Sunday 20th November

Elena and Caroline were sprawled on Caroline's living room floor, laughing as they made their way through the extensive to-do list. As members of the Miss Mystic Falls Committee following their last year's participation, they'd been roped into preparation for this years' pageant. Caroline, who was heading the event, was entirely in her element, and the duties had kept Elena occupied over the days which she was okay with. It had been a busy two weeks, everyday after school labouring with Carol and Caroline, neither whom had a tire button when it came to this. She kind of felt like her old self who did all this stuff too. Damon had been gone for three weeks now, off doing whatever unimaginable things you do with gorgeous blonde Original vampires, and Elena had been getting on without him.

They were interrupted by an impatient rapping at the door. Caroline scrambled to her feet and went out into the hall to answer it. She swung open the door to find the last person she'd expected standing at her doorstep.

"Hey Carebear." He smirked with the exact sleazy smugness he seemed to reserve specially for her because he knew it drove her mad.

"Damon. My mum's not home." Caroline was curt.

"Actually, I'm here to see you. I wanted to give you…" He reached into his pocket whilst Care eyed him very carefully. He brandished a rolled piece of paper. "This."

Caroline took it and examined it suspiciously, "This is a Miss Mystic application."

"Yeah, I was thinking of running. Fingers crossed I win!" He rolled his eyes sarcastically.

She peered closer at the writing and scrunched her nose, "You filled this out."

"Listen, just make sure she gets it, okay? I want her to win." He said impatiently.

"Damon, I can't rig the pageant." Caroline huffed.

"Uh yes you can. You're in charge of this thing. Plus," he waved two hooked fingers in front of his eyes, "compulsion?"

"Let me rephrase that. I won't rig the pageant." She smiled at him sickly sweet, her eyes glowering with something quite the opposite, and handed the application back. Damon narrowed his eyes and his humour seemed to thin.

"Fine. In that case, I think I'm going to go pay my dear friend Carol Lockwood a visit," He undid his top button and ruffled the top of his black hair with his fingers, then flashed Caroline a sick grin with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "How's the sex appeal, Blondie? Oozing it?"

"Repulsive actually." She snapped back. Miss Mystic Falls was sacred and she was not pleased with Damon's waltzing back into town after weeks away to tamper with her pageant for his little girlfriend, because she knew it would take one bat of his slimy eyelashes for Carol to fold. The hold he had on the Mystic Falls women sickened her, the whole leather jacket cheap James Dean suavity was so done anyway.

"I'm shutting the door now." She announced and reached for the door.

Damon's grin seemed to widen, as if antagonsing her thrilled him, "Bye CareCare."

Over Caroline's shoulder, he caught sight of two warm chestnut eyes peeking out from the end of the hall and his heart caught a little bit.

"Bye Elena." He added smoothly with a wave. She jumped, red-handed, and then the door was closed in his face.

Caroline turned around and bit her lip, anxious for Elena's reaction to Damon being back in town.

Elena cleared her throat and her voice was taut low, "So, he really likes her, huh?"

Caroline gave a small sympathetic smile and meek nod, and led her friend back into the room to continue their work, the two of them left the talk of their visitor at that.

When Elena reached the top of her staircase later and caught sight of the two very male legs planted at the foot of her windowsill, her heart skipped a beat. She stepped into her room to find Stefan deep in thought, staring ahead. His vampire instincts seemed to be muted because he only looked up when she'd stepped fully into view, and rose to his feet to greet her.

"Elena. You're home."

"Hey," she smiled and pecked his cheek. "I wasn't expecting you."

He smiled politely but it drew back quickly into his frown. He took a deep sigh as if what he was about to say troubled him deeply, twisted in with something reckless, earnest. Helpless.

"Yeah, I wanted to talk. Can we?"

"Yes of course." Elena frowned and they both edged over to her bed.

"I just want you to talk to me okay? Just… just answer me." He paused. "What's wrong?"

"What do you mean? Nothing's wrong." Elena answered quickly but she felt a cold trickle in her chest, like a long accusing finger tracing down the non-truth.

"You've been… off, for a while. Each day I wait for things to be good again – and look, I don't expect things to be the same again, of course not after everything that's happened and that we've been through. And I knew things would take time... but time's been passing us by, and you have a limited amount of it Elena, one lifetime of it, and I want to make sure you're happy and... I just don't know what to do."

Elena's throat bobbed painfully as she took in his words, and when she stared into his face, his eyes seemed to plead with hers. He really did seem at a loss and she was immediately overwhelmed with guilt. She knew what he meant, she had been off, and she also knew he didn't deserve that, but it hadn't been her intention. Somehow worse, she didn't even know what her intention had been because she didn't know what was wrong. Her growing guilt bubbled into frustration, at herself, why was she ruining everything? What was stopping her from just being happy? She took in a deep and heavy breath.

"I'm sorry Stefan, I don't know what to say about the past few weeks, but I can say that you can stop waiting for things to be good because they are good, okay?" She settled two hands on either side of his face and brought hers closer. "I love you."

His eyes gleamed with emotion as he stared at her, and she repeated, "I love you, and things from here on are going to be great okay? More than great. They're going to be perfect."

He smiled and let his forehead rest against hers, the words were gladdening, what he'd wanted to hear. His heart pulled at him to believe them; and he could almost, almost let himself.

Thursday 25th November

It was on Thursday that the couple were at the town boutique, out shopping for the Miss Mystic Falls ceremony the coming weekend. Caroline's dress had been bought far in advance, relentlessly organised as always, Elena even knew that a stunning deep magenta gown she'd helped pick out excitedly awaited Caroline in the store backroom, several months ahead of prom. Herself on the other hand, was here three days before the pageant, trying on a dress in the fitting room whilst Stefan sat reclined on a chair outside.

Elena had strived to stick true to her promise in the week that followed their conversation, channeling maximal effort into rekindling her relationship with Stefan. On Monday, she'd gone over to the boarding house, arms full of snacks, and they'd watched a movie together. On Tuesday, they'd gone for a walk through the woods, her hands hadn't left his the entire time. On Wednesday, Elena had taken it upon herself to cook them dinner, and whilst the pizza they'd ended up ordering was more insulting to his Italian heritage than her pitiful attempt to cook, the gesture touched Stefan immensely.

He'd himself been trying hard too, artless and wholehearted. As the week had gone by, he'd eased and eased and felt a lot better, his contentedness seeping its own way through the doubt. Allowing himself to be blissful in her company, savour the feel of her in her arms and basking in her smile. Maybe even starting to believe things were back to normal after all.

Elena pulled back the curtain with theatrical flair and struck her boyfriend a silly pose, she'd been happy and carefree all afternoon. The dress she wore was a soft pink mini with a flattering fit and obnoxious sleeves.

"I like it. You look very beautiful." He smiled warmly.

"Thank you," Elena was coy, then gave a twirl. "Even the sleeves?"

"Yeah about the sleeves, I'd stay away from the other girls though, you might take out an eye with those things." He joked, making Elena laugh.

The bell tinkled shrilly from behind them, and when Elena looked over, her expression darkened immediately and the laughter dwindled away, standing up rigidly and she wasn't dancing around anymore. Stefan looked behind his shoulder to see who'd arrived.

Rebekah walked from the door over to the counter and collected a dress. When she turned around, she noticed the two of them there and her expression lit up as if she'd spotted old friends and she headed over towards them. There were no signs of hostility in her demeanor- actually she glided with an air of happiness, as she held the dress tightly in her arms.

"Hello Elena, hello Stefan." She greeted them.

"Hi Rebekah." Stefan greeted politely but Elena stayed silent beside him.

"Is that dress for the pageant?" Rebekah asked as she remarked Elena's dress.

"Yes." Stefan eventually spoke again after Elena made no motion towards answering.

"It looks nice, it's a pretty colour." Rebekah was courteous. "Maybe you can ask them to trim the sleeves."

"I don't think I'll be getting this one." Elena responded bleakly.

"Oh, okay. Well good luck, their catalogue is huge, I found mine pretty easily." She held up the sealed dress in her hands, and her eyes seemed to sparkle with childlike glee if that was even possible for a woman her age- and supernaturality.

"Right, Caroline mentioned you're running for Miss Mystic Falls." Stefan commented.

"Yes," The older vampire looked down, bashful in a strikingly sweet way, "Well, Damon submitted the application on my behalf."

There was a moment of awkward silence at the mention of Damon's name. Neither Stefan or Elena had seen him since he'd returned to town, nor discussed it with each other, communication never a strength of their relationship. Of course Rebekah was overjoyed with his gift, it beamed out of her, they all knew how she burned for such an experience. Elena wouldn't ever forget the look on Rebekah's face as she'd stolen her first dance with a dagger.

"Well good luck, I'm sure it'll be great." said Stefan.

Rebekah's smile was genuine and wide, "Thank you. I'll see you guys then."

"Bye." He said.

"Bye." Then Rebekah glanced at Elena. "Bye Elena."

"Bye." Elena murmured, barely meeting the other girl's eye. They watched as she turned and left the store.

"I hate her." Elena muttered quietly as the bell rang her exit, Stefan was stunned. He'd been shocked and confused enough, by her animosity.

"Elena, she was perfectly nice. Happy and sweet even, and you were rude." He knew Elena could be sassy, petty even, but he never imagined her to reject the kindness of someone she'd been the first to see the good in. Her capacity for compassion for their enemies was even debilitating at dire times, and the truth they all three knew, about what it was she'd taken so personally about Rebekah this time, loomed close to his gut.

Elena seemed to dismiss him with a small shrug, her eyes and mind were already miles away. She headed quietly back to her stall to change, whilst Stefan watched her back with a deep breath and sank distressedly back into his seat.

Friday 26th November

On Friday, Elena didn't want to hang out.

Stefan sighed.

A/N: Damon is back in town! Next chapter is the MMF rehearsal which Damon and Elena will both attend and then the one after is pageant day which we know is a special day for the both of them :) Thanks for the lovely review u guys r my bffs