Chapter 4

Try To Understand

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Stefan got the message, from halfway around the world, sent from Damon, saying that there was an emergency, and that he needed to get home, because Elena's life hung in the balance. And knowing that he was needed to her, that she wouldn't be there if he didn't rush the hell over, was all it took for him to decide to escape.

He planned it for when Klaus was going to collect girls at the local bar to take over to him. He snuck out of the hotel room, got a taxi, and went to the nearest airport, getting the earliest flight he could. Then he hid in the boy's bathroom until he needed to get on the plane, fearing Klaus may be at the airport. The rest was easy.

Arriving back in Mystic Falls, was different this time than the rest. He dreaded with all his heart coming back because he didn't have many reasons or excuses for where he was and why. But he couldn't just let her die, not Elena.

He entered the boarding house first, putting his stuff down on his bed and taking a deep breath before leaving the unusually empty boarding house. Then he headed to the Gilberts.

His senses now attuned to the smell of blood and humans, he could smell the copper flavored blood a mile away, and from there ran as fast as his feet could take him, finding Elena sitting up in bed, and Jeremy and Damon talking over her, "What's going on?"

"Stefan?" The voice was a little ore than a whisper coming from Elena's agape mouth, the girl who just stared at him with pure sadness, and no accusation whatsoever. Those eyes of hers filled up with tears, tears she hadn't cried since that day with Damon, because she'd decided they made her weak.

"I'm here." He said, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her, he stroked her cheek.

"Stefan." It was a sob, causing him to pull her into a hug.

"Shh…" He said, "It's going to be okay." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her hands, wrapping around him, scared in red. "What happened?" He asked Jeremy and Damon, who were equally astonished to see him, but not bursting into tears.

"She…" Jeremy couldn't manage the words, for he was finally seeing a faint smile on Elena's lips. One he hadn't seen in well more than a month, and one that made him unable to spill the news.

"Elena…she…" Damon was unable, also, in shock after seeing his brother.

"I'll tell him." Elena said, "You guys have done enough for me…." Then she struggled, more tears flowing, "Things were just so hard, Stefan, you have to try to understand."

"Try to Understand what?" Fear raced through Stefan's veins.