Authors Note: As a follow-up from the last Authors Note, thanks to cheyyylewis, Heidi Mae, , damonXlenaXforever, britvamp, kayceebee, Licet, Miles2GoBeforeISleep, NightlyEvilTM, rsalvatore, and Vampgirl144 for either reviewing, favouriting, or adding this story to their alerts.
This second part of the story is inspired by the song Stupid by Sarah McLachlan. The title of the story is from the song by The Pretty Reckless.
Please note that this story is rated M for sexual content, and potentially dark themes in the future.
I do not own the rights to The Vampire Diaries, or to any of the music within this story.
Love has made me a fool. It set me on fire and watched as I floundered,
When I woke up, Elena was sleeping in my arms. I was breathless. I couldn't believe that she would be here after what I had done. The guilt threatened to engulf me completely while I held her, desperate to make things right. Damon had crept in, standing at the foot of the bed, looking like he was choosing between enveloping Elena in a soft cocoon, and ripping me limb from limb.
She was twitching in her sleep, like she was having a nightmare. Then she screamed, her eyes shot open and met mine, and she shot across the room. She looked at the door, but didn't see Damon slide out. Her eyes met mine, and I edged off the bed, one hand out as I would approach a wild animal.
"Elena?"
"Stefan, I can't... We can't..."
I shook my head. "I know."
Unable to speak, except to cry out and wait for your answer.
There was nothing left to say. We both knew where we stood. But it didn't stop me from hoping.
"We could..."
"No," she cut me off, "We can't do anything. We aren't good for each other anymore Stefan. We keep trying to protect each other, save each other, but it just makes things worse."
I nodded, still trying to think of a way around it, but it was the truth.
But you come around in your time; speaking of fabulous places, create an oasis.
It struck me then what I needed to do. "I'll leave." She opened her mouth, but I cut her off. "I'll go somewhere to learn to control myself. At the least, there's a chance that Katherine might follow me. Two birds..." I felt my lips quirk bitterly.
"Will you come back?"
"As soon as I can."
Dries up as soon as you're gone; you leave me here burning in this desert without you.
She nodded, and left the room. I fell back onto my bed, considering what I had just promised, and felt my chest burning at the thought of leaving Elena, the life that I'd started building in Mystic Falls, and going back into the unknown. But I knew that it was necessary, from what Damon had threatened the night before, after bringing Elena home.
How stupid could I be?
"You idiot!" Damon had snarled.
I was slumped on the couch, trying to quell the guilt that seemed to have been exponentially growing inside of me. Damon took this as an invitation to continue. He had me pinned to the wall before I even looked up. His forearm was across my throat, and he growled in my ear, unable to use a human voice.
"You've been dealing with her, physically and emotionally, for a year now, and you didn't realize what was happening?"
"She offered to –"
A simpleton could see
"NO!" Damon roared. He slammed by head into the wall, and I shoved him off of me. He stumbled over the couch, but was up in a flash and threw me into the wall. "She had no idea WHAT she was offering. You're the vampire! You know what happens when you take blood from your...," he stalked toward me as he searched for the appropriate word, "'partner'. She had no idea what that would do to your relationship! You should have said no!" He punctuated the end of the sentence with a kick to my ribs.
That you're no good for me.
Damon lifted me up by the collar of my shirt and slammed me into the wall again. His next words were chilling, and not because of what they were, but because of the calmness that permeated his entire demeanour.
"End. It. A-sap."
He dropped me to the floor and blurred out of the room.
But you're the only one I see.
The pain that I had felt throughout my body had nothing to do with the beating that Damon had just doled out, and everything to do with the thought of removing Elena from my life.
Authors Note: First off, I'm not writing Stefan out of the story. I really like Stefan, when he isn't embroiled in Elena drama. He's coming back. Also, I had originally written this chapter from Elena's perspective (which made the rewrite very strange), and I have her nightmare written out. Let me know if I should post "Deleted Scenes" at some point. Tks!
