TVD – Bonded for Life, Chapter 3

A/N - As usual, I only own the story, my ideas, but the characters and TVD belong to others – I'm not including anything I've seen in the preview for the 410 since they've really given us no indication of what the status is of Elena's feelings and the confrontation with Stefan at the school. I can't wait for him to let her have it though, so…I must write…

So, is she still sired? Had he given her permission to leave her home…?

Elena sped home. Her mind raced. Was she finally seeing that even when they weren't together, she was still doing what he'd told her to do and was she no longer herself? No, no, I am me! she raged internally.

Earlier that day, Stefan had left the boarding house telling Caroline he needed to hunt. He did, but it was really an excuse to ditch her and his surroundings. He ran for miles without thinking, just wanting to distance himself long enough so that she'd leave and he could be on his own. He loved his friend. She was so great letting him explode the other night and quietly being there for him, not stopping his rage. But Stefan didn't want her now hovering, prodding him back to sublimating his anger. He needed his anger now more than ever. Without it, he could easily become a basket case, lost in his anguish.

After finally focusing on and finding some sustenance, Stefan ran back to the boarding house, internally mocking how he used moderate stealth (Caroline's comment coming back to him) to approach the house undetected. Good, her car was gone.

He changed his shirt and jeans, dirtied more by mud than blood, rinsed his mouth, and set out to his car. Consciously, he didn't know where he was going. He just wanted to be gone. The stereo was blaringly loud, screaming almost, with the worst head-banging radio station he knew. Crossing county lines, Stefan had to compel his way out of a ticket. He finally slowed after that, knowing exactly where he wanted to go but was afraid to admit it to himself. He stopped for coffee. An excuse really, to rethink where he should go and what would he do when he got there…

Finally, fooling himself no longer, he headed to the lake house. Once near, he parked the car about a mile away and made his way to the Gilbert lake house. Approaching like a navy seal, keeping hidden and only as close as he needed to be able to see them, her, he watched the house and the surrounding area for the better part of an hour.

At one point, Jeremy walked out to the woodpile. He chopped more wood for a fire. Dang, he's getting big, Stefan thought. It's going to get harder to stop him from hurting people without actually hurting Jeremy in the process. At one point it almost seemed that Jeremy stopped to listen, that he'd sensed something. Did he feel someone watching him? Stefan wasn't even that close. He could barely hear anything going on this far away and thus hadn't figured out what anyone else in the house was doing.

Eventually, Jeremy simply left the axe in the stump and headed into the house weighted down by a load of well-seasoned firewood. Stefan was left to watch and wait. Another hour and nothing, there was no sign of anyone. Stefan reasoned he needed to move closer. He came within 100 feet of the house, approaching from the right hoping it would be less likely for anyone to spot him. Finally he could hear talking and dishes rattling as they ate. But who? He could hear Jeremy, the professor, then finally Damon harassing Jeremy about what little he knew about killing. Where was Bonnie? Where was Elena? Bonnie was a relatively quiet girl so maybe she was off practicing her magic in another part of the house. He listened for her, trying to hear a soft chant or candles blazing lit or being snuffed out…

He tried to place the heartbeats. Jeremy's was thunderous compared to pre-hunter days so it was hard to make out others. He thought he heard one that might have been the professor's but he couldn't be sure. Damned animal diet limited his hearing skills.

Finally, he heard Damon harassing them to finish eating lunch so they could get started on the real lessons for the day. He told them to meet him outside, in the back which meant the lake side of the house. Stefan moved to ensure he wouldn't be seen when they all came out. He could see Damon emerge through the sliding glass doors to the deck. Stefan stiffened, a part of him wanting to rip Damon apart for laying hands on Elena, especially doing it the right after his break up with her. It was cruel and harsh behavior, even for Damon.

His brother stood there watching the lake for a while before ambling down to the yard. Damon made his way to the dock and began skipping stones across the lake. Stefan watched curious. The only times he'd ever seen Damon do something as passive-aggressive as skipping rocks was when he was frustrated about something, usually about a woman, which meant Katherine.

The sliding doors opened again and Jeremy started to exit the house. But Stefan heard the professor calling him back for a minute and back inside Jeremy went, closing the doors behind him. That was curious, a little. What did he want to tell Jeremy without Damon hearing?

Stefan looked back to the dock. Damon wasn't there.

"Hello, brother." The voice came from behind Stefan. He cringed and seethed at the same time, knowing that if he turned around he might just rip Damon's arms right off his body. He didn't want Damon this close yet. He'd wanted to see them from a distance, together, to see the reality in action before he confronted them both.

"Whatcha doing?" Damon asked mocking Stefan's spying on them.

Slowly Stefan rose up from where he'd been hunched down and surveying the lake house. He took a deep breath and slowly turned around to face Damon. Damon was a good ten yards away. Smart, Stefan thought, to keep his distance. Both knew that Damon was stronger, fed better, and was faster than Stefan. But Stefan was angrier and thus less predictable. He also may have had weapons for all Damon knew.

Stefan simply stared at him. Damon wasn't prepared for this. He expected violence. He grew uncomfortable with Stefan not speaking, just simply boring holes into him across the distance between them. Damon knew. He knew that Stefan knew. It was bound to come to this.

Damon actually felt guilt gnawing at him much as he had when he'd been skipping stones across the lake and thinking about his brother and her…He was actually feeling sick about the whole thing. Not about loving Elena; he did love her. But that he'd believed it was all real. And now, now he just didn't know.

"It had already happened, Stefan," Damon started carefully. "It was before, before you told me about the sire bond…"

Stefan's upper lip quivered in disgust. Damon knew what Stefan was thinking. How could you? Of course that question, if voiced, would have been laced, no, saturated with animalistic rage. Damon would have felt the same in his brother's shoes.

"I thought it was all real, Stefan, otherwise I would never…"

Stefan took a step closer, his body fighting with itself, barely holding him back from killing something, killing his brother. Stefan took two more very purposeful steps closer, still torn between wanting to kill Damon and not letting the rage take over.

Damon took a step closer too but countered a bit for defensive measures. He almost wanted Stefan to beat the crap out of him if it would help him stop feeling so guilty. Guilt was for Stefan. Guilt was a waste of energy. Damon's hands were up trying to slow Stefan down and approach him non-aggressively as he professed his relative innocence.

"It didn't happen again. I sent her away."

"Liar," Stefan growled at him.

"It's true. I admit, it took me a while to do it but I did it. She's home."

"I don't believe you."

"Call her."

It was quiet as they eyed each other for a bit.

"I'm not going to call her, Damon."

"I'll do it."

Stefan sneered again. Damon slipped out his phone and dialed. He held the phone out so they could both easily hear but neither spoke. Hello? Her voice was clear. There was music and a washing machine in the background. Damon? Damon? I think you butt dialed me…Damon? Well then, I'm going back to my laundry. The line dropped as she clicked off.

"That doesn't prove..."

"Can you hear that music coming from this house? Come on, Stefan, you know the sound of the wash going at the Gilbert's house…"

"Fine, she's home," Stefan bit out, gritting his teeth, "But you still lied to me."

"I know. I know. Just imagine though for a sec, you finally think you got the girl, that she wants you…Could you let go that easily? I needed some time."

Stefan's fists clenched so hard, he drew blood. He knew Damon was right at least about that. Stefan being there at all was evidence enough that he couldn't let go easily either. Damon took a few steps closer to his brother. Stefan seemed to be relenting from his initial rage.

Stefan came at him in a blinding fury. First a right hook, then an upper cut, a body blow to the kidneys and then a backhand across Damon's face spinning him to the ground. He fell to his knees, his back to Stefan, then leaned forward on his hands to spit out the blood pooling in his mouth.

"Shit, Stefan, I thought you understood."

"Oh, I understand, brother. I understand that you took advantage of Elena, sire bond or no, immediately after your brother and she broke up. That you have wheedled yourself into a relationship with the woman your brother loves which has led us to the point where she developed feelings for you which more than likely are the cause of a sire bond. That's what the beat down is for. I should kill you but I won't. Because I also understand what it's like to love her and be loved by her. I completely understand what it would be like to try to let her go. I've had to do it more than once. I won't kill you, for her."

Damon knew Stefan wouldn't, at least didn't believe Stefan would ever really try to kill him. Regardless, he didn't fight back. He deserved this. He wanted this. It would help him, distract him.

Shane and Jeremy had come outside and gotten wind of the Salvatore brothers fighting off to the side of the house. They didn't come any closer than just off the deck and into the yard. This fight was not Jeremy's fight. Before they knew it, Stefan was gone and Damon was flat on the ground. Stefan had shoved a tree branch into Damon's side to slow him down in case Damon tried to follow him.

Caroline called checking in on Stefan. He didn't say much about his day just that he'd hunted and found all the chess pieces, and was staying in for the night. She didn't think anything of it other than he was working through the breakup which she hoped was temporary. It was dark when Stefan rolled back into Mystic Falls. He was headed home but found himself taking a turn back to the Gilbert home. He knew he shouldn't. He tried to convince himself that it was just to see her, to know that she was alright. When he pulled up to the house, he stayed to the far side. There were some lights on but he couldn't hear anything. He slowly pulled around the corner and saw her car backing out of the driveway. She was headed toward town.

He followed keeping his distance and saw her head into the Grill. He waited for a parking spot that allowed him some privacy on the darker side of the Grill. He quietly debated if he should simply stroll into the Grill. He could just happen to run into her. What harm would there be in that. He stopped cold when he heard a laugh that sounded a lot like Caroline.

Getting out of the car, he walked around the building listening for any sign of Elena or Caroline. He continued to debate simply walking in. How would she react to seeing him? But then he remembered the back door and decided, if she did see him, she might be less suspicious that his presence had been pre-arranged if she thought he was there first. He snuck in the back and slid into a booth that hid him from view. Ok, now what Salvatore? he mocked laughing at his childish attempt spy on his ex-girlfriend.

Matt strolled over. This must be his station, Stefan thought. "What's up, man?" Matt asked taking out his order pad and pen. "You know the girls are here, right?" Matt gave a little nod in their direction.

"Yes, you know, I'd rather just be on my own tonight, Matt. Better they don't know…" Stefan was speaking rather quietly. Matt picked up on it and the fact that Caroline, if she focused on them, would be able to hear them.

"You are going to tip me, right? I can rent you the table…" Stefan threw some money on the table smirking. "Something to drink then?" Matt asked all waiter-like. Stefan nodded. Matt knew what to get and left to do so.

Stefan shifted his focus to the girls' conversation. He was pretty interested in the parts where Shane was highly suspect and the whole hybrid situation as well as Klaus' involvement. At one point, someone from school said hello to Stefan but then left him alone rather quickly. If anyone had noticed it would not have been obvious that Stefan compelled them to move along.

Then, finally, things got around to the sire bond. Stefan already knew what Damon had told him. He'd told him that he'd invoked the sire bond. Well he'd actually said that he'd set her free which Stefan assumed meant that he'd broken the sire bond. But was it true?

Listening to the conversation, it seemed obvious that Caroline didn't believe it was broken, but Stefan wasn't sure. Elena had left Damon…Well, she'd left the lake house… Caroline's probing was impressive. She could have been a Fed, an interrogator, or a lawyer. Stefan had a soft smile on his face listening to his friend work, more than likely, on his behalf.

The smile fell away when Elena said that she missed Damon. He heard Caroline trying again…She was asking the very question Stefan now thought of what Damon had said. He set you free…What does that mean?

Caroline's questions escalated to the point where Elena suddenly gave no more answers. They were quiet. What happened, he wondered. Then suddenly she was leaving saying she had to go. There was something in Elena's voice, something he couldn't quite pin down. He got up to leave, to follow her and in doing so snuck a glance to where they'd been sitting. Caroline gave him a sad but encouraging smile then focused back on Bonnie as if she hadn't seen Stefan there at all. He left the way he came, leaving a sizable tip for Matt before making his escape.

By the time he was outside, Elena had already pulled out of her spot and was heading the opposite way from home. More than likely she was going around the block and then would turn toward home. That meant she'd likely be coming back around the block towards him. He quickly pulled out and headed around the block, just like she did, to ensure she didn't know he'd been there, listening, spying. He didn't want to give her any reason to be angry with him especially if she were having some kind of realization about the sire bond.

He followed her home, keeping his distance. He parked a block over and watched her hurry into her home. She seemed very agitated. He waited a respectable amount of time so that it didn't seem like he'd been waiting for her. He pulled up in front of the house. Slowly he got out of the car. He adjusted his leather jacket, took a breath and steadied himself before heading to her door. He heard glass breaking and his plan to casually drop by fled his thoughts. He ran to the door. He wanted to run in, to protect her from whatever was happening. But that wasn't his place any more. He knocked urgently instead, calling her name. "Elena! Elena, are you alright?"

He heard her coming to the door which meant she was probably ok. She slowly opened the door.

"Hello, Stefan. What are you doing here?"

"I was, I wanted, I just wanted to see you but then I heard something break..."

"Come on in," she said resigned to his visit. She walked back to the kitchen leaving him to close the door behind them. There was a dish shattered on the floor. She stood looking emotionless at the damage.

"'Lena, Are you OK?"

She took a while to answer. "I wanted to see if I could do it."

"Do what?" He was watching her warily.

"Break this dish." She continued to stare, somewhat entranced by the damage she'd done.

"What?"

"No one told me to do it. I know I shouldn't do it. It was my mother's. I just wanted to know I could decide to do it and then do it."

They were quiet for a few moments. Stefan then went to get the broom and dustpan. He started sweeping up while Elena continued to stare off. She finally noticed a larger piece of glass between her feet and bent to retrieve it. She held it in her hands, feeling the smooth and the jagged edges. She let it cut the tip of her finger and watched it close almost immediately.

Stefan finished cleaning up, pitching the broken remnants into the trash and stowing away the broom and dustpan. By the time he turned back to her, Elena had sliced through her hand with the broken shard. "Elena!"

Stefan flashed to her and grabbed the glass from her. He pulled her to the sink before any blood would spill from her palm. They both watched as she healed quickly. He began rinsing her now healed hand under the warm water.

"What do you think you are doing, Elena?"

She slowly moved her eyes from her hand to Stefan's face. "I told you. I want to know if I can decide for myself."

"So you cut yourself? What kind of a decision is that?"

She pulled her hand away from his grip. "I knew it would heal, Stefan. I wasn't trying to kill myself." She walked away. Stefan turned off the water, dried his hands and followed her to the family room. She was on the couch. He sat down leaving space between them.

He took a new tack. "So, where's Damon?" She looked at him. Could she still read him like she used to, he wondered.

"You know he's at the lake house or you wouldn't be asking."

"You both were. I just assumed since you were back…" he said trying to cover.

She bought it and answered. "No, he stayed to work with Jeremy and Shane."

"Why didn't you? I would think you'd want to be with Jeremy now."

"I do."

"So go. Do you need me to drive you?"

"No."

"No, what? You don't need a ride or no you can't go?"

She hesitated, not sure how to answer. She got up and paced. Stopping suddenly she looked at him.

"Did Caroline call you tonight? Did she send you here?"

"No!" he said defensively but still feeling a bit sheepish since Caroline had obviously known he'd been listening while she'd questioned Elena.

She paced some more.

"Come on, Elena, why don't you go back to be with Jeremy?"

"Because I can't, Stefan! I can't! He sent me away!"

"Who sent you away, Elena?"

"You know damn well who, Stefan. Damon! Damon sent me away. You made him. He said he had to do the right thing by you and me. But it was for you!"

Stefan sat in stunned silence, disappointed at the probable meaning behind her words and her anger. He could barely ask the question but knew he had to just ask one more. Ever so quietly, he said, "So,…he sent you away,…but you still love him…?" Stefan looked broken, anticipating her answer.

She didn't answer immediately. She sighed heavily and flopped down on the couch. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she slouched into the soft cushions. She looked on the verge of tears. "I don't know. I think so. He wanted me to go away. He said he set me free. Do you think that means he doesn't want me to love him anymore?" She wasn't looking at him. It was almost like she forgot who she was asking the question, that she'd only recently broken up with the man sitting next to her that obviously still loved her…

Stefan knew what he'd like to say in answer. But he didn't. He didn't want to cause her anymore pain than she was already in.

He got up to leave. "I think you should ask him that." And he was gone.