If there's a possibility
You turn and run away with me
I need to...To show you before it fades...
It was horrific, just how fast everything went downhill from there. Day after day, Stefan would gasp at something that wasn't there, have an episode of complete hysteria, then calm down again. Elena was beginning to come to terms with the fact that Stefan would no longer be a part of her world, and it was breaking her heart. Well, she called it "coming to terms", but in reality she was falling apart. Her definition of coming to terms was realizing that no matter how hard he fought, it was inevitable that his death would come. And that frightened her more than anything.
It was already late into the evening and he was still in his room. She didn't know if he was too weak to get up or if he was just sleeping; she was too scared to go up and check. Luckily, as if on cue, Damon burst through the door.
"How is he?" he asked immediately. Elena frowned and shook her head. Her normally soft features seemed to have sunken from stress and lack of sleep, her brown eyes which were normally swimming with life dulling and draining.
"Not good," she breathed. "He's still upstairs. He's getting delirious, Damon. He's not even there half the time." Her voice shook, causing Damon to run his hand over his forehead. She noticed that even he wasn't attempting to lighten the mood with his usual humor and harmless flirtation; he knew how serious the situation was.
"Just relax here," he coaxed. "I'm going to go talk to him."
Elena ran her hands through her hair and nodded in agreement. She forced a smile and sat down on the couch, watching as Damon made his way up the stairs. Staring into the crackling fire, she willed herself to relax and found herself getting lost in memories when her and Stefan were first in love, and all was right in the world...
Just as she was about to surrender to much needed sleep, her mind started spinning with an idea. Hurriedly, she reached for her cell phone and dialed Bonnie's number.
If anyone could help Stefan stay alive, it'd be Bonnie.
"Stefan," Damon sighed lightly as he entered, shaking his head. "Always getting yourself into a mess, brother."
A weak chuckle was heard from Stefan. Damon gracefully swung himself to the other side using the bedpost and switched the lamp on. He gasped when he saw his brother's graying face covered in sweat. There were bags under Stefan's half-closed eyes, his skin there turning a light shade of purple. "Guess I'm just prone to trouble," he breathed.
Damon winced at the weakness in Stefan's voice. "How are you feeling?" His gaze pierced through his brother's intensely.
Stefan put on a smile. "Never better," he said sarcastically.
Damon furrowed his brows and slowly sat on the edge of Stefan's bed. "So, Stefan... would you mind enlightening me?" He sat tall and nervously, noticing when Stefan's expression filled with confusion. "Why'd Klaus try to kill you if you saved him?"
Stefan exhaled deeply. It was clear that he was in no mood to talk, but Damon was determined to get answers. "I stole his coffins... to get even," he croaked, voice thick with pain and exhaustion.
Although he didn't understand fully, he decided not to press that topic anymore, and went for the question that had been nagging at him for days upon days: "Why did you save Klaus?"That was the moment that Stefan's gray-green eyes popped open. "Damon," he warned evenly.
"Damn it!" he yelled in response, gripping his brother's frail arm. "I deserve an answer, Stefan! We all know that you're going no where fast so might as well tell me before you bite the dust!" His words were bitter, and Stefan's expression instantly dropped. Damon actually felt remorse after saying that; the flicker of anguish in Stefan's eyes could not be missed.
"To save you," Stefan barely whispered sadly. Damon's face dropped in surprise and he loosened his hold on his arm. "Klaus's hybrids were going to kill you if he died." His voice was gentle but full of sorrow, and Damon's stomach lurched in his chest. "I did it to save you."Without another word, Damon stood up and rushed downstairs, a sudden determination fueling every muscle.
Damon grabbed his coat and rushed for the door. Elena, who had just hung up her cell phone, turned on the couch. "Where are you going?" she demanded. "You shouldn't be leaving..."
He interrupted her, zipping the jacket hurriedly. "We're running out of time. I'm finding Klaus and I'll beat the damn cure out of him if I have to."
Elena's eyes widened and she rushed to her feet. "You can't do that. He'll kill you and you know it!"
A rare surge of pain flickered in his icy blue eyes. "Stefan saved Klaus so that he could save me, Elena. Me." And with those words, he disappeared through the door before she could even protest.
Her hands were shaking in fear. If Damon didn't come back in time, or if he didn't even come back at all...
No, she told herself calmly. He'd come back with the cure. She knew he would come back. She just had to hope that he wasn't empty handed.
Because Stefan's clock was beginning to tick down... and if he died, so would she. The only difference would be that she'd be forced to pretend she was still alive for the sake of everyone around her. Fighting back tears, she ran up to see him.
Elena ran through the hallway. Hurriedly, she opened the door to his room... only it was empty. The sheets were pulled back and he was nowhere to be found. Her heart skipped a beat nervously. She instantly looked around, timidly shouting "Stefan?"
He appeared behind her within a split second, making her jump. Their bodies were so close that she could feel the unnatural heat radiating from him, and had to glance up slightly to meet his hazy eyes. "Katherine?" he questioned confusedly.
She could feel her heart drop. "No, Stefan," she said soothingly, swallowing some of her words to fight back the tears stinging the backs of her eyes. "It's Elena. You know that..."
"Elena..." he repeated distantly, his lips hardly moving. She nodded, slowly and hesitantly. "Elena." This time, his words were more confident, but more of a mumble. Then, his eyes rolled back in his head a bit -an image that would haunt Elena forever- and he collapsed into her.
She was startled by just how light he felt now and slid down the wall. His head fell in her lap and she weaved her fingers through his hair. He was alright for now; she could hear his heavy breathing, but he was just staring blankly ahead. After a long pause, she asked softly, "Are you okay?"
He shook his head, his gaze heavy with self hatred. "I called you Katherine."
"Shhh..." Her fingertips lightly caressed his forehead. "It's okay. I understand." A shudder went through his body, so, in an attempt to comfort him, she lifted his back up just a bit to place a slow kiss on his forehead. He let out a breath and rested his head on her shoulder.
"I'm scared," he confessed when she linked her fingers through his. With the little strength he had, he untangled and re-tangled their connected fingers.
She didn't even realize she had more tears left until they started streaming down her face. With a sniffle, she rested her chin on the top of his head. "You have nothing to be scared for. We're going to get you a cure, okay?"
He didn't seem to really hear her. "I'm scared of not being able to tell you that I love you," he muttered sadly. Elena closed her eyes at those words, trying to stay strong though her insides were burning with despair.
She held onto his hand, afraid that if she let go, he'd be gone. "You'll say it again. And again, and again," she choked out. "You'll be able to."
His body was trembling. He had maybe an hour or two at most, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet and barely audible. "I... I love... you."
Her heart clenched, and she was unable to fight the sob that escaped her lips. "I love you too, Stefan. Fight because of that." And it was true. She loved him so much, despite all that he had done and all that she had seen. She loved him even if she shouldn't. He fought for her, and throughout everything, after regaining his lost humanity, he still loved her. Their love would not die. So why would he?
Very slowly, Stefan lifted his head and kissed Elena's shoulder gently. Her body spread with a saddening warmth at his touch, and she tilted his head up so that their faces were close. "It's not the end," she chided, running a hand through his soft hair. "You'll be okay. It's not the end."
Finally smiling just a bit, she pressed her lips to his. And he kissed her back, despite his lack of energy.
Elena pulled away and just held his face. She used her thumb to caress his skin lightly, enjoying the wordless exchange of their eyes in this silent moment.
He didn't know what he would do without her.
AN: Okay, I had some writer's block, but I'm finally over it, and I have a good idea for an ending that may surprise you all :) I hope you liked this chapter. I know it was very intense and emotional, and I hope it was good. Let me know how I did. If you liked it, hated it, what you want to see more of, etc.
Every review inspires me to update as soon as I possibly can! So please comment!
Xoxo!
-Sara
