LOL my anons, Katerina and Di, your super reviews make me laugh!
Warning: A tad of language is inevitable.
Disclaimer: Too poor for TVD.
PS: We now have over 150 reviews. Klefan lives on through us my darlings.
Falling into Place
He stares at the blonde in front of him, still in a 1920's era gown for only a second before he snaps out of it and starts down the stairs. She's in front of him before he can even make it halfway down, a hand resting on his chest stopping him in his tracks.
"Don't." She says simply, "let him go, he needs to calm down."
He looks into her eyes, "I can't Rebekah…" What if he's leaving?
"Stefan," she admonishes, "trust me." The blonde original wraps an arm around him and pulls him toward the couch. "He's my brother, I know what's best."
He breathes out deeply, blood pressure still racing from the earlier argument and sighs, falling back onto the couch. "Okay…okay." He smiles up at her then. "Rebekah," he greets her again – properly this time. She smiles graciously, taking a seat beside him.
"Where have you been all this time?" He asks, studying her. She looked exactly like he remembered the last night he saw her, dress and all. "And why the…" He motioned with his hands and she rolled her eyes.
"Figures he wouldn't tell you."
Stefan frowned, "tell me what?"
"You know about us right? How we can be…incapacitated?" She confirmed and he nodded slowly.
"Yes…?" His eyes widened at her pointed look. "No?"
"Yes," she nodded, "my idiot brother has had me daggered in a coffin for the better part of the last century."
Stefan merely gaped. "And you're not…angry with him?" He ventured in disbelief. Why wasn't she raging? The Rebekah he had known would have attempted to snap her brother's neck for this, even if the efforts would be futile.
"We…talked this morning." She said quietly. "I'm still angry," the blonde laughed, "don't you worry. But…it's not worth it, you know?"
Stefan merely nodded silently. He did know.
He regretted every minute of the past century he'd spent hating Damon when he could have made things right and had his brother the entire time.
Rebekah looked down at the floor for a minute before meeting his eyes. "I think that you should go."
He frowned in confusion, "I thought you said to let him calm down?"
Rebekah rolled her eyes then. "Yes, let him calm down, not wait all night." She sighed, "my brother is insecure. He hasn't had a lot of people to care about him, you know?" She shook her head. "If you don't chase after him…he'll think you don't care. But you do care, don't you?" She stared up at him through her lashes and he winced, feeling immensely awkward.
"Bekah…" He frowned, his whole face softening. "I'm sor-."
"No!" She cut him off, holding up a hand, "it's fine Stefan, really." She gave him a shaky smile. "I understand."
He reached over slowly, pulling her into a hug. How hard it must be for her to have woken up, one hundred years in the future. While everyone else had already moved on with their lives, she was stuck in the past, like it was yesterday.
And he'd treated her terribly, make no mistake. He'd screwed around with her and lead her on when he really wasn't all that interested. What he'd done was wrong and he'd luckily escaped the consequences…until now.
There was something about the original family that made his feelings intensified. If it were anyone else he'd just shake it off. Of course he'd know he'd done the wrong thing but he wouldn't let it bother him…with Rebekah, just like with Klaus he felt the need to apologise. To make amends.
It was strange.
"Go!" She nudged him, smiling and he smiled back.
"Upstairs in my bedroom, there should be some of my old girlfriend's clothes if you want to go out," he said hesitantly. Elena had left a few jeans and shirts at the boarding house and at least they could be put to good use. "Here," he threw her his wallet. "Buy yourself some clothes." He smiled.
"Stefan," she rolled her eyes, "I'll just compel them to give me what I want, I don't need your money."
He smirked at that. "Yeah, half the shopkeepers are on vervain." At her sceptical look he finished sarcastically, "welcome to Mystic Falls."
"How am I supposed to know what's in fashion?" She pouted and it was Stefan's turn to roll his eyes. Girls – they were all the same.
Pulling out his mobile phone he dialled someone he knew would have free time to go shopping.
"Stefan!" She answered cheerfully, "thank god, I'm so sorry, I really didn't like you being angry at me and-"
"Caroline!" He cut in, shaking his head. "You aren't on my good side yet," he said slowly, "but you will be if you do me a favour?"
"Anything Stefan, name it!" She chirped and he grinned.
"Oh I think you'll like this one." He met Rebekah's raised eyebrow with a smirk. "Klaus' sister is in town and needs a shopping buddy, can you be here in fifteen?"
"Klaus has a sister?" Was the baby vampire's incredulous response and he groaned.
"Yes or no, Care?"
"Yeah, I'm leaving now." He could hear her car keys clanking together through the speaker.
"Alright, thanks Care and bring some clothes with you too!" He added as an afterthought. "Rebekah will explain when you get here."
And with that he hung up. At the original's questioning look he shrugged, "she's a baby vamp – head cheerleader at Mystic Falls High." That explained everything in Stefan's opinion so with that he turned to leave, not bothering with a 'don't spend too much' because he figured he owed her this twisted apology anyway.
"Stefan!" She called after him, stopping him before he reached the door. "There's a little house south-east of here on the edge of town…"
He nodded his head in thanks before taking off out of the door and cutting through the woods south of the house. The best part about being a vampire was the speed and agility – not having to drive around a forest for example.
It wasn't difficult to find the place, or rather to find Klaus. Every tree within a twenty foot radius had been felled violently, cracked trunks and turned over branches littering the forest's edge. Stefan bit his lip before stepping toward the house hesitantly, wincing as the debris crunched under his shoes.
The door creaked as he opened it slowly and he could see Klaus from his current vantage point, sprawled across the lounge, a glass of some kind of liquor dangling from his fingertips.
"Go away Rebekah," the vampire mumbled, not bothering to turn around.
"I'm not Rebekah," he answered quietly, stopping a few feet behind the original.
Klaus snorted, taking another long swig of what Stefan could now identify as whiskey, judging by the bottle on the ground. "You're not welcome here either."
Stefan sighed, creeping forward to place his mouth near the blonde's ear. "I'm sorry."
He was shrugged off violently and Klaus finally turned around, sending him a deep glare. "I don't care. Get out."
Stefan groaned, he was not equipped to deal with this. "Can't you just accept my apology?"
The original merely remained silent, staring listlessly at the opposite wall.
Stefan rolled his eyes. "Seriously?" The silent treatment – what were they, five? He waited another minute and when Klaus remained unmoving he snatched the original's drink from his hand, throwing it back and then used his free hand to push an unsuspecting Klaus off the couch.
He watched as Klaus slowly got to his feet and when Stefan's eyes finally found ocean blue, the older vampire was radiating with killer intent. In seconds he was screaming out, warm blood gushing down the front of his shirt as Klaus tore into his throat, ripping his skin apart.
"Klaus!" He yelled, gripping the front of the almost-hybrid's shirt in an attempt to push him off. The original was far too strong for him and for the first time in a long time Stefan actually felt fear.
"Back off ripper." The blonde snarled, finally stepping back, his eyes black with fury. Stefan gasped lightly, gripping at his shredded throat with one hand. The pain, while not as bad as the time he was stuck in a well full of vervain was still excruciating and he was losing a lot of blood.
"Klaus," he groaned, frowning up at the original in agony. The blonde simply turned his back and walked away, a clear dismissal to the younger vampire.
Stefan slid down the wall behind him, lowering himself to the ground and settling into the corner, bleeding sluggishly.
"For god's sake Stefan, just go!" Klaus hissed, throwing him a dark look over his shoulder. "You'll only kill yourself by staying." He was right, this wound wouldn't heal on it's own, he was going to continue bleeding until he passed out. Luckily he couldn't die from it, not really but he probably wouldn't wake from his unconscious state for a while until someone forced blood down his throat.
He looked across at Klaus, remembering Rebekah's words. He'll think you don't care. He let his head fall back against the wall, closing his eyes. "I'll be here when you're ready to accept my apology," he rasped quietly, tasting blood in his mouth.
He didn't know how long he'd sat there, knowing that he just had to stay – that actions spoke louder than words and this was how he was going to make his point. He needed Klaus to know he was sorry and from what he could tell the original needed the assurance that Stefan was completely serious, even if he had to knock himself unconscious to prove it.
He'd sat, aware of Klaus' confused gaze on him for a certain period of time before he'd just drifted off into a blackness. He only came to, to the exquisite taste of the original's blood permeating his mouth and the blonde muttering curse words under his breath.
He blinked up at the blonde blearily for a moment, before smirking. "I knew you'd make the right decision."
Klaus only rolled his eyes before dropping him harshly back to the ground, jolting his injured neck. "Ouch," Stefan groaned, glaring up at the older vampire who stared back impassively.
He got to his feet, muscles creaking and waited for Klaus to speak. He was met with the same expressionless stare and silence. Stefan bit his lip.
"I'm not going to chase after you anymore Stefan," the blonde says, brows furrowing into a frown. "Either you want this or you don't."
Klaus doesn't want to be pulled around anymore, waiting for Stefan to make a decision and Stefan can understand that. He also understands that this is a loaded question. If this is what he wants he has to take Klaus as he is, no regrets. He was to understand that he can't change him, even if that means leaving some of his own morals behind. Is he even ready for that?
He doesn't think he is, not at all…but the only other option is to lose Klaus and that's hardly an option at all.
He steps forward, pulling the blonde into a hug of all things, feeling immensely silly and mutters, "I promise." He doesn't need to specify what he's promising; they both know that it's whatever he can give – a promise to try.
When Stefan and Klaus enter the boarding house that night it's to find Damon, Caroline and Rebekah deep in discussion and he's not reassured by the fact that the first thing Caroline says upon noticing their entrance is, "hey Stefan, you thought you were mad at me, wait until Damon tells you his stupid plan!"
She receives a glare from his brother at that and Stefan smirks at the arguing pair, wondering briefly whether this mysterious plan has something to do with where Damon's been sneaking off to lately. He also notices Rebekah, decked to the nines in 21st century attire, is palming a dangerous looking dagger in her lap.
"Um...ok." He raises an eyebrow. "What's with the dagger?" He decides to ask first and Klaus frowns.
"Yes, Rebekah, what's with the dagger?"
The blonde huffed. "They want to incapacitate Elijah, I offered them the dagger, or is it only for use in my chest cavity?" She spat at him spitefully and Stefan winced. Oh yeah, definitely not over it yet.
Klaus only rolled his eyes at his sister's antics. "That's all well and good but how do you expect this plan to work?" He directed the question at Damon.
"And why would I be upset about that?" Stefan cuts in, frowning at Caroline.
The blonde only laughs out loud. "Not what he's doing," she giggles, "why he's doing it."
Damon sends her a dark glare then and Stefan can see this is something that's clearly upsetting his brother, not just a joke anymore.
"Can you guys explain whatever this is to Klaus?" He asks, motioning for Damon to come with him without waiting for a response. They wander outside and Damon sighs loudly.
"It's not as bad as she's making it out to be." Stefan waits patiently for his brother to continue, knowing that pushing him will not have the desired effect. Damon ran a hand through his hair. "If we kill Elijah, Katherine won't be compelled anymore, she can get out of the tomb."
Stefan stared.
"What?"
"Don't!" Damon held up a hand. "Just don't.
"Don't what?" Stefan raised his arms up in surrender, "I'm not doing anything," just acknowledging the fact that you lied to me last time we went to see Katherine telling me you were over her and clearly, you're not; Stefan thinks to himself.
"Ugh!" Damon groans. "It's not…I mean, we're going to kill Elijah anyway right?"
Stefan nods, "Yeah, I suppose so, but Damon…" He thinks about how to put this nicely, in a way that Damon won't explode like a friggin' meteor shower. "I just don't want you to get hurt again." He settles on finally.
If this is where Damon has really been going, down to the tomb to visit Katherine then she's probably been manipulating him into getting her out of her cage the entire time, she was like the devil stuck in the deepest circle of hell.
"I know," Damon protested, "I know what you're thinking! I'm not that naïve Stefan. I don't think that she...loves me or anything."
Stefan feels his heart break a little at that. Of course he still loves her. He's loved her for over a hundred years, it wasn't something he could just stop now that he knew it was unrequited.
"I can't just…turn it off." Damon confirms his thoughts.
"You're not going to be disappointed if she runs the second she's free?" Stefan questions quietly, knowing that if their positions were reversed, he'd be getting his hopes up only to be devastated once more.
"I won't be surprised." Damon counters and Stefan notices the change of words. "But hey," the older Salvatore shrugs, "if she ups and leaves, we'll never see her again and that's the end of that."
Stefan took that to mean 'conversation over' and breathed out a large sigh. "Okay," he muttered, following his brother back into the house and out of the chilly winter air, stuffing his hands in his jean pockets.
Caroline raised a brow at him as they entered and Stefan shook his head sternly. He was luckily impervious to the pout she tried to set upon him then.
"So it's a go?" Damon confirmed, looking from Rebekah to Klaus then back again, expecting they'd have debated the situation already while the brothers were talking outside.
"Not quite," Klaus responds, turning to speak to them both. "The dagger has to be used by a human, any vampire that uses it will also die."
Damon sends Rebekah a glare then at the near fatal mistake. "Why didn't you mention that before?"
She only scoffs, "I forgot ok? I've been asleep for a hundred years!" She turns her annoyance back towards Klaus then and Stefan decides to steer the ship out of stormy waters.
"Alright, so we need a human to do it?" At Klaus' nod he turned to look at Damon, "do you think you can convince Ric?"
Damon hesitated. "I don't know. It wasn't exactly a stellar conversation he was witness to this morning," he sends Stefan a look and the younger vampire winces. Yeah, that was definitely his fault.
Caroline piped up then from her place on the couch. "Bonnie owes you Stefan. She'll do it."
He looks at her warily and glances to Klaus for his opinion. The original shrugs, "can't hurt to try."
"Are you sure we can trust her?" He asks Caroline, needed a definite response before they waste this chance.
The blonde nodded furiously. "Trust me Stefan, she feels really bad for what she did. She'll help." He was still a little in doubt over the witch's allegiances but he supposed when he thought about it they were killing a dangerous vampire and that's something her morality would help her commit to – even if it were for an even more dangerous creature of the night.
"Okay," Damon sighs, rubbing a hand across his face. "I'll organise tomorrow night's 'dinner party' so make sure you're all ready." He motioned for Caroline with his hand, "come on barbie, let's go see judgey."
Stefan shook his head at their nicknames, watching as Caroline said goodbye to Rebekah before following his brother out of the house. He stayed silent in thought for a moment before being shocked back to his senses by a pillow to the face.
Rebekah had thrown a pillow in his face.
Klaus burst out laughing and Stefan took in his row of white teeth and laughter that actually reached his eyes and couldn't help but smile himself.
"Fuck you."
A/N: Kind of sort of drawing towards the end. -ish.
If I started a Klefan AU fic when I finish this, would you guys stick around? :)
OH! And BTW, yeah, I'm shipping Datherine. Bet you didn't see that one coming.
