Fic (TVD): "Letters From the Sky" (2/?)
Story Title: "Letters From the Sky"
Rating: T (for language and I might change the rating later for sexual situations)
Pairings: Damon/Elena, Stefan/Caroline, Bonnie/Jeremy. (friendships) Stefan/Damon, Bonnie/Damon, Elena/Alaric/Jeremy, Matt/Caroline, Stefan/Elena, Damon/Alaric, Elena/Bonnie/Caroline
Description: It's a few months after the other side collapsed in on itself. Refusing to accept the possibility that Damon and Bonnie have disappeared from the world entirely, Elena secretly searches for answers. Stefan finds his sanity deteriorating in a way he didn't expect. Jeremy has closed himself off from everyone. Alaric and Caroline, while dealing with their own grief, struggle to keep everyone together. Meanwhile, Damon and Bonnie attempt to make sense of where they've ended up and hang on to the possibility of returning home.
A/N: this is a really Stefan and Damon centric chapter. I was going to include more scenes with other characters, but the flashback I included was a lot longer than I expected it would be. It was just a head canon I've had in my mind for a LONG time, so I didn't want to just breeze passed it. I hope you don't mind. The title of the chapter is taken from the song "Possibility" by Lykke Li. Once again, thank you florencia7 for being a wonderful beta!
Alternative Links:( ff.net/AO3)
Previous Chapters: ( 1)
Mystic Falls, Virginia- 1853
Stefan walked cautiously into his father's study, a room he had been instructed never to enter without the older man's supervision. He didn't know what led him there exactly, maybe just simple curiosity of a young boy with nothing to do, but no matter the reason, he was aware that he could find himself in serious trouble for disobeying his father's orders. While even at six years old Stefan was always one to follow the rules, his interest of this room of secrets was enough to break his role as the honorable son, if only for a moment.
Upon first sight, there was nothing out of the ordinary. He scanned the books on the shelves, none of the titles struck him as odd; at least none that he was actually able to read. The desk was neat as a pin. Parchment stacked in neat piles, a pair of fountain pens placed next to an ink well, a couple candles standing in a decorative holder, a photograph of their mother. They were all things that you would expect to find. Stefan was about to continue his search by rifling through the desk drawers when he noticed a glimmer in the corner of his eye.
Lying next to the photograph of Miriam Salvatore was the beautiful silver pocket watch he always saw in his father's possession. It was weird seeing it abandoned like that.
Stefan carefully picked it up by the chain and placed it in the open palm of his left hand. He studied the surface of the watch closely and recognized the Salvatore family crest engraved in the surface. With subtle marks of age, he could tell that it was probably pretty old, but still remained in good condition. When he popped the cover open he saw hands turn around steadily to point at the elegantly carved roman numerals that circled the face.
As Stefan began to awe at the craftsmanship and revel in his admiration of such an object, he heard the sound of a man clearing his throat at the opposite end of the room.
Surprised, Stefan let the watch fall from his hands, but luckily was quick enough to catch it by the chain before it hit the floor.
"You know you are not allowed to be in here without my permission, Stefan." Giuseppe said, but with no real anger to his voice.
Nevertheless, Stefan struggled to find the right words to explain his presence. "I-I… I am sorry, Father." He sputtered. "I couldn't help but be curious." He looked down at the floor in shame and his father only chuckled.
"That's alright, son. Just don't let me catch you in here again." Giuseppe patted him on the head and Stefan looked up at him. "What is it you have in your hand?"
Once again, Stefan grew a little nervous, but still raised his hand to reveal the pocket watch he was holding. "I just wanted to look at it."
Giuseppe took the watch from his small hand and traced his thumb over the silver surface. "Do you know where I got this?" Stefan shook his head. "Your grandfather gave it to me when I was a little older than you, and his father gave it to him. It has been passed down for generations and means a great deal to the men in this family. To be the one to receive this heirloom is a great honor."
"Were you going to give it to Damon? He's the oldest." Stefan asked, a hint of envy laced in his voice.
"No, I could not entrust something so important to your brother. He lacks the responsibility to take care of it. For some time now, I have been planning on giving it to you, Stefan."
"Really?" His eyes grew wide and starry, enchanted by the idea that the tradition would be carried on through him and with something that obviously meant a lot to his father.
Giuseppe smiled and nodded. "Yes. I was going to wait a couple more years until I gave it to you, but now that you've found it, I suppose I can give it to you early." He returned the watch back to Stefan's hand and closed the boy's fingers around it. "But you must promise me that you will put it somewhere safe, and not wear it until I say that you are old enough. Do you understand?"
Stefan nodded enthusiastically "Yes, Father, I promise. Thank you!"
"You are very welcome, Stefan. Now why don't you put that in your room and have Elsa get you changed to play outside with your brother. I fear that boy will get into trouble if left alone too long."
When Stefan got outside, he still gripped the pocket watch firmly in his hand. He knew that his father instructed him to put it somewhere safe, but he just couldn't bring himself to part with it. The heirloom held a special power that he couldn't explain. There was no way he could hide it away, not to be touched for years.
Stefan looked out across the yard for his brother, but he was nowhere in sight. It didn't take long, however, for Damon to startle him from behind.
"What have you got there, Steffie?" Damon asked, using the nickname Stefan hated, as wrapped his arm around his neck and rubbed a closed fist hard against the top of his head.
"Ahhh! Stop it, Damon! That hurts!" Stefan squirmed from Damon's grasp and jutted out his lip in an angry pout.
"Don't be like that, Steffie. I was just playing."
"I told you I don't like it when you call me that. You make me sound like a baby."
"Well then stop acting like one." Damon couldn't help but chuckle at his little brother's expression, which was ridiculously child-like. He then returned his attention back on the object in Stefan's hand and took him by the wrist to see what it was. "Now, show me what you have there."
"No, it's mine. Give it back." Stefan struggled to keep it to himself, but that just made Damon more determined to figure out what he was hiding. Eventually he got hold of the object and froze when he recognized what it was.
"What are you doing with father's pocket watch? You know that if he finds out you've taken it, you will be punished." He reminded, a little protectiveness laced with his voice.
"He knows. He gave it to me." Stefan said cautiously, omitting the fact that he was supposed to put it away.
"He gave it to you?" Damon was disappointed and Stefan can already feel the pang of guilt twist inside of him. It was the main reason he didn't want his elder brother to know. Damon had already expressed his fear of being the second favorite, if only in so many words, and no matter how many times Stefan would claim that it wasn't true, he wouldn't hear it.
Damon stood there for a moment, eyes gazing longingly over the sentimental treasure that should have gone to him. But he didn't linger there for long. Quickly, his morose demeanor shifted and his mouth pulled into a smirk. He handed the watch back to Stefan and patted him on the shoulder.
"Do you want to play Hide-and-Seek?"
"You're not upset with me?" He asked with surprise. This was the second time today that he hadn't gotten the reaction he'd expected.
"Why would I be?" He responded, flippantly. "Come on. I'll hide first."
Damon ran to the back of the estate, Stefan following a few yards behind him, where they were greeted by an expanse of trees in the distance making up a lush forest. He hurriedly made his way toward the shaded area that left plenty of optimal hiding spots. When he reached the line of trees, he looked over his shoulder to make sure that Stefan was still following. "Steffie, hurry up!"
When he caught up to him, he leaned over and pressed his hands to his knees, already out of breath. "Just give me a moment." He managed to speak through his panting.
Once Stefan was able stand up straight, Damon asked "Do you remember how to count to thirty?
"Of course I do!" Stefan exclaimed, sounding a bit more unsure then he'd intended.
Damon shook his head disbelievingly. "Hand me the watch." He put out his hand, palm up, and Stefan was hesitant to comply. "I'll give it right back." He promised and, finally convinced, Stefan handed it over. When he popped it open, he pointed at the face and leaned over so his little brother could see. "When the second hand aims here, turn away. When it aims here, come find me. Do you understand?" He instructed and Stefan nodded his head. "Now… go!"
Stefan quickly turned around and listened to the sound of leaves crunching as Damon ran off in the opposite direction. He studied the second hand of the watch while it slowly turned around. It felt like it was taking forever to make it to the 30 second mark. When it finally reached the point he was waiting for, he excitedly spun around and ran off in pursuit of his brother. He was a little too excited, however, and wasn't watching where he was placing his feet. All of a sudden, his foot caught a tree root and he fell forward. Luckily he caught himself before his face planted on the ground.
Once he returned to a standing position, Stefan brushed the leaves and dirt off of the knees of his trousers. He was about to shake it off and return to his search, but then something occurred to him. Stefan looked down at the watch that was still open in his hand and fear grew inside him when he noticed a large crack stretch across the glass surface.
Tears filled his eyes, and soon they were trailing down his cheeks as he let out a sob. His precious keepsake was broken and any comments his father made implying his sense of responsibility had been proven false.
He wasn't honorable or trustworthy. He was a clumsy child with an astounding lack of judgment. He knew what his father's temper was capable of; he'd seen in the form of black and blue bruises across Damon's skin. While Giuseppe never went as far as that with Stefan, he feared the pain he would undoubtedly have to endure once he found out what Stefan had done.
When Damon heard his cries, he came out of hiding and rushed to Stefan's side. "What happened? Are you hurt?"
Stefan shook his head and said nothing. He simply held out the watch for Damon to see what he had done. When he took the watch from him, Stefan finally spoke. "I wasn't supposed to take it out of the house. Father told me I was to take it straight to my room. He will punish me for sure!"
Damon stared at him long and hard as he processed what'd just happened and apparently he was able to piece together what truly terrified the young boy. He took Stefan's hand and pulled him along, saying "Come on, I'll fix this".
He didn't know what Damon could possibly do, or where he was taking him, but he allowed his brother to guide him through the forest. While it hadn't alleviated his fear much at the same time he trusted that his brother had every intention to help him out of this mess. Damon remained silent, and once again, it was hard for Stefan to match his pace. They kept walking, for so long it seemed to go on forever, but eventually they reached a clearing and they were greeted by the sight of Steven's Quarry.
When they reached the edge Damon let go of his hand and, without a second thought, hurled the ruined pocket watch into the deep water.
"Damon!" Stefan exclaimed in horror. "Why did you do that!?"
"Now he won't find it. Just tell him that you put it away like he told you."
"He'll know! He'll know!" He was sobbing uncontrollably now, pushing Damon away when he attempted to step closer to him. "I thought you said you were going to fix it? But you only made things worse!"
"Listen here, Stefan." He prompted, calmly. He leaned down to meet Stefan's eye level. "If it concerns you so much, I'll get it back for you. Just go home and don't tell father what happened today. I'll take care of everything."
"But I can't walk through the forest by myself." His crying tamed a bit, but tears still continued to trail down his face and his nose began to run.
"You don't want to be considered a baby anymore, right?" He asked and Stefan nodded. "Then go that way until you reach the house." He pointed in the direction they came from. "Just go on without me."
Present day
Damon never did find it. The sun had already set by the time he arrived back to the house and he was noticeably tired and sopping wet. The moment the front door opened and closed Giuseppe confronted him, demanding to know why he was home so late. Damon replied in a way Stefan had never expected. He told their father that he was jealous that he gave Stefan the pocket watch, so he took it from his room and threw it into the quarry.
Things changed after that. As hard on Damon as he was before, after that Giuseppe hadn't trusted him with anything again. Nothing that Damon did over the years could change his opinion of him and no matter how many times Stefan would speak up for his brother, it never did any good. In their father's eyes, Damon was a disappointment and always would be.
Stefan turned over the long lost object in his hand. Over a century and a half of lying at the bottom of Steven's quarry, there were scratches and severe aging that stained the once beautiful surface. When he opened the cover he saw that a bit of murky water had gotten in through the crack in the glass, clouding the face. The steadily constant motion of the hands ticking around in and endless circle had ceased; the magic it once held extinguished.
It was found a few weeks before the collapse of the other side. A fisherman had turned it in to the historical society, probably due to the mark of one of the founding family members still etched in the silver, not knowing that its owner was still around 158 years later. When Liz Forbes had obtained it, she kindly brought it to the boarding house to see if either Stefan or Damon had recognized it. Luckily, Damon wasn't there, and Stefan never told him that it was found in fear that it would bring back too many difficult memories for him.
When Enzo died, Stefan started carrying it around with him at all times,reminding him of the relationship he used to have with his brother. Despite the undeniable feeling that Damon would wind up hating him for what he had done to his best friend, the silver piece left him with the bit of hope that some things would never change. If Damon did write him off, somewhere down the line they could rebuild their relationship the same way they did over the last couple of years. No matter what, they were still brothers, and that would always mean something.
Now however, his symbol of hope became an objectified version of his guilt. Once again, Damon took the fall for him, only this time it cost him his life. Stefan was dead, and maybe he should have stayed that way. He could remember the feeling of his heart being ripped from his chest as if it had only happened moments ago. He could feel the air escaping his body except it was different from when he spent three months drowning in a safe. There was no holding on because his whole body knew that that was it. There was no coming back from it. But he did come back.
Because of Damon.
Damon was dead, and Stefan got the second chance at life he shouldn't have had.
"I want you to search your memory." Elena instructed the young female cashier of a nearby gas station. "Are you sure you haven't seen either of them?" She slid the two pictures she'd placed on the counter closer to her so she could take a better look.
The cashier, Anne, looked carefully at the pictures, one of a man and the other a woman, but she showed absolutely zero sign of recognition.
Anne shook her head. "I'm sorry, I haven't." She tried to hand back the pictures, but Elena wouldn't accept them.
"Please, keep them." She flipped over one of the pictures, grabbed a pen that was on the counter, and scribbled a number on the back. "Call me if, and only if, you see either of them. Don't tell anyone you talked with me today." Elena leaned in closer until she was convinced that her compulsion had worked.
"I will call you if, and only if, I see either of them. I won't tell anyone I talked with you today." The girl mirrored and Elena took a step back.
"Thank you. Have a nice day."
Elena turned on her heels and walked quickly out of the store, her frustration threatening to bubble over into anger. With the limited amount of time she had to go around asking questions without striking any further suspicions from Alaric, this was the last place she was able to stop for the day. Yet again she was left with no information that was useful. But she wasn't going to let this hundredth disappointment deter her from her objective.
They were out there somewhere and she was going to find them. Whatever it took.
Stefan stared at the words written the screen and he gripped the edges of the phone in the palm of his hand, while still being careful not to destroy his one connection to the outside world.
"Huh. Well that sucks." He heard a familiar voice coming from behind him, and he didn't need to turn around to know exactly who it was.
Stefan turned off his phone and tossed it onto his desk.
"Not now, Damon."
A/N: And that's where I'll leave you for now. Sorry. I know you are probably just like "What in the world is going on?", but you aren't supposed to understand what's going on with Stefan until the next chapter.
I hope you don't think that I am making light of Elena's pain, because that's not what I am doing at all. There is a BIG chapter for her in the future. Most characters will something substantial to express their pain.
Thanks again for reading!
NEXT CHAPTER