A/N: Hi all! Here is chapter 3 of "Semper Amare" :) The very last update before the new year! I originally had almost 6,000 words for this chapter but I decided to cut it in half and leave you guys on an interesting note ;) Enjoy and as always (and appreciated), please review!

Stefan's POV:

Another restless night has occurred and since I had to be up soon anyway, I thought I would go for a run in the trails. The sun has yet to rise and it was already 97 degrees outside, today was going to be a hot one but that wouldn't put us behind schedule. I'll have to teach the ECB how to deal with the heat, that'll be our first lesson today. I pulled my sneakers on and my usual West Point t-shirt and Yankee baseball cap and out my tent I went. I was watching the dark sand pat beneath my Nikes when I ran into someone, except this time, I didn't hold my balance.

"Oh!" She exclaimed when we collided. I was falling over her and not wanting to crush her, I flipped her on top of me before we hit the ground. My eyes inverted directly into Elena's and she was smiling and laughing breathlessly.

"We have got to stop meeting like this Captain Salvatore!" She exclaimed through giggles. God, how I adored her laugh already, it sounded like wind chimes on a spring day. I laughed too in response as I stood us up together. She brushed off the sand from her clothes and winced a little when she brushed off her forearm.

"Are you injured? Are you okay?" I blabbed out as I lifted her wrist to see her elbow. There was a small cut. I didn't like to see anyone hurt, I didn't want to see her hurt. I leaned closer to Elena's cut to make sure there wasn't any sand in it but there was. For a brief second, I forgot that this is Iraq and that there is sand everywhere. That's what being in Elena's presence does to me.

"You have sand in your cut," I said as I examined it close to my face, "C'mon. Let me take you to the infirmary to get it cleaned and bandaged." I said while looking into those beautiful brown eyes. She nodded and followed me. When we got into the infirmary, there was no one to be found. I forgot the time and remembered everyone was still asleep. I went into the supply cabinet and took out rubbing alcohol and gauze pads to clean Elena's cut myself.

"I have to clean it out myself… I hope you don't mind," I said softly. Elena smiled widely and sat on the examining table.

I took her arm gently into my hands and bent it to begin to clean out her cut. When I poured the alcohol on it, Elena winced and I immediately began blowing onto the cut to soothe the burning sensation. Elena immediately stopped and looked at me with a titled head.

"I'm sorry," she said with blushed cheeks, "My dad was a doctor, I should be used to this by now." She chuckled.

"Was? Did your dad retire or something?" I asked nonchalantly to maintain conversation as I finished cleaning her cut. Elena heavily sighed.

"No, he died. My mom died, too." She said emptily. I glanced to her with sorry eyes. She let a tear slip out and she shook her head and smiled slightly.

"I'm sorry," I replied quietly. Elena grabbed my hand and nodded.

"Thank you, " She commented while squeezing my hand, "But it was a while ago. I don't really like to talk about it." She said politely. I nodded and knew to shut up- the last thing I wanted to do was push her away.

"My mom died when I was 17," I started, "She had stage 4 cervical cancer. No one knew about it until she had a few months left to live. I miss her every day." I looked back to Elena's cut to distract myself.

Elena pulled her arm away from me and rested her hand on mine again, this time it was electrifying.

"I'm sorry for your loss Captain Salvatore. If you ever want to talk about it, I'll lend an ear." I liked how selfless Elena was, how she's always willing to help others.

Elena's POV:

Stay cool, Elena! Don't geek out as the most beautiful, kind, and sincere man you've ever met in your entire existence and will meet in your entire exist tends to your cut! I repeated to myself the entire time I was with Captain Salvatore in the infirmary. Captain Salvatore and I got on the subject on our parents and when he told me about his mother, I genuinely felt sorry for him. I grabbed his hand to comfort him but when I grabbed it, I had this sensational feeling run through my body. While trying to find my words I told Captain Salvatore what he needed to hear in that moment.

"I'm sorry for your loss Captain Salvatore. If you ever want to talk about it, I'll lend an ear." I said earnestly. He smiled and nodded.

"Losing someone close to you never gets easy," He started, "no matter how much time passes, the wound will always be fresh." Jeez, was this guy deep. I got a better sense of philosophy in that sentence alone than my entire four years at NYU.

"You're absolutely right," I agreed, "but at some point, you have to accept it, but not forget it." Captain Salvatore pressed his lips into a firm line. I wasn't sure if I offended him or not but I didn't say anything until he responded. He finished bandaging my cut and sighed.

"This should heal in a few days," He said smugly. I just looked at him with pursed lips. He opened his mouth a little and swallowed his words. I wanted to keep talking to him, to get to know his story but he made clear that he doesn't want to let anyone in.

"What were you doing up anyway?" He asked as he was putting away the supplies and discarding my dirty bandages.

"I was actually going to go for a run," I said while shrugging my shoulders, "It's what I did in Manhattan every morning before I went to work or had class." Captain Salvatore perked up when I mentioned New York.

"You're from the Big Apple?" Stefan asked with a hint of excitement. He looked like a little kid, a cute little kid. I smiled and so did he.

"Technically, I'm from Virginia, but I went to NYU and I live there now. I work for the NY Times." I said proudly.

"That's quite an accomplishment for a 22 year old. I'm from Manhattan myself. Born and raised." He said arrogantly. I just scoffed and laughed at him. He crossed his arms and widely smiled. "Where are you living?"

"Chelsea. Midtown was too expensive and full of tourists – the Upper East Side was way too expensive and just not my group of people- "

"You got something against Upper East Siders?" He interrupted with a raised eyebrow. I shook my head quickly in denial and he laughed. "I'm just teasing you, I grew up in the Upper East Side." That's when I realized that Captain Salvatore was not a regular guy; he had money, old money.

I wanted to know more about him.

"You don't say? What did your family do?" I asked with curiosity. Captain Salvatore gritted his teeth and exhaled.

"My birth name is Stefan Rockefeller. My mother's maiden name was Salvatore and Damon and I legally changed it after she died." He said shyly, "I didn't want people treating me differently at West Point because of my last name." Stefan quickly explained. Deep down, I knew he did it to remember his mother. It was a very sweet gesture of him and his brother. It was also a side he rarely expressed.

"Oh," I said nonchalantly, "I think Stefan Salvatore sounds a lot better anyway. What was it like growing up? I'm practically talking to American royalty!" He smiled widely and so did I. His smile was so contagious.

"Thank you, but my personal life doesn't really matter right now when there's other pressing matters. Maybe next time we can talk about us." The way he said us pulled my heart strings. There was a moment between us, it wasn't uncomfortable but there definitely was tension, attraction. Captain Salvatore looked down at his watch and exhaled.

"Well, I hate to be rash, but I really want to squeeze a run in before everyone gets up. You should skip this one out," He commented, "You need to rest, we have a lot to do today and it's going to be really hot out. I wouldn't want you to be dehydrated and exhausted by the end of the day." He said sincerely. I reluctantly agreed; he was right, I should be rested but I wanted to spend more time with him. He waited for me at the door of the infirmary as I jumped down from the examining table so he can hold the door open for me. He really is a perfect gentleman, a little rough to crack but he doesn't have me fooled one bit.

Captain Salvatore walked me back to my sleeping quarters. The walk was silent between us but it was peaceful. He stopped at my room and waved good-bye. I let him walk away but I had to say one more thing to him.

"Wait!" I shouted. Captain Salvatore looked back with his beautiful greens eyes with a gaped mouth waiting for me to say something.

Well, say something you big idiot!

"I just wanted to thank you again, for helping me with my cut. Even though it was nothing, thanks again." I said breathlessly. He just looked at me with a hint of disappointment, as if he was hoping I would say something else. He looked to one direction and pressed his lips into a curve.

"Don't mention it, just glad you're alright. See you in a few hours." He said quickly as he jogged away. I watched him turn the corner to leave the base and I just melted to the floor. I hadn't even know this guy for 24 hours and I already felt something for him. I doubt he felt anything back but sooner or later, I'm going to fall for him. I just knew it. My swooning was interrupted when I felt my back given away and I was laying on the floor, face up to a very skeptical Bonnie.

"Elena? What the Hell are you doing? She asked with a raised eyebrow. I quickly got up and just smiled. She looked at me again with squinted eyes.

"Something or should I say, someone, has gotten you all smitten…. Is it that Mark guy?" Bonnie asked with a sensual look. I gagged and Bonnie laughed.

"Ugh, Jesus Bonnie! No freaking way. That guy is a total scuzzball. I'm not 'smitten' by the way, just… interested", I choose my words very carefully so Bonnie wouldn't ask my anything else for the time being. Bonnie glared her eyes at me and just mumbled something incoherent and went to shower. I still sat on the floor, replaying my encounter with Captain Salvatore all over again. His smile, his laugh, they were enchanting. My thoughts were cut short when someone whistled at me.

I stood up to see who it was… it was Mark

"My, my, my. You sure are a pretty girl Miss Gilbert," Mark said sensually.

"Get lost" I just rolled my eyes at him and proceeded to close the door to our room when he forced his hand to stop it. He looked at me with threatening eyes.

"I don't know who you think you are, princess, but you're not home anymore. You better watch your back, you never know what might come up behind you." He said with a wink while licking his lips. I felt genuinely disgusted and a tad scared. I had dealt with creeps like this before in Manhattan but he was right, I wasn't home anymore so I had to definitely watch my back. He stepped back and flashed a devious smile.

"You have a good day now, Miss Gilbert, I'll see you later on" He walked away. I knew he didn't pose as a threat, not with Damon, Matt, Tyler and Captain Salvatore around at least. But I still felt uneasy about it. I felt like he was an impending doom.

Bonnie's POV:

I have never seen Elena like that before. She was so uplifted and happy. I first assumed it was because of where we were, what we were going to accomplish but I recognized that look. I couldn't pin point where I have seen it but I suddenly started thinking about Jeremy. I missed him terribly; I spoke with him last night but I still have this feeling of emptiness inside of me. I'm thankful that Elena and Caroline are with me, without them, I wouldn't have been able to commit to this trip, but I still miss the love of my life. I wish Jeremy was here with me, enjoying this experience with me. I knew of the roles we had to play but my desire, my love for him triumphed that.

And then it hit me: that's the same look I have when I think about Jeremy. I knew it was too soon for Elena to admit to anything but it's there, buried deep inside of her, waiting to be ignited with the right words by the right guy.

Elena Gilbert was falling.