𝐒𝐀𝐅𝐄𝐓𝐘 𝐍𝐄𝐓, ᵗʰᵉ ᵛᵃᵐᵖⁱʳᵉ ᵈⁱᵃʳⁱᵉˢ

𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦: 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘸𝘰

𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐱

''she chose me. i escorted her to the ball at the original lockwood mansion''.

elena and phoebe listened, walking around a small fountain where a small bench stood was a few feet away.

elena turned her attention back to him at that,''the first founder's party...''

stefan nodded, confirming what she already knew.

''where you signed the registry'' she finished with phoebe only listening, not really know what the two were talking about.

stefan nodded, once again knowing she was right.

''i didn't care that i had gotten something that my brother wanted. i didn't even care if it hurt him. i only knew that i wanted her'' stefan referred to the pierce girl, earning a nod of understanding from phoebe.

''so he was upset'' she concluded, taking a seat on the bench.

''that's the thing about damon. he doesn't get mad. he just gets even'' stefan told the two girls who looked up at him wondering what he meant by that.

~~~~~~~~~~

''what damon wants, damon usually gets. i didn't know it at the time, but...turns out that night...katherine was with him, too'' stefan explained.

''so he stole katherine from you, not the other way around?" elena asked, confused on who ignited the relationship first between katherine, damon, and stefan.

"turns out...she wasn't ours to steal'' stefan concluded.

third flashback.

late at night, in katherine's room, her and stefan were kissing on the bed.

katherine then flipped the two over so she was now on top.

stefan sat up with katherine in his lap, leaving soft kisses up and down her neck.

he then stopped, holding her face in his hands, making her look down at him,''i will love you forever'' he smiled, kissing her chin, then going back to leaving gentle kisses on her neck.

katherine chuckled softly,''forever is a very long time, you know''.

''not long enough'' stefan continued leaving kisses on katherine's neck and kissing her.

katherine's face then suddenly turned, veins appeared from underneath her eyes out of nowhere and her eyes turned bloodshot red.

stefan looked up at her true face, horrified before katherine turned his head harshly and bit into his neck.

~~~~~~~~~~

continuance of third flashback.

it was morning and a maid was tightening katherine's corset by pulling on the strings while she stood in the mirror, gasping sharply every once in a while because of the tightness and discomfort.

then stefan woken up, shirtless and in confusion before realizing the events of what happened last night and immediately sat up, touching his neck.

katherine smiled back at him in the mirror,''good morning. clear the room, please'' she told the maid, who left after being demanded to.

dry blood stained stefan's neck, noticing the pillow with blood on it.

''you're upset'' katherine turned around to him, walking toward the bed.

stefan looked at her with a confused look,''your face, it was like a demon'' the boy tried to describe what he saw the night before.

''but you're not afraid'' katherine continued to make her way toward him.

''get away from me. get away'' stefan moved away from katherine in fear.

''it doesn't change the way you feel about me'' she moved close enough to him, to compel him,''you will not tell anyone''.

"i—"

katherine placed her finger to stefan's lips,''we will go on exactly as we have''.

''yes. we will go on'' stefan repeated in a monotone voice.

the girl chuckled,''you have no idea of the future i have planned for us, stefan—you, me, and damon''.

stefan didn't anything to say, but stare at her.

''no rules''.

end of third flashback.

''she could control my mind and damon's. she compelled each of us to keep the secret from the other. she wanted all of us to be together forever''.

by now, phoebe and elena were standing around, trying to wrap their heads around the information they were getting.

''didn't work out that way, but...'' stefan paused, bending down to pick up a bunched up piece of cloth,''damon and i, looks like we're stuck with each other...'' he unclothed the object inside, it was damon's daylight ring.

he picked it up, showing it to elena and phoebe,''like it or not''.

''is that damon's ring?'' phoebe asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

stefan looked up to her, with a nod,''i took it from him, but i have to give it back''.

phoebe shook her head, walking up to the salvatore,"no. don't, stefan. keep it hidden'' she said, not wanting the one person she didn't like and was a vampire/murderer to get what he needs to go back into the world.

''phoebe, if i don't give it to him, he'll retaliate in the only way that he knows he can hurt me'' stefan told her, concerned for her and elena's safety.

''and how is that?'' phoebe questioned, honestly already thinking she knows the answer—elena.

he clutched his jaw, glancing at elena behind phoebe, before settling his eyesight on her again,''by hurting one of you''.

phoebe took in a deep breath, before exhaling, confusion rising in her chest, wondering why in hell would she be stefan's weakness?