He had always loved her, always cherished and valued the fact that she'd selflessly taken it upon herself to be his personal saviour—he wouldn't be where or who he is today without her—but he hadn't grasped, not until he'd lost her, how hard it would be to function without her.

Or how hard it was to accept that he needed to.

He always imagined that if he lost Damon—the last living connection to his lost family—that he would have nothing and be nothing, but he was wrong, so very wrong. He knew that with all the clarity of a prophet, had known it from the instant Damon calculatingly twisted the stake in Lexi's heart and severed their ties. Stefan was always slow when it came to his brother's bad habits, too quick to forgive certain acts, so catching on to that fact had taken awhile and come in consistent forms of bedlam.

Lexi. Vicki. Katherine. Rapacious tomb vampires free to torment.

Most of which were still out there and ready for clean-up.

"Here's some water. I warmed it so the dirt should come off a bit easier," Chris added, setting a half filled bucket with a facecloth on the floor at Stefan's feet.

They'd returned to his house an hour ago and snuck Lexi's body into the basement.

"Is this all you need? I got to go."

Stefan's eyes lifted from his focus on the floor, a small frown marring his brow.

"I have work, remember? Nightshift. We're scrubbing the cemetery tonight and Sheriff Forbes has told us we might be doing a raid on the bars outside town. Seems there has been an increase of attacks in that area."

Stefan glanced down at the bucket, reaching inside to feel the temperature.

"Sure. Yeah. This is perfect," Stefan said, removing his hand from inside to wipe it dry on his jeans.

After months of meticulously making sure Chris didn't draw suspicion or change patterns in any way, it embarrassed Stefan to know that he'd let his guard down and lost track of their schedule. Damon needed only one opportunity or hint to inject himself into the equation and all his plans would go to hell.

Chris turned to leave and before he made it to the bottom of the stairs, Stefan had a hand secured around his shoulder and his back pressed against the narrow wall.

"I just wanted to thank you. I wouldn't have found her without you."

Chris smiled and Stefan returned the sentiment, almost fondly, almost wishing that he and the Deputy could continue to be friends and share a beer in the future. He'd come to like the guy. To respect him even. Lexi especially would have liked him. His mother, too.

"Unfortunately, this'll be the last time we see each other. Casually at least."

Chris's confusion was easy to read. This was the only part of the plan he hadn't felt was significant enough to share.

"My brother is still out there. Unstable. Especially since things with Katherine fell flat and he is beginning to dig for alternatives. As careful as I like to think that I've been over the last few months while searching for Lexi, I can never be sure what he knows and what he does and what he might want. He'll leverage anything and anyone."

"From the highlights you've told me I'm glad I never got to meet him," Chris quipped.

"Let's try and keep it that way." Stefan removed his hand and centred on his gaze.

Chris left with the satisfaction of having fixed the circuit breaker and oblivious of Stefan Salvatore as anyone other than Mystic High's football star.

Stefan listened to the wheels of his car pulling out of the drive, uncertain and a bit surprised that his compulsion was taking without the added benefit of human blood.

Maybe the fact he'd been doubled up on his feeds, making sure he constantly had the strength to protect Elena was the help? Or maybe it was something else? Something spiritual? He didn't dare speculate and could only revel in gratitude when the car didn't turn back into the drive, followed by hasty footsteps.

Chris wouldn't be back till morning and his mother was at bingo until 11 pm. Carpooled by neighbours. A constant on the weekends.

Stefan had some time.

He returned to Lexi's side and carefully undressed her. He started with her shoes, then her jewellery, her makeup long time faded and then proceeded to the remainder.

He'd seen her naked many times over the course of the years they'd been friends, but now, she looked nothing like herself, nothing like the person he'd come to love as a sister or who he'd hoped she'd be again if all went according to plan.

Her resurrection had come to him on chance and after he'd jokingly spoken to Bonnie about magic induced reincarnation during cocktails, pizza and music at the Grill. Idea implanted by some Hallmark movie she'd been gushing about with Caroline. Apparently, there was none. Not as far as Bonnie knew anyway but they'd debated what each of them knew on the subject, reminiscing about who they'd bring back and why. Bonnie left that night tipsy and in tears. Stefan left determined. Seed planted. A resolution that crept on and prodded for two nights, haunting him, coming at him once in form of Lexi herself to try and dissuade what was brewing.

Over the next few days, he found out everything he could about the subject and then sought a second opinion. Another witch. That was no easy task and eventually, he'd been forced to call Lee. They weren't friends by any means and Lexi's death had out and out ended any possibility of them ever forging one. But Stefan knew he loved her. He called him, persistently and eventually spoke to him. Lee all but told Stefan to lose his number—refusing to give him a second to speak up or explain the reason for his contact—telling him to call him only once he'd found a way to bring Lexi back or pigs flew.

Then he hung up.

That had been all the encouragement Stefan had needed to pick up the pace on his search.

And here they were.

He gently began to wipe her down, removing traces of dirt clinging to her skin and eventually slipped her into the newly bought sundress.

White, adorned with painted sunflowers and a superficial representation of who she once was.

She'd have liked that, too.

Maybe.

When Stefan was done he sat beside her, holding her skeletal hand as if trying to comfort her, thumb stroking the top of her leather skin.

"You'll be home soon."

He raised the hand to his lips, hearing her melodic protest at the overly courteous and almost tragic way he'd pressed a kiss to it.

"Promise."