Tangled: I Want You To Stay

Chapter Two

"Stefan..."

My voice cuts through the awkward silence that has quickly settled in the small motel room, but is immediately quieted by Stefan's gruff response.

"Caroline, don't."

I sigh audibly, annoyed with the stubborn vampire who has chosen to take a seat in one of the two arm chairs at the tiny wooden dining table and ignore me rather than let me explain myself. I would like to point out to Stefan that he's behaving entire too childish for a nearly one-hundred and fifty year old vampire, but since I'm currently stomping over to the mini-fridge to grab a blood bag, I'm in no position to judge. After obtaining a bag of my favorite blood, B-positive, I perch on the edge of the bed and turn on the television. While popping off the top of the blood bag with my teeth, I search for something to watch, effectively joining Stefan's stupid Game of Silence. I deliberately choose a show I recall Stefan telling me he hated one time, and I nearly smile when I see it will be on for the next three hours.

.

"Caroline, do we have to watch this?"

I blink a few times, my eyes dry from staring so long and not really seeing, and focus on Stefan when I notice he's talking to me. I'm having a hard time staying awake at this late hour, despite being told by Stefan again and again that as a new vampire I don't need as much sleep as I used to. I guess it's just habit, because every night when it reaches midnight, my eyes start to droop.

"I didn't realize you were even watching," I comment, motioning towards his open school notebook on the table, "I thought you were doing homework."

"I'm finished," Stefan shrugs.

I settle my eyes on the TV screen again, wondering what could be on that is annoying Stefan enough for him to request I change it. He doesn't ever protest to the shows I watch. He actually watched America's Next Top Model with me a few times. Okay...I guess since he's a guy that's not really a good example. I mean, there are sexy ladies strutting their stuff, so what could he really have to complain about? Well, he also sat through most of The Notebook with Elena and I, so that has to count for something.

"What's wrong with this?" I ask Stefan as I point to the TV, a curious smile on my lips.

"It's...stupid."

I raise an eyebrow and repeat, "Stupid?" I blink rapidly a few times, unable to comprehend what he just said. "First of all," I say, once I've gathered my thoughts, "that's not even a real answer. Second, this show happens to be hilarious! You, my friend, have no sense of humor."

"I do too have a sense of humor," Stefan protests, "But this is crap. This is, what, Season 7, and he still hasn't met the 'Mother'? Why name a show something and never actually do it? The whole show is ridiculous. The main guy is an idiot. And he's supposed to be telling these stories to his kids? Most of them are crazy sex-capades that don't even involve the kids' mom. Why would a man want to share every sexual experience he's ever had with his teenage son and daughter?"

"Hold up, wait a minute..." I cut in, resisting the urge to add 'put a little BOOM in it', because the cheerleader in me just can't seem to understand that isn't something to go blurting around off the football field. Anyways, what was I doing? Oh, right, "Stefan, did you just say 'crazy sex-capades'?" I watch Stefan's face freeze, bracing himself for the inevitable...Me laughing in his face. "No way...you really must hate this show. Well, while I completely disagree with you, Mister Salvatore, I'll be a good hostess and accomodate my guest." I hand over the remote for the television and suggest, "You choose something."

Stefan smiles and takes the controller, pressing the Guide to browse for a different show. I readjust my position on the couch, curling my feet up beneath me and grabbing a pillow to rest my head on. I shove it between Stefan and I and cuddle closer to him. He raises an eyebrow at me, but doesn't complain, so I press the pillow against his arm and lay down on it, sighing in contentment. I almost tell him that his arm would probably make an even better pillow by itself, but that would be so innapropriate. I bite my tongue, and simply remind myself that Stefan is my friend and Elena's boyfriend. I can sometimes get distracted by those bulging arm muscles but I'd never come between them.

.

One blood bag, two Hot Pockets, and three hours of silence later...I realize I'm not going to be winning this Game of Silence. Stefan knows me too well. He knows I can't handle being given the silent treatment! He knows what his silence must be doing to my mind, and how hard I'm trying to pretend I'm watching this stupid show when I'm really just staring and thinking. Stefan always said I was a loud thinker. I can't help it. My self-control is wavering, my body practically twitching as I try and hold back from screaming out loud, 'Guess what?! You kissed me back, so stop acting like this whole awkward mess is all MY fault!' But I don't say that. I can't say that. I want to hide my face in my hands for even thinking it.

"Just say it."

My eyes snap over to Stefan in shock.

"Excuse me?" I ask, a small frown forming on my forehead.

"You're obviously about to explode or something if you don't speak, so just say it." Stefan elaborates, his tone indifferent, like he doesn't care what I have to say anyways.

For a moment, I'm tempted to huff and cross my arms and return my eyes to the television simply to push his buttons. I decide against it. He's given me permission to talk; I should definitely be taking him up on his offer.

Finally, I say what I've been wanting to tell him for two months now, "I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. I was a mess-" Still am, for the record. -"and I wanted to get away. I know Klaus wasn't the wisest or safest choice, but he offered me an out."

"Look where that got you," Stefan points out with a roll of his eyes, and I know he at least agrees that what I did wasn't smart.

I glare at him, adding the second part of the reason I accepted Klaus' ticket out of Mystic Falls, "I also hoped it would keep him away from Elena, Stefan. I didn't realize he'd bring me to some cheap motel and compel me to stay here until I trust him enough to travel the world with him." I fear the pout on my lips must give away how disappointed I am my plan didn't work in my favor.

Stefan stares at me and he looks like the old Stefan I miss so badly at this moment. I almost think he's going to smile and reassure me we'll figure out a way to get me out of this mess, before the situation with Klaus gets even stickier. He doesn't, though. He mutters, "That was stupid. Do all of you girls have a martyr complex?"

I frown at his comment, and then suddenly I realize that since he's broken his silent treatment, I should use this moment to ask him to tell me everything that's been going on in Mystic Falls since I've been gone. Klaus said he'd only be gone a few hours, and it's already been over three...

"How is Elena?" I ask, since he brought up the martyr thing, and we both know Elena is usually the one willing to lay down her life for her family and friends. "What did her and Bonnie do? What did they take from Klaus? And why did Tyler leave? Do you know what he's planning? Is he trying to break the sire bond? Is it possible?"

When I pause to take a breath, Stefan teases drily, "I almost forgot how much you talk. God this is going to be a long night."

Instead of taking offense, I cock my head to the side and grin, pointing out, "Why Stefan, did you just make a joke at my expense?"

"Maybe," Stefan smirks. It might be a Damon-thing, but it is a form of smiling, so it's a start. Right? He can't be all gone if he can still smile.

"We're going to kill him, Caroline." Stefan doesn't say it, but it's obvious he means Klaus.

"Is it a good idea to be planning something like that when you're under his compulsion?" I wonder, worrying for Stefan's safety first. My mind is also worrying about other things, like what that means for me, and why Stefan is choosing to tell me this now.

"I'm on vervain," Stefan admits.

"What? How?" I remember how badly it burns to the touch, and I can't imagine how Stefan could possibly drink any of that vampire poison.

Stefan shrugs off my questions. I ask one more. "When?" I want to know if he was on vervain the night Klaus ordered Stefan to turn off his humanity and made him attack Elena. He nearly killed her.

"About a month now," Stefan answers.

He wasn't, then. I knew it. There's no way he'd have been able to attack Elena if he was only pretending to go along with Klaus' compulsion. Stefan is the Ripper.

"Stefan..." I was going to bring up our little incident the night I left town again, but at the warning glare from Stefan, I switch my train of thought, "You should know...Klaus told me that whatever Elena and Bonnie took from him has the ability to wipe out the entire vampire race. I don't know what it is, but if they're not careful, they're not just going to kill Klaus; they're going to kill all of us."

Stefan clenches his jaw, his hands forming a fist out of pure frustration, I'm sure. I can't blame him for getting upset by the news. I don't know what made my Mystic Falls friends think they were close to killing Klaus, but it has to be infuriating to be told there's a hitch in the plan. I wish I knew what it is they were planning. I wish I could help, but what can I do from trapped inside this room? I can't do anything.

"Great." Stefan sighs, his words clipped, "Klaus took my cell. I can't get it back until the week is up." He runs his fingers through his hair before catching sight of the motel phone on the bed-side table. "Is that working?"

"Only for calls to the front desk." I regretfully inform him. "Klaus made sure I couldn't make any outside calls." Bastard took my cell phone too. There's no way to call Bonnie and Elena now to warn them to be careful.

After a very long pause, Stefan abruptly stands up, deciding, "Well, there's gotta be a pay phone nearby. I'm going to make a call."

"What?" I jump up from my seat on the bed as well. "You can't leave, Stefan. Klaus could come back. He'll know you tricked him. He'll be furious. He'll kill you."

"I don't care what he does to me, Caroline," Stefan replies nonchallantly. "I'll only be gone a few minutes. He won't know." Stefan narrows his eyes at me as he adds, "Unless you tell him."

"I'm not going to rat you out, Stefan," I say indignantly, "But unlike you, I'm not on vervain. Klaus can compel me. And he just might to see what happened while he was gone."

Stefan seems to consider my words as he stares me down coldly. "Fine, we'll play it your way, then, Caroline." Stefan strides over to the motel phone and picks it up, dialing zero. I hear the phone ring a few times before being picked up at the front desk. Stefan requests a few extra towels be brought to the room. Then he hangs up the phone and smirks at me knowingly.

"What do you need extra towels for?" I ask curiously.

Stefan simply shrugs, not giving me any answer whatsoever, and positions himself by the door to wait. When the knock comes, he swings the door open right away, revealing the tired-looking, thirty-something year old woman who I think might be the only maid who works here. She has four neatly folded white towels in her hands, which she extends towards Stefan, a bored expression on her face.

"Thank you very much, my dear," Stefan says politely, a gracious smile on his face. "Could you put them in the bathroom?"

I am instantly worried for the mousy-haired brunette. What is Stefan going to do to her? He might be putting on an act, but I can see right through it. Stefan is unstable. He shouldn't be around humans right now, not when he can't control his blood lust. But he only wants her cell phone, right? He only wants to see if she has a cell so that he can call Elena and warn her to be careful. Right?

The maid steps into the room and starts towards the bathroom, Stefan on her heels. I follow them with my eyes, ready to jump in if Stefan tries anything stupid. I warn him quietly, much too quiet for the woman to hear but loud enough for Stefan's vampire hearing, "Klaus compelled the help, too. She won't give you her phone."

"Then I'll take it from her," Stefan says, his words attracting the attention of the over-worked maid.

She turns as she places the towels on the rack above the toilet and frowns, "Pardon?"

Suddenly, Stefan flashes over to the woman, spinning her around to hold her firmly against his chest. Her brown eyes widen and she looks over at me with pure terror as Stefan places a hand on her throat. She seems to be begging me with her eyes to do something to stop whatever is happened. Over her shoulder, I see Stefan's eyes darken as the black veins creep across his face.

"Stefan..." I warn, "Don't do anything you're going to regret."

Ignoring me, Stefan speaks into the brunette's ear, "Do you have your cell phone on you?"

"Yes," She replies with a nearly inaudible whisper. She continues, slightly louder this time, "But you can't use it."

Stefan chuckles mirthlessly as he fondles her pockets for the cell phone. He pulls it out effortlessly, the look on his face one of mock-shock. It was almost too easy. He drops his firm grip from the maid as he presses buttons on the phone, and she scrambles away from him, towards the door.

"Wait."

She doesn't listen to him, her footsteps hurrying at the sound of his low, dangerous tone. She is at the door now, her fingers grazing the doorknob. But Stefan stops her.

"Stefan!" I protest, "Let her go!"

Again, Stefan pretends not to notice I'm speaking to him, or I'm even in the room at all. He yanks the girl by her hair, dragging her back towards him, her screeching in protest. "What is the password?" Stefan shakes her violently when she doesn't reply. "What is the password?" He repeats, his eyes darkening again as his vampre face starts to show.

The woman's mouth drops open, bobbling up and down like a fish out of water. She is trying to speak, but she can't. I speak for her, "She can't answer you, Stefan. She is compelled! Let her go..."

Stefan growls angrily, his red eyes flashing up to glare at me. His lips curl up, revealing his long, sharp fangs. He pulls the brunette's hair aside to reveal her bare neck, and he sinks his teeth into the soft flesh as he begins to feed. The woman whimpers, a tear slipping out of her eyes as she closes them to the ugly sight before her. I flash over to them, placing my hands over Stefan's, trying to pry his tight grip from her body as I softly urge him to let her go.

"Stop it, Stefan, stop it," I beg, "It's not her fault. Don't do this. You're going to kill her. Just let her go." As I watch, the body of the maid starts to grow limp in Stefan's arms. She is paling quickly, the life being sucked right out of her. "Stefan!" I scream, "You're killing her! Stop it!"

With one last vicious tear, Stefan rips the artery right out of the girl's neck, and tosses her now-dead body to the stained brown rug on the floor. He then chucks her cell phone so violently at the wall that it shatters, raining plastic and metal bits down on the maid's body. He wipes his lips with the back of his hand. He sinks down in the arm chair he was occupying before and leans back, staring at the body on the floor with hatred in his green eyes.

I stumble backwards as well, away from both the body and Stefan. I feel tears forming under my eyelids, but I blink them away. A strangled squeak makes its way up my throat and I place my hand over my mouth to stop any other unexpected noises from sneaking out. I can't believe I just witnessed Stefan tear a woman's throat out. And he shows no sign of remorse. It is painful to watch as I never expected something like this from Stefan Salvatore.

I walk backwards until I'm pressed up against the wall just outside the bathroom door.

For what seems like an awfully long time, we both stare at the dead woman on the floor, neither of us speaking.

"Caroline..."

I shake my finger at him, "No! No, Stefan, no! Don't say anything!"

Stefan scoffs, "Fine. Have it your way, Caroline. Continue to pretend that everything is the same as it was. It isn't."

"Don't you think I know that?!" I shriek, "I can see that you're not the same, Stefan! You're not! You're a monster! You're just like Klaus!"

Stefan's eyes suddenly flash with an emotion I can't quite figure out. Then it's gone.

I can't stand to look at him. I push off the wall and retreat to the bathroom, closing the door and locking Stefan out. I choke back a sob, hurrying to turn on the shower to drown out the sound of my cries. Still, I fear Stefan might hear me, so I smother my face in one of the clean towels the dead maid just delivered. I collapse to the tiled floor and cry until I have no tears left. Even after I've calmed down, I don't leave the bathroom. I remain seated with my back against the bathtub, knees tucked into my chest, and head resting on top of my knees.

I don't know how much time has passed when Klaus finally returns.

"Well, well," I hear Klaus comment in an amused fashion, and my ears perk up, "What have we here? Were the blood bags not to your liking...Ripper?"

Stefan's response is nothing but a murmur, but I hear him loud and clear, "I was just having a bit of fun, Klaus."

"Yes, well I can see that." Klaus says, sounding as if he's deciding whether or not to be upset with Stefan. A moment later, Klaus knocks on the bathroom door and calls, "Caroline, love, are you going to come out?"

"No!" I yell stubbornly, "Go away!"

Klaus chuckles, "You have upset her, Stefan. I told you to keep her company."

"I never asked for his company!" I complain loudly.

Klaus laughs once more, "I guess you didn't, my love. Well, we'll be out of your hair then. Are you sure you don't want to come out? Perhaps this morning you've had a change of heart? Perhaps you can come with us..." He tries to entice me, but I'm not interested.

"I'm not going anywhere with either of you!"

"Caroline, you're being difficult." Klaus says sternly. "I could break down this door and drag you out, you know."

I don't reply. I'd like to dare him to break the door down, but he actually would. Maybe he'd really release me from his compulsion then...but he'd probably kill me for infuriating him.

"Fine then." Klaus resolves. "I'll return in about a week. Until then, sweetheart."

Stefan says nothing. I hear his and Klaus' footsteps retreat out the door and close it behind them. They're gone.

I open the bathroom door and peek out. The room is empty. They've taken the maid's body with them.

I'm all alone again.

Please Review! Your feedback means the world to me! I would love to hear your comments and suggestions for this story.

I was thankful for the snow today, because it gave me time to finish up this chapter and start Chapter 3. I really hope you guys like this!:)

-MissCarolineForbes