CHAPTER 15 – THE REAPING

-Caroline-

I know Klaus thinks I should knock, but hello, it's Bonnie's house – so I ignore his annoyed face as I open the wooden screen door and step in, pulling my reluctant husband by his hand. It was only a few years ago that entering a home was hit or miss, but Klaus spent so long as a vampire that it's almost natural for him to worry with the threshold boundary that protects humans from vampires. To this day I can still feel him relax when he's not barred by that invisible force.
I'm looking back at him, taking in his surprised smile, when I hear Allie squeal my name and before I know it she's wrapped around my waist.

"Hey ladybug!" When she looks up at me, I feel a ping of some strange emotion in my heart when I see Stefan's green eyes on her little face. "Where's your daddy and mommy?"

"Hey?!" Elena smiles, coming out of the kitchen and giving me a great big smile. "I didn't know you guys were coming!"

"Yea," I hug her, "Klaus thought you guys might need some moving help."

When Elena and I pull away, she gives Klaus a quick nod and I fight back the urge to smack her in the back of the head. I mean, come on, how long can she hold a grudge? Thankfully, Bonnie entering the living room catches me from confronting Elena about her ignorant distance with Klaus – if she only knew what he's done for her, for Stefan.

"Caroline. Klaus." Bonnie stops mid-step, stuffing something into her purse. "When did – what are you guys doing here?"

Ignoring what sounds like a not-so-thrilled-to-see-us tone of voice, I give her a quick hug, then return to Klaus' side to show him my support in this room full of apprehensive faces – noting that Allie is holding his hand… smart girl. We stand there all awkward for a bit – me trying to not look annoyed by how Elena and Bonnie keep sharing quick glances – heck, I even say something nice about the very under-decorated and quaint living room while I silently wish Stefan was here.

Finally, the odd tension in the room is broken when Allie says, "Daddy went to the store."

"Yea, actually we were about to head out." Bonnie sighs, jingling her keys in her hand – another shared look with Elena. "Jeremy agreed to watch the kids so Elena and I could grab some lunch at the Grille."

Elena and I – is that a sly way of telling me I'm not invited.

"You know, Bon, why don't you, Caroline and Klaus go – take Allie." When I see Bonnie's crooked, pursed lip glare at Elena, I know without a doubt that I was absolutely not meant to go on this girls lunch.

Don't get me wrong, I totally get that it's Klaus they are rejecting and not me per say – but Klaus and I are a package deal, so I'm slightly peeved.

I start to open my mouth and spout off at Bonnie's little know it all expression, but Elena adds, "Stefan will be home soon and we need to talk."

Seriously, another Elena-Bonnie glance. What the hell am I missing here? "Is everything okay?" I ask as I do my best inspection of their stone-straight faces.

When Elena lies, it's like she's ripping Bandaid off too slowly – it shows all over face, from her shifty eyes to raised-high eyebrows and fake smile. "Yea, fine. Just really tired from the trip. We've got a lot to discuss about apartments and all."

There's another short pause as I give Elena a 'bullshit' frown and Bonnie shifts her weight from one leg, to the other, then back again, nervously. "You guys are probably too tired to want to go out." Bonnie tries, giving Klaus and I her fakest smile.

I'm regretting coming to Mystic Falls at all when Klaus says, "You know, I have some errands to take care of in town. Why don't you and Bonnie go to lunch with Miss Alexia while I handle a bit of business, love?"

He's smiling at me, his hand low on my back, and I'm returning his grin, but we both know what's going on here – they hate him, no matter what he does or how good he is to me, they hate him – and I hate them for making the love of my life feel unwanted.

Still, I give a large exhale, extending my hand to Allie, and say, "Okay, that sounds good."

-ELENA-

Stefan: Fifteen minutes maybe. Finishing up the lease.

With still sleepy eyes from my small, but much needed hour long nap, I re-read Stefan's text, and sit up on the side of the bed.

That was only five minutes ago. I don't know why I'm feeling so upset and nervous about him coming back to Bonnie's… I mean, I do. We're going to call Damon and get 'the news', but it's more than that. It's so much more.

I need to apologize for my ignorant outburst in the plane. I need to apologize to him for being confused – again, yes I know. I tell him that I don't blame him and that I'm not angry that he slept with Katherine, then I shut him out and shut everything off…

You cannot believe the turmoil that has been doing somersaults in my stomach for two weeks now.

I want to be okay with this.

I'm not.

I want to support him through what he's going through.

But I can't get the thought of Katherine's hands on Stefan out of my head.

I look at him – my beautiful husband with his warm skin and strong, capable body – and I see all the places she touched him. I imagine her mouth on his chest and her kisses on his perfect stomach. It just gets worse from there, so I'll spare you the details… but it's Katherine that's keeping me from being able to forgive and forget.

I'm fighting all of the images in my head and making a cup of coffee when I hear a car door through the screen door and feel lighter already, just knowing Stefan is here. I don't want to argue. I don't want to be distant and cold. I just want to call Damon, get the news, and then decide where to go from here.

In the bathroom, on the plane, I told him I couldn't be with him if Katherine is pregnant… I told him I couldn't share him. I don't know if I meant it.

Until I hear the news, until the words are actually spoken – Katherine is pregnant – I'm stuck in this purgatory of the unknown.

Taking a deep breath, I exhale slowly through my nose, stand straight and force a smile when I hear him coming to the front porch – I don't notice the click-clack of high heels or the lack of our gravity until I hear her raspy voice call to Bonnie as she knocks on the door.

"Hey, Bon?" I nearly explode. Just the sound of her voice and I'm filled with anger. "Bon, it's Kat."

The screen door squeaks open and something inside of me catches fire, sending me into the living room – fueled. I have to see her face to face. My exact replica and my exact opposite.

If she's surprised to see me it doesn't show on her face.

Katherine is, as always, perfectly dressed. I find myself wanting to break away from the hard glare we share to steal a look at her stomach, but she's wearing a deep-v dress that's cinched tight with a belt high on her stomach, letting the eggplant purple material flow loosely over her body. I can't tell if she's wearing it to hide a possible baby bump or because, paired with the black ankle boots and loose curls, she looks like a Victoria's Secret model.

"Hmm, looks like my reunion with Stefan gave you enough motivation to drop a few pounds." Katherine says through a cold smile, looking me up and down.

I'm stupid for feeling happy that she noticed, but I stand a bit straighter and pull my shoulders back a little. Katherine is right, I have lost six pounds in two weeks… and it's all thanks to her. To the images of her experiencing the way My Stefan makes love to me that have kept me ill for fourteen days.

"What are you doing here, Katherine?" I ask, silently calculating how long I have until Stefan gets here and wishing that Jeremy would come in from his shop out back.

Even though I know she's not a vampire, I feel a trill of fear slip through my spine when Katherine steps closer to me, "I came to see Stefan, of course." She picks a piece of cheerio off of my shirt, left from Grayson's midmorning snack, then adds, "You of all people should know how addictive the youngest Salvatore can be."

Gritting my teeth, I roll my eyes and watch her traipse down the hallway a bit as if she's looking for something, someone maybe, "Why are you doing this Katherine? I thought you and I had called a truce…" Growing more frustrated with her callousness, my voice raises when I say, "And then you go and trick Stefan… you steal my dress and pretend you are me. For what? Why do you want to ruin us?"

"Trick, Stefan…" Katherine stops, crosses her arms and leans against the hallway doorframe, adding through her heartless grin, "is that what he told you?"

I wish I had a better poker face. Right now, in this moment with Katherine looking so confident and victorious, I don't know what to believe and I feel that heavy shadow of doubt settle into my nauseated stomach.

"Come on, Elena…"She huffs, standing straight. "You and I may look alike, but we both know that there is no way he could confuse whatever it is you do in bed, to the way I am with him."

I feel vomit gurgling in my esophagus… I want to say something back, something snide, but I cannot open my mouth for fear of puking all over myself.

"I'd be willing to bet you lay there like the stony, little boring girl that you are and let Stefan do all the work." When my mind throws back hundreds of memories of Stefan and I making love, my eyes flutter a bit when I realize that Katherine is spot on. For the most part, Stefan is always in the lead. "Yea," She chuckles, catching that tell-tale sign, "figures… how long do you think it took Stefan to notice the difference, Elena?"

I hear a car door and we both turn in unison to the screendoor – it has to be Stefan. Seconds later, I'm feeling that pull, our gravity, and it calms me just enough to say, "Stefan loves me, Katherine."

There. You horrible monster of a person. Stefan loves me… not you.

I think I've really got her. I mean, she backs up a bit, then turns to leave just as Stefan steps in – standing very cautiously and looking from me to her in rapid fire timing, back and forth – Finally stopping his worried gaze on me and saying, "Elena, what's going on?"

Katherine speaks before I can, "Oh nothing. Just some girl talk."

"You need to go." Stefan says sternly, opening the door for her to leave.

Katherine shrugs with an amused smile on her face, looks Stefan over, then turns to me again.

"I have no interest in ruining you. To be honest, I could care less." Her face changes from the carefree, soft smile to a much more threatening expression when she steps to me and says, "But I swear to you, Elena, if you mention any of this to Damon, I will kill you and everyone you have ever met… then I'll take Stefan and you're sweet little family, and you can rot in this little town all alone like you were meant to before Stefan pulled you from that car."

"Katherine." Stefan says her name like a warning, but I'm still frightened of her. I believe her. Every word. Vampire or not, she is as dangerous as ever… how I wish I would have listened to Stefan when he told me those same exact words.

"No one wants you here, Katherine." I try in a forced smirk. I don't even finish the sentence before I know it's failed, flat on the floor and completely unconvincing due to my shaky voice.

Still, Katherine turns to go… I guess she's got what she came here for. To reinforce my silence.

I watch her go, thankful that she's nearly out the door, but then she stops – right in front of Stefan who is still holding the screen door with an outstretched arm.

I want to cross the room and rip her eyes from her head when I see her look at his mouth, then down his body in that slow, craving way that I recognize so well… only because it's the same way I look at him.

"Oh, I think someone wants me." She teases, lightly strumming her fingertips on Stefan's stomach before he pushes her hand away. "Listen Elena," Katherine leans back against the frame, pushing her hips out towards Stefan's body in a suggestive way. "You're right, Stefan does love you, but don't be stupid… You may have his heart…" Again, she looks at Stefan, but this time right into his eyes and he's looking down into hers and for the life of me I cannot deny that they look sexy together…wanton, almost. "…but I will always have his body."

-Stefan-

When I walked in and saw both Elena and Katherine standing before me, I'll be honest, it took me a moment to realize which was which, to realize I was awake! Just like my nightmares… there they were; both beautiful, both able to break me in unimaginable ways.

Thankfully, in reality I can spot the innocence and compassion in Elena's eyes – feel our frequency – and I was able to tell the two of them apart before I mentally cracked.

"Elena…" What can I say? Sorry that she came over and rubbed what I did in your face? I'm sorry that my ex-girlfriend is psychotic?

"Is she right?" Elena snaps, glaring at me, crossing her arms.

Of course, she's angry. How could she not be… "Elena, I'm so –"

"She seems to think you knew exactly which one of us it was you were screwing!" Elena screams… literally screams, and I barely pick up the sound of Caroline's voice over Elena's fury and the blood beginning to rush behind my ear drums.

She's angry. I understand. I know that. But, to accuse me of right out cheating on her… I'm going to have to keep myself in check to get through this without losing my cool. It's a small miracle that Caroline is here… her presence will help.

-Katherine-

Great. His little minion is here. Caroline, The Original First Wife, Mikaelson. And she's with Bonnie, my stupid, naive puppet. I tell you, drop a couple of tears and Bonnie comes running to save the day. Stupid Bitches.

"Bonnie, hey…" I sigh, shrugging and giving my best 'poor little ol' me' frown as I head to my car, hanging my head in faux-defeat.

From the weak smile I get from her, I know Bonnie is still on my side but Caroline walks right past me, knocking her shoulder into mine as she goes by.

It takes every ounce of willpower I have not to turn around and break her neck, but then all of this would be for nothing and I can't risk that. Not until I find out if being a few days late means I'm pregnant, or if it's just another false alarm set off by a faulty 500 year old biological clock.

Bonnie scolds Caroline for her attitude, then comes to me and rubs my arm with her hand, asks if I'm okay.

You'd think it was Bonnie who suffered from memory loss and not Elena! But then again, I've been playing Bonnie for six years… I've lived long enough to know that vampire or no, it's always best to get the witch on your side.

"I'm fine, just… it's hard…" I bite my lip and wipe at a not-there tear for accent, "Stefan's in there."

The look on Bonnie's face gives me pause. It's uneasy, or worried maybe, I can't quite tell… but she takes her hand from my arm and looks at me for a long moment as I try and replay if maybe I laid it on too thick. I'm just about to try and pull it back, maybe add an 'oh this is a strange situation' chuckle when Bonnie's hand finds my arm again.

She gives it a gentle squeeze and smiles at me – a big, happy, excited smile.

-Elena-

"Tell me!" I yell. I'm yelling. I've lost control of my temper and I'm yelling at my husband with my brother standing behind me and Caroline coming in the front door – it's like she's in Stefan's corner and Jeremy is in mine. "Tell me, Stefan! Say something!"

His voice is quiet, but full – I know he's having trouble keeping his cool demeanor, "What am I supposed to say, Elena?"

"Anything! Say something! Answer the question!" Stefan is looking at me, but not in my eyes – still, I can feel his burning hot skin from this distance. "Did you know it was Katherine? Because she's right, you know, surely you should have been able to tell it was her and not me!"

"Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?" He asks, his voice restrained – his neck flexed tight and his hands in tight fists at his side. "Ever? In seven years, Elena… after everything. Have I lied to you?"

No he hasn't. Not really… but he's never slept with another girl either. "Then you're saying there was no difference?" I shrug, disgusted by my tone of voice and the bitter taste that these words are leaving in my mouth. "Having sex with Katherine is just like making love to me, then?"

"You slept with Katherine – what the hell, Stefan?" Jeremy gasps from behind me just as Bonnie slips in behind Caroline – taking long, silent strides she makes her way over to my corner to view this fight.

Stefan looks over my shoulder – looking hard at my little brother, threatening almost – and it just makes me even more angry. I step into his glare and when his gaze finds my eyes, I lose a little bit of my strong-girl guise from the burn of his eyes. Stefan is raging now.

"I did not know it was her, Elena." He says, monotone – deep and raw.

I roll my eyes. It's uncontrollable… I do not believe him. Not right now. Not as angry as I am.

"You think I'm lying?" He huffs, shaking his head, licking his lips. "I tell you that it happened in the first place. I could have let it go. Instead I confess to you what happened because I love you enough that I don't want to deceive you, but you think I'd lie about this?"

I swallow hard – I know something terrible is about to escape me. My heart isn't beating in the right rhythm even. Before I even open my mouth, I regret what I'm about to say.

"You've never been good at control, Stefan… so who knows?" My smirky tone hits him and I watch his chest expand at the same time something in his eyes changes.

"Elena!" Caroline scolds me from behind my husband.

-Stefan-

I want to burn this house down. Truly, I feel every bit of a monster as I ever have… the need to annihilate.

I consider my options. Run them through very quickly, landing quickly on my decision and doing everything I can not to stare at Elena with this mixture of hurt and rage I'm feeling.

"Ok." I nod, bite at my top lip – praying that I won't strangle Jeremy as I move past Elena. "Ok, fine."

Stopping in front of Bonnie, my fist tingles for the impact against Jeremy's head, but I refuse to lose control… not now, not after Elena has used my darkest guilt against me. "Bonnie, spell me to tell the truth." I say through a clenched jaw.

Stepping back against the kitchen bar, Bonnie shakes her head, "No," Her hazel eyes dance around the room – to Elena, to Jeremy, back to me. "No, Stefan."

"You're scared of me?" I huff.

How did this happen? How did I end up in this place – where Elena believes me to be an adulterer and Bonnie thinks I would hurt her… after all these years?

"Katherine said-" She starts to say something but just hearing her name sets me off and I have to put my hand against the wall near Bonnie's head to keep from punching a hole through the sheetrock.

"I don't care what she said." It's almost a growl, the words that come out of me. "Do the spell, Bonnie."

"Stefan…" Bonnie shrinks away again.

I lean in closer and take her by the wrist, placing her hand on my head in the same way Elena told me Bonnie had done to Damon when she confronted him about her mother.

I'm only a few inches away from her face, my jaw so tight that it's sending sharp pains down my neck. It's a quiet, angry whisper – just loud enough for Bonnie to hear – when I say, "Do. It. Bonnie."

-Caroline-

I know that it was Stefan's idea, but when Bonnie finishes her latin jiberish, I'm so angry with her and Elena that I want to drag them both outside! It's a good thing Bonnie and I took Allie to Klaus – the instant Bonnie told me about Katherine's ridiculous lies, I knew I'd better get back here and that Allie should be no where near the sure to come explosion.

Looking at Stefan – rigid, raging – and Elena with her snarled face and crossed arms, I couldn't have been more right.

"Go on, Elena." Stefan is trying to stay cool-headed, forcing a calm tone, but that underlying anger is making his voice gravely despite his best attempts. "Ask me anything. I can't lie now."

I wonder if she can tell what this is doing to Stefan – if Elena understands what this means to him? The way she's called him out infront of all of us. I wonder if she realizes that going along with this – by interrogating him in this way – she's destroying their trust.

Holding my breath, praying Elena lets it go, I nearly scream at her when Elena says in a cool, monotone voice, "Did you know it was Katherine?"

Stefan's eyes cut to me for the slightest of seconds and I know I was right… she's ruined everything they had. He's done nothing but love her, cherish her, fight to the death for her, and yet she still does not trust him.

"No." Stefan responds flatly.

I see Bonnie and Elena both relax – happy with his answer – while Stefan and I seem to bow up a bit more at the mere fact that they needed him to be spelled in order to believe him!

"Did you enjoy it?" Elena asks, her voice catching everyone off guard. "Is it better with Katherine that with me?"

"Elena, stop…" I try, but Stefan answers her anyway and I don't know if he wants to answer or if the spell is forcing him.

"I did enjoy it. I thought it was you, Elena." Running his hand over his forehead roughly, Stefan pops his neck, then adds, "It's not better. It's… it's different."

Bonnie and I catch each other's gaze for a moment and I have to force myself not to say 'I told you so!' – Stefan would never rape anyone! Never. Ever. No. Way.

But once again, Elena's voice breaks the heavy silence.

"Different how?"

I huff loud, everyone's head turning towards me – everyone but Stefan… he's locked on Elena. "Seriously, Elena… you're going to do this here? Now? With everyone around?"

"He wanted this." Bonnie says, gesturing towards Stefan – flexed and still glaring at Elena.

"She talks. She says things to me." Stefan's voice hurts me… I can't see his face but the pain he's feeling is audible, yet Elena seems numb to it. "Katherine is dominating. Tells me what she wants me to do. Does what she wants to me."

"That's enough, Elena." I frown – so incredibly sorry that Stefan is going through this. When he looks back at me, I see the shame on his face – the disgust for himself.

"Stay out of it, Caroline." Bonnie snaps.

I laugh. "You're kidding me, right? You believed Katherine when she said Stefan raped her, Bonnie!"

Elena looks at me like I've slapped her – I should. I should slap her. – but Stefan looks down at the floor. I can't take it anymore and go to him, my best friend.

"She said what?" Elena gasps, looking to me, then Bonnie, then Stefan. "Stefan…"

For a moment, Stefan looks at me, his brow furrowed, his green eyes full of pain – his face is so telling of his pain that I actual feel it. I feel it in my stomach… I cannot imagine what he's going through.

"What, Elena? Do you need to hear me say it? Really?" He shrugs, defeated. "I did not rape Katherine."

"End this, Bonnie." I say through gritted teeth – more than willing to force my hand if needed. There will be no more interrogation.

Stefan doesn't look at Bonnie when she takes his head in her hands. I hate her. I hate Elena.

"How could you do this to him, Elena?" I ask. "It's Stefan! Stefan!"

She shakes her head, pushes her hair behind her ears with both hands before shoving them into her pockets. "I had to know…"

"You did know! He told you!" It's almost a shriek. I mean, everyone gave her a pass when she was compelled, but she's no longer suffering from memory loss. Surely she remembers every single time Stefan saved her life. Saved my life. Jeremy's life. Bonnie's life. Every time he put himself on the line for her wants, her needs, her desires, her wishes.

"Look. Damon sent us a message about some news and I've been really upset about it, okay?" Elena messes with her hair again, looks over at Stefan, now free of the spell. "Katherine tricked Stefan because she's trying to get pregnant and-"

Stefan interrupts her, "So now Katherine tricked me… at least were straight on that."

"Stefan…" Elena sighs, reaching a hand out to him. I almost miss how he gingerly moves away from her touch as I rack my brain for what Damon's news could be.

When it hits me, I blurt it out. "My mom hired Damon!" I smile like an idiot when I see their faces almost light up. "He needed a job to help him be a better qualified candidate for law school, so he talked to my mom and she's hired him to work as a deputy!"

My cheery tone and smiling face is so out of place, but I can't help it – I feel like I've just won a spelling bee or something!

Elena smiles at Stefan, "That's got to be it…", then tries to touch his arm again.

"Don't." Stefan moves away again, this time with much less slyness. "Don't touch me, Elena."

The room suddenly gets heavy… thick.

When Stefan gets angry, the entire atmosphere changes to fit his mood. I'm his best friend, I know him better than anyone – Even Elena apparently – and yet I still feel a bit alarmed, stepping back from him without even realizing it.

Elena smiles through her confused frown, "It's fine. Damon was probably wanting to tell you about his job…"

Stefan nods, licks at his lips, then looks over to Jeremy. "You and I need to talk, Jeremy. Very soon."

"About what?" Bonnie asks, and I wonder if she notices the strange look on Jeremy's face.

"Look, Elena, I understand that you're mad. Of course you're mad. I'm mad." Stefan shakes his hands at Elena. "But this was too far. If you can't trust me, then I don't know what we're doing here."

I'm pretty sure the four of us all stop breathing at the same time.

"Have I ever asked you those questions about when you slept with Damon?" Stefan shrugs, "Have I ever asked you to go through that? No. I would never ask you to do something like just to satisfy my curiosity…"

"I'm sorry…" Elena tries again, "It's just she came over here and she said-"

"I know. I was here, Elena." Stefan interrupts with a crude laugh. "Do you ever stop and wonder how some of the things you do make me feel? Have you ever considered putting me first?"

She huffs, blinks rapidly, "I don't know where this is coming from…" then looks to me and Bonnie and Jeremy as if she's suddenly embarrassed that we are watching.

Stefan catches it. "It was fine for them to be here when you questioned me, but not when I bring up something about you?"

"That's not fair, Stefan. I was angry!" Elena's voice raises in pitch, a key that she is getting upset, but Stefan continues.

"I am angry, Elena!" Stefan says through gritted teeth. "I'm angry and I'm tired of not being enough for you! I'm sick of the constant reminder that you do not love me the way I love you!"

"What? Stefan!" Elena's mouth gapes open for a moment, her eyes wide. "You know I love you!"

"Yea." He huffs, "You love me so long as I never make a mistake. So long as I walk the very thin line you've drawn… Elena. Elena, I love you. I love you more than you can understand, but I can't go on like this."

"Stefan." Elena and I both say his name, at the same time, in short whispers.

"I love you. You own me." Stefan reaches out like he may touch Elena's face, but stops just short, dropping his hands at his side. "But I'm not perfect, Elena. I want to be. I want to be perfect for you. Caroline might be right, maybe that's his news… but if she's pregnant, then what?"

I watch Elena's mouth open, I wait for her to tell him that they'll figure something out, that they will work through it, but she says nothing… just silently shrugs.

Bonnie steps away from Jeremy, catching everyone's attention.

"Um. Elena." Bonnie frowns, "I.. I sensed it. Just now, outside… she's pregnant."

Elena changes – immediately she's different, digesting Bonnie's words – She seems callused, off-putting. Coiled and cold.

Stefan gives a sad, almost knowing smile, lacing his hands together in front of him. "You know, after Spain… when you slept with Damon, I never once considered ending things between us. Then in Miami." I don't realize it until later on that Stefan is spinning his wedding ring around on his ring finger as he talks. "It had only been four months… four months and you were engaged to him. It didn't change how I felt about you though. I loved you. No matter what. Through everything…"

"You loved me?" Elena's voice cracks. I feel like I should go to her. Or go to him. But I'm stuck… frozen and watching Stefan and Elena crumbling. "What does that mean? You loved me?"

"I can't do this, Elena." Stefan says softly, slipping off his ring. "It doesn't matter how much I love you, or how hard I try to love you in the way you need me too… because it's one-sided."

Elena's hand is shaking violently as she reaches out, meeting his steady hand and taking the ring from him.

When Stefan holds her hand for a moment too long, I feel a tear slip down my cheek. I cannot imagine what this must be doing to him. To her.

He turns away, headed towards the door, leaving the room silent.

"So that's it?" Elena calls to him, just before Stefan steps onto the porch. "It's over? We're finished?"

Facing away, Stefan turns in place and looks right at Elena – he looks at her for a long moment, then says in his graveled voice, "That's what I mean, Elena… you don't get it. You don't understand what it's like to love someone the way I love you… forever, no matter what… For me, you and I will always be unfinished."

***MORE TO COME***

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