I don't own anything.
A/N: Alright it's time for another update but first off I want to thank my reviewers from last week; David Fishwick, babyshan211, Reighn Venhem 33704 and frangefolie. I hope everyone enjoys this new update and please remember to Review, they make a writer's world go round.
Baby S
Chapter Eight
Bonnie carefully carried Stefan down to the basement, she could hear him stirring while up in mid-air and she wanted to make sure that she had him safely behind the cellar door before he woke up. She still couldn't forget the way that he had looked at her right before passing out at the bottom of the stairs outside. She could tell just by looking in his eyes that he had been forced to do some terrible things and she wanted to make sure that she stopped him before he did something that he would really regret. Pushing open the cellar door, she stepped aside and floated Stefan's body inside and gently laid him on the floor. Reaching out, she slammed the door shut and released a tired sigh and leaned against the wall. Closing her eyes, she slid down the wall while keeping her gaze locked in on Stefan. She barely looked up as Elena came running down the stairs. "I called Damon, him and Caroline are on their way back here."
"Good, maybe I can send Caroline to go and check out that vampire attack that her mother called me about although I'm sure I know who did it." Bonnie whispered as she looked over at Stefan who was fidgeting.
"Are you saying Stefan did it?"
"I don't want to believe it but he's the only vampire I've seen tonight with fresh human blood coating the entire front of their clothing." Bonnie whispered back as she kept her eyes on Stefan, silently wondering if the real Stefan, the one she cared for would be there. Or would this so-called ripper Stefan be there.
"How long ago did you call, Damon?"
"A few minutes ago," Elena said softly as she stood up and walked over to the cellar door. "Why?" Bonnie opened her mouth to say something but saw Stefan lifting his head up just a bit. The next thing Elena and Bonnie knew Stefan was at the door of the cellar glaring at them both.
"Why do you guys have me locked in here?" he asked, his voice eerily calm. "Bonnie let me out of here."
"That won't be happening until the human blood in your system washes out." she stated as she looked up at him while remaining at her spot on the floor. "Elena you better step back alright, he doesn't look reasonably."
"He knows I love him, Bonnie." Elena said with confidence as she looked at Stefan with a small smile. "He wouldn't hurt me." Stefan nodded his head rapidly as he looked at Elena while wrapped his hands around the cellar bars.
"Elena!" Stefan turned slightly and looked at Bonnie.
"She's right you know I wouldn't hurt her unless," he paused then and turned his gaze back on Elena. "Unless she done something with Damon." Elena stopped mid-stride at Stefan's words and looked at him completely dumbfounded, her mind instantly going a mile a minute as she looked at him. How did he know about the kiss? He had already been taken by Klaus. Did Katherine tell him about the kiss she walked in on. Did-. Her thoughts were broken up by a dangerously low animalistic growl. She looked back at Stefan and saw that he was completely vamped out. "You did do something with him." he accused angrily as he glared at her. He banged the cell bars a few times in rage before stepping back and shaking his head. "All this time I've been waiting for you guys to rescue me and you were with my brother." Bonnie's mouth had dropped open in complete shock over this latest development. She honestly couldn't believe it but now she knew. Now she knew why sometimes when Damon and Elena thought no one was looking they gave each other looks of pure guilt.
"Stefan calm down please." Elena whispered as she moved over the cell door.
"Don't you tell me to calm down." he snapped back as he looked at her. "Klaus was right the entire time, you're related to Katherine and-." he trailed off clutching his head in complete agony. Pushing herself up from the floor, Bonnie walked over to Elena and laid her hand on her friend's back while looking at Stefan.
"Maybe you should go upstairs and-."
"No, Bonnie. I need to be down here so I can-."
"I don't want you here." Stefan snarled out from the cell as he looked at her with tears in his eyes, Elena's mouth dropped open in shock as she studied the pain and rage in his face. She gulped a bit and looked back at Bonnie.
"I'll just. . .I'll just be upstairs." Bonnie nodded and watched her go. As soon as Elena disappeared Stefan's spoke up.
"Did you know?" he asked and Bonnie could hear the accusations in his voice. Even if she did know did he really think she would sit by and allow them to disrespect him and his sacrifice. Walking towards the cell, she shook her head and sat down in front of it. She studied Stefan as he sat with his back against the wall silently watching her and waiting on her reaction.
"No I didn't know but if anything happened. . .I'm sure it only happened once."
"Is that suppose to make it better?" he asked, his voice dangerously low again. Bonnie studied him for a moment before nodding her head.
"At least it didn't happen again and again. At least they had enough respect for you to stop."
"You actually think it was respect that made them stop." he muttered lowly as he looked down at his clothing, Bonnie watched as he stared in disgust at the blood that covered him from his chest down to the thighs of his blue jeans.
"Alright then what was it that made them stop?" Bonnie asked him, he lifted gaze back towards her and sighed.
"I don't know but it wasn't respect because if they respected me at all they would have never done it."
Damon and Caroline returned back to the Salvatore boarding house in record time as soon as Damon entered the house he was calling for his brother. "Stefan!" he yelled out as he entered the living room and found Elena sitting on the sofa alone and crying softly. He paused for a moment and looked around before frowning. "Where's Stefan and Bonnie?"
"She took him down to the cellar."
"What! Has the little witch lost her mind?" He growled out. "Stefan's been captured for the last few months, he doesn't need to spend his first moments back home sitting in a damn cell." Elena stood up off the sofa then and sighed.
"There was a vampire attack tonight. . .he could have been the one who. . ." she trailed off and rubbed her arms as she thought about the blood on Stefan's clothing and the enraged look in his eyes down in the cellar. She remembered that night they discovered he had been drinking human blood. The look in his eyes had been the same.
"Dammit, Sheriff Forbes is gonna come after us."
"Bonnie is probably gonna come up with a good cover story." Elena said. Damon clenched his jaw at the mention of Bonnie and rubbed a hand over his face.
"And where oh where did the good witch go before locking my brother down in the cellar." Elena looked down at the floor.
"She's still down there with him. I'm the one that he didn't want down there." she admitted softly, Damon gave her a look for a brief moment and knew instantly that his brother knew. Rubbing a hand along the back of his neck, he glanced over at Caroline.
"Stay up here with her while I go see about Stefan." Caroline just nodded her head and watched as Damon quickly left the room and headed downstairs towards the cellar. As he walked he could hear Bonnie and Stefan talking quietly. He could hear Bonnie questioning his brother and Stefan's reply.
"I suppose you're right that's not respect." Bonnie whispered as he came closer, he paused waiting for Stefan's reply but none came. He stood in the shadows for several more beats before Stefan spoke again.
"Hello Damon." Stefan called out from the cell. "You know I can smell your guilt from way over here." Damon stepped out of the shadows and looked at his brother who was sitting with his back against the wall staring coldly at him. Glancing down at the figure sitting in front of the doorway, he found Bonnie looking up at him. He could see the disappointment in her eyes and for some reason it bothered him more than he was willingly to admit.
"I'm glad you're finally home." Stefan scoffed at his words then and shook his head and looked down at the ground.
"I just bet you are." Stefan mumbled as he stared at his brother. "Bonnie can you leave us alone, I think my brother and I need to have a talk." Bonnie looked between both of them and shook her head. She didn't think it would be smart if she just left them alone down here, anything could happen and it probably would considering that Stefan had just found out about Elena and Damon.
"Bonnie go I promise nothing will happen." Damon said as he looked at his brother, standing up Bonnie gave them both one last look and then headed up the stairs. Damon waited till he had to strain to hear her footsteps before speaking. "Despite whatever it is that you think you know. . .I'm glad that you're back home."
"Are you really?" Stefan asked as he stood up from the ground. "Me being back certainly does cut into your getting with Elena scheme."
"There is no plan. . .no scheme. I'm just glad you're back." Damon said as he walked up to the cellar door only to jump back as Stefan rushed forward. "Dammit Stefan, now isn't the time for all of this. You think Klaus is gonna let us settled this little sibling spat before coming back after you." Stefan simply stared back at him.
"You know he tortured me by putting images of you and Elena together in my head during my entire stay." he mumbled as he continued to look at his brother. "I would comfort myself after he made look at those images by repeating to myself over and over again that you two wouldn't do that to me," he stated as he continued to look at his brother. "So tell me. . .when and how many times?"
"Stefan you need to calm down so-."
"Why!" Stefan shouted as he looked at his brother. "Do you think I'll take the news that you betrayed me. . .that Elena betrayed me better if I'm calm. Do you really think I'll take the news better when I'm calm." He laughed then and shook his head. "Come on, I talked to you when you were unreasonable and slightly crazed. At least return the favor."
"Fine. . .I, I mean we. . .we kissed the night you got the cure from Klaus. Nothing has ever happen since then and-."
"On the night that I gave myself over to Klaus to save your life, you betrayed me with the woman I love. . loved-." he stuttered over the word and shook his head as she backed away from the cellar down and made his way towards the back. Sitting down, he shook his head and looked back up at his brother. "Wow! I honestly didn't think you had it in you."
"It was a kiss of comfort and-."
"She couldn't kissed your forehead, your cheek. . .hell even your hand. That could have been seen as a kiss of comfort. Don't stand there and add insult to injury." Damon studied his brother a moment longer but didn't say anything.
"Stefan look-." Damon began but stopped as he saw the look in his brother's eyes as he opened his mouth. "I guess you want to be alone."
"No I'll see Bonnie and Caroline." he stated with a shrug of his shoulders. "As for you and Elena well only time can tell." Damon just nodded his head at his brother's statement and turned away from the cellar.
"I know this might not mean anything to you but we both regret what we did. If we could take it back we would." Damon stated softly before he slowly started walking out of the cellar. He paused mid-way up the stairs and sighed. "We'll be leaving you in there until the human blood works it way out of your system."
"Sure but don't except my anger to just calm itself out while I'm down here." he called back with a bitter chuckle. "Cause that won't be happening anytime soon, brother." Damon closed his eyes at those words and quickly marched back upstairs thinking about his brother and how he had just gotten him back only to lose him again due to his own selfishness.
Coming back upstairs, he was immediately greeted by Caroline and Bonnie. Behind them on the sofa he could see Elena sitting quietly by herself probably still reeling from Stefan's rejection because he knew he was certainly still reeling. "Is everything okay down there?" Caroline asked. "Can I see him?" she asked again.
"Yeah go on down there he needs a friend." Damon said, in a flash Caroline was gone leaving on Bonnie, Elena and Damon standing there in the living room. Clearing his throat, Damon looked over at Bonnie.
"What was that I heard about Sheriff Forbes?"
"Stefan killed someone when he came back here," Bonnie stated as she looked between Damon and Elena. "The evidence was all over his clothing." Damon clenched his jaw at that and sighed deeply.
"Does she think we did it."
"No, I don't believe she does." Bonnie said. "I did promise her that I would come or get either you or Caroline so-."
"Let's go." Damon said as he looked at her. Bonnie's mouth opened momentarily before closing. "Come on let's go and check it out before she comes over here with stakes and vervain." he muttered as he looked over at Elena. "Tell Caroline to give Stefan a change of clothes alright." Elena just nodded but Bonnie wondered if she had really even heard Damon. As they walked outside, Damon gave the manor one last look before heading towards his car. Bonnie trailed behind him, her eyes trained on his back. As Damon neared the trunk of his car, he stopped and looked back at her. "If you have something to say just go ahead a say it," he snapped as he turned to look at her. "Besides I'm already tired of feeling those little judgey green eyes on me."
"I don't have anything to say." Bonnie replied as she looked at him while shaking her head and making her towards the passenger door. Damon stared at her from over the hood of the car. Bonnie met his gaze head on and sighed. "I really don't. . .I think whatever Stefan said to you is all that needs to be said."
"So you think my brother hating me and Elena is all that needs to be said?" he snapped lashing out because he had too. He couldn't figure out any other way to get the large weight that had settled onto his chest at his brother's words off of him. Bonnie frowned at his statement before shaking her head.
"That is rather unfortunate but honestly what did you expect." Damon opened his mouth to say something but he just couldn't find the words. Bonnie watched him silently before continuing. "You betrayed him. . .plain and simple and the crazy part about it is that you betrayed him when he was committing one of the most selfless acts I've ever seen. He gave himself up for you and at the same time you were doing what. As far as I'm concern Stefan can be mad at you both. He's not in the wrong for feeling the way he feels." Damon studied as he reached down and opened the door.
"And what about you, are you disappointed." Bonnie gave him an indescribable look before sighing.
"In Elena yes I am because I expected better from her, as for you I can't really say that I'm surprised." With that said she slipped into the car. Damon stood outside stunned by her words. Did she really just say she expected him to betray his brother. Deciding that he wouldn't dwell on that answer and how it made him feel he climbed into the car and headed off towards the located that Sheriff Forbes had given Bonnie earlier.
It had been nearly a week since Stefan had returned and during that time he had only let Caroline and Bonnie come down into the cellar to see him. Bonnie spent almost three hours a day down in the cellar with him just talking to him and making sure he didn't feel lonely. Stefan drummed his fingers on his jean covered thighs. As Bonnie settled down in a chair that had been set up outside the cellar door. "How are you feeling today?" she asked as she looked in on him. Stefan shrugged his shoulders and graced her with a small smile.
"I'm feeling great the cold concrete soothes me just right."
"Being locked up makes you snarky." Bonnie pointed out as she shot him a look. Stefan's mouth opened for a second before shaking his head.
"I guess you're right, sorry about that." he said with a shrug as he looked at the little bar covered window. "So school's starting soon right?" he asked from his customary position in the back of the cell, resting his back against the wall.
"Yeah in about about week." Bonnie said as she watched him. "Why do you ask?"
"I wanna be out of here by then." he stated simply. "The blood has almost worked itself out of my system and I just want to be out of this cell." tilting his head back and looked up at the ceiling. "Although I'm not entirely sure I want to stay here where the betrayal happened." Bonnie nodded her head at Stefan's words. Ever since everything came out, Stefan had been quite vocal about not staying in the manor where Damon and Elena had shared their kiss.
"I'm sure you will be out of here by then, Stefan. Has Damon been-."
"Besides you Caroline has been the only one down here." he corrected before Bonnie could continue. "And yeah, she's been feeding me." he said with a small grin. "I really don't know what I would have done if you two weren't my friends."
"Well you're never have to worry about that cause we aren't going anywhere." Bonnie said with a small smile. "Later on today I'm going shopping for some school supplies do you want me to pick you up anything."
"Yeah if you can," he paused and tapped the bottom of his chin. "Hey maybe I can treat you with a back to school shopping spree just ask for my card." Bonnie slowly nodded her head not even asking him who exactly to ask because she knew. Stefan didn't want to say Damon or Elena's name so her and Caroline had to make some educated guesses about which one of them he could be talking about.
"Okay I'll think about it." she whispered, hoping that Stefan would drop it cause she certainly didn't want to considering the fact that Damon had been acting different towards her since they had that discussion on the night that Stefan was as if he was trying to prove something to her, what that was however she didn't really know.
"Please Bonnie it's my gift to you for being someone I can count on." Stefan said as he rubbed a hand over his face. Bonnie smiled at that and just nodded her head as she looked at her friend. "Besides I think it might help get that sad look off your face. I've been meaning to ask you what's wrong?"
"You noticed."
"I am your friend, Bonnie. Of course I noticed." he stated with a shake of his head. "So what's going on are you still upset about Jeremy or-."
"No I'm okay with his decision to end our relationship. . .it's more about my father being back in town." Stefan's eyes widened slightly at that, for as long as he had been in Mystic Falls he had never even seen Bonnie's father.
"And that upsets you."
"You've never met him before." she whispered with a sigh. "It's really difficult to be around him especially now since he knows I practice my witchcraft."
"That upsets him?"
"Yes, he didn't want me to get involved with witchcraft." she stated softly as she looked at him. Stefan sighed then and gave her a look.
"I'm sorry for that, Bonnie. I really wish you had a better relationship with your father. You certainly don't deserve to be out of sorts with him." Bonnie tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and nodded her head slowly.
"You're right I don't deserve it." Shrugging her shoulders, she sighed openly and just shook her head for a moment. "But that doesn't matter now. . .I only have this year to be under his care but I'm officially on my own."
"You know you have friends that are willing to help you out right."
"Yeah, Stefan I know." she stated with a small smile as she looked at him. "So while I'm out do you want me to pick you anything special."
"Naw!" he said while shaking his head. "Just the usual stuff I guess." Bonnie nodded her head and sat back in her chair. She stayed down there talking to Stefan for about another hour before she decided it was time for her to leave. As she exited the basement, she saw Damon standing there at the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.
"So when are we going shopping?" She pulled the door closed behind her before fixing him with a stare.
"Excuse me?"
"I said when will we go shopping." Bonnie frowned at that and took a look back at the door and then over at Damon.
"You were eavesdropping."
"Can't really help it," he said tapping the side of his head and flicking an earlobe. "I've got what some people call super-hearing."
"And you're also super annoying but that doesn't explain why you were eavesdropping on my conversation with Stefan," she gave him a brief look before sighing. "Wait yes it does." she said as she started to walk away. Damon quickly followed behind her as they made it to the main floor of the Salvatore manor.
"Wait," when Bonnie made no move to stop, he reached out and grabbed her arm. "Just wait a minute, I'm sorry I eavesdropped on you but since Stefan isn't talking to me eavesdropping on his little meetings with you and Caroline are the only way I can assure myself that he's getting better." Bonnie gave him a look as she continued walking towards the front door but was stopped again by Damon reaching out for her arm and holding her still.
"What now?"
"I thought I was taking you shopping?" Bonnie gave him a look while Damon only smiled back at her in that way that made her want to hit him and blush all at the same time. "Isn't that what you and Stefan agreed to down there?"
"All he said was for me to ask for his card. . .which I have no intention of doing," she paused and sighed. "I mean I won't use his money for my supplies or something like that, he doesn't need to pay me for my friendship."
"Oh really?" he asked while raising an eyebrow at her statement, Bonnie merely sighed and shook her head as they came to a stop at the front door.
"You, however have to pay for every minute." Damon shoved one hand into his pocket and pulled out a thin red credit card, while reaching out with his other hand to open the front door. Stepping aside, he looked at her and smirked.
"Well I guess I better start paying up, come on let's go shopping and no I won't take your usual 'Damon, leave me alone,' as an answer."