Falling → Stefan Salvatore [2]

Stand By Me

Chapter 17: Stand By Me

-

Stefan Salvatore and Elena Gilbert's trip to Nova Scotia had come to an end a bit before the rest of the groups had. And it was all due to the unfortunate event in which Jeremy Gilbert was no longer breathing, though it was more than clear that the doppelgänger was still holding out more than enough hope that his ring would return him to her. But his ring was created for those that weren't supernatural. And Jeremy was.

"Can I come in?" A familiar voice rang throughout the room, causing her head to jolt back and look at the boy she had been waiting for to come home for what felt like weeks to her, even though it had only been a day or two.

"Looks like you already did." She commented on the fact that he had already made the decision for her, shutting the door behind him on his way in. A light smile appeared on her face as she looked at him. It wasn't the kind you would see someone make when they were ecstatic, but the kind where you could tell that someone was satisfied. That's all anyone really ever looks for, right? Satisfaction, that is. A sigh escaped her mouth and she picked up her foot, tracing every step over to him as if she was moving in slow motion. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a hug. It wasn't too tight, but it also wasn't loose either. "Thank you for being okay."

"You're not going?" Stefan asked her as he packed his suitcase, his eyes watching her as she walked over to his bed and took a seat on it.

"Why would I? The only one who actually wants to be there will be. I just happen to think there are much better ways to make use of my time instead of traveling to another country because Elena can't handle being a vampire." Amalia let out a breath as she realized how aggressive her words had translated as. "Sorry. I'm in a mood."

"Yeah." He mumbled, agreeing with her, but he was a bit afraid to say it louder as he knew it wouldn't result in anything too pleasant.

"Watch it." She warned him before she picking up a flashlight from a pile he had created of supplies he would need on their voyage and handing it to him. "Flashlight."

"Thanks." He was appreciative of the fact that she was helping him regardless of the fact that she wouldn't be joining them in Nova Scotia. "Are you okay?"

"Why do you ask?" She furrowed her eyebrows as she wasn't expecting those words to leave his mouth. But he knew her well enough to know when something was wrong. It was just whether or not she knew it herself.

"You're squeezing my shoe." He looked down at her hands that were most likely causing permanent damage to a shoe he was planning on packing in his suitcase.

As her eyes trailed down to see what it was he was talking about, she realized he wasn't fibbing and that she really was squeezing the hell out of the shoe she hadn't even realized she was holding. She set it down quickly and looked back up at him, unsure of what the answer to his question was. "I'm fine. I'm just... worried about you."