1203
Stefan had stayed in the apartment all night long. Ileana was in her room, or so he thought, and Rosalie had been by his side. There was no need (or way) to pursue the witch on his own so instead he awaited her arrival, should she come looking for Ileana. He watched Rosalie fight off sleep for most of the night, quietly touched that she wanted to wait up with him.
What he didn't know what would happen once she fell asleep. One minute, he was watching her yawn, about to reassure her that it would be okay for her to slumber on his watch. Then the next, he was waking up, sprawled out on the floor of the living room where he had been pacing. The sunlight trickled through the window as he woke up just a few minutes after dawn. His head and chin hurt, as if he had fallen over abruptly, and he wondered what had made him trip and knock himself out in early morning hours before sunrise.
"Rose?" he mumbled sleepily. He rubbed his eyes as he looked over to where he last her, but she wasn't lying there. She must have woken up before he did.