07 The Return_ Midnight - L. J. Smith

felt her soul expand and come out of her body. And meet Stefan’s.
She was appalled by the hastily swept-away desolation in his spirit, and humbled by the
surge of love that flooded every part of him at the touch of her mind.
Oh, Stefan. Just—say that—that you can forgive me, that’s all. If you forgive me I can
live. Maybe you can even be happy with me again—if you just give it a little time.
I’m already happy with you. But we have all the time in the world, Stefan reassured
her. But she caught the shadow of a dark thought whisked quickly out of the way. He had all the time
in the world. She, however…
Elena had to choke back a laugh but then clutched at Stefan suddenly. My backpack—did
they take it? Where is it?
Right beside your nightstand. I can reach it. Do you want it? He reached in the
darkness and pulled up something heavy and rough and none too pleasant-smelling. Elena thrust one
frantic hand inside it while still holding on to Stefan with the other.
Yes! Oh, Stefan, it’s here!
He was beginning to suspect—but he only knew when she drew out the bottle labeled
Evian Water and held it to her cheek. It was icy cold, although the night was mild and humid. And as
it effervesced violently, it glowed in a way that no ordinary water did.
I didn’t mean to do it, she told Stefan, suddenly worried that he might not like to
associate with a thief. At least—not at first. Sage said to get the water from the Fountain of Eternal
Youth and Life into bottles. I dug up a big bottle and this little one, and somehow I stashed the
smaller one in my backpack—I’d’ve put the big one in, too, but it didn’t fit. And I didn’t even think
about the little one again until after they took away my Wings and my telepathy.
And a good thing, Stefan thought. If they had caught you—oh, my lovely love! His arms
squeezed the breath from Elena’s lungs. So that’s why you were suddenly so eager to leave!
“They took almost everything else supernatural about me,” Elena whispered, placing her
lips close to Stefan’s ear. “I have to live with that, and if they’d given me a chance I’d have agreed—
for the sake of Fell’s Church—if I’d been logical—” She broke off as she suddenly realized that she
had been literally out of her mind. She’d been worse than a thief. She’d tried to use a lethal attack on
a group of—mostly—innocent people. And the worst thing was that a part of her knew that Damon
would have understood her madness, while she wasn’t sure Stefan ever could.
“But you don’t have to change me into—you know,” she began whispering frenetically
again. “A sip or two of this and I can be with you forever. Forever and—for—forever—Stefan—”
She stopped, trying to get her breath and her mental balance.
His hand closed over hers on the cap. “Elena.”
“I’m not crying. It’s because I’m happy. Forever and ever, Stefan. We can be together,
just…just us two…forever.”
“Elena, love.” His hand kept hers from twisting open the bottle.
“It—isn’t what you want?”
With his other arm, Stefan pulled her tightly to him. Her head fell forward onto his
shoulder and he rested his chin on her hair. “It’s what I want more than anything. I’m…dazed, I guess.
I have been ever since—” He stopped and tried again. “If we have all the time in the world, we have
tomorrow,” he said in a voice muffled by hair. “And tomorrow is time enough for you to start to think
it through. There’s enough in that bottle for maybe four or five people. You’re the one who’s going to
have to decide who drinks it, love. But not tonight. Tonight is for…”
With a sudden rush of joy Elena understood. “You’re talking about—Damon.” Amazing