Forever The Name On My Lips

eighteen.

eighteen. baby, we built this house on memories

"Do you want to try this again?" you asked as you sliced his chest with your knife.

Stefan grunted, trying to hold it in but couldn't. He screamed. "No! You can't do this!"

"But I can," you smirked, stepping back. "And I have to. See, that's the thing, Stefan. I promised Lexi I would help you. And so as much as I hate this, I don't have a choice. I have to keep hurting you until you turn it back on. I don't break my promises. So you ready to feel again?"

"You're not Lexi, Y/N," he said, catching his breath. "Besides, didn't Elena say she was gonna wait for me to uh what was it? Get my hope back?"

You looked around the cell. "Do you see Elena here?"

"Why do you even care?" he said. "Isn't Klaus your eternal love? Why are you helping them? It can't just be because you made a promise."

You looked at him for a moment, trying to think of how to best answer. "You're right. It isn't just the promise," you said. "I've been where you are, Stefan. I remember this feeling. I remember not wanting to turn it back on because the guilt would eat me alive, but your brother didn't give up on me. And I won't give up on you. But I need you to fight here. I need you to let it back in. I promise, I will help you get through this. But if you don't work with me here, you're going to lose everything."

"So this is some penance then?" He chuckled darkly. "Some payback because Damon held your hand? I don't buy it. Is this just to get back at your boyfriend? Seems desperate, doesn't it?" You punched him in the face and he spit out the blood from his mouth before smirking at you. "Did I hit a nerve? What, am I right? You know what I think? I think this is all just a ploy to get Klaus' attention. To tell him you're a big girl now and you don't need him anymore."

Your hand clutched the knife tighter for a moment, reminding yourself to separate your emotions. You knew this was the Ripper talking. You knew he was just trying to get under your skin. And you knew he was wrong. You weren't doing this for Klaus. You were doing this for you, for Stefan, for Lexi.

"You know what, Stefan? You're right," you said. "I am a big girl now. Which is why it's so easy for me to do this." You stabbed him in the stomach and he yelled in pain.

Your phone rang and you pulled it out of your pocket. Klaus. You rejected the call and put it back into your pocket. You weren't interested in talking to him. You didn't want to hear how much he missed your or whatever other bullshit he was gonna spin for you this time.

Stefan smirked at the look on your face. "Is that your boyfriend? What? You don't want to pick up and tell him what you're doing?"

"It's none of your business, Stefan," you said. Your phone beeped with a voicemail but you ignored it.

"You're right, it's not my business," he said. "I mean I had to suffer through you two fighting nonstop all summer, and that was torture. Just for my sanity, we should kill him or you so I don't have to listen to this will I won't I you have going on with him." You looked at him sharply and he laughed. "Come on, we all know it's a matter of time before you jump back into bed with him. I lived through the sexual tension, remember?"

"Do you really think the smart thing to do right now is to piss me off?" you asked.

"You're gonna keep stabbing me anyway," he said. "Anything to feel the pain, right? For Lexi? So the least you can do is tell me how you could be that stupid?"

"What?"

"You really think he loves you? That he spent the last 100 years pining after you?" he smirked. "I told you about the girl in Chicago, right? That was what? A week after he dumped you? He had that witch from the sacrifice, didn't he? You really think she was the only one? And yet you're so torn up about him. It's pathetic."