Until This Lie Do Us Part

Chapter 22

Stefan watched Elena's face closely as she stared at the paper. He wasn't even sure that she was reading it anymore so he took it out of her hands and crumpled it up. "I'm not afraid of him" Stefan told her, referring to the threat of Stefan being killed if Elena did not go back to Derrick. It didn't really faze Stefan. He had been threatened before by guys far more powerful than Derrick.

Stefan watched as the fearful expression on Elena's face turned to one of anger. "Well you should be!" she snapped at him. "He threw a rock through your window with a note saying he would kill you if I didn't leave you and go back with him!" she continued. When that didn't seem to have an impact on Stefan, she added one more thing. "Lily was standing right there, Stefan" she added. She watched it have some effect on Stefan. "She was terrified and I just stood there!" she yelled.

Stefan remained calm. "You were scared too" he said, trying to justify her reaction.

Elena was set to argue some more when they heard Lily calling out for them. Stefan stepped around Elena and opened the door. Lily was standing up on the bed looking a bit sleepy and a lot concerned. "Uncle Stefan" Lily said, holding her arms out to him. Stefan didn't hesitate to grab her.

"It's okay" he said, kissing her hair. "It was just a rock that hit the window" he said calmly, though he was eyeing Elena carefully. "I'm going to go and cover up the window. Can you go with Elena and get your pajamas on and get ready for bed?" he asked.

"Yeah" Lily said, nodding weakly. Stefan passed her off to Elena before heading back downstairs. "That was scary" Lily said, laying her head on Elena's shoulder.

Elena sighed. "It was scary" Elena agreed. "But everything is okay. I'm going to make sure of it" she said. "Let's go and get you changed for bed" Elena said, taking her back down the hall to her room with her bags. Lily had decided on wearing the pony pajamas. She began chatting away about the ponies as Elena braided her hair. Lily continued to chat as Elena set her on the bathroom sink and helped her brush her teeth.

Elena didn't think twice about putting Lily to bed with her and Stefan. Lily had burrowed herself under the covers next to Elena. She smiled brightly when Stefan came in, locking the door behind them and turning the light off. "Uncle Stefan I have my pony pajamas!" she exclaimed, standing up on the bed to show him.

Stefan smiled as he grabbed her, lifting her up in the air and causing her to laugh. "I bought you those" Stefan reminded her, laying her back down in the bed as he got in too. "Go to sleep" he smiled, kissing her forehead.

"Okay" she sighed. "Goodnight Uncle Stefan" she said, wrapping her little arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. Then she turned around. "Goodnight Elena" she said, wrapping her arms around her and kissing her cheek too.

"Goodnight" Elena said, hugging her back. Lily let go of her and settled in between both of them. She closed her eyes and yawned.

Stefan reached his hand over and grabbed Elena's hand. He couldn't see her, but he felt Elena pull her hand away from his.

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Naps. Thank God she took them. Elena quietly shut the bedroom door, careful not to wake Lily. Since the moment Lily had woken up, she had been talking nonstop. Elena had hardly seen Stefan all day. If she did, he was on his phone talking with people about security.

She walked down the stairs in search of him, finding him in the kitchen, staring out the broken window. Broken windows held a sad and painful memory for him and she knew that. Elena watched him for a moment, remembering how she had pulled away from him the night before. She hadn't meant to. It was just hard for her to let people be there for her sometimes. "Where's Lily?" he asked, sensing that she was behind him.