✔️The Woods (Stefan Salvatore)

T H I R T Y - "Off Again"

"Eudora Love, we don't have long" Klaus whistles as he stood within the doorway of the annex, looking over all of her stuff as she shoved it violently into a suitcase.

"And to think, I just brought a new car" she pouted and he chuckled.

"Don't you worry Little One, you won't be driving any time soon. I don't trust that your feet can even reach the pedals" Klaus smirked and she scoffed as she grabbed the handle of her suitcase and pulled it along behind her. Tired of her slow progress, he took it off of her and she smirked as she skipped behind him out of the annex and to the car parked on the front curb.

"Welcome back" Stefan spoke, his voice currently void of emotion as he sat in the passenger seat, elbow resting on the door, cradling his head. Klaus practically threw the suitcase in the trunk and jumped into the drivers seat.

"Does this one ever stop talking?" Klaus groaned however, he was secretly enjoying Eudora's presence. The girl had a rather positive outlook on life, currently she was arranging a fluffy throw over around her short legs. She was dressed in one of Klaus' shirt and leggings with her boots considering they had been forced to stay in Alaric's apartment last night.

"Nope, you may need to gag her if you want some peace and quiet" Stefan informed and Eudora glared at him teasingly.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you Stefan" Klaus began to drive, wiggling his eyebrows and Eudora giggled at the disgusted look on Stefan's face.

"Are we leaving now?" Stefan wondered.

"Not yet Stefan. Embrace this. You've got a decade of it." Klaus smirked happily to himself. "We are stopping for snacks"

"Snacks?" Eudora perked up and leant forward between the two front seats.

"Seriously?" Stefan scoffed.

"This is why" klaus noted, gesturing to where Eudora was sat smiling. "It's going to be a long drive Stefan, are you telling me that you're happy with a six hour car drive with her complaining"

"Touché" he nodded and Eudora leant back, so far it was a good day. Granted, Stefan had been forced to violently rip out some girls throat but at least Eudora was getting snacks. Half an hour later, they were parked at a gas station on the edge of town, Klaus and Stefan went inside to get 'supplies', leaving Eudora in the car... with the child locks on.

Retiring fifteen minutes later, they found a very disgruntled and pouty Eudora Allegra.

"You didn't even leave the windows down! I could've died" she groaned and the two men exchanged glances.

"You're not a dog Eudora" Stefan sighed as he handed her a bag and she dug in happily, ignoring her previous complaints as Klaus began to drive again. Within she found a collection of things that she adored, from cookies to cherry lollipops and even strawberry laces. Which meant one thing, Stefan remembered. She flung her arms over the back of his chair, cuddling round his neck in appreciation.

"Thank you Stefan" she smiled and pressed a kiss on his cheek to show how she felt. He smiled and patted her arms. Taking the hint, Eudora dropped back into her seat and beamed.

"Give me one" Klaus prompted, taking one hand off of the steering wheel and holding it in the air. Eudora carefully placed a strawberry lace in it as though it was made of glass and he shoved it between his teeth, sticking his thumb up in thanks.

"Can we not pretend that this isn't weird?" Stefan pointed out.

"Weird? Why would it be weird Stefan?" Klaus mocked, chomping away on his strawberry lace. Eudora was too busy shoving food in her mouth to make any kind of smart remark and it was the first peace and quiet they had had all day.

"Where are we going Klaus?" Stefan asked.

"Far away from Mystic Falls, I promise. Let's just drive and see where we end up, yes? We'll stop at some motel if it gets too dark" he promised. Eudora leant her head back, looking out the window and she could see Stefan's face in the wing mirror of the car. His expression remained blank but he winked at her and she knew then that the real Stefan was still in there somewhere, she was anchoring him to his true self, despite the blood thirst.

"You might want to have a nap Eudora, it's going to be a long drive" Klaus smirked and she glared at him. She hadn't had any sleep in a while, the group all spent the night awake, discussing their travel plans for the next decade and she was exhausted, too worried to sleep.

"You'll be fine Dora, I won't let him kill you" Stefan promised, only partly joking and Klaus winked.

"Yeah, give me one of the packets of red things first though" he held his hand up, snapping his fingers at her and she pouted as she dropped one of the packets into his hand. Folding her arms, pulling the throw over up over her head like a child, she snuggled down and closed her eyes.

Only half an hour later, when heart heartbeat had slowed and her breathing deepened, did Stefan and Klaus speak again. By this point, Klaus was already half way through a pack of strawberry laces.

"Why did you always choose Elena?"

"What?" Stefan wondered as he looked up from his phone, he had been texting Damon under Klaus' watchful gaze.

"Well I'm just curious. When you've got a girl as gorgeous as Eudora lurking around. Was she ever even an option?"

"Of course she was" Stefan sighed. "She was a constant temptation, one that I couldn't have because I was in love with Elena."

"You could always have followed your instincts, rather than your heart" Klaus informed and Stefan couldn't believe that he was actually having this conversation with the original hybrid who'd murdered his girlfriend.

"And where would that have led me?"

"To happiness Stefan. Nobody is going to make you happier than that girl right there. She'd do anything for you. Why do you think she is here right now? She could've said no to my request, I'd still have given you the cure if you'd agreed. I just thought you'd be more likely to come along if she was there... But she's here, willing to give up life as she knows it just to be with you" Klaus shook his head. "What a pity it's been wasted."