A/N Thank you for all the notes/comments in the reviews! I really like to hear what you are thinking about the story. Mm section annotated.

Bonded for Life #36

The rumble of the Camaro sounded and was parked in the garage. Damon's footsteps could be heard slightly. He entered the boarding house, happy that they'd left the fire going to warm his return from babysitting. He stopped short when he spied them standing together, staring at the fire.

He hesitated, unsure where to go and why were they not upstairs long ago. Another awkward moment or two passed quietly before Stefan said, "Grab a drink, Brother."

He hesitated for another moment, then slowly stepped down into the lounge. He headed straight to the bar but watched them in between pouring. They seemed close, cozy even, but still, it wasn't the norm for them to simply stand there, looking at the fire. It was too quiet and too many clothes were still on both of them. Not even shoes or a tie had come off.

"You two ok over there?"

"Yep," Stefan answered.

"Uh-hu," Elena affirmed.

Damon stilled, mid-sip, taking in the much abbreviated answers. "Alright-y then…" He turned to leave, taking a bottle with him. "No idea why you aren't doing it like bunnies by now, but whatever…" He was up the steps into the foyer and still moving as he continued. "Drama queens…just get over it…went through a lot of shit to fix this…" Damon's mutterings trailed off and he was soon gone to his room and his door closed loudly behind him.

As Damon had left, and without moving much, Stefan glanced at Elena who was tucked under his arm. She glanced up at him. They took in each other's faces, their eyes, their lips…and smiled softly. "I think we were just told off," Elena said. "Chided and shamed for our obvious ingratitude…"

"And our flagrant disregard to his feelings because we haven't had make-up sex yet," Stefan said mockingly then sipped the last of his drink. "He's just mad because he thinks we still might do it and he'd hoped he missed the soundtrack." They both heard Damon scoff at them from his room and they chuckled. "Correction, he knows we still will…" he said winking at Elena.

They heard Damon groan comically.

"We will?" she mouthed curious if he was just teasing Damon. Stefan just smiled at her making her smile as she waited for his answer. He leaned in slowly and kissed her. He gradually pulled her closer into his body. Her free hand came up to rest on his chest as they leaned in close and kissed a little more.

So quietly that they had to mostly read lips, Stefan spoke again. "I can't stay mad at you." With some humor he added, "…at least not constantly. I love you too much, Elena." Her face got all serious so he dove in to kiss her again.

He held her, arms wrapped around her body, supporting her, as he leaned over her, pressing her body to relax in this strength. When he was satisfied with the kiss, he pulled back to look at her. She smiled at him in wonder, her eyes glistening and glowing with happy would-be tears and the flickering of the firelight. But it wasn't just that. That sparkle in her eyes was coming back, breaking through her dreadful guilt and shame. He'd seen just a hint of it when she'd emerged from the women's lounge, cleaned up and beautiful again on the outside, but the inside still shaky and scared. But it was there, coming back to life before his eyes.

Now, in the firelight, he couldn't stop looking at her. She grew shy at the continued focus of his eyes upon her. She glanced away, her eyes closing briefly with a would-be blush if she were human. He'd call it a shy-girl smile, like she called his when she lavished praise on him and made him embarrassed and shy just the same.

"Would you like another drink?" he asked. Eyes back on him, she slowly shook her head no.

"Would you?" she asked.

"No. No thank you." She smiled at his formality.

"What do you want?" she asked.

He licked his lips. "You."

"Ok then," she said. His wish was her command.

He led her up the stairs from the lounge. They crossed to the main staircase and Stefan decided it was just so much easier to pick her up and carry her than to deal with her maneuvering in the tight dress and super-sized spiked heels. He could just take the dress off her so she could walk better up the stairs in those sexy heels with him following behind. He might have in more fun times, but never with Damon in the house.

He set her down just inside the door of their bedroom. He took a few steps away, further loosening then removing his tie and shedding his jacket. He turned back to her. She was just standing, watching him. He started unbuttoning his shirt, exposing his white fitted muscle T to her gaze.

"Are you ok?" he asked quietly, still barely voicing his words to limit what Damon could hear. She nodded yes. He undid his cufflinks and set them on a surface nearest him and shed his shirt. He looked back at her questioningly. He came closer, concerned.

"Please, tell me what to do," she said, just as quietly as he'd spoken.

He closed the distance between them and placed a hand on her cheek. "I want you to be comfortable. Just be you, 'lena."

"I don't quite feel like me, not yet." Her eyes were pleading. "Please, would you? Tell me. Whatever you want."

Stefan was torn. His compassionate side just wanted to hold her, to tell her everything will be alright, that she didn't have to be told or subservient to him. But his memories flooded back in time and reminded him what she was going through as she came back to her emotions.

"You'd be less anxious then, wouldn't you?"

She nodded yes.

"Ok." He thought for a few moments. "Turn around." She did. Her hair was still flowing down the front of her, leaving one shoulder bare. He sidled up to her back and pressed close. Softly he rumbled low at her ear. "I want you to focus, Elena, just on this, us, here, together. Nothing else. Everything else can wait. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she whispered faintly.

Mmmm starts…

Slowly and sensuously, Stefan unzipped her gown all the way down to her hip. He lightly and slowly slid his hand down her skin through the opening. There was no bra, only the slight peek at her thong. Kissing the back of her neck, he again whispered. "Take off your dress."

She began to slide the garment down and off her hips, lightly shimmying out of the clinging design. As it pooled at her ankles, he took her hand. She stood straighter and stepped out of the pile of fabric at her feet. In helping her get free, he walked her a step or two into facing him. He took in her image, her body, the amazing heels, and the one piece of delicate lace still covering her. "So beautiful." He enjoyed the view and she let him without shyness. She was his. "Undress me."

She came forward and began undoing the rest of his suit, opening his slacks, untucking and pulling the T out then up and over his head, then back to baring his lower half. When he was good and naked, he said, "Kiss me."

"Where?" she asked. He groaned a little and wondered if she was getting more playful, more comfortable being back.

"Everywhere."

She came forward and kissed his mouth. Relishing him deeply, she left his mouth only because she had to, wanted to, kiss him everywhere. It was what he wanted and she wanted to give that to him. Her mouth worked his chest, her hands helping to lightly touch and tingle his every nerve. She kissed around to his back and then back around to his abs. He seemed lost in all her tender touches.

Then she knelt in front of him and looked up at his serene face. "Everywhere?" she asked, her mouth just waiting to please him. He nodded yes. She took him, tasted him, and loved him so well that his hands were in her hair, mussing her completely. Before too long, he pulled her head back from pleasuring him, took one of her hands and pulled her back to standing. He was panting, looking at her so seriously. She waited for his direction.

A finger slid into the strap at her hip and pulled lightly. "Take this off and give it to me," he said. She did as asked, demurely removing the scrap of lace, and handing it to him. He held it, felt it, appreciated her arousal, and dropped it as he walked her to the bed. He got on the bed. "Come here. Lie with me."

She climbed in, still in her shoes and jewels, she was careful not to tangle her heels in the sheets. They lied face to face and he began to trail fingers down her body. Gentle touches graced her tender and vibrating skin. He kissed her then, sweetly, then deeply, expressing so much love and want. His focus was on her and it was almost too much for her. She whimpered into his mouth, a sound that barely kept a sob from escaping.

"Focus," he said between kisses. "There's just us. Just now." He kissed down her body to her breasts before he then kneeled at her side. Sliding fingers along the length of each of her legs, he raised them up and planted a kiss here or there before removing each shoe. He came back to lie at her side and kissed her again. His hands roamed until they dipped inside her making sure she was as ready as he.

He rolled them until he was on his back and she was on top. "Take me inside." Rising up to her knees, she aligned to him, hovered for a moment, and then guided him into her warmth. Slowly she took him in, her face a mix of want and sorrow. She stilled when he was settled in deep and snug. She shuddered a breath which sounded like pleasure but then perhaps it was another sob trying to explode from her still captive tidal wave of emotions.

He gave a gentle squeeze to her hips and she began to move on him, with him. Her breaths still hitched unevenly as she struggled to hold back her cries. She sped up. Her hands on his chest for leverage, she rocked back and forth, grinding on him until she felt the urge to lean forward dying to kiss him. Her hands moved to rest on opposite sides of his face. He was watching her as she worked and struggled. His hands came up to stroke her face and hair. "That's it, yes, Elena, just us, you and me." He pulled her in for a kiss that escalated quickly in intensity.

It was getting harder for him to focus. She felt so good on him, riding him, making it that much more difficult for him to think at all. She seemed so focused on his pleasure that she was a little surprised when she came, deep inside, one of those long and slow inner body experiences. She gasped and cried out a bit, her eyes opening to see his face and sharing her pleasured surprise.

She didn't slow. If anything, her pleasure inspired her to ride him faster. He was getting closer, his low groan confirming it. He pulled her down closer to kiss her mouth. He enveloped her entirely, deeply possessing her in his kiss. His grip grew more firm on her, his fingertips burning into her skin as he helped her rhythm. His need to release grew exponentially. Without hesitation, he said, "Bite me." He turned his head to expose more of his neck.

"No," she said meekly, almost fearfully. He looked back at her, confused and only half-thinking clearly. "I can't," she said, shaking her head. Their hips had slowed slightly. "I'm sorry."

Stefan quickly flipped them at vamp-speed. "Elena," he said now looking down at her. "Yes, you can." She shook her head no. A few tears trailed from her eyes. She couldn't hold them back anymore now that gravity was working against her. She pulled him down to kiss her and tried to rev things up for him again.

"Stefan, please, it's too much," she murmured between kisses. Her legs wrapped around him and pulled him deeper. "Please," she begged again. He sped up then, thrusting his hips, angling in just the right way to bring her with him. It only took a few minutes to get them back to scaling their peaks all the while their mouths savored each other's kiss. Just as she crested, she turned her head presenting her neck for Stefan. After a second of hesitation for the magnitude of emotion about to be unleashed into his mouth, he bit deeply into her neck and came.

His body flexed and shook at the same time. Her legs clamped around him, holding on tightly as he thrust out his orgasm. Her blood flowed freely into his mouth and flooded his heart and mind with feelings of love, sorrow, regret, passion, desire, shame, pain, guilt, lowliness, desperation, longing,…It was overwhelming. It was exquisite. It was mind-blowing. It was, above all things, Elena.

He savored every ounce of love, love that he hadn't felt in what seemed like an age. He embraced every ounce of sorrow and pain and loved her all the more for her ability to come back to him, to endure, to overcome. And she would survive this. He would make sure of it.

He knew then why she hadn't been able to take his blood. Besides not feeling as though she deserved it, there was no way she could handle being bombarded by any more feelings coming at her from yet another direction. There were enough trying to get at her from the inside along with his obvious and deep love for her.

She urged him on and he took as much as he could hoping it would ease how the wave would hit her. He heard her gasp a light moan as she weakened a bit and he hummed to her as he stopped drinking. He lapped at his bite on her neck as she healed until she no longer bled. Then he kissed her neck, up to her jaw, her chin, and her lips. "Love you," he said between kisses. "Feel you. I can feel you…"

She clung tighter to him and took a shuddering breath until she let out the sob she'd been holding in. "Love you, Stefan, love you, love you…" she said and sobbed a bit more.

"It's ok. Let it go. I'm here. I'm right here with you. I'm not going anywhere without you."

She sobbed in his arms until they slept, never separating for the entire night.

Mmm over…

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

He awoke with her sprawled across him. He lightly fingered some of her hair, clearing it from her face, but otherwise simply watched her as she slept. He saw that she still wore the bracelet he gave her and smiled. For him, despite the pain and difficulty they'd just been through, it would be a well-remembered symbol of her return to him.

They'd shifted throughout the night but always remained entwined. She was weakened by fatigue, blood loss, and overwhelming emotions. She'd let more in as the night progressed. Her dreams were troubled as emotions found ways to come forth. Jeremy was in her waking dream. She woke with a start, tensing and quickly looking up at Stefan.

"It's ok. You're ok. Just a dream," he said, petting her hair out of her face again.

She sighed and dropped her head to this chest, her forehead resting against him. As if she'd just realized it, she said, "I didn't really see Jeremy. I wish I had. I wish I could…tell him…something…" she said, struggling with what exactly she'd tell her brother if given the opportunity.

"You may still get that chance."

She looked up at Stefan again. "Yeah, the veil…"

Stefan nodded. Slowly, Elena lowered her head back down to rest her cheek on his chest. "How are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm good. Really good."

"Thank you. For all of it. For helping me. And for last night…you know?" she said.

"You're welcome…which part?"

"Part of me still can't believe I'm here with you right now, that you would..."

"That I would want the love of my life in my bed? In our bed…" he corrected himself.

"You know what I mean…How are you so perfect?"

"I'm not perfect, Elena, and you know it. Don't be surprised if I say something stupid in anger sometime. But I'm not going to hold these past weeks over your head."

"You knew exactly what to do with me last night. I asked you to take control and you put me in control. How did you know to do that? How did you even want to?"

"I was going on pure instinct, Elena. Hey, look at me." She did as he asked and rested her chin on her hand, the other hand at his chest, her fingers idly circling his skin. "I know you think you don't deserve this, that you haven't earned my forgiveness. But we are equals, Elena. You are not unworthy in any way, shape, or form. I love you. More than anything."

"And I love you, more than anything." She would need time to fully embrace his words, to truly feel deserving. But she leaned down to lightly kiss his chest and rest her cheek where she'd kissed him.

"And when you truly forgive yourself, I'll know." He pinched her exposed cheek lightly, making her look up at his playfulness.

"Oh, yeah, how?"

"Because," he tickled her sides and she squirmed and giggled. For some reason laughing made her cover her mouth with a hand. Then slowly, she removed the hand and she smiled at him even more broadly, thrilled with the feeling of truly experiencing laughter again. He tickled her some more and growled playfully, eliciting more laughs. "Because, you'll take those beautiful fangs and bite me hard even if I don't asked you to!"

She laughed harder at his teasing and tackling her, rolling them over and pinning her to the bend. He beamed his smile at her as he watched her experience laughter like a baby first learning to laugh over and over again just because it felt good.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Bonnie had an unwanted guest at an unwanted time the morning after prom. Silas as Shane was in her bedroom. "I don't need you to remind me again, Silas. I know. I owe you and I will pay you back."

"Good, I just like things to be clear, Bonnie. I'm not usually one to grant favors before I get payment in kind."

"You must think me a fool if you think I believe you usually grant favors..."

"Good point. I don't, especially not for the unworthy, which is mostly everyone. But you, Bonnie, you are something a little more special."

"Uh-huh…" she smirked at him, disbelieving.

He smiled back. "Daddy's up. I'll see you in three days. Don't even think about double-crossing me. Three days. And this will all be over."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"It won't all be over in three days! We'll have hell on earth when the veil comes down!" Caroline cried.

"On the bright side, we have family that could be back with us," Matt said, glancing at Elena.

"As much as I'd love to have everyone back with us, we will have more problems than we can handle if we don't figure out how to put the veil back up." The witch was right. Sentimentality aside, they had bigger issues than trying to check in with loved ones since passed.

"Bonnie," Stefan asked. "What did he say about the cure?"

"That's what scares me the most. He said nothing about it." Bonnie bit her lip, her nerves showing.

"Anyone talk to Damon today?" Caroline asked.

"He's still babysitting Rebekah for now" Stefan answered.

"And you talked to Elijah?" Caroline asked.

"Yes, Elena and I reached out today and warned him of Silas' tactics. He seemed bored and said he was more than aware."

"Yeah, I guess. He did witness the number Silas pulled on Klaus with the white oak stake and me, so he's probably up to speed," Caroline concluded.

"Rebekah only has to last another day and she gets the cure, right?" Elena asked.

"Elijah told her to go a week and prove that she wants it. He might view it as another two days until he actually hands it over. But, unless he's using some twist of his words, I think he's going to give it to her," Stefan said.

"There is no way Silas isn't working some way to get that cure. But what?" Elena asked. "What can we do?"

They all looked at each other, at a loss as to what they could do. The doorbell rang. They all wondered who it could be. Stefan was up the steps in a flash and opening the door.

"Hello, lover. You're looking…fit and happy. Aren't you going to invite me in?"

A communal groan resounded from the lounge as they all heard Katherine's superficial greeting. Stefan backed up, opening the door wider for all to see the elder doppelganger saunter into the foyer.

"What are you doing here, Katherine?" Caroline asked.

"I'll be more help than you, Caroline."

Stefan couldn't help but stare at the roller bag Katherine was towing inside the door. She parked it just inside the door. "Be a dear, would you, Stefan?" she said, implying that he might schlep her bag to a room in his home. He simply raised an eyebrow at her but didn't speak or touch her bag.

Katherine stepped down into the lounge. "So, I understand there's still a chance for Klaus to get his grubby little hands on the cure. Anyone care to take the blame for that one?"

They all looked at her, mouths agape, seeing as they all thought most of their predicament was her fault. After all, she was the won trying to give it to Klaus.

"Yes, well, if I'd given it to him, at least he'd have paid my price. Now what will any of us get for it? Oh well, bygones. What are you doing to ensure he doesn't feed it to Elena?"

"Or you, right? Aren't you afraid he'll feed it to you?" Stefan asked coming up behind her.

She turned to face him. "Yes, actually Stefan, I am. I don't want the cure, as you well know. I don't want to be Klaus' hybrid-making, human again, blood bag thing."

"The Catalyst," Caroline said, over-enunciating. "The Hybrid Catalyst. The name suits you."

Katherine sneered at her. "I may have tried to negotiate for my freedom with the cure. And it may have been at the cost of Elena becoming human again. But she wanted to be human again. At least she did at one time. It wasn't about forcing the cure on her. That was just a bonus. It was about me, my freedom."

"That's all it's ever about, Katherine," Stefan said, crossing past her to sit with Elena. "It's always about you. Consequences be damned. We don't need your kind of help."

"Yes, you do, Stefan. Do you really think that the Original Sister is going to make it playing human? Elijah doesn't. Do you really think that Elijah will then give the cure willingly to Klaus knowing it's to create an army of hybrids? Not likely." Katherine strutted to an open seat and flopped down like she owned the place, her legs crossing before she hit the cushion. "So where do you think the cure is going to end up if it's not swallowed sooner than later by Rebekah or a doppelganger? Who's waiting in the wings for the slightest opening to swoop in and grab it? And happens to be under a deadline, no pun intended."

"We know. Silas," Bonnie said. "But we don't know how he'll try to get it. There are a million ways, a million faces he could use to get it. So unless you have some answers, we already have enough questions here without you."

Katherine was a bit impressed. "Well now, the newly improved Expression-ready witch. So feisty. I have a plan, Bonnie 2.0."

"And who dies in this plan?" asked Stefan.

"No one. No one dies. More importantly, no one reverts to being human again. Not Silas. Not Elena. Not me."

"How does no one die in that scenario? Silas will kill us all for ruining his plan," Bonnie said.

"A form of Expression is what put Silas down the first time. You, witch, are going to redo that spell."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Rebekah stared into her mirror looking for wrinkles. Soon it would be easy to find them. That is if her vision didn't get worse and make it more difficult to see the fine details of her aging image. "What would time feel like?" she wondered. She smiled an unnatural smile getting a good look at her teeth then stuck her tongue out before laughing at herself.

"Enjoying the view?" Klaus asked.

Rebekah cringed internally but somehow avoided showing her surprise. "What are you doing in my home, Klaus? Do I need to get a human on the title to keep you out?"

"That may happen soon enough, Sister. Soon enough." He strolled further into her room, idly inspecting an item or two as he moved about her bedroom.

"Come to bait me into failing?"

"Oh, you'll do that all on your own, Bekah. No need for me to interfere. You're already starting to undermine yourself with doubts."

She turned around to watch him as she no longer able to see him from the mirror. "Oh really? Do enlighten me."

"Well, it's all quite obvious. You yourself were thinking it when I arrived. Oh, my pretty face, my teeth, my eyes, my precious blonde hair…all soon to be old and shriveled and gray. Oh woe is me…am I making a mistake?"

She applied lotion to her hands and arms as she spoke. "You assume too much, Nick. My contemplation is not nearly that dramatic. What you think of as doubt undermining determination is simply the responsible and careful weighing of a crucial decision. Anyone worth their salt would think it through, pros and cons. But not you. You'd be rash and brutish, causing mayhem for anyone near you, without a rational thought in your head."

"Is that so…?"

"Quite right." Klaus smiled, having made his way back to the doorway. "So, how do you explain all being right in my world at this very moment?"

Rebekah looked at him quizzically. "What are you on about, Niklaus?" She looked at him, growing bored with the conversation. "If you have something to say, spit it out."

He said nothing, just smiled. He pulled his hand out of his pocket and revealed a small rudimentary vial full of dark red, nearly black liquid which lay in his palm.

"How did you..?" she gasped and vamp-sped to Klaus at the doorway. He'd fled downstairs just a second before she reached the door. She followed, moving nearly as quickly and grabbed his arm trying to wrench it backwards. She was only successful in tearing his jacket. He was too strong for her. Both their fangs dropped as they struggled, Rebekah's desperation level having gone through the roof.

"You can't beat me, Sister," he snarled as she pulled at his closed hand and bit down hoping her bite would loosen his hand. He laughed at her, oblivious to the pain inflicted upon him. She pulled back at his laughter. Grunting out her frustration, she pushed Klaus across the room and against a wall, dislodging artwork, shattering lighting and denting the drywall.

As they stood opposite each other, him grinning vilely at her, she fumed at him until she realized they were not alone.

Slowly her realization turned to the pain of betrayal. "How could you?" she said, this time to her other brother.

"I didn't," he said. Rebekah stood straighter and, confused, looked from one brother to another. He continued explaining. "Niklaus insisted on a visit to see how you were doing acting as a human."

"But,…No, No you can't make your decision on this, this…ruse designed to torment me! He showed me the cure,…in his hand!"

The eldest Mikaelson rose from his chair and buttoned his suit coat. "As I told our brother, I will not base my decision on some flimsy entrapment."

"Elijah!" Klaus roared. "This is not entrapment! In no way did I provoke her beyond showing her this." He held up a crude replica of the cure and tossed it to Elijah.

"I only reacted the way I did because I thought your decision had been made, Elijah, that your test was over, not that I was under yet another! Elijah, please understand!"

Elijah gave them both a tired look and said, "Enough. The two of you…You'd never believe you were incredibly close once, so close that I was envious of your whispers and laughter. All this bickering and fighting…Over what…? The chance to be mortal and no doubt die shortly thereafter because he won't let you live? The chance to raise an army and wreak havoc anywhere you choose?" Elijah headed to the door.

"Elijah, wait!" cried Rebekah. "Please, I beg you!"

"And then what, Bekah? You take the cure. You are a helpless human…And what will you do, Niklaus? Will you harm our sister as I suspect? Will you end her human life out of anger and spite? I'm sorry Rebekah. Neither of you will have it. Do you hear me? Neither of you are worthy of such a powerful gift."

The door slammed behind him. "Are you happy now?!" Rebekah threw the nearest sharp objet d'art, clipping Klaus' forehead, and stormed off to her room.

Klaus slowly walked to the door, "I am never happy, Sister. But it'll have to do for now." He left quietly.

A/N - Hope you enjoyed this. What do you think is going to happen next? What will Silas do? What is Katherine up to? More to come…