Until Never Means Forever

Chapter 11

Why not this way?" Katherine asked, holding one end of the map while Stefan held the other.

Stefan shook his head. "Because I don't think he'd go that way. There's too many checkpoints with police officers" Stefan explained. They were pulled over on the side of some back road, trying to plan their next move. They hadn't even bothered with Mystic Falls, seeing as how every inch of the town had practically been searched.

"He would have to have a place to stay, right?" Katherine asked, looking for areas where shelter might have been possible. "And I doubt he would stay in a hotel. It would be too risky with ..." she said, then hesitated. With Lily.

Stefan grabbed her hand reassuringly. "He wouldn't stay in a hotel I don't think. Or anywhere with a lot of people."

"They could be anywhere Stefan" Katherine said, feeling defeated already. She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.

Stefan continued to study the map. "There is a small forest about 50 miles this way" he said, showing her. "It rests up against a lake. That probably means fishing cabins and summer rentals" he added. "But it's getting late. Let's find a hotel and try tomorrow" he told her, hating that they had to stop, but knowing that it would be no use without daylight.

Katherine looked at the map again. "Fine" she said, having no better options for them.

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Elena wrapped Lily up in a dry, scruffy towel as she helped her out of the bathtub. "That was cold" Lily said, scrunching up her face as she said it.

Elena smiled sadly and kissed her forehead. "I know, I'm sorry" she told her. "But we had to get you all clean" she added, grabbing for Lily's clothes.

Once Lily was dressed, Elena ran her fingers through the little girl's hair in an effort to comb it. "I'm tired" Lily said, not bothering to hold back her yawn.

Elena nodded. "Let's get you to bed then" she said, hanging the towel on the side of the tub and picking Lily up. She unlocked the door and went out. Derrick was nowhere to be found. Elena grabbed a blanket off of the couch and put Lily down, covering her up and sitting with her.

"Tell me a bedtime story" Lily said quietly, looking up at Elena with such tired eyes.

Elena moved next to her and smiled. "There once was a brave prince who lived in a castle all by himself" Elena began.

"Was his name Uncle Stefan?" Lily asked, a hint of excitement settling across her eyes.

Elena laughed softly. "Yeah, his name was Uncle Stefan" she told her. "And he had horses. One day he went for a ride down by the river and he came across a beautiful girl sitting on a rock, looking down at the water" she continued.

Lily smiled. "Was the girl's name Elena?" she asked.

Elena nodded. "Yeah, her name was Elena" she said, brushing a strand of hair off of Lily's face.

"Is there a girl named Lily in your story too?" Lily asked.

"There sure is" Elena told her. "The prince asked Elena if she was okay. She looked kind of sad" Elena said.

"Cause she wasn't married to Prince Uncle Stefan" Lily said, taking the story in her own direction. "So, he took her riding on his horse and then he married her. And then his favorite person in the whole wide world, Lily, came over and really liked Elena" she explained. Elena liked that story better than the one she had planned on telling. Lily continued to tell her story until she fell asleep. At one point, there was a dragon and an ice cream shop.