A/N: My fellow Delena lovers, I'm sorry. I will go ahead and apologize for this chapter now. Just remember it's necessary for the plot of the story, even if it was painful to write and probably hard to read. Enjoy…? No, I don't think I can even ask that of you… Please read and review.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries.
"Stefan?" I asked again, sitting up in the bed, pulling myself from his arms. He sat up with me, his eyes staring intently at me. I gazed at him, dazed, not willing to believe that he was in the room with me, but he seemed real. He was wearing jeans and a simple v-neck dark grey t-shirt. He reached for my hand, taking it in his and lacing our fingers together. Excitement quickly fluttered in my chest as I felt my hand in his. "How are you here? How did you escape?" I questioned, still not believing he was real. He couldn't be here; it wasn't possible; he was taken by the other vampires, just like Damon. But I could feel the cool metal of his ring pressed up against my hand and the gentle strokes of his thumb across my own, just like I could feel Damon's in my dreams. Then the hard truth dawned on me, mentally slapping me and leaving a bittersweet sting inside. "I'm still dreaming."
Stefan's brow furrowed in confusion. "Elena, what are you talking about?"
"This is another dream," I stated, completely certain. "I can dream of you too, Stefan." A small tendril of happiness wrapped itself around my mind easing the painful truth that this wasn't real as I thought of seeing Stefan every night as I saw Damon.
"Elena," Stefan said, reaching up and tucking my hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek with his hand, "you aren't dreaming. I'm here; I escaped," he clarified.
"I'm-I'm awake?" I asked, still not convinced. I looked around the room, trying to find something to prove that this was still a dream, but I found nothing. We were in Damon's room, everything where it should be, no signs of dreaminess anywhere. I tried to change it, picturing myself in my own room back in Mystic Falls, but the room did not disappear around us; nothing changed. As I scanned the room, my eyes landed on the mirror in the corner. I noticed Stefan was staring at me, worriedly. I turned back to him, staring into his deep green eyes. "I'm awake," I said, slowly wrapping my head around this truth. A smile crept on my face as I watched him, accepting that this was really Stefan. "You're really here."
"I'm really here, Elena," he echoed.
I reached up with my free hand and gently touched his cheek, relishing the feeling of his skin under mine. Stefan placed his hand over mine, wrapping his fingers around it and bringing it to his lips, pressing a light kiss on my palm. Then he released it to lean forward and placed a single soft kiss on my lips.
My hands found their way to his hair, pulling him back to me and crashing our lips together, and holding him in place as his tongue traced the seam of my lips. I allowed him to deepen our kiss as I pulled myself closer to him. His hands traveled to my hips before he began to run them up and down the sides of my body. Our tongues began their fight for dominance as Stefan pushed me back on the bed, his body hovering over mine. He broke our connection for a brief moment to utter a quiet "I love you" against my lips before our lips joined again.
I reached down for the hem of his shirt, desperate to feel his skin under my fingertips. I started to pull it over his head when Caroline's voice drifted up the stairs.
"Elena, breakfast is ready," she shouted cheerfully. "Damon will understand that you have to have breakfast, so wake up."
Stefan and I both froze in our embrace, looking at each other. Stefan's eyebrow shot up in question, and I could feel a burning blush in my cheeks. The electric atmosphere around us was shattered and we were left with the cruel realization that we weren't alone in the house. Stefan sighed after a second, rolling off me and the bed to stand over me. He nodded his head in the direction of the stairs.
"Coming, Caroline," I called down to her. Stefan held out his hand for me and pulled me from the bed. We walked down the stairs hand in hand, smiling at each other. Stefan's green eyes stared at me and the mixture of emotion in them was overwhelming. Concern, joy, suspicion, worry, love, and happiness could be seen deep within those green pools, but there was something else I couldn't decipher, a cold stillness and distance I couldn't put a name to, a look that scared me and sent chills down my spine, but he smiled at me as we reached the bottom, a warm Stefan smile that eased my fear and swept the unknown expression from his eyes.
Caroline was standing in the kitchen, still in her pink pajama shorts and matching tank top, her hair in a loose, messy ponytail, spatula in hand as she flipped a pancake from a sizzling skillet onto a mountain of other golden pancakes. She picked the plate up and carried it to the table, placing it in front of Bonnie before taking her own seat. Rose wasn't anywhere to be seen. I assumed she was in the other bedroom.
Stefan released my hand and approached Bonnie and Caroline slowly, eyeing them uneasily. I walked ahead, pulled to the table by the smell of the bacon and eggs Caroline had already set out.
"So how was your night with Damon?" Caroline asked suggestively as soon as I sat down.
"Caroline can we not do this this morning?" I asked, anxious to get off the subject of Damon with Stefan in the room.
"Are you still not ready to explain why you've completely overlooked-" Caroline began.
"Good morning, Caroline," Stefan said, interrupting, finally making his presence known. I breathed a quick sigh if relief when Caroline didn't finish her question. Caroline turned around, shocked by Stefan's voice, and Bonnie dropped her fork onto her plate with a loud clatter of metal and glass. They both stared at him with gaping mouths and blatant shock on their faces. Neither of them said a word; though they kept opening and closing their mouths as if they were trying to grasp the right words to say. "Good morning, Bonnie." Stefan smiled at both of them as he slid easily into the seat next to me and leaned forward against the table on his elbows, his head resting on his joined hands.
"Stefan?" Caroline finally managed to ask.
"How did you get here?" Bonnie chimed in.
They both turned to me, question and confusion written across their faces. I shrugged my shoulders. "He was there when I woke up."
"How did you get out?" Caroline queried, turning back to Stefan.
"And how did you find us?" Bonnie added.
"The vampires that took me underestimated my strength," he said simply, a dark look passing over his entire face. His body went rigid for a moment before he continued. "As soon as I was out, I went back to Mystic Falls, but Elena wasn't there. But," Stefan reached into his pocket and brought out my necklace, holding it in the palm of his hand, "I found this in the driveway of the boarding house. I had a witch that owed me a favor in New Orleans. She was able to track Elena here."
Stefan held out the necklace for me, a loving smile replacing his suddenly dark demeanor. I reached for it, happy to see it again. I hadn't had the comfort of my necklace since the night Damon was attacked. My motions momentarily stopped with that thought. Damon. My necklace meant I couldn't see Damon.
"Thank you, Stefan," I said, taking it but placing it on the table instead of around my neck.
"Is something wrong?" Stefan asked, concern sweeping over his features.
"No, it's just- I can't wear the necklace," I said, not quite sure how to explain my evasion from my necklace. My necklace had always brought me comfort, a reassurance that my thoughts and actions were my own, but now it meant my mind would be closed to Damon, and then we would both be alone.
"What do you mean?" Stefan probed. "I don't understand."
"I-" I started to say, unsure of how to tell him that I've been dreaming of his brother and didn't want to wear the one thing that protected me from vampire because I still wanted to be able to see and talk to Damon every night, even if it was only in my dreams. I opened my mouth to try to explain when the phone in the living room rang.
I hopped up quickly, thankful for this disruption that spared me from explaining myself for at least a few moments.
"Hello?"
"Elena," Alaric said on the other end of the line, "my plane just landed in Hobby."
"Um," I looked down at myself, becoming very conscious of the fact that I was still wearing Damon's shirt I had put on yesterday to pick up Bonnie and Caroline, and I knew I needed a shower. "I can be there in forty-five minutes, maybe an hour."
"All right," Alaric replied. "I still have to go through baggage claim. I packed everything I have. I figured we should be prepared for anything."
"That's good. From what Damon's told me we'll need as much help as we can get. I'll see you soon?" I said though it sounded like a question.
"All right," Ric said, hanging up.
"That was Alaric," I said, turning back to everyone sitting at the table watching me. "I have to take a quick shower; then I'll go pick him up."
"I'll go with you," Stefan suggested.
"Uh- okay," I agreed, not quite sure I wanted to be alone with Stefan in the car when I had to tell him I've been dreaming of his brother.
I ran up the stairs and quickly shed my clothes on the bathroom floor. I jumped under the warm water, letting it envelop me. I tried to clear my head as I closed my eyes, running my hands through my wet hair, but behind my eyelids, I saw Stefan with that look I had seen earlier. Everything in that cold, distant stare scared me. It sent chills through my entire body and left goose bumps in its wake. It terrified me and reminded me of something, something from last night, but even as I tried to place it, it disappeared from my memory. The only thing I could remember from last night was Damon. Even as I thought of him I could feel my body calming and the fright ease. The chilling fingers that had been running up and down my spine were warmed by the thoughts of Damon's arms wrapped securely around me.
I opened my eyes, quickly washing my hair. I had to stop these thoughts. I couldn't think about Damon, not like that, especially now that I had Stefan back. Damon was just a friend, I told myself, a friend in trouble and I'm worried about him. That's all. I love Stefan, and Stefan was waiting for me downstairs, I reassured myself. I rinsed my hair and hopped out of the shower. I threw on a dark purple shirt and a pair of pants, slipping my feet into a pair of flip flops.
Caroline and Bonnie were sitting on one couch in the living room and Stefan the other. They sat watching some TV show when I walked up and stood next to Stefan.
"Has anyone seen Rose?" I asked, noting that she was still nowhere to be seen.
"She's in the bedroom," Caroline said, not turning her attention from the show. "She got in about an hour ago while you were still asleep. She left last night after she left your room."
"That's… weird." Caroline just shrugged her shoulders in response. "Come on, Stefan. We should be going."
I walked over to the coat closet and reached out for one of Damon's leather jackets. My hand froze as I held the cool leather as I thought of being in the car with Stefan. I slowly released Damon's jacket and reached for Bonnie's navy blue sweater, pulling it over my head.
Once we walked into the garage, Stefan opened the passenger door for me. I smiled at him as I slipped inside. Stefan closed the door before taking the driver's seat. He opened the garage door with the clicker that Rose must have left in the cup holder. He backed out easily, closed the door, and took off down the long driveway.
We sat in an uneasy silence for about ten minutes before Stefan returned to the subject I wanted to dodge. "So you never told me why you won't wear your necklace."
I bit my lip, trying to think of a way for my explanation not sound as bad as it did in my head. I've been dreaming of your brother since you've both been kidnapped, and I don't think I could stand it if I went to sleep and he wasn't there. That just wouldn't go over well. Finally I settled on telling the truth as simply as I could. "Damon has been compelling his way into my dreams since you've been taken."
Stefan's grip tighten on the steering wheel and a ghost of that horrible expression could be seen in green eyes. "What do you mean 'compelling his way into your dreams'?"
"Damon has been in my dreams. He told me you were taken with him. Mostly he's just been trying to make sure that I'm okay, and then we argue over whether or not I should try to rescue you."
Stefan said nothing. He just stared ahead at the road. I sighed and sunk back into the seat not sure what to say. I stared out the window and watched the scenery change as we drove into Houston. We stayed in this silence for about twenty minutes until I couldn't stand it anymore and had to say something.
"So how did you manage to escape?" I asked.
"I was able to overpower my guard," he said with no further explanation.
"What about Damon? Did you try to save him too?" I don't why I asked, but I wanted to know why Stefan was the only one there when I woke up this morning.
"They had Damon too heavily guarded. I wouldn't have been able to save him too. I got out of there as soon as I could."
"You're safe now," I said, forcing a smile in my face. "That's what matters." If I was being honest with myself, and lately it was easy not to be, I didn't mean it at all. I caught the way he made it sound like he didn't even try to save his brother
We arrived at the airport five minutes later and found Alaric standing with five large suitcases at his feet. Stefan pulled up to the curb, and we both got out to help him get the bags into the trunk.
"Elena," Alaric said, a smile spreading across his face as I walked up to him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, Ric. How was your flight?" I asked politely.
"Long," was his simple reply. "Stefan?" he asked when he noticed Stefan standing a few feet away. I mentally noted that Stefan had done that a few times this morning. He was cautious approaching Caroline and Bonnie this morning; then he sat as far from them as he could while I was in the shower. Now he barely came near Alaric. And that look was in his eyes. He had a chilly distance to his gaze and posture. It was scaring me.
"Alaric," he said, nodding his head in greeting.
Alaric looked back to me with the same look Caroline and Bonnie had this morning. "It's complicated," I told him, dismissing it.
We packed Alaric's bags, and I slid into the backseat behind Stefan as we started back for the house. It was quiet for a few minutes as we made it through the traffic of the airport.
"So what did you tell Jenna?" I asked, leaning forward between the front seats.
"I told her a cousin of mine was in the hospital and I had to leave for a few day." Alaric sighed rubbing his hand across his face. "She's worried about you Elena."
"I know," I whispered. "It's better that she's not a part of all this. It's too dangerous."
"Yeah," Alaric replied half heartedly. "So… how did you get here, Stefan?"
Stefan didn't answer. He seemed completely far away. All day he seemed like he wasn't completely here. "Um… he found a way to escape. He went home and found my necklace and took it to a witch that tracked me here."
"Huh… what about Damon?" he asked.
I sighed heavily. "He's still there."
"Where is 'there' exactly?"
I started to answer when a thought popped in my head. This morning Stefan had said he escaped, went to Mystic Falls, then took my necklace to New Orleans. If Klaus had him in New Orleans, Stefan wouldn't have go back after he had escaped. "Stefan," I said touching hiss arm, trying to bring his mind back into the car, "where did Klaus have you?"
"We were in the middle of the desert up in Nevada. There were a lot of treeless mountains. Klaus had a building on the side one of them. It was huge and far from anything." As soon as Stefan finished speaking, he slipped back into his own silence.
"That can't be right," I whispered to myself.
"Elena?"
I turned to face Ric as all the pieces in my mind tried to work themselves into place. "We did a tracking spell for Isobel with my blood. We also used Caroline's to track Stefan and Damon. Caroline's blood went to New Orleans and Nevada. Mine went to Nevada. If Stefan was in New Orleans, wherever Damon is, so is Isobel."
"What does that mean?"
"I'm not sure, but we need to get home so we can put all of our heads together."
The remainder of our trip was silent as we contemplated this information. Why would Isobel be with Klaus? What could she possibly be doing?
We got home twenty-five minutes later. Stefan and I helped Alaric carry his bags inside and placed them on and around the table. Rose was sitting in the library when we walked in. Her face showed her surprise as she saw Stefan, but she said nothing. Caroline and Bonnie moved into the library as walked in. When we had everything inside, I told everyone what happened with Damon last night and what we found out in the car.
"So Damon is really in Nevada? And so is Isobel?" Bonnie questioned when I was finished.
"Yes," I answered.
"And we're not going after Damon?" Caroline asked.
"Not yet," I replied, "at least not until after the full moon." Rose smiled slightly in satisfaction, but still she didn't speak. "But we still need to have a plan. We have Stefan here; he knows what Klaus has in store for us."
I turned around toward the dining room. Stefan was once again detached from the group. He shrugged at my suggestion. I sighed turning back to everyone else. "But we can do that later. I think for now we need to eat lunch; then we can think about what we need to do."
Lunch passed by smoothly, filled with generic conversation. After lunch, we didn't make any plans. Everyone had picked up on Stefan's odd behavior, and it created an uncomfortable atmosphere around us all. We didn't know what was causing his distant, off putting actions, but we tried to give him space.
Rose stayed in the library, flipping through several books. Alaric stayed in the dining room and messed with his numerous vampire gadgets. Caroline, Bonnie, and I went to the couch to watch a Lifetime movie marathon. Stefan sat on the couch with me, but he sat at the other end and kept shifting every few seconds. He couldn't sit still. He seemed anxious and fidgety.
"Stefan, are you okay?" I asked.
"I'm fine," he said, but his voice had a slight strain I hadn't heard before. I moved down to his end of the couch and leaned into his chest. He went rigid when I first touched him, but soon he relaxed and wrapped his arm around me. Before long he was stroking my hair and placing small kisses on the top of my head. I turned my face upward and he smiled down at me. I smiled too, happy to see this side of Stefan again.
The rest of the day was uneventful. We ate dinner around five and then we each returned to what we were doing.
"I think I'm going to head up to bed," I said as soon as it was dark outside.
"I think I will too," Stefan said, standing with me. I smiled at him and took his hand.
"Night," I called over my shoulder as I walked up the stairs. Several different 'Night Elena' and 'Night Stefan' s came after us.
I brushed my teeth and changed into a blue tank top and shorts in the bathroom. When I walked back into the bedroom, Stefan was under the covers, just his naked chest and arms visible. I crawled in next to him and cuddled into his arm. Stefan leaned down and kissed me with the same passion as this morning. I couldn't breathe from the urgency in his kiss. He pressed me down into the mattress as he positioned us so that I was under him.
"Stefan,' I gasped when we finally broke the kiss for air. "We can't… do this… with everyone… in the house."
Stefan groaned, rolling off me. "You're right," he said to the ceiling. He rolled over on his side to look me in the eye. "I missed you Elena. I was so worried about you."
"I was worried about you too," I replied. He gave me one more quick kiss. "I love you, Stefan." I rolled onto my other side, and Stefan wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me so my back was pressed against his chest.
"I love you too, Elena," he whispered in my ear. "Good night."
"Hmm, night," I mumbled, happy to have him back with me.
I closed my eyes, ready to let sleep take me. For a moment the thought disturbed me. I wanted to sleep so I could see Damon even as Stefan held me in his arms, but the thought was whisked away by the rapid, overwhelming darkness of sleep.
A/N: Finally! It's over! That was the hardest thing to write. Now I have good news and I have bad news. Which do you want first? Good news: the next chapter is completely Delena. Bad news: I have to go to school in three hours and after what happened last semester, I have no idea when I'll be able to update. However I promise I'll do my best. The next chapter is the one I've had brewing in my head for forever, and I can't wait to see it written. I promise it will be awesome.
Please review. :)