Chapter Ten:

Arriving at Elena's, Stefan knocked quietly on the door. He turned his back and noticed Aunt Judith's car wasn't in the driveway, becoming inwardly relieved. Ever since he'd asked Elena to marry him, her aunt had been watching him like a hawk.

Obviously, people nowadays didn't get married when they were 17, but for Stefan, having been brought up in the 17th Century, it wasn't usual.

Anyway, her aunt had become unnerved and wouldn't stop staring. Which was awkward.

He didn't hear Elena at the door until she whispered "Stefan...?" behind him.

Swivelling round with his arms outstretched and what he hoped was an appeasing expression, he froze.

Where he had been expecting the new furious Elena who would take some pleasing before she let him back in, he was met with a dishevelled version, with her eyes standing out against her startlingly pale skin, tears pooling at the corners.

A second later she was in his arms, hugging him so fiercely that he wondered if he hadn't been a vampire - even a weak one - he would have probably been crushed.

"Little love," he murmured soothingly against her hair, "It's alright, I'm sorr-"

She cut him off with a kiss as fierce as her hug. She wound her fingers through his hair, as if he would suddenly disappear if she didn't hold on tightly.

After what seemed like hours, though they were only a few minutes, she pulled him into the house, firmly shutting the door behind her with the click of the lock.

Stefan stared and opened his mouth to ask why the precautions, when she placed a finger on her lips and motioned him to follow. He complied, relieved to have the old Elena back, anyhow.

Once they were seated opposite each other at the dining room table, Elena spoke.

"Stefan, I don't know how to begin..." he voice was hoarse, as if she'd been crying recently, and she wouldn't look him in the eyes. Stefan started to feel stirrings of unease. He reached for her hands, but she drew them back. "No...I can't Stefan, you need to let me finish."

Stefan's breath caught but he silently withdrew his hands from the table, and placed them on his lap.

"Right." Elena continued, staring at the place where they had been "Last week, I was with Bonnie for a sleepover, remember?"

Stefan remembered. It was the night Elena had turned all...possessive.

"Well, I was trying to sleep when Bonnie kept muttering, tossing and turning. It looked like she was having a nightmare, and she woke with a stifled scream...She showed me the dream afterwards. Some kind of magic. I saw..." Elena's breathing became hitched, like she was trying not to cry again.

Stefan wanted to ease her pain, but was afraid to set her off, so he sat motionless, waiting for her to carry on.

"She has it every night now, it starts off with Damon, you and me, all sitting in the Boarding House, chatting. She can't hear anything though, so I couldn't either. But Damon...he's agitated, gesturing wildly, furious about something, and I...leave. Then a woman walks in, tall and proud. She...kisses Damon and they are both obviously in love. They look into each other's eyes, and her back is to you so you don't see her face - her eyes. They glow red or something and Damon's face becomes crueller while still affectionate, if that makes sense. They both turn to glare at you, and after some more talking, Damon swans off. And you're left alone. With the woman. She starts slowly walking towards you, like...like a predator stalking her prey! And you don't move. You stay sitting like you're immobilised and then she - she attacks you. And you don't stop her, at all! Don't even defend yourself, and - and Bonnie wakes up, scared stiff for you." Elena finished with a whisper.

Finally, she looked up to see his face and promptly burst into tears. "Oh, Stefan!"

Ever since the mention of the woman, Stefan had sat as if he'd been frozen, eyes wide. Now he flew around the table and gathered her up in his arms. She tried to twist away, burying her head in her hands, but he held firm "Hey, hey Elena, it's okay, it was only a dream. I'm here now."

Elena shook her head and mumbled something through her fingers. Gently, he prised them away from her face, and asked "What's wrong, Elena?"

Elena took a deep breath and said "I shouldn't have left... I should have been with you, tried to protect you!"

At first he was confused, then he realised what she meant. "Oh, no Elena, don't think like that! It was a dream, just a dream, and dreams never happen the way you want them to."

Elena sniffed. "But it was Bonnie's dream, Stefan..."

Stefan shook his head "Even witches can have normal, boring dreams. Don't think anything of it."

Elena started composing herself again. "And that's why I've been angry at Damon. He just left, too! And he looked mad before that, like he hated you..."

Stefan shook his head again "We have our differences, love. In the past and still in the present. But he doesn't hate me. Not now." He wondered why he felt so sure about this topic. He hadn't been so resolute before...

"Elena?"

She gazed up at him, finally at rest "Hmm?"

"What did this woman look like? The one in the dream."

"Oh." She scrunched her eyes shut, trying to remember. "She was tall and...strong because she had to be strong to - you know, hurt...you."

Carefully appearing nonchalant at that, he asked "Her features? Eyes, hair?"

"Well, her eyes flashed red when she looked at Damon, but her hair... Hmm, overall I don't remember what her hair colour was. But bushy and..."

"Yes?" Stefan pressed her.

"This is going to sound ridiculous, because it's a fashion nightmare, but her fringe was...red."