Title: Let Nothing You Dismay

Rating: M

Summary: Elena tries to fight her growing feelings for Damon as she celebrates Christmas with the Salvatore brothers.

Disclaimer: Characters are the property of L.J. Smith, Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec and the C.W. L.J. Smith owns the description of Damon's scent. Heh. No copyright infringement intended.

Feedback: The more the better - I've been (pretty) good this year!

It's time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.

For I've grown a little leaner,

Grown a little colder,

Grown a little sadder,

Grown a little older,

And I need a little angel

Sitting on my shoulder,

We need a little Christmas now... "We Need a Little Christmas" – Andy Williams

December 24th, 2010

5:08 p.m.

Elena Gilbert hated most Christmas carols.

"Away in a Manger" made her gag. If she never again heard, "Do You Hear What I Hear?", she would weep with gratitude. "Joy to the World" made her wince with its contrived, forced pep, and if the Little Drummer Boy were in front of her, she'd beat him over the head with his sticks until he bled from the ears. Rum-pa-pum-pum.

She enjoyed a select few seasonal songs. She loved "O Holy Night" for its lack of sentimentality, and Bon Jovi's "Please Come Home for Christmas" made the shortlist just for reminding her of Stefan.

However, her all-time favorite Yuletune was "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer." And after twelve years of doing it, Jeremy could still make her laugh by singing in a deep, mock-serious voice, "We Three Kings of Orient are…trying to smoke a rubber cigar…"

But most carols? She despised them.

Which was why she was surprised to find herself humming "Jingle Bells" to herself as she unloaded massive bags of groceries and presents from her car in the driveway of the boarding house.

She couldn't help it. Stefan was free, her infuriating grounding spell was lifted, and Katherine was tucked away in the tomb.

And whenever Elena started to feel the slightest bit guilty about that – which was more often than she would ever admit to anyone – all she had to do was conjure up an image of Caroline, weak in a hospital bed, gasping her last mortal breath with a pillow stuffed over her face.

That took care of her guilt nicely.

She owed Elijah bigtime.

Elena wasn't dumb – she knew that war with the werewolves was probably imminent, and Damon had warned her that Rose was in a lot of pain and might not be in any mood to participate in their Christmas Eve party tonight.

Plus, history had taught her that when things were going smoothly, that was when you needed to cover your ass – literally – before life bit you in it.

But she was determined to savor this Christmas.

Jenna and Jeremy, Bonnie and Alaric, Caroline, Stefan and Damon – all her loved ones – were safe. Not all were human, but they were safe. For now.

And Elena was determined to do whatever she could to keep them that way.

Last year, her parents were barely six months gone, and any sparks of pleasure she felt were soured with sickening guilt for enjoying herself and unwrapping gifts.

This year, she had so much more to be grateful for that her private New Year's Resolution – other than protecting her friends and family - was to enjoy every scrap of happiness she could salvage from life.

"Cheerful, aren't we?" Damon asked.

She didn't even bother chastising him for his 937th round of "materialise to scare Elena". She just placed the two heavy bags of gifts she held down on the driveway and threw her arms around his neck.

"Merry Christmas Eve, Damon."

Damon was clearly surprised, but as usual, recovered nicely. He chuckled, lifted Elena off her feet in a hug and kissed the top of her bare head.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven for mocking your house arrest?"

"You get a reprieve for tonight," Elena said. "Goodwill towards vampires, and all that."

"Just for tonight?" Damon smiled as he put her down, but kept his arms around her waist.

"Well, you might get an extension if you help me bring in these goodies."

"Say no more," Damon told her. He took up the four hugest bags and disappeared into the house with vamp warp-speed.

Elena smiled and followed him in to the light and warmth.

She had been planning to run to wherever Stefan was, but stood stock-still instead and marvelled at his handiwork.

The steep, gloomy staircase was transformed with wreaths and white lights winding up its whole length. Candelabra glowed on the tables, and a huge fire chased every vestige of chill from the cavernous living room.

But best of all was the tree, which was not a Charlie Brown special. Elena thought it was cruel to chop down a living tree just for two week's decoration, so she and Stefan had purchased the most attractive six-foot fake pine they could find. Stefan had mounted it in the corner with Damon's help, and he and Elena had had bought glass ornaments of all sizes and shapes. Some were the size of a thumbnail, while some were the size of her fist. Some were creamy and etched with snowflake designs, some were smooth and clear, and others had a mirrored surface. Others were round, some were tear-drop shaped, and they were all enhanced by the tiny white bulbs that Damon had carefully strung around the tree at Elena's request.

The lights were turned on now that it was dark, and best of all, there were gaily-wrapped presents under the tree. Elena sighed happily and was about to reach down and peek when she felt a pair of warm arms encircle her waist from behind.

"Peeking's allowed – shaking the presents isn't. You never know what might be fragile."

"Oh, Stefan…" Elena turned around to give him a lingering kiss. "I'm so happy you're here…"

"Of course I'm here," he said, stroking her cheek and cocking his head inquisitively.

"But it still feels like a dream…like I'll wake up any moment and find you back in the tomb."

"That won't happen," Stefan told her. To seal his words, he leaned down to kiss her again, and Elena drank in the warmth and comfort like hot chocolate.

"Ahem."

"Happy holidays, Elena."

"Rose, I'm sorry," Elena said, breaking the kiss and moving to stand next to Stefan.

The attractive vampire stood next to Damon, her arms folded, dressed in a pair of red silk lounging pyjamas and a matching satin robe. She looked pale – even for a vampire – and her face was pinched and drawn. As she moved forward to take Rose's hand, Elena winced – she could tell even through the baggy material of Rose's pyjama trousers that she was shuffling and obviously in a lot of pain.

"How is your love bite, dear?" Damon asked her.

"Only hurts when I breathe, darling," Rose said grimly, but Elena could tell she wasn't joking.

"Then I hope you'll accept my first gift this evening. Well, it's from Bonnie," she explained. She pulled Rose's present from the top of her largest sack of wrapped gifts, which Damon had helpfully placed next to the tree, and handed it to her.

"Please thank your friend for me," Rose said politely as she opened the silver bag and pulled out a large glass jar.

Rose's eyebrows lifted, but her smile was pleasant.

"It's a salve – to disinfect your skin and take some of the pain away. Bonnie mixed the herbs in herself, and put a spell over it too, to try and neutralize the werewolf venom," Elena said. "I hope it works."

"Really?" Rose sounded sceptical. Elena couldn't blame her, but when she remembered how Bonnie had managed to numb the agony of Katherine's proxy wounds to her back, arm and hand, she knew her friend's potion would help.

Rose unscrewed the lid of the jar and sniffed the cream-colored balm inside.

"Mmm…" she said as the pleasant, pungent, spicy smell filled the air. "I can tell already this is gonna burn. Damon, will you help me get the reachy bits?" she asked.

"But of course," Damon said, and offered her his elbow. As she took his arm and they headed for the stairs, he turned back to Elena and mouthed the words, "Thank you."

Elena chuckled softly as she was reminded of Damon and Stefan saving her from Slater. She even repeated Damon's action of that night by nodding and mouthing back, "You're welcome."

"Elena and I will get dinner ready - we'll eat at 7:30. Rose, I hope you'll feel sufficiently better to join us," Stefan said courteously as he placed an arm around Elena's shoulders and drew her into the kitchen.

Elena was quiet as they finished unpacking the groceries for dinner.

"So is the plan unchanged?" Stefan asked her as he unpacked the large, foil-covered casserole dish that covered the turkey tetrazzini Elena had prepared for their main course.

"Yep. Tonight it's you, me, Damon and hopefully Rose. I'll be home to munch some cookies with Jenna and Jeremy before bedtime. Then I'll be back at 8:00 tomorrow morning to open presents before I go home, have stockings and gifts with Jenna and Jeremy before you all join us for Christmas dinner."

"Are you sure you don't want to spend the night tonight?" Stefan asked, putting down a bag of wholemeal bakery rolls to embrace her. "We could stretch out in front of the tree…"

"Mmm…" Elena buried her head in his shoulder, finding peace in his familiar woodsy scent. "We'd better not…like you said, some of the presents may be breakable."

Stefan chuckled.

"Besides, it will mean a lot to Jenna to have me sleep at home tonight," Elena added. And I don't care to hear Damon tiptoe into Rose's room, she couldn't help thinking.

"Then are you sure it's okay for you to be over here so early tomorrow? I don't Jenna to feel left out. I said she and Jeremy should come too."

"Oh, I know, but they both like to sleep in on Christmas morning, whereas I like to get up early. I used to drive everyone crazy bouncing around waiting for them to get up."

Elena suddenly grew uncomfortable as her gaze travelled unwittingly over the celling to where Rose's guest bedroom lay.

"Do…do you think they'll be...joining us?"

Some of the jocularity went out of Stefan's expression. "Well, I know Damon will. Don't worry, Elena – I'm sure he's just attending to her shoulder. I can't speak for the content of their private relationship, but I know right now Rose is in a lot of pain, and in no frame of mind for – shenanigans."

Elena flushed and looked down at the cooking island.

"Stefan, I…"

"Elena…" he cupped her chin in his fingers. 'It's all right," he assured her, and kissed the tip of her nose. "Let's make dinner."

Elena wanted to curse at the sudden frustration she felt – and the anger that her previous good mood had been dented. Why did Rose have to be hurt, adding to her guilt? Why did Rose and Damon have to be doing…she didn't want to think about it.

And why did Stefan have to know her so well?

Elena sighed quietly as she picked up a bag of carrots. She went in search of her previous giddiness and a vegetable peeler, determined to find both.