Elena
I walk into my front door, tucking the plaid shirt in my bag, I open the door and instantly I'm hit with a warm body.
"Mom!" He yells, hugging on me, I smile and hug him back, burying my face in his shoulder, I close my eyes.
I missed him so much, I hadn't realize that until now, he pulls back smiling, his dirty blonde hair a mess, his blue eyes sparkling with delight as he smiles wide at me.
"I had such a great time mom, me and dad went camping and we went fishing and he taught me how to pitch a tent." He smiles, and I listen intently, nodding, a smile on my face.
"That's great, honey." I say, my eyes shining, as I set him down, he smiles and yells he's going to go tell his friends about it, I turn around and instantly warm hands wrap around my waist, pulling me into a hug.
I hug him back, my husband, the one I'm married too, but I don't feel a thing as he hugs me, I pat his back, and he pulls back, leaning down to kiss me, I kiss him back, but imagine another pair of lips, kissing me.
He pulls back, panting and I look into his eyes, their not green, their blue, he smiles down at me.
"I missed you." He says, touching my cheek, his eyes so warm and so kind and it makes me feel guilty for a second.
I look at him, and he strokes my cheek with his fingers.
"Hey, you okay?" He asks in a concerned voice and I look into his eyes, lying through my teeth, as I fake a smile.
"Yes, I'm fine. Got to get a start on dinner." I briskly, as I leave him for the kitchen.
I feel his confused look stare into my back as I continue to walk to the kitchen, shaking my head of the guilt, I didn't need to feel guilty for what I've done, I'm not selfish, I'm only me.
I continue being the perfect house wife for the next two weeks, cleaning my house, dropping Jackson off at summer camp, back and forth, cooking dinner every night. Things between Matt and I are tense, every once awhile he tries to initiate sex, but I deny him, lying and saying I'm tired, when in reality I don't want to sleep with him anymore, I'm tired of being with him, I feel my spirits diminish as the days pass. Even when Matt whispers he loves me, I want to cry, I don't love him, the guy I love is God knows where, I miss him so bad, I wonder if he forgot about me already, or if there's a part of him that takes out the photo I allowed him to take of me, and look at it every once in awhile, two weeks is far too long without seeing him.
One night, Matt gets a call in the middle of the night, Caucasian male, 25, found half-dead on the south side of town, a drug deal gone wrong, his poor family, I think and shake my head and Matt leaves the house but not before making me promise that I'll meet him for lunch tomorrow at the station, I agree reluctantly, as I head back to sleep. My thoughts float back to Stefan, as suddenly, we are back in his loft, and we're entangled together he's wearing plaid boxers and I'm wearing the same plaid shirt he gave me, my toe rubbing over his ankle, he smiles down at me, kissing my forehead and I cuddle into his chest.
"Did you forgot about me, Stefan?" I whisper, looking up at him, and into his green eyes.
"No, I could never." He says, taking my hand in his, it's warm and rough against my skin.
"How come you haven't seen me?" I ask, tears well up in my eyes.
"You told me not to." He answers, and I feel a pang of anger go into my chest.
"I know what I said, but I'm ready, Stefan. I'm ready to leave Matt, I don't love him anymore." I whisper, touching his cheek.
His eyes go from sad to joy, but suddenly I hear a gun shot and see Stefan grunt, I look down to see the bullet wound in his stomach, my breathing cut short, as he falls to the bed.
"No, no Stefan, you don't get to die on me!" I yell, touching his face, suddenly we're I a different location, a dark alley way, blood runs down the side of his mouth, I turn to see some gang members in front of us, I see Stefan's eyes have stilled, wide open, as he dies in my arms, his blood getting on my plaid shirt, staining it red, I press my lips to his, for a second, their cold and moist, I stand up shaky, to face the gang.
"Well isn't that sweet, you whore." He sneers, charging at me.
I sit up in bed, screaming, I look around and see I'm back in my room, I try to catch my breath as I see runs my fingers, my body covered in sweat.
I breathe heavily, looking at my clock it's 9 am, and I wrap my covers around my self shaking.
I decide to head over to the station and Matt is overjoyed to see me, his hands wrap around me, but I can't stop thinking about that dream, it couldn't mean that that was Stefan? He promised me he'd be fine.
I shake slightly in Mat's arms and he holds me closer.
"Hey are you okay?" He asks, rubbing my back.
And I take deep breath's trying to catch my breath.
"Yeah, I'm just cold." I lie, looking into his blue eyes.
I can tell he doesn't believe me, but he doesn't want to push me because we're already on thin ice as it is.
"Any luck on the case?" I ask, wanting to change the subject, but he shakes his head.
"Guy still won't speak." He grumbles, his shoulders tense.
"Wanna see him?" He asks, looking at me.
And I give him a confused look, but nod my head.
"Sure.." I say slowly, taking Matt's hand as he takes me to the interrogation room, he opens the door and lets me in.
I walk in and instantly I recognize the brown hair, it's the only thing I can see, my breath hitches in my throat and he finally looks up, one green eye opened, the other swollen shut, his lip is busted, there must be a billion bruises covering his body, because a lot was on his face, I have to remind myself that Matt is behind me, and not to act suspicious, but I cover my hand with my mouth, as his green eyes meets mine, he looks beyond miserable, his face stone cold, his look aggressive and I feel tears well up into my eyes.
The one green eye I see is also, filled with a tear as it trickles down his cheek, luckily Matt has left, and I want nothing more, then to rush to Stefan, help him, get him out of the handcuffs, but I can't do anything and I feel so damn helpless, as tears of anger and sadness spill out of my eyes.
"Stefan." I mouth and he looks at me, his hands twitching in his lap, his fingers also bruised, he's shaking also, I hear the rattle of the chains against the metal desk.
"Stefan, you'll be okay, every thing is going to be okay, I love you." I mouth, and he reads my lips with his eyes, another tear falls down against his cheek, it's dirty and full of cuts.
He nods his head, his expression softens, as he mouths, I love you too.
I smile and quickly wipe the tears from my eyes, wishing I could reach out and wipe the tear from his cheek.
Matt calls me back and I give Stefan one last look, before turning away, I go back to Matt, shaken up, and I bury my head in his chest, but I don't cry.
"Oh my god that was awful." I say, as I shake in his arms, and he strokes my hair with his hands.
"I.. I need to go back to the house." I say, silently and he nods, confused by my behavior but doesn't question it. I jump into my car, and get to my house, I start to clean the house, trying to get my mind off things, trying to get my mind off Stefan and him sitting in that room, his soul being taken away one second and a time. I don't realize my hands are shaking before I put the mop down, suddenly there's a knock at my door, and I jump.
"Elena.." Caroline voice says through the door.
I jump again, and open the door, my rubber gloves on, because I just got done scrubbing the floor.
"Hey." I say, smiling falsely and she points at me.
"Drop the act Missy, Tom told me." She says, and I sigh deeply, my back turned to her, I didn't need her to judge me.
"Elena, are you okay? Be honest, I know you like hiding things, but I need to know if you're okay, I'm worried, I can't even imagine what you're going through." She says in a whispered voice, and I feel my hands shake again, as I see Stefan's face in my mind.
"I haven't ate in weeks, I barely sleep when I do it's one nightmare after another, I don't even try anymore, I can't think, and I don't want too, I just want to know he's okay, and I don't even know that." I whisper, and I feel Caroline 's arms around me but I push her off in anger, not wanting to be touched right now. I'm so mad I can't help Stefan, I feel the anger flow through my bones as I start to wipe the walls, trying to make them spotless, I can't see Caroline 's face but I'm sure it's full of concern for me.
"No, I don't want a hug, I'm supposed to be to be strong, this is who I am, I don't cry, I don't break down, I'm like a plastic person, fake and transparent, smiling like nothing's wrong while the pain and the guilt and the internal suffering eats away at me. I'm tired of being that plastic person, Caroline. I can't do this, I can't." I break down, falling to the ground, finally, feeling the sadness consume, me, each sob wracks my body, making me feel sick, and Caroline holds me into her arms, whispering words in my ears as she strokes my hair.
"Shh, it's okay, Elena.. shh." She whispers, and I shake my head widely, feeling myself choke on the sobs that are coming out of my body.
"No, it won't be okay, Caroline. I.. I saw Stefan today, and I can't do anything about it, and I'm angry and I'm sad and I'm depressed, he's all alone.." I say in a sad tone.
"I.. I love him. He came into my life and he changed everything for me and I couldn't imagine a life without him." I whisper, feeling myself crying again.
Caroline holds me through out the hours that pass, and I tremble in her arms, thanking God that Matt was working late and Jackson was at a sleep over, they didn't need to see me like this, it would only disappoint them.
Suddenly Caroline and I jump at the phone ringing, I get up and answer it.
"Hello." I say in shaking tone.
"Hi, is this... Elena?" says the voice, it doesn't' sound like anyone I ever talked to before.
I hold my breath and nod my head.
"Yes, this is she." I say, shaking a little.
"This is Damon.. I'm Stefan's brother." He explains quickly, and talking fast.
I almost drop the phone in my hand, Stefan never mentioned a brother before.
"I.. I don't normally do this, but I need a favor.. it's concerning Stefan."
I close my eyes, feeling the weight on my shoulders increase.
"Anything." I say, running my finger through my shaky hair.
"Money for bail?" He asks, quietly and I nod my head again.
"I said anything." I say, again and I hear him exhale through the phone.
"Ten thousand." He says, breathing heavy against the phone, I couldn't tell if he was going to have a panic attack or if he was just relived I agreed to this.
"Done." I say.
I know Stefan would be angry at me, but that's a risk I was willing to take if it meant he could come home and I could take care of him, be with him, then yes, I'd pay the money.