...it's not...'' Stefan tried to speak but was cut down by her immediately.

''Wait... I'm not done yet, you think switching it off and being an a-hole would free you from the pain? Stefan, I know you better than you know yourself!'' she lowered the tone of her voice. ''When this all is over...and you look back'' she nodded her head in despair ''You won't be able to face yourself coz this time it would be too much for you to handle''.''I know that Lexi...but I didn't choose this. I needed something to get things out of my system or else they would drive me crazy! And switching it off was the only option I could choose...it wou...''

''Oh hell with your switching Stefan. You know what, cowards switch! They don't have the guts to face things and so they choose to live their life by a LIE! A lie will help you escape the pain but not the suffering.'' Lexi sounded harsh and she was. It was the first time that Lexi had got so harsh on him. Stefan was stunned.

''I didn't expect you to be a coward Steffy, but if you want to sail the same boat as other tragic souls who lack guts to challenge their weakness and move around in circles...hop in and out of the pathetic drama every time and land on the same tragic destination, then do hell with your life. I am out!'' Lexi disappeared within a flash after saying those words.

Stefan stood there staring coldly at the tree in front of which she was standing. His face expressionless, his heart beating just for the sake of it. He wished he could somehow end all this suffering but he couldn't. He had become his own worst enemy.

Damon put the tie around his neck and faced Stefan. ''Tell me brother, does this tie do justice to my eternal charm?'' he gave a lopsided smirk to Stefan and hit him on his head gently.

Stefan was lost in his thoughts. Lexi's words and memories from the past were playing continuously in his head.

He found himself losing up to the terrifying visuals which seemed to suck what life of him was remaining. He saw his father standing beside his chair "Don't disappoint me son. You are my only hope for saving Mystic Falls from this unknown evil". The scene dissolved and he saw Katherine looking in his eyes. "Oh Stefan, trust me we can live forever this way. Just the three of us. Always and forever." Stefan closed his eyes and Rebekah's voice echoed in his ears "I have spent thousands of years running and hiding, I don't want to do that anymore. I want to spend the rest of my eternity with you." Next he saw Klaus holding his shoulder "Life isn't fair my friend. All good things come to an end." Stefan couldn't take all that pain when Elena's voice hit him harder than ever.

"You'll fight because after everything that we've been through, you owe me that!" the memories with Elena flashed through his mind and he saw himself sitting near the farm house with Elena. "I don't think I can do this anymore, Elena".

Those voices just wouldn't stop. Stefan closed his eyes, held his head and pressed his ears wanting to stop those sounds but all his efforts were in vain. "No, No, No, NOOOOO!"

''Oh common now, stop making faces at me Stefan. Just tell me already!'' Damon moved closer to him, he was just about an arm's length when Stefan suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed Damon's neck tightly with his ripper grip. His eyes blood red as if Stefan was hungry for a century.

"NOOOOO!" Stefan's fangs were almost ready to dig Damon's neck.

Damon held his hand immediately and tried to push himself away from Stefan's grip. ''That...is...not...how you...ah...greet...someone...good morning'' he finally managed to pull himself away from Stefan's grip and loosened his tie.

''Stefan! What the hell was that?'' Damon nodded and yelled at Stefan rubbing his neck gently. He panted heavily and sat on the couch.

''Oh please tell me you had a different dream this time. Why don't you just switch it off Stefan coz that would be helpful to you as well others around you!'' he ranted in a mean tone.

Stefan looked around. He was in his bed. It was 10:30am and the sun was shining brightly. He gave out a heavy sigh, folded his arms and closed his eyes trying to calm down and concentrate on what just happened. The dream he had just now was still flashing in front of his eyes. Though just a dream it felt so real to him. Stefan opened his eyes slowly and kept on staring blankly at the floor. He felt as if he had come out of a limbo.