Barely A Memory

Chapter 10

Suddenly bored, Katherine shrugged once again. "He said he read about me in a journal entry. And he was hoping I was the love of his life. I mean, it's about time he came to his senses. On the phone, he even offered to run away from Mystic Falls and meet me."

"Oh my god. The dream." Elena closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. Stefan had actually tried to find the girl from his dream, had actually tried to find her. Suddenly, she began to piece together the story in her mind. Stefan had been so confused about their kiss that he had decided to find the dream girl once and for all... "That stupid dream is going to be the death of both of us."

Katherine furrowed her brows. "Dream?"

"He didn't tell you about the dream?" Elena asked, surprised. "Never mind. Look, that's beyond the point right now. You need to leave Stefan alone or we're going to have a serious problem, and you're going to end up with a stake through your back. Are we clear?" The human girl stood a little taller, suddenly feeling stronger.

Katherine only snickered and tilted her head slightly to the side. She took a fierce step closer, making Elena tremble a bit. "Are you threatening me, Elena? I sure hope not, because let's get one thing straight: you have no control over Stefan. I know it's hard to hear, honey, but he doesn't love you anymore. He doesn't belong to you. And if I want to see Stefan, if I want to kiss Stefan, If I want to do whatever I please with Stefan, I will." She placed a gentle but forceful hand on Elena's shoulder. "Because it's not your call. You know what? Maybe I'll even share blood with him." Katherine leaned closer; she was whispering now. "And I'll let you watch as I drain the life from his body. If you're lucky, I'll let you see his face when he wakes up and realizes he's got an eternity to spend with me."

Elena was shaking with rage now. "You wouldn't dare take his humanity away from him again."
"Please," Katherine practically sang, her voice quiet, threatening. "When I'm done with him, he'll be begging for it."

Elena wanted to reply, but she kept her jaw shut. And just as Katherine stepped away and Elena thought she was going to be able to let out the breath she'd been holding, her terrifying doppelganger leaned in once more, malice and amusement thick in her voice. "I wonder what it'd be like for you if Stefan ended up sired to me."

Now Elena really was going to hit her. She could feel the anger, the insanity rushing through her veins and fueling every muscle, fueling her pulse. But as she swung, Katherine disappeared, leaving nothing behind but a terrible foreboding in Elena's chest and the scent of designer perfume.

XXXX

"Stefan, you're an idiot! Have I ever told you that? Well, you are. You're a raging idiot. What the hell is wrong with you?" Caroline was ranting so loudly that Stefan had to move the phone away from his ear. "I mean, Katherine? Even Rebekah would have been better, and that's saying a lot!"

Puzzlement spread across his face. "Rebekah?"

"Not important. What on earth possessed you to call Katherine? Do you want me to go on and on and name every single bad thing she's done to the people in this town?"

Stefan sighed, falling back on his bed. "Look, I read my journal from 1860 and I loved her." He watched for a few seconds as his ceiling fan spun around. "I don't know if I still do. I think I could if I had to."

"No. Do not do that, Stefan Salvatore. Do not settle for less than you want."

Closing his eyes, Stefan suddenly realized he really did not want to be on the phone, getting lectured by his overly-excited best friend. "Well when you find out what I want, let me know."