7. The Vampire Diaries- All is Fair with Love and Blood

The Vampire Diaries- All is Fair with Love and Blood 7. A Compelling Story

As it turns out, Stefan WAS headed for the hospital. I was thoroughly confused, though.I suppose it was possible for me to not know the full story of what had bitten Vicki Donavan at the party last night. I was still trying to work out if it had been a vampire. It wasn't me, I knew that much. It couldn't have possibly been Veronica, either- she was amongst the crowd the entire night. And Stefan- well... he was iffy sometimes, but I'd trusted him when he'd told me it hadn't been him. Could it have been..?
No, Stefan would have told me.
Or would he have?
He'd been behaving oddly- like he had bad new he knew he'd have to tell me eventually. It made me angry. I'd come to Mystic Falls to worry about Stefan , not myself, or any bad news he had for me!
And if it had been Stefan that had bitten Vicki, it would have been all my fault! Though I never believed for a second that it had been Stefan that'd done it, I'm sure Zack- the owner of the Salvatore boarding house, and Stefan's great nephew, had already dished him out for the crime. He'd probably also blamed him on the recently broadcasted deaths in the woods, which I'd attempted to ignore. I had hoped that that mystery had really been an animal- but these things added up.
Especially in Mystic Falls.
So there I was, sorely ending up staring at the hospital, a few seconds after Stefan had disappeared inside. Was I being unfair, wanting to follow him? I wanted to trust him, and I did: for the most part.
I pushed decidedly through the door, which opened and stuck against the handicap lock. I didn't give time for the nurse at the circular desk time to look up from the computer, let alone check me in. I made my way down the hall, following Stefan's sharp turns around corners. He knew where Vicki's room was?
I couldn't help but look into the rooms as we passed intensive care unit, which meant we were getting closer to Vicki. The bandages and beeping heart monitors made me think. What if Vicki had... died? Where would we stand then?
When I came to a wide hall brimmed with bustling nurses and doctors, I watched Stefan slip, unnoticed, into one of the rooms. I assumed it was Vicki's and followed. I hovered in the doorframe when I reached it, but I didn't hear anything for a few moments. I walked it.
Stefan was leaning over Vicki, their eyes both wide and staring. Stefan was whispering something to her, and I realized that he was trying to compel her.
"It was an animal that attacked you," he said quietly .
"It was an animal that attacked me," she repeated, her voice as glazed as her eyes.
"Are you sure that'll work?" I asked, making Stefan whirl around. Vicki showed no sign that she knew of my presence.
"No," Stefan sighed.
"Do you want me to..?"
"No- wait!" Stefan put a finger to my mouth, which always annoyed me to no end. But I could hear it, too; there were footsteps, softer than the nurses or doctors', coming closer to Vicki's room.
Stefan took my arm and pulled me from the room. I shook him off gently and followed. We went down the hall, around the corner, and into a new hall. Behind us, someone was lurking closer, picking up their pace.
"What do we do?" I whispered.
"Turn," he directed, not answering.
"Who is it?"
"Matt," he breathed.
At first, I had no idea who he was talking about, but a second later I realized that Vicki's brother must have come straight from school. I wondered vaguely where THEIR parents were.
Stefan took another turn suddenly, and we found ourselves slamming into a wall of the thick scent of blood.
It was the donation center.
I flashed a glance at Stefan's face and grabbed his hand, crushing it in my own. I pulled, and he didn't try to resist, instead he looked around for a way out.
"There!" I instructed, pointing to a wrap-around curtain that wasn't in use, stationed in front of a window near the center. I yanked it back, and a light breeze drifted out of the open window.
"Jump!" I whispered harshly. He took one look at me and sailed out, running lightning fast as soon as his feet hit the ground. I followed relentlessly throwing myself out, flying when my feet merely tapped the cement below.
I stopped at the front of the building. Where was Stefan? Maybe he left because he was angry that I'd tried to help. I felt a slightly angry push on my shoulder, and there he was, having less of a reason to be angry than I.
"Don't look at me like that because I was trying to HELP you. There's something you're not telling me- and you definitely should NOT be the angry one." I insisted, a little louder than necessary. I didn't care! The anger drained from his face almost at once, taking on a more sympathetic look. "You know who attacked Vicki, don't you?" I asked, gentler this time. He just put his face in his hands and shook his head.
"I'll only assume it was you," I lied, "just like Zack, and then who's fault would it be, Stef? Yours? No, it'd be mine! I'm supposed to be-!"
"I didn't. I didn't hurt anyone." Stefan's eyes were cold as he lifted his head. I stared at him for a moment, knowing it was impossible to stay angry while looking into his face... reminding me of his brother... damnit.
Stefan looked up at the hospital. "We should go," he put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry," And then he was gone.
Right then and there I felt like a breakdown. He trusted me, didn't he? Before I was a vampire, I know I'd been mentally unstable- and still am at times- but whatever he tells me I can take, can't I?
I lifted my own head to the hospital- and caught my breath. Matt was searching the grounds from one of the top windows in the building. He turned his head towards me-
but I was already a streak across the lawn.