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𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

"...OH PLEASE, WE ALL KNOW THE STORY OF THAT," Caroline scoffed in annoyance over Rebekah's words. "Caroline, darling, I know perfectly well about Stefan's fading interest in our little doppelganger here. I was at the barn that night." Rebekah tilted her head towards an agitated and impatient Elena, who had conveniently also been avoiding eye contact with anyone at the table upon the start of the her-and-Stefan conversation. "I asked why everyone's been searching so desperately for the cure for her, and why it hasn't been found yet."

"God, can you have a little patience?!" Caroline snapped. "I was literally getting there!" With a small sigh, she continued. "Stefan and I had been thinking about Elena, and how vampirism may not be the best option for her—having to kill, having all this amplified emotion to deal with. You know it's not easy—so we decided to search for the cure."

"And—"

"There've been a few hiccups in all of that." Stefan answered Rebekah's next question before she could finish; the Original Vampire arched an eyebrow in curious suspicion of the Salvatore brother, as well as Caroline's sudden fidgety demeanor.

"...for example...?" When neither answered, a roll of her eyes ensued at their stubbornness. Was sitting the vampires down like dolls against their will really worth finding answers and, for lack of a better term, catching up? "Children, you can't keep mum about such matters."

"I'm sorry, Stefan." Caroline spoke up, raising the concern of the Salvatore boy. "They broke up." Arching an eyebrow, Rebekah's interest was piqued.

"Now that is a development." She drawled, slowing her pace around the table at which everyone was seated. "I can't say I expected that. I thought the fading interest was one of those slumps star-crossed lovers face. When did you break up?"

"After the barn incident." Stefan responded.

"I hadn't yet been daggered then, had I? Was this under wraps?" Shaking her head, Rebekah looked at Stefan with a glint in her eye. "Actually, that's irrelevant. I want to know what happened after that. You seem to have gotten over her awfully fast."

"I found out about this at the 20's decade dance." Elena's head snapped towards Stefan; eyebrows raised at his reply. "I don't know why, but too much had happened, and I knew she was in love with my brother as well. I didn't want to make her choose."

"But I did anyway." Elena scoffed. "Did you lie to me, then? I was coming back through Wickery Bridge for you, Stefan. I died there."

"I never lied to you." Stefan clarified, meeting her eyes. "I told you the part about knowing about your feelings for Damon. And I wanted to find the cure to repent for being the one you died because of."

"So, then," Rebekah cut in. "What stopped the search, exactly?"

"I had been looking for it for Elena. Like I said, it was to mend what went wrong. I thought she would've wanted that. To become human again."

"But...?"

"I realized she seemed to be enjoying vampirism." Rebekah tilted her head, gesturing for him to continue—he kept quiet afterwards, however, much to her irritation. Caroline, who likely matched the same level of annoyance the Mikaelson girl had, huffed and decided to rip the band-aid off.

"She's changed. A lot." She started. "And not in the manner that would give her an existential crisis. She's had bad things happen to her after turning, like the Hunter's Curse, but other than that, she's made decisions that tell us she's changed to her liking."

"Such as?"

"Sleeping with Damon." Elena shot a glare at her friend, as if she'd just accused her of a crime. Caroline looked back at Elena calmly and simply shook her head. "She's been confused between Stefan and Damon for months now, and while she seemed to choose Stefan at first, it faltered quickly. She's also begun to disregard the wishes of her friends, who are simply looking out for her."