TVD – Bonded for Life, Chapter 10 (minimal adult content)
A/N - As usual, I only own the story, my ideas, but the characters and TVD belong to others – I'm have not until now not included anything after episode 409. But I'm going to borrow some plot points at this point to drive forward the story and keep me focused on the relationship development which I prefer to focus on. Thank you so much for all the feedback and reviews! I really appreciate it!
TVD – Bonded for Life, Chapter 10
Stefan felt better than he had in a long time. The homespun therapy sessions seemed to be helping. Elena smiled today, multiple times, genuinely smiled with each smile increasingly beginning to truly reach her eyes. He knew better than to think they were out of the woods, that they would ever be out of the woods completely, but he enjoyed a few little wins along the way, despite his guilt that lingered from earlier in the day. He was never completely able to manage his guilt away, it was always there. Especially when it came to Elena and any pain he may have been able to keep from her, it would remain with him. He swallowed it, pushed it away as always, stifling the gnawing at his soul so he could focus on recovery.
Her first real smile was when he told her a Lexi story. Elena got a real kick with how Lexi always called Stefan an idiot at the beginning of their relationship, well at the beginning of her tutelage and his recovery. It wasn't friendship until later. Lexi was coming up a lot over the last few days. She was Stefan's touchstone. She had guided Stefan through so much of his life, his re-birth into his after-life, and thus Lexi was so relevant to their present circumstances.
In sharing the "idiot" stories, Stefan was trying to boost Elena's confidence and share how his start to finding a better way to live had been less than stellar. In a way, she was re-experiencing her first days as a baby-vampire but this time without undue influence. There wasn't a clear line, none which they could agree on, when the sire bond had made her, well, not her any more. What Elena had truly experienced as the real Elena was questionable, a bit of a grey area. Therefore, they agreed they were starting from scratch, together, finding out who Elena Gilbert, Vampire, was going to be when she "grew up".
The second real smile was while they were awaiting the imminent return of Jeremy and Damon. While they waited, Stefan was trying to distract Elena from stewing about the fact that she'd be seeing Damon in the near future. He drove her to get coffee then back to the Gilbert house. He hoped the change of venue would help her cope with seeing everyone, anyone, face to face, now sire-bond free.
After she freshened up and, Stefan decided to tell Elena about a time when he'd accidentally seen Lexi naked. They'd known each other for so long, had been so close, but all platonically and never once had they seen each other naked, until "the incident".
It was almost like he forgot on some level that Lexi was a she. They were friends, best friends. She had been savior, teacher, sponsor, coach, confidante, and sister for so long, that it would have never dawned on him to even try to catch a glimpse of her in a state of undress. The incident happened after he'd been living on his own for a number of years. Occasionally they'd visit each other and catch up. On one such visit to her home, they had gone out drinking and he'd met some of her friends. She had truly built herself a nice family of good, fun people and he'd enjoyed himself immensely. Later, lying in bed, Stefan was staring at the oddities from all of Lexi's travels artistically placed around the funky guest room. He wondered if he would ever get this kind of good place in his life, as Lexi had seemed to be in at the time. He dozed off dreaming of what that life might look like if he could have it.
Stefan's musings were interrupted when he jolted awake having heard a noise from downstairs and went to investigate. He knew, thought he knew, it wouldn't be Lexi. He'd heard her get ready for bed, heard when she'd crawled into bed, and heard when she'd said "Good night, Stefan" from the room down the hall.
Now downstairs to investigate on behalf of his friend, Stefan peeked through the crack of a swinging kitchen door. He saw a completely nude and hot female body. The woman was really gettin' some from a guy who had her up on a countertop. A dimmed pendant light above the woman made her torso the focus of the rather artistic display of live art in front of him. Her fair skin glowed in the soft light. The muscles of her hips and legs clenched with her movement. Had one of Lexi's friends decided to stay over? He couldn't see the woman's face. He just saw a beautiful female body, full breasts and curvy hips, jiggling lasciviously as she shook from each forceful push inside her.
Stefan was almost drooling at the sight. He hadn't had a woman in a while and found he couldn't tear his eyes away from her body. The woman was leaning back on her elbows with her head tipped back into the shadows. Her legs were around the naked guy thrusting into her. Stefan remembered thinking it odd that her toenails were painted a sick orange color. What an odd thing to notice when a naked woman was on display, he shared with Elena making her laugh.
Then, like it was in slow-motion and before he could vamp-speed away, he heard Lexi's voice. "Stefan, do you mind?" The couple had stopped ever so briefly and had looked his way, stunning him like a deer in headlights. Hearing that voice, her voice, made Stefan gasp and vamp-speed up to his room.
He was completely flustered. He'd caught wood by seeing Lexi, his Lexi, naked! She was the equivalent of a sister to him. The only phrase running through his head being "Holy shit, oh shit, oh shit…" He eventually went to sleep but he was truly freaked out and embarrassed having been caught leering at his dear friend and mentor having sex. Not only that, he enjoyed the view, sick bastard, he thought. In hindsight, he commented that it was further evidence that he was always prone to overreacting emotionally.
They slept in late, Stefan purposefully hiding in his room, like a little chicken, Elena chimed into the story. He was delaying coming downstairs and hoping any embarrassment would have passed. Better yet, maybe more friends came over and would distract Lexi from being ticked if she was. But no such luck. The morning was awkward, but really only for Stefan. Lexi went about the morning as if nothing had happened. In Lexi's mind, she thought very little had happened. It was no big deal. The social mores of that or any decade simply didn't apply to vampires. How could they? Lexi and Stefan were ageless. But Stefan didn't know this at that time.
About mid-morning, she realized Stefan was completely tense but agreeable about what to do that day, his last full day with her. This was not the norm. She usually had to coerce him into certain activities she liked but he didn't. She also thought he was avoiding eye contact. So she confronted him. "What is wrong with you today?"
"N-Nothing, I'm fine." He didn't look at her, just kept focused on the newspaper and his coffee.
"Stefan, you can tell me. You want it, don't you?"
"Uh, what do you mean?" he asked looking up at her worriedly.
"Come on, Stefan, you can tell me. It's not like I can't tell when you need it and want it. Just be a grown up about it and tell me the truth."
"I don't. Lexi, really, I don't. I didn't know it was you."
"Wha?"
He cut her off continuing quickly to explain. "It was dark. I wasn't there long…I hardly saw anything…"
Oh..., she thought. She figured it out. She was talking about blood, he was not. She decided to torture him a bit. "It's ok, Stefan, you can tell me. It's what I've been hoping for…Did you like what you saw?" He nearly choked on his coffee when she unbuttoned the top button of her shirt. "Did you wish that it could be you instead?" she asked hopefully.
"No!"
"No? Why not? You didn't like what you saw?
"No! No!"
No?"
"I mean, yes, you are, very hot, I mean beautiful, I just didn't, I mean, we, I don't,…"
"Oh, Stefan," she pouted and covered her mouth to hold in a fake sob. Really turning on the dramatics, she continued. "You still don't want me? I've been waiting and waiting for the day when you'd finally want me…and there you are finally seeing me as a woman…and I thought…I hoped…" She turned away from him and sniffled as if in tears.
Stefan stood up to step closer to her. "Lexi, wait, I'm sorry, I…" he fumbled to explain. Before he could step in it any further, she turned around smiling and laughing at him as she pronounced the following.
"And the award for best actress goes to…" She laughed as she posed mocking him with a tip of the hat to herself and her acting skills. "I so had you! Get over yourself, Salvatore. Jeez, you'd think you'd never seen sex before." He fell back into the couch where he'd been sitting, even more embarrassed than he had been. She zipped to his side and plopped into kneeling on the seat next to him. She starting poking at his stomach and waist and occasionally sneaking in to squeeze his package annoyingly as Stefan, too slow in response, tried to swat her teasing hands away. "Wait, did you get a chubby? Did you? Oh my god, it's alive?! Come on now. Did little Steffie get turned on watching mommy and daddy having sex on the counter? Come on, let's see Mr. Chubby." Stefan flinched and laughed but was no match for Lexi's strength and speed from the years she had on him. They ended up out of breath and laughing, she laughing more than he. If he could have blushed, he'd have been bright red.
"Aw, don't worry about it, Sweetness. I'd be worried if you saw people having sex and didn't react. At least you know you still want it." She paused. "Seriously, when was the last time you put yourself out there?" He shrugged. It had been a long time. He didn't trust himself yet. "But you still want a woman?" He gave her a look that said, seriously, you are asking me that? "Come on, seriously, I have to ask. You could find yourself wanting something different. You are different now."
"Yes, I want a woman, Lexi."
"And you figured that out last night with my help, no doubt?" she teased, sneaking in one last goose to his package which he swatted away again too late.
He shot her another look. "I've always wanted women, a woman. I'd tell you if I wanted something, someone else. I'm not a prude."
"Ok, good." Switching gears, she changed subjects. "How'd my boobs look? Good? Still perky?" Lexi was looking down at her breasts and supporting them with her hands. "Again with the look…I'm seriously asking you as my friend…boobs, good or no?"
"Yes, good,…very good. Really nice in fact…"
"Don't sound so surprised…"
"Honestly, I'd never thought about them before so they were kind of a surprise."
"Well they've always been right here." She gave them an asexual squeeze. "And I know they are good. I just wanted to make you say it." She scrunched her nose at him teasingly. Then sounding truly concerned she asked, "But what about my ass?"
He pushed her off her knees and she fell back to the opposite side of the couch laughing. "Lose the fluorescent puke colored pedicure. It's gross."
"Ahh, another clue to the kind of woman you want," she said eyeing him with a wry smile. "What else?"
"I'm not saying another word. I just hope you disinfected the counter."
Elena was smiling and laughing off and on throughout the story. Stefan tried not to stare or pause for the entire story so as not to break the lovely distraction. Her beauty became stunning when she smiled at him, it took his breath away. Each time he saw it he resisted the desires to simply watch her and put a hand to her cheek. He'd continued telling the tale, animated where he needed to be, and delivering perfect punch lines. When he was through, he looked at her, and she back at him, with such love and happiness, however fleeting it might be.
She smiled back, knowing full well what he'd been up to, but enjoying it all the same. "Thank you," she said putting a palm to his cheek.
He gave that shy boy smile she loved, his equivalent to blushing. "Any time."
"So you liked towel girl's boobs then?" she teased.
"Ew. That's what you take from the story?" making a face at the thought of Lexi sexually.
"I'm just glad you didn't tell me that story any sooner."
"I never would have told you that story if she was still with us."
They quieted for a few moments, teasing seemingly done with for now.
"They are still not here," she said, worry creeping back into her face.
"We could always make out for a while," he suggested with wriggling brows. He sidled closer to her, cornering her on the sofa. She giggled at his maneuverings.
"I don't know about that…Can we just make out…? I think we are incapable of only making out."
"You may be, but I have the discipline for both of us."
"Ha," she said laughing, "As if…" still laughing as he leaned in to kiss her playfully. They kissed, keeping the mood light and happy until a low rumble of a car they both knew came to a stop out front. She stiffened in his arms and opened her eyes to see him watching her.
"It will be ok," he said. "I'm right here. Elena, just breathe." She took a big breath in as she watched him do the same. They stood up to greet presumably Jeremy and Damon.
Her brother came bounding into the house, visibly upset, and followed by Matt and Damon, less so but also upset. "Well, the shit has hit the proverbial fan, Stefan."
"What? Why?" Stefan asked, taken aback at the abrupt start to the conversation. Damon didn't even really make eye contact with Elena although she watched him a bit.
"Klaus has some very, shall we say aggressive plans to get the map..."
Jeremy interrupted. "Yeah, well you agreed with him jackass."
Damon plowed forward staring between Jeremy and Stefan. "And his insane family is wreaking havoc yet again. Kol doesn't want the cure found and is trying to get Jeremy killed or maimed."
The fight club boys proceeded to update Elena and Stefan as to Klaus' scheme to create newbie vampires in large groups for Jeremy to kill. Kol had soundly won the first round by killing all the newbies. His next plan was to cut off Jer's arm in lieu of killing him so he wouldn't be haunted by the Hunter's curse. Rebecca got her hands on the headstone of Silas. Shane was in custody for possibly mass murder.
Elena participated in the conversation now and then, even responding to Damon. She had to as it was all about protecting her brother, her number one priority once again. Damon responded indirectly, more to the group than to her directly. It would seem he had his own way of dealing with the would-be awkwardness with Elena and Stefan. Distraction and avoidance were his key methods.
It was rather anti-climactic but Elena didn't mind it actually, even though she'd been trying to think what she would say to him. Would she take the road of compassion and comfort him for what he'd been through, that her adoration of him wasn't real? Would she confront him about her concerns that he should have known better? That he should have been the one with the strength, with enough love for his brother, to abstain from bedding Elena so quickly? Should Damon have tried to get Stefan to stay at home that night, to not leave…? She really didn't know what she wanted to say to this other brother so she focused on saving hers.
They decided that the Gilberts would stay home since no Original Vampire had been invited in. Stefan tried desperately to stay, but Elena wanted to stay with Jeremy and promised they would call the cavalry if Kol showed up. Besides, Stefan should try to get the only remaining dagger they knew of from Rebecca so they could put down Kol. Damon was going to check in with Bonnie and jailed Shane about next steps in finding the cure.
Jeremy went upstairs to shower. Stefan asked Matt to help search for the dagger while he distracted Rebecca. Damon dropped Matt at home to change and get his truck. Stefan stayed behind to talk with Elena before heading out to find Rebecca.
"Are you sure you are OK on your own?"
"I won't be on my own. Jer's here." Still seeing his concern, she added, "Look, I'll be fine. Really. No I don't want you to go, but there are more important things to deal with than me being all needy." She pressed up on her toes to reach his lips and kiss him sweetly. "Thank you, for everything, for the last few days. I'd be lost without you, you know?" They kissed again.
"Love you."
"Love you." He gave her a last squeeze for strength and left to find Rebecca.
Elena looked around her family home, taking in the quiet and emptiness. Yes, Jeremy was upstairs in the shower, but even he was different now. The Hunter, her would-be killer brother, needed her protection. She couldn't lose this last remaining foothold from her human life. Sure Bonnie and Matt and others were still in her life. But family, her only family left, was Jeremy. Elena set to thinking through how she could impact protecting Jeremy and finding the cure.