It had been a futile trip. Stefan had found nothing at all to justify him going out there, it there had been a threat it had long since moved on.

It had been a full day and a half since he had left and he was beginning to feel anxious, he never felt quite right when he was away from her. There would just be this nagging feeling of incompleteness, he would just have to get used to it. He had never been happier than he was now; in fact, he had never felt this way before, not even with Katherine.

Yes, it was time to turn back; he would go back to the diner and check his voicemail.

*******************************************************************************8

Elena's aunt had come in; she was frantic, almost hysterical over what had been told her. Damon had gotten up and left then, human emotion was messy and distasteful.

Especially when he had to deal with his own feelings. He did not like that, there was a reason he suppressed his emotions, he did not like them, and knew they made him weaker.

He had left with a mission though; he was now on the trail of the men who had perpetrated this act.

It took most of the night but he finally found the men, they were drinking and hanging out in the parking lot of the warehouse, reminiscing about last evening's "fun".

It had not taken long, and when he had walked away, he was no longer hungry. In fact, "tight as a tick" came to his mind. An apt simile he thought. He had the satisfied feeling of a job well done as he returned to his car. Aunt or not, he was going back to see Elena.

**************************************************************88

Stefan felt his skin tighten as he listened to the messages, in fact he left the phone dangling on its cord when he heard Damon's message about Elena going to the hospital. That was frightening enough, but the tension in Damon's voice was the real clue that something was very, very wrong.

Why had he left? What had happened to Elena?

He tore down the highway, taking turns at a perilous speed, his tires smoking and shaking at the punishment.

It seemed to take an eternity to reach the town, not slowing for the lights, he was in the parking lot, and not bothering to look for a spot he pulled into the fire lane. It was not a hard to get the nurse at the station to tell him where Elena's room was at.

He was gone in a flash, in her room. Her aunt was dozing in the uncomfortable chair in the corner, twisting herself into a pretzel to accommodate the rigid back and faux wooden arms.

Without waking her, he walked up to Elena's bed. She lay there small and vulnerable. Lips slightly parted, breathing uneven. Her hair was mussed and tangled, matted with blood. Not allowing himself to think of that, he took a deep breath and reached for her hand. As if on cue Elena's eyes flickered, and she turned towards him. He pulled back his hand quickly.

"Stffn," She slurred.

"Shh, shh, shh." He hushed. "Don't try and talk, Elena.''

She took a deep rasping breath that sounded more like a groan.

He reached out for her hand and grasped it through the sheet.

"Elena," he breathed.

She furrowed her brow and pulled her hand away.

"Thirsty." She croaked.

"Um, here, there are some ice chips; they are a bit melted though, sorry." He wanted to barrage her with questions, what had happened to her? How had she been hurt?

He took the plastic spoon and scooped some ice chips into it, carefully guiding it to Elena's cracked and swollen lips. She shook her head emphatically, struggling out from under the sheet and hitting the button that raised her bed.

"Stefan's hands covered hers, gently pulling them away from the controls.

"Let me go!" She hissed. He still blocked her hands from the control. She ignored that and quickly reached for the styrofoam cup, quickly tilting it to her lips and drinking the melted ice.

"Elena! Dear, you can't do that." He remonstrated, "You have been given sedatives, you could get sick from too much of the water."

She looked at him with barely veiled hostility,

"I was thirsty."

"That is not the point." He patently tried to explain, but then Elena's aunt stirred.

"Elena?" she asked foggily.

"I'm fine ''Elena responded. Leaning back on her pillow, she added, "I was getting a drink. I was thirsty."

"No!" her aunt exclaimed they said you cannot have liquids before the morning!"

"Why?" demanded Elena.

"I am not sure, but the nurse specifically said for you to not drink before then."

"Why? It does not make sense, why can't I have something to drink if I want it." She scowled up at Stefan. He raised his hands in the standard inoffensive gesture, there was something not quite right about her. She seemed fragile, frightened, and angry. What was this all about?

"Just leave me alone!"

Stefan quietly pushed the 'call' button.

"Just go!" Elena exploded at Stefan. He took a step back and winced, he was not sure why that Elena was angry at him, what had happened? What did he do? He stepped aside in the small room, letting the nurse in.

She heard Elena's last words. "I think you should step outside for a moment."

Stefan took a last look at Elena then nodded as he stepped outside the door.

He paced the hall outside, questions besieging him from all sides.

In a few minutes the nurse came out, Stefan quickly stepped to her side, "What happened to her, was she in a car accident?"

The nurse hesitated, then looked into her eyes, using all the force he could he made direct eye contact with her.

"You can tell me."

Slightly dazed she walked over to her station and pulled Elena's info.

"She has multiple contusions, broken ribs, dislocated shoulder. She is supposed to be released soon." Anything else?" Stefan prodded.

"Evidence of sexual assault. That is all there is, she was very lucky."

Stefan heard screaming from somewhere, from him he realized, he should stop, he was in a hospital. Only he was no screaming out loud, it was a primal, rending scream from deep inside him. The cry of a wild animal that has been mortally wounded.

He stumbled back against the wall, reaching for support. Not caring that the nurse was looking at him oddly.

That was why she was terrified of him that was why she wanted him out.

Oh God, Why had he left? Why, why, why, why?

Then, slowly edging out the pain was a growing rage.

Who had done this? He would find them, they would pay.

Taking a deep breath he stepped towards Elena's door, he softly said he was going out for a while, but would be back soon.

She never responded or gave any sign that she had heard him, but her aunt nodded as he shut the door.

He was dry, parched, the smell of blood in the hospital was making it harder to concentrate, he needed to get a meal, but first things first, he was on a quest for revenge.

It was hard at first; he started in ever larger circles in the town hoping to come across the scent of Elena and follow it.

As he was nearing Bonnie's house suddenly Damon was beside him. He wheeled to face him, his eyes blazing.

"You're too late you know." Said Damon casually.

"What are you exactly referring too? The fact I did not protect Elena from being attacked, or that you already found the humans who did this."

"Well, both in fact." Damon's voice was tight, strained. His eyes were large and black; Stefan could see the barely controlled rage simmering beneath the smooth exterior.

"What? You think I wanted this to happen, that I even for an instant considered that it could happen? You know better, Damon."

"All I know is that if I had been with her she would never have been in danger to begin with."

With a sudden movement Stefan pushed Damon against a wall, snarling. "That's enough! You were not there either, were you? You were out perusing your own pleasure, while I was trying to protect the town from a threat."

Damon shoved himself free of Stefan's hands.

"And what did that get you?"

He raised an eyebrow at Stefan.

Stefan stepped back, it was true, and in some measure he deserved the blame. He took a defeated breath.

Damon suddenly backed off needling him.

"Did you see her, was she awake?"

"Yes, but she was terrified, I had to leave the room, then it was when I found out what had happened."
Damon looked uncomfortable as he nodded; ever so slightly the animosity between them subsided.

"You knew?" Stefan asked. Damon nodded, "I knew it when I found her, if nothing else I could tell by the smell." Stefan winced.

"How many?"

"Three, one seems to have passed out, though I did not spare him either." Damon looked wolfishly at Stefan. Stefan nodded, what Damon did was just after all.

"Where did you hide the bodies?"

"Buried them."

"So what are you going to do now?"

"I. dear brother, am going to the hospital to see Elena, after all, since I was the one to save her she might not be as upset by me."

"Damon! No"

"Why? Because she does not want to see you? If you cannot be there for her you need to make way for someone who is."

Stefan gave a growl,

"Stay away from her!"

There was a whoosh of air as sable wings beat towards the sky.

"Later, brother…" Stefan heard the mocking voice in his head.

Stefan turned towards the hospital, racing, there was nothing for him to do here. Damon had beaten him to the hospital, but the fact he looked sullen and was sitting in the waiting room, said the vervain was doing its job, and either Elena or her aunt had turned him away. Stefan smiled to himself and lightly rapped at the door.

"Come in."

It was just Elena in the room. He stepped towards her bed, the halted, torn. He wanted to wrap his arms around her slight form and promise that nothing would ever hurt her again; he wanted to grab her up and race away to an isolated place where she would feel safe.

But he did not want to make her uncomfortable by being too close. That happened sometimes he knew.

"Hi."

He said softly, as if she were a wild thing he was trying to gentle.

She looked up. Her hair was hanging down, looking dull and lifeless.

She at Stefan, her eyes remote. She did not reply.

"How do you feel?"

"Out."

Her meaning was clear.

"Elena…" He remonstrated.

In a split second she picked up the cheap water pitcher next to her bed and flung it towards his head. He ducked out of the way easily.

Elena glared at him. Her chest heaving, she looked close to hysterics.

Stefan quickly left the room and joined his brother. He noticed for the first time that Damon's jacket was wet.

Damon turned towards him.

"Cup or pitcher?"

"Pitcher, you? " He sniffed, Damon smelled, meaty?

"Consumee' " Damon spat the word with revulsion.

Stefan could not hold back a smile.

"What happened?"

"I walked in, I walked out wearing soup."

"But what did you say to her.?"

"Hello."

The two brothers sat in silence, side by side, joined once again by the woman they loved.