The atmosphere inside the Salvatore Rooming House was tense, to say the least. Stefan paced across the living room, arms crossed in front of his chest. Damon stared vacantly at the fire, the glass of bourbon in his hand long forgotten.
"We have to do something!"
Damon lifted his head and gazed wearily at his brother.
"Like what, Stefan? If Katherine gave her blood then there are only two ways this is going to end – with Elena dying or Elena turning."
His expression said exactly what he thought of both options – neither was to his liking.
Stefan exploded with uncharacteristic violence and threw the first thing he could find. The chair exploded against the wall, sending debris flying in every direction. Damon rolled his eyes and his brother's melodrama and got to his feet.
"When I find Katherine, I am going to drive a stake through her cold, black heart!" Stefan seethed.
"Not if I get to her first," he countered with a grim smile.
Stefan had every right to want to kill Katherine, but even this thing with Elena didn't come close to making them even. Katherine had played him and betrayed him in every way possible. If the opportunity ever arose, he would be the one to take her life. After 147 years of waiting, he deserved his revenge.
Stefan calmed down some and braced his hands against the fireplace's stone mantle.
"What do we do now?" he asked quietly.
"You know our choices."
Stefan glared at him over his shoulder, "I'm not going to kill her."
"Okay, then we'll let the transition happen and keep our fingers crossed that she doesn't go on a murdering rampage through Mystic Falls."
"Not funny, Damon."
"I wasn't trying to be funny. You're forgetting that there's every chance she'll turn out like Vicky. If it comes to that, we'll have to kill her."
Uttering a hopeless groan, Stefan collapsed into the nearest chair and buried his head in his hands. Damon pulled in a deep breath and slowly sat down across from him. The sound of the fire crackling and popping filled the silence but its radiating warmth did little to comfort either of them.
"I say we let her choose," Stefan spoke up. "Elena's smart and she knows what's involved with becoming a vampire. She's seen what will happen if she doesn't transition. We should let her make the choice for herself."
"You know what she'll choose," Damon said bluntly.
"It wouldn't be the first time a mortal has turned to be with one of us. Either way, it's gotta be her choice, Damon. We should at least ask her what she wants."
"Ask me what?"
The brothers turned in unison to stare at the girl on the stairs. She looked deceptively healthy; her complexion was warm and bright and she smiled shyly at them both.
Stefan was by her side in a heartbeat, pulling her into his arms. Damon watched from his place by the fire, quietly envying his brother's freedom to hold her at will.
"What's going on?"
She looked suspiciously between them and slowly pushed herself out of Stefan's embrace. She eyed Stefan first, but when he refused to speak and looked away she turned her attention to Damon. He hesitated and exhaled a sharp sigh before telling her the truth.
"Katherine killed you."
Her eyes widened in surprise and then fear while her hand caressed her throat in disbelief.
"So that means…"
Damon set down his drink and moved to her side. Taking her arms, he held her gaze to make certain she understood his next words.
"You, Elena, have a choice to make."
The breath escaped her lungs in a 'whoosh' and she fell back. Stefan swooped in to carry her to the nearest couch, whispering consoling words the entire way.
As the shock slowly started to wear off, anger morphed her features. She shook her head and pushed out of Stefan's embrace.
"No! It's not going to be okay, Stefan! She killed me! I'm… I'm…"
Her panic became a tangible thing that filled the room. It crowded the large space, making it feel suddenly small and suffocating.
"Only if you let the transition happen," Damon reminded her.
Her eyes lifted to his and he toasted her before throwing back his drink. She gaped in disbelief at his cavalier attitude and frantically turned to Stefan.
"If I don't let the transition happen…"
"You die," he answered softly. His hands caressed her face and he pulled her in for a long hug, "This is my fault. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you, Elena."
Damon went about pouring himself another drink. Their frequent open displays of affection left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth that no amount of bourbon could wash away.
"What would you do? Both of you. If you had to decide again, which would you choose?"
She stared at them expectantly, her gaze switching from one to the other. Both frowned in unison, looking more like brothers than ever before.
"If you let the change happen, we can help you through it," Stefan promised earnestly. His expression was grim, but his tone was hopeful.
"This is not the life I wanted for you, Elena, but this doesn't have to be the end. We'll find a way to make it work, whatever it takes."
Elena nodded slowly, absorbing his words. Eventually her gaze settled on the black-clad vampire sitting across from her.
"And you, Damon?"
The expression in her eyes was hopeful, but Damon found the words spilling from his mouth before he could stop them. Had he more time to think he might have given a different answer, but at the moment the only thing his brain seemed able to focus on was hatred of all things Katherine.
"I'd stake my own heart before I ever changed again."
Her features sobered instantly and she swallowed down whatever words she'd been about to say. Sighing heavily, he uncrossed his leg and sat forward.
"Look, living like this, being like this, isn't fun, Elena. My brother dearest forced the change on me 147 years ago and I've spent every day since hating him for it. I know I make this look sexy and fun, but here's the truth - being un-dead sucks. It really, really sucks. You don't want this."
Sitting back, he met Stefan's cool gaze. His brother, it seemed, didn't appreciate his brutal honesty, or the effect it had on Elena.
"Would you be singing the same tune if you got to spend the last century and a half with Katherine?" he wondered aloud. "Love changes the equation, Damon."
Damon rolled his eyes. Looking directly at Elena he added, "However much you love him, it isn't worth this. Believe me, I would know."
Elena pulled in a shuddering breath and let it out slowly. She was doing a good job of holding it together, but it was obvious to both of them that the news that she was soon to be dead or un-dead had shaken her to the core.
"Any chance this is a bad dream?" she asked, looking imploringly from face to face. Gloomy expressions and furrowed brows were the only answers they could offer. No such luck, then.
"I need time…" she said softly, exchanging a quick glance with Stefan.
"Well, you've got three days," Damon interjected.
Elena shot him an uncertain glance, nodded and slowly got to her feet. Stefan was at her side, helping her up the stairs until she brushed him off.
"I think I'll go lay down. I'm feeling pretty tired."
"Do you want me to stay with you?" he offered. She shook her head and lovingly caressed his cheek.
"I'm fine. See you in the morning."
With that she left, retreating zombie-like into the hall. Stefan turned round the moment she was out of sight and fixed his brother with a hard look.
"What are you doing, Damon?"
"Helping her make an educated decision," he answered while pouring himself a fresh drink.
"How can you be so calm about this? We did this to her, Damon. We brought Katherine into her life. We brought our world to her doorstep!"
"Hold up there, Stefan. Don't go dragging me into your pity party. You're the one who wanted to settle down, start a life and play house. If you want someone to blame go look in a mirror."
"Besides," he added with a shrug, "Katherine's the same cold-hearted bitch she always was. Elena was her only leverage over you and she took it because we backed her into a corner. "
"Don't pretend that this doesn't affect you too," Stefan warned.
Replacing the lid to the decanter with a flourish, Damon turned to face his distraught brother with a smile.
"Stefan, you're reacting exactly how Katherine expects you to. Don't give her the satisfaction."
With that, he turned and headed for the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Stefan demanded, eyeing him suspiciously.
"To kill Katherine, where else?"
And with a wave, he was gone.