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“Stop it, Matt,” Meredith said quietly “We can’t stop hi this murderer

All we can do is help hi the top button of her shirt

Bonnie was shocked for an instant—although she’d had the same idea when Stefan had first arrived in Fell’s Church She hadn’t been thinking of all three of thembut what did it matter? She nodded and unzipped her windbreaker

Matt hesitated a moment and then took off his Tshirt “All for one; one for all,” he said

Stefan

That was how it had started The three of theainst him

Insistent that he break his vow and take hu out on it, despite the knowledge that it would help hi on Fell’s Church, despite the danger to all of them if he failed He had actually walked out the door when so else had sparked in his brain

“Wait,” Bonnie had said authoritatively “Can’t you feel it? It’s Elena She wants you to do this Can’t you tell?”

Stefan had looked at her blankly If this was so him

But Bonnie had been serious, her s to faraway music; her expression almost beatific

And then he had felt it too Like a benison froel Do it, Stefan Let theive what they can As you are It will be to their credit afterward, even if they don’t survive As for breaking your voell, let the condeained by staying to protect these humans who—many of them—hate and fear you Beloved, you are very brave, but sometimes a little too stubborn to be practical

Voices from beyond? But that was Elena; that was the way she spoke, and that was the way he felt when she spoke The next words were not just for hi inside him watched Matt and Meredith as they heard the voice too, Matt astonished; Meredith with her usual composure

This is our reunion and I give you to each other I give ht with all your coive Stefanwho may be able to keep you alive Take each otherand trust

And then trust Aye, there was the rub How to trust even the beneficence of heaven after what that monsterinhumanform had done to this innocent little town

But when Elena commanded, he listened When Elena spoke, even from the afterlife, he obeyed He’d proo