Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries TV show. That honor goes to Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson.

Hello, my lovely readers. This is my attempt at a Valerie/Stefan fic. There is a hint of Steroline because this is a little canonish for now. On with the show…

Chapter 1: Of Heartbreak and Pumpkins

Valerie just wanted to have one good day. Just one where she could put aside the pain that she carried with her always with the constant reminder of all she had lost and associated with this town. His town. The man… the vampire that she had once met and loved, even if only for a day. She had known happiness however fleeting in Stefan's arms. Oh, how she relished the desire to find the same feeling of freedom she felt that day.

But all was not lost. There was the possibility that she would turn a corner and there he would be. She had fantasized about seeing him again for over a hundred years. And when he was within reach she could only pour her heart out to him when he could not hear, see or touch her. She knew she wouldn't be able to withstand it if he rejected her, not after all these years.

This was why Valerie was walking the abandoned streets of Mystic Falls on Halloween. The sun was shining down, making the town seem innocuous. Nothing seemed amiss, if you did not count the deadly quiet. No one was home to decorate. No children were attending school. There would be no happy ghouls, goblins, vampires, witches and werewolves lurking about with a desire for chocolate.

Sighing, Valerie's eyes skimmed the lawns with her arms crossed over her chest when she noticed something off. There was a small, orange object sitting atop one porch. It was grinning back at her and she smiled back at the cheeky bugger. Striding across the lawn since there was no one to stop her, she stooped to pick up the pumpkin. It had been a long time since she had seen anything like this.

Placing the pumpkin back down at its post, Valerie continued on to the next house, noting the next pumpkin. Someone was in the spirit after all. Grinning, Valerie walked all the way down the street and around several corners until she stopped abruptly because there was a familiar back turned to her with a pumpkin in hand. She let out an involuntary rush of air and the man spun around to face her, knife gleaming in the sunlight.

"Stefan," Valerie uttered, feeling her heart squeeze. She couldn't use the invisibility spell to stop him from seeing her this time. No. It was too late for all that now. Now, she would simply have to face him.

"Valerie," Stefan greeted her. She noted that his voice held no warmth and he did not pocket the knife. Not that it mattered; she could easily take him. No, that wasn't what bothered her. It was the fact that he would think she would mean him harm.

"Stefan," Valerie began when another blonde appeared with another pumpkin. She hadn't noticed Valerie yet. She was too busy holding her pumpkin with pursed lips.

Valerie narrowed her eyes when Stefan's body responded to the other girl's voice, tilting toward her instinctively. "I think I made the mouth too wide. What do you think? I was trying to mimic Damon's smirk but…" Caroline's eyes widened when she noticed Valerie.

Staring at Caroline and then Stefan, Valerie felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach while Caroline's eyes flicked from Stefan to Valerie. The younger vampire's jaw set and she turned and began to stomp off, muttering. "Whatever," under her breath.

Looking between his old love and his new one, Stefan's back turned and he hurried after the younger. "Caroline!" he called, dropping the pumpkin in his haste to avoid the inevitable.

Head dropping downward, Valerie felt tears hot tears burn a stream down her cheeks as she stared somberly down at the broken pumpkin, lying shattered on the ground. Picking up the pieces, she found she could set the poor fellow to rights. Shaking her head, she walked back down the deserted street, tracing her way back to her first pumpkin, the one with a friendly smile. Picking him up, she carried him back to Stefan's home, now her own.

Entering the house, Valerie walked upstairs and set the pumpkin down beside Stefan's bed, atop his nightstand. Tucking herself under his sheets and waiting for the next day when she hoped her heart would mend.

Okay, so let me know if you liked it and want to see more. I certainly want to see more of this couple this season.

Thanks for reading, faving, following and for reviewing.

Peace,

Jessica