The Vampire Diaries: Natalie Gilbert

43. You're Not A Monster, You're My Stefan

Natalie's POV

"How can you watch him like this?" Elena asks as Stefan awakes in the basement of the boarding house, his body weaker than usual. Damon and Elena came up with this great plan to vervain him. "Because I push aside my feelings." I tell her, leaning back against the wall as I peer through the small bars of the cell.

I sit spinning a small pocket knife in my hand, curtesy of Alaric teaching me. I know it makes Elena uncomfortable as she keeps side-glancing me. "It was your idea to lock him down here, Elena. Tia wanted to lock him in his bedroom." Damon says as he sits down next to me.

"Don't be an asshole." I tell him lowly, kicking his leg. He winced at my kick before rolling his eyes playfully, watching my hand spin the blade. "Don't forget that you helped." Elena snaps, raising her eyebrow. "Well, he was off chewing people while the town was looking for vampires. I couldn't let him do that now, could I?" Damon retorts.

"Who knew he would choose his girl as his next meal?" He then says and I roll my eyes. "He didn't mean it." I tell him, seeing Elena shake her head in disagreement. "Shouldn't you be angry with him considering he bit you?" She asks. "No, I'm not angry with him. It's my fault he's like this anyway." I say, feeling guilty.

"Don't blame yourself." Damon tells me and I sigh. "You should hate him." Elena argues and I shake my head. "I don't." I tell her firmly. "Shouldn't you be jumping on the Elena-bandwagon of hating vampires?" Damon asks and I scoff.

"I never said I like all vampires. I mean, I don't like you and you're here, still breathing. Although I can change that." I tell him. "You love me really, gorgeous." He taunts smirking. "Stop flirting with me. I'm not single." I remind him, nodding to his brother. "Doesn't mean I'm going to stop." Damon says, shrugging.

"You're exhausting." I comment and he smirks, going to open his mouth but I cut him off. "Don't even think about saying something dirty." I warn him and his smirk drops, mumbling something under his breathe.

"Nat, I'm going home. Do you want to come?" Elena asks, clearly not liking Damon flirting with me. "No, I'm staying. I can't leave him." I tell her and she nods, giving me one last smile before walking up the stairs.

******

"Mr Salvatore, your bastard of a brother told me to bring you this." I say, clutching a bottle of animal blood in my hand. "It's a animal blood, so you don't have to worry." I tell him. As gently as possible, I plop it inside, waiting for Stefan to drink.

Head down and elbows resting on his knees, Stefan sits wide awake and I know he's feeling guilty. "Baby?" I question, seeing him not move. "Why are you here? I almost killed you." Stefan mutters with a raspy voice. "Because I love you and I know you didn't mean too." I tell him sincerely. "Please drink. You can't survive without it."

"I don't want to survive." Stefan says, finally raising his head so our eyes meet. "You trusted me and I betrayed you." He says. "Stefan, you can't think that I-" I start to say. "I'm sorry, Laine." He apologises again. "After what I did to you and Amber, it has to end. I just want it over." He says as I feel tears build up in my eyes.

"Baby, please don't say that. You can't mean that." I say nervously, hoping he doesn't mean that. "Please- please tell me you don't mean that?" I ask after he stays quiet. "I just want it over." He repeats sternly, attempting to get his point across.

"I don't understand what you're going through but I'm not going to give up on you till you can change your mind." I tell him firmly. "I won't." He asserts plainly, suppressing the misery in his voice.

******

Stefan's POV

"Damon hasn't given me vervain in a while. I could flash over to the bars and you would be dead." I huff, hoping Natalie will take the hint to move. "You could. I will just be dead. I'm not afraid of dying." She replies. "Most people are." I scoff, shocked at her answer.