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But that was before his brother Damon had returned from the University. Before Damon had come<br />
back and seen Katherine's jewel-blue eyes.<br />
On his bed in the low-roofed room, Stefan moaned. Then the darkness drew him in deeper and new<br />
images began to flicker through his mind.<br />
They were scattered glimpses of the past that did not form a connected sequence. He saw them like<br />
scenes briefly illuminated by flashes of lightning. His brother's face, twisted into a mask of inhuman<br />
anger. Katherine's blue eyes sparkling and dancing as she pirouetted in her new white gown. The<br />
glimmer of white behind a lemon tree. The feel of a sword in his hand; Giuseppe's voice shouting<br />
from far away. The lemon tree. He must not go behind the lemon tree. He saw Damon's face again, but<br />
this time his brother was laughing wildly. Laughing on and on, a sound like the grate of broken glass.<br />
And the lemon tree was closer now…<br />
"Damon – Katherine – no!"<br />
He was sitting bolt upright on his bed.<br />
He ran shaking hands through his hair and steadied his breath.<br />
A terrible dream. It had been a long time since he had been tortured by dreams like that; long,<br />
indeed, since he'd dreamed at all. The last few seconds played over and over again in his mind, and<br />
he saw again the lemon tree and heard again his brother's laughter.<br />
It echoed in his mind almost too clearly. Suddenly, without being aware of a conscious decision to<br />
move, Stefan found himself at the open window. The night air Was cool on his cheeks as he looked<br />
into the silvery dark.<br />
"Damon?" He sent the thought out on a surge of Power, questing. Then he fell into absolute stillness,<br />
listening with all his senses.<br />
He could feel nothing, no ripple of response. Nearby, a pair of night birds rose in flight. In the town,<br />
many minds were sleeping; in the woods, nocturnal animals went about their secret business.<br />
He sighed and turned back into the room. Perhaps he'd been wrong about the laughter; perhaps he'd<br />
even been wrong about the menace in the graveyard. Fell's Church was still, and peaceful, and he<br />
should try to emulate it. He needed sleep.<br />
September 5 (actually early September 6 – about 1:00 a.m.)<br />
Dear Diary,<br />
I should go back to bed soon. Just a few minutes ago I woke up thinking someone was shouting,<br />
but now the house is quiet. So many strange things have happened tonight that my nerves are shot,<br />
I guess.<br />
At least I woke up knowing exactly what I'm going to do about Stefan. The whole thing just sort<br />
of sprang into my mind. Plan B, Phase One, begins tomorrow.<br />
Frances's eyes were blazing, and her cheeks were flushed with color as she approached the three<br />
girls at the table.<br />
"Oh, Elena, you've got to hear this!"<br />
Elena smiled at her, polite but not too intimate. Frances ducked her brown head. "I mean… can I<br />
join you? I've just heard the wildest thing about Stefan Salvatore."<br />
"Have a seat," said Elena graciously. "But," she added, buttering a roll, "we're not really interested