Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. I do own the original characters made up for this storyline. Please support the original release. Thank you.
Writer's Notes: Thank you kouga, cheleyk, Munzke, Sandy, and Roxhall for your reviews! Thank you, cheleyk, for your words. My dad was a wonderful man that supported my aspirations of being a writer, so writing has been a solace for me. I hope that you all continue to love the story. What is Damon up to? *smiles* There's a lot that will happen in the next couple chapters, so hold on tight. I haven't decided to introduce our favorite hybrid…yet. It's a toss-up for the outline at the moment, but it's something that is being considered. Edward is certainly a suspicious character this go around. I wonder what sort of mayhem he can cause. Thank you everyone for the outpouring support. I love you guys! Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review!
The house was so quiet and sometimes it was hard for Bella to endure that. It was just an empty house and she wasn't sure she would ever get used to being alone. Stefan opened the front door for her and walked in with her, shutting the door behind them. "Do you want me to start a bath for you?" Stefan asked, his voice soft.
Bella blinked a few times, looking at him. "Um, a shower. We have walk in showers, no soaker tubs." She said. "I mean… I guess. Me…." She murmured.
Stefan nodded and then ran his hands up her arms. "Bella, it's okay to not be okay."
"I know. I'm in shock I think." She said. "Don't leave me alone…. I don't think I could stand it right now."
Stefan reached a hand up and brushed it over her cheek. "Of course. I'll stay as long as you need me." He said and then helped guide her upstairs. "Bathroom in your room?"
"Yes, this way." Bella said and led him to her room. She looked around the room. The bathroom was technically a jack-n-jill bathroom, but it didn't matter since she was here alone.
"Clothes?"
"Yes, in the dresser. Sorry, I'm just…."
"It's okay." Stefan said then went over to her dresser and went through the drawers, grabbing her a pair of her shorts, a t-shirt then panties. He went back to her and guided her to the bathroom. "I'll be just downstairs."
Bella frowned and grabbed is hand as he went to leave. "Wait… don't go."
Stefan looked back at her. "You should take a nice hot shower. I'm not going to go anywhere I promise."
"I… can you… stay in here with me." She murmured.
Stefan studied her. "Are you afraid of something?"
"I just… don't want to be by myself." Bella said, feeling tired.
Stefan swallowed and nodded. "Sure… okay. I'll just… sit here." He said and sat down on the small stool in the bathroom that was by a vanity counter.
Bella felt better with him there. She turned and went to the shower, turning it on to let the water get hot. She pulled at Damon's shirt, getting it over her head. She was still wearing the bra that she wore under her dress earlier. She reached behind her, unsnapping it and letting the bra slip to the floor. Her back was turned to Stefan right now, but she still felt the heat rise to her face. She paused, looking at the shower.
"Are you okay?" Stefan asked.
"Um. Do you want to… take a shower with me?" She asked, looking over her shoulder at him. He was looking away from her, trying to be respectful.
Stefan swallowed. "Bella…"
"You don't have to… I was just…" She murmured.
Stefan stood, walking over to her and he took his shirt off as he did. He came to a stop behind her, their bodies close. "You need time to process what you saw tonight. A hot shower is going to do some good. I'm not going to molest you and make you feel insecure. Bella, I want you to be comfortable with my presence."
"I am." Bella said and turned to face him. His eyes stayed on hers, though it was hard not to look at her beauty. "Stefan… you make me feel safe. Right now, I feel like there's an animal that is prowling around the town and I just want to… feel safe."
Stefan nodded. "I'll keep you safe." He said and she seemed to relax and then rolled the sweatpants off, stepping out of them and her panties. She turned and stepped into the shower, the hot water melting against her skin. Stefan took off his pants and stepped into the shower with her. He reached for her, his hands moving over her arms, slick with water. She leaned back against him; his hard chest felt amazing against her back. Stefan moved to grab the body wash she had on the shelf in the shower and her luffa. He started washing it over her body slowly and she sighed again, her eyes closed as she relaxed, feeling him wash the luffa over her body.
"Feel good?" He murmured in her ear.
"Mmm. It does." Bella whispered. It was so sensual, so relaxing, she didn't want him to stop touching her. "Stefan… I know you said you wouldn't molest me in the shower, but what if I want you to."
Stefan smiled a little, bringing the luffa up over her stomach to her breast. "I'm not going to Bella. You need to take time…"
"I don't want to process what I saw tonight. I just want to forget it." Bella said and turned to look up at him, her own hands moving up his body.
"Bella…" Stefan murmured. He knew getting into the shower with her was a risk. He tested his control a lot today and he wasn't sure if he could keep a hold on his control anymore with her.
"Earlier… you said you wanted there to be more… so do I."
Stefan swallowed and then he was leaning in, his mouth on hers. She kissed him back pressing against him, as the water rained over them. He kept it to just kissing, even though her hands roamed over him, but he wouldn't take her in the shower… Not like that, not now.
After a few long moments, he turned the shower off and moved them out of the shower, grabbing towels. He pulled it around her, drying her off, as he wrapped a towel around himself.
"I thought…"
"Not in the shower." Stefan murmured. "Bella, I don't want you to move so fast. We just had sex earlier, not the way I wanted you to experience your first time. You've been through a trauma and it's smart to just slow down." He explained.
"Oh." Bella murmured. "I see."
Stefan sighed. "Bella, I want you. I really do. I would be lying if I said you didn't have a hold over me, but you do. I want so much more. I want you to be just mine, no one else's."
"You want to be my boyfriend?"
"I do." Stefan said softly. "So much. I only want to please you and trust me, it's so tempting to fall into heated passionate moments, but if I allowed us to do that, then you would later come to resent it."
Bella shook her head. "But I wouldn't. Stefan, it feels so right being with you, right now. I don't want to think about seeing Coach Tanner tonight. Maybe tomorrow I can face it… but right now, I just want to move past it and think about something other than… death."
Stefan studied her. He could hear her heart rate increase as she became anxious. "Okay. Let's go lay down. I'll hold you and we can snuggle and talk. I don't want our relationship to just be physical." He murmured.
"Okay." Bella agreed finally.
They left the bathroom and climbed into bed naked, but Stefan didn't really have anything to change into but his football jersey and jeans.
Stefan pulled Bella into his arms and she rested her head on his chest. He pulled the covers up over them and she snuggled against him. His heart rate was slow and she wondered if that was normal, but she didn't have experience with heart beats before. He stroked a hand over her bare back, as they relaxed together in the silence at first.
"You said you traveled a lot, but you've lost your parents?"
"Yeah, I moved around and studied abroad for a bit, but decided to finish out school here in Mystic Falls." Stefan explained. "You moved around a lot too."
"My mom liked exploring and adventure." Bella explained. "I've seen a lot of cities. Been to many schools, but this place was where she wanted to settle. I think it was the name of the town that drew her in. Or maybe it's something magical."
Stefan was quiet. "You miss your mom a lot. I'm sorry. This house… it must be hard."
"It is. I'm so alone now and I don't think I've ever been alone before. It's just so quiet. My mom was a lively person."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault." Bella said and sighed, leaning up to look down at him. "I'm okay though. I've processed it. I love my mom. But I don't want to talk about that. I've processed it."
Stefan nodded. "Fair enough."
Bella smiled a little and leaned down, her lips brushing his softly before she parted her lips to let her tongue slip over his lips and tangled with his. It was a slow, even kiss and when it broke she smiled down at him. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being here for me." She said and then lay her head back down on his chest.
Stefan smiled and then resumed, lightly drawing his fingers over her back lightly. "Of course." He murmured and they were quiet again. He felt her relax fully, after a long silence and he knew that she was asleep now. He sometimes felt like he made the wrong choice to stay in Mystic Falls once Damon showed up. He was playing games now and he had to stop him from hurting Bella. Now that he had made himself known and had helped her, it would be hard to convince her that he was some sort of bad guy. He didn't know how long he was supposed to suffer for something that happened 158 years ago. He didn't realize that he was so tired, because soon sleep was finding him as well.
Bella woke up, the feeling of another person next to her and she remembered Stefan, her brain catching up this morning. They were both still naked in bed, because they both hadn't put clothes on after the shower. She didn't want to wake him up, seeing how comfortable he was and how comfortable she was laying there with him. She smiled a little, thinking about how sweet he was. Even after going through something horrible, Stefan made it easier to move past dark things like that. They were still facing each other, her head on his chest, like the night before, which meant neither of them moved a lot in their sleep. She felt a heated connection to him, especially since yesterday before the dance. She shifted slightly, her hands drifting down and she felt his erection against her. She was curious how he could be like this in his sleep. Her hand stroked over the erection, to test his reaction and he shifted a little, a small sound escaping his lips. She stroked over him again and he moaned then, his hands moving over her now, caressing her hips as she stroked him again. She tilted her face up, her lips covering his and he kissed her back, his eyes still closed, but he was awake now.
Bella moved her hand faster and faster, excitement filling her, as she thought about him inside her suddenly. Stefan shifted, leaning up, his eyes opening, to look down at her. He stopped her hand with his. "Stefan…"
Stefan didn't say anything, just lean in and kiss her hard. His mouth drinking her in as his hands moved over her body, going between her thighs, pushing her legs apart, his fingers working on her now, circling her clit in fast circles and she moaned at the building sensation. His mouth left hers, moving down over her throat and then to her breast. His mouth sucked one of her nipples in, his tongue curling around it, making her moan again and arch against him. His fingers still played with her and he could tell what she wanted, but he held off. His mouth traveling down to her naval, kissing there before his going lower, his tongue replacing his fingers making her gasp at the different feeling it gave her. She moaned, lifting her hips up to his mouth instinctively.
His fingers continued to play, delving into her at the same time and she shuddered at the feeling moving over her. Her belly tightened as she grew close to an orgasm.
"Stefan!" She moaned out, her hands clenching the sheets as she broke free. She wanted so much more and he gave it to her. He shifted in the sheets, hovering over her now, his cock pressed against her entrance. He slid inside slowly, she moaned as he reached farther and farther inside, his tip pushing against a release button and she came again, shuddering as his cock filled her up. She moaned, moving her hips up and then he was all the way inside her. He stilled a moment, before he collected enough strength to hold on to his control and then started moving his hips to hers, slowly at first, but he picked up as passion consumed them both. Their mouths drank each other in, moans filling them. He pushed faster and harder as he chased his own climax, before he spilled over, thrusting deep inside her then releasing.
Bella moaned at the sensation, his cock pulsing inside her as it emptied. They stayed locked like that for a few moments before he pulled out and climbed out of bed then went to retrieve a washcloth again. He came back to her, cleaning her up, making her blush. "Good morning."
"Good morning." Stefan said and then leaned in and kissed her softly. "How are you feeling?"
"Amazing." She murmured. "I wouldn't mind waking up like this all the time."
Stefan smiled. "Hmm. Well, maybe on the weekends." He said and kissed her again. "You're hungry." He said, when he heard her stomach growl.
"I am actually."
"Come on, get dressed, we'll go get breakfast." Stefan said and got out of bed. She got a full view of his naked body, but he retreated to the bathroom, grabbing his clothes from the night before and pulled them on.
Bella climbed out of bed, getting panties and a sports bra, before she found her jeans in her drawer, pulling them on and fastening them. Stefan came out of the bathroom right as she pulled her pants on and she smiled at him when he leaned against the doorframe. "What?"
"You're beautiful." Stefan said, crossing his arms.
Bella blushed and walked towards her closet and going inside to find a shirt. She returned after she pulled it on. Her hair was dry and surprisingly not a tangled mess like she thought. "I have an extra toothbrush, downstairs bathroom in that closet."
"Thank you." Stefan said.
The news of Coach Tanner's death hit hard. The whole week, the school held moments of silence for Coach Tanner, in his memory. Everyone was starting to worry with so many animal attacks happening. Bella and Stefan were officially a couple on top of that. They were doing good. Caroline was still her hyper self, in awe at how perfect Bella and Stefan were. Bella was shier about being the center of attention in her friend group.
Edward didn't like that Stefan swooped in and stole Bella away from him. Bella found it odd that Edward was ignoring her now, but she focused on her friends and Stefan now.
Stefan had football practice until late, so Bella went on to the Grille to grab dinner. She sat in the booth and a woman came over and took her order. She noticed that they were still short handed, and thought about putting in an application, but her social skills weren't that great and she feared she would just get in the way.
Damon walked in, spying Bella sitting alone, so he took it upon himself to go join her. "Hey. How have you been?"
Bella looked at Damon and gave a small smile. "I'm okay."
Damon sat across from her and smiled at her. "I'm glad, I was worried after that night. Stefan hasn't been home much, so I assume he's been with you?"
"Yeah," Bella blushed a little. "I'm sorry, if he's supposed to be home-"
"No, it's fine." Damon smiled. "I just wish he wouldn't be a stranger. We don't have the best of relationships. He's probably told you-"
"Actually, he doesn't talk much about you two." Bella said. "What happened? Maybe that's too personal." She said frowning.
Damon shook his head. "It's ancient history. Honestly, it's just as much my fault, as it is his."
"Siblings fight though. That's normal."
"Is it normal to fall in love with the same girl?"
Bella's brows knitted together. "Oh…"
"Yeah. Stefan and I had a falling out about it. She… she chose me and it didn't sit well with him. I honestly had no idea they had been seeing each other. She never said a word about him and then one night… we both found out that she had been seeing us both and so."
Bella shook her head. "I'm so sorry. It sounds like she was the real person to blame."
Damon shook his head. "I should have been the better person." He sighed. "But I loved her. Or at least I thought I did."
"What happened to her?"
"She died." Damon said and looked away, looking emotional now.
Bella reached a hand over and lay it on Damon's. "Hey, I'm sorry. I can tell you really cared." She murmured.
Damon nodded, looking at her hand. He moved his hand to take hers in his. "Yeah. Maybe I should have done something different."
"What was her name?"
"Katherine." Damon said, his thumb brushing over the back of her hand. "She was a lot like you actually. Same smile it seems."
Bella's smile faltered a little. "Oh." She wondered why Stefan never told her about Katherine. "Was…. was Stefan still in love with her…. when she…."
"Yes, very much so. He tried to convince her that he was the best guy, that he was more worthy of her love than I was." Damon said, his voice heavy with emotion. "When she took her life, I think it messed with him more. He hated me then, blamed me for the loss. I was hurting too and honestly, I just wanted my brother, but… I get the anguish and pain."
"Oh no, that's awful." She shook her head, wanting to tear up some. "You know it's not your fault, right?"
Damon looked up into her doe eyes, the sincere concern was there. "I do blame myself. If I had just told Katherine that I would be with her, maybe… maybe she wouldn't have."
"No, no... Don't think like that. You were just trying to do the right thing. Stefan can't hate you forever."
"I'm afraid that he might just hate me forever. I came back home in hopes of turning over a new leaf. Uncle Zach said that Stefan was in a better place, and I thought… but it seems he's avoiding me."
Bella reached with her other hand and placed it over his hand holding hers. "What if I talked to him? Maybe I can convince him… I don't have family anymore… you are brothers. You're what he has left and your uncle."
Damon nodded. "Thanks Bella, but it's okay. I'll figure out a way."
"What are you doing?" Stefan's tone was harsh as he looked at his brother. He had just got done with practice and decided to head to the Grille first to see if Bella was there since she hadn't answered her phone.
Bella blinked and looked up at Stefan. "Stefan…" She could see him angry.
"Brother… this isn't what it looks like, I promise." Damon said, moving his hands away and feigning innocence.
Stefan shook his head. "Unbelievable. I warned you." He said, his voice like ice.
"Stefan, calm down." Bella said. "Damon was just checking on me."
Stefan didn't look at her now, his anger for his brother welled up inside him, he just turned around and walked away, leaving the Grille.
Bella got to her feet at the same time Damon did. "I'm sorry. I'll talk to him." She said and rushed outside. "Stefan! Wait!"
Stefan turned and looked at her now. "You don't see what he's doing! He's trying to get inside your head and make you feel sorry for him." He yelled.
Bella was taken back by his harsh tone. "Stefan… I'm not…. I'm not Katherine."
"He told you about her." Stefan said, his voice shaking.
"Yes and I'm sorry that she did that to you both, but Stefan, it's not Damon's fault. You have to move on. You said you want there to be more with us. And-"
"You don't get it. My brother doesn't care about me. He only cares about himself. It's how it's always been and always will be. He'll manipulate and consume whatever or whoever he wants and not care about how it affects me!" He yelled.
"That's not true." Damon said. He was standing outside now, his hands in his pockets. "I have tried to reach out to you over the years and you have never taken a single olive branch. I told Katherine that I was leaving her, for you."
"More lies." Stefan said laughing, the laugh more like a crazed laugh. "You, wanted her and so you took what you wanted, like you always do. Now you're back home and doing the same song and dance. You just can't stand to see me happy!"
"I didn't know about you and Katherine, brother. Every night, she came to me and told me she loved me. You were so afraid of father, that you never made a move. If I had known what she was doing-"
Stefan shook his head. "Don't pretend like you didn't know."
Bella shook her head. "Just stop!" She said, her voice raised. "This… is just too much." She said, looking at Stefan, tears in her eyes. "I can't deal with this. You're being unreasonable."
Stefan was in shock. "What?"
"I don't care what happened in the past. It's obvious you're not over Katherine, because you're arguing over her still." Bella said. "I'm not going to pretend that I don't care. I lost my mother and I'm alone in this world. I would have killed to have a sister or brother that would sacrifice for me like Damon did for you and you're blinded by a hate caused by a girl."
Stefan was still stunned. "Bella…"
"No. You need to figure out what it is that is eating at you inside that is making you hate your brother this much. Fix it." She said and then she left, going back to her Jeep, and getting in and driving away.
Stefan watched her drive away. "You…"
"That went much different than I anticipated." Damon said. "Though, I do have to hand it to you brother. You sure do get emotional at the mention of Katherine." He said, waggling his brows and smiling at him devilishly.
"You are unbelievable. You want to destroy me that much."
"I told you… I would make your life a living hell."
Stefan shook his head. "I just wanted my brother! I didn't think- "
"No, you didn't think. You forced me to transition, then you slaughtered our entire family and went on a blood bender from the South to the North, getting the name the Ripper. You think it was easy? Living with a damned soul? You took my choices away from me."
"I was high on blood Damon; you can't tell me that you don't enjoy this life now."
Damon tilted his head. "It's true I make a better vampire than you. I am stronger, sexier and I have control of can't master because oh yeah, you eat bunnies."
"How many times do I have to say sorry."
"Sorry will never be enough. Bella, seems to be on my side brother, be careful, keep up with that temper of yours and you might just shove her out the door."
Stefan closed his eyes, reeling himself in. "Fine. What do you want?"
"Oh, I want to stay around. Oh yeah, if you were planning on vervaining me by drugging my alcohol, or using Zach, you might want to reconsider. Zach's dead and well, I've stolen all the vervain. I have other plans with this town."
"Right, killing people. You do know that eventually they'll know it's not an animal."
Damon smirked. "I didn't kill Coach Tanner, that was a surprise for me, just as much as it was for you."
Stefan frowned. "Wait, if you didn't kill Coach Tanner… then who did."
"I don't know, but the plot thickens." Damon said with his signature smile. "Toodles brother, I have a meeting with the mayor's wife." He said and then he was gone.
Stefan stood there thinking. Who could be killing people in Mystic Falls, other than his brother?
