The Good Daughter

Twenty six

"Is there a purpose to this unnecessary hike?" God I hated not having my vampire stamina. Made this little adventure fucking awful.

Stefan held out his hand and I hesitantly accepted his help in what was hopefully the last leg of the hike. The quarry stretched out in front of us, well, far below us. We were at the top of a cliff. It was exactly the kind of place I'd seek out. "I caught the tail end of that. A lot of threats."

"Are you not worried about Damon?"

"No. He's fine. While I might not agree with the way he's doing it... I have to trust that he's going to come back. He always does." He found a spot on a boulder. "You need to calm down."

I crossed my arms, looking away. "So you brought me all the way out here for that?"

"What do you want, Morgan?"

"I thought I made myself pretty clear."

Stefan shook his head. "What do you want? Why are you here?"

"I- I wanted to say goodbye. I never got to... before. I had to see for myself."

"We were alive."

"That's my problem. Elijah's looking for me. As in, if his witch gets through my shields, he'll know I'm here. You don't understand, he's different to the man who raised me. He's erratic. Out of control. I have no idea how he'd react."

Stefan didn't say anything.

"And the shittiest part about it," I let out a humorless laugh. "Is that I could stop him. I could protect everyone here... but it would mean I had no freedom. That every decision had to go through him. My image is forever stained in his eyes. I am nothing more than a disobedient daughter." God forbid he find out about my ripper. "What I want Stefan is some fucking peace. I want to have a relationship with you and Damon. I want Tyler. I want to go to college and go to parties like a normal person. But I can't have that!"

My words echoed across the water, an ache settling deep in my chest.

"It'd be safer for you if I went back. I wouldn't be risking anyone's life. It's the noble thing to do."

I didn't want to be noble.

"And I know it's fucking selfish to want to stay-" Oh god. My voice caught. "I know I shouldn't."
Stefan stood, pulling me into his chest and wrapping his arms around my shoulders tightly. "I don't know what to do!"

He held me while I sobbed.

It was pathetic.

Here I was, crying about putting their lives in danger, when I was also putting Hope's life in danger, Marcel's.

If Elijah's attention is so divided that Marcel would give me a call... it has to be bad.

But I didn't want to go. Didn't want to give up everything I'd worked so hard for. I took a shaky breath, pulling back and wiping at my face. "Someone... someone's in trouble, a girl. Marcel, he's my adoptive brother, he told me. I-if I went back, it'd be to help."

"Then go." Stefan's eyes held sincereness. He brushed some hair away from my face. "You are Salvatore and Mikaelson both. I won't keep you here if they need your help too. We'll be alright."

"Not if Elijah ever finds out you helped hide me. He'd be furious." Even more so than he already is.

"Morgan." He grasped my shoulders. "I know you're scared. Just as I know you know Elijah. If you were to go, to help, I trust you'd keep us safe just as you have been this entire time."

"He's going to be so angry." It fell out in a whisper.

"If there is one thing I've been witness to, is that man loves you. He'd do anything for you. The worst that would happen is that you'd get daggered, right? But we have eternity and Damon and I are always going to be around. I swear."

Stefan was right.

Elijah would never hurt me.

But he did. That traitorous part of my mind reminded me. Freya did. Did I really expect that even if I begged for forgiveness that Elijah would accept?!

"Go, Morgan. We'll be waiting."

I crashed into his chest, wanting one last hug before walking to what felt like certain doom.