Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
back at it again
AS SOON AS THE CAR STOPS, STEFAN RUSHES TOWARDS IT, RIPPING LOGAN FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT. He feels sick satisfaction when the newly turned vampire groans in pain as he lands roughly on the ground, but he pays no more attention to the man as Damon quickly takes him down with wooden bullets.
"Payback's a bitch, isn't it?"
Stefan's panicked gaze falls to Athena's slumped form and fear rips through his chest, making him hurry to her side.
"Get her out of here," Damon instructs, eyes lingering on the unconscious teen worriedly before he pushes it away.
Stefan gently picks her up, cradling her in his arms before disappearing in a blur. In what feels like hours to him but is only mere seconds, he stops in the driveway of the boarding house, brushing Athena's tangled hair off of her face.
He grimaces when he sees the bruise on her forehead, and the blood staining her olive skin, but his mind flashes back to a few weeks ago when they stood mere inches apart from one another in the locker room, Athena's bruised and bloodied face staring up at him.
As soon as he opens the door, Lexi is standing before him with worry shining in her dark eyes. "Is she okay?"
"Yeah," He nods, speaking quietly. "I'm going to take her upstairs and give her some of my blood. She should be fine. Is Caroline okay?"
Lexi shrugged a bit. "She's a little shaken up, but I explained as much as possible. She says it answers a lot about you and Damon, but she's worried about Athena's involvement. It's obvious she cares for her."
"They care for each other. Athena wanted to keep Caroline out of it to keep her safe."
Lexi heaves a sigh, stepping out of Stefan's way so he can take Athena upstairs and hoard her away until he's sure she's okay like she knows he wants to. "I'll keep her down here until Athena is ready to talk."
Stefan nods gratefully, beginning to walk towards the stairs.
"Stefan," Lexi calls, stopping him momentarily. "Don't use this to prove your point. All she wants is for you to be happy."
"That's all I want for her, Lexi," He mutters, biting the inside of his cheek. "And look where it got her. I'm better off leaving her alone."
"No, you aren't," The blonde vampire smiles, shaking her head. "You two aren't meant to be apart. Just– trust me on this, okay? Be there when she wakes up. Talk to her."
Stefan nods quietly and hurries up the stairs so Lexi can take care of Caroline. He bypasses the bedroom Athena has claimed as her own and goes to his bedroom, shutting the door as quickly and quietly as he can.
He lays her down in the middle of his bed, sliding her high heels off of her feet and onto the floor in a careless manner that he knows she'll scold him for once she's awake. She was precarious about how her shoes were treated, and the thought made him smile. He'd happily be scolded if it meant he heard her voice again.
