EPILOGUE
August 9, 2012
I fear that writing this at all will force the hand of fate to cause yet another plan to fail, even if said plan may be our very last chance to destroy what has plagued us for the past 18 months. But as you see, I am taking the chance for no other reason than keeping it inside of me is truly impossible. Caroline knows just enough to keep herself on her toes and not enough to put her in any danger. With Elena in Spain, and Damon being out of pocket for the past few days, the only person in town that I could possibly share it with is Bonnie. Bonnie Bennett, the last Bennett witch. While we share the same end goal, to destroy our enemy, I can still feel the disapproval in Bonnie's eyes when she looks at me. I am a vampire – she a witch; a true comradery we will never have. Besides, I don't want to involve Elena if I do not have to so that not only plays against telling Bonnie, but Matt and Alaric, as well.
Luckily, Caroline has a pawn in this game just as I do – she wants to save Tyler from his sire-bond and I need to save Elena from Klaus, in turn saving whomever Klaus has planned to attack with his hybrid army from facing an even greater force of numbers. And, as much as I hate to admit it, somehow in my mind I've found the belief that by my killing Klaus, I will make up for the numerous murders I've committed over the course of my life as a vampire. I don't know if it's true – if after finally putting an end to Klaus' reign of death that I'll actually feel less guilt for my transgressions – but I pray that I will at the very least gain the confidence necessary to face down the darkness that's within me, my endless thirst for human blood. I can't seem to commit to my diet, not since the summer I spent with Klaus searching for the beginnings of his hybrid army. I've tried everything that Lexi taught me, even gave a try to "moderation" at the hand of my brother, but I cannot drink only enough to survive.
Becoming a vampire has done more to me than make me strong, fast, and eternal, it also magnified a darkness that I had so easily ignored as a human. I can remember the quick, fleeting thoughts of killing someone that had angered me, or crossed my father or Damon, but it was never more than a flash of lightning in my otherwise calm demeanor. Stefan Salvatore, the smart brother, the one with a good head on his shoulders and an easy going personality - Not like Damon; quick to react, then think – a hot head even – that's what the fellow townspeople of Mystic Falls in the late 1800's said about we Salvatore brothers, If only they could see us now. Sure Damon was still a hot head, and nearly always reacts without considering the consequences… but I have become a true monster. I relish in the feeling of blood on my tongue and enjoy the shrill scream of my victims. How could such an evil part of a man be hidden so well for so long? And once it was revealed and allowed to take over, how can that man redeem himself? By killing the bigger monster, or so I hope.
I can hear Damon now – God only knows what he's been up to during his sabbatical away from Mystic Falls - nonetheless, he's the only person I can trust. The only person I know who would die for me…
Chapter 1
The grass wasn't as green and the leaves on the trees no longer carried the shine of life, but other than that, nothing appeared to have changed in Mystic Falls since she'd left in late May. As Elena walked into The Grille, spotting Bonnie sitting at a two-top table with her focus on the cell phone she held in the lap of her crossed legs, Elena noted how their hometown hangout seemed to have been frozen in time. The low lit dining area was spotless and the same faces that were usually found enjoying lunch, a mid day drink, or a quick game of Saturday afternoon pool were sporadically placed around her – something comforting in the familiarity of it all. But then again, Elena thought, it had only been ten weeks since she had a 'bon voyage' luncheon with her high school friends. Bonnie hadn't changed much, though the furrowed brow she remembered Bonnie carrying much of the last two years of their high school career seemed to be softer. Her hair might have been a bit longer too, but as she closed the distance between them, Elena smiled and silently thanked God that her best friend was still as she remembered – still Bonnie.
"Elena!" Bonnie's eyes grew wide and bright when she looked up from her phone. "You look so beautiful!" They pulled one another into an embrace. "Barcelona must have been good to you!"
Fighting back tears of joy, Elena seemed to hold onto Bonnie for longer than necessary. She was overwhelmed with happiness; happy to be home, happy to see Bonnie, happy to get back to a normal life with everyone… the thought weighed her down a bit. Hopefully, everyone.
"It was so great, Bon, but I missed you! I'm so glad to see you!" They took their seats across from one another, their hands still intertwined – as if they had to hold onto each other for just a bit longer. "Talking to you on Facebook & a text here and there is just not the same as this, you know?"
Bonnie laughed – she completely understood. With the time difference between her dad's parent's house in Chicago and staying so busy learning a new city and remembering how to be normal again, keeping in contact with Elena, Caroline, Matt, and even Jeremy had been difficult. Bonnie wondered how much Jeremy had been in contact with his sister, deciding she needed to talk with Jeremy soon.
Bonnie slid her phone back into her pocket and sipped the coffee she'd ordered before Elena arrived. "I have got so much to tell you! However, I want to hear more about your trip! There were a few vague posts that I need A LOT more detail on, E"
Elena smiled shyly, knowing which posts Bonnie was referring to – the ones that mentioned the seemingly endless outings with Cruz. It'd been so long since she'd been able to laugh until she cried or dance until her body begged to rest; the previous two years of her life was filled with hurt and pain and incredible loss. Barcelona did for her exactly what she'd hoped a learning abroad summer semester would do – she was somehow lighter, more free, just generally more happy. A "time-out" from Mystic Falls, from what had become a nightmare thanks to Klaus, Rebekah, and the hybrids, from the Salvatore brothers, gave her back the life she'd lost during her junior year of high school – and the nights she spent exploring Spain with Cruz was a big part of that. She wasn't the same girl that was in the car the night her parents died, but she was closer to being that girl than she had been in a very long time.
"Bonnie! Elena!" Caroline called, quick stepping in a pair of high heel booties, arms extended ready to embrace them in a hug. As always, Caroline looked amazing; blond ringlets cascading down her shoulders and her ever-youthful creamy skin glowing beneath a Kelly green fitted sweater dress – for the smallest of moments, Elena forgot that Caroline was no longer the girl she grew up with, but a vampire. As much as she loved seeing Caroline, the heaviness that reminder carried was a bit painful. Reminding Elena of losing so many friends, of watching Stefan's fall from his grace and into the darkness that, though he'd overcome once again, seemed to have been lingering so close to the surface when she'd said goodbye to him the night of graduation. Like so many times, Elena had to force herself to not think of Stefan, to mentally push the thought of his grass green eyes and sculpted beautiful face to the furthest recesses of her mind. Today is for Bonnie and Caroline; Stefan will have to wait a bit longer.
The three girls, still so young and naïve, yet more experienced than anyone in Mystic Falls could imagine, sat and talked, sipping coffee and laughing hysterically while they each poured over the details of the summer apart. Bonnie told of the dance classes and the art shows that she'd experienced in Chicago, of the urban life that she really fell in love with, and how she and her grandmother seemed to finally connect. Caroline talked of the bit of traveling she did with Klaus while Elena and Bonnie did their best to hide their disapproval of her newly formed friendship with the murderous vampire. Caroline could see it in their eyes, in the way Bonnie pursed her lips together when she said Klaus' name, but Bonnie and Elena could never understand Klaus the way that she did. They weren't vampires, they could not grasp the changes; how everything is suddenly more than it was, how everything becomes heightened and crisp – both the good and the bad – Klaus had been a terrible and vicious enemy, but he'd vowed to rehabilitate his wrong doings. Besides all of that, there was something in the way that Klaus spoke to Caroline, like no one ever had, that made Caroline believe that Klaus was good and kind, deep deep down, hidden beneath layers and layers of hurt and fear and evil thoughts.
"I still can't believe it." Elena sighed, crossing her arms. "You and Klaus?"
"Whoa." Caroline cut her eyes to Elena then back to Bonnie. "There is no Caroline and Klaus – not like that." She spoke sternly, hoping to convince her friends or something she wasn't completely sure she believed.
"Does Klaus know that?" Bonnie asked, somewhat sarcastically.
Caroline smiled, "Oh yes, he knows. I've told him numerous times. If he wants to show me the world, then fine, I'm all for that. But Klaus knows that I love Tyler and that I'm going to wait for him."
Something in her voice, just the lightest inflection of power, made Elena wonder if there was more to that story than she was letting on. "So, you're saying ZERO romance?" She leaned closer to Caroline, "after traveling through France, you never even kissed?"
Caroline's hooded eyes and illuminating smile answered the question without words as her memories of Paris and the French countryside played in her mind. Bonnie felt her stomach churn a bit. Caroline may have been a vampire, and Stefan too, but all in all Bonnie was still uneasy with the thought of vampires and werewolves… hybrids like Klaus especially, and to see the way Caroline was glowing with the thought of her travels with Klaus, Bonnie couldn't help but feel a little nauseated. When Caroline noticed the grim look upon her face, she tried her best to straighten up and hide her disgust.
"Oh come on Bonnie!" Caroline pleaded
"It's Klaus, Caroline" Elena's know it all voice seemed to hang in her ears. "Klaus… we just want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into, and who you're hurting in the end is Tyler."
Caroline had always been a bit of a hot head, a little bit of a drama queen if you will, and the heightened senses and personality traits that came with being a vampire made it quite difficult to control at times like these. "You're one to talk."
Stefan. Elena's conscience whispered his name. She had hurt him by asking him to stay in Mystic Falls while she explored Spain. She'd hurt him by spending many nights so intimate with Cruz, but more than that, when he finds out about the weekend with Damon on the island of Palma, it would destroy him. Surely, Caroline did not know about that though. It hadn't been planned, and Elena had told no one of their kisses, their embraces, the way he held her body against his – both of them so relaxed and lost in one another. From the first time she'd met Damon, they'd only known each other in times of turmoil and distress, but the attraction had been there all along, playing in the background. Stefan had noticed it, but he trusted her with his entire being, never once concerned with the love he placed in her. Her affection for Damon only grew stronger while Stefan was away with Klaus. When he returned, Elena hid her ever growing love for Damon and rededicated herself to Stefan. He was all she could ever ask for, ever dream of – the love she had for Stefan was unbelievable, unreal, and unfathomable to those who have never experienced such a soul connection with another. But, for whatever reason, that irking longing for Damon never disappeared, and when he broke her request for space and showed up outside her foster home in Barcelona, Elena's will crumbled at the sight of his strong and graceful body leaned against the red sports car he'd rented. She'd missed Stefan and Damon so terribly while in Spain, and the sudden joy that filled her body when she saw his beautiful blue eyes took away her inhibitions and she stepped directly into his arms, their lips finding each other with ease.
"Elena broke up with Stefan before she left, so I don't think her dates with Cruz are the same as you're Klaus versus Tyler experiment." Bonnie said sharply. "Tyler is off torturing himself, trying to break away from Klaus while you're cuddling up to him in Paris doing God knows what."
"I agree, her relationship with Cruz was nothing to feel shameful about." Caroline cut her eyes to Elena when she said 'shameful'. "I noticed you left out some of your Spain adventures from Facebook."
Elena's lungs tightened and her eyes felt wet with tears. Somehow, Caroline knew.
"What are you talking about, Caroline? Elena?" Bonnie questioned, suddenly aware she was being left out of something. Caroline was staring down Elena, who looked hurt and pale now. "Elena?"
"Bonnie…" Elena swallowed hard, nervously wringing her hands together. "I didn't tell anyone. How do you even know about…"
Caroline cut her off, "You don't think he's told everyone, Elena? He feels like he's won." Caroline looked less angry as she spoke. The sight of Elena, her best friend, obviously hurting and regretting her time with Damon snapped her back into a more calm version of herself. "When Stefan came out to Paris he told.."
"Someone has got to fill me in!" Bonnie interrupted.
"Stefan knows?" Elena gasped, her hands covering her mouth and heart beat racing.
"Knows what? What happened?" Bonnie said loudly.
Caroline turned to her and said in a matter of fact tone, "Elena slept with Damon in Spain and Damon rushed back to Mystic Falls to let Stefan know."
"ELENA!" Bonnie couldn't believe it, both Elena and Caroline had become people she no longer recognized. Atleast Caroline had a reason behind it, though. Elena was just being stupid.
"It was a mistake." Elena cried, a few tears falling from her eyes as she wiped them away. Knowing that Stefan was aware of her weekend with Damon was so painful that she could barely breathe. "Are you sure Stefan knows?"
"Yes, he met up with Klaus and I in France. When Damon got back from Spain he was acting even more smug than usual, and when Stefan asked him what was up he was more than happy to share and I don't think he left much to the imagination." Caroline was annoyed by Damon and Bonnie had a strong hatred for vampires in general, but they both held a special place in their hearts for Stefan. Good, kind, and moral Stefan. Other than Caroline, Stefan was the only vampire Bonnie knew she could trust. Caroline loved Stefan like a mentor because he'd helped walk her through her transition into a vampire after Katherine had changed her as an evil way to get revenge.
When Elena left for Spain, Stefan was doing well, but his movement back to animal blood was still a bit iffy. The darkness that he suppressed for so long, but was forced to allow to take over when Klaus bargained Damon's life for Stefan's loyalty, had not yet been settled. It was so close to the surface that sometimes Elena felt as if she could see the evil lurking in his eyes. She silently prayed that her misstep with Damon had not broken the walls Stefan had worked so hard to rebuild around that part of himself.
"How was he? Have you seen him since?" Elena questioned Caroline with Bonnie's eyes burning into her skin.
Caroline shrugged, "He was really upset Elena."
"He didn't… he's not back to feeding…" Elena asked nearly breathlessly.
"Klaus tried, he wants Stefan to be like he was back when they hung out…" Caroline sat back in her chair, crossing her arms and legs in an effort to close out the thoughts of Klaus and Stefan roaring through the world, killing and drinking and being just plane evil. She'd never witnessed Stefan that way, but it wasn't hard to imagine… that kind of darkness seemed to linger a few steps behind him. "But no, not while he was with us at least. When I got back to Mystic Falls, I've seen him a few times, and he seems to be okay." Caroline decided to stop there, any more information about Stefan and how he was doing needed to come from Stefan, she decided. "You should go see him."
"I don't think he even knows I'm back." Elena relaxed a bit, so proud of Stefan for holding onto his humanity even though what she had done was most likely killing him. "He doesn't do the whole Facebook thing."
"Matt told him." Bonnie sighed. "I don't get it Elena. You either, Caroline. What has happened to you two? You're better than this."
Caroline and Elena sunk in their chairs a bit – Bonnie was right, they were both better than how they'd been acting – Caroline traipsing across to globe with Klaus using compulsion to get into the best hotels, the finest restaurants, taking the highest fashions from the nicest stores & Elena, playing with Cruz and Damon, when she planned to return to Stefan all along… now she wondered if he would even have her.
Chapter 2
Matt woke up late, but was able to get into his gym clothes and to the football field just as Stefan's classic Italian sports car pulled into a space.
"Hey man." Matt greeted Stefan with a handshake.
Their friendship may have started off as a competition for Elena's affections, but Stefan was the kind of guy that it was hard not to like. Once it was clear that Elena was choosing Stefan, that competition easily fell into a friendship. The summer without Elena and without any supernatural drama gave way to their bond growing even stronger.
"How was your run this morning?" Stefan asked with a smirk. He could tell by looking at his friend that Matt slept through his planned run.
"I hardly even rolled over… we were really busy last night and I didn't get home til nearly 2am." Matt stretched his legs as Stefan took off his sweat shirt & retied his shoes. They'd been meeting for mini football camps a couple times a week all summer. With college ball starting for Matt in less than a week, he was grateful for all of the tips and training he was able to get from Stefan. "But I made like $70 in tips, I'll take you out for a drink after. As a thank you."
"You're doing really well, Matt." Stefan assured Matt. "When you get on that field in Charlottesville, they're going to be thankful you're on their team."
"First game is September 1st, you and Elena should come out." Before he could stop himself, he'd already said the sentence. Immediately, he felt the tension in Stefan's body from 7 ft away. It was just hard to believe that Elena had actually cheated on anyone, much less on Stefan. Matt knew Elena better than anyone and how much she loved Stefan was obvious. "I mean… dude, I slipped, sorry."
Stefan was as still as a statue for a long moment, then turned to face Matt with a somehow false expression of indifference on his face. "It's fine. Don't worry about it."
"You know she came home today, you should go see her."
"Matt, the last thing I want to do is see her." Stefan lied. The only thing he could think of since Matt told him she was coming home was seeing her, holding her, kissing her. That had been over a week ago and the agony of his longing for her, and knowing that she had been with Damon – chose Damon - it was more painful than anything he'd experienced in his long life. "Let's just play some ball, ok?"
Matt tried again, he hated seeing Stefan, who'd become his best friend, hurting the way he was. Not to mention, that powerful and dark trait of him seemed to be creeping up. He could feel it when Stefan was struggling with that part of himself; as far as he knew, the only remedy for it was Elena. "Well," He tossed the football to Stefan, catching it with ease. "you should at least call her."
Stefan seemed to consider it for a moment, "Probably not going to happen." He smiled, though his eyes told of the pain he felt. "Go long."
I don't know what I've done.
How many times have I tried to call him, I've texted him. Asked if we could talk, told him I need to see him… I've been home for 24 hours and he's ignored me the whole time. Come to think of it, he ignored me in Spain too. I guess I had just assumed he was trying to play by the rules I set – no contact – how could I be so weak that I can't even follow my own rules?
Now I know he ignored my texts and phone calls because he knew the truth about Damon. Stefan must believe that I chose Damon over him, when that is not the case. Damon just happened to be there. While I was weak and naïve and childish, Damon was there. I love Damon, but it just doesn't compare to how I feel for Stefan.
I've laid here all night, trying to sleep, but only tossing and turning in my own misery. The picture of Stefan and I outside of school, just before the trouble began, is framed and next to my bed. I can't help but wonder if he'll ever put his arm around my shoulders like that again… so carefree and comfortable. How did I become another Katherine? How could I have let myself come between them like this?
I have to make things right.
The morning air of the Mid-August day was crisp and unusually cool for that time of year as it cut across Elena's bare thighs – suddenly regretting her choice of brown boots, a jean mini skirt, and a red long sleeved tee. The openness of The Salvatore Boarding House front lawn didn't help to dissuade the wind so she walked quickly to the front door, wondering if Stefan was aware that she there. Once at the large, wooden front door, she straightened her long dark chestnut hair and reached up to press the door bell, but the door swung open.
"Hello Elena." Stefan stood before for the first time in nearly 3 months. Something about him had changed. He was somehow stronger, bigger, a bit more dangerous looking. The green of his eyes was even greener and his body seemed to be more sculpted than before. Immediately, Elena's hands longed to touch him. Despite herself, she smiled.
"Stefan" her voice was nearly a sigh, relief rushing through her body. Until that exact moment, she hadn't realized just how much she had missed him, the love of her life.
"Damon's not here." His dry words cut into her. "But you're welcome to come in anyway." He moved back a bit to allow her to enter, but he stood close enough that her shoulder nearly rubbed against his chest as she walked in. For the first time, Elena felt intimidated by his presence.
"I'm not here to see Damon, I came to see you." He was more dangerous, she tensed with excitement, he was stronger, because he was angry. She'd never felt his anger directed toward her and for some reason it was making her want him badly. The butterflies in her stomach seemed to be going wild as she nervously contemplated how to begin.
"Oh, my apologies." Stefan walked in front of her into the den. "I'm losing track of your Salvatore brother schedule."
"Ok, I deserve that." Elena swallowed her pride and accepted his insulting words. "It's not what you think, Stefan. After all of this, all that we've been through, you have to know I love you." Elena pleaded.
Hearing her say she loved him both warmed him and harmed him at the same time. "How can you say that to me Elena? How can you say you love me when you slept with my brother… of all people, you slept with Damon."
"I can say it because it's true, Stefan. It's always going to be you, for me. You're it." She placed her hands on each side of his face and looked into his eyes – they burned with anger… and something else – desire, hunger? "I love Damon, but you are my soulmate. It doesn't even compare."
For the slightest of moments, Elena thought she got through to him. That somehow he understood that she let the romance of Spain and wild free-ness she'd experienced while away from Mystic Falls and the supernatural drama get away with her. That her love for Damon was not the same, it was not a threat. But then, his hands took hers from his face and he looked down at her with tears filling his beautiful and soulful eyes. "Elena, I can't do this again." His breath was shaky as he continued. "I love you, you're the only thing that keeps me from losing myself but I can't trust you, and I can't let this happen. I can't let what destroyed Damon and I destroy us again." Stefan bit his lip to try and control the gentle quivering, to hold back the rush of tears that he could feel fighting to be released.
"Stefan, it won't" Elena reached for him again but he moved away from her, speaking volumes. "Are you serious? Maybe you just need some time?" Elena couldn't hold back her tears. "Stefan, you can't understand how sorry I am, please."
He shook his head, eyes on the floor. The tension radiating from his body seemed to envelope her, closing in on Elena and making it hard for her lungs to function. "It's for the best, Elena. You need to live your life like a human, and you can't do that while loving a vampire."
"Us breaking up isn't going to make me stop loving you."
"You're about to go to college, let it be a new start." Stefan couldn't look at her, he was fighting with himself, trying to keep from pulling her into his arms and kissing her like he'd wanted to from the moment she left for Spain. "I was going to stop by before I left tomorrow and tell you goodbye anyway."
Elena's lungs nearly froze "You're leaving?"
"I need to get out of here… it'll make it easier" Stefan took a long drink of the bourbon in the tumbler he'd been drinking from before Elena arrived. "With you and me like this, and Damon and I no longer on good terms, I need this too." Stefan leaned his weight onto the wooden table that held the glass bottles of alcohol, then looked up at Elena through his wet lashes, "there is nothing left for me in Mystic Falls."
Feeling as if the floor was swaying beneath her, Elena sat on the dark brown leather couch that faced the fireplace, her head in her hands and cheeks covered with warm tears. Though her attraction to Damon was immediate, all of this began while Stefan was under Klaus' compulsion… that first kiss, the kiss that never should have happened, opened the door to this moment. And now, Stefan was leaving her. It was over, they were done.Elena began to cry so hard that her body shook with each whimper. She couldn't imagine her life without Stefan, without her one true love by her side.
The sight of her in such a vulnerable position broke Stefan into even smaller pieces. His beautiful and selfless Elena was hurting so terribly that her body was no longer in control of itself. "Elena, please…" he couldn't complete his sentence, he couldn't ask her to leave, he had to hold her. When he knelt beside her they fell into one another's arms. With not a bit of space between their bodies, they quietly held one another, a wordless and painful goodbye.
Chapter 3
Jeremy: Hey. I miss you.
Bonnie: Come home early!
Jeremy: I can't, non refundable tickets…
Bonnie:
Jeremy: Another couple of days.
Bonnie: YAY
Bonnie: Have you told Elena yet?
Jeremy: No, u?
Bonnie sighed, no one was around to hear her aggravation, but she had to vent a bit. While Elena was doing her thing in Spain, Jeremy and Bonnie rekindled their relationship long distance. The base of their relationship had never really broken, and being able to talk to one another without the looming of a supernatural villain paved the way for the love they felt for one another now. Elena would be happy that they were back together, but how would she feel once she learned that Bonnie was going to go to the community college 10 miles away from Mystic Falls instead of the University of Virginia with Elena, Matt, and Caroline.
She didn't want to be away from him again. She would come to UoV eventually, but would wait another year for Jeremy to graduate. With all the supernatural happenings in Mystic Falls, it wasn't a good idea for Jeremy to be left alone, even if that did mean destroying the college plan she had with Elena and Caroline since 6th grade.
"Bonnie?" Elena called as she knocked on Bonnie's bedroom door. Before she came in the room, Bonnie could tell Elena had been crying.
"Oh my gosh, what's wrong?"
Elena sat on the edge of the bed, her body closed off and eyes red from crying. "Stefan, he…" The tears started again. "He broke up with me. He's leaving."
Even though she knew that Stefan would be upset with Elena, Bonnie never for a second thought that he would actually end things with her. Stefan was the most loyal of any person she'd ever known… which is probably why he can't understand Elena being disloyal.
She didn't say I told you so or What did you expect, instead, she just listened while Elena mourned for her relationship with Stefan.
"Have you talked with Damon?" Bonnie asked as Elena began to calm down. Even after two years of knowing what she knew – about witches and vampires and werewolves and originals, it was still strange to Bonnie to sit with her friends and have such common conversations about extraordinary circumstances.
She shook her head no, "Once, right after the weekend in Spain." Elena lay back on Bonnie's bed, feet still on the floor. She looked exhausted, Bonnie noticed, a complete 180 from their luncheon at the Grill yesterday. "I told him it was a mistake, that I loved Stefan. He didn't agree, said I'd see that he was better for me." Elena laughed unenthusiastically. "He thinks he's better for me, Stefan thinks they are both wrong… everyone has an opinion."
"Everyone loves you…" Bonnie tried, realizing that meant so many things. "I mean, we all want the best for you." Her words seemed loaded.
Elena sat up on her elbows, her dark hair a contrast on the lavender comforter of Bonnie's queen bed. "What do you think?"
Bonnie had an opinion, that was for sure, but the last thing that was the last thing that Elena needed to hear, another opinion. Bonnie couldn't help but believe that Stefan's actions were 100% genuine, and not done in a vengeful fashion, even though it could look that way to some. She was sure Damon would try to turn it into something of that nature and she had the chance to stop it. "Stefan is a vampire, yes. But he is a good, good guy. Just take what he's telling you on face value… it's too hard for him to relive the whole Katherine thing and he believes you should move on for your own sake."
"I can't believe that… he loves me, Bonnie. As much as I love him, so I know he can't mean that."
"So turn it around, if you truly believed that it would cause Stefan pain to be with you, would you want him to go ahead and put himself through it because you love him?" Elena seemed to get it, seemed to understand, "Sometimes, when you love someone like he loves you, you have to put yourself in the guillotine." Elena's dark eyes drifted into a daydream and appeared to be clouding with the thought.
They sat silently for a moment, the heaviness of the room broken by the chirping sound of Bonnie's cell phone
Jeremy: Hello?
Bonnie: I'm going to tell her, she's here now. I'll call u later. 3
Bonnie sat her phone down on the night stand by her bed, then looked at her friend, broken and saddened. "Elena, I need to tell you something."
Elena went home after she and Bonnie finished talking. Home had once been the happiest and most joyful place she could imagine. Filled with the love and life of her mom and dad, Jeremy, then Aunt Jena and Alaric. Now it was so cold and lonely, memories haunting through the empty spaces. In a few more days, she would leave this place and move into a dorm. Most of her classmates, now graduated, were probably a bit sad about leaving their childhood home, but her childhood home left her a long time ago.
Without looking around, she climbed the stairs to her room and collapsed in the oversized dark red chair in the corner of her bedroom, the suitcases from her trip still unpacked and on the floor. Spain… it seemed like a great idea at the time, and it was so much fun, but the way everything changed was almost too much to return to. Jeremy was coming back to Mystic Falls to be with Bonnie, Bonnie had dis-enrolled from UofV and registered for classes at a local community college in order to be with him, Caroline was in some sort of a triangle with Klaus and Tyler, Damon was laying low, and Stefan… well Stefan was starting his life anew. He hadn't said where he would go, but Elena figured it would be Italy.
They'd spent many nights in one another's embrace, planning out their future, always involving trips to Italy, a few years living off the Mediterranean, Stefan held a great love for his homeland, and if he couldn't be with his soul mate, she knew he would at least return to Italy.
Italy…
She grabbed her Iphone, googling "How far away is Italy from the US"
The search response made her heart physically hurt.
Stefan grabbed for his vibrating cell phone, the rattle of it against the wooden desk startling him out of his daze.
Elena: 4627
He stared at the text, not sure what those numbers meant. Wondering if maybe the text was not a message from Elena, but an accident.
Stefan: ?
Elena: That's how many miles apart we'll be.
Elena: How long will you stay in Italy?
WOW he thought, she knew him well. His red eye flight from Virginia to JFK, then on to Rome was only 3 hours away.
The vision of his girl, of his brother… it was overwhelming. Then for her to not tell him about it, the betrayal of her dishonesty was tenfold more painful than her involvement with Damon. He knew she cared about his brother, and if she needed to explore that side of herself, he would've understood. But to ask for time alone, then hide her time with Damon, it was too much.
Stefan: I haven't thought that far in advance.
Elena: Rethink this. Stay with me.
Stefan read her message over and over until the letters began to blur and fade. How he wished he could forget all that happened in the last year. How he longed for the days before Klaus turned off his humanity. More than anything, he wanted to go to Elena, but Stefan's moral compass would not allow it – it took her being with Damon for him to come to terms with the truth – Elena deserved more than him.
Stefan: I love you.
Elena: I love you. Forgive me.
Stefan: I do forgive you. But it doesn't change the fact that you can't have the life you want with me.
Stefan: and I can't fight for you, not against Damon. He's my brother. We've been down that road and we know how it ends. Badly.
Elena: We can figure this out. I'll come with you.
All his dreams of sharing Italy with Elena rose to the front of his mind's eye. He'd wanted to guide her through the country, showing her the sights and smells and sounds that made him the man he is. It was going to be their retreat, now it would be his refuge.
Stefan: I'm leaving my phone, I don't want to be tempted to contact you.
Stefan: Just know, no matter what happens in your life, I will love you for the rest of my days. You are everything to me.
He stood, wiped the tears from his face as his eyes traced the letters of her name glowing from his phone, and then tossed his phone in the fire. Even the sight of her name made him ache for her. Stefan watched the plastic melt, tried to not think of Elena, knowing she was somewhere in tears.
"So dramatic, brother." Damon hissed as he made his way over to Stefan's bed. "You're looking exceptionally broody today."
"I'm not in the mood for this, Damon." Stefan ran his hands down his face, wiping away tears and hoping Damon hadn't noticed that he'd been crying.
"Going somewhere?" Damon asked, pushing Stefan's leather duffel bag with the toe of his boot. "Oh no, don't tell me you're going to college?" His voice sounded as if he was going to be ill. The thought of Stefan, once again trying to live a human life made him want to scream.
Stefan turned to face his brother. "No, I'm going out of town for a bit."
Damon shrugged his shoulders, "okay, I'm game. Where are we going?"
"Seriously?" Stefan grabbed his carryon bag that was filled with a couple bottles of rabbit blood, a book of Sonnets, a new John Green fiction and an Mp3 player that Caroline gave to him when he they'd said goodbye.
"What?" Damon questioned, then it hit him, stabbing him in the chest. Stefan was leaving to get away from him, from Elena, to let them run the course of their relationship without his interference. "This is just like you, Stefan."
"And, what's that?" He knew he shouldn't have, but he took the bait anyway, allowing Damon to run off at the mouth a bit.
"Stefan's so good, he's so moral…" Damon mocked, standing in order to look Stefan in the eye. "If you want her you'd better stick around and fight for her, brother."
Stefan wanted to take his challenge, yearned to fight for Elena, but once again his humanity stopped him from reacting in such a way. "I want her Damon, I love her."
"I love her too." Damon returned in a matter of fact tone
"But I don't want to fight. I don't want to fight you, you're my brother…" Damon loved and hated his brother at that moment. Of course, once again Stefan was sacrificing himself for the greater good.
"You can stop this shit any day, Stefan." Damon recoiled, feeling a bit shameful for all he'd done, but not wanting to show it. "I told you, I don't blame for Katherine, for me turning…"
Stefan slipped the bag over his shoulder then bent to pick up the leather duffle. He wasn't going to argue with his brother again – this was not a debate. When Damon returned from Spain and told him about his time with Elena, Stefan lost it. They punched each other and fought, ending with Stefan shoving Damon into the fireplace… nearly killing him. He wanted to kill him, at that moment Stefan wanted Damon to burn. When Damon's shirt caught fire and he watched as he quickly stripped it off before his skin was torched, Stefan realized that things would never be the same between them, once again, the love they had for the same girl was killing them.
"Goodbye, Damon."
"Stefan…" He called after his brother as Stefan walked toward the door, "…really? Come on!" Stefan didn't turn to look back, and Damon finally understood that Stefan may never come back to Mystic Falls.
Elena woke with a heavy body and a terrible pounding in her head. She'd been up late calling and sending text messages, had even drove to the Salvatore house but Stefan's car was gone. After an hour of hiding under her covers, hoping it had all been a bad dream, Elena tried Stefan again to no avail. She called Damon to see if he knew where Stefan was. Damon confirmed her fears, Stefan had already left for Italy. In typical Damon fashion, he was angry at his younger brother for doing the "right thing", but still tried to seem light hearted and even attempted to flirt a bit, inviting Elena over.
"What is wrong with you?" Elena scolded him. "Can't you be serious for a minute?"
Damon scoffed, "Oh what should I do Elena, sit in my bedroom and cry? He's a grown man, it's his decision… if he's giving up on you then you need to let him and see who is still here. I'm still here."
Damon was still there. Elena didn't know how she should feel about that. With Stefan deciding to remove himself from the picture, whatever might happen between her and Damon wouldn't have to secretive and ridden with guilt. She was free to feel for him any way she wanted. Any flirting was accepted, she could explore what it was about Damon that drew her to him. For a millisecond, Elena didn't feel so horrible, but then she realized, "but you'll never be Stefan."
Damon cringed; her words were as sharp as razor blades and Elena scolded herself for not filtering her thoughts better.
"Yea, good Ol' Stefan. I'll never be as good as Stefan, but I can guarantee you this, Elena," he nearly hissed her name, "I'm not as weak as Stefan either, and I will never leave you, for any reason. But…" Damon smirked, " I will hang up on you." *Click*
Chapter 4
"This is weird huh?" Caroline's voice broke the silence. She and Elena had the majority of the common area of their dorm room covered in books and sheets of paper, along with cans of diet coke and a few empty Starbucks coffee cups. Only two weeks into their first semester at the University of Virginia and they were swamped with homework. It was nothing like high school, where they both floated by so easily without much studying to be done. They were both taking a full load, only sharing one class together, but they'd found that setting a study time together helped to make sure that nothing would be distracting.
Their dorm room was small, but exactly what they'd hoped for. It was in the newest student living building which consisted of six floors of ten three-room apartments; 2 bedrooms and a common area with a small kitchen, and bathrooms at each end of the hallways that were always crowded, but it was a nice way to learn the faces of their neighbors. Damon used his powers of compulsion to score the best room on the fifth floor for Elena and Caroline – each bedroom had a great view of the library and surrounding civil war era buildings. As fall continued to move into Virginia, the foliage framed their view and made the sight even more serene.
Elena didn't look up from her Intro to Philosophy text, "What's weird?"
"Probably not the nicest thing I've ever said, but I just ran across a picture of the Salem witches in my history book and it made me miss Bonnie." Caroline laughed.
College was great so far; take away the fact that Caroline had not felt comfortable enough to work her way into the local hospital for blood bags and had to live on the Stefan-diet, and that Elena was terrible company due to the end of her relationship with Stefan, and Bonnie was back in Mystic Falls.
"What can we do? She wants to be with Jeremy." Elena sipped her coffee, wincing in surprise as the room temperature liquid crossed her tongue. "As sad as I am that she isn't with us, I'm still really happy for her and Jer… not to mention thankful that she's with him and will keep him safe."
"Safe from what? Things have calmed down for us." Caroline argued, "She should have come with us, like we'd always planned."
"Things are better," Elena conceded, "so long as I give my quarterly donations to Klaus." Elena said, frustrated with the truce that they'd worked out with Klaus.
Caroline smiled empathetically at her friend, knowing that Elena hated being a hybrid-making blood bag. "I can talk to Klaus for you, see if he can make it with less blood…" She tried, "Maybe take it down to like twice a year." Just the talk of human blood was causing Caroline's skin to fizz with excitement. She tried to ignore the craving, deciding to change the subject. "Oh did I tell you? Klaus wants to go visit Stefan over Thanksgiving break! Naples, here I come!"
Elena's body tensed as she straightened up on the gray loveseat, "You know where he's at? Naples?"
Caroline was sorry that she mentioned Stefan as soon as she saw the flicker of hope in Elena's chocolate brown eyes. Elena was still sad a lot of the time, but time, and probably even her friendship with Damon, seemed to be making it easier. It was only a couple hours ago that Caroline and Klaus agreed on their Thanksgiving trip and the conversation and excitement was still on Caroline's mind and it was the first thing to escape her lips... a bad segway from human blood, but the only thing she could think of through the haze of her craving.
"Well, yea…" Caroline wondered how she could get out of the conversational-corner she'd put herself in. "I mean, I called him about the whole drinking animal blood thing –"
Elena cut her off, that flicker of light in her eyes now turning to anger, "You have a phone number for Stefan and you didn't think to give it to me?"
"Elena…"
"Caroline!" Elena stood up, a few sheets of paper falling to the floor. "You know I've been dying here and you don't even tell me that you know where he is, much less that you have a phone number for him!"
"What did you want me to do? Just let you chase after him?" Caroline argued back, wishing she would have never mentioned his name. Keeping Elena from Stefan was for the best. "Besides, I thought you and Damon were some kind of an item now."
Elena nearly fell down. "Did you tell Stefan that?" Her voice was meek and quiet. Yes, she and Damon had been spending more time together, but the last thing Elena wanted was for Stefan to believe that his leaving was justified – that exactly what he thought would happen, that she and Damon would be together, was actually happening. They were just friends, Elena tried to convince everyone, but no one seemed to get it.
Caroline swallowed, knowing she could've been more on her game had she been drinking human blood. Her silence as she tried to think of a suitable answer had already told Elena that she had told Stefan.
"Caroline, I have to talk to him."
"Stefan doesn't… I mean he specifically asked me not to…" Caroline's tongue was getting tied up as she tried to worm through the mess she'd made. "Don't do this to him, Elena."
Elena's brow furrowed, "Do what to him?"
"Just let it be. Let him be." Caroline sighed, taking Elena's hand and gently squeezing. "I know you miss him, Elena. And he misses you, but you've got to give him some space. Let him figure things out… I mean he's barely hanging on to himself…"
"Is he okay?"
"He's not back to the old Stefan, but he's trying." Caroline smiled. "He's really trying, Elena. He just wants to be worthy of you again. And to do that, he has to get himself together."
Elena's eyes were wet with tears as she imagined Stefan struggling, trying to find himself again. After what she'd done to him, he still felt as though he wasn't good enough for her.
"I just want him to be okay." Elena spoke through her slowing falling tears.
Caroline stood and took her best friend in her arms. "Stefan will be okay, Elena. I promise."
After a moment, Caroline added, "In the meantime, I think you need to work out whatever you've got going on with Damon."
Like always, Caroline was not one to beat around the bush – especially when it came to boys. It may not have been the best timing, and it surely wasn't what Elena wanted to hear, but she needed to be told the truth sometimes, with blatant honesty. With Stefan, Damon, and even Matt, so much was padded or sugar coated in order keep Elena safe, or not hurt her feelings, or to keep her from worrying. Caroline had known Elena her whole life; Elena could handle the truth, she could handle anything.
Bonnie shifted in the driver's seat. Something about how the sun was shining into her car, the book on her lap, or how the seatbelt crossed her chest was making her uncomfortable. It'd been a rough day, but waiting outside of Mystic Falls High School made her long for her best friends and the life she was missing out on. Caroline was keeping her up to date on everything, including Elena and Damon & whatever she was doing with Klaus, but it wasn't the same as being able to experience it with them. Classes at the community college were going well, but for some reason walking onto the campus everyday made her feel second rate in some way. She'd worked so hard to get good grades in high school, throughout all that she'd been through in her Junior and Senior years, thanks to the Originals, yet here she was… going to a college she never wanted to go to and missing so much.
Jeremy is worth it
She loved Jeremy, and the time they'd spent away from each other while he was in Denver and she fought side by side with Stefan & Damon was the last time she ever wanted to be away from him. Though she wasn't the kind of girl that had dreamed of getting married and having children, it was something that had crossed her mind when she considered her future – Jeremy was always there. Even if she and Elena had started to grow apart, it had allowed her to grow closer to Jeremy, and to Caroline. Many times she'd wondered if that's how things were supposed to work; Did getting older and growing up mean moving away from your childhood friends in order to have a grown up relationship with a guy? Was it not possible to have both?
Or is it the vampires fault? Had Stefan not shown up in Mystic Falls at all…
Bonnie really cared for Stefan. She could see exactly why Elena fell for him, he was her type to a T. But, what could not be ignored was that he was a vampire. No matter how good he wanted to be, or how many times he did the right thing, Bonnie could not forget that. Being a witch meant that vampires were her enemy – there was no getting around it. So really, the moment Elena decided to be with Stefan – fully aware of what he was – that was the moment that she started to drift away from Bonnie.
After Stefan left town for Italy, she'd hoped that she and Elena could try to grow close again, but now it was Damon. How she hated Damon for all that he'd done. He'd hurt and killed so many… just for the pleasure of it most of the time. Not to mention Abby, her mother, now living her life as a vampire because of Damon, because of the vampires. How could Elena feel anything other than disgust for him? Bonnie felt as if she would never understand Elena's obsession with the Salvatore brothers… Damon especially.
Caroline didn't like it either – the amount of time Elena and Damon were spending together – but, she was more accepting of it either because she was a hopeless romantic or because she too was a vampire. She must not remember how Damon planned on killing her the night she transitioned… or how Damon tried to kill her father… or when he broke Jeremy's neck…
"Hey!" Jeremy opened the passenger side door, startling Bonnie. "I'm sorry!" He laughed
"You scared me half to death!" She breathed heavily, her hand on her chest as her heart pounded quickly.
Jeremy smiled and placed his hand on her bare knee. "It's ok, Bon…" He knew that the last two years had been very hard on Bonnie. She was always on edge, always scared that the other shoe was going to drop at any minute. "Everything's okay"
Bonnie looked at him, he wasn't the same Jeremy that grew up across from her best friends bedroom anymore. "I hope so."
"I know so."
"Still on the animal blood, then?" Rebekah asked, her playful smile could be heard through her tone of voice. It was no secret that she wanted to be with Stefan, but not this Stefan. The man she'd fallen for was still there, hidden beneath layers and layers of suffocating emotion, but she'd seen glimpses of him just last summer. As she watched him tear through veins and relish in the delight of the blood on his lips, her love for him grew by the minute. Once he got back on his diet of animal blood, that man – vivacious and dangerous and full of life and energy – was replaced with someone who hated everything about himself that Rebekah found intoxicating.
"Is Klaus there or are you just stalling?" He may have been trying to sound as if he was annoyed, but his time away from Elena would surely make him remember some of what he'd felt for Rebekah, she hoped.
"Stefan," He did kind of like the way that she said his name. "This is no quaint village on the coast… it's a very large home. Don't be hasty, darling."
"So he's there or no?"
"No, he's gone to see Caroline and that girl of yours…" Rebekah groaned, "What is it that you wanted with my brother? I thought you hated him… now here you are calling to chat him up and he's planning a trip to visit with you. Rather chummy these days?"
"I wouldn't say we were 'chummy'" Stefan laughed when he used her Brittish slang
"Then what is it? Not friends…. Business partners, then?" Rebekah laid back on the large leather ottoman in west wing sitting room, enjoying speaking to Stefan and hoping to hear some of the spark in his voice that she remembered from the old days.
"Why isn't he answering his cell phone?" Stefan asked. Calling Rebekah was not something he would have done could he have thought of any other way.
"Stefan, I have no idea." She was already getting tired of their conversation – if it wasn't about her, or about them, it was hard to keep her attention. "That Caroline must have his full attention, if you know what I mean."
"Ok, I'll just call Caroline then." Stefan said, his voice neutral even though his hands were in tight fists and his body hurt with rage. The thought of Klaus nonchalantly hanging around Elena…
Calm down, don't give Rebekah any reason to second guess this friendship with Klaus – Stefan thought as he exhaled slowly. "Are you coming out with him in November?"
A mini vacation with Stefan – that got Rebekah's attention. "Are you inviting me, Stefan Salvatore?" She teased with a laugh.
"Maybe, I mean, it would be nice to see you." Stefan prayed that she couldn't tell that he was lying over the phone like she could in person. They had been so close at one point in their lives, but like many other things he'd done in his past, Stefan couldn't believe he'd ever loved her. "Being out here without anyone I know can get kind of lonely."
"Well, how could I pass up such a kind invitation?" Stefan knew he had her by the cool and flirty tone of her voice.
He couldn't help it, a smile spread across his face and his eyes closed with relief. Klaus and Rebekah in Italy together, two birds with one stone - three more weeks and this will all be over with.
Klaus walked towards the car that Caroline was waiting in, annoyed that she wouldn't come in with him and Elena – As a sign of solidarity with Elena and because she hadn't consumed human blood in over 2 months, she'd decided to wait for them in the car while Elena gave her 'fourth-quarter donation', as Damon called it.
How can someone so hot be so evil? Caroline wondered as her eyes followed him, his body emitting a swagger like no other man could. He was gorgeous, that was obvious, but his incredible amount of confidence was what made it so hard for Caroline to resist him. The deeper she got in this undercover game, the harder it was for her to avoid his advances. The jewelry, the trips, and the hotels – that voice – every moment they'd spent together would soon be exposed for what it was… but until then, Caroline thought, she'd have to keep it together for Stefan, for Elena… and most of all, for Tyler.
"Come now, sweetheart." Klaus leaned over into the car window, the scent of his Clive Christian cologne mixed perfectly with the aroma of the UofV hematology lab lingering on his clothes made Caroline's head spin in delight, "this diet is beginning to get a bit silly…"
She could tell by the brightness of his eyes that he'd made a meal of one of the student workers while waiting on Elena.
"Klaus, don't pressure me." She groaned. "If this is what I want, it's what I want…" Caroline wasn't sure if she wanted it or not, and it was definitely wasn't easier to live on animal blood, but she hadn't drank an ounce of human blood since the night Stefan left. Stefan was almost like a mentor to her, and if he was going to sacrifice himself for her best friends and Tyler, she could at least live in the same manor that he did. Luckily the cool air of November helped to ease the cravings.
"Yes, Darling – you do like to get it your way, don't you" Klaus placed a small, lingering kiss on her lips. Something about it, maybe the tenderness of his mouth upon hers or the residual blood from his victim made her ache with pleasure.
"Done. Now will you take me home?" Elena asked, breaking the tense stare held by Caroline and Klaus.
"You don't have the best timing, Elena." Klaus sighed. He'd been romancing Caroline for months now, and for a moment he'd felt as though he may had finally gotten under her skin. "Come on, get in. I'll take you home… Damon is probably calling out your name in despair as we speak."
Elena climbed in the back seat, rubbing the bandaged area of her left arm and hoping she wouldn't get light-headed from the loss of blood like she did the last time, the day before her trip to Spain. Looking back, she wondered if the sick stomach and spinning head might have been related more to telling Stefan that she didn't want him to come with her as they'd planned. It was supposed to be a last ditch effort to repair what they'd once had, but after watching Stefan and Damon fighting with one another over her, Elena decided to take herself out of the equation with hopes of repairing their sibling relationship.
"Oh, I nearly forgot." Klaus opened the console between the front seats once he pulled over in front of the Student center. The smell of whatever was being served for dinner was thick and heavy, causing Elena's stomach to churn, "This is for you…" Klaus handed her an envelope; her name with Klaus' address handwritten in black ink, and numerous red & blue stamps across the envelope. "All the way from Italy."
"Stefan sent this?" Elena asked, her lungs tightening a bit as she recognized the way he wrote her name. "Is he okay?"
"E-len-ahh…" He stretched out her name, "I don't know, just read it." Klaus faced forward, obviously through with her now that he'd taken her blood and fulfilled the favor for Stefan. "Now run along."
"Klaus, don't be mean." Caroline frowned, and then looked back at Elena who seemed mesmerized by the envelope in her hands. "Do you want me to come in with you while you read it?"
Elena considered it – if it was bad news, having Caroline around for support would be nice, but she knew that Caroline had been looking forward to seeing Klaus and going into Virginia Beach for the weekend. "No," She sighed, already aware of how much of a downer being around her had been since she and Stefan ended things, "I'll be fine. I mean, he already broke up with me, how much worse can it be?"
CHAPTER 5
The first page was obviously ripped from a printed book, vanilla colored crisp paper, with black type-font filling the empty spaces. Elena could smell Stefan's scent – leather & soap & the slightest amount of cologne – forcing her minds eye to replay the hundreds of kisses they'd shared over their romance, her nerves reacting to the way his hands would rest on her skin with a gentle touch, causing her taste buds to imagine the taste of his skin. Elena sat on her twin sized bed and began to read.
Should've kissed you there, I should have held your face
I should have watched those eyes instead of run in place.
I should have called you out, said your name.
I should have turned around, I should have looked again.
But now I'm staring at the mess I've made, oh this mess I've made.
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away.
Should've held my ground, I could have been redeemed.
For every second chance that's changed it's mind on me.
I should have spoken up, proudly claimed
That my heads to blame for all my hearts mistakes.
But now I'm staring at the mess I've made, oh this mess I've made.
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away.
I'm staring at this mess, this mess that I have made
And its you, you that's falling down, it's you
And its on me now, this mess I've made, oh this mess I've made.
She read it over and over, imagining Stefan holding the book it'd been torn from, reading it while feeling the same pain she was feeling – remembering the same memories that she was remembering. Wondering if her fingers were touching the same places his fingers had. She understood every word. He loved her, he was so sorry, but she got hurt in the process of his trying to be better, and he couldn't handle being responsible for her pain.
Elena,
I'm sorry that I haven't been in contact with you, and I apologize for leaving without a proper, face to face goodbye. I hope that you can understand that it would have killed me, literally made my lungs stop working, to have to walk away from you knowing it would be the last time I'd hold your face in my eyes. As you know, Caroline and I have kept in touch, and she's been kind enough to let me know how you are doing without too many details regarding your personal life.
When we last spoke, she told me that you were very upset that she and I were still in contact and that she didn't share my information with you. I'm writing for a couple of reasons, but one of those is to let you know that she kept those things from you at my request. I'm working on myself, I'm trying to become the kind of man that deserves your love. I don't know why, I truly cannot explain it – but it's easier to do if I'm alone and not under, what can sometimes feel like, a magnifying glass focused on Mystic falls. Maybe it's all the history I have in that town, or how every time I look at you all I can think of is how I have hurt you and brought so many terrible things into your life…. Either way, please don't blame Caroline, and please do not be upset with her. She loves you more than you can understand That brings me to the second thing I wanted to tell you. I'm usually pretty good with words, but I have such a hard time when it comes to explaining what I'm feeling for you, for Damon…. About you and Damon being together.
Damon and I haven't spoken, he compelled my number from Matt, but I don't answer and you know he doesn't do a lot of texting… I love him, I always will, but again, it's just too hard to know that I love someone so much but that I cannot trust them with the simplest of things. I'm sure Damon has told you that we haven't talked, but I wanted you to hear it from me that I am trying. I know you want Damon and I to be brothers again, but Elena I don't know if it's possible. I am trying… for you, I am trying.
Italy is beautiful. It's helpful to have such a wonderful place to surround me when I miss you to the point that I ache for you. Luckily, sometimes my days are easier when I am graced with your presence in a dream the night before. I can still see the glitter in your eyes and taste your lips. The only thing that my mind cannot recreate in exact replica is your laugh – I wonder if that is because our time together was spent in such turmoil that you did not laugh as much as you should have been able to…. Yet another thing for me to beg you to forgive me for. I spend a lot of time reading or spending time near the ocean. Did you know I love to surf? I wish I could've taught you… I took a job at the dock where I help to load and unload cargo. The immense amount of heavy lifting is helping me to curb my cravings and, more importantly, keeping me from breaking down and coming home to you.
Lastly, Elena, I need you to know that I want you to move on. I have met someone. Her name is Lindsey and she is a witch that lives in a nearby village. I knew her grandmother years ago, and when I went to visit her it was Lindsey living in her home instead. She's helping me through my withdrawl from human blood, and I cannot tell you that I haven't relapsed, but I am using every ounce of strength in my body to make it each day. Lindsey allows me to drink from her occasionally, each time I drink less blood and then wait longer between feedings. I've made it 26 days as of today, and though I am beginning to feel like my veins are made of sandpaper, Lindsey is pushing me to do a full thirty.
She is a good person, Elena. I cannot say that I love her, not like I love you, but being with her is easy, because I am not a threat to her in any way. I hope that me telling you this does not upset you… I felt as though you deserved to hear it from me. I have told you before and I meant it then just as I do now, I love you and will never stop loving you – but we have got to move on because you and I together means only pain and tears for us and our loved ones.
I hope that you move on from Damon; not because he is my brother or because I feel as though I lost you to him, but because you deserve so much more. More than any vampire could dream of giving you. No money can buy the kind of happiness that fulfilling your dreams of a family and having children will bring to you.
Listen to me – ha - sometimes I forget how young you are…. Sometimes I forget how old I am. If you are with Damon, I know he will keep you safe and will love you the best he can. Just please consider what you'd be giving up should you choose to stay with him, or wait for me.
Forever my love,
SS
Damon checked his watch – 6:45pm surely Klaus had finished with Elena by now, he thought. Suddenly he began to worry about why she was not answering her phone; the fear of Klaus deciding that their suedo-truce was no longer satisfactory for him crept through his body, causing him to increase the speed of his walk up the stairs of Elena's apartment building. Moving quickly came so natural as a vampire, but holding back as to not draw too much attention seemed awkward to Damon. Coming to the top of the 5th set of stairs, he found a couple attractive girls studying just outside the stairwell, greeting them with a flirtatious smile. Though he was happy to admit that he was in love with Elena, he felt no need to play a game of monogamy with her – her heart still belonged to Stefan, and Damon had spent enough of his life waiting on a girl who loved his brother. Damon considered stopping to chat with them, maybe even use his power of compulsion to feed, but the faintest sound of a shaky breathing and heavy crying stole his attention away from the two blondes eagerly looking up at him.
He rushed by them, heading to Elena's room – the worst possible scenario's playing through his mind as he moved closer to her door – all the while the sound grew louder. "ELENA!" He yelled through the door, "ELENA!"
She did not answer. Damon reacted and shoved the door open, busting the lock and splintering the door frame, but he didn't care about the damage. Rushing through the common area and opening her bedroom door, Damon prepared himself to see Elena's body mangled, or bleeding, or may even find Klaus feeding from her neck.
Elena was on her knees, hands pressed against her face, sobbing so violently that her shoulders were convulsing in rhythm with the sound of her ragged breathing. "Elena, my God, what is it? Are you okay?" He questioned, rushing to her and pulling her off of the floor and into his arms. "Are you hurt?"
She just shook her head and pulled him closer to her body than she had since Spain. "No," She gasp, "I'm not hurt…" As they held each other, her crying slowed, eventually stopping all together, but she continued to hold him. Damon didn't mind, he could hold her like that for the rest of his life if she'd ask him to.
"Damon…" Her voice was so small and quiet, even with her mouth only centimeters from his ear. "Do you love me?"
"Yes, Elena… I thought you knew that by now." Damon replied in a whisper, the smell of her skin tempting him to kiss her slender neck.
Elena pulled away from him a bit in order to look into his eyes. She did know that he loved her, but she wanted to hear it. "Will you say it? Tell me that you love me?" Her eyes moved across his face, to his lips. He'd told her before – in the midst of an argument or just before something terrible was about to happen – but never like this, never alone in a quiet room, holding each other without a bit of guilt to be felt for what they were doing.
"Elena, I love you." Damon's mouth spoke the words that she asked him to say, but all Elena could hear was Stefan's voice saying "I've met someone." Damon looked at her face, she looked as though she had not heard him so he said it again just as her lips found his. For a moment, he didn't respond, shocked by her kiss. Elena moved away again, afraid that she'd been to forward, and looked up at him longingly. "I love you," He sighed, returning her kiss with a longer, more passionate one. He repeated it again as she wrapped her arms around his neck and his hands slid beneath her top and up her back. Elena kissed his neck, then moved back to his mouth, seducing him in a way he would have never expected from her. Deep down, Damon knew something was wrong – even assumed it had something to do with Stefan – but he didn't care. In that moment, she wanted him, Elena wanted Damon and there was nothing that would keep him from her. As he laid her on the bed, removing his shirt and taking her in his arms again, Damon considered asking her to say it back, but as he looked into her eyes with lashes still wet from crying, he decided that she was showing him that she loved him, even if she couldn't say it, and that would have to be enough.
As they made love, Damon could not stop himself from telling her over and over that he loved her, that she was incredibly beautiful, and that she was everything he could have dreamt of. Elena lost herself in his body, allowing the pain from Stefan's letter to be suffocated for awhile by the pleasure that Damon was giving her. Every time he said that he loved her, she reminded herself that Stefan had moved on, and loving Damon would be okay, it would feel right someday… hoping to replace her love for Stefan with love for Damon. And every time her heart told her it would never compare, she would kiss Damon again, silencing the truth.
"Yes yes, Stefan," Klaus was getting tired of the Elena questions, still unable to believe that this was the same Stefan he'd known 90 years ago. "I gave it to her."
Caroline sat next to him, her beautiful body glowing in the sunlight – it'd been so long since he really enjoyed looking at a woman without the expectation of their blood in his mouth that he'd almost forgot the sheer beauty of a woman. Caroline was far more beautiful than many of the women he'd fed upon, much more intoxicating than any other vampire he'd come across – she was exquisite. Watching her in her white bikini was making his conversation with Stefan about Elena even more dreadful than usual.
"What did she say?" Stefan asked, "Did she seem okay?"
"My God Stefan, I have no idea…" Klaus laughed, "I took my blood, gave her the letter, and left. Have you forgotten how much I despise that little doppleganger?" Klaus slid his arm around Caroline's bare stomach, pulling her back against him and grazing his lips across her sun warmed shoulder. "If it weren't for the fact that I liked you I would have compelled her into silence and stuck her in a cage for safe keeping."
Stefan rattled on about something more about Elena and Damon and more things that Klaus could care less about. While Stefan's voice drifted on, Klaus continued to kiss Caroline, moving his kisses to the nape of her neck, beginning to move his hand towards her panty line. Just as his fingers grazed the top of her bikini bottom, she stood quickly and gave a look that was supposed be one of irritation – Klaus could tell she was playing hard to get and her act was becoming less and less convincing. Feeling quite confident, Klaus returned her disapproving look with a smile and wink.
"Klaus?" Stefan called, "Klaus!"
"What Stefan?" Klaus responded finally, watching as Caroline laid down on the chair next his. He'd surprised her with a trip to Miami instead of Virginia beach then compelled the staff of the 5 star hotel to clear the private beach for them and they'd spent the entire morning drinking and lounging together. "Did I miss some awful detail about your heartbreak?"
Stefan gave a hollow laugh – though Klaus had learned to ignore all parts of his humanity nearly one thousand years ago, his soft spot for Stefan, for his brother in arms, hurt for his friends heartache – for a moment, Klaus felt sorry for him. "No, I was saying that you were right."
"Oh" Klaus smiled, "I'm not sure how I could have missed that, but go on"
"I've pretty much given up on trying to go back to animals…" Stefan's voice was tremulous, "It's been a few days now and I just can't seem to get my fill"
The thought of the times he'd spent with Stefan, pre-doppleganger Elena, filled Klaus with joy. "Is that so?"
"I've got some big plans for when you and Caroline get out here, so come hungry"
"Do tell, my friend." Excitement coursed through Klaus' veins. He'd badly wanted his old friend to come back to him – had imagined that Stefan would be able to pick up where they'd left off even after Klaus' compulsion was released – but when Stefan turned on him, it was as if Klaus had lost a brother.
"What kind of fun would that be? You'll just have to trust me… it's going to be epic."
Can it be possible that I am going crazy? I slept with Damon. I had sex with Damon, all the while I was trying to stop imagining Stefan's hands, Stefan's lips, Stefan's breath against my skin. Tried to stop hearing his voice. I can say it worked, but in the morning light, having Damon asleep in my bed does not change the way I miss Stefan.
His letter was so confusing. In one line he's telling me loves and he's aching for me… in the next he wants me to move on as he has. I sure I'm delusional but I just don't know if I buy it, that he's with her. Maybe that's why I feel so guilty this morning.
Ok, yes… I may have led Damon on, and for that I am sorry. However it is Stefan's reaction should he ever learn what has happened that I am most concerned about…
Lindsey… Lindsey… I don't know how I feel about this. Stefan obviously feels like I've moved on and I'm with Damon. But it still hurts me that he's with someone new. I know how selfish that is…. I see how possessive that is… but since the moment I met Stefan I was sure that we belonged to each other. I know how I feel about Damon and I know that my feelings lack in comparison to Stefan. What is eating me alive is that I don't know how he feels for Lindsey. He's drinking from her, she's trying to help rehabilitate him, but Stefan is my soul mate.
Damon turns in his sleep, taking her pillow and squeezing it against him – Elena notices how his face is so relaxed in his slumber, he's beautiful.
It doesn't matter. Stefan has chosen, and whether I'd planned it or not, I am with Damon now. Stefan was right when he said Damon would keep me safe and love me – I just hope I can love him in the way he deserves.
Elena closed her journal and set it on her bedside table, then slipped back into bed with Damon, happy with her commitment. Damon was a good man, reckless but good, and Elena smiled sleepily as she laid her head on his bicep and felt her body relax in his arms.
"Everything good?" Damon's voice was raspy with sleep.
Elena nodded in response as he pulled her closer to his body. It'd never been like this between them and Damon couldn't have imagined how content it felt to hold her like this. It had been so long since he'd experienced anything like it – not since Katherine – and he wondered if that was the reason he couldn't completely believe it. As a form of self-protection, Damon had learned to question all things from all people, and as much as he wanted to believe that Elena wanted him, something felt off. He watched as her brow relaxed and her breathing slowed and shallowed, the muscles of her body letting ago as she fell asleep in his arms. Her beauty was without question, and it sometimes took him by surprise how she could appear so innocent and untouched, yet still cause his blood to heat with desire for her. Gently kissing her hair, Damon sent a silent thank you into the universe, and prayed to a God he wasn't sure he even believed in anymore, asking for the strength to believe in her.
CHAPTER 6
Caroline stood quietly, listening to Klaus pick apart the art displayed on the cold gallery walls. He was more than she could have imagined when she agreed to help Stefan by leading him on and keeping close tabs on his movements and whereabouts. She often found herself in amazement of just how capable and intelligent he was, and even more surprising, a gentleman in all senses of the word. Sure, Klaus had tried a few advances, but a simple 'no' and he would cool off and back down – no pressure, no questions asked. In moments like these, when his eyes were alight with the joy he found in art, it was extremely difficult to remember that he was the enemy – Klaus is the 'big bad wolf' of Mystic Falls.
"Come," Klaus commanded, taking her by the hand with a beaming smile upon his face that seemed to glitter with the overhead lights reflecting off his blond stubble. "I have to show you my favorite piece…"
Returning his smile, Caroline wondered what it was going to be like when she turns him over to Stefan. There was only a few days left – tomorrow Thanksgiving week would start and by Wednesday afternoon she would be finished with her mid-terms and preparing to board the flight to Italy. When did Stefan plan on moving into action? How much longer would do I have with him before he learns that I've played him for the entire summer? – She wondered.
"It's beautiful, yes?" Klaus squeezed her hand, not noticing that she was lost in her thoughts.
Caroline nodded in agreement, looking towards the painting in front of them, without really taking in its various shades of golds, ambers, and yellows. Klaus moved a bit closer, inspecting the brush strokes in the abstract oil painting, still holding her hand in his. The expression on his face catching her eye. In this light, in this room filled with beauty, Klaus looked childlike. Caroline felt her heart flutter as she visually traced the gentle curve of his nose, his full lips that seemed to smile with such ease, the chestnut lashes that cradled his glittering aqua blue eyes… something deep within her tightened with anxiety. For a moment, Caroline was confused – unsure what it was that was causing her heart beat to quicken and her muscles to tense. "Its like the artist captured a ray of a summer mornings sunlight. That's why it's my favorite" Klaus' words were sincere, so full of honesty that they seemed to wrap Caroline in warmth. When she didn't respond, Klaus turned to look at her, "it reminds me of you…"
And with his words, she came to understand the emotion that seemed to absorb her entire being when she thought of Klaus' impending death – it was love.
"Darling?" Klaus cupped his free hand to her face as Caroline's eyes filled with heavy tears. "What is the matter?"
Caroline's mind fought with her heart, trying desperately to suppress her feelings for him, trying to remind herself of Tyler and the love she felt for him and how he was trying so hard to fight for her by breaking his sire-bond. Yet, looking into Klaus' concerned face and feeling the touch of his hand on her cheek, she knew it was no use, she'd fallen in love with the monster she was trying to kill.
"Have I done something?" Klaus questioned, his thumb grazing ever so lightly across her bottom lip.
Caroline nodded, and then wrapped her arms around his neck. "I hate you for this, Klaus."
"What?" He laughed uneasily, resting his hands on her waist. "You don't like the painting?"
"I love - it." She sighed, burying her face in his chest.
"Then what is it, sweetheart?"
Caroline swallowed hard, "You…" She felt the internal struggle tearing her apart as tears fell from her eyes and absorbed into Klaus' grey shirt. "You've tricked me into loving you and I hate you for it."
"Have I?" She could hear the smile in his voice, "You love me?" Klaus squeezed her tightly, and even though she hated herself for it, she felt so safe in his arms. "No one has ever loved me, Caroline."
Klaus' held her against him, the length of his body enveloping Caroline in a whirlwind of emotions. With lungs tightly squeezed with anxiety, Klaus smiled. It wasn't some sort of weird line, Caroline knew, Klaus had never truly been loved by anyone other than his siblings and even that was a dysfunctional love. His father had a deep rooted hate for Klaus, his mother cared for him but the dishonor that plagued her when she thought of Klaus, of the adulterous affair that led to Klaus' half vampire-half werewolf genes, it kept her from being able to love Klaus in the way a mother should love her son. Other than that, there had only been Tatiana, the original doppelganger, who played Klaus and Elijah against one another – much the way Katherine, and now Elena, have played between the Salvatore's.
"I know." Caroline sighed, silently cursing herself for losing all self control and allowing these feelings to develop in the first place. She pulled away from him and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against a bare white wall for support. "I know, and that's why I'm telling you how I feel." Caroline swallowed, hoping that Klaus wouldn't lose his mind at what she was about to say. "But you have to understand that I'm still with Tyler."
Fear crept through her nerve endings as she watched him turn into Klaus the big bad, his brow lowered and his eyes burnt with a clouded, dark emotion, his nostrils flaring slightly. Klaus took a breath, as if to speak, but instead he clenched his jaw and his stare smoldered through her – saying nothing.
Mentally, Caroline took hold of herself – you've worked him for months now, you've got his.
With an exaggerated sigh, Caroline put her hands on her hips and looked at Klaus, displaying her best annoyed performance. "Oh jeez, Klaus… calm down."
After a long moment, Klaus shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his black jeans, breaking their stare and looking at the shiny cream tiled floor. Caroline felt terrible for scolding him; he wasn't mad, he was hurt. "As many similarities as I see between Stefan and I, this is not one of them, Caroline." His voice was quiet and it quivered a bit when he said her name. His mentioning Stefan reminded her once more that this would soon be over – whether she loved him or not. "I don't share what's mine."
Though her heart fluttered with joy at the thought of being his, she rolled her eyes mockingly. "I'm not yours Klaus, technically you've been trying to woo me away from Tyler… so you're more like Damon." She smiled knowingly; Klaus hated Damon.
"Ah sweetheart, it would appear that way…" Klaus strolled across the room – the short glimpse of hurt Klaus quickly replaced with the normal, cocky and handsome vampire - placing his hand above Caroline's head and leaning into her, "but I'm pretty sure I'm Stefan in this scenario, because I know I'm going to win out over that half-blood hybrid of yours."
She shivered with unease, "Elena is with Damon, Klaus."
"For now, but I'm Stefan because he's the right one for her, he's the best choice… the way he loves her is eternal" he whispered, leaning further into her personal space and placing his lips against her ear, "and a love like that never dies."
His voice trembled down her skin as her body reacted to the light cologne on his body and the warmth of his skin so close to hers. She could read between the lines, he may have been talking about Damon and Stefan and Elena, but the meaning of his words was something entirely different. Caroline bit her lip and looked up at him through her lashes, his steel blue eyes ablaze with desire for her and his lips slightly parted – so sexy… just a few more days, Caroline, you can do this. "We'll see about that."
"Are we making a wager on this then? Who'll win Elena's heart?" Klaus asked playfully, pulling away from her a bit as he brushed her blond hair away from her neck.
"mmmm" Caroline closed her eyes, relishing in his intimate touch. "If I win, you give me some time to figure all of this out."
"When I win," Klaus spoke confidently; his accent dancing into her ears, "you're mine..."His voice turned ominous with those two words and Caroline was suddenly concerned that she may have cracked the lid of Pandora's Box.
"Midterms…" Rory groaned as a greeting as she took a seat next to Elena. The week had been pretty rough, with two tests on Monday, one on Tuesday, and a test and a 15 page paper on relational cohesion due today, she'd hardly had any time to hang out with Caroline and Matt, much less see Damon.
It helped that he was staying at an apartment in the college district, but he didn't really understand that she needed to study. College and classes and homework were just not on Damon's radar. From what she knew about him from before he became a vampire, he didn't seem too interested in furthering his education then either. Elena loved going to class, being part of whole experience, gaining knowledge and learning to decipher and interoperate the information – she'd always been a bit of an over achiever, but she really wanted to do well and graduate with as close to a 4.0 as she could. So, even though Damon complained, she had to study and that meant he had to find something else to keep him busy.
Waiting on the professor to arrive, Elena found herself daydreaming a bit, thinking about how good things had been with Damon over the past few weeks. Sure, he was a little controlling, and it seemed that more than once he'd 'joked' about her becoming a vampire, too… but all in all, things were just easy and light hearted. They'd laid off having sex at her suggestion; Elena wanted to really give their relationship a try and in order for it to work for her, she would need to start at the beginning. Damon didn't seem to care for the idea, but didn't put up too much of a fight. Their only real argument was about how much time Elena spent on her school work and studying. He left her dorm in quite a huff just the night before after she had to sternly tell him that her priorities championed a high GPA and not learning how to day drink with him down at the Lucky Irishman Grille & Spirits – he's latest hang out. They knew him by name, and more than once, Elena noticed the young blond bartender favoring him over her other customers.
"He's got 5 minutes, and I'm outta here" She overheard a guy say from behind her. "You know, the 15 minute rule applies to the day before Thanksgiving break too."
"Yea, I've got a plane to catch. Just want to hurry up and fail this test and head out." Another joked.
"Are you going home?" Rory asked, she'd settled in and was flipping through her finished mid-term paper.
"Yea, my …." What is Damon boyfriend? "my, boy.." She stuttered over her words; boyfriend just didn't seem to fit, yet. "I'm riding home with a couple of friends. You?"
Rory started to respond, but was interrupted by the entrance of their professor "Put up all of your notes and books, it's time to get this mid-term over and done with!"
Damon: Text me when you're done, I'll swing by and get you from your dorm
Elena: What about Matt
Damon:…. Fine, him too. What time?
Elena smiled to herself, as much as he tried to act like he didn't care for Caroline and Matt and Bonnie, Elena knew different… atleast she hoped he cared for them.
Elena: 5ish – Matt has a late class. xo
Damon: CU then.
Smiling, Elena switched off her cell phone and slid it into her backpack. Once this class was over, she'd be free for the rest of the day, giving her a couple of hours to grab lunch and freshen up before their trip home.
Elena sat her pencil down, looking over the sporadically filled bubbles of her scantron; relief washing over her as she smiled with confidence. A loud sigh from Rory told her that she wasn't have quite as easy of a time, but then again, Elena had really studied for her midterms. More than once she'd seen Rory leaving campus this week, dressed for a college pub rather than hours in the library.
Standing to gather her things, Elena slung her red backpack on her shoulder and pulled her cell from it's from pocket and pressed the power button, knowing she'd probably missed a text or two from Damon and Caroline.
"All done." Elena chimed, placing her scantron on her professor's desk and handing him the clear-covered plastic report cover that held her paper.
"Have a nice weekend." Without looking up from his Wall Street Journal, Professor Carroll mumbled through his thick grey mustache, the yellowed hair around his upper lip a tell-tale sign of his nicotine addiction.
"Happy Thanksgiving" Elena smiled, then headed towards the exit, ready to spend her first long weekend away from school hanging out with Bonnie & Jeremy, and Damon. Weird double date ahead Elena laughed to herself.
Sure, Jeremy had his neck broken by Damon once, and received a minor concussion from another encounter– and Bonnie had suffered numerous transgressions at Damon's hands, but Elena was confident that they would have a great weekend. Damon has turned over a new leaf, he's not as… maniacal. He's much more calm, happier even. Elena practiced her speech as she trekked across campus, the cool fall breeze kicking her hair up behind her. He's much sweeter, and kinder… and we've been spending a lot of time together. Hanging out watching movies and talking and having … fun. In all actuality, Damon is starting to feel a bit boring. Elena shook her head, trying to unthink what she'd said about Damon. But it was true, dark and intimidating Damon was always planning, scheming, looking for a thrill. Lately, Damon had settled into a rhythm with Elena – Walk her to class, meet her for dinner afterwards, hang out for a couple of hours, go home.
Never would I have imagined myself complaining about things not being exciting enough with Damon Salvatore. Elena rolled her eyes at the thought of domesticated Damon Salvatore as she unlocked the door to her dorm.
"E-ley-nah" Klaus purred her name from the couch in the common room. His voice setting her nerves on edge before her eyes could even recognize him.
Her heart sank, Klaus waiting for her, with that look in his eyes, something was not right.
"Klaus." She responded as a greeting, hoping to present herself in a cool and calm manner.
Maybe he's waiting for Caroline…
"I've been waiting for you."
How does he do that? He always seems to know what I'm thinking.
"Oh?" Elena smiled, dropping her bag next to the arm chair and standing behind it, consciously keeping the piece of furniture between them. "What's up? Damon's on his way to get me…" Her voice sounded a bit shaky, but she hoped that Klaus didn't catch the small sign of weakness, and that the mention of Damon's impending arrival, even thought it would be at least two more hours, might be enough to ward him off. "We're heading out of town."
Klaus gave her a thin smile and Elena wondered again just how in the world Caroline seemed to be warming up to him – he was the epitome of evil.
After a silent moment, Klaus stood "Oh good, then you've already got your bags packed."
STEFAN'S POV
Ominous, that just doesn't explain the aura of this place. There are ancient ruins surrounding me, holding more history in the stone pillars of the various temples than any book or text that could be held in my hands. Unconsciously, my hand reaches to touch the crumbling stone, the roughness against my fingers sending the equivalent of an electric shock up my arm and into my chest.
"It's no place for your kind." Lindsey scorns me, pushing my arm against my torso.
Her touch bothers me a bit, so I try to keep us on track. "Which one is Neptune?"
Lindsey looks at me with a bit of frustration in her deep brown eyes, I wasn't much good for company these last few days, with all of my plans coming so close to fruition; Klaus, Rebekah, and Caroline are expected late Thursday and would be landing, with Tomas and Ana, on Friday. "I'm sorry if I seem a bit short" She sighed, "but I'm very concerned about all of this, Stefan."
I purse my lips, again uncomfortable with how close she is standing to me and the way she looks up at me through her lashes. She is a beautiful girl, with perfect olive skin and a gentle curl in her long chestnut hair, but for so many reasons I know I am not able to return her hopes for romantic relationship.
"It's going to be fine," I grasp her small shoulder, the only place I can think of to touch her without sending the wrong message. "I don't have the best track record with my 'get Klaus' plans, but I never had this kind of help before." I smile confidently. I'm not lying, the help of Lindsey and her sister, and Cruz and his two friends, all witches, is making me feel quite confident about our plan.
Lindsey's face seems to relax a bit, she must agree with me that I have gathered a very strong offensive team. "This one is Hera, and that smaller one is the second Temple of Hera. Then there is Poseidon – with the flat roof… and down there," She stands on her tip toes, points to the largest of the ruins a few hundred yards away, "that is Neptune"
"Neptune…" I say so quietly, I'm not sure I even heard myself.
The power that these temples hold is almost tangible, to me at least. I'm not sure if the 10 or 15 tourists scattered around us can feel it, but it's radiating from the grass and the top soil, through the thick soles of my boots and up the muscles of my legs. I can only describe it as a tremor of force, almost like a magnetic pull, yet with a slight warmth. I'd like to say that my stiff lungs and urge to gasp for breath, somewhat like a drowning man, is due to my healthy fear of the powers of nature wielded by witchcraft, but I cannot shake the thought that this land is warning me to leave. I follow behind Lindsey, noticing that the wind is picking up by the way her red sun dress is blowing against her legs when I step on one of the many jagged edged white rocks erratically protruding from the stiff, dead grass of early winter, and lose my balance.
"Stefan." She turns to me, scolds me again, and a few of the tourists look over at me – I'm not sure if it was my stumble or Lindsey's reprimand that gets their attention, but I can feel myself break out into a cold sweat with their eyes on me and the indignant land urging me to retreat.
"Sega, sega…" I apologize in my best Italian, straightening myself and moving towards the Temple of Neptune with determined steps.
Lindsey catches up to me, breathing a bit quicker and I'm hoping that she's not as nervous as I am. "It's dated 460BCE. Neptune is the most well-preserved Temple of Paestum" She continues to give me a history lesson on the Temple as we close the distance and my body does it's best to halt itself. My neck muscles are straining, my chest heavy and making it harder for lungs to expand, the hair on my arms is standing on end, and my eyes are watering from a slight burn. "Are you okay?" Lindsey asks, stepping in front of me to stop my unwavering march.
"What? Why?" I gasp, again I can't seem to get enough oxygen. Lindsey doesn't answer me, just gives me a look of disbelief. "I can feel it, Lindsey." I say quietly, my eyes darting around for signs of an eavesdropper. "Whatever the history of this place, it's not happy with me being here…"
"You don't think Klaus is going to notice the foreboding vibe?"
"Not if I can get him drunk enough that he doesn't feel much of anything…" I shove my fists into the pockets of my leather jacket. "Now, show me so I can get the hell out of here."
Lindsey looks me up and down, as if she's checking me for defects or signs of failure, then with a loud huff "Ok, come on and don't touch anything."
Damon sat in his car, phone in hand, shaking his leg nervously. He needed a drink, bourbon or blood, either would suffice, and the endless waiting for Elena and Matt was beginning to rub him the wrong way. After the second unanswered, and not yet returned call, He'd decided not to try again – I may be willing to give up everything about me to be with her, but I'm not going to appear whipped AND desperate. But now that it was good and dark, the old-world styled street lamps glowing at full power, Damon began to feel more worried than angry.
Damon: Where are you?
Maybe she forgot the plans, or her phone. I bet her phone died and she doesn't even know I'm down here.
Damon waited until the Whitesnake song finished playing, allowing Elena a minute or two to respond, then switched off the ignition of his Camero. As he gracefully climbed out of the low sitting classic car, he heard Matt call for him.
"Oh man, thank God y'all haven't left yet," He was wearing a pair of sweats and a blue hoodie, and his face was covered in beads of sweat. "I ran all the way over here." Damon looked at him for a long moment, pushing away the thought of getting the drink he'd been craving. "Elena would've killed me…" Matt sighed, bending over and resting his hands on his knees. Yea, me too, Damon smirked to himself at the passing thought of feeding on Matt.
"Did it take you extra long to read your test questions?" Damon jabbed
Matt huffed, sucking in a big breath of air then blowing it out and O shaped mouth with a grimace on his face. "Ha," he scoffed, "coach called a quick practice. Which was basically a sprinting session. These side stitches are killing me." Matt grabbed at his side. "I sent Elena a text, but she never responded so I wasn't sure if you guys would wait."
Damon's eyebrows raised, "You haven't talked to her? Did you see her at all today?"
Matt shook his head no.
No need to freak out, Damon. She's upstairs waiting on you, her phone is dead. Damon told himself, taking off in a steady pace into the building, trying not to seem overly concerned as Matt followed. Klaus and Caroline are probably in Italy by now, Rebekah is with them, and that accounts for Stefan. Damon pressed the 5 button on the elevator, knowing that Matt wouldn't be able to handle the stairs in his exasperated condition. So that leaves… Katherine. Where has she been? I wonder what she'll say when she finds out that I got the girl…
The elevator stopped on the third floor and a short, red haired, human got on and pressed the 4 button – Damon rolled his eyes at yet another interruption. Damon Salvatore won the girl, sort of. We aren't really doing a whole lot more than we did before, but we have, and we will. Katherine will go ape shit!
The elevator stopped at four to let the red-headed hobbit off. I can't wait to tell Katherine. I should give her a call, a little Mystic Falls update. But then again, I'd like to see the expression on her face… Damon smirked to himself, thinking about Katherine's dark chocolate eyes widening with jealousy. Before the elevator doors opened to the fifth floor, his thoughts had drifted across the NC17 limits.
"Hmm, I see you two have been left to find your own entertainment." Rebekah's pouty lips curled over her words, snapping Damon out of his daydream. "How about a drink?"
"Ugh, I can't say I blame him, surely Klaus doesn't need his little sister playing tag while he's trying to put his thousand year old vampire moves on Caroline." Damon jabbed as he stepped out of the elevator and towards Elena's room.
"Looks Elena felt the same about having you around?" Damon stopped and turned towards Rebekah, standing in the elevator entrance, resting her hand against the frame. "How does it feel to know she's going to spend the weekend with Stefan?"
Damon felt his body fill with rage, all the while his heart ached with pain and jealousy. "What are you saying?
Rebekah tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I'm saying Elena went with Klaus and Caroline. Looks like the little doppleganger chose the better Salvatore brother after all."
CHAPTER 7
Caroline was moving quickly, rummaging through bags and bags of clothes, trying to find something for Elena to wear. She'd had a major argument with Klaus, hiccup number one on their plan, about him kidnapping Elena and bringing her along for their Italy trip, hiccup number two. Stefan was going to freak out, and may even cancel the whole thing all together. She knew the moment she semi-agreed to the bet with Klaus in the Boston art gallery that something was going to go wrong because of it. Now here they were, in a rented steel grey limousine, ie taken via compulsion, rushing down Corso Vittorio Emanuele with Elena finally beginning to show some signs of life. All in order for Klaus to get Stefan and Elena back together, in his mind sealing the deal between himself and Caroline. Little did he know, so long as Stefan didn't back out, he wouldn't be around to find out. So, in order to stay on track and, hopefully, show Stefan that this could be done even with Elena in the mix, Caroline was going to bring Elena along to the first point of contact – a club in downtown Naples where Stefan had planned to start the weekend of binging on music, blood, and most importantly, strong liquor – Just a weekend get away for a few friends, not a diabolical plan four months in the making!
Caroline saw Elena's eyes begin to flicker open and made a quick evaluation of her – her hair needed brushing and she looked pretty groggy, but like usual, Elena was naturally pretty so it wouldn't take too much work to get her ready. Klaus had provided plenty of euro for Caroline to pick up a couple of things for her, and she'd spent the last few hours shopping while Elena slept off whatever drug Klaus used to knock her out.
"What's going on? Where are we… Caroline?" Elena was still a bit dizzy and her words were slightly slurred, but her adrenaline was beginning to wake her. "Who's limousine is this?" Caroline tossed a dark garment her way without looking up or acknowledging Elena's questions. "Caroline!"
"Elena you've got to just shut up and let me think okay, just be quiet." Caroline spoke quickly in a tone of voice that told Elena that she was feeling a bit frantic. "Just let me… here!" Caroline tossed a pair of red heels into Elena's lap. "Get dressed."
"What? NO." Elena looked around, wondering how she'd got here and where here was. The limo was moving and through the heavily tinted windows Elena could see other cars as they passed them… the limousine was driving very fast and the strange street lamps blurred by quickly. "Tell me what's going on!" Elena demanded
Caroline groaned with impatience, "We're in Naples. Klaus drugged you or something and brought you here, Stefan is going to kill Klaus... er neutralize, or whatever" She wished that she could have been more friendly about it, but Stefan was with Klaus and they couldn't have been more than a few minutes away from Akab Cave. Suiting that a bunch of vampires were meeting at a trance club built in a cave in Italy, Caroline thought to herself as she grabbed her make up bag and turned to begin working on Elena, mentally preparing herself for what was sure to be an eventful evening.
At first, Elena's senses numbed – the bass, the electronic music, the sheer blackness of the space abruptly interrupted with flashing stage lights of various shades of red and purple – but as her eyes began to adjust she could see that the vast space was wall to wall with a pulsating group of people. They seemed to all move in flow with the heavy beat that hit so hard it slightly distorted her vision with every drop. They moved together, clapped in synch with the track, and Elena instantly felt abuzz with energy. She'd never been in a club like this and the energy crept up her legs and radiated in her chest, filling her with adrenaline and excitement.
Caroline yelled "Follow me!" but her voice was swallowed by the music and Elena only picked up what she said by reading her lips. Caroline took Elena's hand and began to snake through the crowd. Elena couldn't help but allow her body to move to the music a bit – it was as if the room, the crowd, and the music was taking her over. The crowd was so thick that the people seemed faceless; a deep mixture of entangled bodies alive in the moment and the almost tangible music that surged through them. Elena wanted to stop right in the middle of the mob, join them, allow herself to be swallowed by the sheer volume of it all. When Caroline stopped at the edge of the crowd, Elena's eyes were still watching everyone on the floor and she bumped into her. Laughing, Elena turned to apologize to Caroline when her eyes fell upon the face of the man she had tried so hard to forget.
Stefan was sitting at a raised table, his arm around Klaus's shoulder as he leaned over the table a bit – speaking to Klaus, and two other guys Elena had never seen before. Klaus saw Caroline and Elena and stood, offering his hand to Caroline to help her up the three steps that led to their VIP table and off of the dance floor. Stefan seemed to have finished his sentence and looked over at Caroline, and then Elena, his bright and beautiful smile spread across his Roman-style face. The moment his eyes landed on Elena, his smile faded into something else, something Elena couldn't quite read.
He was exquisite, she thought. In this environment, with the beats drumming in her lungs, just looking at him in his black leather jacket and gray vneck shirt made muscles deep in her torso tighten. Klaus pulled Stefan closer, grasping his shoulders roughly – like the way brothers would - and said something in his ear while gesturing towards Elena – the ever changing lights casting the two vampires in shades of red, blue, purple, and green. Caroline made her way up the stairs and took a seat between one of the unknowns and Klaus, but Elena was frozen in Stefan's gaze.
The music seemed to start to skip, each misread accentuated with a deep bass beat, then – just as Stefan stood, pulling off his jacket – it picked back up, but this time the music was grungier, almost dirty, with an intensity that Elena couldn't quite describe, except that it fit how she felt at that moment exactly. A woman's voice moaned in and out of volume in what Elena figured was Italian. Stefan brought his glass to his mouth, taking in the remaining amount of amber liquid, all the while he seemed to be evaluating Elena – starting with her face, down her body, across her legs and back up again. His eyes made her feel small, her temperature rising with each passing second. Self-consciously, Elena's hands moved to smooth her clothing, tugging at the black lace fabric of the tank top Caroline let her borrow.
Why did I let her talk me into this ridiculous outfit? Elena questioned, wondering what Stefan thought of the layered red tank peeking through the black lace & plunging deep v top. She'd never dressed so scandalous before and was fearful that Stefan would think that she was trying too hard with the black mini and sky high red heels.
Stepping down, Stefan stood inches from Elena's body, looking down at her as she gazed up at him. The slightest movement from either of them and their lips would have touched. His eyes smiled at her even though his face was blank. Elena couldn't keep from looking at his lips – slightly wet from his drink and the lights of the club accentuating their shape. Her mouth began to water for his kiss.
Stefan slid his fingers between hers and stepped into the crowd. Once out of sight from Klaus and the others, Stefan stopped and pulled Elena against him, wrapping an arm around her back and pressing her torso against his. They began to move, slowly finding a steady sensual rhythm with the pulsating bass.
The way Stefan moved, the electric response her skin gave as his hands slid across her back, hips, thighs, even the slight part of his lips told Elena that he wanted her, and try as she might, she could not ignore that she wanted him as well. Stefan moved behind her, pressing his body against her swaying hips. Elena closed her eyes and leaned into him. When she felt his breath against her ear, then the warm wetness of his mouth below her ear lobe, her body trembled. Never had she felt more alive and aroused. As he kissed her skin, Stefan moved his hand to her chin and tilted her face towards him. For a moment, Elena expected to feel him kiss her mouth, but when it didn't happen, she opened her eyes.
Being so close to him, she was able to figure out the expression he'd had on his face when he saw her standing in the crowd – fear. Holding her so close, she could see it more clearly now; his brow somewhat furrowed and green eyes slightly widened.
"Everyone you see here is a vampire, Elena." Stefan said into her ear.
Elena felt Stefan's hand slide around her waist, grabbing her hip and turning her to face him, her hands landing on his chest. He leaned into her – to all others it was if he was kissing her neck and caressing her body, but Elena could feel his tense muscles and knew that this erotic show was for looks and to get close enough to her to warn her. "When did you last have vervain?"
Elena swallowed hard, still thrown off by the intensity of the way he was holding her, and now terrified by the fact that she was the only human in a room full of intoxicated and adrenaline filled vampires. She had no idea how long she'd been unconscious. She quickly tried to do the math in her head. I had vervained tea on Tuesday afternoon, none before I saw Klaus on Wednesday. A flight from the US to Italy was what, like 10 hours… then additional travel time to and from the airport? "A couple of days I guess…"
"I need it to look like you're my human. Like I brought you here. Like you belong to me, okay?" Stefan pulled back to look into her eyes, his hand touching her face and thumb grazing her bottom lip. Elena knew that this kind of PDA was out of Stefan's character, but she knew him well enough to know that he wasn't this good of an actor. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the touches, the kisses, the sexual tension – it was all real.
Elena wrapped her arms around his neck lightly, then slid her body down his, running her hands down to the waist of his dark jeans, then stood again as she slid the tips of her fingers behind his belt buckle. "I am yours."
Stefan swallowed hard. Elena was incredibly sexy and after not being with her, or even seeing her, in so long, her every move seemed to intoxicate him. She seemed much more like a woman that when he'd left for Italy only a few months earlier. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her, leave with her, take her back to his home and make love to her… but he couldn't. Not now. He wasn't sure what Klaus was up to by brining Elena along – maybe he was just trying to be a good friend, "A gift from back home" just like he said when he gestured towards Elena and Caroline… - or maybe he was suspicious and wanted to have Elena near as collateral. If Klaus wanted proof that Stefan had changed… let go of his "doppelganger fantasy" as Klaus put it, and was all in, Stefan would be sure to give it to him. This was not the time to go easy or half way, in just over 48 hours Klaus would no longer be a threat and there wasn't much that was going to get in Stefan's way. He had to admit though, putting on this show for Elena's protection wasn't the worst thing he'd ever done, yet he knew his heart would pay for it once it was all over and she found her way back to Damon.
Stefan put his hands around Elena's face, kissing the corner of her mouth gently while his eyes flew across the vampires crowded around them, wondering how long it would be before they realized a human was in their midst. A beautiful human – with warm, red, citrus flavored blood, Stefan shook the thought from his head. Even if the other vampires hadn't smelt her yet, being so close to her body, his mouth inches from her veins, Stefan's thoughts were muddled with making love to her and the taste of her blood on his tongue. It was impossible for him to want anyone or anything more than he did at that moment – the instinctual, erotic need that her body could fulfill & the guttural, sensual craving her blood would satisfy.
Elena leaned into him, flicking her tongue across his bottom lip – if he wanted the room to know she belonged to him, she would convince them, Elena decided. She followed the beat with her hips, turning her body into his, running her hands across his muscular chest and strong arms. Stefan was having trouble concentrating as she danced against him – fighting off his urges, but when he turned his head from her, trying to regain his sensibility, he could see Klaus. He was standing with Caroline dancing in front of him, his eyes burning into Stefan, evaluating.
Stefan protectively moved between Elena and Klaus' gaze – he would need to step it up in order to keep Klaus from second guessing their renewed friendship. Grabbing her arm, Stefan shoved Elena against a concrete pillar that held up the roof. His body pinned her against it and he stopped just short of kissing her. Elena had never been with Stefan, or anyone else in such a submissive way. She liked it. She liked having Stefan pulling her and grabbing her and pinning her. With anyone else, it would have been a turn off, scary even, but with Stefan it was just rough enough not to hurt and just dangerous enough to be naughty. "Klaus is watching." He groaned into her ear as she nuzzled into the curve of his neck.
Elena ran her hand across the back of his head, his short hair slipping between her fingers. "Am I not being convincing enough?" she teased with a smile
Stefan couldn't help but return her smile.
"It's not you…" Stefan swallowed, conflicting emotions rumbling through him – he wasn't convincing enough. While he was very much in tune with his human desires for Elena, what the others in the club would be looking for, what would convince them that she was his property and not to be messed with, would be for him to allow his vampire cravings take over. It was so easy, effortless – holding her so closely and the sound of her heart beating quickly with desire for him, Stefan's eyes began to turn and fangs protruded from his gums. "I'm going to have to feed from you."
Elena stiffened in his arms. She knew very well how Stefan turned into a different man, a different type of being, when he ingested human blood. "No, Stefan…" He won't be able to stop, he would go too far… Elena tried to move from his embrace, but he was holding her tightly. It had been so long since she'd seen his face like this and it was terrifying. The grass green eyes that she could stare into for hours were gone, replaced with the deep blood red eyes of a predator. The way his lips twitched to pull back over his razor sharp fangs, ready to rip into her skin – it was no longer Stefan pressing himself against her, but the ripper who'd killed so many, ripping their bodies into pieces as he filled himself with their blood. "Stefan, don't do this."
"Elena…" he sighed, leaning into her, grazing the tips of his fangs against her neck. "I have to." His voice was sultry and seducing, deep and penetrating. She wasn't sure if he felt he had to as a way of claiming her as his property, to satisfy whatever Klaus was looking for, or if he had to because he couldn't help himself. Elena pushed against his chest as hard as she could, using all of her strength to get away from him, but it didn't seem to move him at all. "Stop fighting." Stefan groaned into her ear as he placed grabbed at the back of her hair, pulling her head back and tilting it to the side in order to open her neck to his mouth. The way she was trying to fight him off did nothing to help him keep control, if anything, it made his mouth beg for her blood even more.
"Please Stefan, please don't!" She cried, unable to move under his body. Her whimper seemed to snap him out of a trance and when he moved back a bit to look at her, Elena freed her hand and pushed his face away. Without knowing his own strength, Stefan grabbed her wrist hard and held her arm against the wall.
"Elena, I'm not going to hurt you!" He growled at her. Looking into her frightened eyes, Stefan felt his humanity fighting to come to the surface. "In my left pocket is a vervain needle I was going to use on Klaus – get it." Stefan released her arm and gently cradled her face, trying to keep up the rouse. "If you start to feel like you're going to pass out, use it on me." His eyes begged for her trust.
Elena looked at his face for a moment, trying desperately to find her Stefan beneath the predators' eyes and blood thirsty fangs. "Elena, I can do this. Please, trust me." Stefan had no choice. He could still feel Klaus looking at them and had noticed a couple of the vampires around them turning their attention towards Elena – picking up her racing heart and scent of her blood. After a long moment, he felt her hand slip into his pocket, a silent way of giving him permission. The thrill of knowing he would have her blood raged through him and his throat tightened with anticipation. They're eyes still locked with one anothers, Stefan's full of hunger and Elena on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry." He said with a small smile, then moved to her neck and opened his mouth, stopping for a moment, with his fangs pressing against her skin. It was the most painful pleasure he'd ever felt. He didn't want to hurt her, not again. Yet, deep down this was his true nature, and he could not deny it. He truly felt as though he had no choice. Yet he was enjoying, relishing in Elena's racing heartbeat and soft, salty skin against his tongue. Slowly, he bit down, penetrating her neck and her warm, flavorful blood spilled into his mouth and Elena flinched in his embrace. The taste was unique and delicious and, unlike when Klaus compelled him, this time he could enjoy it, savor the flavors of citrus and iron. Stefan swallowed her blood, and his body reacted immediately with a slight tremor. Stefan sucked the liquid into his mouth again, filling his cheeks and taking a large swallow.
Elena felt her legs begin to weaken just as Stefan took a third long and slow pull from her neck, "Stefan, stop…" She sighed. Stefan swallowed and pulled away from her, head down and eyes on the two small, bleeding holes he'd created. He was breathing hard, Elena noticed, watching his chest rise and fall. Elena relaxed, it wasn't that bad, she thought, and Stefan didn't seem to have trouble stopping.
"I can't…" Stefan growled, moving against her again. "I want.." He spoke breathlessly. Elena wanted to scream, but knew that drawing the attention of the vampire crowd would do her more harm than good. Stefan hesitated at her neck, kissing and licking at a couple of drops that ran down her collar bone.
Elena took hold of his face, ready to beg him to stop, try to remind him that he didn't want to hurt her, but when he turned to face her she was met with his sultry green eyes and straight teeth – no fangs or hint of blood. Elena's brow furrowed with confusion. Stefan pushed her hair back from her face rested his forehead on hers – the tips of their noses nearly grazing. "I want you so badly, Elena."
With his dark cravings fulfilled, his mind was barraged with the thought of her body entangled with his. Thrown off guard a bit, Elena's face blushed with the realization that he was not putting on a show, he wanted her. He moved to kiss her, but stopped just short "…I can't do this."
"Stefan, it's okay." Elena smiled, cupping his face. "I want this… I love –" Stefan moved away and took off toward the exit, pulling her by the hand.
The fresh air hit her like a splash of cold water. Stefan let go of her hand once they had a bit of distance from the clubs entrance, crossing his arms over his chest. After so long together, going through so much, Elena knew this was how he was closed himself off. "Stefan?" She asked, reaching for him – he stepped back.
"Elena, you aren't mine… not anymore." Stefan's voice was low and filled with hurt.
"I am yours." Elena said sternly. "I get to decide this, Stefan. Not you." She tried to stand taller, in some hope of making herself look more serious, more powerful. "I love you and you love me and I won't let you deny that!"
"You're right, I love you Elena. I've tried and I've tried but above all else the only thing that I know is that I love you." Stefan's voice began to raise as he spoke. "Do you know how painful this is? To love someone like I love you?"
"Painful," She laughed sarcastically. "I've watched you nearly kill yourself, nearly killed me! I've been there while you struggled with your past and with your addiction! Yes, I know Stefan, I know!"
"No, no… you don't have any idea how much I love you…" Stefan's voice was raw, hiding nothing.
"What do you mean?" She tried, but failed, to keep her voice down. "I love –"
"You chose him!" Stefan locked his eyes on her, his face contorting with anger or pain, she couldn't tell which. "Elena, you chose Damon." Stefan stepped away from her, ran both hands through his hair, and without looking up at her for fear seeing her would break him, he added, "How can you say you love me when you love Damon?"
Until that moment, Elena hadn't really understood just how much it hurt Stefan to know she cared for Damon. It took a few seconds for her pain to develop a response, and even then, it wasn't a very good one. "I don't…" Elena couldn't lie to him, she did love Damon. "I don't know." She paused. "I love him different, I guess."
"Elena, don't you see… If you felt for me the way I love you, you wouldn't have been able to fall in love with Damon, at all." His words cut at her. It sounded logical, but Elena knew it wasn't true. It was almost like there were two of her, one that loved each of the Salvatore brothers. "There is no one that I would choose over you. I would bleed myself dry if you asked me to, Elena. So maybe you don't know, but I do… you can love him, because you don't love me."
Tears began to swell in Elena's eyes. "That's not true" She said weakly, her vision blurring with the wetness clinging to her lashes.
Stefan lowered the volume of his voice to nearly a whisper, as if he was talking himself through it. "It is. And I don't blame you, Elena. I blame myself. How could you love me? I'm a monster…" Stefan ran his hands roughly across his face in an effort to keep his tears in check. "You don't love me like I love you because I'm not worthy of that kind of love."
As Caroline and Klaus came out of the club, Stefan turned away from Elena, trying to get himself together before Klaus saw him in such a weak way. "Stefan…"
"Elena! What?" Stefan growled at her, just as Klaus and Caroline came up to them. "Why did you bring her?" He turned to Klaus.
"I thought you'd want to see her." Klaus gave a friendly smile, holding Caroline's hand to his chest. "Didn't want you to feel like a third wheel."
"Take her home, Caroline." Stefan commanded, cutting his eyes at Elena. "She's more trouble than she's worth."
Caroline scowled at Stefan, but Elena knew what he was doing – he was protecting her from Klaus and whatever angle he may have been playing.
Stefan took off with Klaus following behind him, leaving Elena in tears.
CAROLINE's POV
Slipping my red pea coat over Elena's shoulders, I couldn't help but notice the marks on her neck and a bit of drying residual blood. I nearly lost my mind with anger, and a little envy even – it had been months since I had human blood.
"He bit you?" I screamed, much louder than I should have.
Immediately, I looked around in case someone heard my outburst. Luckily, most of the patrons along the cobblestone street were either too inebriated to care or were vampires and it wasn't anything new to hear. Elena didn't answer, instead she gently touched her hand to her mouth. Her fingers were shaking ever so slightly, so I decided it best to talk with her about that in the morning and just get her back to Stefan's.
"Come on, Elena." I gave my best 'everything's cool' smile and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. Klaus must have called for the driver because we didn't get thirty yards from the club before the limousine pulled up to the curb next to us. Elena looked at me as if she were in shock.
I loved living like this, I had to admit. Spending all afternoon shopping in the best boutiques, being carted around in an amazing limo, and yes, even being seen with the most powerful and most feared vampire. It didn't hurt that he was very easy on the eyes. Elena, on the other hand, seemed like she felt out of place. Come to think of it, she was.
I slipped in first, then Elena. She pretty much collapsed on the light grey leather bench seat. For a moment I worried that Stefan may have taken too much blood, but then I heard a small whimper escape her and I knew she was crying.
"Seriously?" I sighed. "We're in Naples, Italy! We're both single, sort of." I scooted over to her and laid my head on her shoulder. "What happened?"
Elena swallowed hard, wiping her face with the backs of her hands. "I don't know. I let myself get all wrapped up in that… that show. I believed for a minute that Stefan and I were going to be okay."
I raised my eyebrows and sat up to look at her. "What show? I saw the way he was holding you, the way he looked at you. Elena he is still head over heels for you. That's why Klaus brought you. He wants you and Stefan to get back together."
I proceeded to explain to Elena about our bet, leaving out the fact that I was falling in love with Klaus – her arch enemy. I told her about how Stefan had gathered an army of witches and, though I was short on details for my own safety, by the end of the weekend Klaus would no longer be a concern. She sat quietly and listened as I explained how Stefan had asked me to befriend Klaus all in the name of 'keeping your enemies closer'. "I really think he's going to do it, Elena." I smiled, though internally I was aching at the thought of losing Klaus forever. It's for the greater good, I told myself.
I'd just finished my spill when the limousine pulled up to Stefan's rented condo – all of the lights were off and I couldn't help but wonder if he and Klaus were out vamping it up at some poor human's expense.
"Is this Klaus'?" Elena took in the modern structure in front of her with a slightly opened mouth. It was too dark to see that the ocean was only a hundred yards or so in front of the glass and steel building, but I could hear and smell it with ease.
"Stefan's." I corrected her, grabbing at my cell to retrieve the text he'd sent me earlier in the day with the security code to get in.
Elena's brow furrowed and she pursed her lips, crossing her arms across her chest. "This... just doesn't seem right. It doesn't seem like Stefan, at all.'
I took Elena by the hand, not letting her fold in on herself like she does when she's upset. "Try to remember, Stefan isn't really being Elena's Stefan right now… it's all a means to an end."
CHAPTER 8
Elena woke to the smell of coffee brewing. Sitting up in the king sized bed in one of the many guest rooms of Stefan's condo, she considered laying back down, at least until dawn, but she could tell that she wouldn't be getting any more sleep. Her body was awake, her mind alert –no use putting it off. The room was large, decorated in shades of white and cream, with touches of blue for accent. Everything seemed so cold and modern, nothing at all like she would have expected Stefan's home away from home to be. The exterior walls were all glass, and she could see that the beach ran right up to the condo, the town to the north. On the white wood and brass desk sat her suitcase packed for her weekend in Mystic Falls. For the first time since she'd woke in the limo with Caroline Damon crossed her mind. She wondered if Klaus had hurt him, or if he even knew where she was. Bonnie and Jeremy, and Matt would be frantic. Standing, Elena's legs wobbled a bit and she unconsciously touched the bite on her neck. It was already nearly healed, but her body was obviously still recovering from the blood loss. She'd had nothing to drink last night, and her stomach was completely empty of food – the smell of coffee causing it to rumble with anticipation.
She pulled off the red tank top and tossed it on top of the black lace one that she'd left in the floor before she fell asleep. After putting on a fitted white tee shirt and her navy blue University of Virginia shorts - the kind you rolled down at the waist to show the orange UofV logo on the waistband– she applied a bit of coconut lime lotion to her legs and arms, ran a brush through her hair, and checked her face in the mirror hanging over the desk, making sure she'd removed all of Caroline's make up job.
Walking into the kitchen, she couldn't help but relax as her eyes examined the stunning view from the kitchen island. There was blue-black water for as far as she could see, the horizon only highlighted by the deepest shade of amethyst created by the sun hovering below the earth's sphere. If only for the view, Stefan living here made a bit more sense.
"Good morning." Stefan's voice was quiet and still a little raw from sleep. She turned quickly, surprised by his presence, and caught a glimpse of his bare, herculean stomach as he pulled on a dark green ski thermal. His jeans were unbuttoned at the top and his hair looked as if he'd just dried it with a towel – Elena's mouth watered at the sight of him. "Coffee?"
"Yes, I'm starving." She tried, but failed to pull her eyes from his body. The way his pants hung from his hips, it was almost indecent.
Stefan opened a cabinet door above the coffee machine, removed two large mugs, and filled each. "I'd make you something, but I'm headed out." He turned, placing a mug in front of Elena, then sipping at his own, his eyes were bright and, Elena noticed, somewhat playful. She wondered what he did after he left with Klaus.
"Headed out?" Elena questioned, grasping the ceramic mug with two hands and allowing it to warm her hands and arms, taking a seat on one of the six barstools surrounding the outer edge of the isle. Stefan casually leaned against it, his eyes taking her in.
"Work." The mention of his job reminded Elena of his letter, of his job at the docks, of his girlfriend, Lindsey. "But there's some food in the fridge, and just up the street is a great pastry place." He nodded to the west. Elena looked away as she wondered where Lindsey was while they sat together in his kitchen, so casual and comfortable with one another, even after everything they'd been through. "Did Klaus let your bring anything? Clothes? Phone?"
"I have my suitcase from when I packed for Mystic Falls… no phone."
Stefan reached in his pocket, then sat his cell phone and his debit card on the granite counter top. They looked at each other for a long moment, neither of them ready to bring the awkwardness back into their relationship, but there wasn't much choice in trying to avoid it. "I'll be back around two. Take my card and go get whatever you need, anything you want."Stefan was all business, not like last night when his vale fell and Elena was able to see the real Stefan. He bent to slip on his boots, then stood again, buttoning his jeans and heading toward the large formal foyer, " You should call Damon."
DAMON's POV
Walk of shame. That's a very fitting name for this. I'm barely awake, starving, and I'm doing my level best not to lose my cool with Barbie Klaus. Now that I've slept with her for the umpteenth time, I should probably stop calling her that. Not that I have some sort of relationship with her, I just don't like the connection. And no matter how many times she asks, I am not staying the night in Klaus' disgusting excuse for a home… mausoleum maybe.
As I start my classic Camero, giving it a moment to warm up while it billows white smoke into the Virginia night before heading back to the boarding house, I notice my phone is blinking. Two missed calls from Stefan, and a text message. Wonder what that bastard wants…
I consider ignoring it. Not bothering with his apologies and self loathing, but change my mind as it might make me feel better to call him up and give him a piece of my mind.
Stefan: This is Elena, I'm using Stefan's phone. Please call.
Hmph. My girlfriend, using my little brothers phone to call me from Italy, where she is spending the weekend with him. Yea. I'm going to call you right now.
I toss the phone into the passenger seat, decide that the old v8 has warmed enough and throw it into gear, leaving rubber on the immaculate concrete of Klaus' driveway, and Nirvana blasting through the cold dark air.
Just as I hit hwy 636, the glow of my phone catches my eye again. Fueled by driving too fast and the hard hit of 'In Bloom', I throw on the breaks and fishtail to a stop on the shoulder. Grabbing the phone and turning down the radio. "WHAT?"
It takes her a moment, then she says my name. "Damon." Why do I let her do this to me? In nearly 200 years there have been only two people who have been able to play me like a puppet – Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce. "Are you okay?" She asks, her voice quiet as if she's trying to hide that she's talking to me.
"Why are you whispering? Afraid Stefan will hear you chatting up your second choice?" I regret it as soon as I say it, but I don't care anymore. If she's gone back to him, then she is making a conscious decision after having experienced both Salvatore brothers – again, much like Katherine.
"No, what are you talking about? He gave me his phone to call you. I just wanted to make sure Klaus didn't hurt you or Matt."
"What do you mean?" Elena was quiet for a moment too long, "Did he hurt you?" The beginnings of my often felt rage bubbling just below my skin. I ball my hand in a fist.
"No. I'm okay." She whispered a bit quieter – someone must be near. "Caroline and Stefan are with me, too. When I woke up I was with her and she told me that Klaus drugged me." My throat is literally on fire. I need blood. I need to kill something. I have to rip into someone's flesh right now. I punch the steering wheel, wishing it was Klaus. "But I'm fine now. I promise." When I don't respond, Elena continues. "Caroline and I will be home early Monday, er late Sunday for Virginia I guess."
"I'm coming to get you." I don't ask, I've never needed anyone's permission to do a damn thing.
Elena sighs, but I think I hear relief in her voice. "Damon, please – just stay in the states. Stef-" She stops herself, "Caroline will keep me safe, you know that."
Stefan. Stefan will keep her safe, and he'll keep her laughing and he'll keep her happy, and if she happens to be lonely he'll keep her company, if she's cold I'm sure he'd be glad to warm her up. "No, I'm coming. I'll be on the next flight out."
I can hear her squirming and I wonder if she wants me to stay in the states so she can have her romantic Italian getaway.
"Damon, you're going to have to listen to me. Just once. Do. Not. Come."
It takes a minute, but I think I hear her trying to be cryptic. "Is something going on?"
She stays quiet – that's my answer. What in God's name is Stefan up to? "If Stefan's up to no good, why did he want you there?"
"He didn't – it was Klaus. Stefan had no idea. Neither did Caroline." Elena was whispering again. "Please, just stay there. I'll call you when I can, okay?
It takes every ounce of me to agree to not come to Italy and get her, but in the end, I do. I'm giving Stefan the benefit of the doubt… he'd better not cross me.
I start the car again when I hear Elena's phone disconnect, and for a moment I think that if I were in Stefan's place – in Italy, alone with the girl I am in love with, I'd use it and I'd make every possible play for her. But then again, Stefan and I are nothing alike, are we?
ELENA's POV
All I can see is red, muted red. When I open my eyes, I realize that I'd fallen asleep under the warmth of the sun while laying out with Caroline on the large concrete overlook from Stefan's condo. I check my arms for a sunburn – they are very warm, but not red, yet. Caroline bought a yellow bikini for me and a green one for her, and we've been out here for most of the morning. By the way the sun is sitting in the sky, I figure it must be close to noon, but I'm not sure since I'm not used to Italy time.
I glance around and see Klaus is on a hammock, beneath a large umbrella and reading a book. It hits me that he is a lot like Stefan in that sense – always preferring a book versus a myriad of other things to do. The longer I know Klaus, the more I understand the strange friendship he and Stefan shared. Caroline is laying next to me on her stomach, the top of her bikini untied. Between the two of them is an outdoor bar with three large, empty glass decanters and I wonder who did the majority of the drinking, Klaus or Caroline. Between Caroline's lounger and mine, she has a plastic cup with a straw and I can see the reminisce of the red liquid it holds through its white sides and decide that it's Klaus who is drinking the alcohol. Oddly, the sight reminds me that I am hungry for human food and I stand to go to the kitchen.
"Everything okay?" Klaus asks, he sounds oddly concerned.
I nod, tell them I'm hungry and go through the glass door headed for the kitchen when Stefan's phone rings from the large cherry wood sofa table. I wonder if it might be Damon, or someone from home calling to check in on me, so I grab it and fall back into the over-stuffed cream colored couch that looks out to the right of the balcony, over the white beach and beautiful water.
LINDSEY MAGIA
I see her caller ID picture before I read the name and she is stunning. When I see her name, I'm sickened by just how stunning she is. She's got an Angelina Jolie look about her – full, pouty lips to boot. What did I think, that Stefan would pair up with someone a bit more homely? He's the closest thing to a Greek God that I've ever seen, he should be with nothing less than a heart-stopping woman.
I consider answering it, as if I have some right to Stefan and she should answer to me. I ignore my need for vengeance on this girl, but I can't get myself to sit the phone back down. Instead, I wait for her call to go to voicemail, then, like an immature school girl, I decide to look through his phone.
I look at the text messages first, nothing of importance. Some directions sent from Google Maps, a couple of texts in Italian from guys with Italian names. There is a small record to and from Lindsey – it looks their talking about some Italian history… nothing incriminating or upsetting.
Glancing over at Klaus and Caroline, they haven't moved at all, less Klaus tipping back a bottle of wine without taking his eyes off of the hard back book.
I flip out of his text messages and run through his contacts – surprisingly there are quite a few girls names. My stomach knots a bit as I wonder if he's been staying busy with the ladies of Naples. I shake my head to rid myself of the image of Stefan making love to a variety of girls, and flip back to his home screen. He doesn't Facebook or Twitter, so the only apps he has are things like CNN, an app for tracking stocks, ESPN, an E-Bible, and, oh now this might be something, Picture Gallery.
The first few pictures appear to be from sightseeing around Italy – lots of stone pillars and scenic views. There's Lindsey again, posing in front of an enormous wooden door that seemed to be standing in the middle of nowhere. She's wearing a thin cotton red sundress, her long auburn hair gently windswept off of her bare tanned shoulder. I inspect the look in her eyes as she smiles shyly at Stefan taking the picture. She's as love-sick with him as I am.
I can't stand to look at her any longer so I flip again, a few more of the door, then my heart breaks as a picture of me glides onto the screen. I'm curled up in the white, cotton sheets of his bed in the Salvatore house back in Mystic Falls. It looks like he took it in the early morning from the bedside while I still slept – I'm laying on my side, hugging his pillow and my back is bare, as if we'd made love earlier in the night I'd not dressed after wards. It's not overtly sexy, just incredibly intimate – so much so that I can almost smell his scent of body wash and heat. I bite my lip, remembering the way it felt to lay in his bed after we'd made love and watch him dress after a shower. His statuesque body moving fluidly in the dim lighting. The gentle way he'd climb back into bed and pull my body against him, holding me tightly.
"You're beautiful." His voice is a whisper, only inches from my ear and I nearly jump out of my skin.
"Stefan…" I gasp, quickly putting his phone on the couch cushion next to me, face down. I can feel myself flushing. "I didn't realize you were here." I can smell that Stefan smell… it wasn't my imagination. I wonder how long he'd watched me pry through his personal things.
He smiles slyly, knowing that he caught me, but he doesn't seem to care. Leaning over the couch, he picks up his phone and brings the screen back to life with a swipe of his thumb. There I am again, half covered in his sheets. I watch his eyes stroll over the photo, the corners of his mouth curving up wards. "Really, I still can't believe how beautiful you are, Elena." His eyes darken with fiery desire. I don't respond, my throat tight with anticipation of his next move. "I took this the night before the sun and the moon ritual. I wanted to remember you just like that, safe and warm, all relaxed and carefree… " He cuts his green eyes to me, "all wrapped up in me."
My stomach drops and muscles deep within me tighten. "Why do you say things like that?" I ask, almost breathlessly.
His face lightens a bit. "I apologize" He straightens up, sliding his phone into the back pocket of his dirty jeans. "That was a little forward." And I can hear it in his voice, he's back to business. "Did you call Damon? Let him know you're okay?"
Damon. My boyfriend, Damon. I repeat it like a mantra. "Yea, he was pretty upset at first…" Stefan looks confused. "I guess he thought I was taking a romantic sabbatical with you in Italy." I give a little laugh, as if I would never do such a thing – we both know I would.
"Oh, he's getting me confused with himself." Okay, I would – you wouldn't, got it. I guess he can tell that kind of hurt because he continues. "I wouldn't want to put that kind of pressure on you. It doesn't matter how badly I want you. I want you to do what's right for you. You don't need me hanging around mucking up your thought process." He smiles. I think we both realize that Damon did just that, and that's how he ended up under my skin while Stefan was away with Klaus.
"Have they been out there long?" He motions his head toward the balcony as he gracefully changes the subject.
"For most of the day" I laugh, I'd never known vampires to be so tranquil.
"And has Klaus been drinking?" Stefan looks serious again – his wavering from playful, to sensual, to business is exhausting my senses. I nod yes, wondering if that's part of 'the plan'. The light in his eyes tells me it is. "Have you ate?"
"I was going to…" remembering Lindsey's call detouring me from the kitchen.
Stefan stands, dropping his cell on the sofa table and swiftly removes the now dirty thermal shirt, wadding it up as I watch his muscles roll beneath his olive skin. "Let me shower and I'll take you out for lunch."
I hate how happy this makes me. I repeat my mantra as I smile up at him, so beautiful and carved in the sunlight. He returns my smile, seemingly as happy as I am with our impromptu lunch date. "Are you going to wear that?" His eyes cross my bare stomach and bikini top. I flush under his gaze. "I mean, you can – I'm not complaining" he teases.
"I can hear the locals now – that trampy American in the banana bikini." I head to my room and Stefan trails behind me, heading to the master at the end of the hall.
"Good looking bananas." He teases, but I can feel his eyes on my backside as I swish my hips a bit more than necessary.
Klaus finishes his second bottle of red wine with a long pull. Taking in his beautiful Caroline as she sun bathes, he can hear Stefan's comment about banana's and gives a little laugh. He knew it would be easy to get Stefan and Elena back together – after a thousand years on this earth the one thing that he knew with certainty is that that type of commitment or love, or whatever you want to label it, did not just move aside. It was not replaceable, it was not breakable… all they needed was a couple of carefree days. Sure, he'd been the cause of their demise in the first place, so it was only right that he'd bring them back together – it was just icing on the cake that Damon was probably steaming with anger. Stefan and Damon may be brothers, but Klaus had a difficult time finding any sort of common ground between the two of them. Where Stefan was calm and calculating, Damon was an over-reacting impatient fool. Damon would kill recklessly, spoiling the fun in a matter of seconds, whereas the Stefan that Klaus knew, could draw out the good time for hours. He'd witnessed Stefan prolong a kill for close to a day – what laughs they'd had.
While in Chicago, he's seen a glimpse of that Stefan – his brother, but could tell it wasn't going to hold. He had to find a middle ground, somewhere between the Stefan that those in Mystic Falls knew and the one that Klaus had enjoyed in the 1920's. It took a while, but, Klaus thought as he looked around the spectacular condo, the view of the Mediterranean, Caroline's lithe body stretched out on the canvas lounger, it appeared that Stefan was able to find a compromise between the two warring personalities that he encompassed.
"What are you thinking?" Caroline spoke without moving, her tortoise shell sunglasses hiding her eyes. Klaus was surprised that he couldn't sense her looking at him.
"I'm thinking…" Klaus closed the book and stood to retrieve another bottle of liquor, "how good it feels to win. And I'm thinking that you look good enough to eat, Ms. Forbes."
Her smile seemed somehow brighter than the sun, doing more to warm him than the sun ever could. "So you think you've won, huh?"
Klaus spooned a couple cubes of ice into a glass tumbler, then filled it with whiskey before taking a seat next to where Caroline lay. She wouldn't tan, just not possible for vampires, but the sun gave her skin a slight sheen of sweat that sparkled like glitter, begging for Klaus' touch. He sipped his drink, then took a cube of the ice and ran it down her arm, to the wrist and back, leaving a small stream of water in it's path. She shivered from both the cold ice and his gentle teasing touch, her smile widening.
"I know you're mine, Caroline." His tone was light, but confident as he took the melting ice and guided it from the nape of her neck, between her shoulder blades, slowing moving lower against her spine. "Though I'd like to hear you say it, again."
"Mmmm" She sighed the question, relishing in the contrast of the ice on her skin.
Klaus leaned over her and licked a bit of the melted ice from between her shoulder blades, "I want you to tell me you love me, again." She could feel his lips forming the words against her skin.
To be able to appear so confident, he was still so unsure of himself. Caroline turned over to her back, and sat up on her elbows, not concerned with whether her untied bikini was covering her breasts or not. "Klaus, why is it so hard for you to believe that I love you?"
His eyes seemed so youthful even after a thousand years – Caroline noticed as he looked away from her. She was, as always, brutally honest with him and it cut him to the quick. "I've not been the most deserving person, Caroline."
She shrugged at the thought, he was right. But it didn't change the fact that she did indeed love him. "I love you. I. Caroline Forbes, Ms. Mystic Falls 2011, love you Niklaus Mikaelson." She said playfully, tossing her head back and nearly yelling the words. "And I am not ashamed!"
Klaus laughed – a true laugh, from deep within his belly – he couldn't help but believe her and it filled him with a sense of joy that he'd never experienced – not as a human, not as a vampire, not as a hybrid. "You are too much for me." He teased, slipping his hand beneath her head. He leaned into her, kissing her the way he'd wanted to for so long, without any hesitation, showing his love for her as their lips slipped against one another.
CHAPTER 9
Damon opened the door, already knowing it was Jeremy and Bonnie on the other side, he could hear their voices before they got out of her Prius. Bonnie had her usually furrowed brow and pursed lips expression of disgust, while Jeremy – his arm around Bonnie's waist – appeared more like a deer in the headlights. He and Elena had the same doe-eyed look when they were worried, but on Jeremy it just made him look weak.
"I hope you aren't expecting me to cook…" Damon joked as a greeting. He knew why they were there.
"We can't get ahold of Elena. Matt said Klaus took her to Italy…" Jeremy stated, then looked at Damon, cuing him to speak. Damon raised his eyebrows as if to say 'so…'
"Aren't you going to go get her?" Bonnie spoke. Always condescending, Damon thought. He turned and left them at the door step, leaves swirling at their feet from the pending storm, as he headed back to the den figuring that was as good of an answer as any. "Damon!" She commanded, stepping into his house and closing the small amount of distance he'd put between them.
"Oh what now, Bonnie?" He turned to face her, over exaggerating his frustration as he threw his hands into the air. "Do you want me to go and save her from Stefan? Or from Klaus? Or Caroline? We're all vampires and everyone's out to get Elena…" Her eyes widened, shocked by how he spoke to her. "That's what you think isn't it? Those vampires all the same, just looking for another kill!" Damon's mouth continued to form words that even he wasn't sure where they were coming from. Elena being with Stefan was bugging him more than he realized and, with Bonnie here, it was easy to vent his frustrations towards her.
Bonnie lowered her gaze, "It doesn't matter what I think. You know as well as I do that she's in danger if she's anywhere near Klaus." Her words rang true. "So put away your stupid pride, and do what you have to do to get her back. Whatever pissing contest you and Stefan are playing needs to stop long enough for you two to work together to keep her safe."
Damon turned away from her, not wanting her to see that she'd gotten to him. Jeremy had made his way into the house and was standing just behind Bonnie. Damon looked at them with a neutral expression, after a long moment he said, "So, I assume I'm not going to be able to get out of Mystic Falls without you two tagging along."
"Mmm, I haven't ever thought of it that way." Stefan crossed his legs, his ankle resting on top of his knee. "But it makes sense."
They'd been cozied up in the corner table at Gran Caffe Gambrinus – a marbled coffee shop built in the late 19th century – catching up like old friends. The café was busy when they first arrived, full of Friday lunchers, but as the clock moved closer to 4pm, they were nearly alone in the small coffee shop. Stefan was always a great conversationalist, perfect at listening at the right time and asking questions to help move the dialogue along. It was one of the first things that Elena fell in love with. She could, and many times had, talked to him for hours. Even as she told him about her classes, her professors, and her thoughts of joining a sorority alone, he never appeared bored or found her ideas silly. Elena knew he'd already experienced all that a college life had to offer, and it made her glad to know that he was happy to listen to her.
"I know it's silly… we've been friends since kindergarten." Elena pushed her hair behind her ears, the sounds of the other patron's speaking in Italian and a soft song playing in the background, gave Elena a sense of calm – or maybe it's him – her conscious interjected.
"True. But, it won't make your friendships worth any less." He sipped his coffee. "I think it's a great idea. Joining a sorority without Caroline or Bonnie will give you a chance to stand on your own when you want to. You'll always have them to lean on when you need to."
Elena couldn't help herself, the words left her lips before her brain could filter her thoughts. "Is that what you're doing? Standing on your own?"
Stefan froze for a moment, her dark chocolate eyes boaring into him. "Again, I haven't thought of it that way, but yea, I guess I am."
"I just don't understand why you want to be on your own? I mean," Elena sat back, pushing the plate that held the remains of her salad away from her. "I get that you needed space…"
He countered her move by putting his foot on the floor and resting his elbows on the table, leaning towards her. "The space isn't for me, Elena." He was calm and collected as he spoke. "Besides, it's been good. Being here has given me a chance to find a little stability… some solid ground. I like working at the docks, nice way to burn some of my cravings off" Elena wondered if his cravings involved more than blood, but she didn't ask. "You know how much I love Italy; it's giving everyone a chance to catch their breath… Caroline told me that she filled you in. About Klaus, I mean." Stefan looked around the room for anyone appearing to be eavesdropping. "I've said it a million times before – he took away the only reason I had for living, I can't let him win."
Elena leaned in to the table as well, placing her hand in his. He held it gently as her thumb grazed back and forth across his scarred knuckles. "Please, Stefan… I'll die if something happens to you."
They shared a long stare, Adele's voice haunting through the small café. Whether she cared for Damon or not, Stefan could literally feel the love they shared for one another. There would always be a deep rooted devotion flowing between them, it was just something that he knew. "Did she tell you about Klaus' bet?" He smiled, then raised her hand to his lips, leaving a kiss on her fingers. Elena smiled at his gesture of love. "He told me last night, after we left that club… I think it's in our best interest if he thinks that we're back together."
"Why can't we just be 'back together'?" Elena spoke with unrestrained honesty. "I know you love me, Stefan. I love you. I'm choosing you."
Stefan closed his eyes, wishing that he could somehow hold her words –freeze them in time, at that moment. How he wished he could believe her, trust her at her word. He wanted to hold her again, he was willing to forget about Damon and Spain, but deep down he knew that she was not ready to make that decision. She'd barely had any time at all to work through what she felt for Damon, and being in Italy with Stefan was like living in a bubble of serenity – it wasn't reality. At Adele's words, ~You're the only one that I want, I don't know why I'm scared. I've been here before, every feeling, every word. I've imagined it all…~ Stefan opened his eyes, taking in the beautiful, feminine features of her face. "It's just not time yet."
He could see the pain wash over her, she shook her head and started to say something, to argue with him, but he interrupted. "I do love you, Elena. That's something you can count on for the rest of my days, I will always love you. But when you come back to me," He swallowed, ready to bare his soul. "if you do choose me, I want you to be sure. Because I'm ready to give you my life… even if your fifty years old" Elena couldn't suppress her smile. "It doesn't matter. Whenever you're ready, I'll always wait for you."
Elena and Stefan continued to gaze into one another's eyes – bistre brown, glassy with unfalling tears to the greenest of green. "So then, for the weekend… we're together, then?"
Stefan bit his lip and nodded, fighting the urge to turn the table between them over onto the floor and take her in his arms. "I think, and if you want you can disagree, but I think instead of 'together', maybe you should play hard to get." His smile was playful, she knew he enjoyed the thought of chasing her, even if they both knew she'd gladly be captured.
"Hard to get? Me? Resist Stefan Salvatore?" She mocked, cupping her hand to his face.
"I'm just saying, for your protection." Stefan turned into her touch, kissing her wrist, "God knows that if I catch you I'm not going to be able to stop." His words were so naughty and seductive, yet Elena understood the double entendre – he wanted to give her time and he didn't want to cross Damon – a very Stefan thing to think about while in the midst of a tense situation with Klaus.
The fiery sensation between them was growing ever larger as the waiter stepped into their peripheral.
"C'è qualcos'altro per voi? Finito?" The waiter asked, taking Elena's salad plate and basket of bread.
Stefan responded, his Italian rolling off his tongue and tickling Elena's ears. "Si, finito. Grazie per il vostro servizo." He retrieved his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and handed the waiter a few red euro.
The waiter bowed slightly, thanking Stefan for what must have been a good tip – afterall, they'd taken up the table for close to two hours. "You speak Italian really well…" Elena could feel herself doting on him.
He just smiled and stood up, pushing in his chair and offering his hand to her. "Ready?"
Caroline's POV
Sleeping with the enemy. Traitor. Double Agent. That's me.
Standing in the voluminous granite tiled shower, hot water rushing over my head and dulling my sense of hearing, I'm left alone with my thoughts. Thoughts of Klaus' hands on my body, his mouth against my mouth, the look in his eyes every time I tell him that I love him. My thoughts of Tyler – beautiful, strong, Tyler. I can see his coal black eyes clearly in my mind. My imagination steer clear of how hurt he'd be if he knew that not an hour ago I was curled onto Klaus' body like a vine, relishing in the stimulating currents flowing between us. I've never felt anything like it before – and I'm not sure if it's because we're both vampires or because he's experienced, or because we're madly in love. We are. Madly in love with each other. I guess he is my Stefan. Tyler, my Damon.
At that frustrating thought, I turn off the water and step out onto the plush bath mat. I'm dripping with water, steam rolling off of my skin as I reach for the towel I brought in when I notice a small velvet box sitting on top of it.
I smile – Klaus is so romantic, yet evil… he's evil, Caroline. I tell myself, taking the box in my hand and opening it without hesitation.
It's Cartier, a stainless steel watch – it's exquisite. I slip it off the white velvet pillow and inspect it, finding a message engraved on the back:
Doubt the stars are fire, that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love.
– K
Romantic, yet evil.
I've got to talk with Stefan…
CHAPTER 10
STEFAN's POV
We walked back to the condo in silence, mentally preparing ourselves for what we were about to embark. It wouldn't be hard to look like we were in love. It's hard to look like we aren't in love… the problem lies in the details. In the emotional flood gate we're opening by allowing ourselves to act as if we've resolved our issues. It's what we both want, but we've got so much baggage to drudge through before we can come out on top – if we ever do.
Elena looks so natural in Italy, surrounded by the most beautiful buildings sandwiched together along the cobblestone streets. I can tell she's enjoying herself, trying to take in all of the history these buildings hold. As we get within eyesight of the condo, she slips her hand in mine and I can feel the first drops of metaphorical water beginning to seep through my walls.
"This place, it just doesn't fit you." Elena says, her voice light as she looks over the condo.
"No?" I ask.
"It's too cold… very Klaus, though."
I smile up at her as she begins to move up the flight of stairs to the front door – I think she understands by my expression that this place is more for Klaus than for me. It's all part of my plan. Standing in front of the large glass doors, I catch a sudden change in Elena's expression as she looks through the glass, into the kitchen. I follow her gaze.
Caroline is sitting on the kitchen isle, wearing a deep blue sundress that is hiked up around her hips, Klaus standing between her legs, his starched white shirt left unbuttoned – they have their arms wrapped around each other, kissing as if they are gasping for oxygen. For a moment, we're both shocked. Elena a bit more disgusted, I think. I pull her hand to get her attention and she takes a moment before her eyes look into mine. For fear of Klaus hearing me, I shake my head no – begging her not to make a big deal about it, not to let Klaus know that she doesn't approve of his relationship with Caroline. As her face relaxes back to neutral, I know that she understands that it's another leg of my plan… atleast, that's what it's supposed to be. By the way she was holding him, I can't help but wonder if Caroline is an award-deserving actress, or if she's grown fond of him. I look once more, and I'm certain of it, Caroline is into whatever it is they have going on.
Opening the door, I say loudly to Elena, "Go on in, I'll get us some drinks." My eyes willing Elena to continue to play along, to remember our plan.
I can hear Klaus and Caroline moving away from one another and as I round the corner of the divinding wall for the foyer, Caroline is still sitting on the isle but is quickly straightening her skirt. We share the slightest of looks at one another, until she breaks it by looking down at her toes. Klaus is working on buttoning his shirt and gives me a winning smile. My stomach turns at the thought. I have zero romantic interest in Caroline, but she's so much like Lexi that I feel a strong connection to her – considering the smile on Klaus face I know that they've been up to something while we were out.
"Not on my countertops, Klaus." I feign a sarcastic tone, playing the good guy, we're all buddies thing, while internally I'm fighting the urge to vomit.
I don't even have to look at Caroline to know she's turning a deep shade of red as Elena comes to stand next to her. Klaus just gives me a raised-eyebrow, innocent look that doesn't fly. "Never, my friend." He laughs. "Did we get a bite to eat?" He asks, and I can't tell if he's talking to me or Elena, she answers him.
"Stefan took me to a little coffee shop." She seems completely at ease and I'm a bit surprised by how well she's pulling it off. Elena looks at me through her lashes, shyly.
"Mmm, so you two had a nice time, I take it?" Klaus grabs my shoulder, somewhat congratulatory like. "Tell me Stefan, what are the plans for the night? I believe it's getting close to dinner time for those of us more partial to a liquid diet."
My mouth waters, my mind filled with the memory of the taste of Elena's blood. I look at her without thinking about it, and I can tell she knows what's on my mind. I feel a surge of guilt immediately – I hate that when I'm hungry, I want her. I would never act on my cravings for her, not unless I'm in a situation like we were last night. But it's been this way since we met. For the first few weeks I was starving for her in so many ways that I was in actual pain. I look away, trying to concentrate on anything else when she says. "You can always drink from me…" her voice is soft and seducing.
All three of us, Klaus, Caroline, and myself gasp as our heads turn in unison to look at her – standing casually by Caroline in a pair of short jeans shorts and a long sleeved white tee shirt over her bikini top – she looks delicious I think to myself – licking my lips unconsciously as my mind replays the words she'd spoken. "Just Stefan, I mean." She clarifies as she confidently strides over to me and wraps her arms around my waste. With her body pressing up against mine, my mind has trouble figuring out what I want most from her: her blood or her body.
I swallow hard.
Klaus smiles so wide that I figure it must hurt his face. "Of course, Elena." He sighs, backing up from us. I look at Caroline for a moment, then down at Elena – her face full of trust – I can feel my eyes beginning to turn and my fangs protruding from my gums and within a few seconds, I've burst through the tender skin of her neck and I am enjoying the taste of her blood the way a starving man would value a drink of water. I'm completely and utterly lost in her taste, in her breath in my ear, in her arms hugging my waist. I will forever belong to her.
I feel her body begin to relax a bit too much, my sign that I've had enough, and I release her from my bite but keep my hands grasping low on her hips. When I am full, like this, I feel stronger than steel, like I'm unbreakable, and worst of all, I feel each and every single fiber of my body loving this woman. Looking into her eyes, I have to mentally berate myself to keep from sweeping her into my arms and making love to her.
"Now, I see why you've preferred the love of a human for long, Stefan." Klaus jokes, breaking the thick sexual tension between Elena and I. Caroline shoots him a playful look of jealousy and he raises his hands in innocence. "I'm just saying… it does seem awfully convenient."
"I think it's beautiful," Caroline coos, hoping off of the counter top, "but it did make me hungry."
Elena turns in place and leans her back against my chest – I wonder for a moment if the move was to make sure Caroline wasn't attempting to bite her.
"Shall we?" Klaus bows to her, extending his hand to Caroline. "I'm sure we can find some tasty treats of our own."
Caroline brushes his hand away. "No human blood… going on five months sober, not going to ruin it just because I'm on vacation." She shoots me a look – I think she needs to talk with me.
"There are usually a few loners out on the beach around this time of day, about a mile north. I think it's an apartment complex." Elena seems to stiffen a bit and I know she's feeling a bit ill at the idea of me feeding on humans. I make a mental not to let her know that before I bit her last night, I hadn't had human blood since early spring.
Klaus seems to agree that he should look out that way, and after trying Caroline a few more times, he kisses her and heads out onto the beach. We carry on as usual; I check on the alcohol while Elena and Caroline discuss going out shopping or to a club – all the while my eye is on Klaus who is casually making his way north. Once he's far enough up the beach that I know he can't hear me, something in me breaks and I turn to Caroline. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" I storm back into the condo, catching the girls by surprise. "I asked you to lead him on! Looked to me like it's gone quite a bit further than that!"
Caroline comes back at me with equal force – sometimes I forget that she is not the same insecure teenaged girl I met two years ago. "Excuse me? You asked me to help. I'm helping!"
"But like that? He was all over you!" For a moment I feel like we're having a lovers quarrel. "He's a monster, Caroline!"
"I don't care what he is, Stefan. I'm going to do whatever it is I have to in order to save Tyler." She cuts her eyes to Elena who is frozen on one of the barstools, then back at me. "You of all people should understand that." She motions toward me and I catch the reflection of the sun off of her bracelet. It takes less than a second for me to register that its not a bracelet. She sees that its caught my attention and protectively wraps her hand around it. "He gave it to me." She says much quieter, but still with an angry undertone.
"Caroline, please, please be careful here." I plead. "I can't let anything get in the way of my plans… nothing." I hope she understands what I'm saying, but I'm not sure and I can't bring myself to bluntly tell her that if she tries to get in the way I'll stake her.
After a moment, I head to the master bedroom to make some calls while Klaus is still out, grazing my fingers across Elena's bare thigh as a silent apology. I take a seat in a wicker chair near the window so I can keep my eye out for Klaus making his way back. I have three missed calls from Lindsey, one from Cruz, and one from Damon. Cruz is the only one who left a voicemail – he tells me that they are expected to land in Rome by midnight tonight and we'll meet at our rendezvous point at our agreed upon time Saturday night.
I can hear Elena questioning Caroline about Klaus and Caroline returning the questions about me.
Checking again for Klaus, I tap on Lindsey's name, then put the phone to my ear as it rings.
"Where have you been?" She answers, "I've been so worried!"
I filter my thoughts, responding with "I'm fine, everything's going as planned. How are things on your end?"
I hear her heartbeat through the phone – she's incredibly upset – so I lay it on a bit for her. "Lindsey, everythings going to be fine, okay. I promise. I won't let anything happen to you." I'm not lying, I won't let her get hurt, but I'm sweetening it a bit much. I know I have no interest in her romantically, but if I have to fool her in order to get her full assistance, that's what I'll do – Nothing will stand in my way.
She sniffles a bit, "I thought he'd killed you."
I laugh as if that's the silliest thing I've heard, "No, we've just been hanging out today… he's been drinking not stop." I mention this in order to calm her nerves about the experience I had at the Temples.
"So, everything is still on? The others are coming in tonight, yes?"
"Right, everything is on track."
We talk a bit more – I change the subject to work this morning and ask her about her mother who'd been ill the last couple of days. Before we hang up she tells me that she misses seeing me, and I lie, telling her I missed her too.
I consider calling Damon, but with the time difference I know it's not yet dawn in Mystic Falls. When I come back to the living area Elena is holding Caroline's new watch and reading the engraving aloud.
"Doubt the stars are fire, that the sun doth move. Doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love. K"
"It's from Hamlet." I state, silently wondering if he chose a quote from Hamlet as a sign that he is fully aware of what's going on. Caroline and Elena look at me in unison, their faces expressing confusion. "Shakespeare. It's about Prince Hamlet setting out to kill his Uncle after his Uncle killed his father and took his mother as queen." I look out over the ocean, feeling nervous about my plan for the first time, "Hamlet says that to Ophelia, who ends up killing herself because of her broken heart."
"Hamlet didn't love her back?" Caroline asks
I look at her, my face solemn "He loved her, but she lost him to his insanity and she couldn't stand to live without him."
Caroline registers my words, my questioning tone, and turns away from my gaze – its then that I know that she loves Klaus.
Bonnie leaned over her seat, trying to listen to Damon's conversation with the woman at the ticket counter. He was using compulsion on her, but it seemed to be failing. Damon's voice sounded as surprised as she was when, after telling the agent that he just bought three tickets for flight 771 to Italy, she smirked and said, "okay, and I just won the lottery. But I'm still working here and you still need to actually purchase the tickets, sir."
Damon' s expression gave away his confusion and anger as he sat down in front of Jeremy. "I have no idea what just happened…"
"So what, we can't get on the flight?" Jeremy questioned.
"Unless you have enough money in your Velcro superhero wallet to pay for our tickets, then no. I don't need money. I don't have any. At least not that much."
Bonnie cringed at her thought, but knew she had no choice. While in Chicago, she'd learned a few new spells from a group of seasoned witches that she met at an old school apothecary. "Do either of you have a debit card?"
They turned to look at her, curious, but saying nothing. Damon takes his wallet out of his jeans and hands her a red plastic card. Without explanation, she stands to go to the ladies room for some privacy.
"Ah look at you three bagabonds." Rebekah's voice chimes through the air, stopping Bonnie in her track. "You two I understand…" she gestures to Bonnie and Jeremy, "But after a few decades a vampire you'd think you would know how to travel. Always go private, Damon."
The French movie was subtitled in English, with Italian voice overs, but Stefan and Elena were not paying much attention. With Klaus and Caroline acting like teenagers, all loud kisses and exploring hands in the spots next to them, Stefan and Elena sank in their theater seats and shared a Dr. Pepper. They held hands, shared silent smiles, and made quiet jokes about the film. They'd never experienced this type of a date before – from the very beginning of their relationship things were tense and scary and dramatic. With the theater full of other couples, for the first time they were just normal. Just a girl and guy spending time sitting close to one another in a dark, cool room, allowing the possibilities of the night to surround them with a soft excitement.
They didn't even notice when the credits began to roll until the others in the theater stood to exit. "That was a great film." Klaus smiled, wiping at the gloss around his mouth left by Caroline's kisses.
Stefan rolled his eyes at him and gave him a gentle shove. "You're make up looks great." Stefan teased, breaking Klaus' innocent expression into a bright smile. They made their way out to the street – Klaus and Caroline keeping an arm around each other, and Stefan and Elena holding hands as they walked.
"Elena, we forget sometimes that you need food…" Caroline smiled. "Should we get you something? I would love a glass of wine."
Elena agreed, she was famished, but didn't want to break up their group. Klaus was malicious, there was no questioning that, but he and Stefan did seem to have a great time with one another. They acted a bit like frat boys, and Elena couldn't help but enjoy seeing them interact with one another. The playful side of Stefan was one she had rarely seen, but loved most of all.
Klaus led them to a low lit Indian food place just on the outskirts of old downtown – they served rare Indian dishes, expensive liquor, and had a lively bar. The food was excellent, but Elena and Stefan were the only ones that ate – he'd gotten so used to eating with her to keep her company that it came natural to order when she did. Klaus ordered bottle service from the bar and before Elena could finish her razala and naan, a dish suggested by Klaus that Elena devoured, he'd already polished off a bottle and a half of Glen Garioch whiskey. Stefan seemed to be pushing the alcohol, but, Elena noticed, was consuming very little if any.
Caroline danced in her seat to the Indian-inspired techno music. Elena had to admit, the quick beat and energetic string instruments did make her want to dance. It only took Caroline asking once to get Elena to go small, crowded dance floor with her. They had barely made it into the crowd of dancers before they were enveloped and, holding hands, they found a rhythm with the crowd. The lights flashing, the music pumping, a foreign language narrating it all, Elena was happier than she could remember being in years. If she stood on her tip toes, she could see Stefan, talking with Klaus, but his heavy lidded eyes never losing sight of her. Despite herself, she began to move sexier – pronunciating the sway of her hips, grazing her hands against the curves of her body. Caroline, a bit intoxicated, followed suit, and before long they were the stars of the floor. The two pale skinned girls in an ocean of dark skinned partiers, their suggestive movements the focus of most of the men surrounding them – and some of the women too, though they looked a bit less pleased. Caroline and Elena didn't notice. They were dancing like they'd never had a girl's night out, like this might be their last. And some extent, they were right to fear such things.
For two years, they'd ran, and fought, and cried, and hurt – but in this night, surrounded by the unfamiliar, they'd reconnected with the carefree girls they'd once been, and it was the most amazing feeling.
Stefan continued to watch Elena, he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her with such a genuine smile on her face. She was having a great time and he was happy that she was able to experience Italy with Caroline by her side. "Some of those gentlemen seem to be getting a bit close…" Klaus observed aloud, leaned over the table to get a closer look at the area where they were dancing.
Stefan had noticed, but unlike Klaus, he didn't seem to have jealous bone in his body, atleast not if Damon wasn't involved.
When an obviously drunk college aged guy moved behind Caroline, slidding his arm around her waist, Klaus nearly flipped the table over. Caroline didn't seem to mind and Stefan could see that was setting Klaus even closer to the edge. "Let me handle this" Stefan smiled, stopping Klaus from taking off to the floor. Against his better judgment, feeling a tingling of excitement in his gut at the thought of tearing into the guy – or any one for that matter – Stefan hopped over the railing separating their table and the dance floor and made a quick line to Elena, Caroline, and his target in the bright blue Aeropostle tee shirt and backwards baseball cap.
When Elena caught sight of Stefan, she could see his anger radiating in his now dark eyes. He moved past her, in one swift move gliding his arm around her to move her body behind his, then took Caroline by the wrist, pulling her away from the drunk dancer. "Having a good time?" Stefan spoke loudly, over the music, and to make his annoyance clear to the man.
The guy stopped dancing when he realized Stefan's stature – he was wearing a white tee shirt and jeans, the shirt doing nothing to hide his very muscular frame. "I… look man…" He slurred, holding up his hands.
Elena was in shock – this was nothing like Stefan, but he appeared to be raging about the guy dancing with Caroline. She grabbed his hand and he turned to look at her with a warning in his eyes. Stefan stepped closer to the guy and placed his large hand on his shoulder, very closer to the man's neck. For a moment, Elena cringed with fear that Stefan was about to attack the guy. "I don't want you hurt you," He spoke loud enough to be heard, but quiet enough that Elena, Caroline, and especially Klaus, could not hear him. "That girl you were dancing with is here with a guy that is very jealous and very dangerous. You need to walk out of here, right now. Trust me. You don't want him to come down here." Stefan moved back a bit, looking the guy in the eye for good measure. Nodding, as if to say, 'go on'.
"Yea, yea ok." The man turned on his heal and left the floor.
Caroline was making her way back to the table while Elena stood behind Stefan, not recognizing the man in front of her.
"What was that?" She questioned, frustrated.
Stefan pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her and whispered "I just saved his life, Elena."
Luckily, the rest of the night went on without a hitch. They spent another hour or so at the Indian club. Stefan danced with Elena, Klaus danced with Caroline, and once or twice, they switched partners. By the end of the night, even Elena had a hard time separating the fun loving, carefree guy who seemed to adore her best friend from the serial killing Klaus who had terrorized her for over a year.
"Where is that limo when we need it?" Elena joked, her voice was tired and a bit hoarse from laughing and talking over the music. They'd been walking for what seemed like an hour and Elena was wearing the red heels Caroline had given her the night before.
Stefan frowned at her, sorry he hadn't thought of her aching feet earlier. "Hop on" he said nonchalantly as he squatted down in front of her.
"Do what?" She laughed. A real, true, honest laugh, setting Stefan's heart on fire.
"Come on now. Don't make me stay down here all night." He teased. "Come on."
Klaus and Caroline were still walking, creating a bit of distance between them, but Elena could hear Caroline laughing at the sight of Stefan squatting in the middle of the street and Elena doubling over in laughter.
"You're going to carry me?" She said, catching her breath. "I'm too heavy and we've still got a ways to go!"
"Elena," Stefan's smile was beaming up at her, "first of all, you weigh about as much as a feather pillow. Second, I'm a vampire, I think I can handle all hundred pounds of you for quite a distance. Come on."
She didn't argue any more. Handing him her shoes, she laid her chest over on his back and he stood, grabbing her knees and straightening himself up. The rest of the walk to the condo, Stefan pretended as if he was going to drop her, threatened to put her in a dumpster if she didn't stop nibbling at his ear. It was just so normal, Elena thought to herself. It was just easy and ordinary – a girl ridding piggy back on her boyfriend, laughing and tickling, being young. They were normal.
When they reached the top of the stairs to the entrance of the condo, Stefan reluctantly put her down. "We're off to bed." Caroline gave a wicked smile, her hand sliding down Klaus' arm and fingers intertwining with his as she pulled him behind her into her guest room, leaving Elena and Stefan in the dim, quiet living room. Suddenly, their being alone was an elephant in the room. Stefan went to the kitchen, taking a drink of water directly from the faucet. Elena leaned against the back of the couch – not sure if she should tell him that she wanted to go to bed with him or ask him to come to bed with her.
"Want to hear some music?" Stefan asked, his voice low and unfaltering.
Elena nodded and Stefan took his phone from his pocket, tapped the screen a few times as he crossed the vast living room, then slid the phone into a dock. Seconds later a rough, husky male voice filled the room.
Elena listened closely to the words, knowing Stefan chose it purposefully.
There was a time
I had nothing to give
Stefan kept his eyes on her, watching her take in the words, willing her to understand that, though he couldn't claim them as his own, he couldn't say it any better.
I needed shelter from the storm I was in
And when it all got too heavy
You carried my weight
And I want to hold you
And I want to say
She returned his gaze, digesting the words filling the air.
That you are all that I need
For you, I give my soul to keep
You see me, love me
Just the way I am
For you I am a better man
Elena took a few steps around the couch, she wanted to touch him. Stefan stepped forward, somehow giving her permission to come to him. She understood and took a few more steps until she was directly in front of him, their eyes never losing contact.
I said you are the reason
For everything that I do
I'd be lost, so lost, without you
When he slid his hands around her waist, her immediate reaction was to cup his face with her hands. When he began to sway, she matched his movements. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, his eyes speaking to her.
Under the stars
At the edge of the sea
There's no one around
No one but you and me
"Elena." Stefan sighed her name, grazing his lips against hers, his eyes closed from the pleasure of feeling her body against his.
We'd talk for hours
As time drifts away
I could stay here forever
And hold you this way
She returned his kiss. "Elena…" he called her name again. "Thank you." His voice was raw and whispering, his forehead rested against hers as her finger tips grazing through his hair. "You've saved me, Elena. Thank you."
With his words, powerful and honest, Elena kissed him hard and passionate. He returned her kiss, pushing their embrace further as his tongue slipped between her lips to meet hers in a bump and grind cadence. Running his hands down her hips, he grabbed the backs of her thighs and stood straight, lifting her as she wrapped her bare feet around him. He continued to kiss her mouth, her neck, her shoulders – small, almost soundless moans escaping her lips. When he lay her on the couch, the weight of his body on hers, Stefan pulled away for a moment, his eyes examining her face looking for any signs of doubt.
"Stefan, please." Elena pleaded, "Don't overthink this." He started to turn away from her, but she took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her, "Let me love you, Stefan." He searched her eyes and a small smile formed on his face.
CHAPTER 11
"This is what I hate about traveling across the pond," Rebekah groaned as she stepped down the stairs from the private jet she'd acquired at JFK. "You leave, it's dark – you land, it's dark."
"You're a vampire, thought you'd prefer it to be night all the time." Jeremy jabbed, taking Bonnie's bags and his own, following behind Rebekah.
Rebekah didn't answer, simply rolled her eyes in Damon's direction who was already on the tarmac. Jeremy was just a baby – inexperienced and naive – but, Rebekah couldn't help but be annoyed with him and his witchy girlfriend after spending hours with them traveling to Rome.
"Now what?" Bonnie asked, pushing her hair into a low ponytail as the winds whipped around them.
Damon looked at her with a frustrated expression, "…now we go get Elena."
"Yea, I mean how are we getting to Stefan's"
It suddenly hit them that neither had any idea where he lived – Damon and Bonnie knew it was it Naples, but they had no address, or general vicinity of the city. "Really, we came all the way over to Italy and you don't have an address?" Damon hissed, turning from the group and walking to the small, private-use terminal.
Once inside, he took his cell phone from his pocket and tried Stefan for the third time – again no answer. He caught Rebekah's aloof expression in the corner of his eye, and he immediately knew that she had the information they were looking for. Putting his phone back in his jeans, he turned to her, raised eyebrows and mouth in a frustrated line.
"What?" She asked innocently, applying a glaze of raspberry lip gloss to her pouty lips.
Damon stepped close to her, her fingers grazing her lips interested him, but he also needed Stefan's address. They shared a long look – Bonnie detecting some sort of unspoken tension between them – then Rebekah gave a small laugh with a roll of her eyes. "Go and rent a car then, Salvatore. And please, get something nice…"
ELENA's POV
"What was that?" Klaus' voice rattled through my ears, breaking through deep sleep and sending a shiver of fear through me. It's a natural reaction for me to sit straight up, ready for my bodies fight or flight response to kick in at the sound of his voice. I'm in an unfamiliar room, but the scent of the sheets and Stefan's wallet and watch on the bedside table clue me in that I spent the night in his bed. My fear is awash with joy, then I hear him again. "He was offside the ruck, how could that be a drop goal!"
I'm confused for a moment – he's speaking in English, but I have no idea what he's talking about. Whatever it is, he's getting pretty upset, but luckily it sounds like he's watching a soccer game or something. I can vaguely hear the sounds of the crowd and a sports broadcaster.
Stefan's room is decorated much in the same way as the rest of the house – whites and creams, with a bit of blue accents – modern and clean, and surrounded by spotless glass walls. I stand from the bed, stretching my arms above me and I catch my faded reflection in the glass. I'm wearing a light blue tee shirt of Stefan's – it's hanging from my body loosely, but I can see that I've lost a bit of weight. I remind myself that I have to make it a priority to eat as I move to the bathroom. My mind doesn't register Stefan's voice until I've nearly opened the bathroom door, but I catch myself when I hear him say her name.
"Let Lindsey know." He's speaking quietly with the shower water running as some sort of a sound suppressing technique. "We'll be there just before midnight – I don't want to give him time to figure out what's going on so you've got to move fast. " - "I remember the Temple, trust me." - "Yea, he's been on a binge since he got here a couple days ago." - "I don't know, but I don't want her there, it's too dangerous." - "I haven't figured that out yet." - "I will. Okay."
He's barely finished speaking when he opens the door and catches me eavesdropping. I try to play it off like I heard nothing but I know my eyes give it away. Wordlessly, he takes me by my wrist and pulls me into the bathroom – the shower and sink are running at full blast.
"You've got to get out of here. I want you to take my debit card and go into town. Find a hotel. Don't tell me where you're staying. Keep it from Caroline, too." His voice is steady but I can tell he's on edge as his hands are shaky when he slips them around my face and into my hair. "I can't have you around when this starts to get real. Understand?" I frown, for some reason I want to be involved – I don't want to leave Stefan to take on Klaus on his own. "Please, don't argue with me about this. I have everything under control."
"Lindsey's going to be there." I state it like a fact, not a question. Why can she be there but not me? I want to ask, but I can tell he's getting impatient and I know he's concerned that Klaus is going to begin to wonder where he is. Stefan shakes his head.
"I can't tell you much, but know that she's there because it's necessary that she's around… it has nothing to do with me, or any kind of relationship –"
I interrupt, "She's your girlfriend, right?" I don't know why, but I'm getting angry. Even with the amazing night we had and the way we reconnected at that coffee shop in the plaza, I'm still feeling jealous of the Angelina Jolie look-alike that he himself told me he'd 'moved on' with.
Stefan swallows hard, remembering the letter he sent me. "I, she…" His eyes cut to the bathroom door and he's suddenly taking off his shirt, quickly removing his jeans, and grabs a thick tan towel hanging on the wall. He opens the door, and then looks back down at me as he roughly runs the towel over his hair.
"Are you still showering?" Klaus asks, a beer in his hand, poking his head into Stefan's bedroom. "You're missing a wonderful game!"
Stefan is still looking down at me, standing close in nothing but his grey boxer-briefs. "I'll be out in a moment."
Klaus looks us over – Stefan barely dressed; me in panties and his tee shirt – then smiles widely, giving me a wink as he closes the door behind him. Stefan's body visually releases its tension, but he makes no sound of relief. I open my mouth to start our conversation about how Lindsey can come along to whatever is going to happen tonight, but I have to go get a hotel alone, but Stefan's rough fingers come to my lips, stopping me and shaking his head – his eyes pleading with me to stay quiet.
We stand there like that for a long time – both of us indecent and with barely any space between us, our eyes searching each other –his phone rings and he answers it without breaking our gaze.
"Hello?" He firms his jaw and slowly closes his eyes. "Damon," - "Do not come over here. Do you understand me?" - "Where are you?" - "Stay there. I'll send her to you late this afternoon." - "She can't just slip away, Damon." His voice is quiet, yet I can hear his frustration.
They speak a bit more, all the while Klaus and Caroline can be heard cheering on the game. I gather that Damon is in town, and at some point today, I'll be sent to him for safe keeping.
STEFAN's POV
I'm raging. I have no other way to describe how livid I am with Damon. I can't even get my fingers to work properly as I fumble with the buttons of my white linen shirt. Elena is in the rest room and I can hear her heartbeat, its pulsating through my ears, a steady reminder of my hunger – Damon in Naples a reminder that I should have made love to her last night. My brother would have, had the situation been reversed and it was him that she was embracing. He wouldn't have thought of me at all. I want to kick myself for caring about being honorable, but it doesn't matter. Elena is angry with me about Lindsey, Damon is here to collect her, and I have to focus on Klaus. Glancing at my watch as I fasten it to my left wrist, I note that this whole ordeal will be over in approximately fourteen hours. Midnight… I just have to keep it together til midnight.
It's warmer out today than it has been in the last couple of days, so I decided on a pair of brown cargo shorts and leather flip flops with a baseball cap. I don't feel like me today – I'm not sure if it's the looming conclusion to the nightmare that is Klaus or something else, but I like the way the cap hides my face when I leave Elena in the master and join Klaus and Caroline in the living area. She's sitting sideways in the arm chair, flipping through her phone, while Klaus' attention is for once not focused on her, but on the rugby game playing on the 103 inch plasma hanging from one of the few walls of this place that is not glass. I hate this condo, it too showy, not my style at all, but it fills its requirement as a place for Klaus to feel comfortable in. He's so into the game, and the alcohol he's been downing, that he doesn't notice me enter and head to the kitchen to make Elena an omelet. It's Caroline who sees me first and I know I catch a shadow of doubt in her eyes… it chills me.
I chop and mix, moving methodically as I try and plan out how the events will go down. Cruz, Tomas, Ana, Lindsey, and her younger sister, Gia will begin the spell before the three of us arrive at the Temples. Tonight, a wiccan holiday, the national park will be teeming with people and I've planned on bringing Klaus to the Temples with the expectation of feasting on the intoxicated, partying, gypsies. Caroline and I will have to partake, and, after the control I've exerted while feeding on Elena – God, Elena's blood is luscious – I'm no longer worried that I'll lose myself as I have so many times. That reminds me, I need to drink the bottled lamb's blood that Lindsey spelled for me. It's not the best tasting blood I've ever had, but her witch craft has made it close enough to human blood that it's soothing and smooth.
My thoughts of the Temple, the door, are interrupted by Van Morrison's "Baby, Please Don't Go" blaring from the sound system. I look up and, like many times this weekend, I'm shocked at how close Caroline and Klaus have become. He's muted the game and they're dancing in front of the couch and look like nothing more than a pair of college aged kids who are infatuated with one another. Against my wishes, the song has a way of lifting me, and I feel much less worried – flipping the omelet out of the stainless steel pan, onto a white plate just as Elena comes into view. She's wearing her hair up, the two bite marks on her neck reminding me of her taste once more, and from the white tank top and red bikini bottoms, I'm guessing she's planning on sunning again today.
Seeing her un-expectantly always seems to take the air from my lungs, and I can feel myself fall in love with her again as she moves gracefully across the living room, a smile on her face watching Caroline and Klaus do a lacking version of the twist. I remind myself that not only will Klaus be neutralized by the end of the night, Elena will also be back with Damon and our good-humored weekend will have come to an end.
"Eat up." I smile, hoping my sadness is not evident. I grab one of the Rolling Rock bottles from the fridge that hold the witchy-brewed lambs blood, as Caroline calls it, and take a long hard pull from it. I take it down in three gulps, wishing it was warm but making due, grabbing another.
I'm facing away from Elena, gathering my thoughts and trying to bury my grief when she says, "So, you owe me a surfing lesson."
DAMON's POV
I slipped away from the tag-along's while they looked around in the gift shop and Rebekah made a late lunch of a bell boy in her hotel room. From the front lobby, I can see over the Bay of Naples and my time spent in Italy floods back to me. This place hasn't changed much at all, and the Hotel Excelsior is as true to Naples as ever. Stefan's place is a few miles down the beach and I've decided to do a little reconnaissance. Curiosity killed the cat – that phrase keeps running through my forethoughts as my feet sink in the sand and I begin my walk south.
I'm far from alone on the rocky beach, but something about the blue-green water lapping at my feet makes me feel lonely. It's something I've fought since I was a child – always feeling left out, slightly unwanted, always second choice. I don't know why I've always been rebellious. Katherine once told me that she didn't consider me rebellious, but a leader finding my own way. To this day, those words are still some of the kindest anyone has ever said to me. I hate that it was her that said them though, as I know that she's a careless bitch and it devalues my memory of that night.
Stefan seemed to always win over those people that looked down their nose at reckless Damon Salvatore. Funny, 150 years later and it still stings to remember how my father proudly hugged Stefan, leading him to take over the family business, while kindly suggesting that I join the Army. My own father chose Stefan over me, his eldest son, to follow in his footsteps.
I shake my head, hoping to rearrange my thoughts and study the crowded sea side neighborhood ascending away from the sea line. I'm moving further from the touristy, resort beaches and the condos seem to be getting nicer as I continue south. Recounting the distance I've traveled thus far, I figure I must be getting close to Stefan's condo when I hear giggle – sweet and mischievous – coming from the water. I recognize that laugh, I'd recognize it if I were next to death; it's Elena.
Stopping in my tracks for fear of being caught spying, I try to blend in with the eight or ten humans on the beach by taking a seat in the sand, my eyes searching the water. I see her a few hundred yards away and smile. It's kind of strange to be watching her without her knowing my eyes are on her, but I enjoy it immensely at the same time. She's sitting on a surf board, her hair wet and slicked down her back. I can't recall ever seeing her smile so vividly. The wave catches her board and she's surprised as it lifts her and rushes the board towards the beach. She gives a playful scream and begins to laugh uncontrollably. My heart fills to its capacity at the joyous sound.
I begin to take off my shoes – I want to swim out to her, I need to see her smile like that – but, I'm stopped at the sight of my baby brother coming to the surface of the water next to her leg. She leans over and playfully pushes him under, but not before he grabs her and brings her into the water with him. I can't lie – I still wanted to go to her, but for the sole reason of ripping Stefan's heart from his chest. I don't move, I'm frozen. One shoe off, my hands stuck in the middle of removing the other. I can't tear my eyes away from them.
Elena surfaces first, still laughing, bobbing in the water next to the board. When Stefan comes up next to her he pushes her back onto the board with his hand on her rear. She throws her legs to one side, giving him room to hop up next to her, his legs facing me. I think my blood has stopped flowing. Tenderly, Elena uses her hands to wipe the water from Stefan's face, brushing back his hair as he leans into her and they kiss – I die. I break into thousands of pieces along the beach, wishing the water would catch me and pull me out to sea.
CHAPTER 12
ELENA's POV
I'm leaning back against his bare chest. We haven't said anything in a long while, sitting on the surfboard and looking out at the ocean. All I can think of is something my father said to my mom one evening on our porch; Jeremy and I were still pretty young, I think he was playing with cars and I was writing in a journal my mom had given to me. I can see the way he held her against his side, swaying slowly on the porch swing as the warm Sunday came to a close. It had been a good day, I guess – we'd gone to church, then had a picnic lunch at the falls, spending the rest of the day hiking and what not. We'd just ate dinner and for some reason we all went to the porch. Out of the blue my dad said, to no one in particular, his voice soothing to my ears, "Sometimes, the most ordinary things can be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people." I don't remember ever understanding his words like I do at this moment, the cool breeze sweeping across my bare skin and Stefan's arms warm and secure around me.
"If we'd met at another time, under a different circumstance," He kisses my shoulder, no need to finish his sentence, he knows I understand.
"This doesn't have to end. We can just leave." I think about how fun it's been to be just a couple in love on vacation with their friends, and I am sure about what I'm about to offer. "Let's just leave him alone. If he wants my blood, I'll give it to him. I'm not ready to give this up, Stefan."
He sighs, resting his head on my shoulder. I can feel his lashes on my neck. "You don't know what you're saying. It's not just you he'll be draining for his hybrids…" Visions of nameless children run through my head, I know he's referring to any children that I have and their children, and so on…
"Besides," he continues, "as much as I want to, and Elena… you have no idea how badly I wish I could, but I cannot give you children. I can't grow old with you. Being with me is like setting every dream you've had about your future on fire."
We've had this conversation before, so I know where he's going with it. I don't want to hear it, as I said, I'm not ready to lose this two day long nirvana that I've found. I turn and kiss him, he understands and we float a bit longer in silence, watching the sun sink to the horizon.
"We need to get back to shore." It's time. I can see it in his eyes. I want to start bawling, but I hold myself together.
He's moving ahead of me. I'm sure he's falling apart inside just as I am. When Klaus sees us hit the sand he hollers down at us that he and Caroline want to go out and we should hurry up and get changed. I consider begging Stefan to let me go with them, but I can see in his eyes that he's losing his focus on his plan – diluted by the pain of our affair coming to an end – and I fear that his lack of concentration may end up with him getting hurt, so I tell Stefan that I'm tired and would like to stay in and take a nap. He understands that I'm telling him this so that Klaus hears and he nods with approval as we make our way up the steps to the condo.
I don't waste any time in the living area where Klaus is still drinking and Caroline is searching the internet for a club she'd heard some people talking about when we were at the techno place our first night in Italy.
When I get to my room and close the door, my knees give way and I hit the floor hard, crying in silence. I'm exhausted from hours in the water and from the rollercoaster I've been on since the night my parents were killed.
I can see Stefan in history class the first time our eyes locked, I can feel his hand in mine the night we went to the bonfire. Everything is rushing back to me at an alarming pace. The day we spent together and he confessed his secret of being a vampire – the first time we made love, my first time ever. I can see his tears when I tried to break up with him after Katherine attacked Aunt Jena. I gasp for air, but grab at my mouth with both hands – trying to force myself to stay silent so that Klaus doesn't get suspicious. My mind is still replaying my memories – learning that Stefan left with Klaus, watching him fight Klaus' compulsion. He tried so hard, but lost and in less than a second, everything we'd had was gone. I can see how heartbroken he was when I told him about Damon. Damon. I cry harder – rocking back and forth on my knees – I don't love Damon, not like Stefan. I've known it all along, but I can no longer deny it and I hate myself for hurting them both.
I don't hear when she comes in the room, but I cling to Caroline and she wraps herself around me, crying into her hair as she shushes me like a child. I catch my breath, but she doesn't let me go, just kneels beside me and holds me.
CAROLINE's POV
I didn't even have to look at her to know she was upset – after so many years with someone, the most subtle things can be a dead giveaway. After a moment, as not to raise any suspicion, I excused myself – explaining that I was going to try and talk Elena into coming with us. I don't know what was said between Elena and Stefan, but I knew she needed a friend.
She's laying on her bed now and I'm sitting in the floor beside it, holding her hand, just being there. She doesn't know it, but I'm about to experience losing the love of my life as well. I don't know how I let it happen, or why it had to be me that Klaus took an interest in, but I can't deny that Klaus is my soul mate. He is the way he is because of his father, because of his mother, and there is no way of changing that. But the man beneath all of his hurt and anger and scars, that man is incredibly warm, smart, and sensitive. I wish I could peel away all the memories of pain that Klaus carries with him armor. I wish I could erase all of the vile things he's done to those I love. I can't and it's no use dwelling on it. I'll love him for the rest of my life, even though our relationship is coming closer and closer to its end. I look at my watch, my beautiful watch, it's 6:00pm.
"Come on," I stand, pulling Elena into a sitting position, "let's get you in the shower." I can hear Stefan's shower starting and Klaus has started the music again, a slow, deep melody. At first, I think it's out of place for such a somber memory, but as I listen it fits. It's Nirvana, I can't place the name, but the warped guitar strum and Kurt Cobain's gritty vocals are haunting.
Once Elena's in the shower, I pick an outfit for her and leave it on the bed – her low slung jeans, a deep purple sweater, and my camel brown leather jacket, then go back to Klaus. He's sketching something, but stops when I enter the room, his eyes light up.
"Caroline, you are more stunning each and every time I see you."
I have six hours left to show him the kind of love that he should have been able to experience his entire life.
STEFAN's POV
I have to get myself together.
My fingers are shaking. My mouth is dry. I can't focus on much of anything. I thought taking a shower would help me gain my balance again but I can't ignore this ache, I can't imagine going back to living without Elena.
I'm half dressed when Caroline comes into my room. Things between us are as close to siblings as possible and I'm not shy about my state of undress. I don't care that she didn't knock; she may as well be my sister by blood. I hate knowing that by trapping Klaus I'll be breaking her heart. She can lie if she wants, deny it, but I know she's in love with him. From one person fighting their feelings to another, I can spot it in the way she looks at him. There is a longing there, something that only another in the same position could read.
"She's upset." Caroline states, pulling a dark grey shirt from my closet and handing it to me. I don't skip a beat taking it and slipping it over my head, but give her a warning look. "He's asleep." She explains.
"I know she's upset, but she can't go with us." I whisper, asleep or not, I'm not taking a chance of him hearing us.
"So you're just going to leave her here?"
I fill her in on Damon being at a hotel up the beach and that he's expecting her around seven. My eyes cutting to the alarm clock on my bedside table, it's 6:40.
Caroline seems to be considering something, taking a seat on my bed. "What?" I ask.
She sighs, "Maybe I can talk him out of the hybrid thing."
"Oh my God, Caroline." It's falling apart. I'm falling apart. She's falling apart. I have one shot at this, and we're both crumbling.
"Stefan… I love him." And there it is.
I start to pace – wondering if my only confidant has been absorbed by my enemy. She knows better than to continue, allowing me to try to process this. I have my hands on the back of my head, walking back and forth when Elena opens the door, dressed and ready to leave.
My arms drop to my sides in defeat. We could just stay like this. The four of us. I don't have control of myself. I cross the room and scoop Elena into my arms, hugging her like I'll never see her again.
She turns her face into my neck and I can feel her mouth form the words against my ear "Turn me."
"WHAT?" Caroline nearly yells. I should turn and give her a scolding look, but I can't move. What is Elena saying? She wants to be a vampire? Why? To be with me? To be with Damon? To keep Klaus from taking her blood? Elena can see the confusion in my eyes, pulling away from me, my hands on her hips and hers resting on my forearms.
"If you don't do it, Damon will. It'll just hurt him more when he finds out he turned me so I could be with you."
"You don't have to do this, I'm going to take care of Klaus tonight. It's okay." I do not comprehend, her words sound like she's speaking them too fast or too slow.
"Stefan." Her hands cup my face. "I don't need anything but you. Turn me. I want to be with you."
I think I hear her say she wants me to turn her because she wants to be with me. Visions of us, together for eternity tear through me. I didn't know it until that moment, but I've secretly wanted her to turn since I met her. I wonder, why haven't we thought about this before, then I remember. Klaus will kill us. He will kill Elena, Damon, Caroline, me… and anyone else he needs to kill in order burn out his anger.
I step away from her, "No."
"Yes." She counters.
"Elena, he'll kill us. It won't matter if you're immortal because you won't make it through the rest of the night." The thought is sobering.
I find my balance.
"You need to leave. Damon is expecting you." My words are cutting her; I can see the pain in her endless brown eyes. "Please, go."
Elena sat in the guest room, listening to Klaus and Stefan joking about their feast at the Temple, not sure what to make of that. When the front door closed, Elena sat perfectly still, giving them time to get some distance away from the condo, then slipped on her jacket. She looked out of the windows, the ocean growing darker with the night, sending a silent prayer that God would be with Stefan, help him conquer Klaus, then turned and left the condo.
Stefan gave her some rough directions and a handful of euro, but said nothing. He didn't kiss her goodbye, he didn't prolong it. Clean cut. Something inside her continued to haunt her with the feeling that she'd never see him again.
