They managed to break into the house and once they had, it was only a matter of time before Stefan's scar lead the way for Rayna Cruiz to break into the home to try and track him down.
Once Rayna made her appearance and began to attack whoever stood in her way, it gave them the opportunity to run through the house to try to escape her trail but Hayley left them to go put the next part of the plan into place with Marcel to save Klaus and Elijah, whilst Payton and Stefan tried to out run Rayna Cruiz.
They managed to break outside of the house but as they did, Payton suddenly felt a massive pain shoot through her body causing her to clench over in pain, Stefan went to spin round to check what was going on with her but he then felt the same thing began to happen to him, this wasn't a good sign.
He thought there biggest problem was trying to get Rayna off his back and the whole witch stuff with saving Klaus would be handled, but clearly not, clearly Klaus was suffering and because they were his sideline, so were they.
Payton found herself falling to the ground, the pain overwhelming her as her vision began to blur, Stefan couldn't even help her because his own pain was becoming too much for him, he completely crashed down onto the ground beside her, she wanted to reach out to him and hold his hand, but she didn't even have the strength to, it was completely destroying her just as much as it was him.
Suddenly everything stopped, the pain completely subsided, causing them to both let out a massive gasp, Payton lifted her head up to look at her Stefan, he was now flexing his arm out towards her, she reached out to him and their fingers brushed together in comfort at what just happened, they felt exhausted and slightly weird, not understanding what the hell had just gone on.
Their life had literally just flashed before their eyes and now they were lying here completely fine.
They returned back to Klaus' house completely unscathed with no Rayna Cruiz on their backs because thankfully they had managed to out run her and Stefan had quickly put some more paste back on his mark so she couldn't track him, but now she knew he was close by, there time here was running out, they would have to continue to keep running but at least it bought them more time.
Turns out Klaus' sire-link was unlinked which means their connection to Klaus was broken so if anything was to happen to him, then they would be just fine unlike Finn all those years ago whose whole sire line had died including Damon's friend Rose. At least it was one less thing to worry about.
Payton flopped down onto the bed behind her and sighed lightly, running her hands over her face in tiredness from the day, she had been trying all last night and had barely been off her feet all day dealing with supernatural drama, thank god they were staying the night because she needed sleep.
She felt Stefan grab hold of her boots, causing her to take her hands away and lean up on her elbows in amusement, "What are you doing?"
"Taking your shoes off for you so we can get into bed." He told her as he went to untie her boots.
"Oh that's sweet," Payton smiled back at him, allowing him to take care of her, as he carried on untying the shoes, "does this mean I have to undress you?"
"My shoes are already off." Stefan commented back teasingly.
"No," She giggled lightly, before sitting up properly and going to say, "I mean do I have to get you ready for bed?"
Stefan looked down at her, she was now gazing up at him with a mischievous look in her eye and god he had missed that, this was their first proper night together since she wasn't pregnant anymore and despite being in a place they would rather not be in, he was so happy to have her back and to be with her like this.
"Oh I see," He chuckled lightly as he finished taking off her boots and laid them at the end of the bed, "I guess you could if you wanted to."
"But do you want me to?" Payton smirked back at him as her hands trailed down to the belt that sat on his jeans.
Stefan sighed in frustration, it had been too long since they had sex, way too long because the moment she found out she was pregnant, they went on a sex ban and now having her back, he didn't know if he could contain himself even if he was in Klaus' home and with Rayna Cruiz on his trail.
"Is that a yes?" She began to undo the buckle with her hands, before his hands suddenly came to lay on top of her own, causing her to jump slightly at the force.
Payton lifted her head back up to look at him as she saw him already gazing at her with a naughty look in his eye, within seconds, Stefan used his vamp speed to push her back down onto the bed, where he climbed on top of her and began to kiss down her neck, she was the one sighing now as the feeling of him on her made her go weak at the knees.
They couldn't even remember the last time they ended up in this position, after Stefan's sex ban, things had been kind of rocky and then she had found out she was pregnant with the twins, which meant their sex had to be put on hold, yet here they were months later, having sex in Klaus Mikealson's home of all people's, well at least they were confirming's Klaus' theory about them being good for each other, they were clearly telling him loud and clear how good they were.
The next morning, they had prepared themselves to get back on the road again, Valerie would be meeting them soon so they needed to head off and go meet with her for the next part of their plan.
They were talking to Klaus who they hadn't actually seen since everything had happened last night, "So the spell worked. We survived." Stefan remarked as Klaus tiredly came over to them.
"We saved you and you saved Stefan." Payton added walking with the two men before they came to a stop.
"Funny how that works, isn't it?" Klaus said back to the two of them.
"I'd be happy to let this be the end," Stefan replied taking his hand in Payton's, as he went to ask Klaus, "am I too optimistic in thinking we'll never see each other again?"
"Well, that depends. Are you going to invite me to your wedding considering I basically set the idea in your heads anyway?" He smirked back at them.
Payton shook her head in amusement, "I don't think so."
"Very well, love," Klaus said before going to turn to Stefan, "I guess I'll save my best suit for something else."
"You know, um," Stefan began as Payton turned her head to look at her fiancé, but he only looked at Klaus, "there is someone else you should be thanking."
"Marcel had to fight for me for his own survival." He responded back to Stefan.
"I'm talking about Hayley," Stefan clarified to him, as Payton anxiously rubbed her lips together at the mention of the she wolf, "for some reason she cares about you."
"Enough to risk her own life." Payton added with raised eyebrows.
"So do right by her." Stefan told Klaus in a serious tone thinking it was the least he could do after Hayley had helped them last night.
Before Klaus could respond, he began to exhale really loud and almost wince back slightly, Payton frowned back in confusion, wondering what was going on with him, as Stefan also grew concerned, leaning forward a bit, "You okay?" Stefan questioned on behalf of them both.
"Never better," Klaus answered back, as Payton sighed lightly and Stefan nodded back, both of them not buying it, but they were done here and so was Klaus clearly, he held out his hand to Stefan, "and you take care of yourself, old friend."
Stefan shook his hand back with a small nod in acceptance, before he went to pull it away and squeezed Payton's hand reassuringly.
Payton went to go turn but Klaus was calling her back, "Goodbye, love."
"Bye, Klaus." Payton nodded back at him, before allowing herself to walk away this time, Stefan with her as they went to go get into her car.
On the drive to go meet up with Valerie, Stefan turned to her and asked, "Hey, I never wanted to talk about this back at Klaus' house, but what really happened with Kol?"
"What do you mean what really happened with Kol?" She gave him a brief look in confusion before looking back on the road.
Hadn't they been through this already?
"Well," He began in a somewhat ueasy tone, "how did the guy even manage to find you? He hadn't even see his family yet there he was with you."
"I don't know, Stefan," Payton sighed lightly, she had been wondering when he would question her about Kol, but he had nothing to worry about, "I was just walking the streets looking for you and he appeared."
"What did he say to you?" He pressed further with caution.
"Not much," She answered, before going on to say, "he just wanted to catch up, he was asking me questions about my life now, then when I was talking to Klaus on the phone, he got all defensive."
"Klaus had no idea he was coming back." Stefan looked back at her.
She sighed lightly before going on to ask gently, "How come you've brought this up again?"
"I just want to make sure he didn't take advantage of you again..." He expressed his concerns.
"He didn't. He didn't compel me and before you say 'well how do you know?', I just know." Payton said back in a sharp tone, she didn't mean to be, but she hated rehashing what happened between her and Kol.
It haunted her and she'd rather just forget about it.
"Alright," He sighed giving into her, before resting his head back against the head rest, "I'm sorry."
"No, you have a right to be worried, but everything was fine." She assured him, before reaching over and linking their fingers together, where she gave him a light squeeze.
Shortly they arrived at the place, Valerie was already there waiting for them, curiosity in her eyes as she watched them jump out of the car and come over to join them.
"What is this place?" She asked them interestedly.
"Oh, well, according to Freya, all the herbs witches use are stored here." Stefan informed her as they began to walk towards the entrance.
"Just incase something happens to them." Payton added.
"All of them?" Valerie said back with confusion.
"Yeah." Stefan said with raised brows as they came on through.
"Well, I hope you know what this particular herb looks like..." Valerie replied as they walked through the many herbs.
"Why's that?" Payton questioned back with a frown.
"Because witches are very fond on their herbs." Valerie answered looking around the place.
They began to walk round the place, looking for this particular herb they were supposed to be able to find according to Freya's instructions, although they weren't having much luck.
"So what do you suggest we do?" Valerie began to say to them, as Payton turned her head the other side of Stefan to look at the girl, "rub each one on your wound and hope for the best?"
"No." Stefan shook his head, thinking that idea sounded ridiculous and also painful.
"You're a witch," Payton pointed out to Valerie, folding her arms as she did, "why have you never heard of this?"
"It is strange," Valerie agreed with her, as she went on, "basically I am very well-versed. That's wolfsbane," Valerie pointed out to one particular herb, "vervain," She went on as they walked, "senna. Witchhazel. And this fun little guy..."
"Hmm," Stefan and Payton turned back to watch her as she felt one of the plants, he found himself adding, "that one I know."
"The witchy hallucinogen? The one borderline recreational herb," Valerie explained to them, as Stefan and Payton went down a different path to her, "you know what, I actually misjudged the two of you..."
"What do you mean?" Payton frowned back at the girl's sudden remark.
"I don't know, I guess I always presumed the two of you wouldn't make it this far, I guess with how hot headed Payton is," Valerie went on, as Payton raised her brows up wondering where this was going, "and how guilt ridden you are, Stefan, I just presumed the two of you would clash so much, that it would all be over, but clearly the rock on your finger says otherwise."
"Is that a congratulations or an insult? I'm not sure which." Payton looked back at Valerie in confusion.
"I think it's a congratulations," Stefan said back before Payton could read too far into it and cause more drama between her and Valerie, he was just glad since the whole babies thing, they were getting more along, even if it was on civil grounds for his sake, "I can handle Payton's hot headedness."
"You know, I'm not just hot headed, right? I do have many other good qualities." Payton half joked, as she rounded a corner with Stefan and Valerie trailed behind them.
"Hey, look, I think I found it." Stefan said as they came to a stop in front of an empty flower bed.
"Or where it used to be." Payton added in disappointment.
"Lovely. A dead end." Valerie grumbled also frustrated that they had come here for nothing.
Suddenly someone appeared in front of them, she was a middle age woman, looking awfully wicked, her face was burnt as this gas began to release around them, before they even had a chance to fight back, the fumes began to intoxicate them, clearly whatever it was, it was to get rid of them for a reason.
"Night night." The woman said to them, before they began to feel their bodies get limper and within seconds they crashed down onto the ground in a heap.
"Hey," Payton heard a voice said as she slowly came back round, her eyes fluttered open, Stefan was leaning over her, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face, as she adjusted her gaze on him, "it's alright."
"What happened?" She grumbled as she went to sit herself up, Valerie was sat opposite her on the ground, whilst Stefan knelt beside her and helped her sit back up.
"Apologies," They heard a voice say, causing them to turn their heads round to see the woman from before, "I haven't had visitors in years. Now all of a sudden two in a matter of days."
Stefan helped Payton onto her feet and kept hold of her hand, as they stood beside Valerie, "I spoke with her whilst you slept," Valerie said to Stefan and Payton, "somebody beat us to the punch. Came in and took all the herbs."
"Well, we need more!" Stefan insisted back at the woman.
"Unfortunately there is no more." She informed them.
"What why?" Payton looked back, feeling this was just going from bad to worse now.
"That herb is rare for a reason. It has strong anti-magic and therefore anti-witch properties. Let's just say this isn't from a bad laser peel." The woman explained to them.
"There has to be more somewhere!" Stefan demanded with concern.
"He's right! There has to be another place or somewhere where it's grown!" Payton pressed sharing the same panic as her fiancé.
"There's not," The woman dismissed them once more, as she went on, "witches eradicated it from the world a century ago. This was the only source."
Payton squeezed Stefan's hand as she let out a large sigh, knowing this wasn't the news they needed, they couldn't go on like this, they had to find a way to save him.
She was not going to lose him.
They headed back to the car to figure out the next part of the plan, Valerie was sat in her car trying to come up with some ideas whilst Stefan was sitting by himself on a tree stump, trying to also figure out something, but part of him was just trying not to freak out about this.
On the other hand, Payton was taking a call from Caroline who had just called her, "Oh hey, Care."
"Hey," She said back to her in a soft tone, before going on, "I wanted to check in after your escape from the hospital. Please tell me you found Stefan!"
"Yes I found him, Care," Payton breathed, before going to jump back in the car to talk to her friend in somewhat of a privacy, "but it's not good."
"Still nothing?" Caroline said back with sadness in her tone.
"Nope," She sighed once more, as she explained, "we're just running into dead ends. There's nothing!"
"I'm sure you guys will figure something out! There is always a solution!" Caroline tried to remain optimistic.
"Yeah I don't know," Payton wasn't feeling so optimistic about this once, as she nervously looked at her fiancé, "I just can't lose him, Care."
"I know. And you won't! Not now we have a wedding to plan!" Caroline chuckled lightly, before Payton heard the sound's of crying babies in the background, causing her stomach to drop slightly.
"Uh, Care?" Payton began, as she nervously went to ask, "where are you right now?"
"Oh, um, I, I'm with your Dad in Dallas, he um, he needed an extra pair of hands so I volunteered to come help him move in and settle the babies in!" She explained back to her, causing Payton's heart to sink.
"Oh so you're with him right now?" Payton asked.
"Yeah he's just taking a quick shower. I should go check on the babies. Text me when you guys have an update!" Caroline said back to her in a slight scramble.
"Uh yeah, okay." She said back, before hanging up and feeling a sour feeling come over her.
Should she have been feeling so sad and somewhat angry that her best friend was helping her Dad look after her little sisters?
Should she have been upset that her Dad hadn't even bothered to call or text her since she had left him at the hospital?
Payton felt physically sick.
Was the man she knew as a father slipping further and further away from her? Even more than after he lost Jo?
She went to run her hands over her face in distress, wanting to take her anger and pain out on something, Payton knew she couldn't punch Mason's car up, she had already taken it, she would have liked to have returned it in one pice, but her own problems were interrupted at the sound of Stefan beginning to grumble in pain from outside the car.
Quickly she snapped her head over to him, seeing him now stood up and clutching his chest, quickly Payton jumped out of the car and rushed over to him, Valerie also doing the same, "Stefan," She gasped, racing over to him, he began to collapse down onto the ground, Payton quickly caught him and gently lowered him to the ground, "what's happening?"
Stefan began to choke more, clutching his chest as he did, Valerie bent down with the two of them, "I..." She was lost for words and confused, not knowing what was going on with him.
"My chest." He told the two of them as he leant against the hood of Mason's jeep.
"Open his shirt!" Valerie ordered.
Payton quickly began to undo the buttons on his shirt, her hands shaking with panic as she did, pulling his shirt away to reveal his scar, it looked so fresh and raw, "What now?" She questioned Valerie in panic.
Suddenly Stefan passed out on them, the pain coming too much to bear, causing Payton to freak out even more, this could not be happening to her right now.
"Stefan! Oh my god! Stefan!" She cried, shaking him slightly.
Valerie quickly put her hands over Stefan's scar, she began to try to siphon whatever was going on with him out of his scar, as Payton watched on anxiously, her hand now holding her fiancé's tightly, hoping and praying Valerie could do something to save him, she wasn't ready to lose him.
"I can't stop it!" Valerie said snatching her hands back, the panic now in her own voice, "it's not working!"
"Well try harder!" Payton snapped back, she didn't mean to be so rude, but she was not prepared to lose him today, "we cannot give up on him!"
"I have tried!" Valerie hissed back, before Payton went to fire something right back at her again, but the sound of Stefan gasping loudly stopped the two women from having a fight.
Payton breathed a huge sigh of relief to see him awake again, as he tried to catch his breathe, she cupped his face in her hands, rubbing her thumb against his cheek, "It's ok, it's ok," She soothed back at him, as his hands came to clutch her own over his face, the realisation hitting her hard, "god...I thought you were gone then!"
And there must have been more than one angel looking out for them that day, because not long after Stefan returned to the land of the living, they got the call to say that Stefan was safe for now, that he would be able to come back to Mystic Falls and even back to the old Salvatore house.
They were in shock, such shock, moments before they had been trying to figure out what their next move would be or what country would be their escape route out of there, so they could begin a life on the run from Rayna.
Apparently Damon had managed to sort out their Rayna problem, somehow he managed to, all they could presume was that he figured out a way to kill her without hurting anyone attached to the sword, somehow he had found a way, which meant they could finally go home, properly this time, back to the place it all began for them.
The Salvatore house.
After leaving Valerie, Payton and Stefan drove back to Mystic Falls, they spent most of the car ride in silence, not really knowing what to say to one another after such an exhausting few days, she couldn't believe days ago she was laying in a hospital bed about to give birth, yet here she was nearly having lost him, reunited with the Mikealsons, helping them save Klaus and Elijah, finding out Caroline and her Dad were shacked up together in Dallas with the babies, yet they were now back on their way to the place they had been longing for.
"Are you nervous?" Stefan asked her when they passed through the border sign into Mystic Falls.
"Why would I be nervous?" She raised her brows up with a small smirk.
"Because," He breathed, as he sat up slightly in his seat, "this is what we have been waiting for."
"I know," She smiled lightly back, as she focused on the road again, "I'm having a hard time even processing this is real to be honest."
"I mean I could have waited longer, I kind of got used to it, but now I know we never have to live away again, I'm so ready to go back." Stefan said back to her sharing the same smile.
"You and I both," Payton breathed, as she took the turning to the Salvatore house, "I feel like I'm going to be walking back into this house a completely different person."
"How so?" He was interested to hear this one.
"Well, I'm obviously you're fiancé now," Payton smiled back at him, as she went on, "last time we lived there, I was barely just your girlfriend!"
"Well, let's hope we can make it to wife living in that house, yeah?" Stefan smirked back.
"I'd like to hope so." She nodded back.
Once they arrived outside, Stefan walked with her hand in hand up to the front door and now she was stood outside of it, she did have butterflies and that nervous yet excited feeling.
Last time she had been here, she had watched him get daggered by Nora, but this time, they were walking back into the place, engaged, with no idea what supernatural drama they would endure next, but with hope that even just for a night, they could have their moment to get back to what they knew so well.
"You're not going to carry me in again are you?" She teased him as they hovered by the door.
"Now you say it." Stefan began to smirk mischievously, as he quickly went to bundle her up in his arms, causing her to squeal loudly.
"Oh my god, Stefan!" She giggled, as Stefan held her bridal style in front of the door and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"What? I have to do this properly, right?" He leant over and pecked her cheek lightly.
"Well, I'm not complaining." Payton smiled back at him, before she allowed him to use her feet to push open the door and walk them through into the home.
As they came through, Payton and Stefan's gaze fell onto Damon, who was already stood in the front room by the roaring fire, a selection of drinks lined up in front of him, Payton rubbed her lips together as Stefan shared a smirk with her, before going to put her back onto her feet, knowing their moment was very short lived now they had an audience.
"Looking for a bottle to celebrate?" Stefan asked his brother as they walked over to him.
"We didn't think you'd be able to kill her!" Payton said to Damon as they came on through, knowing it had been so out of what they thought they knew about Rayna, "you're glad you've done good otherwise I would be killing you myself for what you pulled!"
"Actually my exact text message read she's taken care of." Damon corrected the two of them, ignoring Payton's somewhat threat.
"Yeah so she's taken care of?" Payton raised her brows up in confusion, not liking what he was somewhat implying, her heart was already sinking and she had only been inside this house for less than five minutes.
"Yeah." Damon nodded back, actually pretty damn shady, but she didn't expect anything less from the guy.
"So you didn't actually kill her?" Stefan caught on in confusion.
"I did, a number of times," Damon answered, before explaining to them, "turns out she only has eight lives. The last ones the problem."
"Why? What does it mean?" Payton pressed, folding her arms with concern with what this meant, they thought they were out of it.
"Turns out that if she dies for good, everyone with that scar on your chest does as well." Damon dropped the news on them, as Payton snapped her head round to Stefan with a sorrow look.
Stefan swallowed harshly, thinking he shouldn't have been so naive to think this was all over on the car ride over, "So we can't kill her?"
"No. But the good news is that the Armory has her and they're not gonna let her escape." Damon explained.
"Who's the Armory?" Payton frowned, not having heard of them before.
"They're an organisation, they keep track of supernatural knowledge and artifacts. I don't know. But the point is that they've got her! You're free, brother!" Damon tried to convince them.
"Right, except from the time that they did." Stefan pointed out not buying into this, he was back to feeling panicked and doubtful all over again.
"What?" Payton exclaimed after hearing this news, that this was who they had their trust in right now.
"Look, I know it's not ideal, okay? It's all we got!" Damon answered them.
"You don't get it, do you?' Payton shot back at him, shaking her head, now she was going to let Damon know just what mess he had pulled, "your innocent brother here's life is on the line because of you, you dumb ass!"
"I'm not doing this with you, surf girl." Damon grumbled back at her not in the mood as he began to walk away.
"Stop calling me that!" Payton snapped.
"Leave it out, brother," Stefan spoke up, as he went towards him, "this is between you and I."
"She started on me!" Damon spun round to look at Stefan in disbelief that he was blaming him for Payton's inability to hold her anger back.
"As long as I have this scar, Rayna will hunt me," Stefan went on, Payton folded her arms and drew in a shaky breathe, "this isn't just about you and me anymore, there's kids involved..."
Then Payton was hit with the reminder of what she knew, that her Dad and Caroline were together, looking after her baby sisters, whilst she was here, afraid of losing Stefan whilst they played happy families, a Dad who hadn't even bothered to check if she was ok, this was a mess.
"I wouldn't worry so much about that." She spoke up.
"Why?" Stefan frowned looking back at her.
"Caroline and Alaric are with the babies in Dallas already." Payton informed them.
"Caroline?" Stefan was confused to hear this, but instantly picked up on his fiancé's unease and the broken look that had suddenly come on her face.
"Yeah," She nodded back, before shaking her head, pushing her feelings to the side, "but even so, we still need a plan to kill Rayna or to get rid of this scar, because I not wiling to lose you, Stefan," Payton said as she went to hold her hand up to Damon, showing him the ring, "thanks for the congratulations by the way."
"That sound's a good plan," Damon said back to the idea of them coming up with another plan, before he added, "you don't need a congratulations from me."
"Why?" She frowned as she watched him picking up two letters.
He pushed them into Stefan's chest, "For you."
Damon brushed past them and headed back over to the fire place, as Stefan held the letters in his hand, "What is this?"
"We all know these last few months have been impossible for me," Damon began to tell them, as Payton frowned back at Stefan, "I've been walking a tightrope and falling off constantly. I'm not a good brother when I'm not with Elena. And when I'm not a good brother, people get hurt."
"What is this?" Payton deepened her frown at Damon's words, it almost sounded like some sort of cowardly goodbye.
"So you're just gonna run away?" Stefan exclaimed back at Damon, getting angry at what he was hearing.
"Nope. I'm just gonna stay at one place." Damon informed them.
"Where?" She asked him puzzled by all of this.
"Desiccated. Right next to her." He answered.
Payton scoffed at what she was hearing, this was such a coward way out and she felt so terrible for Stefan right now, all that he had been through and done for Damon's sake.
But Stefan released his anger and upset on behalf of the both of them, "I saved your life. Time and time again. I chose you. I sacrificed everything and everyone for you. You're just gonna turn your back on me? Now?"
"We're vampires, Stefan. It's temporary." Damon tried to justify his choice, as he held his brothers face in his hand.
"This is ridiculous..." Payton mumbled under her breathe, thinking Damon couldn't stoop any lower yet here he was.
"I'll see you again." Damon tried to assure Stefan, before he gave one long last look back at him, before going to walk away and head for the door.
Payton shook her head, wanting to grab hold of him and teach him a god damn lesson for everything he had done, but she knew this wasn't her fight right now, all she could do was support Stefan, because he was going to need it.
"Listen to me," Stefan said quickly turning and pulling Damon back to look at him, "if there is even a fraction of you that cares about me, your brother, your family, then you will not walk out that door."
Payton anxiously watched on as Stefan watched his brother look back at him, completely emotionless and it pained her to see Stefan have to have him as a brother, selfish, worthless and cowardly, Stefan deserved so much better and she would give him better, a proper family, because she sure as hell needed one too.
"Save a good bottle of that bourban for me brother." Damon told him, before slowly going to turn on his heel and head out of the door.
"Are you for real right now?" Payton yelled at Damon in disgust, as he continued to walk away.
"You wanted my congratulations so there it is. Decades without me ruining your happiness," Damon said to the two of them, before he went on, "we're gonna need that bottle of bourban to sort all of this out in about 60 years."
Payton came to stand next to Stefan, she wrapped her arm through his own, linking their arms together, before she used her other hand to rest over his arm, wanting to comfort him, he looked so broken and hurt right now, he did not deserve any inch of the pain he was feeling right now.
Once the front door closed, Payton went to go pour them both some bourban, she handed him his glass as Stefan now sat in front of the fire, looking pretty damn beaten up and she didn't blame him.
"Why don't we head on up? Run a nice bath." Payton suggested, knowing it wouldn't take the pain way, but it might at least help soothe it.
"Yeah sure." He nodded back glumly.
"You going to be alright here alone for a second?" She asked him finishing off her bourban.
"I'll be fine." Stefan assured her, reaching across and taking her spare hand in his own, giving her a light squeeze in assurance.
"Alright." Payton breathed, squeezing it back, as she went to lay her glass down and then head on upstairs to get started on the bath.
Whilst Payton was upstairs, Stefan stay seated on his chair, sipping on his bourban deep in thought about everything, he thought coming back here, Rayna would be dealt with and he would finally be able to actually celebrate his and Payton's engagement, they hadn't even had a chance to celebrate it with everything going on, now his brother wasn't even around to witness it and god know's how long he had until Rayna would be free again.
Everything felt so guttering and not even worth it anymore.
The only thing that felt worth it was the woman upstairs, who was running them a bath, she felt so worth it, she always felt worth it and god, if he didn't have long left, then he was sure as hell going to make it count with her, prove to her just how special she was to him, because it was her who he had decided to spend the rest of his time with.
He would make it worth it.
Surprisingly, the front door opened up, causing him to frown and turn his head round on the chair he was still sat at in front of the fire, he frowned when he saw Matt come walking through into the home, he presumed he had come to see Payton after hearing she was back.
"Really not the best time, Matt," Stefan told him, turning back to the fire as he added, "Payton's upstairs if you want her."
"I'm not here for Payton and this won't take long." Matt shot back in a sharp tone.
"Look if you're not here to see Payton, then I don't wanna have to kick you out of here but I will." Stefan grumbled back, he wasn't in the mood for visitors and if Matt wasn't here to see Payton, then he could just leave.
"Yeah I know you will," Matt agreed with him, before going on, "and there's nothing I can do to stop you. Because you're a vampire and I'm a human," Stefan turned his head round to look at the guy, "I've been thinking about that a lot lately. About my place in this town. My home. Whenever vampires are here, humans will always be at their mercy. Whatever laws we pass, you can break. Whatever lives we build, you can destroy. We don't stand a chance against you."
Suddenly Matt made his thoughts very well clear, "That stops today!" He told Stefan firmly.
Stefan laid his glass of bourban down on the floor below his feet, before he got up and began to approach him, a suspicious look on his face, "Excuse me?"
"Vampires need to leave Mystic Falls," Matt continued on, standing up for himself and to Stefan, "for good. All of you."
Stefan scoffed at his words, not buying it or even liking it, he had only just got his home back, "Look, I appreciate whatever morale crisis you're going through at the right now but this is my home. I'm not going anywhere."
Meanwhile upstairs, Payton had just come out of one of the storage cupboards with some fresh towels and was coming across the hall to the bathroom where she had already started to run the bath, when her vampire hearing picked up on people talking downstairs, she could hear Stefan's voice speaking, she wondered if it was Damon, he had come back, had a change of judgement.
Curiosity got the better of her, so Payton went to turn off the bath, laying the towels down and quickly hurrying downstairs to go see what was going on, jst as she reached the bottom and came through the hall towards the front room where she had left Stefan moments before, she was taken back to Matt stood in the middle of it in front of Stefan, holding up a memory stick in his hand.
"Matt?" She frowned, not understanding why he was here and why there was such a thick tension in the room, Stefan looked like he could kill him and Matt looked threatening, she had never seen him look like that before, but it was instantly making her feel uneasy, "what's going on?" She asked looking between the two men as she came closer.
"Why don't you tell her, Matt?" Stefan crossed his arms and gave Matt a deep glare, knowing that he had to be the one to tell his best friend what he was making them do, he wasn't going to do it for him.
Payton came to stand beside Stefan so she could see Matt properly, she could see the tense look on his face, as he glared back at Stefan, before he slowly turned his head to look at her, "I hate how I have to do this."
"Do what?" She looked back at him in confusion, not understanding what was going on and how she had missed something.
"I hate that I have to threaten my friends because they're vampires." Matt began.
"W-w-what do you mean threaten us?" Payton looked back, her stomach was beginning to churn at this point.
Why would Matt be threatening them?
"This isn't about me or you. This is about our home which has been destroyed time and time again. This is the only way to break the cycle." He explained further the pain on his face evident.
"What is?" Payton pressed for answers, she was so lost at this point, "please just tell me!"
"Matt is threatening us to leave. He wants us gone. All of us. Every single vampire in this town. He wants us gone out of Mystic Falls." Stefan decided to drop the news to her since Matt wasn't brave enough to tell her straight up like he had with him.
"W-w-what?" She choked out at this news, looking back at him with a deeper frown now, as she shook her head in confusion, "tell me this is a joke?"
"Afraid not." Matt answered her in a strained tone, he couldn't even look at her now, his eyes fixated back onto Stefan.
"No! No!" She began to protest back, as she exclaimed, "this is our home! We only just got back! And I'm not going again! Ok!"
"You don't have a choice." Matt snapped back at her, his eyes going back to her, his anger and upset shining through again.
"This is stupid!" Payton spat back at him, not understanding how he could do this right now, how he could come there and say this to her.
Did she mean nothing to him?
"Like I said, this isn't about me or you. This is about this town." Matt repeated himself trying to hold it together, he had been hoping to catch Stefan without Payton around, he knew he couldn't do this to her, but now he was he had no choice but to stand his ground.
"So what you're just going to send your best friend who's a wolf packing too, huh? And his Uncle who is also a vampire!" Payton pointed out to him in anger.
Matt rubbed his lips together anxiously, before turning away from her, he couldn't do this with her, instead he looked back on Stefan, "You have until the end of the day."
He began to turn around and head to the door, causing Payton to storm after him, "You can't just walk away!"
"Payton..." Stefan went to call her back, thinking that she was fighting a losing battle right now, Matt wouldn't listen to her, you could tell he was serious and his actions lately had proved he was fed up, this wasn't just as impulse decision, this was built up anger from months and months.
"Just stay here!" Payton called back to him, before following Matt out of the house and over to his car, "so you're just going to walk away, huh?"
Matt stopped outside his patrol car, the drivers door open in his hand and he sighed loudly, this was killing him more than she could know to do this, but he had to, there was no other option, sure he would love for her to stay around, but he knew she wouldn't chose staying here with him over being with Stefan, she had already had that proved to him more than once.
"Seriously?" Payton yelled at him once more when he failed to answer her, as she folded her arms, tears welling in her eyes, "do I mean nothing to you at all?"
Suddenly Matt slammed his door in anger and spun round to her, shouting back at her, "Of course you do!"
"Then what the hell is this?" She asked him back in disbelief.
"This is me saving this town!" He shot back at her.
"And kicking us out for no god damn reason!" Payton exclaimed.
"It's for every reason, Payton. I'm not doing this anymore!"
She shook her head, as she cried out, "What the hell happened to you?"
"There's no point caring now, Payton. It's a little too late." He answered back bitterly, before opening up the car door again and going to get in.
But she quickly vamp sped out of there, stopping him from getting inside as she stood in front of him now, blocking his entrance into the car, she looked at him with tears in her eyes, "I have always cared, how can you say that? Is this because I didn't love you the same you loved me?"
"God, no!" He grumbled back, shaking his head, as he could barely look at her again, the guilt was too much, but he had to stay strong, "we have been walking a tight road the past year or so, Payton. My hatred for vampires has grown and I have tried to push that aside for our friendship but I just can't anymore."
"So this is it, huh? Because I am something I had no control over, you instantly hate me!" Payton looked back at him broken.
Not only did she feel like she had lost her Dad but now she felt like she was losing her best friend.
"I don't hate you! God! I love you, you know I do," Matt said back to her, this time he looked down at her, tears now coming to his own eyes, "but we have to do this. I'm sorry."
She tried to hold back the tears, as she rubbed her lips together and shook her head, "I just," She breathed, "I never thought I'd be losing you too."
"You don't need me." He told her honestly.
"But you're my best friend," Payton corrected him, a tear now rolling down her cheek, "you will always be my best friend. You were my first best friend here, the only friend who stuck by my side, who never gave up on me..."
"We don't have to do this..." Matt tried to tell her thinking this was just making it harder.
"But you have to know," She interjected, her hand coming to rest on his wrist now, "that as much as I hate you right now for doing this, I also can't forget the love you brought into my life. And I know this won't be goodbye."
"Goodbye, Payton." He told her sadly.
Payton shook her head back at him, thinking this wasn't how it was supposed to be, taking a nervous breathe in, she knew she was fighting a losing battle now, she stepped out of the way and allowed him to get inside his car, she walked back towards the front door as he climbed in and started up the car, completely not even bothering to look back at her, as she silently cried on the front door step, watching him drive away from her.
As Matt got further away from the Salvatore house, he let out a large grumble, before he punched the steering wheel and cursed, thinking that could have gone better, he should have told her how he really felt, but then it would have been harder to let her go, he finally let her go, after all this time, he was freeing his feelings for the girl who had captured his heart the moment she walked into Mystic Falls.
Author note: Ahhh! I think this was one of my favourite parts to write to be honest. Well I think the last few parts and the ones to come have been some of my favourites ever. I really hope you enjoyed this new part. Thank you so much for taking the time to read :)
Special thanks to everylittleflowers for reviewing the last part. I'm so glad you loved the last part and having Payton on The Original's!
I'd love to know your thoughts on this part.
Should Matt have been honest or did he make the right decision letting her go?
How will Payton deal with her Dad distancing himself and now losing Matt?
How will Stefan and Payton spend their time together now?
Thanks so much.
Best wishes always,
guiltypleasurexo