Stefan was this close to committing arson.

It didn't help hearing Elena and Damon fucking. He had loud music playing in his room plus noise-canceling headphones, but he could still hear them.

The summer he had gone away with Klaus as trade for Damon's cure had been miserable. When he came back under compulsion, he figured Elena would at least care for him. After all, she had tried to track him down all summer. He was instructed to watch over her as the Ripper.

When they had gotten their first moment alone, she had admitted to fucking Damon. The Ripper didn't feel emotions often, but rage had hit him. She had said in the same breath that she was worried and missed him. He had thought about going to Rebekah, but his mind switched to revenge. He needed Klaus and her gone.

He had found the coffins and released the ones he could open and recruited Bonnie's help for the last. He figured she would be powerful enough to open it, and she was but there was a catch. A catch he hadn't told her yet.

The night she had opened it, he had been summoned by Klaus for a meal together at the Mikaelson house. Though summoned was not quite the right word as two hybrids had found him and demanded he go there or else be dragged. He had a feeling Klaus wanted to get the coffin and try to stop her, but he was mistaken. The memory came to the surface of his mind.

"I should be thankful for you reuniting us. However, I would have preferred it to be on my terms." Klaus took a sip of wine.

"Are you going to threaten me for the location of the coffin?"

"I don't need it anymore. However, having you avoid me has been a fun game."

A game. That was how Klaus operated.

"Then why summon me?"

His eyes went to Rebekah who was holding her wine glass with a steel grip. Klaus gazed at his sister, but Rebekah refused to look at anyone. She stared at her glass. For a moment, Klaus's grin dropped. Stefan's eyes darted between the two before Klaus clasped his hands together.

"All I can say is good luck. Our mother is in that coffin."

His eyes widened. "She's alive."

"No."

"What?"

"Never make a deal with a Bennett witch." Klaus smirked. "Mother's magic was tied to the Bennett family. Ayanna did a spell to bind her to the coffin and keep her alive but..." His grin grew wilder like a child revealing in his deed. "There has to be two Bennett witches to do it. Bonnie is all there is left."

Stefan's eyebrows knitted together when the realization hit him. Abby had died of exhaustion stopping Mikael and putting him to sleep until Katherine came along years later to try and kill Klaus. Shelia had died of exhaustion trying to help them... Stefan's nails dug into his lap. Lucy had been killed by Katherine for trying to trick her.

"The very last one," Klaus reminded. "While she can open the coffin, but mother immediately dies. The Bennett witches make sure to protect their own."

He had to warn her so they could figure out something else.

"I'm leaving."

Klaus didn't stop him as he zipped out of the house, but Rebekah had followed him out. He looked at her as he opened his car door. He had to get to Bonnie.

"Have you checked on Bonnie?" She cast her gaze back to the house.

"Why do you care?"

"Never mind." She turned before she was gone in a blink.

Now, as he was replaying the memory, he wished he had pressed her on her question. Why would Rebekah care? Even as the Ripper it seemed odd. Nervous was not an emotion Rebekah feigned.

His eagerness to go to Bonnie didn't matter in the end as she had already opened the coffin, and the Original mother had laid dead in it. Disappointment had plagued both of them, and they both were tired. He had seen the emptiness in hers and the Ripper had felt compelled to be the bearer of bad news to the others.

A few moments of silence let Stefan calm himself and the memory had been a good distraction. Until his door then swung open revealing Elena in a night gown. She let go of the handle and went to him.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to check on you."

"There is no need. Leave." He got up from his bed and went to his closet.

"You're shutting everyone out."

He started to grab his clothes and shove them into a suitcase. He couldn't stand looking at her let alone after what he had just heard. The worry she held in her eyes which were genuine made him sick. He didn't want her pity after she had crawled into Damon's bed so easily. He needed to leave or the house would be burned.

"What are you doing?"

"If you won't leave, I will."

"Where will you go?"

"Bonnie," the name slipped from his mouth.

Since last night, he had felt something in him shift. While he had still felt the negative emotions for Elena, the love that had haunted him had died. He no longer felt even a smidge of guilt for hurting her. If she were to die, he wouldn't try to find a way to bring her back. The obsession that had taken hold of him since he arrived to be by her side had gone up in flames.

"Something is going on with you and Bonnie."

Her accusation made him laugh. "And if there is?"

"She's my best friend, Stefan—"

"A best friend you only talk to when you need something and you called her dangerous earlier." He tilted his head. "And you're one to talk. You just sucked my brother off."

He went past her and kept walking even as he heard her begin to cry. After all, Damon would be there to comfort the woman who had ripped his heart.

-X-

Elijah's presence hadn't irked her. He had been pleasant, actually. She had just prepared his second cup of tea when she realized he had been there for twenty minutes. They had mostly talked about magic until the conversation took a turn.

"Klaus did want me to talk to you."

"What for?"

"He said I should apologize for betraying your trust."

"If you didn't, he wouldn't be alive."

"He acknowledged that and I believe he wanted me to apologize so that we could start on a better foot. However, I won't apologize." He stared at her. "My brother's request would make it seem ingenuine, and I am not sorry for saving my brother. I am guilty of betraying you. While I know you'll never accept an apology-"

"What if I did?" she paused. "I don't want it today. I want you to think about it."

"Not that I am opposed, but may I ask why?"

"Very rarely did someone apologize to me." Bonnie needed at least that much. An apology meant nothing, but at the same time, it meant everything. If she was in the position to demand it of a family that had caused hell in her life, she wanted it.

"I understand."

"Would Klaus ever apologize?"

"Under other circumstances, no. I will be honest my brother is the last person you want an apology from. He shows his care through actions as he is terrible at articulating how he feels. However, you may be the exception."

"Can you ask him for me?"

"I will try." Elijah sipped on his second cup of tea. "Rebekah also pressed me to come."

"Rebekah?" She had only a few brief encounters with the Original sister. Before she could inquire more, the front door opened. Stefan walked in with a suitcase.

"Why is he here?" Stefan turned to her.

"For Ms. Bennett's lovely tea."

Even if Stefan and Elijah had similar ulterior temperaments, Elijah knew how to maintain his civil business façade while Stefan's civility would crack under emotional distress. The last thing she wanted was them fighting in her home even if it was a verbal one.

"I—"

"I see something must have happened. I'll leave you some space to help your friend," Elijah dismissed. "I hope you have a lovely night. If anything happens, he knows where we live."

"Goodbye, Elijah."

He gave a curt nod before he left and closed the door behind him. She looked at the door for a moment before gazing at Stefan. He looked terrible again.

"Why do you have a suitcase?"

"... I packed my things because I couldn't stand to hear them fucking in the house."

"I'm sorry."

"No... I came here without asking and..."

"There's a guest room next to mine. It hasn't been used in forever since my dad doesn't visit, so you can have it."

If she wanted Stefan's help and him sane enough to help, having him away from Elena was a good plan. His eyes screamed miserable and even she had been disgusted last night when they had arrived at her house and looked like they had obviously fucked. Even if she was mad at Stefan, she still felt bad. He had nowhere else to go unless she counted the Originals, but she needed Stefan sane.

"Thanks. I know I sprung this on you."

"No problem. Besides, I need a Guinea pig."

"Of course, there's a catch. I thought I was the one making lousy deals?" Stefan's lips pressed together. "Is there a reason you let him in?"

"I need allies." Bonnie shifted. "Because I want to destroy the Other Side."