Fall

Chapter 53: The Girl Who Cried Vampire

Stefan folds his arms over his chest as the sun starts to set, and he swallows hard. "I'm sorry, for how I've been treating you. I'm dating Elena, I chose Elena, but I've had a hard time just treating you like a friend. It's like every time I'm near you, there's this....this feeling that I can't-" He cuts himself off, rubbing a hand down his face as he seems to struggle to describe it. I nod, knowing exactly what he's talking about. It's the same pull I've felt, as if there's a string connecting our hearts together. No matter where we are, pulling us closer and closer together. 

I go to open my mouth and tell him I've felt it too, but he plows on ahead and stops me. "But I chose Elena. And you told me to give you space, you told me you weren't in love with me anymore. And I didn't respect that, I just kept giving in to this pull between us. It's not fair to you, it's not fair to Elena, and it's not fair to me. So, I'm sorry. I really am, if I've made things awkward or hard or ruined anything. I just...I just want my friend. I want you in my life, in whatever capacity that takes. I need you. My canary, and all that." He looks uncomfortable and sad, with everything he's divulging. It gets darker as he talks but I let him keep going, hanging to his words like my lifeline. 

"It's alright, Stefan. I like being your canary, like I said, I'm happy to do it. Happy to be your friend. But anything else we had is long done." And with those words, it's like it is. Like I've severed that pull between us, made it dormant, and I can finally breathe again. I can feel like myself. "Now we can go back to you drinking my blood and us asking weird or personal questions of each other." 

Stefan nods with raised eyebrows, a smile at the corners of his lips. "Ok, ok I've got one then if you're ready." He says. I motion for him to continue. "How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people's?"

"Tut tut, Stefan." I chide him with a grin. "That's two questions. You already know what my childhood was like. It was nice, before the Logan incident. And it was a bit strange, since. Like walking on eggshells constantly. As for close, I think we're pretty close. I'd love to be closer and let my mom in on the big secret, but Elena won't let me." I roll my eyes and sigh as it gets darker still, the two of us walking towards the town green in the center of the downtown. "But it's my mom, it should be my say in what she knows." 

We walk around the square, and it's nice. "Yeah, but keeping her in the dark could protect her from all this. I mean, you weren't in danger before knowing all about this stuff."

"Ok, I'm not asking her to rush in and start fighting and plotting like we do." I roll my eyes, brushing my tightly curled hair back. "I just want her to be more aware. Like, don't invite random strangers into the house. Keep a stake on her, stay on vervain. That sort of stuff. I don't want her anywhere near the action, I just want her able to defend herself." I respond to his argument, about to say more when I feel someone grab my hand. I turn and see Damon holding it between his, looking a bit harried. "What are you doing?" I ask him. First the teas, then biting my wrist, now this? 

"Saving your life. Grab Elena. Fifteen words or less: tomb vamps are here. Founding families are the target. Get them out of here. Now." Damon lets go of my hand now and crosses in front of us. I look around for Elena trying to spot her, when I see her talking with Aimee Bradley off in the distance. 

Stefan grabs his brother for a second. "Wait wait wait. Where are you going?"

"That's more than fifteen words, Stefan." Damon calls back, moving seamlessly into the crowd. 

I pull Stefan with me over to Elena. "We need to get her, Jeremy, and my mom back home now." I tell him, the two of us hurrying. 

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