That night, after the welcome banquet, desert, and toasts, House Forbes was led into the hallway of the guest rooms where they would be staying. Locked away in the castle's highest tower, Stefan sat hunched over his desk; one hand held a pen that he was scribbling furiously in a journal, the other hand clutched a glass filled with an amber liquid that seemed forgotten, at least for now. It wasn't until he tore up the paper Stefan had written on that he realized how upset he truly was. He leaned back in his chair, downing the glass of whiskey in one gulp. The burning sensation in his throat and stomach was a welcome distraction from the tornado of memories racing through his mind. He sighed, turning away from the journal and dropping his head into his hands. Images flashed in the darkness of his eyelids, images he wanted to erase for eternity. He could hear her laughter in his ears, feel the soft curves of her body as he took her into his arms, and see her warm brown eyes peering up at him through a mist of thick charcoal lashes. Stefan frowned, opening his eyes to find the only thing that could comfort him as he slipped into these dangerous sectors of his memories. As he poured himself another glass of smooth, honey-colored alcohol, Stefan's eyes instinctively found the edge of a painting peeking out from its hiding place. He knew he shouldn't, he knew he should dispose of this photo along with all the others. He drained the last sip of whiskey and reached across the desk to retrieve the drawing. His breath caught in his throat as he looked at it. It had been painted during one of their last meetings, a winter ball. He was spinning her in the air, looking at her as if she were in the… center of the paper… shoulder as he did. “How could I have been so blind?” Stefan exclaimed, exasperated. “I've been so selfish, drowning myself in my sorrows day after day.” “You had every right, my friend, anyone who has had their heart ripped out by a she-devil would surely understand.” Stefan glared at him. to Alex, “is that what you call her now?” “Oh, I have a lot of words for her, I thought she would be the least offensive at this point,” Alex shrugged. “Today was also the first time I've seen you smile in months, Stef. You need to get out of this cave and start living again. Now, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help you get out of this mess you're in?” With that, he rose from his seat, with an unmistakable glint of mischief in his eyes. With a raise of his eyebrows and a wink he continued: “It's time to get yourself together, Miss Forbes; he won't be here forever, you know.”