The Vampire Diaries-Pleasure, Jealousy and Revenge

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All characters and worlds belong to the author L. J. Smith

Chapter 10

"Stefan, what are you doing?" asked Damon, despite knowing already. He grabbed Elena tightly by the hand, keeping her protected behind him.

"What are you doing?" Stefan looked angrily into Damon's eyes. "Let her go, Damon".

"Stefan?" Elena was confused. She had no idea what was going on, and why Stefan was so angry. "What's going on?"

"Elena, I'm trying to save you. I told you Damon was-

"Save her!" said Damon, raising his voice. "You're trying to save Elena? What are you, some hero? Look what you've done".

Damon kept Elena close behind him, but Elena stood confused.

"Damon, get out of my way" demanded Stefan. "How many times do I have to tell you before you will listen?"

Before Damon could respond, Stefan swung the baton towards him. He missed. Damon grabbed Stefan's arm, pushed him to the ground and forced his hands around his neck.

"Damon! Damon, stop!" shouted Elena, desperately trying to get his hand off Stefan. "Damon you're hurting him!"

But Damon ignored her, and continued strangling his brother's neck.

"Elena, stay out of this! You have no idea what he's been up to" said Damon, struggling to keep his hands around Stefan's neck. "Elena, he hit you on the head and locked you up!"

Elena looked at Stefan, waiting for his response, or even his denial. But Stefan remained silent, desperately trying to get Damon off.

Elena stood looking at him in confusion. "Damon, get off him".

Damon picked Stefan up by his collar and threw the baton towards the fireplace. Elena walked up to Stefan, looking him in the eye.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked, looking back at Damon, who had his arms folded.

"Tell her, Stefan" urged Damon, raising his eyebrows. "Tell her you did this".

The room was filled with a few minutes of silence. Then Elena spoke.

"Stop it!" said Elena. "I don't understand why you always have to argue. You're supposed to be brothers!"

Elena slumped herself onto the couch, pressing her hands tightly against her head. Stefan stared at her in what appeared to be guilt. He stood there, not knowing what to do. Should I tell her, he thought. Damon already knows. It's too late.

"You don't understand Elena", explained Damon, "because you don't know the full story. I'm trying to tell you but you don't want to listen".

"But I already know what you're going to say, Damon", argued Elena. "Stefan's already told me".

"Of course", Damon responded. "The criminal always has to defend himself, doesn't he?"

Damon faced Stefan, arms still folded. Stefan knew what he was waiting for.

"I won't" said Stefan, keeping his head down to avoid eye contact with Elena.

"That's alright, Stefan" warned Damon. "The more you lie the worse it's going to get. But then again, you don't seem to care".

"Leave him alone, Damon".

"No, Elena" Damon declared, pausing to look around at Stefan and back to Elena. "In fact, I'll leave you both alone. I don't care anymore".

Damon made his way towards the front door, but someone grabbed him tightly back into the living room, throwing him onto the couch. Stefan stood in front of him, his face filled with anguish.

"Why do you always have to make me feel guilty", Stefan interrogated, his face only an inch away from Damon's.

Damon lay restlessly on the couch, awaiting Stefan's next move. Stefan went over to Elena, looking deeply into her deep, brown eyes. She looked back, confused but also eager to know what Stefan was about to say.

"Listen, Elena" Stefan began. "I haven't been entirely honest with-

"No, stop". Elena got up from the couch, looking back at Stefan in despair. She took his hand, and then let go. A sudden drop of tear came rushing down her cheeks. Elena could no longer stand in the same room as Stefan. She knew what was coming, and before Stefan was able to finish, she found the truth. Elena couldn't bear it any longer and ran out of the door.

"Elena!" shouted Stefan, running after her. "Elena, wait! Please don't go".

Elena ran. She ran as fast as she could, making no attempt to look back. She couldn't bear a second longer with him, or next to him. Damon had been right all along, and yet Elena refused to accept that. She ran and ran. But Elena wasn't fast enough. Stefan grabbed her, swung her round to face him and looked her in the eye.

"Let go, Stefan!" Elena demanded, struggling to get his hands off her.

"Elena, I'm sorry".

"Is that it?" questioned Elena, trying to catch her breath. "You take advantage of me, you leave me abandoned in your cellar, and all you can say is sorry?"

Elena couldn't take it any longer. She loosened his grip off her shoulders and ran further away. Stefan stood, no longer willing to go after her. He didn't feel the need to go. He no longer cared.

Elena found herself on the front porch, but she couldn't bear to face her Aunt Jenna. The tears continued racing down her soft, pale cheeks, and Elena sunk to the ground, her head deeply buried into her face. The air grew colder, and a sudden gush of wind came followed by light drops of rain. The sharp pain in Elena's head had disappeared, but was now replaced by a burning pain in her chest. Stefan had used and abused her, shred her heart to pieces and left her abandoned with no hope whatsoever.

The rain grew heavier, and Elena was now soaking wet. But she remained where she was, unable to move. She looked up into the dreary rain, taking a minute to soak in what had happened. She still couldn't get over the fact that Stefan had left her abandoned in the underground cellar, beaten and bruised. And that Stefan was using her to replace his former girlfriend, Katherine, was another shock to Elena. How could he, she thought. I really thought he loved me.

Again, a new set of tears came trickling down Elena's cheeks. Her eyes were now swollen red, but she just couldn't stop crying. For once in her life, Elena had found someone she could love, trust and possibly spend the rest of her life with. Elena stood back up, and walked towards the forest that stood a few yards away. Her body felt weak, but she didn't care, and carried on walking. Everything appeared blurry, Elena felt sick, and she didn't seem to feel the ground as she walked. Elena couldn't carry on any longer, and suddenly, everything turned black.