[He snorts at that full name ultimatum - it's a first. A first that he's not sure how to acknowledge, but he kind of likes it, in a weird way.]

Yeah. It's... kind of what I've been dealing with, these past two years.

If I really want to just be Alesci, I can, but then I give up everything that Salvatore cared for. His friends, his family, his powers, hell, even his ring. [Stefan holds up his lapis lazuli ring, letting it shine a little in the natural sunlight.]

I can't do that to him, but I also can't... give Alesci up either.