The Original Ripper

Chapter 16: "Stefan needs to be the hero"

On an odd night Layla was sitting in a bar and Stefan showed up next to her sitting beside her. Layla looked over to her with a small smile but noticed his broody expression. "You have your memories?" Layla inquired looking him over. Stefan drew in a sigh knocking back a tequila shot.

"Yeah, I think it would have been better if I had forgotten everything." Stefan muttered rubbing the back of his neck. Layla nodded understandingly.

"Revenge isn't recommended but it does help to a certain extent." Layla suggested shrugging.

"In case you were wondering Layla, I did like you." He whispered placing a soft kiss on Layla's lips. He pulled Layla close to him and the two left to his bedroom. When Layla woke up she looked over to Stefan who was throwing himself around obviously having a nightmare. Layla turned over placing a hand on his temple entering into his mind. Her eyes flashed open seeing all of the pain and desperation he felt when he was drowning. Walking down to the kitchen she poured herself some wine and then walked over to where Stefan was with Katherine.

"Do you really have nothing better to do than stand there all day and watch me write in cursive?" Katherine sassed sitting down. Taking a sip Layla watched the scene amused.

"He does but he is just trying to distract himself. He does love a damsel." Layla joked.

"Thing is I'm not a damsel. I had a moment of weakness yes." Katherine exclaimed. "Also how do you plan on saving me when you have your little panic attacks?" Katherine asked.

"I'm fine" Stefan shrugged.

"Says every girl who really isn't fine." Layla taunted.

"Yes the picture of mental health right there." Katherine continued.

"You were locked in a safe for three months at the bottom of a quarry." Layla reminded him. Stefan then turned to Layla with a small smirk.

"First off, not a girl, second off I'm dealing with it." Stefan sighed out more annoyed he was having this conversation with his ex and his girlfriend who were friends.

"I heard you dealing with it earlier in the library today. Oh did I tell you Layla, he freaked out and broke a chair." Katherine informed her with a serious face however, Layla could not hold back the chuckle. "Maybe two. How are you supposed to help me stay alive when you're still freaking out?"

"Does this mean you want to live?" Stefan asked.

"You shouldn't have gone there." Layla shook her head.

"It means I can't work with people who don't give me 100%." Katherine snarled looking at him with determination.

"We called for backup." Layla informed him as a knock came at the door. Layla then strutted off helping Caroline get the safe into the main room. Stefan looked at her wide eyed. "She sanitised it don't worry." Layla called out dropping it on the floor. Katherine then walked up handing her the wine glass.

"Oh because that was the thing I was worrying about the most." Stefan snarked looking down at it. Layla walked over to him holding his shoulder softly.

"Look we want to help you Stefan. You are so busy trying to help everyone else; you don't stop to think about you. Well good thing you have us who think about you." Layla informed him giving him a quick kiss. Caroline then looked between the two wide eyed.

"Look I spent three months drowning in this thing why would I want to relive it?" Stefan spat looking down at it.

"We wanted you to deal with the source of your PTSD," Caroline informed him.