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Stefan said nothing. Elena could feel the gulf between them widening. "Stefan," she whispered.<br />
Then, aloud, she said desperately, "Stefan, what is it?"<br />
He shook his head. Don't shut me out, she thought, but he wouldn't even look at her. "Will she live?"<br />
he asked abruptly.<br />
"The doctor said there was nothing much wrong with her," Matt said. "Nobody's even suggested she<br />
might die."<br />
Stefan's nod was abrupt; then he turned to Elena. "I've got to go," he said. "You're safe now."<br />
She caught his hand as he turned away. "Of course I'm safe," she said. "Because of you."<br />
"Yes," he said. But there was no response in his eyes. They were shielded, dull.<br />
"Call me tomorrow." She squeezed his hand, trying to convey what she felt under the scrutiny of all<br />
those watching eyes. She willed him to understand.<br />
He looked down at their hands with no expression at all, then, slowly, back up at her. And then, at<br />
last, he returned the pressure of her fingers. "Yes, Elena," he whispered, his eyes clinging to hers. The<br />
next minute he was gone.<br />
She took a deep breath and turned back to the crowded room. Aunt Judith was still hovering, her<br />
gaze fixed on what could be seen of Elena's torn dress underneath the cloak.<br />
"Elena," she said, "what happened?" And her eyes went to the door through which Stefan had just<br />
left.<br />
A sort of hysterical laughter surged up in Elena's throat, and she choked it back. "Stefan didn't do<br />
it," she said. "Stefan saved me." She felt her face harden, and she looked at the police officer behind<br />
Aunt Judith. "It was Tyler, Tyler Smallwood…"