Until Never Means Forever

Chapter 18

Four days since she was admitted, and Elena was finally given permission by the medical staff to go home.

The last four days had been horrible for Stefan, who was currently sitting outside of Elena's room waiting for her to get ready. Elena had snapped at him every time he had tried to help with anything. When she wasn't snapping at him though, she wasn't talking to him. When he spoke to her, she would give him short responses like "Yeah" or "I don't know" or "Maybe". He knew if she had been brave enough, she would have kicked him out of her room altogether.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting upon Elena's return. This definitely wasn't it though. He did his best to let it roll off of his shoulders though, reminding himself that she was still hurting. In more ways than one.

Elena exited the room, carrying a bag with things that Stefan had given her. Stuffed animals, candy, books, and magazines. She braced herself for the long drive home with Stefan. He had offered to fly them home, but the last thing she wanted was to be on a stuffy airplane with a bunch of people looking at her. Then again, 7-9 hours alone in a car with Stefan didn't seem so great either.

Thankfully, she was able to persuade her brother and Bonnie to stay put. She would call them when she got home. The last thing she needed was two more people at home to worry about her. Stefan would have the worrying and overprotectiveness covered.

"Ready?" Stefan asked, giving her the best smile he could under the circumstances.

"I guess" Elena shrugged, allowing him to take her bag and following him to the nurse's station to check out. "Are Damon and Alaric going to follow us?" she asked when they were outside, walking quietly towards the car.

"They already left" Stefan answered. "Lily and Katherine are coming home tonight and he wanted to be home before them" he explained. He didn't have to turn around to see the worried look on her face. The fact that Damon and Alaric wouldn't be there for her to switch cars if she got tired of Stefan, worried her. He wouldn't pretend that it didn't hurt, but he wouldn't show it either.

Elena let herself into his car, wincing. The doctor had said her ribs would take the longest to heal. Stefan was at her side in an instant, grabbing her arms to help her. "Don't!" she scolded, yanking her arms out of his hands. "I've got it. I just need a moment" she said, refusing to look at him.

Stefan backed off, though he had to bite his tongue to point out that she did, in fact, need his help. When they got home, there would be no nurses to help her. He was all she had right now. Elena slowly made her way into the seat, closing her eyes tight to keep from crying. She got both her legs inside the car. He watched her again wince as she reached to close the door.

Frustrated. That's what he was right now and the longer he let it build up, the more he feared when it would be released. Elena didn't deserve his frustration on top of everything else she was dealing with.

Elena let out a breath she had been holding to prepare herself for the drive. Stefan started up his car and turned the radio on low. "Do you want to stop and get breakfast now or wait a little bit?" he asked her.

He watched Elena shrug out of the corner of his eye. Stefan sighed inwardly. It was going to be a long drive back home.

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"Is Daddy home yet? Is he? Is he?" Lily asked, bouncing up and down on her toes as she looked expectantly at Zach.

Zach checked his watch. "No, not yet" he answered. "A few more hours. Are you all packed?" he asked. He had to, reluctantly, take Lily and Katherine to the airport soon. He would rather they stay with him until the Derrick situation was taken care of. But he wasn't going to argue with Damon.