I scurried around my room, grabbing all sorts of random objects and tossing them towards my bed. Mainly clothes, but my journal also found its way into the pile. I just wanted the packing to be over so my weekend getaway could begin. Too bad the clothes won't pack themselves.
"Leaving in a hurry?" I heard from behind me. My heart jumped as I turned around to find Stefan calmly standing near the door.
"Don't you ever knock?" I said as I crossed the room. I wrapped my arms around his strong shoulders and pulled him into a kiss. As we parted, a smile was brought to his lips. That smile was hard to come by with Stefan. I didn't want to look away for fear of it disappearing. He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me closer to him.
"The thought had crossed my mind." He teased. "But why waste my super powers?"
"Well can your super powers help me pack for the weekend?" I asked hoping to leave soon.
Stefan leaned in and kissed my forehead while instantaneously pushing my hair behind my ear. "Why waste your human powers?" I pushed myself away from him and folded my arms in front of my chest. That smile was still there.
In the blink of an eye he was no longer in front of me. I turned around to find him standing near my bed with a fully packed suitcase in his hand. "Ready to go?" He asked.
It was now my turn to smile.
Waiting in a house where you are unwanted had become a regular thing for me. It's not that I wanted it to be that way. I wanted to be the good father who was always there for his little girl when she needed him. But my life didn't pan out that way. Elena didn't trust me, or look to me when she needed me. I feared that she never would trust me. So I stood in the kitchen of the house she grew up in, waiting to talk to her.
The waiting took up most of my morning, during which I had made myself a cup of tea. The steam poured off of the top, warming the air around my hands. I took a sip, feeling the warm liquid rush down my insides.
I could hear someone bounding down the stairs. I looked around the kitchen island in hopes of it being Elena. When I saw the small brunette stop in the doorway I was disappointed.
"Oh. You're here." Jenna said with disgust heavy in her words. "Guess this is my cue to leave."
"I understand I am unwanted here." I started.
"Then you should leave."
"I'm looking for Elena."
Jenna snickered and walked over to the kitchen island. She leaned her body over the counter to support herself. "Well you're out of luck. She went to the lake house for the weekend."
"With Stefan?" I asked fearing the answer to that question.
"Yes, with Stefan." She said, rubbing it in my face.
"Well you take the cake for worst parenting skills of the year." I said out of spite.
"You're one to talk. Last I checked, I am the legal guardian here." Jenna fought. "I call the shots on what Elena does. Not you!"
"Well maybe that should change. It is bad enough you let her stay with her boyfriend. But to send her away with Stefan Salvatore signs her death certificate. This is worse than dicing her up and feeding her to a pile of jackals."
"I think you are exaggerating." She said.
I stomped around the kitchen island and towards the doorway. My thoughts were racing as I thought of all the scenarios of Elena getting hurt. None of which involved her returning alive.
"Where do you think you are going?" Jenna asked.
"To protect this family." I told her. I made my way toward the front door. I could hear her footsteps behind me as she followed.
"Oh no you don't. I'm all for you leaving, but you do not leave and then go disturb Elena."
I had my hand on the doorknob but hesitated in opening the door. I turned toward Jenna, watching her get this angry over me leaving was priceless. But I had to find my little girl and she couldn't stand in the way. "Goodbye Jenna." I walked out the door.
As I went to close the door, something got in the way. I turned to see Jenna holding the door open.
"If you are leaving then I am going with you. I want to protect Elena too, but it looks like I have to protect her from you." Jenna walked out the door with me. I thought maybe I shouldn't drag her into this mess, but then thought differently. She needs to know that Elena does not need protection from me, but rather from her new friends: the Salvatore brothers.