This week on "The Vampire Diaries" season 7, Stefan comes to his brother's defense as Damon continues to struggle with what seems to be an effect of being cooped up inside the Phoenix Stone.
The episode titled "Things We Lost in the Fire" will show Stefan rally around his brother in coping with the real world after being forced to face his personal demons in what seemed like a never-ending set of nightmares within the stone.
"Hell messes with you. Post-hell is much worse," Stefan warns his shackled brother in "The Vampire Diaries" season 7 promo.
Damon assures Stefan that he is "100 percent" but this certainly is not the case.
Stefan knows that a much more terrifying version of hell comes after getting out of the Phoenix Stone because he himself is going through it. Knowing what Damon is up against, he makes sure his brother will know how to deal with it.
"What we get to see in the next episode is Damon really, really mess things up. Stefan, who had his own journey that we didn't see — and we're not going to see the way we saw with Damon — has been through that," executive producer Caroline Dries told TV Line.
"We're trying to create a bit of intrigue; Stefan has survived it and learned some lessons from it, but can Stefan warn Damon in time of what it means to actually get out of there? It's sort of Damon's hell on Earth now, moving forward," she added.
The next The Vampire Diaries" season 7 episode will also show Caroline learning about the "upsetting" plans Alaric has for the babies. As she struggles with this, she will feel Stefan become less and less present in her life.
Elsewhere, Bonnie and Matt will continue to oppose Julian's domination over Mystic Falls, which will lead Matt straight to a dangerous encounter with an officer named Penny.
"The Vampire Diaries" season 7, episode 11 "Things We Lost in the Fire" airs Feb. 5 at 8 p.m. ET on CW.
