Chapter One

It was Damon's second night as a human, and Elena's third night home.

More importantly, it was her third night back in Stefan's arms.

They sat on the large rickety bed in the old boarding house, both just staring at each other, as they had the nights before.

Again, Elena was struck by just how long she had been apart from Stefan.

She reached her hand out towards him, and placed her palm on his cheek.

His eyes closed, and Elena could only watch him in rapture.

He may have been much skinnier than before he was taken into the Dark Dimension – she could feel his jaw bone much easier than she ever remembered being able to – but he was still her Stefan.

His curly hair had been growing out, but it was still the same dark color, still soft as it brushed against her fingertips.

When he opened his eyes, eagerly looking into hers, they were still the deep, knowing green they had always been.

"I love you," she whispered, and though she had said it a million times since they'd rescued him, she couldn't say it enough.

Stefan leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers once, making Elena's heart beat pick up speed. "I love you," he breathed, moving so he could hold her in his arms.

She leaned up, her lips touching Stefan's again.

Her heart ached with the need to be close to him, and she rolled up onto her knees, snaking her arms around his neck.

His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight against him as his lips moved with hers.

Elena could feel that though Stefan may not be in bloodlust anymore, being so close to her throat and pulsing veins was making him thirsty.

She pulled her mouth off of his, turning her head so that he could easily bite her throat.

But he moved one hand from her waist to her chin, gently turning her face back to his.

Their eyes locked, and Elena could feel passion that outweighed his thirst.

"Stefan…" she started when he touched his lips to hers again.

But he ignored her, lips moving to her jaw when she refused to kiss him back.

"You need it," she argued softly, tilting her chin up.

"Elena, lovely little love, I need you."

His words made her stomach flutter, and she almost let it go, but his hunger was so strong, it wasn't easy to ignore.

They were so in tune with each other, Elena could feel his pain, even when he was too distracted to.

"Please?" she begged, his discomfort weighing in her shoulders, making her incredibly guilty. "Please Stefan?"

He sighed in defeat, and she felt the quick, sharp pain of his teeth against her throat, and then their minds were connected in the way Elena could never get tired of.

Thank you.

Anything for you, he returned.

She explored his mind, and Stefan hid nothing from her.

She only listened as she skimmed through the past months they had been apart.

Elena shuddered when she came across the memories of the kitsune pretending to be her.

They knew it was the only way to get my attention.

I'm so sorry¸ she thought, feeling the pain he felt when he'd realized it wasn't her.

Then she came across memories of when she had made her way to Stefan's jail cell, of the wonder he'd felt to see the real her, how badly he wanted to hold her.

At least I saw you, she thought. Those visits were the only thing keeping me sane away from you.

She saw how she had cured him with her tears, how the black magic wine had helped him in the beginning.

You saved me with every visit, he thought simply. Okay, Elena, that's enough now.

He kissed her two teeth marks, closing them, and Elena protested to his mind, still close enough to be connected with hers.

"Elena," he whispered, "I don't want to hurt you. I've taken too much in the past two days, and you know it."

She ignored the slight light-headedness she felt, leaning her head on Stefan's shoulder. "But you need it."

"I don't," he told her quietly, running his fingers through her soft, silky hair. "Really, I'm full."

She could feel that he wasn't quite full, but that he didn't need any more right now.

And, she had to admit, she was feeling drowsy from the long day of Damon complaining and arguing with Stefan, and from giving her blood to him.

"Sleep, lovely little love," he murmured, laying her down on the bad, and enveloping her in his strong, warm arms. "Know that I'll be here in the morning."

"I love you," she told him, feeling her mind drift into sleep. "I love you, Stefan."

He kissed her forehead. "I love you, too."

She welcomed the blissful night's sleep in the arms of her Stefan, looking forward to waking up to his smiling face.