10

Elena keeps her eyes closed, pushing her cheek closer to the hand that placed her hair behind her ear, not wanting him to pull it away.

"Elena," The voice is recognizable, but she doesn't open her eyes, "I have to go," His tone drags and almost sounds as if he is underwater, but she doesn't pay no mind to this detail. She lets out a sigh, placing her hand on top of the one caressing her cheek.

"I don't want you to go," She nearly whispers. She wanted to scream it, but her voice wouldn't allow this. Her screams are faded whispers, and her eyes seem to be permanently closed. "I miss you," Elena goes to open her eyes, but his other hand covers them.

"Elena, please," He pleads, his voice nearly breaking, "I only came to say goodbye permanently. I don't think I will be able to if you look at me like that again,"

"Like what?" Her tone came out snippy, which caused him to crack a smile. Oh, how he missed her.

"You aren't going to remember this," He ignores her question, and his heart aches as he says those words. She won't remember, but he will. He always does. She keeps coming back. It is the most selfish that he has ever been. And yet, he can't bring himself to care because small moments with Elena make him feel alive again.

She brings her hand up to his wrist, slowly pulling his hand away from her eyes. She does not have time to see him, as his mouth is next to her ear, whispering, "Wake up,"

Elena jumps awake, her breathing erratic, and sweat dripping from her forehead. She takes deep breaths, making an attempt to slow her breathing, but a hand slowly creeps up to her own. She gasps and jumps away.

"Hey," Tom whispers, "it's okay. It's just me. Another bad dream?" He asks and she simply nods, staring at the blanket while trying to remember. "I figured. You were tossing and turning again. I tried to wake you up gently,"

"You woke me up?" She asked and he sat up with her, nodding. She wanted to ask how, but was still focused on her racing heart.

"Elena," He tucks her hair behind her ear, and she leans into his palm, feeling a rush of calm. Her mind races at the strange familiarity, but she quickly pushes away the thought, "have you talked to your friends about this? It is starting to scare me,"

She slightly shakes her head, placing her hand on top of his before kissing his palm, "I don't want to bother them,"

"What if it is something supernatural related?" His worried tone caused her to open her eyes and hold tightly onto his hand.

"Tom, please don't worry about me. Everything will be fine,"

"Worrying about you, my girlfriend, is in the fine print," She cracks a smile while looking up at him through her lashes. He shakes his head, looking at their hands while smiling himself, "Don't look at me like that,"

"Like what?" She asks playfully but loses the smile as she hears herself saying this in a different tone. Have they had this conversation before? Maybe she dreamt about Tom?

"See? Trying to change the subject already," Tom replies, checking his phone for the time, "I have to go soon, but I really think that talking to your friends—"

"I don't want you to go," She automatically whispers the way she did in her dream as things slowly become clear to her. She had been having similar conversations before...maybe with Tom? Have they gotten to the point where they repeat conversations?

Tom places his phone down and focuses his attention back on his girlfriend, who is staring at the blanket again, her eyebrows scrunched together.

"Elena?" He questions and she grabs his hand, placing it on her cheek again. She waits for him to speak while keeping her eyes closed, "Is everything okay?"

"I'm trying to remember," She mumbles. Tom only catches the last word.

"Remember?" He repeats, hoping to gain more clarity. Her heart begins to race with the single word. Elena slowly pulls out of his touch and opens her eyes.

She doesn't say anything, but her eyes are screaming. Tom sits back, not wanting to overstep any boundaries as he begins to come to the realization that he is what she remembers.

Elena fears him.

"Stefan," Elena breathes out the word, and Tom nearly stops breathing himself. He turns his head away from her, taking steady breaths to ease the weight falling on his heart.

That might be even worse.