The Struggle

And in front of all these people. Her thoughts came to a clattering halt as everything fell into place. That was what Damon was here for, to make Stefan attack him, apparently unprovoked. No matter what happened after that, he won. If Stefan drove him away, it would just be more proof of Stefan’s "tendency toward violence." More evidence for Stefan’s accusers. And if Stefan lost the fight…

It would mean his life, thought Elena. Oh, Stefan, he’s so much stronger right now; please don’t do it. Don’t play into his hands.

Hewants to kill you; he’s just looking for a chance.

She made her limbs move, though they were stiff and awkward as a marionette’s. "Stefan," she said, taking his cold hand in hers, "let’s go home."

She could feel the tension in his body, like an electric current running underneath his skin. At this moment, he was completely focused on Damon, and the light in his eyes was like fire reflecting off a dagger blade. She didn’t recognize him in this mood, didn’t know him. He frightened her.

"Stefan," she said, calling to him as if she were lost in fog and couldn’t find him. "Stefan,please. "

And slowly, slowly, she felt him respond. She heard him breathe and felt his body go off alert, clicking down to some lower energy level. The deadly concentration of his mind was diverted and he looked at her, and saw her.

"All right," he said softly, looking into her eyes. "Let’s go."

She kept her hands on him as they turned away, one clasping his hand, the other tucked inside his arm. By sheer force of will, she managed not to look over her shoulder as they walked away, but the skin on her back tingled and crawled as if expecting the stab of a knife.

Instead, she heard Damon’s low ironical voice: "And have you heard that kissing a red-haired girl cures fever blisters?" And then Bonnie’s outrageous, flattered laughter.

On the way out, they finally ran into their host.

"Leaving so soon?" Alaric said. "But I haven’t even had a chance to talk to you yet."

He looked both eager and reproachful, like a dog that knows perfectly well it’s not going to be taken on a walk but wags anyway. Elena felt worry blossom in her stomach for him and everyone else in the house. She and Stefan were leaving them to Damon.

Right now she had enough to do getting Stefan out of here before he changed his mind.

"I’m not feeling very well," she said as she picked up her purse where it lay by the ottoman. "Sorry." She increased the pressure on Stefan’s arm. It would take very little to get him to turn back and head for the dining room right now.

"I’m sorry," said Alaric. "Good-bye."

They were on the threshold before she saw the little slip of violet paper stuck into the side pocket of her purse. She pulled it out and unfolded it almost by reflex, her mind on other things.

There was writing on it, plain and bold and unfamiliar. Just three lines. She read them and felt the world rock. This was too much; she couldn’t deal with anything more.

"What is it?" said Stefan.

"Nothing." She thrust the bit of paper back into the side pocket, pushing it down with her fingers. "It’s nothing, Stefan. Let’s get outside."

They stepped out into driving needles of rain.

Chapter Seven

"Next time," Stefan said quietly, "I won’t leave."

Elena knew he meant it, and it terrified her. But just now her emotions were quietly coasting in neutral, and she didn’t want to argue.

"He was there," she said. "Inside an ordinary house full of ordinary people, just as if he had every right to be. I wouldn’t have thought he would dare."

"Why not?" Stefan said briefly, bitterly. "I was there in a ordinary house full of ordinary people, just as if I had every right to be."

"I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. It’s just that the only other time I’ve seen him in public was at the Haunted House when he was wearing a mask and costume, and it was dark. Before that it was always somewhere deserted, like the gym that night I was there alone, or the graveyard…"

She knew as soon as she said that last part that it was a mistake. She still hadn’t told Stefan about going to find Damon three days ago. In the driver’s seat, he stiffened.

"Or the graveyard?"

"Yes… I meant that day Bonnie and Meredith and I got chased out. I’m assuming it must have been Damon who chased us. And the place was deserted except for the three of us."

Why was she lying to him? Because, a small voice in her head answered grimly, otherwise he might snap. Knowing what Damon had said to her, what he had promised was in store, might be all that was needed to send Stefan over the edge.

Then he’ll never know, she promised herself. No matter what I have to do, I’ll keep them from fighting each other over me. No matter what.

For a moment, apprehension chilled her.

Five hundred years ago, Katherine had tried to keep them from fighting, and had succeeded only in forcing them into a death match. Butshe wouldn’t make the same mistake, Elena told herself fiercely. Katherine’s methods had been stupid and childish. Who else but a stupid child would kill herself in the hope that the two rivals for her hand would become friends? It had been the worst mistake of the whole sorry affair. Because of it, the rivalry between Stefan and Damon had turned into implacable hatred. And what’s more, Stefan had lived with the guilt of it ever since; he blamed himself for Katherine’s stupidity and weakness.

Groping for another subject, she said, "Do you think someone invited him in?"

"Obviously, since hewas in."

"Then it’s true about – people like you. You have to be invited in. But Damon got into the gym without an invitation."