Clean Up

Isabelle

I sat anxiously on the couch waiting for Sterling to come home. Finally, I heard the door open and I jumped up from my seat. My eyes fell right on to him and as he came into my view I could see the blood all over him.

"Are you alright?!" I asked in a panic.

He glanced at me and then his eyes fell to the ground. "It's not mine. I'm fine."

My brows knitted together as I moved closer and looked him over. He was right, it couldn't be his as I couldn't see any wound on him. However this raised more questions because when he left he told me he was going to meet Damon.

"Who's then?" I asked, knowing in my gut the answer.

His eyes met mine and his face was expressionless as he answered. "It's from the Tunts. They've been dealt with, we will never have to worry about them ever again."

Gulping, I didn't feel the need to ask anymore questions. By the amount of blood on his clothes, I can piece together that he took them out of this world. There was no reason to try to get him to go into detail, it's just something I'll regret.

"Go clean up." I suggested, but it was more of a command.

He nodded in agreement and then proceeded to head towards the bedroom. I stayed glued to my spot as I watched him. I didn't move until I heard the shower that's located in our bedroom turn on.

Exhaling a deep cleansing breath, I walked into the room and took a seat on the bed. I waited patiently while he washed all the evidence away from his body. It was about a good twenty minutes before the water shut off and he entered the room with a towel wrapped around his waist.

We sat in silence as he got dressed, then he joined me on the bed. The silence began to grow heavier and heavier. Just as I was about to break it, he chose to do it first.

"Do you think differently of me?" He asked, looking over at me now.

My eyes locked with his as I tried to figure out how to answer his question. But as I looked into those icy blue orbs, I saw the same Sterling that I've known since we were kids. He's still the same person who would do anything to keep me safe and make me happy, no matter what.

"No." I answered honestly.

"Are you sure?" He questioned me before proceeding to give me a little more information as to what he had done. "I took their lives and I don't feel sorry for it. Elise called me a monster and I didn't care because what she thinks doesn't matter. But what you think does and I can understand if you don't want to be with someone who could do something so vile as to what I did to them."

I took his hand in mine, holding it tightly. "Sterling, I've seen a lot of things working while I was an assistant. I've also seen how relentless the Tunts were, if you felt it was necessary to handle it this way then I trust your judgment."

"Okay." He nodded.

"She's wrong by the way." I added. "You're not a monster Sterling. You're just someone who's willing to protect the people that you love, that's not a monster."

He nodded again. "You're right."

"I know I'm right." I planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. "I love you Sterling, so much. I could never walk away from this, not again."

He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me into him as his lips crashed down onto mine. His lips moved quickly with mine and I could feel the passion mixed with his love. I could feel the need for me, like I was his lifeline in this moment.

Then he pulled away and rested his forehead against mine. "I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm so fucking lucky to have you in my life."

A small grin twitched onto my lips. "And I'm lucky to have you.