» ♦ Is my Shadow the only Friend I have?

The female vampire darted from tree to tree, glancing anxiously around after every ten steps she took. She knew this was dangerous, but on the other hand she had been in danger for more than 500 years, she never was safe while he was alive. Klaus. But this wasn’t what she cared about right now. Even though he was around here, somewhere in this forest, she kept moving, wanting to find HIM. She simply couldn’t let him go, let him be with the devil on earth, not after all he’d done, not as long as he still meant something to her. There was a part of her soul, which yearned for him so badly and deep inside she had to admit there still where feelings. She wasn’t the conscienceless, cold beast everybody accounted her to be. Again she pressed her back against a huge tree trunk, took a deep breath and gazed around. She twitched, when leaves crackled next to her, but it turned out to be an animal. She sighted in relieve. An owl glided through the darkness and her cry cut the ghostly silence. The brown-haired started moving again, standing stock-still with every unusual sound she heard. When she rested again, she saw the shadowy figure some steps in front of her. He turned his back to her, but in an instant she knew she had found what she was looking for. “Hush.” She mouthed. “Stefan?” her words where barely a whisper, hard to distinguish even if there was dead silence.

He sat on a tree trunk and burrowed his face in his hands. He couldn’t stay still for a long time and stood up, pacing between the trees. Darkness surrounded him. It was as if darkness absorbed him. There was no light around him, no light inside him. The flame of hope had burned down and he felt cold even if it was a summers-night. Alone he had had much time to think. He’d met his brother this night, saving him from an insane killer. Seeing Damon had reminded him of one of his recent kills. He regretted it. Killing the blonde journalist had certainly been wrong and he had regrets, because he had been driven by blood lust, letting the feeling of sway be a pleasure, feeling the thrill of having committed a murder. He sighted and glanced into the darkness. He knew his commander was around here. The spleenish shape of the hybrid scared him, so he better kept the distance. Klaus seemed to be kind of depressive because his masterplan failed and seeing the dead hearted vampire being that helpless and furious at the same time made the younger one feel awkward. He was glad the hybrid had given him blood, allowing his bite-wounds to heal and know he concentrated on not bothering the powerful original. He leaned against a tree trunk and sighted again. Being here in this unbearable silence he began missing his old life and started hating what he’d become again. Human blood turned him into the monster he despised. He felt a single tear running down his cheek, as he heard a familiar voice hushing something. He spun around and tried to make out a figure in the darkness but he didn’t see her. Disappointed, he stepped into the middle of the little clearing again.

“Hey. Stefan.” She hissed, more urgent this time. He turned around again and saw the fragile silhouette. Hardly believing his eyes, he closed them for an instant, and then wanted to call out her name, but she pressed a finger to her lips. “Don’t make a sound or we are both losing our life a second time. Goodbye eternity.” He shook his head, this was so typical. A smile was on her lips for the blink of an eye, changing into an expression of deep concern, he had never seen in her face before. “Where is he?” she only formed the words with her lips, not daring to pronounce them as if this would make the hybrid appear behind her in a split second. He pointed towards the trees, whispering the answer with a horse voice. “Somewhere over there. Now go, you are in death danger without a reason.” he commanded and glanced around frantically. “NO.” she almost cried out, but pressed her hand to her mouth in the same instant. They both heard the sound of branches breaking under fast footsteps and she disappeared behind a tree, shaking in fear and holding her breath, afraid to make the tiniest noise, which would make the devil aware of her presence. She only begged he wouldn’t figure out there was someone in the darkness, more than just the dead bodies on the ground and him with his mate. Fortunately Stefan had an idea in the exact moment Klaus appeared in front of him. “What was this?” the original wanted to know, his voice containing a suspicious undertone. Stefan pointed towards one of the female dead bodies. “She was not entirely dead and tried to attack me, so she got what she deserved.” He said, keeping his tone indifferent. Katherine forced herself not to breath out in relieve. Klaus shrugged, glanced around once more and took one of the last bottles of alcohol with him, when he merged with the darkness again. “He is gone.” Stefan whispered and hoped he didn’t only imagine the brown-haired beauty coming to… to what? Save him? That was impossible; she needed to go if her life meant something to her. He sighted. He was going to send her away, even though every tiny cell of his body rebelled against his momentous decision. He had been alone so long, with no one who talked to him except for Klaus and not a soul who understood. When he had seen her, he had wanted to pull her into his arms, to hold her tight, being aware, that something lovely still existed in this world seeming so drab and cold to him. He didn’t care, his thoughts were surreal, when you considered they were according to the ex-girlfriend he’d tried so hard to ban from his memory, to hate and despite her. Now he knew he would never manage to do so. Not after she’d been here, saving him from going insane, from breaking, from losing himself. She came into sight again, standing in front of him out of a sudden, like a dream. Would he succeed in completing his plan, would he be able to send her away? He had to, he knew that, otherwise they both would be lost as she’d mentioned before.

She eyed him, again with this unusual expression of concern in her eyes. Yeah, she cared about him, much to be honest. First he looked like a dreamer awakening after a long night, but then his expression turned cold and it was as if the deep green of his eyes would freeze. “Go.” He hissed, sounding expressionless, cold. It made her shiver, she never heard him talk like that. “But…” she wanted to complain, but he interrupted her. “Back of, or I’ll tell him you were here, Katerina.” She shook her head and sighted in disbelieve. “Stefan, I…” She was angry and distressed at the same time and tried to look into his eyes, to make use of her voice again to tell him she wouldn’t. She didn’t succeed. Hearing him using her old name and talking to her like that, feared her. Suddenly he was the one getting furious, the human blood pulsing through his veins was making him lose control. He grabbed her arms and pushed her against a large tree trunk. “Hell, get you gone!” he hissed furiously. Losing his hard grip around her graceful arms a bit. She shook her head, glancing towards the ground. He scared her like he’d never done before. “I never thought you’d despite me that much. Would you really hand me over to him? So do it. Abandon my fate to a vicious murderer. He already killed my family, why not letting him kill me too.” she whispered. A single tear drop appeared in the corner of her eye and made its way down her cheek. He breathed in and out once, and then shrugged. “No, I don’t and no I wouldn’t. But I don’t want you to die, Katherine. If there is a reason for risking my life to escape from this hell, than it’s you now. But please leave immediately. If your dead, what would my liberty be worth?” he wanted to know. She looked into his eyes again and paused, thinking for a moment.

“Much.” was the only answer. “Much, you could go back to your old life.” The female vampire explained. “This is not what I want, not what I need. I can’t look into Elena’s eyes anymore, not even into Damon’s and honestly I don’t want that. She is not the one having experienced loss and terror; she is not the one understanding me. You are.” He answered. “But now don’t make this harder than it is. You have to leave to have a chance, to give us a chance. Please.” He begged urgently, looking into her brown eyes. She swallowed. Then he raised his hand and carefully pulled a little branch out of her curls. They looked at each other and then couldn’t resist. They kissed, passionately, putting all their craving, all their despair into this kiss, living for the moment.

“Touching.” A cold male voice broke the silence. Klaus. Stefan span around and Katherine quickly disappeared into the darkness. “Nice to meet you again, Katerina.” Klaus said. “Lovely surprise.” But as he darted towards them the girl was gone without leaving a trail or a proof of her visit. “Where the Hell is that slut?” the hybrid, suddenly being angry and tossing Stefan to the cold ground, asked. “Whom are talking about?” the younger one wanted to know. “You know exactly, what I’m talking about.” Klaus growled. “No.” Stefan replied. “I don’t.” he said, somehow managing to keep calm. It was the flame of hope, being inflamed by her visit, by the kiss, it was the power of the lovely memory. “You are hallucinating, mate. You drank too much.” He claimed and slowly stood up again, not stopping to gaze at his opponent. Klaus took a huge branch and threw it against a tree, where it bursted. “Go and rest.” Stefan advised. “We’ll hunt her down, someday, but not today and not tomorrow. First we need to find fighters.” Klaus sighted, admitting that the vampire was right. He turned his back to Stefan and seconds later melted with the darkness again… Again Stefan was alone, left with the agonizing feeling of not knowing whether all this happened, his heart aching for her. Where was she now? Was she safe? Did Klaus do what Stefan had suggested or did he trust his instincts, chasing her through the woods right now? All the things he didn’t know made him feel powerless. Sick. Desperate. Unfortunately even the feeling of being hopeless returned, crucifying him. And in the end there were no answers, only the name remained. Katherine.