Laura stirred from her sleep, and the now-familiar pain shot through her body. It had gotten much better, but she knew she was still a ways from fully healing, even though she spent most of the days sleeping.

The silence in the room began to unnerve her and she called out, "Stefan?"

She had already grown accustomed to his constant presence. At night, when bad dreams would keep her from sleeping, he was there, without her having to ask. They usually said nothing, but just his being there calmed her. She would fall asleep eventually, feeling oddly safe.

"Good morning, Laura," Stefan appeared at the door, carrying a tray. He was glad to see the growing color in her face, though she still looked so frail.

"Good morning." Laura felt herself relax.

"I brought you your breakfast."

"Thank you, but I'm not really hungry."

"You must eat something, or you'll never regain your strength."

"Are you always this bossy?"

"I prefer to call it being firm."

A genuine smile appeared on Laura's face. "Right." She looked at the tray of food. "Okay, I'll try."

"Good," he said.

"At least you don't have to feed me anymore. That's a good sign, right?" Laura asked. She took a small piece of fruit, and put it in her mouth, chewing slowly.

"I'd definitely say so," Stefan agreed. "It's been almost a week since we've been here. You're making a good, steady recovery. I was thinking perhaps you would like to call your family."

A longing passed through Laura's face, but she shook her head. "Not yet." She smiled. "But I do want to thank you." He opened his mouth to interrupt her, but she beat him to it, "No, please, let me say it. Thank you for helping me. I don't know what I'd have done without your help. You've been like an angel. And I promise I'll try to get well fast so you can go back home soon."

"You need not concern yourself with that."

Laura regarded him skeptically. "I know it can't be fun for you to wait on me while I get better. And your parents can't be happy that you're here." She caught the troubled look on his face as she said that, and sensed that he was holding something back. "What is it?"

"I won't be going home. I can't."

"What do you mean?" Realization hit Laura as she remembered the lengthy code of conduct and honor that Stavros had often prattled on about. She'd been too preoccupied with herself to even think about what Stefan's actions meant for him. "I can't let you give up everything you've known. Maybe you can convince them of taking you back, make up something or--"

"Laura," Stefan interrupted. "Believe me, it is better this way."

"But you'll be cut-off..."

"I am financially secure, that is not a problem."

"What about your family?"

"I have Alexis."

"Who's Alexis?"

"My sister."

"Stavros never mentioned..." Laura stopped. "Whose daughter is she?"

"My father and Kristen Bergmann's, one of his mistresses."

"The apple doesn't far from the tree," Laura muttered under her breath.

Stefan nodded. "It's a veritable family tradition. Alexis grew up with her mother. She was happy there."

"And you?"

Stefan was quiet, wondering how he could explain his childhood. He tried not to think about it too often. "Once," he recalled, "when I was five years old, the four of us -- Father, Mother, Stavros, and I -- went on a rare outing, into the sea. As young children tend to do, I was exploring this new experience. I stood too close to the edge, and lost my balance. No one noticed I had fallen over, until the captain sounded the alarm. He was able to revive me."

Laura gasped, "Oh, my God." Her shock quickly turned into anger as she thought of the neglect that had nearly caused a child his life. "That's despicable."

"Father didn't care about any of us. But I never did understand how my mother could love my brother so much, and not have any tenderness towards me...." Stefan's voice trailed off and he looked at Laura, embarrassed that he'd gotten so emotional. "So, as you can see, I am not sorry to have left."

Laura wasn't convinced, but she let it go. "Thank you for sharing that with me."

"Thank you for caring."