Now And Then - Stefan Salvatore (currently editing)

1.114 Back In The States

Back Home. At Elena's. 

Stefan, Elena and i walked in with Stefan carrying Jeremy's body in his hands. 

I saw Caroline scrubbing the floor 

She stood up " Hey, you're home. I was trying to clean the burn mark where Kol-"

Then she stopped when she saw Jeremy's body wrapped in a blanket. 

 Caroline "..I couldn't get the spot out."

I walked to her and put a hand on her arm.

Elena to Stefan " Come on. Let's get him upstairs."

They went upstairs. 

I hugged Caroline and she hugged me back. 

Caroline asked confused  "what happened?"

I sat down on a chair "Katherine happened"

Her eyes widened "what?"

Me "Sneaky little bitch must've been spying on us for weeks. She killed Jeremy  "

Caroline asked hopefully "and the cure?"

I shook my head, looking down. 

Her face fell.

Suddenly i felt a hand on my shoulder from behind. i smiled a little and I put my hand over his. 

Caroline dumped a bucket of water into the sink"How long has she been like that?"

Stefan "Ever since we found his body. She hasn't said anything except that she's waiting for him to wake up."

Caroline "But he's not going to wake up. She knows that, right?"

Stefan held a finger up to his lips to silence her. He walked over to the sink and ran the tap, using the noise to cover our conversation.

Then he sighed " Look. Deep down, I think she has to, but we're talking about Elena here. She feels grief more powerfully than anyone else. I think her denial is the one thing protecting her from letting it all in."

Me "i need a drink before I go mad and tear this town apart till i find her"

Caroline handed me a bottle of scotch and i gladly took it. 

She looked at Stefan" But she can't stay like that forever."

Stefan nodded "I know, but I don't want to be the one to break her out of it, not until we know that Bonnie is safe, not until we get Damon over here to, you know--"

I took a sip if the scotch "Use the sire bond to convince her that everything is okay?"

Stefan nodded and Elena walked into the kitchen. 

Elena shook her head " I'm not in denial. I know that he was supernatural, but did you see? His tattoo is gone. The tattoo had the spell that opened Silas' chamber. Maybe it being gone means that he's fulfilled his supernatural destiny. Maybe he's back to normal. It's possible, right?"

Stefan turned the tap off. 

Caroline sighed"Elena--"

Elena " It's possible, Caroline. There's a chance. It may be miniscule, but it's hope and I'm gonna hold on to that hope with everything that I've got because there's no way that m - There's absolutely no way that my brother is dead. I'm not in denial."

She turned and left the kitchen.

I looked at Stefan. 

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