Chapter 14 - Picture Perfect

PRESENT

"Elena? Elena?"

Elena hears Stefan's soft voice and feels him lightly shaking her. When her eyes open his smiling face is staring down upon her.

"They called our flight, it's time to board."

Rubbing her eyes and still slightly disorientated, Elena peers round to be greeted by the sight of the airport. Stefan outstretches his hand and with her bag perched on her shoulder, she takes it and walks with him towards the gate, Damon a few feet ahead.

Elena was ripped from sleep by a blaring alarm at 9am after two hours of undisturbed sleep at best. She spent the night tossing and turning, her mind torturing her with every possible scenario that might happen when she sees her parents, an overbearing weight of anxiety heavy on her chest. It's as though all of it caught up to her at once and now she feels she's crumbling beneath the weight of it all.

Since Damon first told her about Katherine, she's been going along with it, never really taking the time to think or understand what it means. But now that she's actually going home and is going to come face to face with her parents it's become real. Too real. This isn't a show or a novel, this is reality. It's her reality. And she's going to be forced to face it in less than three hours time.

Last time she visited home she was so excited to walk the paths she had as a child, to chat with the neighbors she'd known since she was in nappies, reminisce with the friends she'd shared her childhood with and take comfort in being in the only home she'd ever known with the family she loved more than anything. She remembers shedding a few silent tears when she left Grand Lake to make her journey back to New York, because she didn't want to leave the one place she belonged more than anywhere else in the world.

This time there was a very real chance that she'd leave crying again, but not because she didn't want to leave, but because her entire life and home been tainted by her parents lies.

Every time these thoughts overtake her, she tries to squash them and tell herself that she's being melodramatic. Even if her parents have lied to her for 18 years about her having a sister, it doesn't change anything. Her parents are still good people and them lying doesn't change her life that has been filled with so many wonderful memories and love. Nothing can take that from her. Ever.

At least she hopes...

As she boards the plane, she's eager to take her seat and rest more, the emotional exhaustion transmitting to a physical one, as her body grows heavy and her eyes keep involuntarily drooping closed. Due to the the last minute booking, the the three of them couldn't get seats together on the flight so Damon is seated 8 rows back, which Elena is relieved about. Despite not getting off on the right foot, Elena has developed a liking for Damon, but she still isn't comfortable around him yet and on days like today when she's feeling so fragile she doesn't have the strength to put on a mask and pretend she's okay.

Stefan reaches for her hand and she turns to look at him. His eyes are dark and his brow is etched with concern, but he forces a small smile for Elena's benefit. He got just as much sleep as Elena did, unable to rest knowing that she was in such distress - not that Elena knows that. He lay perfectly still all night, feeling her toss and turn beside him and hearing the sounds of her sighs and quiet sobs. Usually his first instinct would be to offer her comfort, but he had a sense that on this occasion she needed to work things through in her own mind and in her own time. He can't explain why or how it's happened so suddenly, but he can feel that there's a distance between them today and it unsettles him to no end.

"How are you feeling?" Stefan asks, his voice quiet.

Elena doesn't respond and merely shrugs her shoulders and grunts.

Granted, Stefan hasn't known Elena that long, but he still thought that he knew her incredibly well. In fact, he would've gone so far as to say he knew her better than anyone else, but the last few hours have made him question that. He's never seen Elena like this. The way she's behaving seems so un-Elena. She's usually bright and full of life, strong and determined, but now she just seems so...broken.

Empathy is usually one of Stefan's strongest and best qualities, but he's afraid that in this instance he can't empathise, no matter how hard he tries. After all, how can anyone empathise with something like this? Elena has found out that she has a long lost twin out there in the world who is on the run for God only knows what reason and that her entire life has been a lie. What experience of his own can he possibly compare to that? What is supposed to do or say? How can he make it all better? How?

"You know, everything's gonna be okay."

Stefan cringes at his own words and internally scalds himself with, "Well done, Stefan. Everything's magically better now, isn't it? You dick."

Elena scoffs lightly. "That's all I keep repeating over and over in my head, but we both know it's not true."

She turns to face away from him and peers out the window. The day is grey and cloudy to suit their moods, and Stefan is desperate to reach out to her, so tries again.

"Look, we don't know anything for sure yet. This should be a good thing. You're going back home to see your parents. You're always talking about how much you miss them and home. And I'm finally going to get to meet them too."

"It's not exactly how I pictured them meeting you for the first time," she replies miserably.

"Well, no, but that doesn't matter."

Elena keeps her body twisted away from Stefan and stares blankly out the window, remaining silent.

"Have you spoken to your parents since yesterday?"

"Mom texted me this morning to check what time we'd be getting in and to say she couldn't wait to see me."

"See? That's good," Stefan says, trying to be as upbeat as possible.

When Elena doesn't respond again he relents with, "Maybe we should just both try and get some rest before the flight lands. We're tired and I'm sure a nap will make us feel more refreshed in time to see your parents."

Still no response.

With a light sigh Stefan leans over and plants a light kiss on her cheek, before leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. His breathing is unsettled and it takes all the strength in his body to fight the overbearing urge to cry. Just as the reality of the situation caught up to Elena last night, it catches up to Stefan now.

Despite how deeply he cares for Elena their relationship is still so new and he's terrified that they're just not ready to face the hardships that are ahead of them. He's terrified that he's not ready to face them. He needs to be Elena's tower of strength, to support her through everything and be the one to get her through the darkest of times, but he's doubting his ability to be that person. What if he fails her? What if he can't protect her or ease the pain she's inevitably about to endure?

Just as Stefan's empathy and compassion is his strength, it is also his weakness and this is exactly why. He burdens himself so heavily with being responsible for everyone's happiness and safety when no one person can possibly guarantee that, and then when he fails he punishes and blames himself.

When he feels like that there's only one person that can talk sense into him and make him see reason, but unfortunately he's sat 8 rows back, with his eye mask down and his head flopped back on the headrest, his mouth agape as he snores lightly.

Knowing nothing can be done to soothe Stefan's blue mood, he decides to follow suit and pulls his eye mask down over his face and prays for sleep to take him.

With her back to Stefan, tears stream down Elena's face. She can't understand how or why she's feeling like this, particularly since she can't recall a time in her life when she has ever felt emotions so dark. Logic tells her that they're unnecessary emotions, yet that isn't enough to push them away. All she can do is feel them.

Since the second the tickets to Virginia were booked, Elena has felt nothing but dread at the thought of seeing her parents again, but maybe Stefan is right. Maybe seeing them is all she needs to put an end to these feelings of despair and fear, because she'll remember that regardless of the facts they are still her parents and they love her just as she loves them.

It only occurs to her now that it feels so long since she had the comfort of that - of family. Although she's made good friends at college, it wasn't until she found Stefan that she felt that feeling of familiarity and comfort that reminds her of family. Those morning revision sessions, late nights in her dorm and lunch dates with Stefan are what made her feel less homesick and gave her strength to get through those days when she missed home so much it hurt. But right now, even Stefan doesn't help.

The only thing that can possibly help is seeing her parents. She really wants to see her parents.

She just needs her mom and dad.

PAST - 2 years previously

The sound of upbeat pop music blares from Elena's alarm and although her initial reaction is to hit the snooze button and crawl under the covers, she suddenly remembers what day it is - the last day of Sophomore year!

She throws the covers off, gets to her feet and proceeds to jump on her bed, swinging her matted mane of hair about wildly and singing at the top of her lungs. It's only a few minutes before she's so out of breath that she collapses back down onto her bed, a huge grin across her face. The end of semester meant only one thing - the big annual football game followed by a huge party at her Tyler's house - who happened to be the wealthiest guy in town and one of her best friends.

Just as she reaches for her cell to call her best friend, Bonnie, her mother bursts in a beaming smile on her face.

"I thought I heard your beautiful singing," Miranda teases.

"Oh, shut up." Elena sticks her tongue out at her mom, an amused giggle following it.

Miranda perches herself on Elena's bed and reaches out to stroke her hair. "So last day of Sophomore year. How are you feeling?"

"Excited!" Elena responds. "Excited for tonight, excited for summer and definitely excited to go back to school as a Junior!"

"It's gonna be great, honey. You're gonna have so much fun and you deserve it after working so hard this year," Miranda says, sharing her daughter's excitement and enthusiasm. "Just promise me you won't be too irresponsible tonight. I know what these teenage parties can get like, but I'm trusting you to be careful."

Elena rolls her eyes. "I will, mom. It's only a party at Tyler's with friends from school anyway. Nothing too crazy."

"I mean it, Elena. Last time you had a party at the Lockwood's we got a call from Carol to tell us you'd thrown up all over her couch and your father had to come and pick you up."

At the time, it was the worst night of her life and Elena vowed to never touch alcohol again, but now the memory of it only amuses her and she has to stifle a giggle.

"I promise I won't do that again."

"Good. Need I remind you that you're only sixteen years old and still five years underage."

Elena feels herself getting irritated with her mom for putting a dampener on her mood and replies snappily, "I told you I'd be responsible, didn't I?"

"Well, okay," Miranda relents getting up from the bed. "I've made you breakfast. It's waiting for you downstairs."

Elena nods. "I'll just jump in the shower and then I'll be down."

"Okay, honey," Miranda says exiting the room.

Just as the door closes behind her Elena's cell buzzes and she excitedly answers it when she sees her best friend's name light up on the screen.

Elena answers the call with, "Bonnie, hey!"

"AHHHHHHHHHH! LAST DAY OF Sophomore YEAR! YAYYYYYY!" Bonnie screams down the phone so loudly that Elena has to hold the receiver away from her ear.

Elena laughs, her good mood returning to her as quickly as it left. Today is going to be the best day, she can feel it.

After eating pancakes and drinking coffee with her parents, Elena carpooled with her friends, Bonnie, Matt, Tyler and Vicki. Since it was the last day of semester, it was only a half day in which no classes were scheduled. All of the teachers arranged mini parties for their tutor groups where they played silly games, watched movies or simply sat around chatting. The morning passed by in a whirl of fun and laughter, with Elena feeling as though she was on cloud nine and at 1pm it was time for the big game.

Unlike other schools the big annual football game for Grand Lake High School was not against another local school, it was a home v home game. More specifically, boys v girls. It was unconventional but a school tradition going back years. Grand Lake has such a culture of sports and outdoor activities, that a majority of it's residents - both male and female - are athletic and sporty, and love nothing more than engaging in competitive play.

Although Elena can play football, it isn't her main strength and for that reason she isn't on the team. Instead she's on the cheer squad, which means she's on the sidelines cheering on her friends, all four of which are on the team - Bonnie and Vicki on the girls, and Matt and Tyler on the boys. The friendship between them means that the four of them get particularly competitive on the day of the big game, but Elena simply finds it funny. She's already been party to at least four arguments today in which she's had Matt and Tyler on one side and Bonnie and Vicki on the other, all four of them looking to Elena to be on their side. Of course, she never chooses a side and simply shakes her head at them, laughs and tells them they're being silly.

Throughout the game Elena stands by watching intently and cheering where necessary, getting transported away. She can't explain what it is she loves so much about cheering, particularly since on the surface it seems the most unlikeliest sport for her to engage in, but it makes her feel alive. The physicality of it keeps her body fit, strong and flexible, being part of a team provides her with friendship and a sense of belonging and the buzzing atmosphere of enthusiasm, positivity and excitement of the crowd makes her feel at peace.

It's made even better by the fact that she gets to look out onto the field and see her best friends and her boyfriend. Each time Matt catches her eye she feels so proud. With his dazzling blue eyes, square jaw, bulging biceps and charming smile, he really is the most handsome boy in school and he's all hers. As she watches him play, all she can think of is how she can't wait to kiss him after the game.

Matt is Elena's first and only boyfriend. Elena's parents and Matt's parents are friends, so they've known each other since they were born. She still remembers the first time they kissed. They were six years old and playing mommy's and daddy's. It released what felt like thousands of tiny little butterflies in her stomach and before she even understood the concept of relationships, romance or love, she knew that Matt would one day be her boyfriend. When he asked her to be his girlfriend two years ago, she immediately said yes and has never looked back.

Elena is pleased when the game ends with a draw, since it means she won't have to stand by and watch Matt and Tyler tease Bonnie and Vicki all night long about losing or vice versa, like every year previously. Elena waits at the side of the pitch for her friends and when Matt catches sight of her, Elena waves at him, a beaming smile on her face. He comes over and kisses her, pulling away from Elena too prematurely and making her lean in for more.

The others catch up to them and Bonnie reaches for Elena's hand and pulls her saying, "Elena, Vicki, come on. We need to go get ready. I can't go to the party looking like this!" she exclaims pointing at her make-up free face, frizzy hair and sweaty brow before dragging a giggling Elena and Vicki away to her car by their hands.

After an hour and a half in Elena's room spent primping and preening, the three girls go to the party feeling youthful and free. Elena sees Matt everyday, but for some reason she's itching to spend time with him tonight and can't wait to dance, party and have fun with him. Like the gentleman he is, he picks the girls up in his truck, insisting it's too cold for them to walk, and when they get to Tyler's house the party is already in full swing.

Despite it being a party to celebrate the end of their Sophomore year there are at least ten people Elena doesn't recognise the second she steps through the door and the more she scans her surroundings, the more strangers she notices. Since Tyler's parents are so wealthy and work away a lot, Tyler's house is known as party central. Every occasion that Elena has ever dabbled in anything she shouldn't have, it's been right here under this very roof. She decides now is a good time to make a quick mental note of the promise she made to her mom earlier today to not be too irresponsible.

The second Tyler sees them he bounds over, envelopes them all into a rib cracking hug and within seconds Elena has a cup in her hand containing some kind of strong smelling green cocktail that makes her gag and wince when she takes a sip.

Dressed in a shirt, with the first few buttons undone and a pair of jeans, Matt looks casual but extremely handsome and Elena winds her hand around his waist and leans into him. Matt responds by planting very brief kiss on top of her head and then immediately dashes away when the guys from the football team yell his name. Elena isn't usually the jealous or possessive type, but she was really looking forward to spending time with Matt tonight and can't help but feel a little deflated.

"Looks like it's gonna be a girls night then," Vicki states holding up her cup, a smile on her face.

Elena smiles and her and Bonnie tap their cups to Vicki's before drinking. Elena tells herself that she's being silly to feel upset and that she and Matt will catch up later on.

PRESENT

After trying and failing to drift off, Stefan gives up on sleep knowing that his mind is too frantic to rest. He looks over at Elena who still has her back to him and assumes she's sleeping.

He peers back and is relieved to see that Damon is awake, so wanders over to see him. Damon greets him with a smile and Stefan sits in the empty seat beside him.

"How's it going?" Damon asks thankful for some conversation to help pass the time. "You look pooped, brother."

"That's because I am," Stefan answers honestly.

"Talk to me."

Stefan takes a deep breath. "It's Elena."

Damon isn't exactly surprised to hear that. After all, when a guy has the look on his face that Stefan nine times out of ten it involves a girl (or a boy).

"I can feel that she's pushing me away and I don't know what to do. I've never seen her like this."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Just...disconnected."

"From you?"

"From everything. I thought I could be there for her through this but I don't think I can be. Maybe I thought we were something we're not."

Damon shakes his head. "You sat in front of me two days ago and told me you think you love her."

"I know but-"

"But what? You've hit the first bump in the road and you're scared, I get it. But you'll get past it, right?"

"What if we don't? What if we get to Virginia and see her parents and this goes even worse than we're expecting? We're still in the dark here. Anything could happen."

Damon sighs and replies with, "You're right anything could happen."

For a moment Stefan thinks Damon's going to stop there, but he doesn't.

"Look, Stef, I know this probably isn't what you wanna hear, but you and Elena...you're young and this is still all new. Maybe you won't make it through this, maybe something will happen and you'll break-up, but you don't know that and right now in this moment do you want to break-up with her?"

"Of course I don't."

"Then stop getting hung up on the future and what might happen." Damon interally scoffs at the irony of him of all people, since all he's done for weeks is worry about the future and Katherine. "You're 18 freaking years old. You shouldn't be thinking about that stuff. You care about Elena and you want to be with her now that's what counts."

Stefan nods, his confidence slowly returning to him through Damon's pep talk.

"I just want to be there for her and to know what's going on in her head so I can help her."

"Then tell her that."

"I used to be able to tell Elena anything, but I can't talk to her this time and I don't get why."

"It's because you're scared. Stef, you gotta to remember that everyone's got stuff."

"Stuff?" Stefan questions.

"Yeah. Shit going up here," he points to his head, "and in here," he points to his heart, "that they think is too messed up and complicated, so they don't tell anyone because they think they'll seem crazy or weak or both. You know, when Katherine left I wanted to hate her so bad but then I realised she was just doing what I do. What we all do."

"What?" Stefan questions with intrigue.

"She was running because she was scared. But you know what the best way to overcome fear?"

"Face it."

"Yeah. So talk to Elena. Right now she's doing what Katherine did - she's running. Don't you do the same. Don't go running from her because you're scared of the shit you got going on up there and in here, because you'll regret it. I'm pretty sure Katherine does."

Stefan is so moved by Damon's words that he has to blink away the tears in his eyes - what a softy!

"You're right. Of course you're right. I don't want to run away from her. I want be with her. Thanks, Damon."

Stefan gives Damon a grateful pat on the back.

"No problem. Didn't realise I'd gone from being a cop to a relationship counselor, but kinda digging it."

Damon grins and Stefan laughs. He knew Damon would make him see sense. What would he do without him?

PAST - 2 years previously

Unfortunately, Elena was wrong about Matt and her catching up later, and Matt remains with Tyler and his friends for the rest of the night, engaging in endless games of beer pong, shouting obnoxiously and not so much as glancing in her direction. She tries to keep her spirits high and focus on dancing with her girlfriends, but she can't help her attention drifting to the rowdy bunch of guys and every time she sees Matt yelling and cheering and beating his chest like a freaking silver-back gorilla attempting to masquerade his masculinity, the anger in her increases.

Bonnie and Vicki try their best to distract her and make small talk, play her favourite songs and ply her with drinks, but there is no salvaging the night for her and so before it's even hit 11pm she decides to take off.

"Oh, Elena, please don't go," Bonnie pleads.

"Girls, thank you for trying but I- I'm just really not in the mood."

"I know he's my brother and everything, but he can be such a jerk sometimes. Do you want me to kick his ass?" Vicki offers.

Elena can't help but laugh lightly at that.

"No, of course not. It's no big deal, I'm just tired. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Bonnie and Vicki nod and offer to walk her home, but Elena refuses reminding them it's only a 5 minute walk to her house.

"Should we tell Matt you're leaving?" Vicki asks.

"No, no," Elena says looking over to Matt who is still so engaged in his friends that he hasn't even noticed that she's about to leave. "Wouldn't wanna ruin his night," she comments under her breath, unable to stop herself from being bitter.

Elena heads home, all of her expectations and hopes for tonight having been shattered. As she briskly walks, tears fall from her eyes and she feels pathetic and melodramatic for being so upset about something so small.

When she's just three houses away from home Elena hears Matt calling her name and swings around to see him sprinting down the street towards her. Usually in a situation such as this all anyone wants is to be chased, but for some reason, Elena wishes he hadn't of chased her. Nonetheless she waits for him to catch up to her, not bothering to hide the fact that she's been crying.

"Elena, why did you leave?"

"I'm surprised you even noticed I was gone," Elena replies snidely.

"Vicki told me."

"Huh, that explains it."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you haven't noticed me all night long and the only reason you're here now is because your sister told you to come after me."

"Is that what this is about? You're upset because I was hanging out with my mates?"

"Yes!" Elena shouts. "No, I mean, no, not just that. You never seem to want to hang out with me anymore. The only time we speak is at school and even that's just in class."

"Elena, we see each other everyday."

"I know, I know that, but we still don't really hang out."

"All we've ever done is hang out together. It's what we've been doing for sixteen years."

Elena doesn't like the direction this conversation is going in. Her and Matt have bickered in the past, but this feels different.

"And what? You're saying you're tired of it? That you're tired of me?"

Matt's eyes remain locked on her, his mouth open as he tries to speak, but no words come out and his silence is deafening. Elena feels her heart sink.

"You are tired of me," Elena says in disbelief.

Matt sighs. "I didn't say that."

"You didn't not say that."

"I've been thinking a lot lately and it's nothing to do with you, I swear. It's just that we've known each other since we were born, Elena. We are all we've ever known, but maybe there's more, you know?"

Matt steps forward and reaches for Elena's hand, but she makes a point of shifting away from him and he relents.

"I'm not saying I don't love you, because you know I do. You're my favourite person on this planet and you'll always be my best friend, but I just don't think we're right for each other. Not like that anyway."

All of the break-up cliche's Elena has ever read in books or seen on TV seem to be hitting her all at once and all she wants to do is make it stop.

"Say something. Please."

Elena can scarcely breathe let alone talk.

"I never wanted to hurt you, you need to know that."

More cliche's.

"If there was any other way for me to do this I would've, but I-I have to be honest with you. You deserve that."

"Honest?" Elena croaks. "Honest? You've been lying to me everyday for, for how long? How long have you 'been thinking'?" Elena's anger starts to get the better of her and she can't stop.

"I dunno, maybe-maybe a couple of weeks."

"So you've been lying to my face pretending everything was fine for two weeks when you knew you wanted to break up with me? Tell me, Matt, how is that honest?"

"You're mad and believe me, I get it. I deserve it, because you deserve so much better than me and-"

Elena cuts him off with, "Oh, spare me."

Suddenly tears start streaming from her uncontrollably and Matt is beyond shocked at the severity of her reaction. Sure, he expected her to be upset and maybe a little angry, but not this.

Matt reaches out for her arm and whispers, "I'm sorry, Elena. I'm so sorry. I didn't realise... I didn't think..."

Elena violently shoves him away and says, "Don't. Just don't. Don't try and comfort me and tell me you're sorry. You made your mind up and that's it. Just go back to your party and your mates and leave me alone."

With that Elena jogs to her house, leaving Matt behind her. When she gets onto her front porch, she perches herself on the bench and cries for endless minutes, not wanting her parents see her in such a state. Eventually the crying subsides and she takes out her compact to make herself look more presentable before entering the house.

When she gets inside she's immediately greeted with the smell of her dad's cooking and the sight of her mom laid across her dad as the two watch a movie. She'd forgot that tonight is movie night. Since Elena's father is a doctor, he works long and ungodly shifts, meaning it's often hard to find the time to spend together as a family so every fortnight the three of them have a movie night where they each chose a movie and eat their body weight in junk food. Elena missed it tonight to go to the party and now she wishes she'd have stayed instead.

"Hey, honey."

"Hey, sweetheart."

"Hey," Elena replies to her parents.

Since the two are engrossed in a movie, Elena is hoping to give them a brief lie about how great her night's been before slipping upstairs as quickly as possible to cry some more. Unfortunately, Grayson reaches for the remote and pauses the movie to turn his full attention to Elena.

"So how was your night? Tell us everything," he beams.

Elena nods and swallows the lump in her throat. "Yeah," she croaks quietly. "Yeah, it was good. It was fun."

Grayson and Miranda nod, but have suspicious looks on their faces and Elena suddenly breaks down into sobs. It's only seconds until both of her parents are off the couch and standing in front of her frantically asking what happened. Elena manages to get out the words, "Matt broke up with me," and Grayson and Miranda exchange looks of sadness and sympathy knowing the day that their little girl got her heartbroken for the first time would arrive eventually.

Grayson escorts Elena to the couch his arm draped about her and Miranda sits at Elena's other side. Elena proceeds to relay the conversation she had with Matt and when she's finished she collapses, her head against her father's legs, unable to say anymore.

"We know it hurts honey and nothing can make it better right now, but you'll always have us," Miranda says softly.

Rubbing Elena's back comfortingly, Miranda continues to mutter soothing words of reassurance that only a mother can give, whilst Grayson simply holds Elena against him offering the safety and strength only a father can give, until Elena eventually drifts off into an exhausted sleep, still in the warm and loving embrace of her parents.

PRESENT

Elena believed she and Matt would always be together and was filled with optimism and joy for their picture perfect future together, but just as Elena's optimistic expectations were destroyed that day three years ago, she fears that the same will happen again if she is foolish enough to cling to the notion that nothing is going to change after today. Because how could it not? Learning about Katherine does change everything and if there's one thing Elena doesn't do well, it's change. I guess that's a trait ingrained in someone that was born and lived her entire life in a small village built on the idea of tradition and routine. Her parents have always been how she's dealt with her fear of change. Knowing they would always be constant in her life, that no matter how much everything else around her changed there would always be Grand Lake, movie nights, dad's sloppy Giuseppe and mom's advice, gave her immeasurable courage. And that's why as nervous as she is to see her parents, she also craves to see them more than anything.

Intimacy and vulnerability has always been an issue for Elena, which is strange considering she was raised in the picture perfect lifestyle and family that most psychologists would predict to produce a perfectly well-rounded and balanced child. There were only three people in the world Elena truly let her guard down with - her mom, her dad and Matt. And just as everything Matt said to her the day he broke up with her was an utter cliche, Elena herself has since become a cliche - the girl who got her heart broken and now finds it hard to trust and open up to new people.

It's been different with Stefan. Elena can't understand why, but since the moment she met him she felt an instant connection that made her feel as though they had known each other their entire lives. She has never felt that usual disconnect she feels when she first meets people whereby she has to withhold certain things or filter her personality. She has always been able to be completely free and open with Stefan...until now.

She wishes she never had to go through this or feel this way with Stefan, but it was always inevitable because something always goes wrong eventually. Elena's in-built optimism makes it hard for her to accept that, but it's true. Her relationship with Stefan has been plain-sailing until now but that's because they've been happy. No obstacles thrown in their way, no third party interfering, no inner demons pushing them apart. Hell, the biggest argument they've had was when the two of them were in a study session the night before an exam and Elena wasn't in the mood to study, so began playing music and trying to encourage Stefan to abandon their session. It ended with Stefan storming out of Elena's dorm stamping his feet as he went and Elena yelling after him, "Get over yourself, Stefan!" She grins to herself at the memory of it. They made up the next morning over breakfast burritos, the two of them chuckling together about how ridiculous they were and ending it with a sweet kiss.

Elena sighs deeply. Too bad they don't have burritos on the plane. Maybe that could bridge the gap between her and Stefan. He's still not in his seat and Elena can only assume he's gone to see Damon. She dreads to think what awful things he's saying about her. Probably that he wished he'd never came and that he didn't sign up for this. She wouldn't blame him if he did say that, it was true after all. They'd hadn't even been together for a year yet, he shouldn't have to deal with this.

As though on cue, Elena hears Stefan take his seat beside her and it's only moments before he's lightly tapping her shoulder to get her attention. Elena turns to face him and feels her heart warm just for seeing his face - even if he does look exhausted and disheveled.

The natural urge she's had to be distant from him over the passing hours seems to have been immediately replaced with her usual craving to be as near to him as possible and all she wants to do is throw herself into his arms and hold him tight.

"Did you manage to get some sleep?" he asks sweetly.

"A little," Elena lies.

Stefan sighs deeply as though preparing himself. "Elena... I wanted to talk to you before we land. Properly, I mean."

Elena nods and twists her body towards him.

"I know you're scared about what's going to happen when we see your parents and everything, and I know that you must have so much going on in your head right now, but I just want you to know that I'm scared too."

"You are?" Elena asks, her voice quiet.

"Of course. I don't know what's going to happen either and this isn't exactly a situation I ever expected to be in." He laughs down his nose lightly at that and Elena cracks a small smile too.

"But I know that I care about you and I want to be here for you. I don't want you to push me away. You don't need to do that."

Without realising Stefan has said everything Elena needed him to say and now she knows it's her turn to be honest.

"I know and I'm sorry that I've been so distant, you don't deserve that. But I needed some time to think. There's so much going on in my head and I don't-I don't..."

Words fail Elena, but she doesn't need to say anymore, because Stefan understands.

"I know," he says reaching for her hand. She clasps her fingers around her hand wanting to feel his flesh against hers and doesn't know how to begin to express everything she's been thinking about since last night.

"I've always been honest with you, but what you probably don't know about me is I'm not usually like that."

"What do you mean?" Stefan asks, his eyebrows raised.

"I mean I'm not very good at being open, at being...vulnerable. I tend deal with stuff on my own, that's just the way I do things. And if I do talk to someone it's usually my parents or-"

Elena hesitates as she realises she's never spoke to Stefan about Matt before.

"Or?" Stefan inquires.

"My friend Matt."

"Matt?"

Stefan repeats the name, a suspicious look in his eye, wondering why Elena hasn't mentioned him before.

Elena doesn't intend to lie and tells Stefan all about Matt. How they were raised together, went through school together, were best friends, each other's first everything, how he broke her heart and how he's still her best friend to this day. Stefan listens intently, realising just how much there is to still learn about Elena and her life.

"And I know it's stupid that I'm still so hung up on something that happened two years ago, especially since Matt is still my best friend and I forgave him and I didn't even really love him but-"

"If that's true then why are you saying you're so afraid to open up to other people?" Stefan can't help but ask.

"I don't think it was about Matt. I think it was about that being the first time things didn't go my way."

Stefan doesn't know what to say to that and just frowns at her, waiting for her to expand on the subject.

"I know it sounds so spoiled, but I always got what I wanted. Things in my life...they just went right. Everything I pictured, it usually happened. Matt was my first boyfriend and I thought we'd be prom Queen and King, I thought we'd go off to college together, travel together, get married and have kids. All that fairy tale crap. When he broke up with me...all of that was gone."

Stefan struggles to understand or relate to what Elena's saying and Elena can see the confusion on his face so continues to explain further.

"I don't mean that I wanted that life with Matt, because I can see now that I didn't. But it's just the way I was. The way I am. I think about things, I dream about things and I have visions and plans for how I want things to go and when that doesn't happen I guess I just- I'm not good at handling that. I'm not good at not knowing what's gonna happen."

Stefan nods finally understanding what Elena's saying.

"I'm not either. I think that's why I'm so worried about all of this and why I didn't know what to say to you to make it better. I don't know what's gonna happen either and at least we know that no matter what does happen, we won't know together."

Elena frowns at him but then a smile breaks out across her face. "Well, I guess that's a little comforting."

"A little?"

"Just a little," Elena says holding up her thumb and index finger which are a few centimeters apart.

The two of them smile, the distance and ill mood they shared having been practically obliterated just for speaking to one another.

"Oh and if it makes you feel any better, I might not know what's going to happen in the future but I know one thing for sure."

"What's that?" Elena asks leaning into him, her eyes locked on his face.

"I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. You're stuck with me."

Elena beams and presses her lips to Stefan's hard and firm, overcome with emotion.

Maybe Elena can't control the future or have everything in her life go her way, maybe things with her her parents will go even worse than she's anticipating and maybe not everything will turn out picture perfect the way she imagined it, but at least she has now.

And right now, in this moment, everything is perfect.

A/N: Hello my lovelies! So I'm back with a new chapter. Yay!

I'm sorry for taking so long with this chapter, but if you've been checking my bio (make sure to check my bio if I haven't uploaded for a while and you want updates), you'll know that I took some time to plan the rest of this story. Just as is the case with most of my writing, the story is going to turn out a lot longer than I expected. So far I've planned up to chapter 26 and my guess is that there'll probably be 30-35 chapters in total.

As always thanks for reading and please leave reviews to share your thoughts on this chapter.