A/N: Well hey there guys and a happy new year to you all! ^^ So, this chapter's a little late, but I figured you guys would need a little air from that last chapter; if you know what I mean. ;] And I guess here's a little treat for all of you Kafan shippers, (sort of, anyway) and you know what? This chapter starts in Stefan's POV and I was so looking forward to it. :L But yes, what can you expect from this chapter? All in the name. Kissing and drifting around death. (: As always, thank you to my gorgeous reviewers and I'm a-hoping you'll review for me on this chapter too. :)

Chapter 33: Kiss Of Death.

SPOV

As much as I pondered, and ultimately tried to make sense of the situation of which I had been presented with, I couldn't quite fathom it all. I was an intelligent person – that was a given taking into account all of the highly-rated education I'd been almost forced through by my father. I say 'almost' because, me, myself quite enjoyed learning new things and studying great novels; however, I felt as though everything around me, and what I'd become was an exact reflection of my father. Was that wrong? Well, I wasn't so sure. But what I did know was that I didn't like it. Not at all.

I wanted to be able to be my own person and claim things that I wanted and fight for things of which I saw as worth fighting for. My elder brother, Damon had always been relentless and seemed to enjoy being a lone-ranger. In some ways I envied him a great deal. In others..? Not so much. For instance, Damon and my father often quarrelled and he was rude and reckless; despite that, Damon was unrestricted. Damon was free to do anything he wanted. Sure, not to my father's approval – but the best thing about that? Damon didn't seem to care about that, either. He was such a strong person. Strong enough to fight for our country, in the army, strong enough to go it alone and defy our father.

Did I want to be more like Damon? Was that what was secretly bothering me? Considering all, I still had no idea, but, I decided not to dwell upon the subject and took myself to the only place I knew I could be just Stefan Salvatore and not Giuseppe's son or Damon's brother. Katherine's chambers. This was the one place I knew of that I could escape from everything, and man, did I need that right now. I couldn't get the girl's face, Elena's, out of my head as well as her words and those images of which had flashed through my mind due to her cause. I still hadn't made sense of any of that. But soon, when I was with Katherine everything would seem better. Strike that, everything would be better. Perfect, even.

I was at her front door, now. I scrunched the fabric of my coat collar up and pushed it closer to my neck as I inhaled, pushing the door open. Katherine was expecting me, so she wouldn't suspect anything was wrong. At least, I hoped that was how things were going to go, anyway. Even though I clearly owed nothing to the Elena girl, I still felt compelled as it keep her presence a secret from that of Katherine. Despite not seeing Katherine as a blood thirsty killer, something inside told me not to mention Elena's existence.

Whilst my mind was rambling on to itself, my feet had stumbled their way across the hall and up the flight of stairs; I got to Katherine's bedroom door and opened it. Her voice snapped me out of my brain's babbling.

"Stefan, why, my darling, you're early," Katherine murmured across the room to me and I flicked my eyes towards her voice.

She was sitting at her desk with a fluffy baby pink powder ball in her hand, dressed in her robe and her nightdress, looking as lovely and as perfect as ever. An angel disguised as the devil, that's what she was. I felt myself shrug and a smile stretch across my lips.

"I suppose I just missed you," I said, tone composed.

Katherine cocked a single brow but a moment later it had vanished and a smile highlighted her face. She stood up and motioned towards me, the essence of peach and pansies meeting my nostrils as she moved. She took my face in her hands and leant up, kissing me once.

"Good," she said, simply, before leading me to the bed.

EPOV

When I woke up, it wasn't morning. And how did I know? I'm not sure, I just did. I shuffled, and only slightly, opening my eyes slowly and sat up. I could feel Damon's arm lying contently against the mattress and glanced towards the window, frowning. I had no time of knowing what time it was so I decided there was no point in trying to attempt to do anything and that I should try getting back to sleep. It was then that Damon spoke, causing me to jump out of my skin. (Thankfully, not literally.)

"Can't sleep?"

I glanced down to him and he was smiling, his blue eyes warm in the dim light. The sides of my lips flipped up and I laughed a little.

"Yeah. It's weird. I normally sleep like the dead," she grinned before feeling it fade just as quickly as it had appeared, realising the Damon that would've got that wasn't the Damon lying next to her, at least not yet, anyway.

Although, Damon laughed, despite not being a member of the un dead, yet. Stop it, Elena. Trying to suppress that annoying thought I snuggled back into Damon, my head on his shoulder and my arm across his chest. He was fairly satisfied with my re positioning as his arm around me constricted a little tighter and pressed my closer towards him. My forefinger began drawing invisible circles absent-mindedly around different areas of his smooth chest as her eyelids began fluttering. His voice surprised me.

"How long have you… Erm, been here?" Damon inquired and my finger continued as I answered him.

"In 1864?" I thought about this for a moment in here; should I go with the full-on, brutal truth or should I soften it a little, I chose the prior option, I was sure Damon would appreciate that "Yesterday was my first day, here, in 1864. The day I met you, again. Or, for the first time, or whatever," I said, feeling stupid because I couldn't explain this whole time-travelling lark to myself, let alone another person.

In all honesty? I wasn't even sure if this was a huge dream. But if it was – there would be no words for how pissed I'd be. Having said that, this seemed to satisfy Damon. His reply wasn't expected, and was certainly rather un-Damon like.

"Do you think somehow I knew you were going to be there?" Damon paused, as if feeling he had to explain himself, "I saw a woman, a glimpse of her, when I touched your necklace; I know her, she's Katherine's hand maid. Do you think she might've had something to do with me seeing you there?"

I looked up at him and shrugged my shoulders. I hadn't thought about that possibility, but there was indeed a likelihood Damon could've been onto something there.

"Maybe. Looking back a few months I didn't believe in any of the stuff I do know so I guess, going on that, it's possible. Yes," I said, watching Damon's face as I did so.

"Katherine. You said she was going to… Kill us, in the future," I tried to suppress a shudder as he spoke of it, I managed a nod "Is that why you look exactly like her? That you're the good half and she's the bad?"

And again, for the second time in a few short minutes Damon had surprised me with his logic. I knew this Damon had always existed within the Damon Salvatore I knew, but a part of me wished that he'd show it a little more.

"Honestly? I don't know how we look alike, a century and a half from now that's what the three of us are trying to figure out. Or rather, we were…" I trailed off and Damon responded.

"The three of us?" he asked, incredulously.

"Me, you and Stefan…"

He was quiet then. I smiled, and he questioned the action.

"I just… You're smart. You're… I don't know, different to how.. To the Damon Salvatore I know, knew; same thing," I said quietly, my eyes falling from the hold they had on his.

"Is that a bad thing?" He mused, moving my face upward, smirking a little; I laughed.

"Nope," I grinned, kissing him again.

Damon spoke after our kiss had ended.

"It's a good thing you're here now though, she was planning on turning me real soon. You know, so we could be together forever, and… Well, it seems you know the story better than I do."

I flinched against him and he frowned.

"What?" he questioned.

"She's thinking of turning you soon? That means… She's thinking of turning Stefan soon, too," my voice held none of the liveliness it had done when I'd been speaking to him moments before.

"You don't think…" Damon started, and I shook my head.

"I don't know, but there's only one way we're going to find out. I need to go and bring Stefan back here," upon those words, I peeled the sheets away from my body and hopped out of the make-shift bed I'd made for myself.

"Elena, you don't think I'm letting you go out there, to Katherine's chambers alone, do you?" Was Damon's voice and a shuffle of sheets.

I frowned, dragging on my comfy jeans and the t-shirt I'd entered the time period in. I couldn't deny how good it felt to rid myself off the confines of a compulsory corset and period dresses. I'd only been wearing them a day or so, and it had me praying thanks to the heavens for not being born any sooner than the twentieth century.

"You? Nu-uh. You are not coming with me. You could get yourself killed, Damon!" I turned to him; he was now pulling on his shirt, his boxers and trousers already on. (Unfortunately.)

"And so could you, but at least with me there we'll have more of a chance in saving my younger brother," was his comeback, that I just couldn't argue with.

I sighed with defeat and nodded, adding the remaining items of clothing to my body and taking a bag, linking it on my arm.

"I'm not going to change your mind, am I?"

"Nope," he smirked.

"Stubborn ass," I muttered, walking to the door.

"I think you'll find you missed the 'sexy' part."

I shoved him playfully.

SPOV

I moaned helplessly at the fresh substance flowing from her cut and into my mouth; never in a million years did I ever think that exchanging blood with a vampire could, would be pleasurable, but that was yet another thought Katherine had proved me wrong about. Saying she was an amazing woman was certainly an understatement.

"That's enough, for the moment Stefan," I heard her murmur, lowly.

I felt myself nod as she pried my mouth carefully away from her wrist. My eyes were bright and alert. I flicked my pink tongue over my red lips. It was then that she spoke.

"Now, Stefan, when are you going to tell me what an earth it is that's bothering you?" she asked, assertive.

My entire expression fell at her words. How had she found out? Had my ability to hide my feelings been so poor? How long had she known this? I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I tried again, this time it worked.

"I… I'm fine, I, really. It's nothing for you to worry about, my love," my words were attempting to smooth out any predicament that might have arouse, my hand stroking her cheek softly.

She frowned and shook her head from side to side.

"No, no, Stefan… I don't like this; you're keeping secrets from me," she whispered, softly "Why are you keeping secrets from me, Stefan?"

I pulled my body up, lying beside her now, on my side as I too, shook my head.

"Katherine… I'm sorry if I've upset you. Please forgive me," I almost begged.

Katherine thought for a moment and then answered.

"Do you love me Stefan?"

"With all my heart," I replied, immediately.

"And..?"

"More."

This made her smile and she kissed me lightly.

"Then would you like to make it up to me?" she asked and I responded with an 'of course'.

She reached to her bedside table and into a draw; she took something out of it and closed the draw once again. I stared at the object; it was a small veil of dark, nearly black liquid. I threw Katherine a questioning look. She smiled wider.

"Drink it, Stefan. And once you do, we can be together forever, just as I promised you," Katherine purred, her hands at my bare chest.

A confused expression took my features.

"But, but I thought you said we had to wait..?"

"And I did, but it's time Stefan," she paused, taking my face in her free hand and leaning closer, our lips brushing as she spoke, but not kissing "Trust me, Stefan. I love you and only you…"

I gulped and looked down to the veil of dark solution which had now been placed in my open palm and then back to Katherine. I knew what I was she had presented me with and I was now about to make the biggest decision of my young life. Remain human and risk losing the love of my life, or, become an immortal and live with Katherine for all eternity.

The decision was selfish or selfless, but which one was I?

Author's note: So, a little cliff-hanger for you guys to chew on there. :) Will Stefan go through with it or come to his senses..? I guess you guys will just have to wait until the next chapter. Meanwhile, though, mind tossing me a review? ;o

Jackie xxx