Chapter 7 A look can tell a thousand words
Damon stared after Katherine in complete shock and anger. He glanced over at Stefan and could see his face was troubled and worried. His eyes were as far away as his mind appeared to be.
"Hello! Earth to Stefan." Damon snapped his fingers in Stefan's face.
Stefan grimaced. "I can't believe it.. was her. I doubted Elena because of what Katherine said on the porch.. I thought Elena said it. I screwed up."
Stefan started pacing back and forth mumbling about how he should have seen it.
"What happened on the porch?" Damon asked curiosity getting the best of him.
"She kissed me.. and then she turned around and told he she was attracted to you, drawn to you. She blamed it on her teenage hormones. But it drove the jealousy I was already feeling." Stefan sighed upset that he had been fooled.
Worried about Katherine being back and what she said about it always being him. He looked at Damon and was surprised to see he didn't seem to be falling apart. He seemed angry really angry and worried.. but not falling apart. Stefan realized Elena's impact on Damon was much bigger then he realized.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to snap." Damon said. "She kissed me too so were even."
Stefan sighed and rolled his eyes. "Now she's determined to get me back? She has Elena. What are we going to do?'
"Slow down Stef." Damon snapped. "What makes you think I should help you save your girlfriend from your exgirfriends evil clutches?"
"She's your ex girlfriend to." Stefan pointed out.
'Yes.. but it was always you Stefan." Damon said sarcastically.
"It's Elena she's got Damon. I don't believe for a second your not worried." Stefan said crossing his arms.
"Your idiotic ass got her evil doppelganger invited into her home didn't you? When you were on the porch?" Damon asked cocking his head to the side.
Stefan grimaced and nodded as the memory of that night hit him. Jenna's face as she told Katherine to get inside.
"You kissed her.. how did you not now know then? Even I felt like something was off when I first thought Elena kissed me tonight and I've never kissed her. But I expected it to be warm.. and really passionate. Instead it was kind of cold and forced." Damon murmured.
Stefan grimaced and shifted his eyes nervously towards the window trying to avoid the memory of that kiss. Of the passion he had felt in it. Now he knew it was Katherine she was back for him. A part of him felt a sense of pride or winning. Another part of him felt a sick sense of letting Elena down. He was her white knight. He was not allowed to let her get in danger like this. He swore to himself he would always save her. His brother had started stealing his role. He had to save her...but for what? If Katherine was right he would still lose her in the end.
"A look can tell a thousand words Stefan." Damon said flatly. "You liked it."
Stefan looked up and said nothing a guilty look flashed through his eyes.
"I don't trust you." Damon said glaring at him. "I was supposed to be the unstable one around her but it's you. I am going to go find Elena. You just stay here and think about what listening to that bitch will cost you."
"No!" Stefan said suddenly rushing out in front of Damon.
"You don't get to save Elena. I'm going to go find her and explain everything." Stefan said in a rush his face twisted with emotions.
"Not this time." Damon said pushing Stefan backwards.
Stefan growled getting up and pushing Damon back. Damon lunged for his throat throwing Stefan unto the ground.
A car pulled up and Alaric raced out putting himself between the fighting brothers.
"Stop!" He yelled.
"You should move Ric. Your going to get killed." Stefan growled his glare not faltering from Damon.
"What is going on here?" Ric said. "I come to check on everything and I find you two at each others throats?"
"One word." Damon replied. "Katherine."
"She's back?" Ric asked turning to Stefan who nodded. He turned back to Damon.
"Are you okay?" He asked Damon looking at him carefully.
"I'm fine. It's Stefan I'm concerned about right now. He's falling right into Katherine's trap."
"No I'm not." Stefan said crossing his arms. "I want to get Elena back just as bad as you."
"Elena's missing?" Ric whispered looking worried.
"Katherine has her." Damon confirmed. "We gotta go Ric."
"We all are are gong to need to work together. I doubt Katherine's going to just 'let' us save her." Ric reasoned looking from one angry brother to the other one.
"I'm not working with him." Damon growled.
"We have no other choice here guys." Ric sighed. "This is what she wants. Divide and conquer. Don't let her win."
"Interesting." Damon said suddenly. "That you bring up Katherine and plans she is a very calculating woman. Do you think she intended to get caught tonight or did we screw up her actual plan?"
"Huh." Stefan said shrugging. "I don't know.. I think she honestly wanted me to believe Elena betrayed me. But then something changed suddenly she seemed very remorseful."
"That was her act." Damon replied.
"No.. I don't think it was." Stefan murmured. "She would have wanted to paint Elena in a bratty immature light to pull me away from her. That's what she did on the porch and that's what she did after her little outburst of emotion."
"Katherine doesn't have emotions." Damon scoffed starting toward Ric's car. "She shut that off a long time ago. Don't be a fool and try to find something that's not there Stefan. She felt no remorse she wanted you to think she was Elena. I don't think she did mean to get caught. Which means she won' t have a plan."
"So her tracks won't be as covered?" Ric said hopefully.
"No she will be desperate. We need to find Elena now." Damon said urgently.
"So where you think she is?" Ric asked getting into the drivers seat as Stefan climbed into the back and Damon sat in front.
"She got invited into Elena's house and then we cleared it out for her. She's there and hopefully Elena is with her." Damon replied his eyes locked on the road looking worried. There was no telling what Katherine without a plan would do.
Stefan sat in the backseat staring out the window strangely quiet his brows furrowed with worry.
Katherine sighed and sat on the edge of Elena's bed.
"I messed up and got caught." She said. "But I still manged to raise doubts in Stefan's head. It doesn't really matter. In the end we both know who's going to wake you up. It will be pretty clear then."
"Your pretty stupid for such a pretty girl. Damon is completely in love with you. You should see the way he looks at you sometimes. It's ridiculous Elena."
"I always wondered why.. you fought your feelings for Damon. I could tell that's what you were doing. I never actually read your diary. That was just a well told bluff. But I watched your face with him. I've observed you for a while now. I have to say I'm surprised at your reasons. Your denying your feelings because you don't want to be me."
"If anything I figured you admired me. I guess one could say that humbled me a little." Katherine scoffed.
Katherine looked at her watch wondering how long it would take for the Salvatore bothers to come riding in to Elena's rescue.
"Actually I'm glad Stefan knows I'm here and why." Katherine remarked. "Now he will know how it felt. To have to choose. How hard it was. This is going to force him to understand me a little better."
She heard the car pull up and hid in the shadows as the brothers and that human Damon seemed to like came racing up the stairs. She rolled her eyes in annoyance wishing she was the fragile one that needed to be rescued for once.
"Elena" Stefan was at her side in moments a frowning Damon right behind him. Alaric stood on the doorway.
"Wake up sweetheart." Stefan whispered making Katherine want to gag.
"Elena come on." Stefan shook her gently.
"Elena." Damon said pushing Stefan out of the way. "Wake up."
He shook her shoulder slightly but she didn't respond.
"That's not going to work." Katherine said smiling as she come out from the shadows. She heard Alaric gasp as he caught sight of her.
"What did you do to her." Damon said grabbing her throat.
"Be nicer to me or I'll never tell you." Katherine sat back slipping out of his grip easily.
He glared at her angrily she pushed him against the wall and leaned in really close.
"We're on the same side here Damon." She said too quietly for Stefan to hear with his dulled senses. "You want her. I want him. No reason why we can't work together."
"Your a lying little snake Katherine." Damon sneered. "That's a good enough reason."
"What did you do to her Katherine?" Stefan said finally standing up and crossing over towards her. "Why won't she wake up?"
"I didn't hurt her Stefan. I thought she looked really tired and worn out and could use the rest. Forgive me for being a concerned grandmother." Katherine said her eyes wide and innocent as her mouth curled into a smile.
"This isn't funny." Stefan said looking angry. "What did you do? How do we fix this?"
"You don't." Katherine said simply.
"I'll just compel her to wake up." Damon said shrugging.
"Not going to work. I didn't just use compulsion. I hypnotized her as well. She will only wake up if the command is met" Katherine said. "I have fed from many witches over the years. My powers far exceed either of yours. I can assure you I'm the only one who can help you."
"Tell us.. now." Damon growled.
"What so you can save her and then gang up on me? Stake me? I know that's what you want to do Damon. Do you Stefan?"
"Do you want me dead?" She asked quietly. Stefan stared at her his eyes unfocused and lost.
"I want..I want you to leave." He said quietly.
"Why?" Katherine asked. "Because I cause doubts?"
"Stop playing games Katherine. Tell us how to wake up Elena." Damon muttered looking frustrated.
"One condition." Katherine said firmly. "One date Stefan. That's all I'm asking for. Then I will tell you how to wake her up."
"Fine." Stefan grumbled ignoring Both Damon and Alaric's heard looks on his direction. "Whatever it takes to save Elena."
Katherine smiled smugly. "Great. I'll see you tomorrow then Stefan. Meet me here around five. Don't be late. Oh and you can take this girl out of here. I liked having the place to myself."
"Are you crazy?" Damon asked as they drove back to the boarding house Elena's sleeping body in the backseat.
"It's the only way." Stefan sighed. "I won't give in to her."
"I don't believe you." Damon spat out. "You still have feelings for her. Your a liar Stefan after all the guilt you put on Elena about me. Here you are harboring feelings for your ex."
"Don't you guys see how she's pitting you against each other and it's working?" Ric asked rolling his eyes.
"Oh I see it. I just am to annoyed with my high and mighty white knight brother to care right now." Damon remarked.
"Alaric's right Damon." Stefan sighed. "We have to try and work together. I'm not falling for Katherine again. I'm not."
Damon didn't look convinced. Stefan picked up Elena carefully and gently when they pulled up to the boarding house. Damon felt a new anger take over him. He had a sudden urge to rip Elena out of Stefan's arms and fold her into his own. Damon didn't know when it happened or how but somehow Elena this little human girl had become everything to him. 145 years he searched for Katherine tonight he faced off with her he kissed her even. Yet he felt nothing that even compared to this thing he felt for Elena. As soon as he realized Elena was in danger because of Katherine she wasn't really his past love anymore she was the threat against...his new love. To realize that and at the same time see the oh so perfect Stefan falter. Damon felt like tearing his brothers heart out for being the one who gets to carry her to bed.
"Just try and stay calm." Ric advised carefully.
Damon muttered something under his breath and followed them into the house.
Stefan laid Elena down on the guestroom bed and sighed sitting next to her.
"I'm so sorry Elena." He said softly. He kissed her cheek and she didn't move.
"I wish you would wake up so we could talk. I love you." He said softly brushing a hair from her face and kissing her forehead. Feeling overcome with everything he left the room and went into his own. Staring at the ceiling willing sleep to come. But Damon's voice drifted to his ears from Elena's room and Stefan found himself struggling to listen in on him.
"Hey." Damon said looking at her face as she slept. Wishing she would just wake up and roll her eyes at him or something.
"This really sucks.. I wish I would have known sooner the bitch was back. I would have never left you alone." Damon muttered.
"I guess I'm not very good at the hero stuff." He scratched his head. "Then again your not the everyday damsel in distress."
"Your too feisty and strong to be considered that really." Damon said thoughtfully.
"Like when you saved me in Georgia. You were so fierce. You fight hard for what you believe in."
"I was so shocked and angry when you showed up at Pearl's house after I told you to stay on the car. But at the same time I admired your courage."
"We make a pretty good team you and I. Whether you want to admit it or not."
"I know these past few days have been trying on you. I hate to see your spirit falter." Damon sighed taking her hand.
"I'm sorry for my part in pulling you into this life. But I suppose it was destined to happen. Considering who your doppelganger is."
"I don't see her when I look at you. You need to know that. I just see you. That's how I figured it out so fast. I spend most of my time now thinking about you. She let out some easy clues. To think that Stefan actually thought you called yourself an hormone driven teenager."
Damon laughed softly and slightly sadly. "As if you would ever say that about yourself."
"Not our calm, cool and collected little Elena." He murmured stroking her cheek.
"Her kiss was cold and manipulated like her. She was never real. It was all a game a plan. Lines carefully scripted for a purpose .. you are real. This thing we have whatever it is. It was all real and unplanned and even unpredictable. A kiss with you would be so much more then that was. I know your not mine Elena. And I know you would probably be reminding me right now that friends don't kiss or something." He smirked squeezing her hand.
"But a guy can still hope right?" He smirked.
"I'm doing that eye thing you told me not to do again. You should really open your eyes and slap me or something." Damon said softly.
"I really wish you would wake up Elena. These conversations are more fun with you awake and sarcastically rolling your eyes at me." Damon's voice cracked slightly.
He paused for a a moment and spoke in a mono tone voice.
"Wake up Elena forget about Katherine's orders." Damon said trying to compel her awake. Elena didn't respond.
"Elena wake up now." He commanded trying to pry her eye lids open gently. It was to no avail she continued to sleep deeply.
Damon stood up and hit the wall in frustration. Heading downstairs to fill Jeremy in on everything feeling completely defeated.
"Back off Stefan." Damon muttered running into Stefan blocking the stairs staring at Damon with an unreadable expression on his face.
"You love her." Stefan said flatly.
"I said back off." Damon said shoving him out of the way. "I'm in no mood for a confrontation with you right now."
"I'll step aside." Stefan said weakly. "If it's what she wants. I'll leave gracefully."
"What?" Damon asked turning around his eyes narrowing.
"One condition." Stefan said crossing his arms staring into Damon's eyes.
"I'm afraid to ask." Damon said raising an eyebrow.
"You don't kill Katherine." Stefan said simply.
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