Elena looked up at the sound of wings above her head and sighed, disappointed. It was a dove, not a crow. She looked around her. It was the middle of the day, and she was walking to meet her friends. Bonnie and Meredith arrived today. They had dresses to fit. Elena had picked out her own dress months ago, but had waited for her bridesmaids to arrive so they could pick their own dresses. Her own dress, was one designed from the renaissance period. She knew Stefan would love it. She also knew, if Damon saw it, he would smile. It was an exact replica of the one she had been wearing in her dream, the night she had dream danced with him.

"Elena!" a voice yelled at her. She turned, the airport was busy. But it was not hard to find Bonnie and Meredith. She ran to the girls grinning. "Welcome to Italy." she told them breathlessly. Bonnie's hair was the same as it always had been. But Meredith's shoulder length hair looked different. Elena shrugged it off.

After the group hug, Elena grinned "Let's go shopping." she said, and led her friends towards the waiting Limo. She saw Bonnie's eyes widen when the driver got out and opened the door for them. "Thank you Oliva." she said, as she climbed in after the girls. They stared at her.

"What can I say? Stefan spoils me." they talked as the limo speed through the streets to where Elena now lived. Elena led the girls up the stairs, as Oliva followed with the luggage. Elena showed the girls to their rooms. "We can go out for lunch, and then look for dresses."

"so, um, where's that dashing groom of yours?" asked Bonnie.

"Why, right here of course." said Stefan, appearing behind them. He grinned wickedly at Bonnie, when she jumped. They hadn't heard him come in.

"still a you-know-what." he declared. "and if you'll excuse me, I've got business to attend to." and he was gone.

"Shall we?" Elena laughed. The girls went out and Elena showed her best friends around Florence.

Elena lay on her bed looking at the ceiling. Stefan came in, satisfied after the hunt, and joined her. "What's wrong Elena? Are the girls ok?" Elena nodded, looking into his eyes.

"they picked their dresses out and loved the sights."

"But? There's something on your mind, I can feel it."

"I thought I saw Damon today. He was in the bridal store when Bonnie and Meredith were trying on their dresses. I was standing next to my dress, showing it to the girls. I looked up and met his eyes Stefan. But then he was gone, making me believe it was a hallucination. But now I'm not so sure. It seemed so real." Stefan stared off into the distance. Then he shook his head sadly.
"I haven't felt him here. I've tried many times to sense him, but he's not here."

Elena sat up, not meeting his eyes. She walked out to the balcony again, Stefan right behind her. His hands rested on her shoulders.

"He's hidden from you before." she said softly. "If he doesn't want to be noticed, you don't notice him."

"But you noticed him, today."

"I'm wondering if he intended me to or not." Elena turned around, looking up to meet his eyes. "It's possible that his guard was dropped."

Stefan's lips formed a thin line. Elena knew she shouldn't have bought it up. Stefan wanted to find his brother, but she knew he was still sore on the subject that Damon would follow her around the city, as he had done in fells church. 'Jealous much' she thought. But took Stefan's hands in hers.

"I'm sure he will show himself Stefan." but she stayed outside as Stefan went back into their room. She just knew that it had been him. She remembered talking to Bonnie, while Meredith had been trying on shoes. They had been discussing her dress, when she had seen him over Bonnie's shoulder. He had been staring at the dress, not even paying attention to her. Then he had realised she was staring at him and met her eyes. She knew those black eyes so well. The expression of amusement had shown on his face, and he had nodded once and vanished. She went inside and grabbed her coat. It was the coat Damon had left on her the night he had left. She needed to clear her head. Stefan was in the lounge talking with the girls. He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Just taking a quick walk" she said.

"Elena? Is that Elena?" came a voice? Elena knew that voice and her heart skipped a beat. She looked around the room, not seeing the owner of the voice.

"Matt? Where are you?" she was baffled.

"All the way in America, missing out on the reunion." He said from the speaker phone. Elena laughed.

"You'll be here soon enough though." she told him. "How's Fells Church?"

"It's still here. No evil vampires trying to kill us all this week." she grinned at Stefan at that. "Caroline says to tell you she said hi." Matt said seriously. Elena stopped in her tracks. She knew she should hate Caroline, the girl had schemed against her and Stefan, but that was a long time ago.

"How is she?" Elena asked lightly.

"She's as good as Caroline can be. She said she saw Tyler the other day. But Tyler's not talking to anyone. He hasn't said a word since you came back Elena."

"Caroline went to the institute to see him? Why?"

"She went to rub in his face that she's going to Italy to your wedding I guess." she could almost picture Matt shrugging.

"Matt, I'll talk to you later, I'm going out for a walk."
"sure Elena. Hey, I thought it was night over there." Elena met Stefan's eyes.

"It is." she managed to say.

"Is Stefan going with you then?" Elena and Stefan were having a silent argument with their wills.

"No, I'm going alone." she told Matt and Stefan firmly.

"Elena….?"

"Matt. I can take care of myself." she said as she walked out, cutting off his and Stefan's objections. She had her vervain, so vampires couldn't use their power against her, and she had her pepper spray, in case there was the odd bad human out there. Elena shoved her hands in her pockets and let her feet lead her. She headed towards the Salvatore Villa. The streets were still busy, and she knew her way off by heart.