Until This Lie Do Us Part

Chapter 37

But she chose a more selfish answer. "I'm just so tired" she admitted, hating herself for being so selfish. Here he was, sick in a hospital bed, and she was crying because she hadn't slept in two days. Actually, she was probably crying because she hadn't had any sleep and she was overly emotional.

Stefan smiled. Sleep was an easy fix. "Elena" he said, waiting for her tear-filled eyes to meet his. "Go home and crawl into bed" he told her. "Come back tomorrow morning. I'll still be here" he promised.

But Elena shook her head. "I'm not leaving here" she told him. Everyone else had taken turns going home to sleep. But she couldn't because she would never be able to forgive herself if something happened to him while she was away.

He looked straight into her tired eyes, trying to remember the day that he had first met her. Her eyes had been filled with so much fire and now, it was gone. It was no use arguing with her. "Come lay down with me then" he said, slowly moving himself over as far as he could go.

"There's not enough room" she told him.

"I'm making room" he said, tugging on her hand.

"I don't want to hurt you" she said, remaining where she was in her chair. It was too small of a bed and he was already hurting.

"You're not going to hurt me" he told her, tugging on her hand again. "Come on" he said, refusing to give up.

"I haven't showered in two days" she tried again. Then she realized how disgusting she probably was.

Stefan laughed. "You could be the smelliest person on this earth and I would still want you next to me" he told her. If that didn't get her up there with him, he wasn't sure what would.

She sat there for a moment and contemplated what she should do. A bed and Stefan's arms seemed so nice right now. "Okay, but if you need me to move at all, you have to tell me" she warned as she stood up.

Stefan agreed, even though he knew he would never say anything. Elena carefully crawled onto the bed with him, careful not to bump him. But it was Stefan who wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back as close to his chest as he could. "Much better" he whispered in her ear, keeping his arms securely around her waist. She froze for a moment, thinking about the possibility of a baby and Stefan having no idea that it wasn't just the two of them laying there. "I love you. Get some sleep" he told her.

"I love you too" she said quietly. As soon as she let her eyes close, the last thing she remembered was Stefan kissing her shoulder before she was out.

He still couldn't fall asleep, but he at least had some piece of mind with her there with him.

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Elena opened her eyes slowly and heard the beeping monitors. She looked down and saw Stefan's arms still around her. She wasn't sure if he was awake too until she felt him kiss her hair. Elena sighed sleepily. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked.

"Seven hours" he replied, kissing her hair again. "The nurses and doctor have been in here six times."

Elena carefully and very slowly rolled over to face him. "I can't imagine they were all too happy to find me in this bed with you" she said, taking in his tired eyes.

Stefan shrugged. "I think they were just happy to see you sleeping" he told her.

"Did you sleep?" she asked, reaching up and brushing his hair out of his eyes. He needed a haircut.

Stefan grabbed her hand. "A little bit" he told her, leaning in and kissing her gently. Elena closed her eyes, desperately wanting him to keep kissing her.