Being in Mystic Falls was equal to what burning in hell would feel like, that much Stefan was sure of.
Ever since he had come back to this town he couldn't seem to keep bad things at bay. Every day was another disaster, another problem, another suffering and he was failing at making it remotely better. Every step forward was ten steps back, and some how they had managed to survive it all. But this time he was losing his brother, probably for good if he couldn't come up with something fast. Even when Damon was dying he had never felt this helpless, he knew there had to be a cure, somewhere. Being as close and easy to obtain had just been one hell of a lucky break, even if he lost himself for a little it had been worth it. Damon had always been worth it, he had just forgot it for awhile.
Damon had been off the rails before, but never the way he was now. Back then Damon just didn't give a shit about him, now it was ruining the lives of everyone that cared about him. And when Elena woke up, there would be nothing but bad news for her to read, to see. There would be a devastated Caroline, she would have just lost Bonnie, Matt and Ric would be gone, because the facts were simple, Damon will most likely kill off all of their friends by then. Elena was going to wake up to a monster, a monster that wouldn't even recognize her. The toll this was taking on everyone was becoming too much, after everything else they had been through they were all beginning to lose hope.
Just when he had thought he was getting his brother back life threw another curve ball at them. Saving the day wasn't his department, no matter how much Damon had proclaimed that Stefan was the hero, he knew all Damon was doing was passing the credit onto him. Damon was the real hero. He was the one with the plans, the solutions, and then about ten backups just in case, which was always in their case. He remembers when Damon had told him that he'd be the bad guy, the guy to keep Elena alive, and Stefan counted on that no matter how much he refused to admit it out loud. Damon was better at letting everyone expect the worst from him and then letting them all hate him for making the tough calls. The tough calls that usually turned out to be the right calls. Damon never cared to live up to anyone's expectations, he did what he thought was right and screw the consequences. And what Damon thought was right normally saved his sorry ass, and not to mention Elena's and usually everyone else too.
What they needed was Elena back. They needed her now, not in fifty years from now. Elena was the key to somehow reaching Damon. And how the hell they were going to do that he had no clue. He needed to find Valerie. If anyone would be able to pull off a spell like that it would be her, and with Bonnie's help it had to work. He just had to get her on board with his plan. So he pulls himself out of his thoughts, gets out of his car and makes his way up to her dorm room. He tries to muster up any amount of confidence he could find as he knocks on her door.
"Bonnie, can we talk?"
"Sure. Come on in." Bonnie tells him as she hands him a book. "I found some of Grams old spell books, I'm going to see if there is anything in here we can use to reverse the spell Sybil put on Damon. It's worth a shot taking a look, right?"
"I need to save him Bonnie."
"I know Stefan. I have an idea what I'm going to do about Enzo too." She gives him a sad smile and he wants to think that she'll understand because he needs her to so he says screw it and dives right in. Because isn't that what Damon would do?
"I don't think you get it. My whole human life I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to be his best friend. My father was a terrible father to both of us, but he was worse to Damon. And he was worse to Damon because he couldn't break him no matter how hard he tried. Damon never let me get into trouble, he was always taking the blame, he was always talking back, admitting to thinks he didn't even do to take the heat off of me. He taught me everything I knew, and then he left to fight in the war. It made me admire him even more. So when I forced Damon to transition it was because I was selfish, I needed him to survive so I could survive. No matter how much Damon hated me, he'd never let me die. So I can't let this be his life. I need to get Elena back."
Bonnie studies him with something mixed between sympathy and disgust for a minute before speaking up.
"So you came here because you want me to die?"
"No. I'd never ask you to do that. I came here because I need you to find Valerie."
"Can't you just call her?"
"She must have ditched her phone, I've already tried numerous times. I need her to help us find a way to unlink you and Elena."
"I already searched for one Stefan. I couldn't find anything."
"That doesn't mean there isn't one. You saw what Valerie is capable of. She's been around for a long time. If there was a spell to put the curse on Elena there has got to be one to undo it. And if you won't help I'm going to New Orleans to Klaus, he knows powerful witches. I can't let this go, there has to be a way."
"I'll do the locator spell. But answer me one question. If we get Elena back, how does that help Damon? He doesn't even remember her."
"I know he doesn't. Maybe I'm hoping for a miracle. I'd say each of us are due for our own personal miracle at some point, don't you think? You didn't see his eyes, when I told him Elena would never want this he looked at me like he was fighting some kind of internal battle. I think she's still in his head somewhere Bonnie, and if she was here I know it would make a difference."
"Alright lets do this." As Bonnie begins to chant the pendant moves closer and closer to Virginia and lands on Mystic Falls.
"If she was in Mystic Falls don't you think we would know it?"
"Maybe she doesn't want anyone to know."
"I have an idea of where she is. Thank you Bonnie."
He can't help but watch her for a minute, she really was beautiful. And as innocent as she looked she was twice as deadly. He wanted nothing but the best for her, he wished she could find the happiness and peace that she'd been longing for for so long.
"Are you done being a stalker?"
"Sorry. You looked so content, I hated to interrupt."
"I'm sure."
"I knew I'd find you here."
"I knew you'd find me here." She tells him mirthlessly and he hopes one day he'll be able to stop hurting the people he loves and cares about.
"When did you get back?"
"A few hours ago, I felt homesick, and then I realized I didn't even have a home to go home to. So I just came to Lily."
"I'm so sorry Valerie."
"I know you are. Why did you want to find me Stefan?"
"I need your help with a spell."
"And what makes you think I'd help you?"
"Because you're good Valerie. You want to be good, and you deserve good. I never meant to hurt you, but we just weren't meant to be. Both chances we were given were never enough, and I'm sorry about that but we can't change it. As a friend I'm asking for your help. I need you to help me. Please?"
