A/N- Sorry for the late update. But here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading! :)
Damon's POV
So Elena killed our only chance at finding the cure. Great. I wish Elena knew but Stefan's right. She doesn't need to know that she killed her only chance at being human again.
Stefan wants to find the cure because he said she's not cut out to be this way. That he'll always love her but she shouldn't be this. The thing is whether she's a vampire or human, I'll love her either way.
I notice how uncomfortable Ellie was when I brought that up. I didn't mean to make her uncomfortable. I know this has to be weird for her. But Stefan needs to understand his feelings. Can he love Elena if we can't find the cure? If only we knew the answer.
Elena called me this morning freaking out. I expected her to call but I figured she would have called Stefan first.
"I can't believe this happened. What am I gonna say to him?" She asked pacing in front of a dead Jeremy on the couch. Didn't expect that.
"Thanks for not ditching the family ring after it drove Ric crazy?" I said sarcastically. It's a good thing though. Elena would never be able to live with herself if she actually killed Jeremy.
"Should have called Stefan." I mumbled after she didn't say anything.
"I don't want to talk to him. He's been lying to me, and hiding things from me. He compelled Jeremy to forget God knows what. And Ellie was in on it too." She said angrily.
"In all fairness, I mean I think you killing him kinda trumps that." I told her. "You should have called Stefan."
"I don't trust him right now Damon." She told me. Well it's too late cause I already did.
Stefan and Ellie walked in just then. Good I was hoping he'd bring her.
"Hey." Stefan said.
"P.S. I called Stefan." I mumbled to Elena. She probably won't be happy with me.
Ellie saw Jeremy on the couch and froze.
"Don't worry, he's wearing a ring that'll bring him back." I told her walking over to her. She relaxed a little bit, but not much.
"What happened, why didn't you call me?" Stefan asked Elena.
"I just, I need to go upstairs and shower. Clean all the blood off my hands." Elena said walking away.
Jeremy woke up then with a big intake of air. Nice timing.
"Welcome back. How're you feelin?" Stefan asked him.
"What happened?" He said breathing heavily with wide eyes.
"Long story. Buy the e-book." I told him.
"Damon." Ellie said. She wasn't really reprimanding me, more warning me. I gave her my best innocent look.
Stefan went after Elena.
Ellie sat on the coffee table in front of Jeremy who was still on the couch.
"Hey, you okay?" She asked him.
"I uh, I'm alright." Jeremy said still looking kind of out of it. I wanted to comment on it but I already got my warning. Damn.
"Why don't you get cleaned up and go to school." Ellie said to him.
"Yeah, uh, yeah okay. Bonnie said something about volunteering so, yeah." Jeremy said.
Ellie helped him off the couch.
Once Jeremy made his way upstairs Ellie turned to me.
"Okay, what the hell happened?" Ellie asked straight to the point.
"Elena stabbed him. She doesn't know why though. Said she thought he was Connor." I explained to her.
"Thought he was Connor? That's not right." She said with a confused look.
"I know. I don't know what happened. But hopefully it's a one-time thing." I told her walking into the kitchen.
"Alright well come on. Put yourself to good use and help me clean up all the blood." Ellie said.
"You know you've been doing a lot of clean up lately." I told her going over to the sink and grabbing a bucket.
"It's what I do." Ellie said with a smile. "Unfortunately I've been there. Having to clean up makes it all the more real. She doesn't need that right now."
"You're amazing you know that?" I told her. I can't believe she's doing this for Elena. Well I can because that's who she is but I also can't… It's confusing. Don't think about it too much and it makes sense.
"And don't you forget it." She said taking the bucket from me.
Stefan's POV
Elena's mad at me. Nice.
Damon called me and told me what happened. I asked Ellie to come too. I don't really know why, it was just a reflex I guess. Like I said before I like working with her and her company. Not only does she handle things well but she keeps Damon in check. Well, as much as he can be.
I'm kinda pissed though because Elena didn't call me. I understand she isn't happy. That she thinks I'm working with Klaus because I'm compelled again. But she killed her brother, temporarily. You'd think she would call me. But no, she called Damon. I'm not stupid. I see the looks the two of them share.
I got done talking, well arguing, with her and went downstairs. Ellie and Damon were cleaning up the blood on the floor. I was about to say something when my phone rang. Great.
Ellie and Damon looked at me quizzically.
"It's Klaus." I sighed.
"Ooo, time to face the music. Pay the piper. Dance with the devil." He said.
"You know I'm glad you find this amusing. If he finds out I told you about the cure he'll kill both of us." I told him. Even though that might not be entirely true with Ellie around.
"No he won't, Ellie wouldn't let him touch us. Would you angel?" He asked Ellie.
Both Ellie and I froze. Angel is what I called Ellie when we were together. That brings back some memories.
She got it together quickly though. "No of course not. It'd be a shame if the world lost faces like yours. Juts quit avoiding him. Makes you look shady." She said as she hoped up to sit on the counter.
"Shady people get out-ed." Damon commented.
Might as well get it over with.
"I don't wanna talk about it." I told Klaus as I answered the phone without putting it on speaker. They could hear anyway.
"Well I can't imagine why what with you ruining all my plans for a hybrid filled future." He said.
"Well it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't sworn us to secrecy." I said.
"Life's full of if's Stefan. But let's accentuate the positives shall we. The hunter was one of five, we'll find another. It may take centuries but we've got nothing but time." Klaus said calmly.
"You're using your calm voice today, who's getting killed?" I asked.
"Not you, if that's what you're worried about. I couldn't even if I tried what with Ellie around. I don't think she'd take kindly to that." Klaus said. Both Damon and I looked at Ellie and she shrugged in a 'he's got a point' way. "But I am concerned about your beloved, have the hallucinations started yet?" He asked.
The three of us shared a look.
"What do you know about that?" I asked him.
"I'll tell you. Where are you?" He asked.
"I'm at her house."
"How convenient. So am I." He said and we heard a knock at the door.
I looked at Ellie and she nodded knowing what I was thinking.
She hoped off the counter and said, "Damon stay here."
"You know I don't like being told what to do." He answered.
"I don't really care. Just listen." She told him. We didn't have time to listen to him bitch.
We both walked outside and I shut the door behind me.
"You know this would all be a lot more civilized if I was just invited inside." Klaus said. Yeah, like that was gonna happen.
"It's bad enough we're out here talking to you, what do you know Nik?" Ellie asked him as we walked down the steps.
"I killed the original five hunters remember sweetheart? When one kills a hunter there's a bit of a consequence." Klaus said and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. That pissed me off. Who is he to act so friendly with her like that? I couldn't explain this feeling. Was it jealousy? No it can't be. Luckily I didn't have to think about it too long because she hit his hand and threw it off her. That's my girl. No wait!
"What kind of consequence?" She asked him.
"The hunters were spelled by witches to kill vampires. If you prevent one form fulfilling his destiny then he'll take you down with him." He said.
"What do you mean? Connor's dead." I told him.
"I mean, Connor's death won't prevent him from making Elena his final vampire kill. She'll need to come with me now. I'll lock her up, keep her away from any sharp wooden objects." He said.
"She's not going anywhere with you Nik." Ellie told him sternly. Just what I was thinking.
"If we leave her alone she'll take her own life before the days out."
"She's stronger than that." I told him.
"Is she? Believe me it's for her own good." Klaus said cryptically. I looked over at Ellie and she had the same confused look on her face. What the hell is he talking about?
"Whatever. Why don't you go do something less irritating Nik?" Ellie said.
"Love, your words hurt. I'm simply trying to help you darling." He said to her sweetly. Odd.
Ellie got a strange look on her face and took a step closer to Klaus.
"Don't even try lying to me Nik. None of what you are doing is for me. You only want to "help" because you think Elena will do something drastic. If she does, you're potential "blood bag" is gone. This is why I can never trust you Nik. You always have an ulterior motive, and it's always for the benefit of yourself. You say we're friends Nik, start acting like one." She told him sternly and walked back into the house.
Klaus looked hurt by what Ellie said. But before I could find out for sure his regular cold face was back. Could what Ellie said really effect Klaus that much? Klaus doesn't feel emotion. Right?
I decided to join Ellie in the house. Why spend more time with Klaus than I had to? I also needed to check on Elena.
When I walked in Damon and Ellie had stressed and worried looks on their faces.
"She's gone." Ellie said.
Great.
"You lost her!?" Bonnie asked. We decided to call Bonnie to see if she had seen or heard from Elena.
"'Lost' is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where she is." Damon said sitting on the counter next to Ellie.
"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this Hunter's Curse." I added.
"How does Klaus even know about this?" Bonnie asked.
"How does Klaus know anything? Guy's like a billion years old." Damon said.
Ellie wacked him upside the head, much to my amusement, and said "Hey watch it, I'm almost as old as he is."
"True, but you're still gorgeous. You don't look a day over 800." He said with the Damon smirk.
"But you do." She told him with a smirk of her own. Ouch. Nice one.
"He said it was a witch's curse." I told Bonnie. I looked over at Ellie to see what she had to say. It looked like she was thinking about something. I looked back at Bonnie.
"You know if I could do anything to help I would but I…" she started to say.
"But nothing. Wave you're magic wand, hokus pokus be gone hunter ghostus, whatever." Damon said hoping off the counter.
"It's not that easy Damon back off." Ellie told him.
"She's right. The spirits won't let me do the magic I'd need to break the curse." Bonnie said. We had already filled Ellie in on Bonnies… magic predicament.
"Well what about you super vamp witch? You've done some crazy things, make your eyes go purple and make this problem disappear." Damon said turning to Ellie.
"… I can't." She said hesitantly.
"El, do you know something about this curse?" I asked her standing beside her.
"Bits and pieces. And I always thought it was just a rumor. I never knew it was real." She said.
"Well what can you tell us?" Damon asked her.
"All I know is what Nik already said, that the hunter won't stop Elena from being his last kill, I'd have no idea how to get rid of it. Curses are a tricky thing, especially one this old. I'd have to talk to Nik to know more." She said. She looked disappointed, but mostly in herself. Like she was mad at herself that she couldn't do more to help.
"I can ask Shane for help, he knows everything about everything." Bonnie said.
"Great! You two do you're thing." I told them. I looked over at Ellie and we did our 'silent communication' thing. She hopped off the counter and we started walking towards the front door.
"Where are you two going?" Damon asked, his eyebrows scrunching together.
"We're gonna get her back." Ellie said.
"By the way," Damon started to say so we turned around, what could he want now? "That whole telepathic, mind talking thing you two do, kinda creepy. I don't get how you do it." He said.
Ellie and I looked at each other and we rolled our eyes and walked away. There's nothing to explain anyway. It just…happens.
"So what do you think he did with her?" I asked Ellie. We were coming up with a plan on what to do and hopefully find out more about this curse so we can stop it.
"Well like he said earlier, he was going to "lock her up, keep her away from sharp wooden objects." I'm also guessing somewhere without windows. And if I know Nik like I think I do, he'll have a windowless room already, to preserve the art that he has. So my first guess would be to start at the mansion." She said. Gah she's a genius. Windowless room to preserve his art. That has to be where he has her.
"Only problem are his minions. They aren't just going to leave her unprotected." I told her.
"What about Caroline? Do you think she could get Tyler to give us time to get in and get her?" She asked.
"Only one way to find out." I told her and dialed Caroline on my phone.
"He's got Elena. We need Tyler to get the other hybrids away so we can get her out. I know I'm probably asking the impossible here." I told her.
"Actually, you're not. You know what come over to Tyler's and we'll talk." She said and hung up.
I looked at Ellie. It looked like she was sharing the same weird feeling.
"This isn't gonna end in our favor is it?" She asked.
"Unfortunately, it's not likely." I told her.
"This is why I avoided Nik as much as possible." She said.
"El, you don't have to do this. I mean when you look at the big picture Elena is nothing to you. You have no obligation to help her." I told her. I knew Ellie could take care of herself when it came to danger, but it doesn't mean I'm not worried about her. I gave up trying to talk her out of things a long time ago, since she's too damn stubborn for her own good. She always gets her way anyway even if she is risking her own safety. But she doesn't have to help Elena. She barely even knows her.
"Stefan, it's beyond obvious how much Elena means to both you and Damon. Therefore it is my obligation to help her. If it's important to you guys, it's important to me. So quit you're whining and let's get your girl." She said with a playfully stern look on her face.
Oh how I've missed you Ellie.
"Hayley is the one that helped me break the sire bond. She showed me what to do, how to help. When she showed up here I thought it was just a coincidence. Turns out she's been helping one of them. Her friend Chris. And she came to help us get the rest of them out from under Klaus." Tyler said. Tyler, Caroline, Ellie, and I were at Tyler's house discussing how to get in and get Elena.
"Wait, are you saying Chris isn't sired to Nik anymore?" Ellie said with the beginning of a smirk on her face.
"That's exactly what he's telling you." Caroline said matching Ellie's smirk.
I looked over at Ellie and we shared one of our 'looks.' How interesting.
Tyler, Ellie, and I headed over to Klaus' mansion to speak to this hybrid Chris.
"Make it quick. Klaus will be back any minute." Chris said.
"No he won't." Tyler said.
Caroline was meeting Klaus at the Grill to keep him company. He should be occupied for a while. Caroline wanted Ellie to go with her but I thought against it. For one, I didn't want Ellie around Klaus more than she already was. I know they are 'friends' and all but I don't trust Klaus. Second, and Ellie came up with this, it would look suspicious if both Ellie and Caroline were there, so Caroline had to suffer on her own - much to her displeasure.
"All you need to do is get us access to Elena and we'll take it from there." I explained to him.
"Please man. Help us and then you can… disappear. You'll be free." Tyler told him.
Chris laughed humorlessly. "Yeah until Klaus sends one of his other hybrids after me."
"Hayley and I got your back. We'll make sure nothing happens."
Finally, Chris agreed to help.
"Stefan, we can't just bust in there and grab her." Ellie was trying to say as we made our way to the room.
"Why not?" I asked.
"She's already delusional as it is. We can't freak her out. She's hallucinating she could see one of us as a threat. I think you should go in alone and try to talk to her first. Not just grab 'n' go." She explained.
"Good point. Okay I'll see if she'll listen. But we are getting her out of there." I told her.
"Never said we weren't." Ellie stayed down the hallway a ways to give Elena some space.
I got the keys from Chris and unlocked the door. When I walked in Elena was curled up on the floor hugging her knees.
"Elena, hey." I walked in slowly not wanting to freak her out. Even though she looked like she already was. "Hey it's me."
"No, no, no, no…" She kept murmuring. She was obviously seeing me as someone else. "Stay, stay away from me."
"Let me help you."
She broke off the metal leg of the bed and went to attack me with it.
"Elena, stop." I said and stopped her from hitting me, it didn't really work though.
She threw me back into a pillar and stabbed me with the metal pole. Then she ran.
"Stefan? Stefan!" Ellie yelled as she ran into the room. She must have heard the struggle. "Where'd she go?"
"I have no idea. She freaked out and ran. Your idea didn't work. I should have just grabbed her." I said exasperatedly.
"Are you saying this is my fault?" She said kind of annoyed. I guess that didn't sound too good did it?
"No, I didn't mean it that way. I don't know where she is or even how to get through to her." I told her.
"I think I know who can though." She said. She had this look in her eye like she didn't want to say it, but we both knew it was true. Damn it.
I pulled the metal pole out of my stomach and called Damon.
"Don't worry Stefan, we've solved our little Elena problem." He answered.
"Yeah, well now we have a bigger one, we lost her." I said.
"Ehh hmm?" Ellie said.
"Sorry, I lost her."
"What? Again?" Damon asked.
"She's in bad shape. I tried to help her but she attacked me." I explained to him. "Listen you go find her alright? Talk her down, she'll listen to you. Just tell me what I need to do to end this."
Turns out, in order for the hallucinations to stop, another hunter has to be found. Lucky for us we have Jeremy. Now he just has to kill a vampire. But no vampire is going to just willingly die.
"Well what about one of Klaus' hybrids? He has plenty to spare." Damon said over the phone.
"Damon, stop. Why don't you go find Elena? Stefan and I will figure this out." Ellie said and hung up the phone. Short, sweet, and to the point.
"So what do we do?" Ellie asked.
"I hate to say it but Damon's right. We don't have the time for Jeremy to just 'find' a vampire. We have to end this." I told her.
"Well it's not like Nik is just going to hand over a hybrid. Elena's not human anymore. He can't make more." She said and started pacing back and forth.
I can't believe I'm about to suggest this but, "What if you talk to him?" I asked her.
She froze. "Are you serious?"
"Ellie, Klaus trusts you. He doesn't trust any of us. I don't think even Caroline can do this. You're our only chance and getting him to agree. If we just kill one without his permission he'll retaliate." I tried to explain to her.
"Do you realize what you're asking me to do? You're asking me to talk to Nik about handing over a hybrid for death. They aren't property Stefan. They just happen to be on the wrong end of Nik's command." She said frustrated.
"What else can we do Ellie? Elena's losing it. We can't hold her back much longer. I know how difficult it is for you but we have no other choice. Please Ellie?" I asked her with a worried look. I know how hard this must be for her right now. I'm asking her to get permission to KILL someone. Death isn't something that Ellie takes lightly. If someone doesn't deserve death she finds another way.
Don't get me wrong, when needed Ellie can be ruthless. I've seen it before. Especially when someone or something is threatening the people she loves. She can be merciless and threatening. And it's down-right terrifying. But this isn't one of those times. None of the hybrids deserve to be handed over to death.
She had the most distraught look on her face. By agreeing to this she's fighting everything she believes in.
"Fine."
Klaus' POV
Caroline looked down at her phone. Again. Maybe now she will finally get to the point of why she is here. Caroline is great company, but honestly she isn't the one whose company I want to be in right now.
She told me that she was here to distract me while Stefan got into the house to get Elena out. Apparently Chris isn't sired to me anymore. Odd.
"Klaus wait..." She said trying to stop me.
"Caroline, you're beautiful. But if you don't stop talking I will kill you." I told her seriously.
"Nik."
I turned around to see Ellie.
"Ellie. Did Stefan send you here to distract me too? You're too late. Caroline already told me what he was doing." I told her. Caroline walked out then. There was no use for her presence right now anyway.
"That's not why I'm here…" She said.
"Well why are you?"
"If you would stop interrupting I could explain." She told me bluntly.
"I apologize. However I hope you know you are the only one I allow to speak to me that way." I told her. If anyone else had said what she just did they'd be missing a heart right about now. But because it's Ellie, I will make an exception.
"And I will expend that privilege every chance I get." She said smirking. Smart cookie.
"Can I get you a drink?" I asked her and led her to a booth and sat down across form her.
"I don't have time for that. Actually, I need your help."
"Really? It's not every day the lovely Ellie asks for my help so by all means, what can I do for you?" I asked.
"Well I'm not too comfortable with talking about this so I'll get straight to the point. We found out a way to get the curse lifted from Elena. The next potential hunter has to… be activated, I guess you could say." She explained.
"Ahh, young Jeremy Gilbert. Fantastic! So how do we 'activate' him?" Where's the part she's uncomfortable with?
"He has to kill a vampire. Since no one around here would willingly die we need you to allow Jeremy to kill a hybrid." She said all in one breath. Ah, there it is. "I know what I'm asking of you is, insane. Trust me, I'm not too keen on the idea either. But it's the only way to get the Hunter's Curse lifted from Elena. She's losing her mind. You understand what it's like. She can't survive like this much longer. I know you can't make any more hybrids and you'll probably snap my neck for even asking you but I had too. I can't stand seeing Elena and everyone else suffer like this Nik."
Kill one of my hybrids? Why in the hell would I hand over one of my hybrids for the Gilbert boy to kill? I understand that if we can get the cure and make Elena human again I can make more hybrids, but is it really worth it? Who knows how long it will take young Gilbert to kill enough vampires to complete the mark. It's not really my problem that they can't find a vampire for him to kill. So why am I about to agree to this? Oh right, because it's Ellie.
"Okay." I told her.
Her jaw dropped a bit. "What?! You would allow us to kill one of your limited hybrids to save Elena?" She had a thoughtful look on her face. "Is this just because saving her gives you another chance at a cure for her thus making more hybrids?" She asked disappointedly. Ouch.
"No, because it's for you." I can't believe I'm about to actually tell her this but, "Ellie, what you said earlier about not acting like a friend. You'd be surprised but my list of 'friends' is very limited. I am honestly and sincerely not doing this for my benefit. Yes, it will give me a chance at more hybrids potentially in the future but that's only an extra. I'm doing this for you. You're in pain. You're watching those you care about suffer which in turn makes you suffer. You don't deserve this. So I'm doing this in hopes of earning your trust and possibly being considered your friend again." I told her hopefully.
I don't have many friends. To be honest I don't need ANY friends. But Ellie is… Ellie. Ever since I found out I couldn't use her as a weapon we've gotten close. I don't want to lose the relationship I have with her. Not in a romantic way, although Ellie is beautiful, but I genuinely just want to be her friend. I would NEVER say this out loud because even to me it sounds ridiculous. But it's true.
"You're serious aren't you?" She asked me thoughtfully.
"Absolutely. Oh and about the 'snapping your neck' bit. You have to trust me when I say that I would NEVER hurt you. I may have a temper and at one point I may have wanted to use your powers for my own personal gain but that changed. I couldn't hurt you. You're just too adorable." I told her with a smirk. I couldn't get too emotional with her. I'm still a murderous hybrid and nothing will change that.
"Thank you Nik. You are one step closer to earning my trust. And maybe, possibly moved your way up to 'acquaintance.' And you know, I might be able to get Caroline to agree to a date with you." She said with a smile.
"It's a step up so I'll take it. And what makes you think I want a date with her?" I asked.
"I'm not stupid Nik. I see the way you look at her. It's about time you found someone anyway. So I'll see what I can do." She said. "Now back to business. A hybrid."
"And I have just the hybrid for you too." Time to get back to murderous hybrid.
Ellie and I met Stefan and Jeremy outside the Lockwood mansion. I was just about to walk in when Chris opened the door.
"Going somewhere?" I grabbed him by the neck and pinned him to the staircase. "When I said don't let her out of your sight what do you think I meant?"
"It's not his fault, it's mine. I was distracting him, it's my fault she got away." Tyler said trying to vouch for Chris. How sweet.
"Well maybe you should be the one to die for him."
"No one has to die." That wolf Hayley said.
I spun around. "Did I not say mind your business?!" I yelled at her. She needs to keep her nose out of things.
"Tyler's covering for me. I'm the one that let her go." She said.
"Hayley…" Tyler said.
"No. You want someone dead go ahead. Kill me. I'd rather die anyway then end up as one of your sired little bitches." She said.
"Don't tempt me little wolf." I turned back to Chris. "You're existence is to serve me, to please me, do you understand?" I asked him.
"I'm sorry. Look I won't fail you again." He said.
"No you won't. Get out of here." I told him and stepped aside.
Stefan came through the door then and staked him, followed by young Gilbert with an ax, then Ellie.
"Jeremy?" Tyler asked surprised. "What the hell man?!"
"I'm sorry." Ellie said. It was obvious how truly sorry she was.
Jeremy then proceeded to kill Chris.
Stefan's POV
The next morning, I made my way to Elena's house. According to Damon she's fine. How sad. I have to find out through my brother how my girlfriend is doing. We can't keep going on like this. It's obvious to anyone around what's going on. He also told me that he told Elena about the cure, even more of a reason for Klaus to want to kill me.
Once we got back to the house last night Ellie went up to her room and I hadn't seen her since. I knew she was upset about what happened. I didn't know if I should comfort her or if she would be mad at me so I let her be.
"I'm sorry that I stabbed you." Elena said when she walked out onto the front porch.
"It's alright I, uh, I probably deserved it." I told her. "So, Damon told me that he clued you in."
"You didn't kill him did you?" She asked.
"Nah, screw Klaus and his secrets." I told her and took a seat on the steps. "We all want the same thing. Just have to work together for it."
"And Ellie knew?" She asked and sat down on the steps.
"Yeah. Who do you think helped me get in to get you? Even though it didn't work." I asked her.
"She did that for me?" She asked surprised.
"You have a lot to learn about Ellie. But one thing about her is she will ALWAYS protect the people she loves. You're part of her family now Elena and it tore her up to see you in such pain." I explained to her.
"She really is great." She said.
"Yeah. Yeah she is." I told her smiling.
"Stefan, why did you send Damon to come look for me instead of you?" She asked.
"I sent him because lately, it seems like he's able to through to you in ways that I can't." I told her. "You listen to him, you trust him, even when you can't trust me."
"I didn't mean to not…"
"Come on Elena. I mean after everything that we've been through you can admit it." I told her seriously.
"You've been so strong for me, helping me, fighting for that girl that chose you, the girl that I was when I died on the bridge. And I love you so much for wanting to find this cure, because I'd like nothing more than to get her back. Because the girl that she's become, that I've become, is different – somehow darker. Who I am, what I want…"
"What you want… or who you want?" I asked her.
She hesitated for a moment. "Something changed, between Damon and me, much more than it ever used to be. It's like, it's like everything that I felt for him before I was a vampire…"
"Has been magnified." I finished for her. "Your feelings for him have been magnified."
"I'm sorry. I don't want to lie to you…" She trailed off.
"You know before, before I was the uh, the ripper, I understood why you cared for him. I mean I practically drove you to it. But now… I can't do this Elena." She looked at me kind of surprised. "Not anymore."
"I know." She said and paused. "I know."
"This is it for us Elena. I can't… I can't keep fighting with my brother over a girl. So this decision, it's final. We can't keep going back and forth like this." I told her.
"I know. I get it I do. I don't want to come between you and your brother either Stefan, but things changed, feelings changed. I can't help that. So yes, I understand. This decision is final. It's what I want." She told me. "But know that I did love you Stefan."
"I know. I loved you too."
Later that night I got back to the boarding house after talking with Elena. I had just walked around coming to turns with what just happened and it's very dark now. Somehow I knew where the conversation between us was headed before it even started but it had to happen. I can't keep fighting with my brother because of this. I can't change Elena or the way that she feels and it's about time my brother found happiness. So yeah, I am happy for him. I just can't figure out why I'm not more saddened or upset than I am. Before, thinking about not being with Elena killed me, but now… something's changed. And I can't figure out what.
I walked in the front door and saw Ellie curled up on the couch by the fireplace.
"Hey." She said when she noticed me. "How's Elena?"
"Curse is gone. She's a lot better. Thanks to you." I grabbed a drink and sat next her.
"Jeremy did it. All I did was talk a murderous original hybrid to let us kill one of his minions. All in a day's work." She said sarcastically.
"But I know how much it hurt you to do that. And you have no idea how much it means to me, to everyone, that you went against everything you believe in to help her." I told her seriously.
"No one hurts the ones I love. Even if it is some crazy witch curse. If I could beat the shit out of the curse I would but I can't. So I'll settle for the next best thing, getting rid of it." She said. I laughed a little at that.
"One of the many great things about you Ellie." I told her.
She looked at me like she was studying me. "Something's different. What else happened over at Elena's?"
"Uh…"
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." She said.
"No, no it's fine. Um, we broke up. For good." I told her.
"What? Why?" She asked surprised.
"Things changed. Feelings changed. She said that the feelings she had for Damon were magnified when she turned. I guess she just had more feelings for Damon than she did for me." I explained.
She had a pained look on her face. "Stefan, I'm so sorry."
"No it's okay. I'm actually okay. I never thought I would be but I am. I'm tired of history repeating itself with Damon. It had to end eventually. Plus I know that he will be really happy. That's all that matters. So surprisingly, I'm fine." I smiled at her.
"As long as you're sure. And that's not all that matters. You deserve to be happy too. It is good that you want to stop fighting with your brother." She said and stood up.
"What are you doing?" I asked her.
"I'm going to bed. I offered Caroline my help tomorrow setting up for the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant at the Lockwood's." She said with little enthusiasm.
"Well why would you do that?" I asked her laughing.
"I told her I'd help if she went out on a date with Nik. They have to keep up the charade that she and Tyler broke up anyway and I could use some entertainment. Besides, Nik's clearly smitten with her."
"You are devious. But I would like to see what happens." I told her with a smirk.
"See! I'm not the only one. Good night Stefan. I'm glad you're okay." She said.
I smiled at her. "Night Ellie. Thanks again for… everything." I told her sincerely.
She smiled at me and walked up the stairs.
I couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked. Her hair was in soft waves going down her back and the fire was making her glow. It was then I realized why I wasn't so distraught about my breakup with Elena.
I'm still in love with Ellie.