A/N The Vampire Diaries Settings and Characters all belong to LJ Smith and the CW. Any original characters and this story are copyright © 2011-2018 to Hopelessromanticgurl, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.


The next morning Stefan woke up with a gasp.

"It's ok. It was just a bad dream. Everything is fine." Lexi said from his bedside.

Stefan panted softly and laid back down. "Was I screaming as loud as I was in my head in the dream?"

"No, but you were muttering a lot of 'no's' and 'stop it Katherine' so I came in to see if you're ok. Needless to say when I got here Katherine was snuggled up to your chest pretending to be Elena. I think that's why you had the dream."

"How do you know it was Katherine?" Stefan asked.

"You left Elena at her house last night." Lexi reminded him.

"Right." Stefan sighed and sat up. "Did Katherine say what she wanted?"

"Nope. She just says she came back for you."

"Do you think she'll ever tell me the real reason?"

"I doubt it. But I promise we will find a way to deal with her. Remember Caroline said when Katherine killed her. She said 'game on' so she is up to something. We just have to figure what that is."

Stefan sighed and nodded.

"Now, get up, get dressed. You missed a few calls from Elena. Your brother is setting up some kind of party with Jenna, and Ric, at the Gilbert house to try and kill Mason. Elena invited us. Caroline is coming and asked I go to help her."

"Go, I'll meet you there."

"You ok?"

"Yeah, it was just a stupid dream I'll be fine. Go."

Lexi nodded and in a flash she was gone. Stefan sighed but stood and got ready for his day and the party.

He made it downstairs when he noticed Katherine sitting on a chair in the living room reading his journal. Suddenly he got an idea, he would miss the party and make Lexi and Elena worry, but if he played his cards right he might be able to figure out Katherine's big secret.


Lexi knocked on the door and smiled when Elena answered. "I'm glad you're here."

"Thanks, I came as soon as I could. How's Caroline?"

Elena shrugged. "She's not herself but I can't figure out what's going on with her."

"Katherine paid her a visit last night. She wanted Caroline to be her spy and help her break up you and Stefan. But I got there before she agreed to anything or before Katherine could hurt her. I think she might just be a bit shaken up by it."

"I'm just glad you got there in time. Where is Stefan?" Elena asked. "He's not answering any of my calls."

"He's coming. He got a late start today but he said he'd get dressed and come join us so he should be here soon."

Elena smiled and allowed Lexi to come inside. Stefan would be there soon, she had no reason to worry…

But after dinner, and a few rounds of Pictionary Stefan still hadn't shown up and Elena was really starting to worry. To be honest Lexi was too.

Together Lexi, Elena, and Caroline set out to go check on him.


They arrived back at the boarding house and Lexi could hear something weird going on.

"Stay here, both of you." In flash she was gone.

Elena didn't wait second after to remove her seat belt.

"What are you doing? Lexi said stay here."

"I don't care." Elena said and got out of the car and went inside.

"Stefan? Stefan?" Elena called as she went inside.

"You must be Elena." A voice that sounded much like her own spoke.

She spun around and gasped. It was like looking in a mirror only curly hair and a different outfit. "How do we look exactly alike?"

Katherine didn't speak she only moved closer and closer to Elena. Elena gasped when Katherine touched her and stroked her finger over her shoulder. "You're asking the wrong questions."

"Elena!" She heard Stefan yell.

IN a flash Katherine was gone. She saw Stefan limping over to her. "Hey, you ok?" he asked.

"No really." she answered honestly. "Are you ok?" she asked seeing his bleeding leg.

"Not really." He repeated. They hugged tightly Elena still gasping, shocking from seeing Katherine.

"Elena I told you to wait in the car!" Lexi said as she walked in. "Do you have any idea what Katherine could have done to you."

"Stefan needed me." Elena said. "I'm not sorry and I'd do it again."

Lexi sighed. "Look, Stefan and I need to talk to you. It's serious."

"What happen?" Elena asked.

"We need to break up." Stefan said.

"WHAT?!" Elena shrieked.

"At least pretend." Lexi said. "Katherine is threating you and everyone you love unless Stefan does as she says. So you two need to stage a break-up and let Katherine think she has won.

Elena sighed. "Ok. Just tell me what to do." She wasn't happy about it, but she'd do anything for her family and friends.


Once they plan was set they headed to the Grill. Stefan went in first and then waited a few minutes and Elena joined him.

"I'm starving." Stefan said as he picked up a menu.

"Well, spending the day with your jealous ex will do that to you." Elena said in an angry tone.

"Listen, I know you're upset but we have to take her seriously. Today, was all about the links she'll go to." Stefan told her.

"If she was going to hurt me, she would have. I was standing right in front of her."

"Elena, you caught her off guard. It doesn't mean that you're safe."

"I'm not afraid of her."

"Well, you should be."

"If Katherine had her way, we'd be breaking up right now."

"If today taught me anything, is that Katherine is used to getting her way."

"You're not actually saying that we should do what she says?" Elena gasped.

"Listen, she's sadistic, okay? She threatened you, she threatened everyone."

"Yeah, I know, I get it. She's dangerous. But every day that we are together, it's dangerous. Why are you giving her so much power over our relationship?"

"This is the reality of our situation."

"The reality sucks! This is what she wants. She wants us to fight. She wants to get between us. Elena said.

"She already has, Elena."

Not being able to take anymore Elena grabbed her back and quickly rushed out. The fight/break up may have been fake but the tears that were streaming down her cheeks were real. Even if it was fake Elena hated every single second of it.


When Elena got home, she went right into her room and threw her purse on her bed. She sniffed softly and wiped her eyes. When she felt someone watching her she turned and saw Stefan standing there with the same hurt face she had.

"You ok?" he asked.

Tears filled her eyes again and she shook her head. She ran right into his arms and hugged him tightly. "I hated that fight."

He hugged her back just as tight and said "I know me too. It felt too real."

They kissed passionately.

"It won't be long before the word gets out." Stefan said. "But I promise she will never break us up. She's here for another reason and we're going to find out what that is. I love you Elena."

"I love you too, Stefan."

They kissed passionately and Stefan stayed for as long as he could then he went home both he and Elena hated this, but knew it was the only way to keep Elena and her family and friends safe.


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