Until This Lie Do Us Part

Chapter 22

Stefan had only heard that specific scream come from Lily one other time when Lily was four and had fallen off of a chair. She hadn't been too badly hurt, but the fall had scared her.

Stefan rushed out of the fort, knocking it down in the process and scattering the chairs. He nearly tripped as he flew down the stairs towards the kitchen. When Stefan arrived in the kitchen, he saw Elena and Lily frozen stiff, both staring down at a pile of glass on the floor. Stefan noticed right away the rock lying nearby. He looked up and saw the kitchen window broken where the rock had gone through. Stefan glanced back at Lily and saw the tears falling down her cheeks and her breathing beginning to catch up with her. Then he looked at Elena who was clearly panicking, but trying to stay calm for Lily's sake.

Stefan let a slow, calming breath out as he forced his mind to work again. "Lily, Babe" he said slowly, walking towards her and holding his arms out as he did. "Come here" he said, finally reaching her. He picked her up and held her with one arm as he moved around the mess of glass to Elena. "Elena" he said, touching her arm. Nothing. It was as if she wasn't even there. "Elena" he tried again, squeezing her arm until she looked up at him. She knew that he saw the panic in her eyes and felt her shaking as he touched her.

Stefan kept one arm around Elena as well as he led them all back up the stairs. Lily was full on sobbing by this point as Stefan got them into his room. "Okay, Lily, I need you to stay with Elena, okay?" he asked, passing Lily off to her. Elena took Lily numbly into her arms, barely taking in her crying. "Elena, stay here" he told her. "Lock the door" he added, heading back out. Elena fumbled with the lock on the bedroom door, but she finally got it.

"Uncle Stefan!" Lily yelled, pulling away from Elena. Elena snapped back to reality, bringing Lily over to the bed. She sat down with her and held her close.

"It's okay, shhh" she told her, rocking her in her arms. "Your Uncle Stefan is just going to go and clean up the glass. Everything is going to be okay" she said soothingly. Lily seemed to respond to Elena finally and after a while, she was quiet. Elena looked down and saw that she had cried herself to sleep. Carefully, Elena set Lily on the bed and pulled a blanket over her. She brushed a few strands of brown curls out of her face. Then, Elena moved off of the bed and began pacing nervously, wringing her hands as she did.

She replayed the incident over in her head. She and Lily had been laughing about Stefan and then a loud shattering noise, followed by glass flying, had happened. Elena had watched Lily jump and scream out her name in panic. And Elena had just froze. She hadn't tried to go to Lily and protect her. This realization brought on a quiet sob as Elena placed her hand over her mouth.

Elena jumped at the sound of a quiet knock. "It's me" Stefan said. She quickly went to the door and unlocked it for him. Stefan poked his head in. "She okay?" he asked, looking towards Lily.

"She's asleep" Elena answered, not really sure if that is what he wanted to hear. Stefan motioned for Elena to follow him just outside of the room so they would not disturb Lily. Elena noticed that Stefan had something in his hand. "What's that?" she asked cautiously.

Stefan avoided her eyes when he spoke. "It is the note that was attached to the rock" Stefan told her. Elena reached for the piece of paper, but Stefan pulled it away from her. He didn't want her to read it. "Go and get ready for bed. I'm going to look around one more time" he told her.

"What does it say?" Elena asked sadly. She knew that whatever that note said, it was not good. Stefan shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Stefan?" she asked. "What does it say?" she repeated. Stefan still remained quiet, so she grabbed it out of his hands before he could pull it away again. She opened it and scanned the words. Consequences. Death. Stefan. Those three words caught her attention the most.