A/N: Hey guys! I'm sorry about the space between updates. There are 3 updates coming your way today so I hope that makes up for my absence.
REVIEWS = LOVE! (They really really do!)
Bonnie left first thing to handle things with Damon. Jazmine wished her luck and wondered what would happen when she saw Stefan. He was waiting for her when she got to school.
"Jazzy, I'm sorry." Stefan pulled her into a hug that she returned automatically. She cursed her body for being a traitor.
"You seem to be saying sorry a lot." Jazmine took a step backward. Her head got fuzzy with him so close and she needed to think clearly.
"I know. I wish things were different. And it could just be us." Jazmine wasn't looking for sweet platitudes and blanket statements. She needed answers.
"Stefan, I need you to tell me the truth. Where were you last night?" he looked her in the eyes as he answered.
"Chasing down a lead with Damon, Ric and Elena." She put her head down as tears filled her eyes. When she put her head back up Stefan was surprised at the fire in her eyes behind the tears.
"Wrong answer, Stefan! The correct answer is 'I was breaking into your father's office, Jazmine. I did it because Elena asked me to and like always her feelings are the only ones that matter.'" Stefan flinched at the venom in her words. He wasn't sure what she wanted him to say. He wanted to explain but wasn't sure she would listen.
"No Jazmine. That's not true. Elena did suggest it but Damon agreed it was a good idea." Jazmine rolled her eyes.
"Of course Damon agreed with her. It's apparently what you Salvatore men do. Would you have ever told me what you did? Or that she was there? Because God knows we must protect Elena from everything, and mean Jazmine might yell at her for suggesting a B&E on her dad's office."
"Jazzy, it's not like that. Me not telling you had nothing to do with Elena. I didn't want to tell you in case we didn't find anything."
"Stefan, what part of NO SECRETS was to complicated for you to understand? No you didn't tell me because she suggested it and you know how I would respond. You were protecting her, from me! My feelings were second. You had to choose and you chose her!" Jazmine said the final words on a whisper. Stefan felt the situation spiraling out of control. He hadn't intended for any of this to happen. He had every intention of telling Jazmine, exactly how he had ended up breaking into her father's office. He had never considered how the entire thing would look to her.
"Jazzy, please stop. I didn't, I don't! Don't walk away! Let me explain exactly what happened." He grabbed Jazmine's arm and didn't release her as she tried to pull away. Neither of them had noticed Matt watching their exchange. Jazmine had been facing away from him and he couldn't see her face. When she turned to walk away he saw her tears. He crossed the courtyard to come to Jazmine's rescue. When he got closer he heard Stefan asking her to wait but he knew she didn't want to hear it.
"Stefan, let go." Jazmine's voice was barely above a whisper. Stefan looked down at his hand clamped around her wrist. He slowly released her. She looked at him and turned away. Stefan noticed Matt getting closer to him and Jazmine. She hadn't seen him yet.
"Jazmine, we need to talk. Let's go to the boardinghouse. Damon will make you waffles." Jazmine smiled sadly.
"Waffles can't fix this. Stefan, I need you to really think about why you did what you did."
"I told you why. You're not being fair. I was trying to protect your father."
"By lying to me? No Stefan. Not what I need to hear." Jazmine was still crying and when she turned she saw Matt coming toward her. Without a backward look at Stefan, Jazmine entered Matt's arms in full sob. Matt looked over her head at Stefan with confusion on his face. Stefan turned on his heel and left school. He hated to see Jazmine cry. He hated even more that he was the reason for the tears. He knew Matt would take care of her. Matt watched Stefan leave as he felt Jazmine sobbing in his arms. He decided that Stefan was the least of his worries while Jazmine was in tears.
"Jaz, what happened?" She didn't answer. She wasn't exactly sure. Did she break up with Stefan? She believed that Stefan thought so. When she planned to talk to him she didn't think she would have said any of the things she had said. She never intended to break up with Stefan, she didn't want to break up, but she refused to come in second to that Gilbert girl. Matt was waiting patiently for an answer, but she really didn't have one for him.
"I don't know. Stefan thinks I broke up with him." Matt was shocked at her words. He didn't expect her answer.
"Is he right?" He held her tighter as she sobbed harder.
"Not really. If I did I didn't mean to." Jazmine told Matt about the break-in at her father's office and she told him about her conversation with Bonnie. Then she told him about the fight she'd just had with Stefan. "I'm not wrong am I, Matty?" Jazmine's voice was so small and unsure it made Matt's heart constrict. He led her into the school and straight to the school nurse.
"Excuse me ma'am. My friend just got some bad news. I think she should go home. I don't want her to drive so I'll take her home but I'll be back." The nurse looked at Jazmine who was still crying steadily.
"OK, Mr. Donovan. Make sure she gets home safe. Don't leave her alone. If you make it back before the end of the day come to me for a pass."
"Yes ma'am." Matt led Jazmine back to her car. He tucked her into the passenger seat and drove her home. Jazmine's father was leaving as Matt pulled into the driveway. Matt stepped out of the car to come face to face with Grant.
"What's going on? Why aren't the two of you at school?"
"Jaz, isn't feeling well. The nurse had me bring her home. I'll just take her inside to Ms. Denise and head back to school."
"Denise isn't home. She's been roped into some of this Founder's nonsense. She won't be back until later, and I have a meeting I'm on my way to."
"No problem. They're not expecting me back until later. I'll stay until Ms. Denise gets home."
"Thanks, Matt. You're a good kid. Good for Jazmine." Matt nodded his head and led Jazmine inside to the couch. He covered her with a blanket and the two of them watched bad morning television. Matt went to the Grill around lunch time to pick up some food for the two of them. When Matt arrived back with food in tow he was shocked to see Stefan's car parked outside. He entered the house and when he didn't see them in the living room he headed to the kitchen to grab plates. The atmosphere in the kitchen was tense. Stefan and Jazmine were staring at each other across the counter. Matt stayed silent waiting to see what would happen next.
"Stefan, there isn't anything else I have to say. I'm finished talking." Jazmine folded her arms and drew herself up to her full five foot one inches. Matt could see her fighting off tears. He was tired of watching her cry. He would make Stefan leave before he watched her shed another tear.
"Jazmine, I don't know what you want from me. Everything I say is wrong. Everything I do is wrong. Please tell me what you want me to do. I'll do it."
"It's not that easy Stefan. You know why I'm upset and I don't know if it can be fixed."
"Jazmine, this is about trust. Do you trust me to put you first?"
"You're right Stefan. It is about trust. Here is what I trust you to do, I trust you to say all the right things to me and when the time comes you'll do whatever that Gilbert girl wants you to do."
"Jazzy, that's not fair!"
"Maybe not, but that's the way it is. Please just go Stefan." Matt had been silent through the entire conversation. When he sensed that Stefan was going to protest he spoke up.
"Stefan, maybe you should leave. Ms. Denise will be home any minute and Jaz isn't supposed to have guests except Bonnie and me." Stefan shot Matt a look warning him to mind his business.
"Denise, won't hold it against Jazzy that I stopped by to see how she was feeling." Matt was fully aware of the look Stefan was giving him, he just didn't care.
"Maybe you're right. But we have no idea when Mr. Carter will be home. You being here will get her into more trouble." Stefan eyed Matt and left the kitchen. He was uneasy leaving Jazmine with Matt this time. He didn't know why he felt that way. Matt Donovan was an honorable guy he wouldn't take advantage of Jazmine in her fragile state but he knew that Matt would never make Jazmine feel the way he was making her feel. He hoped Jazmine didn't realize what Stefan was starting to understand. Matt was better for Jazmine than he could ever be. Jazmine took a deep breath before speaking.
"What'd you get for lunch?" Matt realized she didn't want to talk about what just happened and took his cue from her.
"Bacon cheeseburgers and fries. And two slices of peach cobbler." Jazmine took the plates from him an led the way into the living room. They ate in silence for awhile, Jazmine could feel Matt's eyes on her. She knew he was waiting for her to start sobbing again, but she was done with the tears.
"You can relax, Matt. I'm not going to fall apart. Hopefully I'm finished with the tears." Matt blushed lightly.
"I'm not waiting for you to fall apart. I'm waiting for you to tell me what happened while I was gone." Jazmine sat back on the couch and pulled her knees to her chest.
"Nothing. Stefan just wanted to talk some more about earlier. I told him I was finished talking."
"OK. What happens next?" Matt had an opinion but he wasn't going to give it to her until she asked. The last thing she needed was one more person telling her what to do about Stefan.
"I don't know, but I can't make any decisions as long as I'm mad. And I don't really know how long I'm going to be mad." Matt scooted next to her and put his arm around her.
"You can be mad for you as long as you want. But don't use anger as an excuse to not make a decision." Jazmine shook her head and she and Matt watched TV in silence until there was a knock at the door. Matt opened the door to find Bonnie standing there. He let her in and she went to the couch and hugged Jazmine.
"I'm so sorry. I feel like this is my fault. I shouldn't have told you that they went to your father's office. I should've let Stefan tell you. If I had you wouldn't be sad and Stefan wouldn't be mad at me."
"Why is he mad at you?" Jazmine asked pulling away from Bonnie.
"He said it was my fault you were upset. He told me that because of what I said, you broke up with him. I never meant for that to happen." Jazmine felt herself getting angry again.
"It's not your fault Bonnie. I didn't break up with Stefan, not really. But I'm upset because of what he did. He had a choice and he chose Elena, and then he lied about it. He's wrong Bonnie. This is his fault not yours." Bonnie gave Jazmine a grateful look.
"You didn't break up with him? He thinks you did. He sent me over to fix what he claims I broke." Jazmine rolled her eyes.
"He's mad at you, not himself or Elena and to me that's a problem! How did things go with Damon?" Bonnie finally smiled.
"Fine. Good, great actually. When I got to the boardinghouse this morning Elena was there. Damon was telling her that she needed to remember that their relationship was different now. She had no right to demand things or monopolize his time. He told her that he wasn't going to do things that hurt me because I am the most important woman in his life." Jazmine smiled, happy for Bonnie. Then she thought about the reaction from Elena and her brows furrowed.
"How did she take that?" Bonnie smiled wider.
"Surprisingly well. She apologized and promised to not take advantage of the way Damon used to feel about her. She also promised not to disrespect our relationship anymore. I know she was being sincere. We've been friends for a long time and I can tell." Jazmine nodded her understanding.
"I'm sure she was sincere about her future plans for Damon. She loves you Bonnie, she wouldn't intentionally hurt you. Plus she never really had a prior claim to Damon. He was easy to let go of when she had to because he was never really hers. My situation with her is different. She still sees him as hers. It doesn't matter what I say especially if Stefan goes running whenever she calls. I'm not going to share him and I'm not going to be second and I don't know where that leaves us." Jazmine was quiet and Matt and Bonnie sat with her in silence as she tried to figure out her relationship with Stefan.
"You were out of line with Bonnie." Damon told Stefan after Bonnie left to find Jazmine.
"How so?" Stefan wasn't ready for a lecture from his brother.
"For blaming her about this situation with Jazmine. You have no one to blame but yourself and maybe Elena." Damon took a drink of his scotch and quirked his eyebrow at Stefan. Stefan scowled at Damon.
"I take full responsibility for my part in this but Bonnie told her where we were and why." Damon crossed the room and stood in front of Stefan.
"It seems to me that you're forgetting that Bonnie was the only honest one in this entire thing. She told Jazmine the truth only after you lied to her." Stefan broke eye contact with Damon and stood in front of the window.
"I was going to tell her everything. It just wasn't the right time." Damon chuckled darkly.
"Now you're lying to me. I'm finished with the lecture but ask yourself one question, brother. Why did you choose Elena if you're over her?" Damon left Stefan in the study looking shocked and dismayed at the question his brother had posed.