Stefan hadn't meant to do it. He hadn't meant to expose himself like that. It had been three days since he'd last drank human blood and he was craving it so badly. His body was on fire and his senses were on overdrive. He'd been running through the woods when suddenly he stopped dead. Stefan had caught the scent of blood. Not just animal blood - human blood and it was rich and mouthwatering. He tried to resist, tried to run back the way he had come but it was no use. Stefan began to run, faster than he had in a long time, it was when he got to the road that bends deep into the woods did he finally stop. There he saw a car. Nothing special about it. It was the woman stood outside the car, looking for signal on her cell that he noticed. Hidden in the shadow of the trees, he watched her. She was cursing and talking to herself, or so Stefan thought.
Without a thought towards her life, he ran forward and grabbed her. She barely let out a scream before his hand was over her mouth, his teeth stuck deeply in her neck. Her blood tasted better than it smelt and he could feel it raging and pulsating as he ran his tongue over his teeth. He drained the life out of this poor, petite woman and it wasn't until after, that he dropped her body to the ground that he felt remorse. It was the same as he always had since he became The Ripper. But Stefan wouldn't cry, he wouldn't bury her, he would just run and wait for somebody else to find her. Stefan turned around, ready to leave, and was shocked to see a gun, pointed right at his head.
The shaking hand holding the gun belonged to an unfamiliar man. This stranger was crying and angry and looked as if he might collapse. "I've rung the cops, they'll be here any moment" he whispered, barely audible. Stefan couldn't help himself. He pounced over the bonnet of the car. A shot rang out as the man attempted to defend himself, but Stefan had already broken his neck. He stood there in confusion, had he really just murdered a man for nothing? Who was he turning into? Just then Stefan heard a voice that made his body keel over, that sent chills down his spine, the voice that made him run. "Daddy?" The young girl whimpered. She couldn't have been older than seven.
By the time Stefan managed to push himself home, it was late but as usual, Damon was still awake. He cornered Stefan as soon as he walked through the door. "Careless, brother" Damon sneered as he waved his hand behind him at the TV. On it was the scene Stefan has just left behind. The murders he had committed and the little girl, wrapped in blankets, under the arm of a cop that he had left an orphan. Stefan's knees gave way and he grabbed hold of the banister in support. Before he collapsed fully, Stefan ran upstairs and fell to the floor in floods of tears. He didn't want to become this person but he couldn't help himself anymore.
Damon walked slowly to the TV and turned it off. The house was silent then but when he listened hard enough he could hear Stefan upstairs, weeping. The cocky attitude Damon held moments before had vanished. He knew what this was doing to his brother and he knew that Stefan just needed to be taught how to control himself but Damon didn't know how to be with Stefan anymore. He didn't know how to treat him, whether it be as an enemy, as a friend or as his younger brother. Damon knew which one would work best for them both right now.
Stefan was stood up in the middle of the room, staring blankly at the window, tears streaming silently down his face when Damon made it to his room. "Stefan?" He said, wondering if his brother wanted him there. 'Tough' Damon thought to himself 'Dammit if I'm going to leave him like this'. He crossed the room until he was in front of his brother. It was only then did Stefan seem to really realise Damon's presence. Fresh tears formed in his eyes as he spoke, no more of a shaky whisper "I can't do this anymore, Damon. I can't live this way". Damon felt so useless. His mind flashed back to 1860 when Stefan fell off a horse and Damon had been the one to take care of him and patch him up, Damon that had held his hand tightly through Stefan's nightmares, Damon that had taken care of his brother and vowed to his father to protect him. He took Stefan in his arms just as Stefan's knees buckled. Damon carefully lowered his brother to the ground and Stefan wrapped his arms tight around his brother. Damon could feel him shaking and clung to him tighter. He didn't do the whole 'feelings' thing but this felt right. Stefan needed his big brother and Damon would stop being an ass and allow Stefan this. "Tomorrow, brother, I'll give you a few lessons on self control. We'll handle this. You and I, together" Damon softly said. Stefan nodded and spoke into Damon's chest. "Thankyou Damon. Thankyou". Damon replied "Sleep Stefan, you look tired as hell. I'll be here when you wake up, I promise you that". And Stefan closed his eyes and prepared to sleep because if he couldn't hold onto anything else, he could at least hold onto how much he needed and trusted Damon right now as the last good thing he had in this life.