Hi everyone! Just some information to know before you start reading (though it's probably evident throughout) Elena is 27 in the story, Stefan is 29, she has two other siblings as well as Jeremy, older brother Robbie and younger sister Averie, her parents are alive, she's a lawyer and there is no supernatural stuff.
Here's a little introduction giving you an idea of what is to come... enjoy!
Elena Browning stood at her kitchen sink, looking out of the window at nothing. She often found herself doing this, not out of bordem, but out of a sense of longing. What she was longing for? She wasn't quite sure. She was supposed to be living every girl's dream. The successful career as a lawyer in a big firm in Richmond, the handsome husband, the adorable son and the incredible house. What more could she want?
It was true beyond doubt that Clayton Browning III was handsome. He was a tall figure with brown hair, perfectly tousled and styled, deep brown eyes and a dimpled smile. With one smile, you would often find yourself doing anything for him. Clay came from a big banking family and he was next to completely take over once his father had retired. He was exceptionally wealthy, a major pull.
Elena couldn't deny what had drawn herself to Clay at first, and why she stuck by him. He was rich, handsome, charming and excellent in bed. He popped up in her life at a time when Elena was not looking for love, nor did she ever think she would look again, and he seemed like the perfect alternative. He would get the picture perfect marriage to the hot shot up and coming lawyer, and she would get the money benefits and she also had her son, Theo. He was 5 years old and she doted upon him, even when she had a cold exterior to the rest of the world.
Elena had always been driven by her emotions over logic ever since she was young. She tried to deny it, she tried to fight it, but they won every time. She met Clay soon after she decided to not let her emotions run her life. It was easier that way. Ever since... well, she never liked to talk about it. To talk about him. It never did her any good.
Elena shook her thoughts from her longing and finished doing the dishes in front of her. Clay had told her countless times to just hire a cleaner, but she refused when she could do such a simple task herself.
Elena was determined to enjoy herself this weekend. Her little brother Jeremy was getting married to his high school sweetheart Bonnie and she was thrilled for him. She hoped that his marriage was full of love and happiness. Something that she certainly did not have. She knew it was her own fault really. She shut herself off to any possibility of marrying someone for love. But maybe if he hadn't left. That was irrelevant now. She was here, she was getting by, this was what she chose.
Elena heard the front door open and close followed by the bold footsteps of Clay as he walked into the kitchen.
"Hey" He greeted as he picked up the mail on the counter to look through it. There was a brief time at the start of their marriage where they actually tried with one another. He would have greeted her with a kiss and sometimes even flowers. But those days were gone. Why should either of them care anymore?
"Hey" she replied quietly. "We should get ready to go, my parents are expecting us at the house in an hour. Don't forget to pack a suit." Elena said as she went to leave the kitchen to pack hers and Theo's things for the wedding.
Her parents wanted to make a weekend of it, have the whole family stay at the house on Friday night for the big day on Saturday, then a family breakfast on Sunday with Jeremy and Bonnie, Elena's older brother Robbie, her younger sister Averie and Elena, Clay and Theo.
"Why tonight? The wedding isn't until tomorrow." Clay asked.
"Clay, how many times have I told you that my parents want to make a weekend of it? I asked you to clear your schedule months ago and you said it was sorted." Elena said with a sigh.
"I'm sorry Elena, I just can't do a whole weekend, there's so much going on with the bank at the minute." Clay said.
"Clay, I know you don't get on with my family, but you could at least pretend to care once in a while." She said as she folded her arms.
"Yeah cause they really give a shit about me... look, I promise I will be there all day tomorrow for the wedding, I just can't do tonight. You and Theo should go though." Clay told her.
"Oh we will be." Elena said as she made a swift exit before she said anything she would regret.
She knew she shouldn't be surprised that Clay responded in this way, but a part of her still hoped that one day Clay might bother to take an interest in her life. She constantly reminded herself however that she promised herself she would put that side of her away. It wasn't worth the pain that came with it.
Elena made her way into the living room where her son was, playing contently with his cars, racing them around the room. She smiled down at the little boy. She never understood how two heartless people like herself and Clay could make such a perfectly happy and loving child.
"Hey honey, you ready to go to nana and grandpas?" Elena asked grabbing her son's attention.
"Yeah!" He said happily "Will I get to see Unkie Robbie and Unkie Jeremy and Auntie Ave?" Theo asked as he walked over to his mom.
"You sure will bud, why don't you go and get the toys you want to bring for the weekend?" she asked as she ran a hand through his hair.
"Ok!" He said as he power walked upstairs.
Elena sighed. While she was often miserable with Clay, she always found some of her light when she was with Theo and her family. She quickly packed up their things and left without a word of goodbye to Clay. Like he would notice anyway.
Ten minutes later, Elena and Theo had made it to the other side of Mystic Falls and to her parent's house. When they walked in the front door, there was a lively buzz to the place. Jeremy and Bonnie had decided to have their reception in the extensive backyard of the house and people were busy setting up and preparing. Elena smiled. She definitely didn't feel lonely when she walked into her childhood home.
"Elena, Theo!" she heard from the kitchen as she looked up and saw her mom walking towards them.
"Hi mom." Elena greeted with a hug.
"Hi nana" Theo said as she hugged him tightly, making him laugh.
"I'm glad you're here. Theo, Unkie Robbie is outside, why don't you go see what he's up to?" Miranda suggested.
"ok!" He said as he quickly ran out back.
"And you can help me and Averie finish the place settings." Miranda said as she linked arms with Elena and walked into the kitchen.
"Hey Elena" Averie greeted as she hugged her sister. Averie was the youngest of the Gilbert clan at 20 years old. She was feisty and girly and at times, brutally honest. She definitely kept them all on their toes.
"Avie... these look great." Elena said picking up the place cards as she sat at the island beside Averie.
"And they're about to look even better with your magic touch." Averie said handing her some stuff to work with.
"So... no Clay?" Miranda asked.
"He's busy with work and stuff but he'll be here tomorrow." Elena said, not looking her mother in the eye.
"I thought you said he cleared his schedule."
"I thought he had but I guess not." Elena said solemnly.
"Elena." Miranda said putting down what she was doing, causing Elena to finally look at her. "How long are you going to let this go on for?"
"Let what go on for?"
"This charade you have with Clay. He has sucked the life out of you Elena, look at yourself, you're so... sad. You're not the happy person that you used to be." Miranda said honestly.
"I made this choice mom. I have to live with it... and we have Theo to think about."
"Clay hasn't cared about Theo a day in his life, he's there for the pictures and that's it." Averie told her. Proof of the brutal honesty.
"I... I like my life. I have a good career, I make a difference in other people's lives, I have a wonderful son. What more do I need?" Elena asked.
"Love. You need love. It's not enough to just like your life Elena. You need to love it." Miranda said to her.
Before Elena could reply, the back door flung open and her elder brother Robbie walked in with Theo hitching a ride on his back.
"Hey, there's my favourite sister!" Robbie said dropping Theo on the sofa in the kitchen.
"Not much to contend with." Elena said standing up from the stool.
"Hey..." Averie said as she glared at Robbie and Elena.
Robbie bent down for a hug "How you doing?"
"I'm ok, excited for this wedding." Elena said.
"Yeah Jeremy is freaking out right now, I think he just realised that he's punching." Robbie joked.
"Jeremy and Bonnie are perfect for each other and you know it." Miranda said sending a warning glare towards Robbie.
"I know, I know, I'm only messing." Robbie said holding his hands up. Just then Jeremy and Grayson walked into the room. Jeremy looked fidgety and nervous, Robbie wasn't lying.
"Elena!" Grayson exclaimed when he saw his daughter.
"Hi daddy" she said as she hugged him. "Jer... how you feeling?" she said turning to her brother.
"Nervous as hell." Jeremy said with a nervous laugh; "Is it obvious?" he said looking around his family, who all immediately joined in choruses of 'no, of course not!' despite not meaning it one bit.
"I'm so glad I have all my kids under one roof again. Even if it for just the weekend." Miranda commented, wrapping her arms around Elena and Jeremy.
"And it's going to be one hell of a weekend." Robbie said. "Come on Theo, we got bad guys to shoot in the back garden." Robbie said, lifting up Theo and throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes as he walked outside.
"You need any help upstairs with your bags honey?" Grayson asked Elena.
"No it's ok, I got it" she replied as she went into the hall.
She made her way upstairs towards her childhood bedroom. Not much had changed about it since she moved out for college when she was 18. Her cheerleading trophies still sat in pride of place on her shelf, she had photos of her family and her best friends Matt and Caroline all around the room.
She sat down at her dresser and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked tired and defeated. Her make up had worn off and her true colours were showing. She was normally so well put together during the day, ready to take on whatever came her way, but at night, she was quiet and introverted. She wasn't herself. She hadn't been for a long time.
She opened the drawer of the left hand side of the dresser and lifted out an old chocolate box. She opened it and pulled out a pile of papers and photographs. Photographs of her time with him, cheesy romantic love letters from her time with him. She stared at them for a moment before quickly putting them away. She wasn't going to go there, she promised herself she would never go there again. He made his choice, and she as now paying the consequences.
The next day, the wedding had gone off without a hitch. Clay showed up like he promised, but was on his phone for most of the ceremony, and quickly took off when it was over to 'deal with some stuff.' Elena knew that was code for, 'I have someone waiting in a hotel room for me.' But she was too tired to fight. What was even the point?
Elena had watched proudly as Theo walked down the aisle as page boy, with a bright smile on his face. He looked adorable in his little tux. Bonnie also looked stunning in her dress and Jeremy looked like the happiest man alive. Memories of her own wedding came flooding back. It had been a very public affair, a Browning wedding, right in the centre of Richmond, high profile names attended, most of whom Elena had never even met. The ceremony was quick and routine and the reception was boring. But the after party... it was something else. Clay spent most of the night with his buddies completely drunk, but strangely enough, it was the only part of the day that Elena actually enjoyed. She spent the night sitting by the fountain of the hotel with her best friends Matt and Caroline, laughing and feeling something for the first time in a long time.
"I have another toast!" Caroline said as she stood on the edge of the fountain. "To Elena... and... Clay..." she said reluctantly; "may Clay's money bring you more comfort than we all know you will ever get from him." Caroline said before sitting down again.
"Here, here" Elena said taking a chug from her bottle of champagne.
"Remind me why you married this nark again?" Matt asked.
"Matt keep up!" Caroline said; "She promised herself that after St-"
"Don't say his name!" Elena said suddenly "I don't want to be put in a worse mood than i already am."
"ok, she promised herself that after a certain someone she wasn't going to allow herself to get hurt again. No time for emotions, only time for logic and reason." Caroline said, essentially reciting what Elena had told her.
"There's no space for logic and reason in a marriage." Matt said.
"I don't need a happy marriage, I need my job and my beautiful new house... I'll be fine!" Elena said, trying to convince herself more than anything.
"You can't run from your feelings forever Elena. I just hope when they catch up to you, it's not completely overwhelming." Matt told her.
Elena didn't reply but merely took a larger drink from the champagne bottle.
Elena snapped out of her thoughts when there was clapping among the people at the reception. Jeremy and Bonnie were getting up for their first dance and all eyes were on the happy couple. The band started to play Just the Way You Look Tonight and Elena sighed. That was their song. Of course they would end up playing their song, it was like the universe was sending her signs and she wanted to scream. She started to back away from the dance floor but as she moved she tripped over the leg of a chair and went stumbling backwards. Luckily for her, someone was there to catch her when she fell.
"Geez, you're normally so careful Elena." the voice who caught her said and she froze with her back to him. It couldn't be. No way. It had been 11 years, there was no way he would show up on today of all days.
"Oh god..." she mumbled as she took a deep breath and turned around.
There he was. In the flesh. The boy who had left her behind. The boy who had simultaneously completed her world and shattered it. Stefan Salvatore. She gulped. He hadn't changed much over the years. If anything he was more attractive than he already was. Perfect hair, perfect muscles, the most perfect eyes. He was still his Greek God self and Elena hated him in that moment for it.
"Hello Elena." he said with a smile. Elena opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. "Looks like the band are playing our song. Good timing." he joked.
"You- you- Stefan- you're-" Elena mumbled out, feeling her cheeks going redder by the second.
Before she could stumble over her words any further, Robbie walked over and wrapped an arm around Stefan's shoulder. "Cat got your tongue Elena? Steffy's back!"
"I can see that" Elena said, proud of herself for forming a proper sentence.
"We need more shots." Robbie announced as he dragged Stefan away.
Elena stood there shocked, unsure what to do or say. A waiter walked past and she grabbed a glass of champagne and quickly downed it. Matt and Caroline saw her looking distressed and quickly walked over to her.
"Ok what was that for?" Caroline said taking the glass off her.
"Stefan Salvatore is here." Elena said, panicking a little bit.
"You're kidding." Caroline said. "Stefan Salvatore, Robbie's best friend, the one boy you actually-"
"Can we not go there please." Elena said cutting her off, not wanting to talk about whatever Stefan was to her.
Caroline nodded and quickly looked at Matt to say something to change the subject.
"So where is Clay tonight?" Matt asked, getting an eye roll from Caroline. Clay was really not a topic that would cheer Elena up.
"He bailed right after the ceremony, surprise, surprise." Elena said grabbing some more champagne and downing it.
"Screw him." Matt said suddenly. "Let's dance!"
Matt grabbed Elena and Caroline's hands and pulled them onto the dance floor. Elena did have fun that night, but her mind constantly wandered to Stefan, and she knew she was in for a bumpy ride from here on out.
NEXT CHAPTER- Elena wonders why Stefan has come back, while Clay appears to have something to hide. Elena has flash backs to her past with Stefan that leads her to make an important decision.
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