Until Never Means Forever

Chapter 6

Stefan watched as Elena checked and locked all 56 windows in the Boarding House. It was heartbreaking to watch her so determined to keep herself safe when it was not necessary at all. But Stefan let her because he knew that if he tried to stop her, it would only cause her more distress.

"I think that's all of them" Elena said, tugging on the last window to make sure it was locked tightly. "Did you lock the doors?" she asked Stefan. He nodded grimly. "I better double check" she said, attempting to walk past him.

But Stefan stopped her. He couldn't let her carry on any longer. "I checked them" he told her, rubbing her arms as he did. "Let's go to bed."

Elena shook her head. "I'm not tired" she told him.

"Elena" Stefan said, his voice exhausted. "You have to sleep."

"I said I'm not tired!" she snapped, her voice raised to a level that Stefan had not heard in a long time. He looked at her for a long moment, unsure of what to do. "Don't look at me like that" she said, on the brink of tears now. "Just ... don't" she said, backing away from him slowly. She turned and walked out of the laundry room. To where, Stefan didn't know.

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Stefan stared at his computer screen early the next morning. Elena had stayed up all night on the couch, watching the front door. She looked like she would fall asleep at any moment, but he knew she was fighting it. He had to do something. He just couldn't sit around and wait for her to destroy herself. To destroy them. He scrolled down the page, looking at well-known therapists in the area.

He hated this. He hated that he was looking up therapists for his wife when the weekend before, they were smiling and laughing on a camping trip. It wasn't fair.

Her tired, exhausted figure made a presence, casting a shadow over the dimly lit room. He looked up, surprised to see her. "Hey" he said softly, his tone as far from threatening as he could make it.

She stared at him impassively and he wasn't sure if she was going to say anything or not. But she did. "I'm going to California" she announced. Before he could protest, she continued. "To see Jeremy and Bonnie for a few days, maybe a week" she added. When Stefan looked into her eyes, he saw nothing.

"No" he said, surprising both himself and her. He wasn't the type to tell Elena no. And the last thing that he wanted to do was keep Elena from seeing her family. But he held this deep fear that if she went to California, she wouldn't come back. She would want to stay there. She would probably feel safer, being further away. Maybe she wanted to get away from him, too.

Elena seemed to study him for a minute but then she shook her head. "You can't stop me" she finally said.

He didn't want to have to stop her. "I'll go with you" he said instead, wanting to halt this argument before it went far beyond what they could handle right now.

"I don't want you to go with me" she said, again, her gaze impassive. "Jeremy knows I'm coming. I've already booked my ticket. I leave tomorrow" she said, blinking once before turning and leaving his office.

Stefan stood up abruptly and followed her. "Elena" he said as he followed her toward the stairs.

Elena whipped around to face him, her face finally showing an emotion. Anger. "I used my money, not yours" she stated, as if that was the real argument at hand.

"Our money" he corrected. "And the money has nothing to do with this" he pointed out. "I don't think you should be going off on your own right now" he said, as gently as possible.

"Why?" she asked, a challenging smirk appearing. "Are you afraid I might see things again and panic?" she asked. "Or, are you afraid that I'm right? That Derrick is alive and he will come after me?" she asked again, almost as if she were laughing at him now.