The Salvatore's

Plan A

"Plan A is we vervain Stefan, put him in the basement and ration how much blood he gets." Damon says poring himself a glass of bourbon, like he usually does when he is plotting something or coming up with one of his diabolical plans which usually end pretty badly.

"Do I even want to ask what plan B is?" I ask sitting down in the couch, folding my arms.

"Elena let's just work on plan A then we can come up with others but you have to let me do this. What ever it takes because he's going to be in pain and if you can't handle that-"

I cut him off there and I say "you do what you have to. I just want for him to be the good person he was. So I'm going to help you do it."

"I'm glad but you're not going to like seeing it." He says drinking his bourbon.

"Tonight at the party." He says.

"What with people around?"

"Yes. It's perfect he'll never see it coming because he'll think that we'd never try anything in public with witnesses and potential victims. So yes tonight at the party we do it and Rick has agreed to help."

"You two are becoming really good friends."

"We are?"

"Yeah, Alaric has become you're drinking buddy and the guy who you go to for help with things like this."

"That makes us friends?" He questions and I go to say something but I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket so I take it out to see a text from Stefan.

Stefan: where are you? Klaus won't be happy if something happens to you!

Me: I'm perfectly safe and I don't need your protection. Not when your like this.

Stefan: yeah well I've been ordered to protect you so I need to be sure. Your safety is the most important thing.

Me: it's almost like you care.

Stefan: I don't, just tell me, where are you?

Me: I'm with Damon.

Stefan: I'm not surprised really. Stay where you are I'm coming to my house to make sure you don't get yourself killed.

"Look at this." I say standing up and holding up my phone so Damon can see the messages between Stefan and I.

"I'm sorry Elena this is all my fault."

"Don't be stupid."

"Maybe if I'd been here I would've gotten you away from Klaus before he made Stefan turn it off. I can handle the no humanity thing, but Stefan can't. Is humanity - his emotions - are what keep him from being a ripper. Now that's gone so expect a few bodies to turn up."

"We can't let that happen."

"I know, don't worry I'll do my best to keep my brother from killing anyone."

"What if it's not enough? It'll be all my fault." He walks closer to me and places his hands on my shoulders and says "I'm not going to let that happen, I promise you Elena and I always keep my promises." He pulls me into a nice hug, in which I respond by putting my arms around him and I place my head on his chest and it's different from hugging a human - as you can hear a humans heartbeat but Damon's a vampire so he doesn't have one - but also better than hugging a human because his arms make me feel safe and secure. And I've not felt that way for a long time. "And about your humanity, don't pretend like you don't have it. It's okay to care Damon. It doesn't make you weak."

"Isn't this cosy." Someone says causing Damon and I to pull apart and I turn around to see Stefan leaning against the doorway grinning.

"I told you I don't need your protection Stefan." I say folding my arms across my chest.