Elena was banging on the door of the boarding house before the sun had a chance to rise, impatient and angry that for once the front door was locked.
"I know you're here, Stefan. It's important."
Secoonds later Stefan opened the door, clad in nothing but pajama pants, holding a hot cup of coffee. "What do you want, Elena?" He asked, pronouncing all the syllables in her name with a sort of languid annoyance. "You do realize it's 5 in the morning?"
Elena brushed past him, the hem of her flare jeans brushing the granite floor of the foyer, spinning back to face him as he shut the door. "I know what time it is," She huffed, crossing her arms. She had barely gotten her jacket and jeans on before she was on the way to his house. She knew it was a long shot, but Stefan had what she needed, and if his reaction to the news that she'd kissed Damon had meant anything, then maybe she had a chance at breaking through the walls he'd put up around his humanity.
"Klaus has taken Damon. He had Katherine come to my house to deliver the message. He's bitten him, Stefan, he doesn't have a lot of time left, and you're the only one that can help me." Elena's eyes pleaded with him. Stefan merely took a sip of his coffee and stared.
"He wants the coffin back. He's desperate."
Elena shook her head. "He's not desperate, Stefan, he's pissed. He knew where to hit us, and he did it. And this time, we have to give in. You have to."
Stefan's eyes softened for a moment, but he shook his head in reply, setting his coffee down. "You know I can't do that, Elena. That coffin is the only leverage I have left. I'm not giving it up."
Elena's eyes grew wide with horror. She took a step closer to him, her arms tight against her chest. "Do you even hear yourself right now? This is Damon. Stefan, he's dying. Right now, as we speak. You know that you care."
Stefan was angry. Every time he was close to accepting that this was who he was now, this one girl had to keep coming back, trying to force his humanity back into him. Didn't she understand by now? The Stefan Salvatore she once knew didn't live here anymore. And he couldn't think of a better way to prove it to her.
"Damon is the reason I'm where I'm at right now. Because I already saved him, twice. I gave you up the first time he got himself bitten by a werewolf. I'm not giving up the only thing i have left to destroy Klaus with just to save him again. I'm done."
Elena's eyes hardened, and her palm cracked against Stefan's jaw line before she even realized she'd raised her arm.
"No, Stefan. I'm done. I want you gone. Out of this town. Out of my life. I don't care where you go, but this isn't happening anymore. You can take your precious coffin and play your games somewhere else, and I'll save Damon."
Elena bounded out the door of the boarding house, halfway to her car before Stefan reappeared in her path.
"Don't be stupid, Elena. You can't do anything to Klaus."
Elena scoffed. "You wanted to make me hate you. Well, you got your wish. You don't get to worry about me anymore. Now get out of my way."
Stefan looked at her, hard, but didn't say a word, didn't move a muscle. In the end it was Elena who walked around him, climbing into her car and gunning the engine towards Plan B.