When Caroline finally broke through the mass of drunk teenagers, she ran through the front door and her look searched for Elena. He finally caught her in the middle of a parking lot, standing in one place, motionless. It looked like her feet were buried in the ground she was standing on. Caroline started running towards her, calling her name, every time louder, but Elena did not move. When she finally reached her, she had noticed Elena's eyes moving from one side of parked cars to the other, while tears were streaming down her face.

„He's gone" – she cried out silently, not being able to find Stefan's car on the parking lot.

„Elena, let's go back inside" – Caroline tried to take Elena's hand in hers, but Elena pulled her hand back as soon as she felt Caroline's skin on hers. „We have to clean you up" – she smiled lightly, trying to grab Elena's hand once again, but that ended like the last time, with Elena pulling her hand back.

„I need to find Stefan, I need to explain myself to him" – Elena said through her teeth while watching her friend right in the eyes. Caroline trembled from her look.

„Elena.." – Caroline tried to calm her down, but there were more tears on her cheeks as each second passed by, smudging her make up all over her face.

„I want Stefan" – Elena said through tears, louder than the last two sentences she pronaunced. She wasn't sure will Caroline understand what she's talking about. She didn't only want to talk to him, to explain to him what just happened was a mistake which she never planned to make, nor will she make it ever again. She wanted him. She wanted to be with him. And she wasn't afraid anymore, she could admit to herself that she wants him, and she was ready for it to become a reality. The only thing scarier than being with him was not being with him.

Caroline's lips almost curved into a smile, but she stopped herself, because she knew this is no time for smiling. But she thought she knows what Elena meant by that. She's been suspecting it for a very long time, even before Elena called her that night. To an innocent observer, nothing would seem fishy, but Caroline had put her finger on it right away. All Elena had to do was curve her lips into a smile when he walked by past her, and Caroline would know. She had a sixth sense about those things, so she could not understand how could Bonnie be so blind to Elena's sympathy for Stefan. She grabbed Elena by the shoulder and slightly shook her.

„I don't think you're in a condition to talk to Stefan right now" – Caroline tried to reason with her. After few seconds, Caroline could feel Elena's body relaxing under her touch. She had let go off her so Elena could clean her face from tears with the palm of her hand. „Come on" – she grabbed Elena's hand with hers, but this time Elena did not protest – „I'm going to take you home, and you're going to tell me everything that happened" – she pulled Elena as she started walking towards her car.

When they came to Elena's place, Caroline made her a hot cup of coffee, and Elena told her everything. What she feels for Stefan, what she was afraid of, what Matt told her and how he ended up kissing her, and why did she let him. Caroline tried to keep the serious expression on her face the whole time Elena talked, but she looked a little bit shocked when Elena told her about what went down with Matt.

Few hours later, Elena fell asleep, and Caroline called Nik to apologize for bailing. He understood. He would do the same for Stefan.

xxxx

When they went back to school on Monday, Caroline did not let Elena out of her sight. The day after the party, Caroline called Bonnie to come over, and Elena had filled her in with what was going on. Caroline thought that's the right thing to do, since she was her best friend. Well, one of her best friends. Bonnie was understanding, and even she suspected something, but she had no idea things between her and Stefan went so far.

After History, three of them went to their lockers to leave their books, since they had a free period. Stefan was not in the school today, although both Nik and Rebekah were. Elena wondered where he was. She wanted to ask Rebekah, but from the moment she came into the classroom, she gave Elena the same disapproving look she did in the party when she saw her kissing Matt.

„Elena.." – she heard a familiar voice coming from behind her. All of them turned around to saw Matt standing there with an ashamed look on his face.

Caroline frowned and stepped in front of Elena, pushing Matt away from her. „You!" – she raised her voice at him, poking his chest with her index finger – „You don't get to talk to her" – she said bitterly.

Matt looked at her with a shocked expression on his face. He wasn't used to Caroline being like this. She was always so shy, and nice, and she would never threaten people. She would rarely stand up for herself, not alone for other people. Caroline was aware of what kind of a person she was. And she didn't like being that girl. Girl who doesn't have her own opinion or who's up to doing what other people find fit. But everything changed when she met Nik. He invited her for coffee few days before the Spring Formal. And they started talking, and with him, she was more. She was someone important. It wasn't about anyone but her, and him, and she had a feeling like she's finally living her life. So she opened herself up, and she became this cheerful person around everyone like she was around her closest friends and family. And Nik liked that person. Everyone liked that person. Most importantly, Caroline liked her the most of all.

„What's gotten into you?" – Caroline raised her voice some more. Few people turned their heads to see what's happening. Bonnie was giggling, and Elena blushed, as usual. „I know you Matt Donovan, and what you said to her" – she pointed at Elena with the finger of her other hand – „That's not you" – she finally removed her finger from his chest and crossed her arms on her chest. But she kept on frowning at him.

Matt looked over Caroline's shoulder only to see Elena blushing behind her. „I'm sorry, Elena" – Matt said with a husky voice. He was on the verge of tears, and you could have heard it in his voice. Elena raised her look from the floor and looked into his glossy eyes.

Matt had no idea why he did what he did. Guess he was sick and tired of loving her and getting nothing in return. It wasn't fair, how you love someone and they simply don't love you back, for some reason. It sucks, and it makes no sense. There's so little love in the world, so how come when he wants to give it, there's no one to recieve it. Or the person to whom he wants to give it to doesn't want it.

„I have no idea what came over me" – he locked his look on hers. He had few bottle of beers to drink. That pushed him even more. That and the idea she's falling for someone else. He had no idea how no one had noticed it, but to him, it was clear as a day. Guess when you love someone you think about how would they smile to you if they felt the same. Or how would they look at you or touch you. And that was how Elena looked and smiled at Stefan. Like she's falling for him. And that had hurt him so bad. Watching her fall for someone else, when he had already fallen for her.

„All the things I said to you, they're not true" – the first tear rolled down his cheek – „You're not nobody. You're the sweetest, nicest, kindest, smartest person I ever had pleasure of meeting" – his voice became sharp and silent, he was almost whispering, but loud enough for her to hear. Guess that's what had hurt the most. The way he had hurt her. She was his friend, one of his best friends. He knows her his whole life, and he had never imagined he would be able to hurt her so much, because of his own selfishness. He didn't even care about what she feels or wants, he had put his needs in the first place, before her own. He never thought he's capable of doing that to someone, especially not to Elena, girl he knows for as long as he can remember, girls he loves.

„Stefan is a good guy" – he laughed, cleaning away few tears rolling down his cheek – „Don't mind all of the bad things you have heard about him, none of them are true" – he smiled at her.

That was probably hard for him to say. He even swalloved few times while talking.

„Thank you" – Elena told him silently.

Matt simply nodded and looked down at Caroline who was no more frowning at him. He smiled at her, turned around and walked away.

Elena's look flew at Stefan's locker, but he wasn't there. Rebekah was by hers, which was only few lockers away from Stefan's. She inhaled deeply, smiled at Bonnie and Caroline, and walked over to Rebekah.

„Rebekah?" – Elena said her name in a sweet voice, afraid of her reaction.

Rebekah had shut the doors of her locker loudly, giving Elena a sharp look. Look Elena was known to give to other people. Her look sent goosebumps all over Elena's skin.

„How can I help you?" – she said with the same tone of voice, letting her know she's mad, and Elena knew why. Every time she would look at Rebekah, she met her disapproving look. Elena understood that, Rebekah was looking out for her friend. She would do the same for Caroline and Bonnie.

„I was wondering, have you seen Stefan?" – Elena locked her eyes on Rebekah's, but Rebekah did not blink, not even once.

Rebekah kept her serious face expression for the whole time. „Why? You want to make out with someone else in front of his eyes again?" – Rebekah snapped at her.

She deserved that.

„Both of you are such twats" – Rebekah continued before Elena even got a chance to say something – „The lack of confidence both of you have is puke worthy" – Rebekah rolled her eyes as she leaned next to her locker.

Elena did not know what to say to that. Stefan didn't seem like the kind of a guy who would have problems with his self esteem. He had the whole package – looks, personality, money.

„Stefan is.. he's not what you think he is. He's different. None of the people here actually know him. They make assumptions of him based on his looks, or how his life looks from the inside. No one thinks about what's going on behind the closed doors" – Rebekah turned her head around to look at Elena who was carefully examining her as she talked – „And in a relationship, Stefan has known to be a sensitive pussy whipped idiot" – Rebekah laughed out loud, so Elena laughed with her – „But when he loves someone, giving that person everything he has is not an option for him, it's the only way to go" – her face expression became serious again. „What about you, Elena?" – Rebekah asked.

Elena's eyes grew wider as she looked at now relaxed Rebekah. She did not seem hostile anymore. Guess Rebekah wasn't that kind of a person, she was just really defensive of her friend.

„What about me?" – she asked, leaning to the locker next to Rebekah's.

„Do you want to be with Stefan?" – Rebekah asked in all seriousness.

Elena lowered her head down and blushed. She was okay with admitting it to herself, or even to Caroline and Bonnie, but she wasn't sure she was okay with admitting it to Rebekah, Stefan's friend. But if she's not okay with letting him know, what's the point of admitting it to herself?

She could hear Rebekah laughing, so she raised her head and smiled back. Rebekah wiggled her nose at her.

„If you want to be with someone, you have to let them know. You have to take a chance, and who knows, you might find what you're looking for" – Rebekah winked at Elena before she started playing nervously with her fingers. „Stefan may or may not be at his house at the moment, but you didn't hear this from me" – she winked at Elena again, before squeezing her by the shoulder and walking by past her.

Elena closed her eyes and leaned deeper on the locker.

„Don't hurt him" – she heard a voice next to her ear.

She saw Katherine standing next to her, and Elena couldn't belive that was her voice. She wouldn't recognize it, since it was lacking that mean and sharp vibe she would usually add to her already harp voice. Her hair was tied in a tall pony tail, once she used to wear when they were younger. She was wearing her cheerleading uniform, but somehow, she didn't look like Katherine. The muscles of her face were relaxed and she wasn't checking her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, judging her.

„What?" – Elena asked confused.

„Stefan" – Katherine whispered his name – „He doesn't deserve it. Not again" – she pleaded her more than she warned her. „His heart is more fragile than you think."

Elena swalloved hard before nodding to her, surprised by Katherine's behavior. She was acting almost friendly. Elena exhaled and walked by past Katherine.

„Elena" – Katherine called after her. Elena stopped walking and turned around. „I'm sorry" – Katherine said with a husky voice.

„For what?" – she asked confused.

„For everything" – Katherine replied with a teary voice before turning around and running away in another direction.

Elena furrowed her brows. She opened her locker and took out her bag, and without any explanation ran away through the front door, leaving Bonnie and Caroline confused. She sat in her car and started driving. Her mind was clear of thoughts. For a moment there she forgot where she's driving and what her intentions are. Until she stopped her car in front of Stefan's house. That is when she remembered what she's doing. She slowly got out of the car and somehow dragged herself to his front door, although her legs, and her mind, was telling her to run, something else was keeping her there.

She closed her eyes and took one deep breath to prepare herself to knock on the door.

„Elena?" – she heard a familiar voice coming from in front of her.

She opened her eyes and saw Stefan standing in the front door.

xxxx

So, this was kind of a in between, filler chapter, that ended with a cliffhanger. So next chapter we finally get to see some Stefan and Elena action, now when they're both ready for that, now when people around them understand and are accepting of what's going on between them. I didn't want to make Katherine a villain. Everyone always make a villain out of her, even in the show, but I do not believe she is one. Other than Stefan, she's my favorite character. And I believe that she's a girl who made a lot of mistakes and wrong decisions due to what happened to her earlier in life. And she represents that selfish part of us where all we want to do is forget other people and do what pleases us the most. I guess that's why her and Stefan are my favorite characters, because they represent two parts of us that our in constant battle with themselves.