Until Never Means Forever

Chapter 8

Elena swallowed hard. "That's Derrick" she said, feeling sick to her stomach. Stefan's arm instinctively went around her.

"Any idea of what may be motivating him at this point? Ransom?" the detective asked. "Is it money he wants, do you suppose?" he asked, looking between the three.

Stefan felt his own stomach lurch. "He wants my wife" he said. The sick son of a bitch wanted his wife.

The detective looked at Elena. "What are your thoughts, Mrs. Salvatore?" he asked.

Elena swallowed again and nodded. "He doesn't care about the money. He wants me back. He would do anything, to get me back" she said, her eyes flashing with fear. He would hurt Lily if it meant ... trying to get Elena back. "Which is why we should offer a trade. Me for Lily" Elena said, her voice becoming alive.

Stefan's arm left her as he turned to gape at her in utter shock. "Are you kidding me right now?" he asked, anger flashing across his face.

"Stefan, we can get her back" Elena pleaded with him.

The detective seemed to consider this for a moment. "We would have the entire place secured, Stefan. We could make the trade safely and then get Elena back" the detective offered. Stefan glared at him now.

Elena shook her head. "No. He's smart. He would never fall into that trap. We would have to do this for real. Let him take me, in exchange for letting Lily go" she told them all. "It's the only way."

"No" Stefan said harshly. He wouldn't agree to this. Never in a million years would he agree to this.

"It's my daughter we're talking about here!" Damon finally said angrily, facing his brother. He was tired of no progress being made. His little girl was out there with some sick freak.

"And Elena's my wife!" Stefan yelled at him. Both brothers seemed to remain staring each other down for quite some time.

"Stefan" Elena said, trying to calm him. She gently touched his arm.

"No!" he yelled, turning to face her now. "I made you a promise, Elena. I will not let him hurt you again" he said. He looked at the detective pointedly. "The answer is no" he said, slamming a chair into the table before storming out. There had to be another way.

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Stefan had been on the phone all afternoon with private investigators. Anyone he could find to help him find Lily and that piece of scum. He was also offering a reward; the sum significantly larger if Derrick was brought in alive.

He was also keeping a close eye on Elena, who hadn't talked to him since he stormed out of the detective's office. She was going to try one more time to convince him that this trade, the one where they would get Lily back, was the only option. She had to make him see that she was strong enough to do this. That she believed in him and the police to track them down later on and save her. Hours, days, or weeks. She could be strong for that long, if it meant getting Lily home and safe.

Elena entered his office. He was still on the phone, but he ended the call when he saw her. He looked like hell and she wondered if he had showered yet that day. Or eaten, for that matter. "Hi" she said timidly, working slowly to bring her confidence back up to where she needed it to be. "Can I talk to you?" she asked.

"Yeah" he nodded. Elena made her way into the office and came around to his side of the desk, leaning against it. His legs spread as he rolled his chair closer to her, effectively trapping her. That was better though, because she needed to talk to him, even though she really wanted to run back upstairs.

"She's only seven, Stefan" Elena started, effectively catching him off guard and making him vulnerable. "Derrick is desperate. He won't hurt her if he knows he can trade her for me. But the longer we hold off, the angrier he is going to get ..." she began, only to stop suddenly by his response.