Chapter 19-

A few days later I was finally released from the hospital. It felt so good to be back in my own bed with the smell of hospital off of me. The doctors did tell me to take it easy until I was done healing and to come back for a checkup soon which I wasn't going to. I could heal myself up just fine since being a witch of my kind allowed some added perks. I decided to go easy for a week though, wasting a few of the last days of June but preparing for the next two months.

I did an old trick from when I was a kid and jumped into Enzo's mind to tell him to come meet me soon. He said some very colorful things considering I was interrupting his rem but agreed after a little coercion. I didn't have him come immediately because I was busy spending time with Windy.

Right now, we were having a tea party that consisted of whatever shit she made in her easy bake oven, cold tea (she's too clumsy for anything hot), and lots of glitter. Like… a lot.

"Windy Darling can I move yet?" I asked for the seventh time. Her little chairs were uncomfortable, and I hated sitting still.

"Almost. Just one final sprinkle here… and… done!" She pulled back with a toothy smile on her face. "Go look!"

I got up from the small chair and walked to her stand up mirror seeing her 'masterpiece'. Since I didn't have time to get my braids redone and was being lazy my hair sat in two big puffs on the side of my head. Windy decided it was missing some sparkle and it looked like she dumped a jar of glitter on my head. There were ballies, stray beads and mini bows that all belonged to my little sister in my hair. I looked like drunk My Little Ponies met up with high fairies from Winx Club and they decided to have an orgy on my head.

"You like it?" Windy asked, smiling at her work.

I turned around and picked her up and kissed her all over her face until she was a giggling mess. "I love it." I lied easily.

"Ew Maverick stop! Kisses are gross!" She tried to sound mad, but her laughter ruined it. Eventually I did stop and put her down. I thought he would just run off, but she wrapped her arms around my waist and buried her head in my stomach.

"I'm glad you're home. I was lonely with just mom and Petra." Her voice was muffled in my clothes. "Mom can't really cook and was busy and Petra tried her best to cheer me up, but I still missed you."

I went to my knees to give her a proper hug. "I missed you too Darling."

While I will admit it felt good to have a non-supernatural few days, I mean no feral's (which was weird), no werewolf freakouts (Tyler had great control and didn't shift), no energy drained bodies (Kelly has her shit together finally) and no extra witchy drama (fuck the spirits), I still had duties and couldn't afford to get comfortable.

I went out one of those nights geared up in black and ready to hunt but found and felt nothing. The animals didn't give any warnings, there were no beacons. When did mystic falls become a desert land of vampires?

I found my answer when I stumbled across some bodies burning in a smokeless fire. I had thought maybe Sheila had done something or maybe even Stefan but quickly wiped that theory when I saw how badly beaten, he was by one of the clusters when I had helped Lenzo.

Never did I imagine that the very elements of fire would be killing them. I put my hands into the fire so I could connect to it and was happy when I didn't burn. I didn't even feel the heat but the feral body currently on its last life as fuel was sizzling out.

"Friend!" It rasped in my head. If it had a voice, it would be representative of everything it stood for. It would be passionate, smokey and larger than life.

I smiled, closing my eyes so I could envision the fire it really was, the first flame to walk any realm. "Hi."

"Bad unwanted things. I destroy them."

"For me?"

"Yes. I could not save you so I will protect you. She uses us and we are helpless to it so I do this." The first flame glowed even brighter rivaling the sun in brilliance.

I winced at the light but kept my eyes closed and vision of the flame. "But I can protect myself now. Please, do not break any rules just for me."

"Their rules do not apply to me."

"But you are bound to their spells. If she continues to see you do this, she may just take it upon herself to do something worse. So please, let me fight her in the only way that can ensure victory."

Finally, the flame's light died down. "Fine but I will not continue to let her minions in. I will leave you with a gift so you will only fight the conscious and not the manipulated."

I didn't understand what the element meant until I felt my hand heat up to a white-hot pain. I only had a moment to gasp out with my eyes wide open before it ended. I looked down to see the bodies, now a small pile of ash, and my hand darkened with pictographs that looked more ancient than anything I've ever seen before. I was glad I owned gloves now because there was no way I was letting somebody see these until I understood them myself. Like anything else dealing with me though It was going to have to wait.

There was another stop on my way tonight and surprisingly he wasn't so far. He was actually being less creepy than I thought he would be. He was watching Elena from the shadow of the trees. She was currently writing in her diary while sitting on the porch. These days she wasn't the party girl she used to be. Grief had a way of bringing out the other side of a person and here was the quieter, angsty side. I would let my friend have her time while busying myself with her number one suitor.

I walked silently up to Stefan using magic and when I got close enough my lips were near his ears I said "Boo!"

He turned around with a hand readily aimed for my throat. I was moving back at vampire speed until my back hit a tree and I was being choked by hero hair. His eyes were narrowed, and his lips were returned in a severe frown before a recognition passed through his eyes. He let me go but kept his body on guard.

"You're Maverick, right? The girl that gave Elena to me. What were you doing?"

I rubbed at my throat as I said "Trying to get your attention. Seems it worked a bit too well." I joked. I hadn't really been worried. Stefan was stronger than I gave him credit for, and his reaction speed was impressive.

He narrowed his eyes at me, not convinced at all. "Why aren't you scared?"

"'Cause I'm not dumb. But think Salvatore, I know you're a vampire and willingly sought you out so why am I not scared? I'll let you think about that sometime later but for now…" I sped in front of his face with my stake which had been at my hip now in my hand aimed at the side of his neck. "I'm going to need you to listen."

Stefan registered the situation he was in and wisely did and said nothing. "Good. I can't keep you from my El Bell" don't really want to but you don't need to know that "but I can surely tweak your imperfections so when you inevitably bump into each other you aren't so fucked up. So, Ripper of Monterey, want to finally get rid of that moniker and fully step into the light?"

Stefan's POV

She knew who I was. Shame filled me in a rush of cold sweat. The dark depressing memories of how I used to be were now at the forefront of my mind. Not caring about the stake that could very well kill me I stumbled back.

I didn't want to be seen. I wanted to hide.

"Oh my gods Salvatore I'm going to flip if you don't get over yourself. You did some fucked up shit." I watched dazed as she slid her stake back on her hip. She pulled me close and kept her hands on my shoulders. I focused on her eyes which were warm even if her actions could be seen as calloused. They softened at the edges to further relax me.

"Confront it, own it and move on. You feel guilty, you should. That doesn't mean you can't try and make up for it by living a better life."

"How?" I asked like she had all the answers. She probably did.

"I'm going to help you. You're weak on just animal blood like any vampire on a consistent diet of it is. And wherever you go your brother follows. I want you strong enough to handle his ass so I'm going to refine you to help you control your bloodlust better than Lexi ever could."

I was startled by every oncoming revelation. "How do you know about Damon and Lexi?"

"I can either answer those questions or we can get started. We only have a month and some before I'm out of commission, so I suggest we get started."

I really wanted to know what she was talking about but everything she promised was better. I could finally, finally, no longer go berserk over human blood.

And maybe, just maybe, I could let myself have good things again. I smiled at the image of Elena crossing my mind.

I found myself agreeing more easily than I thought I would.

"Great, just don't hate me after our month is up." Maverick smiled evilly at me.

And I thought Damon was bad.

As I promised, another chapter on the weekend.

I am so happy to be getting to Stefan and helping him. I always felt bad for him and his guilt but sometimes it started bordering on inconvenient and annoying so I'm nipping this in the bud. Also, if you also read Wild-Light, chapter 6 will be up soon. Thanks for reading and for your patience.

Until Next Time - BigSmallWonder