Every single person who reads this has the full right to kill me because 1) I procrastinated and wrote this whole thing in a few hours. 2) It's about a thousand words shorter than the typical chapter. 3) It's a filler chapter. So please, tell me how much I suck because I completely deserve it.

YOU GUYS on the other hand need to be told how flawless you all are. The reviews are far too kind and literally make my entire day. So thank you times a thousand. I'm incredibly sorry to disappoint you with this chapter, but I do think it needed to be put in there so we could get to the more exciting stuff. The reason it's shorter is just because I wanted to end this chapter in a certain way and I don't have a desire to add unnecessary stuff just to hit a certain amount of words.

Be sure to tell me how much I suck on my tumblr ninadobsession :) (Don't know if you guys can tell, but my middle name is subtle.)


Chapter 3: Rubber and Soul

In my mind I'm crawling on your floor

Vomiting and defeated

Total absence of grace

Your reluctant voice saying

You decide your own fate but

I wear rubber bands round my soul

They keep me from crawling

And these rubber bands round my soul

They keep me from falling

Lena woke up with a start in her own bedroom. She had been having a nightmare, one consisting of horrible monsters and death. Yet, she hadn't been scared. Although it's foggy, she remembers, in fact, helping the creatures complete their lethal missions. But at the end, they had turned on her and right before she was about to be killed…

She was covered in sweat, so she got up out of her bed in order to change. She saw through the curtains it was at least somewhat light out, so she pushed them open to find out just how long she had slept. Apparently, a very long time. The plantation was vivaciously busy, with servants and guests roaming. Lena was used to the guests. Miranda had been lonely since her husband's death, so she made sure to constantly be entertaining. But she never had them over until at least eleven.

Why didn't Abigail wake me up? Lena wondered. Abigail typically came into her room by nine, even if Lena had no engagements until the afternoon. Lena didn't worry about it too much. With the incredible amount of events happening at the plantation lately, the servants were always given tasks they were not originally assigned to, just to keep up with the severe amount of work.

Lena was able to bathe and dress herself without help, so she headed towards her vanity to begin her morning routine. But returning to that familiar seat brought back a rush of yesterday's memories: the sitting room, Damon's outburst, their witty conversation, the feelings that Lena had experienced. But mornings were Lena's best time of the day. She always felt far more productive and capable of anything after a good rest. So she took a deep breath, looked at herself in the mirror and made the decision to forget about her encounter with the older Abington. She smiled slightly at the crazed pledge she had made the evening before to kiss Stefan as hard as she could when she first saw him today. Blushing, she contemplated all the ways she could do it. Pull him into a hallway before tea. Ask him to go riding and instead spend all day in the stable. Or maybe she would use her patience and wait until that evening where they could take a romantic moonlit walk around the lake.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come in," Lena said, assuming Abigail had finally been given permission to return to her normal duties. But instead, Lexi appeared on the other side of the door.

"Hello," she said. She was already perfectly dressed, her beauty seemingly unfair this early in the day. "I'm so sorry to barge in, but I was wondering if I could speak to you for a minute, in private."

"Of course," Lena replied. "Come in."

Lexi stepped inside, quietly shutting the door behind her. She crossed to Lena's bed, and began to straighten the covers.

"Goodness gracious," Lena exclaimed, shocked. "Lexi, you don't have to make my bed. We can just talk."

Lexi looked up at Lena, continuing to make the bed. "I'm sorry," she spoke shyly. "It's second nature for me to want to clean. For some reason, it's always been incredibly relaxing for me. When my family needed finances, I worked as a servant for a while. It seemed to be the only thing a woman could do that I would actually rather enjoy. Besides, my family couldn't help themselves and my job is to fix what's broken." Her head suddenly shot up, as her tone had been bitter in her last sentence. "I'm sorry. I tend to speak too much. It's not proper."

"It's fine, Lexi," Elena said calmly. "Stefan has already told me everything."

Lexi's head shot up again. "Stefan has told you everything?" she repeated

"Well, not everything, but your situation, yes."

Lexi stood with her mouth slightly open and wiped her hands on her dress nervously. "You're surprisingly calm with us being here."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Lena asked. "I'm not too thrilled about Damon's presence, but I am overjoyed you and your father decided to join us. Stefan has told me so much about you."

Lexi snorted. "Stefan's a bit biased when it comes to the members of his family."

"I think he deserves to be, after what Damon did to him," Lena replied. "Your family going through that difficult time and Damon just abandoning you all is… unimaginable."

Lexi paused and walked over to Lena's side, perching herself on the now made bedside that was closest to her. "Exactly how much do you know, Lena?"

"Only what I've said. Stefan and your father were struggling with something and Damon left you to support them all on your own."

Lexi's face relaxed quickly. "Oh, right, of course. He did tell you everything." Lena noticed a small smile appear on Lexi's face before she quickly changed her expression back. "Well, as much as it was a difficult time, you should know I tend to be a lot more… passive about the situation. I respect Damon's decision to leave us, and have no anger towards him."

Lena was flabbergasted. "You had to take care of your family all by yourself. How could you not be mad at Damon?"

Lexi started to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat. She started again, but changed her word flow abruptly. "Well, let's just say I'm incredibly compassionate. Besides, as I said earlier, my purpose in life is to fix what's been broken."

"Well, I think that's a thoroughly admirable purpose to have," Lena said, placing her hand on Lexi's. "Oh, could we spend a day together soon, just the two of us? I would so much like to get to know you better. I've had very few friends my own age. Hopefully, once all of this wedding madness settles down, we can become the best of friends, just like sisters."

Lexi's face fell and she stood up with a sad smile on her face. "I don't believe that will be possible, Lena. My father and I, we tend to be quite nomadic. I'm sure once your wedding is over, we will all be getting out of your hair permanently."

"Oh," Lena said in a small voice, disappointed. "Well, while you're here, we could talk, yes?"

Lexi smiled forlornly again. "Yes, of course." There was a pause in conversation. Lexi began to exit, but turned back to Lena. "I'm surprised you don't ask more questions. You seem perfectly fine with my brother's vagueness."

Lena looked up with a quizzical expression from her seated position. "I love your brother with everything that I am. I trust him, heart and soul."

Lexi was silent for a moment. She grabbed the door handle and began to turn it. She looked back to Lena somberly. "Hold on to that. It's the only way you two will survive."

Before Lena could respond, Lexi was gone. Lena walked to the door and glanced in the hallway, but it was completely empty.


Stefan mounded even more soil onto the already massive pile that covered the remnants of last night. Stefan paused every few minutes to lower the shovel and wipe the ever flowing tears from his eyes. Everything that had happened the night before was roaring through his mind, quick flashes of blood, screams, and his father's smile, the one that had haunted his sleep for far too many nights. He could bury the bodies, but the guilt would never stay underground.

As Stefan finally determined enough earth stood between him and his victims, he looked up at the sky, trying to calm the nerves in his body that wanted to rip through his skin. Everything was electrified, in a way that was both terrible and beautiful. He couldn't contain it any more. He let out a primitive scream, one that could probably be heard from miles away, even though he'd traveled much too far for anyone on the Gilbert plantation to hear. He'd done well to block any thoughts of Lena out of his mind, but every time one came, the pain in his chest nearly made him collapse. He broke down again, falling to his knees.

A smooth voice interrupted his cries. "I wouldn't have asked you to come if I knew you were going to be this much of a killjoy, Stefan." Stefan turned his head. His father, who had gone to clean himself in a nearby stream, looked almost presentable, save for the substantial amount of blood that still stained his shirt. His face showed his displeasure. "I thought you were going to turn it off."

Stefan couldn't even respond. The incredible amount of emotions he was experiencing prevented him from doing anything except crying. The guilt, the anger, but worst of all, the hunger. A new need was present: the desire to do it again and again. Every fiber of his being was now going towards controlling that part of him.

Giuseppe sauntered towards his son. He stood in front of his crouched body, and kicked a bit of the dirt off of the freshly packed grave. "After you left, I realized I didn't have much of a purpose, Stefan. Most fathers are supposed to make sure their sons become successful and their daughters marry well. But I recognized that none of my children needed me. Damon left us and created his own life. Lexi, well she's become one of those independent women. She has no need to get married. For a long while, I thought you didn't need me either." Giuseppe knelt to meet his son's watery eyes. "I was living in turmoil for a long time. When Lexi helped us all those years ago, she made us take back our humanity. But I'm not a human. None of us are. I could no longer play a game of pretend for the rest of my existence. So, I turned it back off."

Stefan worked up enough composure to speak quietly. "Do Lexi and Damon know?"

"No! Of course not," Giuseppe scoffed. "They wouldn't have allowed me to get within a thousand yards of this house or you. This time, we can hide it. It's much easier."

Stefan stood up. "Don't say we, father. I will not be a part of this. I refuse. You and I will go back to the Gilberts and you will say you were called away on business and you will never come back. Do you understand me?"

Giuseppe's face had no emotion on it for a few moments, but suddenly his sadistic smile came back as he ran Stefan into the nearest tree, his hands at Stefan's throat. His voice was cold and controlled as he spoke. "You are kidding yourself if you thought this was just a simple mistake you will forget about and move on from." Giuseppe moved to viciously whisper in Stefan's ear. "Right now, as we speak, the blood is rushing through your veins, giving you energy you haven't felt in years. The voracious hunger is tearing you apart inside. The thrill of the slaughter is the only thing you desire at this moment. Not Lena, not your old life, but the kill. You can run me as far off of this plantation as you want to, but you made a move last night that would take you decades to recover from." Giuseppe dropped his son to the ground. Stefan stared blankly ahead, eyes void of a reaction.

Giuseppe brushed his hands off. "The decision you're contemplating has already been made, Stefan. The one you should be considering is whether you want to do it alone."


Lena walked down the steps as Mary jumped up and down in place. Lena smiled at her rambunctious sibling.

"Mary, what are you doing?" she asked.

"Louisa never came to get me this morning to take me outside and Mama says I can't go outside unless Louisa is with me."

Louisa and Abigail? Lena was shocked. "Did you ask Mama where Louisa was?"

"Yes, but she doesn't know." Mary replied.

Lena grabbed her sister's hand and started down the long hallway. She started to look through the various rooms, with Mary occasionally calling out for Miranda. Fears began to run through Lena's mind as she went to the various rooms, desperate to find some answers.

Her quest was interrupted, though, when she ran into Damon. He had turned a corner, just as she was coming around it. When he recognized her, his face lit up with a huge smile. "Damon!" Mary cried running and jumping into his arms.

"Hey, sugar. Sorry I had to leave you earlier. But I'm back if you still want me to play the knight." Mary gasped excitedly.

"You two have been playing?" Lena asked incredulously. She couldn't picture Damon with a child, let alone playing with her sister.

Damon placed Mary back on the ground and whispered in her ear. Mary giggled and darted off back down the hallway. He stood back up to face Lena. "Yes, she was trapped inside the house and apparently, I make a very good prince." He smiled widely.

Lena was taken aback. Was he flirting with her? She didn't have time to dwell on it when there were more pressing issues on hand. Furthermore, she wasn't going to break again like yesterday. She had far too much willpower. Her primary goal was to get him to move out of her way.

"Well, it seems you decided to just leave her with no explanation halfway through. It's not exceedingly surprising with your history." Lena knew it was a harsh statement, but she wanted to make sure Damon knew her feelings towards his betrayal.

Damon balked. "Elena, I-I was..."

"As much as I'd love to hear an excuse, I need to locate my mother. Have you seen her?" she asked briskly.

"Uh, no, not recently. I can help you look for her, if you would like."

Lena was stunned. She'd been incredibly rude to him, yet he seemed to be completely unruffled by her cruel words. "Uh s-sure." She turned the corner and continued checking the rooms, as Damon followed behind. Oddly, she felt as though she was breaking whatever pact she'd made earlier this morning by once again being alone and this close with him, but she ignored it. Damon would not get under her skin.


As Damon followed closely behind Elena, he deliberated why she had been so rude earlier. Something must have happened between the last time he had seen her and now for her to have changed so much. He had thought their last encounter had been quite pleasurable. Yes, she had been sharp with him then, but it was simply banter. Now, the words felt much more real.

Finally, they discovered her mother in one of the sitting rooms talking anxiously with one of the older male help. "Lena!" she exclaimed when her daughter entered. "And Damon. I'm so sorry I've been preoccupied this morning."

"Is this about Louisa and Abigail, Mama?" Elena asked.

"Yes," Miranda replied. "Apparently, they've disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Elena repeated.

"Yes. Nobody has heard from or seen them since late last night. The last thing we know is that Abigail and Louisa had a few acquaintances over. George and I believe they might have run away."

Damon was surprised. Every employee he had seen here had been treated with the upmost respect. Why would two teenage girls run away? They would face far more difficulties off this land than on it.

He gauged Elena's reaction and felt physical discomfort when he saw the worried look on her face. He would be a liar if he had not noticed her near flawless beauty, but even concern was lovely on her. He wanted to place his arm around her, to comfort her in some way, but he was positive she would immediately reject it.

But Damon couldn't have consoled her even if he'd tried to, for at that moment, Stefan entered the room. Noticing the nervous expressions in the room, Stefan asked, "Is everything alright?"

Elena turned to embrace him, placing her shoulder on his chest, as Miranda again explained the situation. But Damon's eyes were completely focused on Stefan. The second Elena had wrapped her arms around him, Stefan had tensed up, with an almost pained expression on his face. Damon also noticed a flicker of unnatural emotion cross over Stefan's eyes at the mention of Abigail's name, but he couldn't tell exactly what it was.

Abruptly, Damon's curiosity about his brother's illogical behavior was replaced with an indisputable knowledge: he smelled blood. Fresh, human blood.


Now you see why I wanted to end it in a certain way. Yes, there will be a confrontation between the brothers and that will be in the next chapter. Also, for those of you who are wondering when the eff the Delena action is starting, I promise it will be soon. I have a plan so please be patient.

I wanted to give Lexi some time in the sun this chapter. I adore her and the death of her character is the only thing I have ever hated the writers for. She will definitely have some more story time as well if you like her. Plus, little Mary. I apologize if you guys wanted to see Jeremy, but I'm a sucker for Damon and little children so bam, out popped the idea of Mary.

So tell me what you think in the comments. Should my keyboard be taken away from me so I can never write again? Are you excited for some Defan fighting? Are you still forever bitter about the death of Lexi like I am? Any predictions for what's coming up?

Love, love, love every single one of you all. There should be an update around Monday, unless a lot of you say yes to that first question. :)