A/N: Here it is! Thank you for being so patient.
Just a bit of a lighthearted chapter that I hope you will enjoy.
Elena was pretty sure she could have stayed like she was forever. Leaning against Stefan, with one of his arms around her, sitting by the window and watching the snow continue to swirl around before landing on the ground and coating the already white blanket forming. She sighed contently, loving the way Stefan was twirling strands of her hair around his fingers and then letting them unwind. He had been doing this for the past 20 minutes.
It was almost unreal, how amazing she felt in that moment. "I wish I had met you first" she said quietly, without really thinking before she spoke.
There was silence for a moment before she felt his arm tighten around her and his lips press against her temple. "I wish I had met you first too" he said back. If every day could have been like the present moment, he was pretty sure his life would have been perfect. "What do you want to do for dinner?" he asked, nuzzling his nose against her cheek.
Elena smiled and grabbed his hand with hers. "I don't want to leave this spot" she said, looking up at him and smiling.
"Then we won't" he told her, leaning down slightly to kiss her lips softly. Elena tilted her head back, making it easier for him. "We'll order in" he smiled, kissing her again. Stefan reached over and opened a drawer, pulling out a handful of menus. "These places will deliver I hope" he said, dropping them in her lap.
Elena picked up the first one and examined it. "I kind of feel like pizza I think" Elena said, looking over the pizza options. "That one" she confirmed, pointing at one halfway down the page with a lot of toppings. "And these" she added, pointing at the garlic bread twists. "What do you want?" she asked, realizing she was taking over in the ordering department.
Stefan grabbed the menu from her hands and tossed it aside before pulling her even closer. "You" he whispered against her ear. A smile appeared instantly and she couldn't help but feel silly for how happy he was making her feel right at that moment. "But" he added. "If you're inquiring about the pizza, what you chose is fine by me" he told her.
Elena shook her head and laughed as she sat up suddenly. "I'll go and order it" she said, attempting to get up. His arms locked around her though. "Stefan" she said, trying to pry his arms apart.
"We can order from here" he told her, reaching over her to grab his phone. "What's the number?" he asked. Elena rattled it off and Stefan placed the order. "Should be here in half an hour" he said, setting his phone back down. Then he settled back down into his spot and Elena did the same, letting her body melt back into his so she was comfortable again.
"I might fall asleep in that time" she said, stifling a yawn. Falling down for two hours straight had really taken it out of her.
Stefan kissed the top of her head. "You can take a nap right here with me if you want" he told her, resting his head against hers.
Elena closed her eyes and sighed. "You're good at this" she said quietly.
"Good at what?" he asked, rubbing the top of her hand with his thumb.
"This" she said, grabbing his hand with hers and squeezing it. "Being so attentive. So loving" she told him. "I love feeling … like you want to be with me" she added. Then, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "I hope you know I want to be with you, too" she added.
He swore his heart stopped for just a moment as he let her words sink in. "I do now" he said. No one he had dated had ever really been content with just … being with him. It was nice though, cuddling with her and watching the snow fall.
"Good" Elena sighed, turning her head slightly to get more comfortable.
Stefan closed his own eyes and listened to her breathe.
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Elena sat on the floor in front of the fire with a blanket slung around her shoulders and half a slice of pizza in her hand. Stefan was next to her, having opted out of having a blanket. "Is that really you?" Stefan asked, holding Elena's phone as he scrolled through her photos she had uploaded from when she was younger. "Because you are absolutely adorable" he said, looking up at her. Elena blushed. He had asked if she had any photos of herself on Facebook and when she had logged in to let him see, he had gone straight for the ones of when she was a kid. "Look at that yellow dress and those big yellow bows in your hair" he teased. "What were you, like four?" he asked.
Elena reached for her phone and took it from him. "I was six" she said, looking at the photo on her phone again. "I remember my mom taking me shopping and picking this dress out for me" Elena said, smiling at the memory. "I felt like a princess that day" she added.
Stefan smiled. "Your parents must be really proud of you" he said. She was extremely smart and successful.
Elena smiled, but this time, Stefan noticed she looked sad. "I hope they are" she said, handing her phone back to Stefan.
Stefan looked at her curiously. "Of course they would be" Stefan assured her. "Don't they tell you?" he asked.
Elena's smile faded and she put her slice of pizza down before turning and looking at him. "They died when I was 17" she told him. "As far as they knew, I was going to be a journalist" she said.
Stefan instantly felt like an idiot for not knowing about her parents and then bringing them up when they were having such a great time. "Elena, I'm so sorry" he said. He was fearful that he had ruined the entire weekend and that she would want to go home.
Elena shrugged. "It's a horrible thing to lose your parents. But it's also horrible to go on living your life without moving forward, too" she told him. "I miss them" she said, smiling again as she looked over at him. "But I can't change what happened. So I remember all the good times we had. It keeps me going" she added.
"You are truly inspiring, you know that?" he asked her, grabbing her hands in his.
Elena looked at him for a moment. "How can you be the same man who almost had sex with me in a restaurant bathroom?" she asked with a hint of amusement in her voice.
Stefan grinned. "Oh, I'm still him" he assured her, setting her phone down and reaching for her. He pulled her closer to him, having decided that her being even a foot away from him was entirely too far. Stefan kissed her cheek as he held her close. "But I'm also incredibly loving and sincere too" he added.
"I think that's what I like about you" she said, wrapping her arms around his. "You have this element of surprise to you because I never know whether you're going to push me up against a wall and feel me up or hold me and tell me how amazing I am" she told him.
"Which do you like more?" he asked.
Elena smiled. "Depends on my mood" she informed him.
"I see" Stefan said, hugging her tight and kissing along her neck. "I think … right now … you …" he said in-between kissing down her neck. "Want me … to … hold you and kiss you and tell you how amazing I think you are" he said.
Elena smiled. "I think you're right" she said, tilting her head up slightly so he could kiss her. She flinched slightly as her body turned. He broke the kiss and looked worried. "My muscles are sore" she told him, finally feeling the effects of her day snowboarding.
"I owe you that massage still" he reminded, moving away from her and standing up. He pulled her up with him. Elena laughed when his arms wrapped back around her, walking with her towards the bedroom.
An oak bed sat in the middle of the room with plenty of pillows. Elena grabbed two of the pillows and laid across the bed on her stomach. "Alright Mr. Masseuse, let's see your skills" she said, turning her head to the side and smiling at him.
Stefan gave her that cocky grin that let her know what was about to happen would be pretty damn amazing. He knelt down next to her on the bed and rolled up the sleeves on his sweater. His hands then rested on her lower back. "Would it be easier with my shirt off?" she asked so completely innocently, though the smirk she was sporting gave her away completely.
Stefan smiled. "Probably" he said, removing his hands as she sat up some and peeled her shirt off. She turned away from him and removed her bra, tossing it towards her discarded shirt before lying back down and concealing herself.
She sighed and closed her eyes as his hands moved ever so slowly along her back, finding tight muscles and working them loose before moving on. She had had massages before by professionals, but she had to admit, Stefan wasn't half bad. "That feels really good" she said quietly, smiling as he continued.
Stefan enjoyed touching her soft warm skin, working loose muscles that he knew were bothering her as a result of falling so much earlier. "Yeah?" he asked, moving up to her shoulders and rubbing them slowly. Elena sighed contently again and nodded.
He continued to work on her shoulders for another few minutes before working back down her back and then to her legs, making sure to get her backside as well. "I think my ass if fine" Elena told him, opening one eye and looking back at him.
Stefan grinned as he ran his hand back over her, giving it another squeeze. "It sure is" he said, dodging her hand that was trying to swat at him. He moved down her legs, getting her thighs and her calves loose. "Feel better yet?" he asked.
Elena rolled over with a pillow to cover herself with and smiled. "I feel much better" she told him. He looked so proud of himself and she thought it was adorable, the way he loved being so attentive. "Come here" she invited, missing him being right next to her.
Stefan didn't hesitate as he crawled back up the bed towards her. He grabbed her pillow from her and covered her body with his, crashing his lips against hers. He didn't know if it was possible to want to be with someone as much as he wanted to be with Elena. But whatever they had going was working out pretty well for him. He felt her hands grabbing at the ends of his sweater, so he sat up some, breaking the kiss so he could help her get it off. She sat up too and before he knew it, he was being pushed onto his back with her on top of him. He looked up at her a bit surprised, but then he just laughed. "That was by far the hottest thing I have ever seen you do" he told her.
Elena couldn't help but smile as she shook her head at him. "Are you going to laugh at me all night or are you going to help me get your pants off?" she asked.
In-charge Elena was sexy as hell. But he liked the element of surprise that they had going. Elena laughed as she felt herself being flipped over and him hovering back over the top of her. His lips were deathly close to her ear as he took a moment to breathe her in. "What's the rush?" he whispered. "We've" he said, placing a wet, warm kiss against her neck. "Have … all … night" he reminded, biting down on her neck lightly, though the gesture had her begging him for more.
More that he was sure to give her.
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Elena never said how disappointed she was that they had to leave the mountain, but he could tell. He had taken her snowboarding for another two hours before they headed for home. "I'll take you again" he said as he pulled into her apartment complex. "Maybe we can plan to stay for a few days next time" he added.
"I'd like that" Elena smiled, leaning over in her seat and kissing him. "Thank you for taking me." She had enjoyed every moment of it. "You don't have to walk me up" she said, seeing him take his seatbelt off.
"But I want to" he replied.
"I'm really tired. I'm going to take a nap for a few hours" she said, hinting that she wanted to be by herself for a bit. If she let him come up, she'd probably never get him to leave. Not that she would want him to.
"What do you know. I need a nap too" he said, raising his eyebrows at her as he smiled.
Elena shook her head no. "You and I both know that no napping will get done if you come with me" she said. He gave her a pouty look and she couldn't help but laugh at him. "You kept me up practically all night" she reminded.
He scoffed. "Don't blame me" he warned her. "It's your fault I can't keep my hands off of you" he said. "You're too sexy" he added with his signature grin.
Elena rolled her eyes. "You are such a smooth talker" she said sarcastically as she opened her door. "I will see you tomorrow, Stefan" she told him, leaning over one last time to kiss him goodbye. "Bye" she whispered, rubbing some of her chap stick off of his lips with her thumb.
"I will miss you terribly" he told her, kissing her lingering thumb.
"You are entirely too sweet for your own good" she told him, patting his cheek before getting out of his car. "You're going to have to get me my car back eventually" she reminded.
"Or you can just call me and I'll drive you around" he called out just before she shut the door. He saw her smile at him before walking away. He leaned his head against the headrest and sighed. He missed her already.
His phone rang out though and he grabbed it quickly, hoping it was Elena. He sighed as he answered. "Bonnie" he greeted unenthusiastically.
"Well hello to you too" she said sarcastically. "I was calling to invite you to dinner, but now, I don't know if I want to" she added.
Stefan smiled. "Sorry. Just thought you were someone else" he said, being honest with her.
"Oh I see how it is" she told him. He loved their playful banter. "We will discuss your phone greeting skills at dinner tonight at our house. Be here by six" she instructed.
He hadn't had dinner with Damon and Bonnie in quite some time, so he figured he couldn't get out of it. "Can I bring Elena?" he asked.
There was a pause on her end of the line and he was pretty sure she was containing her excitement. "Of course you can bring Elena" she said as neutrally as possible. "I'll set a place for her" she added.
"Great" Stefan said. "See you at six" he added before hanging up.
He scrolled through his contacts and chose Elena. The phone ran three times before she picked up. "What Stefan?" she asked. She sounded annoyed and exhausted, but he also knew she probably expected him to call too. "Would you like to have dinner with my brother and Bonnie tonight?" he asked.
"Like, the four of us?" she asked after a moment.
Stefan smiled. "Yes, like the four of us" he said. "It will be at their house at six."
There was more silence before she spoke again. "Are you sure it won't be … awkward. With Damon being my boss and all?" she asked.
"Not at all" he answered. "Plus, Bonnie would love to have you there. She's always complaining that it's us guys against her all the time" he said. "She needs another girl to balance things out."
More silence. "Okay" she finally said. "I'll take a cab to get my car and meet you over there" she insisted. "Text me the address" she added. "And don't call me again. I really need my nap now" she told him sternly, though he detected the playfulness in her voice.
"Okay Elena" he said, completely making fun of her.
"Okay Stefan" she said, mocking him and making him laugh.
She hung up and he continued to smile at his phone. He was entirely too excited about bringing Elena to dinner at his brother's house. This made things more real for him. For them.
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Elena walked up the walkway nervously, clutching the bottle of wine in her hand. Stefan's car was already in the drive, but the closer she got, the more she started to worry that this was a bad idea. She was pretty sure Damon knew about her and Stefan. But he never really brought it up in front of her and to make things even weirder, she was about to be a guest in her boss's home.
Then again, she had slept with her last boss, so maybe things weren't as weird as they could be.
Before she could knock, the door swung open and a pair of bright brown eyes were staring brightly at her. "You came!" Bonnie said excitedly, throwing her arms around Elena and hugging her tight. "I'm so happy you're here" she said, letting Elena go.
"Thank you for having me" she said politely. "I brought this" she said, holding out the bottle of wine for her.
"That is so sweet of you, thank you" Bonnie said cheerfully as she took the bottle. "Please, come in" she said, grabbing Elena's hand and pulling her in. "The boys are in the kitchen. Dinner is just about ready" she added.
Elena followed Bonnie through the lavish house, admiring the décor. The house was extravagant and all she secretly wanted to do was sneak off and go and look around. "Look who is here!" Bonnie announced as they rounded the corner into the kitchen.
Stefan was the first one to smile at her as he turned around, holding a whisk. "Hello Elena" Damon greeted, much more professionally than Bonnie had. "Nice to see you again."
"It was nice of you to invite me over. You have a beautiful home" she said, equally as professionally and as politely.
Damon smiled at her. "Thank you" he replied. "Please, make yourself at home. Bonnie, maybe you'd like to give her a tour?" he suggested.
Before Bonnie could even reply, Stefan beat her to it. "I will!" he volunteered a little too quickly. He dropped his whisk back in the pot and walked to Elena, grabbing her hand and dragging her out of the kitchen. "This is the living room" he said, rushing through it with Elena in tow. "Dining room" he added, rushing through there too. When they were at the other end of the house, he opened up a closet, pushed her inside, and shut the door.
"Closet?" Elena asked in the complete dark.
"Mmm hmm" Stefan said before pinning her body with his and kissing her. He came up for air after a bit and smiled. "God I've missed you" he said, brushing his lips against hers lightly.
"It's only been a few hours" she reminded, though she was happy to have been missed. "But I'm glad to hear you've missed me. Because I've missed you too" she admitted. "My nap wasn't as amazing as it would have been had you been there too" she added.
"Well, you'll know for next time" he said suggestively, causing her to smile again. "I'm glad you're here" he said, kissing her lips gently again.
"I'm glad I'm here too" she said softly, wrapping her arms around his neck and playing with the hairs on the nape of his neck. "We should probably get back out there though, before they get suspicious" she added.
"Yeah, you're right" he agreed, kissing her one last time before pushing the door open and looking out. The coast was clear as he led Elena out and shut the door behind them. "Come on. I'll show you the rest of the house" he offered, holding her hand as he led her up the stairs. Elena followed, smiling a ridiculous smile from their previous make-out session.
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By the time dinner had been served, Elena had seen the entire house and learned about much of its history. "So, Elena" Bonnie said, being the first one to speak up. Elena froze momentarily, wondering what she was going to say or ask. "How are you liking working with these two?" she asked.
Damon and Stefan's eyes were both on Elena now, waiting for her answer. Elena swallowed nervously. "It's great" she answered honestly, smiling slightly before taking a sip of her wine.
"Well if you ever have an issue with either one of them" Bonnie said, looking at both her fiancé and Stefan. "You can always tell me and I will take care of it" she added with the tiniest hint of a smirk. Elena smiled, realizing that Bonnie definitely had a little bit of fire inside of her that was sure to make her interesting to be around.
"Honey" Damon said, grabbing her hand with his. "Let's not discuss work right now" he said. "I think we should get to know Elena a little bit" he announced. "If that is okay with you, Elena" he added.
Elena nodded slowly. She didn't know why she was so nervous. She felt Stefan's hand on her knee, attempting to quiet her bouncing leg under the table. "What would you like to know?" she asked.
"What made you want to run a company's finances?" Bonnie asked, beating Damon to any question he had. Honestly, Bonnie thought businesses were boring. But Elena was far from boring, so she was interested in what Elena had to say.
Elena looked up at Stefan who smiled at her. "I like the challenge of figuring numbers out" Elena answered. "There's a lot of different ways to work with numbers, but there is usually one right way that makes the largest impact. I like finding that way" she added.
Bonnie was leaning on the table with her elbows, completely enthralled with what Elena had to say. "I've never thought about it like that" Bonnie said. "All I ever see Stefan do in the office is play computer games" she added, earning herself a glaring look from Stefan.
Elena laughed. "Well, he knows he can't play computer games anymore. We've got a schedule to keep" she explained.
"I don't always play computer games" Stefan grumbled. Elena placed her hand on top of his under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He soon forgot why he was irritated with Bonnie.
There were so many questions Bonnie wanted to ask, but knew she couldn't ask all of them in front of the boys. "What are your plans for Thanksgiving?" Bonnie asked.
Thanksgiving was right around the corner. "I'm flying back home to Virginia to see my aunt and my brother" Elena answered. She looked over at Stefan who looked like he didn't know what to say to that. Did he expect her to stick around and spend it with him?
"That's nice" Bonnie answered, clearly not excited about the answer either. "Do you have any other family?" she asked.
"Bonnie, I don't think Elena wants to tell us all the details of her life" Damon said, looking at Elena apologetically.
But Elena brushed off his concern. "No. Just those two" she answered. "I'm looking forward to seeing them. I haven't been back home in a while" she added.
Bonnie smiled. "I bet they can't wait to see you" she told Elena. "Will you be attending the cocktail gala benefitting school art programs?" she asked, switching subjects again. "We go every year" Bonnie added. "Stefan, you're going, right?" she asked, turning her attention towards him.
"Yep" he said, taking a drink of his wine. "You'll go with me?" he asked, turning towards Elena.
"I will" she smiled. She had attended the last two years, though it was with Gregory. "I'm sure I will have a much more enjoyable time this year" she added.
Stefan patted her knee under the table. "Oh, I guarantee you will" he said, knowing exactly what she was talking about.
Dinner continued and as the evening wore on, Elena noticed it was a lot less awkward being there. Bonnie continued to ask questions, but Elena decided she was harmless. "You two are so cute together" Bonnie whispered to her as they were heading to the living room to play cards.
Elena smiled, feeling as though she was gaining a new friend that she could gossip about boys with. "He's great" Elena whispered back. Well, more than great. But, she didn't have to tell Bonnie that.