Surprising Lover (TVDxOC) (Complete)

Live Through This

Grace and Stefan are still spooning in Grace's bed after they had sex the previous night. Grace is awake and looks antsy, and Stefan pretends to still be asleep for a moment before he finally speaks.
"This is torture for you, isn't it?"
Grace, embarrassed for having been called out, lies badly to him.
"No..."
It's clear that Stefan doesn't believe her, and he just smiles in amusement.
"Hmm."
"No! I'm so happy just lying here and doing nothing. Just... listening to you... breathe."
"Mmhmm. Just making a mental checklist of all the things you need to do today? Debating whether you should accidentally kick me awake?"
Grace smiles and turns so she can face him.
"Uh, did you say kick, or did you say kiss?"
"Hmm?"
Grace grabs the back of Stefan's head and pulls him close to her so she can kiss him, and they both hum happily as they make out.
"Mmm..."
Just then, Damon walks into the room, startling Grace and Stefan, who are still only barely dressed. In his hands is a cardboard cup holder with three coffees in it.
"Good morning, lovebirds!"
Stefan and Grace roll away from each other and cover up with blankets as they groan in annoyance.
"Oh..."
"Are you kidding me?"
"[smiles awkwardly] I brought you some free-range, overpriced coffee... One cream, two sugars, just like you like it."
Grace stands up, wrapping her comforter around her body modestly as Stefan covers himself up with the sheet.
"Actually, I hate sugar in my coffee."
"Mmm."
Grace walks past Damon and into the bathroom to change into some clothes, while Stefan continues to look annoyed.

At the sound of this statement, a fully-clothed Grace comes out of the bathroom.
"Valerie?"
"Rings a bell."
When Damon sees the tense look on Stefan's face, he becomes confused.
"Hmm. I'm missing something here."
"Oh, Stefan and Valerie are old flames from way back, and they haven't had a face-to-face since she came tumbling out of that prison world."
When Damon realizes who she's talking about, his mouth gapes open in shock as he looks at Stefan, who is becoming more embarrassed by the second.
"Hang on. Valerie as in v-card Valerie? 'Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am,' broke your heart and, uh...?"
Stefan squeezes his eyes shut in horror, and when Damon remembers Grace is listening, he trails off without giving more details. Grace gives him a look before cheerfully making her suggestion.
"You know what? I think this would be the perfect opportunity for you two to catch up! Unless there's a reason it would be uncomfortable for you..."
"[warily] No..."
"Great! Have fun."
Grace walks toward the door to leave, and Damon smiles and wiggles his fingers at her.

Grace is sitting on her bed, going through flashcards for school while she listens to music on her phone when Bonnie returns home and peeks in the door.
"Is it safe to enter? Or is your boyfriend still half-naked under the sheets?"
"[groans] God, I'm a roommate horror story!"
Bonnie walks into the room and puts her bag on her own bed.
"Please! At least your bed has seen a half-naked male all semester. I think Ms. Cuddles is starting to feel sorry for me."

Bonnie picks up Ms. Cuddles and turns to face Grace.
"I mean, look at her! Do you see how she's judging me?"
Grace laughs happily, and Bonnie moves Ms. Cuddles' arms and pretends like the teddy bear is talking.
"[in a high voice] I need man-help."
"Well, don't look at me for advice. I just sent my boyfriend to spend the day with his first love."
Bonnie looks at Grace in shock and goes over so she and Ms. Cuddles can sit on the bed across from Grace.
"Valerie? The Heretic who turned your skin to vervain so you and Stefan couldn't touch?"
"[nods] Yeah. That would be the one."
Bonnie's eyes widen in surprise.
"Wow. You're either completely insane, or the most secure woman in the world."
"[laughs] I want him to work things out with her. He has this habit of bottling up all his hurt feelings, and I think it would be really good for him if they could just clear away all the 19th-century drama so they can get on with their lives. Clean slate."
"[nods] Most secure woman it is. I'm officially inspired!"
Bonnie gets up and puts Ms. Cuddles back down on her bed before picking up her bag and getting ready to leave.
"So, are you going out to meet a guy?"
"[sighs] No. I'm going to Mystic Falls to discuss magic with a Heretic I just brought back to life. And then maybe I'll meet a guy."
Grace smiles at her and puts her earbuds back in her ears in preparation to return to her studies, and Bonnie leaves the room to return to Mystic Falls.

Stefan is standing outside the car at the gas station while Damon and Valerie fill up the tank and has just called Grace, who is walking through campus toward her dorm.
"Where are you?"
"Some gas station in the middle of nowhere."
"Don't worry, Gracie-Witchy! I have issues a 'No Hanky-Panky' zone. No former flames will reignite on my way! Uh-uh. No how."
Stefan, annoyed, walks away so he can have more privacy.
"Sorry about that. The fumes are, uh, getting to his brain. Hey, listen-- uh, I want to take you to dinner tonight."
"Like a date?"
Grace thinks about this for a brief moment before interjecting.
"Wait, is this because you're feeling guilty for spending the day with your ex?"
"[chuckles] No, it's because I realized that I haven't actually taken you out yet."
"Well, I'd love that. To be honest, I'm feeling a bit guilty for pushing you into a car with your brother and your ex, whom you clearly want nothing to do with."
"Ah. No, don't feel guilty. I... I needed a push."
Grace frowns suddenly.
"Why? What, did she make a move on you?"
"[quickly] Nothing happened. I just needed to hear that our time together was a lie."
"[incredulously] She admitted that?"
"She didn't deny it."
"[awkwardly] ...Are you okay, or whatever?"
"I will be, once you tell me what time I'm picking you up tonight."
"[smiles] Eight o'clock. And, I like daisies, by the way, just in case you wanted to get me flowers..."
"[smiles back] I'll see you tonight."

Grace, who is finishing getting ready for her date in her DORM ROOM, calls Stefan to get an update on their plans. 
"Hey, not to be a pessimist, but how late do you think you're actually gonna be? Should I move the reservation to nine o'clock, or...?"
Stefan does his best to sound okay, but still sounds anxious when he replies.
"...I'm actually still in Mystic Falls."
Grace looks sad, but not very surprised by this answer.
"...Or tommorrow, or next week?"
Stefan's face looks guilty about doing this to Grace.
"I'm sorry."
Grace pretends as though she's not disappointed.
"It's okay!"
"Things got... complicated."
"[sympathetically] I know. Bonnie told me how the stone actually works. Alaric must be devastated."
"[awkwardly] I'm sure he is. Um, hey. Listen-- I promise I'll... I'll make tonight up to you, okay?"
Grace seems worried by the tone of Stefan's voice.
"Is... Is there anything else monumental I should know about?"
"No. No, nothing. I'll see you tomorrow?"
"[disappointedly] Okay. Um, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye."
They hang up the phone.