Okay, I will say this. I do not like this chapter, but it is what it is. I hoped to come out with something better, but... Anyway, I hope you approve and enjoy.

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The sound of metal on metal filled the small room as each pound Stefan made echoed through the room. He lifted the hammer high into the air, and brought it down to the metal anvil where the shaped metal sat.

He grunted, and lifted his right forearm over his face to wipe the sweat from his brow. He dropped the hammer on the table beside him, and shifted around, towards the barrel of water in the center of the room.

"You know you should get out of this furnace, bro."

Stefan shook his head with a smile, and turned to see his brother appear next to a chair in front of the barrel. Damon smirked, and moved his trident to rest it against the chair, as he approached his brother. Dressed in a dark blue vest shirt and dark blue leather pants, he looked actually nothing like the God of the Seas and Wine, but appearances were deceiving.

"Why should I leave, Damon?" Stefan asked, lifting a ladle of water to his lips. "I have everything I need, and you only come to see me when it's convenient." He stated, scooping more water up.

Damon shook his head. "Now, you know I love you, baby brother, but this place is not good for you. You should get out find yourself a woman, get laid." He stated, watching his brother shake his head.

Stefan dropped the ladle in the barrel, and glared at his brother. "Like you do?" He asked, turning around and headed towards the anvil.

Damon rolled his eyes, and shook his head. "You can't keep hiding down here, Stefan." He stated, with concern.

Stefan lifted the hammer, only to drop it to his side. "I don't hide, Damon." He whispered, turning to his brother.

Damon sighed, and placed his hand on the anvil in front of Stefan. "Yes, you do." He stated, firmly. "Look, I know how conscious you are about your scars, but there is nothing wrong with them." He replied, looking at his brother carefully.

Stefan shook his head, and dropped the hammer on the anvil before turning away from his brother. "There is something wrong with them, Damon." He stated, moving to sit in his iron throne. His tan clothe sleeveless shirt sticking to his skin and his dark brown leather pants clinging to him like paint on a canvass. "I look at my reflection every day, and I see the result of our mother's death." He stated, angrily, groaning as he lifting his left arm.

Damon shook his head. "Mother gave her life to save us, Stefan, and you staying down here and brooding is not going to change that." He stated, straightening his back.

Stefan scoffed and shook his head. "Why are you really here, Damon?" He asked, turning his head away.

"The Christening of Klaus and Caroline's child is tomorrow, and I wanted to know if you are going." He answered, shrugging his shoulders.

Stefan sighed, and closed his eyes. He hated social gatherings, but Klaus was his friend, and so was Caroline. He owed it to them to attend. "You're going to make me attend aren't you?" He asked, opening his eyes.

Damon smirked, and nodded. "Klaus asked for you to attend, little brother, and for him to ask for anything…" He trailed off with a shrug.

Stefan nodded and smiled. Klaus never did ask for anything, in fact, the other gods feared him just because of his temper, and then he met Caroline. Stefan felt his heart ache. The most feared god in Mystic Falls found love, and it changed him. He still had a temper, but it was tempered with the love of the Goddess of Spring.

Damon sighed. "Rebekah will be there." He replied, wiggling his eyebrows.

Stefan snapped out of his thoughts, and frowned. "Why should I care?" He asked, standing up, and moving to leave the room.

"Come on, Stefan." Damon called out with a slight fake whine in his voice. "You can't hide your feelings from me. I'm your brother!" He shouted, watching Stefan halt in the doorway.

Stefan slowly turned around. "Whatever my feelings for her, Damon, she will never share them." He whispered, coldly.

Damon's brow furrowed. "Why because you're scared?" He asked, throwing his arms outward.

Stefan shook his head. "No, because I'm a monster." He whispered, turning around and leaving his brother alone in the armory.

Damon shook his head. "No, you're not, Stefan, and she knows it." He whispered, stretching his arm out, allowing his trident to fly to him.

He shook his head and disappeared from the room. "You'll see." He added before he disappeared in a flash of light.

Stefan unlocked the door to his gallery, and entered the room quickly before locking the door behind him. He flicked his wrist, and waited until the fire spread around the room in the oil trenches lining the walls, giving light to a room that was dark.

He sighed as he approached the middle sculpture. It was his masterpiece, and yet it stayed hidden. He couldn't allow anyone to see this work, not even his brother.

Lifting his right hand, he touched the iron sculpture and caressed the face of the image with delicate fingers.

He dropped his hand, and sighed. "It's hopeless." He whispered, shaking his head and turning away from the statue, before leaving the room as quickly as he could.

~XXX~

Rebekah sighed as she placed a rose in her blonde hair, which was braided to perfection, leaving some strands hanging down untouched.

She closed her eyes, and bowed her head. It was no use. She was never going to accomplish what she wished to.

"You look beautiful, my dear."

She opened her eyes, and turned to her mother, who was dressed in her traditional robes. "Thank you, mother."

Esther smiled, and entered the room. "Dear, you have been remained in this room for a few weeks, ever since Caroline gave birth, now talk to me." She whispered, grasping her daughter's hands in hers.

Rebekah sighed, and pulled her hands from her mother's before moving to her bed. "Would you mind terribly if I missed the Christening?" She asked, sadly.

Esther gazed at her curiously. "I thought you loved your little niece." She replied, sitting next to her daughter.

Rebekah nodded. "I do, mother, and I love Caroline and Nik, but…" She trailed off, biting her lip.

Esther smiled. "You don't know if he will be there." She concluded, watching Rebekah's eyes widened. "Yes, I know of your feelings for him, and no, I don't object to them. He is a fine man, my dear." She replied, with a smile.

Rebekah blushed and dipped her head. "Every time I try to talk to him, he always turns away, mother, and it hurts. I'm tired of the pain, mother." She whispered, tears filling her eyes.

Esther shook her head, and stroked her daughter face, wiping the tears away. "He's afraid, my dear."

Rebekah shook her head. "But he doesn't need to be!" She shouted, standing up. "He's the most caring, handsome man I know, and I care very deeply for him!" She added, fury flashing in her blue eyes.

Esther nodded. "Then show him, Rebekah." She replied, standing up. "Show him that you do care, don't give up on him." She stated, touching her daughter's chin lightly.

Rebekah sighed, and bowed her head. She gave a slight nod before smiling weakly. "I'll try." She whispered, turning to leave the room.

Esther sighed as the door closed behind her daughter.

"The time is coming, Esther."

Esther sighed, and nodded before turning to Ayanna, who was standing on the small balcony of Rebekah's room. "Will they be ready?" She asked, worriedly.

Ayanna sighed. "They will have to be." She answered, grimly.

Esther frowned. "I thought all of this was over when Niklaus and Caroline defeated Mikael." She whispered, stepping out onto the balcony.

Ayanna sighed. "Mikael was just the first, Esther. There are many others who will take his place as a threat to this family." She stated, sternly.

Esther sighed, as she gripped the railing. "How many more?" She asked, in a distant tone.

Ayanna shook her head. "We do not know, but the one coming is the one who Stefan will have to face, and he cannot do it alone."

"I know." Esther whispered, as she nodded. "How long do we have?" She asked after a moment.

Ayanna sighed. "A month or a week, we do not know, our sight is being blocked by something we do not understand." She replied with slight worry.

Esther turned to face the Bennett. "That has never happened before." She whispered, watching Ayanna shake her head.

"No, it hasn't." She returned, gravelly.

Esther sighed and closed her eyes. "Silas."

Ayanna nodded. "We believe so, which is why we must hurry, with our sight blocked, we do not know how long we have, and Stefan still does not listen to us." She replied, sadly.

Esther shook her head. "We can only hope he will before the time comes." She whispered, glancing out into the clouds towards the Earth below.

Ayanna sighed. "He will listen when love is threatened." She replied, in a distant tone.

Esther sighed with sorrow lining her features. "If it must be." She whispered, tears filling her eyes.

"It will be." Ayanna finished, touching Esther's arm lightly. "Have faith, my Queen." She whispered, with a tender smile. "That is the only thing to keep during this time." She stated, stepping back and disappearing.

Esther sighed, and bowed her head. "I have faith, but which faith do I have?" She asked herself. "Good or Bad?"

PLEASE NO HARSH COMMENTS!

As you may have guessed, this is after the birth of Klaus and Caroline's child. I'm in the process of finishing it up. I hope to have that ficlet up soon, so...

I know this chapter is a little blah, but I hope the next chapter will pick up and be much better, I ask that you continue your support! It means so much to this writer!

Until Next Time...