A/N The Vampire Diaries Settings and Characters all belong to LJ Smith and the CW. Any original characters and this story are copyright © 2011-2018 to Hopelessromanticgurl, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
That next morning Elena stirred and opened her eyes, she blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the harsh sunlight. She glanced behind her to see Stefan sleeping his arms were still wrapped protectively around her. How she ended up at his house she didn't really remember, but she did remember falling asleep in his arms feeling safe and protected so she didn't really care how she ended up there.
She felt him wrap his arms tighter around her and knew he was awake.
"Good morning." She greeted.
"I could get used to this." Stefan said kissing her right behind her ear. She giggled softly but snuggled closer to him. They both tried to go back to sleep with an annoying voice spoke and ruined the moment.
"Rise and shine, sleepyheads."
Elena and Stefan shot up in bed. Elena gasped quickly covering herself with the blanket. Damon didn't need to see her in short pjs.
"Damon! Please!" Elena whined.
"What are you doing?" Stefan asked.
"Oh, stop being smutty." Damon smirked.
"Seriously, get out of here!" Stefan said helping Elena cover herself with the blanket.
"If I see something I haven't seen before, I'll throw a dollar at it."
Elena gasped in shock that he had just said that to her. He didn't seem fazed by it because he just continued to talk.
"Now listen, We have some very important business to discuss."
"And it has to be right now?" Elena asked very annoyed.
"Well, we have lots to do, now that we're all friends and working toward a common goal. So, in order to open the tomb, We need to find the journal to get the grimoire to open the spells. First things first-since you are Elena Gilbert, you're on journal duty.
"Since when am I helping?" Elena asked. She had told Stefan she'd help him, she never said she'd help Damon.
"Well, Stefan's helping, and you've taken up residence in Stefan's bed."
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do." Stefan told her rubbing her leg.
"I'll look for it tonight." Elena said with a small groan and laying down throwing the covers over her head."
"Good." Damon said not even noticing how annoyed she was with him."
Elena mentally groaned hearing Damon and Stefan go back and forth about their plan. When suddenly a thought hit her and she sat up letting the blanket fall off her head. "What exactly is a grimoire, anyway?"
"It's a witch's cookbook." Damon said.
Elena wanted to groan. That didn't answer her question. Luckily Stefan was there to translate the Damon speak.
"Every spell that a witch casts is unique unto itself. So every witch would document their work."
"Yeah, like I said cookbook." Damon nodded.
"What about our mystery vampire? Dimwit obviously wasn't working alone. So whoever is out there knows who we are."
Elena tensed at that. The thought scared her. But she hid it well.
"And I don't like that disadvantage, so...Chop, chop." He started to walk away but turned back to look at them. "You know, I really like this menage-threesome team thing. It's got a bit of a kink to 't screw it up."
Once he was finally gone Elena went to speak "He does have…" Stefan cut off by pointing to his lips, then his ear, and then to the doorway where Damon once was. "Oh, right, yeah." Elena nodded.
Stefan kissed her hand and went to get out of bed. Elena stopped him "Oh! No, come here."
They started to kiss again.
"We shouldn't…" Stefan tried to say again, but Elena cut him off copying his earlier actions of pointing to her lips then ear. They both smiled and continued to make out. Stefan threw the blankets over them both and moved on top of her.
Just then Lexi came walking in and saw them both under the blankets and lots of squirming. She heard Elena giggling. "What are you doing, stop it!"
Her head popped out as she tried to squirm away from Stefan. "I'm tickling you and no I won't stop it." He teased.
Elena continued to giggle and squirm. "Stop it!"
Lexi laughed and shook her head. "All right you two, that's enough."
Stefan ignored her. Elena looked at her and laughed harder. "Le…" she trialed off into giggles when Stefan reached her most ticklish spot. Elena was reduced to a ball of laughter as she squirmed around trying to get free.
"Stefan, you two won't get much done today if you spend it in bed tickling Elena."
"Tomorrow is another day." Stefan answered smiling as Elena's laugh went mute causing him to stop. He looked up at Lexi and smirked. "Oh Hi Lexi, when did you get here?"
"Don't even try it. You need to stop tickling Elena and get ready for your day."
"What did you say, Lexi, keep tickling Elena? Ok if you insist." Stefan teased.
"No!" Elena squealed and tried to get off the bed but he was too fast for her. He grabbed her back into his arms and tickled her again. "Lehehexi! Hehehelp!"
"Stefan Salvatore don't make me come over there." Lexi said in her best motherly tone.
"But you said to keep tickling, Elena. I'm obeying orders."
"She said stohohop!" Elena laughed and squirmed.
"Nope, I heard keep tickling."
Lexi just smirked. "All right fine, Stefan, let go of Elena, get out of bed, and get in the shower."
Stefan stopped tickling and looked to Lexi and pouted. "You're so mean."
He did as Lexi said and the girls laughed. "Thanks, Lex." Elena smiled as she got off the bed.
"Not a problem. Lee does it to me all the time, when I have to get up and start the day he's hold me tightly to his chest and won't let go. Sometimes, yes, he'll tickle me."
Elena smiled and shook her head. "Boys."
"Can't live with them…"
"Can't live without them either."
Both girls laughed and nodded. Elena headed home to get ready, Lexi and Stefan would meet her later.
Elena sat in in her kitchen with a few packed boxes. She sighed softly thinking about what would be in some of them. She knew some of her parents stuff would be packed up in these boxes. Was she really ready to go through it?
A knock at the door made her jump. Jenna who was on her way out answered it.
"Elena, it's Stefan and Lexi." Jenna called.
"Hey Guys, in the kitchen." Elena said
They walked into the kitchen as Jenna left closing the door behind her.
"Hey." She greeted.
Stefan went over and hugged her tightly kissing her lips. Elena hugged and kissed him back.
"So are these the boxes?" Lexi asked.
Elena nodded. "Yeah, if the journals are in here then I have no idea where else they could be."
"Well let's get started." Lexi nodded.
"Um…yeah…ok…"
"Elena what's wrong?" Stefan asked. "Look, if you're not comfortable with this it's fine. Lexi and I can handle it."
"It's not that I just…"
"Does it have anything to do with this last box labeled Miranda and Grayson's Stuff?"Lexi asked.
Elena nodded softly.
"No worries, we might not even have to open that box." Lexi told her.
"If we do…I don't know if I'm ready." Elena told them.
"Then you and I will go upstairs in your room and Lexi will look through the box." Stefan told her gently. "There is no pressure in this. If you don't want to do something say you don't want to do it."
"Ok. Well let's start on this one from 1864." Elena said.
"Oh fun year." Stefan teased.
Elena smiled softly. "Hey maybe I'll find some pictures of you in this box. Were you really hot back then?"
Stefan laughed. "I'm not answering that question."
Elena giggled and shook her head. She opened the box and started to look through it.
"Do you think Damon really believes us? That we're both trying to help him?" Elena asked after a few minutes of silence and searching.
"I don't think Damon doesn't know what to believe. Trust isn't something that comes naturally to him."
"You know...I really think that Damon believes That everything he's done, every move that he's made, He's done for love. It's twisted, but kind of sad."
"There are other ways to get what you want. You don't have to kill people. Damon has no regard for human life. He enjoys inflicting pain on others. For 145 years, every single time that I have let my guard down and let Damon back into my life, he's done something to make me regret that. I'm not going to make that mistake again."
"So what do you think will happen if the tomb gets opened and Damon gets Katherine back?"
"I think that no matter what Damon promises, a lot of people will die…"
She looked back into the box and was going to close to up when something pink caught her eye. It was clear it didn't belong in that box and it had gotten thrown in there by mistake but Elena reached in and pulled it out wanting to get a closer look.
It was a small pink shoulder sweater. Tears filled Elena's eyes. Stefan knelt down beside her. He rubbed her back gently. Elena put it up to her face and inhaled the scent. But then quickly pulled it away and sneezed. It hadn't even been a year and it had already collected so much dust, her mother's scent was gone. She cried at the thought. Stefan pulled her into his chest and just let her cry. There was nothing he could say to make her feel better. He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back whispering comforting words into her ear.
"What are you guys doing?"
Elena's head jerked up and quickly wiped her eyes at the sound of Jeremy's voice.
"Hey. Just going through some stuff, feeling sentimental. Dad had this whole family journal from years ago. I thought I'd dig it up." Elena answered trying to hide the sweater from his eyes.
"Jonathan Gilbert's journal?"
"Yeah, what do you know about it?"
"I just did a history report on it."
"Oh. So where is it now?"
"I gave it to Mr. Saltzman. He wanted to see it."
Lexi, Stefan, and Elena all shared a look. Stefan whispered "I'll go." And he left. Jeremy saw the last box with his parents names on them and tensed. "You guys have fun. I'll see you later."
He was gone in a flash. Elena sighed.
"Can you put them away? I can't look at this anymore." Elena whimpered to Lexi.
"Of course."
Elena wiped her eyes trying to calm down. Lexi knew they were alone so she used her super speed to get the boxes closed up and put away. Then she grabbed Elena and took her upstairs to hang out in her room until it was time for family night.
A few hours later Jenna and Jeremy had started to make dinner so Lexi and Elena went downstairs to hang out with them. To their surprise Damon was there helping her Aunt.
"What are you doing here, Damon?" Elena asked.
"It's family night, Elena. Stefan and I are part of your family now too." Damon said with him annoyingly famous smirk. "I see Stefan isn't with you?"
"He's running late. He'll be here."
"In the mean time, Elena set the table." Jenna said.
Elena nodded as Lexi went to watch Jeremy play video games, or as Elena liked to think of it protecting him from Damon.
Elena went to grab the plates and on her way back Damon walked over and squeezed himself passed her causing their bodies to rub up against each other.
"Don't do that." Elena said pulling away.
"Do what?" Damon asked casually.
"You know what. That move was deliberate."
"Well, yeah, I was deliberately trying to get to the sink. Is it real?"
"Is what real?" Elena asked with an annoyed sigh.
"This renewed sense of brotherhood. Can I trust him?"
"Yes, you can trust him." Elena answered him.
She turned around and mentally groaned. Damon was there, invading her personal space as he looked hard into her eyes. "Can I trust him?" he asked again.
"I'm wearing vervain, Damon. It's not going to work."
"I'm not compelling you. I just want you to answer me, honestly."
"Of course you can." Elena said honestly. Damon could trust Stefan, even if Damon didn't believe it Stefan always did what was best for his brother.
She went back to setting the table. Oh how she missed Stefan. She couldn't wait for him to get home.
"There was a time when I trusted him more than anyone." Damon said surprising her.
"Trust breeds trust. You have to give it get it." She told him.
"Are you lecturing me?" he asked annoyed.
"Do you need to be lectured?"
"I just want her back. I'm sure you can understand that."
"I can understand that you would do anything for her, yes."
"Then you understand what I will do If anyone gets in my way." Damon said in his threatening and warning tone.
Elena didn't respond as he walked away. That scared her, but she didn't show it. Damon went to play video games with Jeremy. Lexi stayed with them to keep an eye on Damon. It gave Jenna and Elena time to talk too.
"Have you told Jeremy?" Jenna asked softly.
"When the time is right I will." Elena answered again thinking deep down there was never going to be a good time. She was just scared of how he'd react and she wasn't ready for that.
The door bell rang and Elena mentally squealed. "That's Stefan." She said and ran to the door.
Damon met her there as she opened it.
Elena smiled nicely, but Stefan was really surprised to see Damon there. Damon and Elena went outside to talk. Stefan told them everything that happen while he was with Alaric.
"Who took it?" Damon asked angrily.
"I don't know." Stefan said honestly.
"You know what, it's that teacher. There's something really off about him."
"No, he doesn't know anything."
"Somebody got to him before me. Who else knew it was there?" Elena and Stefan shared a look. Damon much have read their minds because he looked in the window at Jeremy, still playing video games.
"No! Damon, leave him out of it!" Elena said instantly.
"Why, what's the big deal?" Damon asked ignoring her completely.
"Damon!" Elena said sternly chasing after him as he went back inside.
Damon went back over to Jeremy and sat next to him. "So...I heard you found a really cool journal from back in the day. Who else did you show it to?"
"Huh?" Jeremy was completely confused.
"Don't ask questions, just spill."
"You're kidding me, right?"
"Jer, did you tell anyone other than Mr. Saltzman About Gilbert's journal?"Elena asked, knowing she'd have a better chance of getting answers than Damon would.
"Why is everybody so obsessed with that thing?" Jeremy wondered.
"Who else did you tell?" Elena asked again.
"Just that girl Anna."
"The hot weird one?" Damon asked.
"Yeah."
"Wait, who is Anna?" Stefan asked.
"That's what I want to find out. How do you know her?"
"I just know her. She wants me to meet her at the grill tonight." Jeremy answered him.
"Perfect. I'll drive. Come on." Damon said.
"What, Damon no, hang on!" Elena said.
"I'll go with." Lexi said Damon and Jeremy headed out the door. "I'll keep an eye on Damon I promise. I won't let Jeremy get hurt."
Elena sighed in relief. "Thank you."
Lexi was gone in a flash.
"Aren't you going to go with him? If he gets to the journal before we do, then..." Elena started but was cut off.
"Doesn't matter." Stefan said holding up a bunch of papers.
"What is that?"
"It's a copy of it."
"How did you get it?"
"Well, Mr. Saltzman may have a copy and was kind enough to loan it to me."
"He did?"
"Not exactly, but I got it."
The shared a smiled and headed up to her room to read it. It didn't take them long to figure out where the book was and they took off to retrieve it.
They arrived at Stefan's father's grave and they got to work digging it up. It took time but they finally reached the bottom and opened the casket. Stefan grabbed the book and closed it as fast as he could. The sight was something he never wanted to see again. He gave Elena a sad smile and started to read the book.
"Well, what do you know? This is an interesting turn of events."
They both jumped and Elena turned to shine her flashlight. It was Damon.
"I can't let you bring her back. I'm sorry." Stefan said quickly getting out of the hole and standing by Elena to protect her.
"So am I. For thinking for even a second that I can trust you." Damon bit back.
"Oh. You're not capable of trust. The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself."
"Of course I was going to do it by myself, because the only one I can count on is me! You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan. But you…" He looked to Elena and glared. "…You had me fooled." He looked back to Stefan. "So what are you going to do now, because if you try and destroy that, I'll rip her heart out."
"You won't kill her." Stefan shook his head. He knew deep down Damon cared about Elena and he'd never kill her.
"I can do one better." He ran over to Elena grabbed her holding her tightly to him. Then he bit into his wrist and shoved it into her mouth. She struggled and squirmed but it didn't faze him. "Give me the book, Stefan, or I'm snapping her neck and you and I will have a vampire girlfriend."
"Let her go first."
"The Book."
"I'm not going to give this to you until she is standing next to me." Stefan said fearfully. He could see the fear in Elena's eyes and it made him sick.
"Problem is, I no longer trust that you'll give it back!" Damon growled.
"You just did the one thing that ensures that I will." Stefan promised.
Damon nodded at the book once more. Stefan threw it on the ground towards him. He let Elena go but she didn't move. She was too scared. What if he changed his mind and grabbed her? What if he snapped her neck the second she moved?
He gave her a gentle push forward and she slowly inched closer to Stefan. Stefan put his hand out to her. "Come here, it's ok."
Then she made a run for it and didn't stop until she was safely wrapped in Stefan's arms. She looked to Damon fearfully as Stefan glared and they both quickly left him alone with his precious book.
They arrived at home to see Lexi.
"Well, what happen?" she asked Then she saw Elena and her eyes went wide. She went over and rubbed her back. "What happen?"
"Damon caught us. He was mad and forced Elena to drink his blood and threatened to snap her neck. She's a little shaken up." Stefan said.
Lexi sighed. "He figured out the truth and now he's furious. What happen to the book?"
"I had to give it to him. I tried not to but he grabbed Elena and I didn't have a choice."
"No, you did the right thing." Lexi turned her attention to Elena. "Elena, Honey, are you ok?"
Elena whimpered and hid her face. "My head really hurts."
Both Lexi and Stefan rubbed her back. "I'll get her an asprin why don't you take her upstairs."
Stefan nodded and took Elena upstairs. They went into her room and Stefan lifted her up and laid her down on the bed. He sat down by her side and rubbed her back and stroked her hair.
Elena's eyelids become heavy making Stefan smile and lean down to kiss her forehead. "Rest, you'll feel better soon." He whispered.
She closed her eyes just enjoyed the feeling of Stefan rubbing her back and stroking her hair.
"Stefan! Elena! Elena! Stefan!" Lexi screamed as she raced up the stairs.
Elena's eyes shot open as she groaned and whimpered. Stefan quickly turned and met Lexi at the door.
"Stop screaming what's going on?"
Lexi looked around and sighed. "Anna is here, remember Anna, Pearl's daughter?"
Stefan gasped. "How?"
"Jeremy's friend, the hot weird one, it's Anna. I heard her on the phone in the bathroom. She was talking about grabbing Elena and making a run for it."
Stefan turned to look at Elena. She had fallen asleep. Stefan looked back to Lexi. "I'll stay here with her. Keep an eye on her through the night. But for now she's safe. I'll keep her safe. "
Lexi nodded. "I'll go talk to Jenna see if I can convince her to a sleep over, you and I can both stay here and take care of her."
Stefan nodded and Lexi went back downstairs. He went and sat down by her side. "I'll protect you, Elena. I promise, no matter what it takes?"
He meant every word. He'd protect Elena even if it meant giving up his own life.
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