The Third Salvatore (TVD Season 1)

Chapter 33

Emma

"Gerrroffmee!" Stefan kicks his legs on the ground and yells as Hardin practically drags him to his room.

"Oh come on, little sister.. " Hardin croons maliciously at him.

"What are you going to do with him?" I sigh following them. Everytime you think they can't be anymore dramatic, they make you eat your words, these Salvatores. Hardin shoves him down in a large couch and gives him a punch. Stefan yells.

"If you don't stop vamping out, I'll have to smother it." Hardin warns him as he takes out a vial from his pocket. Stefan lets out a mirthless laughter. "Do it. Give me, I'll drink it myself."

"Or why don't I set a funeral pyre for you?"

"I keep seeing Emily. About what she said... My-my curse, Hardin-"

"Emily Bennett? What, are you hallucinating?" Hardin goes on his knees to steady Stefan who's now slipping down from the couch on the floor.

"I brought this upon you two. I pushed you both towards damnation. I am the cause-" He almost sobs. I have a sudden urge to disappear and give them some time alone but I still stand rooted to my spot.

"-that Damon and you-" He looks up at Hardin and puts his hand at the latter's shoulder.

"Damon owes you, you wanker!" Hardin huffs a laugh. "And I was more of an influence on you than the other way round."

"Emily told me this would be my curse. I'm living that curse and I seek freedom!" Stefan screams although tears flows over his cheeks.

"Listen to me-" Hardin says darkly as he steadies Stefan by grabbing his collar. "That day when you two woke up, destiny gave you a chance, Stefan. You lost your girl and you decided to better choose death than live in a world without her and I respect that. But it didn't happen, Stefan! You need to own what you chose in that moment, man. You fed on him and you changed everything." Stefan flinches at Hardin's words.

"I'm not you." He bares his teeth at Hardin. The latter just smirks.

"Lay the blame on the little one, right? I'm not the one who ate father?" What the fuck?

"Fuck off!"

"Own it, Stefan! Come back to the present and stop gloating and whining about what happened. You were seventeen, Stefan, you were a kid. Forgive that kid, man. You're beyond hundred and sixty years old, have you learnt nothing watching all the mortals around you? All of them wallowing in their petty regrets about what could they've said or done, as they get older? Are you waiting for that day when you lay down in a ditch, a stake through your heart? Evolve, Stefan."

Stefan meets his eyes and holds the gaze for a while. Hardin steps away from him and sits on the edge of the bed. He looks moody.

"What I did to-" Stefan starts after he sobers himself.

"Yes, you fucked up with Damon, big time. I told you not to, remember? You punched me in the nose." Hardin rolled his eyes. "You can't expect him to forget it, Stef. It's not something to clear over dinner table. And Damon has always been such a romantic. You just got to deal with him."

"I can't-" Stefan finally seems to realize my presence and stops short. Hardin's eyes flutter at me too. I silently crawl out of the room.

I decide to walk downstairs and try to set the captives free. Damon sighs in a relief and smiles at me but it's limited. " Where has he taken him?" He asks the moment he sees me. Elena stands beside him, her eyes red.

"Just upstairs. Stefan's room." I shrug and try to wrench open the cell door.

"And?" Damon urges.

"And nothing. They are just talking." I pick up a brick from the floor and bang it on the unshakable, iron handle. Damon looks perplexed at this information and grinds his teeth silently. I'm finally able to budge the iron handle and set them free from that awful, cold cell. Both of them run upstairs leaving me behind.