FOREVER AND EVER AFTER - A STEFAN SALVATORE LOVE STORY

CHAPTER - 75 : GAME'S ON AGAIN

AT THE MYSTIC FALLS HOSPITAL:

Venice stared at Ric's figure through the glass wall of the control room. Ric's lying on the MRI couch while Meredith's prepping up for an MRI scan on Ric. Elena was beside Venice. Venice asked Matt to babysit Asher and Matt was more than happy about it, but the same couldn't apply for Asher. He kept wailing while Venice was leaving for the hospital, being his adorable and petulant self. Venice couldn't find it in herself to leave him like that, but she had to for Ric.

"What are you looking for?" Venice asked Meredith. 

"I don't know. A tumor, vascular anomalies, anything physical that might explain his behavior. If it's medical, I can treat it" the Fell doctor replied. 

"And if it's not?" Venice asked. 

"Well, then we'll deal with that too" Meredith replied.

A technician slid Alaric inside the machine. Alaric stared at his reflection in the mirror placed above him while Venice, Elena, and Meredith stared at him being slid inside the machine.

"When did you suspect him? That it was Alaric who was killing all of those people?" Venice whispered. 

"It was after he told me about his ring. I remembered a story my grandmother had told me about Samantha Gilbert and her secret journal. I don't know if you know this, but we Fells are notorious busy-bodies" Meredith replied. 

Venice chuckled slightly and asked, "But then, why did you protect him?" 

"Because I'm a doctor, I don't like to see someone hurt by something they have no control over. And because when he and I first met I felt like...I don't know, I- I just kind of want to help him" Meredith replied.

Venice smiled hearing that. 

"Everything alright in there?" Meredith asked Ric, speaking through a speaker.

"Yeah. Yeah, everything's okay" he replied.

*****

After the scan, Ric moved into a normal room in the hospital. Venice and Elena walked into the room to find Ric who was retrieving his stuff.

 "Meredith says that everything is normal" Elena informed. 

"Yeah, well, everything is normal, because there is nothing wrong with me. I didn't kill Brian Walters, I didn't kill Bill Forbes, and I sure as hell didn't shove a hunting knife into my stomach" Ric replied.

He looked down at the ring, which was the only thing he hasn't picked back up.

"Or I did and I've gone insane, just like your ancestor who wore that ring" he added making Venice frown. 

"Don't talk like that" she admonished him. 

Ric looked at her and sighed "I'm sorry." 

"That's fine." 

"Look, I'm gonna call Bonnie, the rings were made by a Bennett witch so maybe a witch can reverse the damage," Elena said. 

"Do you think it's a good idea?" Venice asked her. 

"Why not?" Elena asked in reverse. 

Venice sighed in exasperation and said "Might I have to remind you, her mom's going through the transition and the last time I checked, Bonnie doesn't want to involve in any of this shit. It's because of us that she's going through all of this. Give her some space Elena." 

Before Elena can say anything, Alaric pushed the ring towards Elena. 

"Take it. I don't want it anymore" he told the elder brunette.