Stefan woke up and Elena was still sound asleep on his chest.
Her head was tucked under his chin and her small hand was resting on his chest spreading warmth throughout his whole being.
He wrapped his arms tighter around her as he took in his surroundings.
The steadiness of her breath against his chest grounded him as he looked at the mountains and lake surrounding her lake house.
If he could, he would stay in this moment forever.
If he could just hold her in his arms forever, she would never have to feel any kind of pain ever again.
God how much he wished that he found her earlier, that way she wouldn't have had to go through everything she did.
It killed Stefan to know that she has only known pain for most of her time on this Earth.
He nuzzled his head into her hair reminding himself that she is safe now, and that she will be so loved and taken care of for as long as she lives.
After a few more moments, Stefan could feel her small form shifting in his embrace.
She buried her head deeper into his chest as she let out a low hum of contentment against his skin.
He could feel the vibrations of her voice against his neck, and he relished in the feel.
She was everything good in this world he thought to himself as he hugged her even closer.
"Good morning beautiful," Stefan whispered to her as he placed a soft kiss against the side of her head.
"Good morning," she whispered back with a soft smile on her face.
She felt so much love in her heart as she looked up at the man holding her.
She could barely contain it; it was almost like it was going to explode out of her.
Her heart skipped a beat as he intertwined his hand with hers and brought it up to his lips.
He began to lightly kiss each and every one of her knuckles causing small giggles to escape her lips.
"What are you doing?" she breathed out through her laughter, savoring the feel of his lips gently caressing her skin.
"I'm loving you," he answered simply without hesitation.
Elena felt her cheeks become red as she buried her head into the crook of Stefan's neck.
He chuckled at her reaction while gently stroking her hair.
She realized that she forgot what being loved felt like until Stefan saved her.
She used to be so incredibly grateful if someone touched her without hurting her or talked to her without screaming at her.
Although now Stefan showed her that not all touches are bad, and that not all words hurt.
He showed her how amazing a hug can feel, or how she is worthy of kind words being spoken to her.
He showed her what it was like to feel loved, but most importantly to be loved.
"I love you Stefan," Elena murmured against his chest.
"I love you Elena," he whispered back still stroking her hair lovingly, "always."
They laid there, wrapped up in each other's arms in complete bliss.
Elena relished in the feel of Stefan's arms around her as he delicately stroked her hair leaving gentle kisses in its place.
Stefan just held her close doing everything possible to make her feel loved and protected.
Every time Stefan touched her skin he did it with so much care that Elena could practically feel his love for her through his mere touch.
Mindlessly Elena began to trace the big rose tattoo on his right shoulder, and as she did so curiosity got the best of her.
"Stefan?" she asked in a small voice, her head still lying on his chest as she traced the mysterious tattoo.
"Yes?" he replied, curious as to what she had to say.
"Why do you have a rose tattooed on your shoulder?" she asked innocently as she continued to mindlessly trace his tattoo.
"Roses were my mother's favorite flower," he said softly, trying to hide the sadness in his voice at the mention of her.
"Tell me about her," Elena whispered as she looked up into his eyes.
"There isn't much to tell, she died a really long time ago," he stated with a sad smile.
Despite his best efforts to hide it, Elena could see how much it still pained him to think about her.
"You know it's okay to miss her Stefan," Elena whispered as she nuzzled her head back into his chest, "She was your mom."
Stefan just nodded and closed his eyes for a second as he let the memories from his past consume him.
Elena gave him a moment- she could tell that his mother still has an important place in his heart.
"She really was the most amazing woman," he murmured after a while as he opened his eyes to look at Elena.
"God, just being around my mother could make anyone smile," he said smiling at the memory of her.
He slowly began to open up to Elena while playing with the ends of her hair.
"Whenever she walked into a room, she filled it with this unbelievable warmth that only she could give. She was kind, compassionate, and cared so deeply for others," he said as he squeezed Elena's hand, "kind of like you," he said as he gently kissed her forehead making Elena blush.
"I was always very close to my mother growing up, and Damon was close to our dad. While my brother was out hunting with my father, I would be in the kitchen helping my mother cook, or really doing anything to spend more time with her. She made the most amazing food you have ever tasted," he reminisced with a small smile.
"Is that where you learned how to be such a great cook?" Elena asked matching his smile.
"Yep," Stefan said with a small chuckle, "She taught me everything I know."
Elena sighed as he planted another kiss against her hair allowing her to melt even more into his body.
Elena loved hearing more about Stefan's past.
She has heard bits and pieces about it here and there, but in all honesty, she really didn't know much about it.
"How did she pass away?" Elena asked as she placed her hand in his.
"My father was a really terrible man Elena," he said as darkness quickly consumed his expression.
Elena held onto him tighter trying to comfort him as he began to unpack his past.
"He would hurt me from the age I learned how to walk. Everything I ever did deserved some sort of beating," he said as he looked into her eyes knowing that she knew exactly what it felt like.
She knew that kind of pain too well and that alone made Stefan's heart ache.
He wouldn't wish that kind of abuse on anyone, especially not on the woman that he loved.
Elena grabbed his hand waiting for him to continue as he hugged her closer to his chest.
"But my mother, Lilly, she was always there for me. It was so long ago, but I just remember how she would secretly tend to my wounds while I sat on the ground often covered in my own blood," he said quietly still holding Elena.
He has never talked about his mother since her death all those years ago, and Elena could tell that it was still hard for him to talk about her.
He really did miss her and it hurt Elena to see him like this.
"I wouldn't have survived my childhood Elena if it wasn't for her. I know her love was the only reason I made it through," he whispered as he closed his eyes leaning his head against Elena's chest.
Elena soothingly stroked his hair as she embraced him against her body.
He just closed his eyes and relished in the comforts of her embrace.
In over a century no one has made him feel this loved, and he was more grateful to her then she could ever know.
"The only reason I stayed in that house as I got older was to protect her from my father, but it was no use," he said as a new wave of sadness came over him.
"When I became too big for him to beat, he turned his anger onto my mother," he said as tears filled his eyes.
"It's all my fault," he whispered, "I couldn't protect her from him, it's all my fault," he muttered as he looked away from Elena, embarrassed by the tears threatening to leak over.
"Oh Stefan," Elena cooed as she gently moved his face back to look at her.
Her heart broke as she saw the all of the guilt in his tear filled eyes.
"You did nothing wrong. You were just a kid Stefan, nothing that happened was your fault," she whispered as she hugged him close letting his head fall on her shoulder.
"She didn't deserve what happened to her," he croaked, his voice muffled against her skin.
"I know baby, I know," Elena soothed as she gently stroked his hair letting him cry against her shoulder.
She just held him in her arms peppering light kisses in his hair as he buried himself in her being.
Elena realized now that she is truly all Stefan has left as well.
He really was only a seventeen-year-old boy when everything, including his own life, got taken away from him.
She kept him in her embrace rubbing gentle circles around his back as she softly shushed him against her chest.
"Your mother was so lucky to have you," she whispered quietly still stroking his back.
He has been there for her more times than she could count, and all she wanted was to be there for him.
She wanted to make sure that he knows how loved he is, how much she loves him.
As she held him, she realized that neither of them truly got closure for their parent's deaths.
They were too young when their parents were ripped away from them, and neither of them got to say real goodbyes.
"Stefan?" Elena asked quietly as she continued to hold him against her.
"Mhm," he mumbled against her skin, completely content in her embrace.
"Let's have a ceremony for our parents," she whispered to him, and he looked up at her like she made the whole world with her two hands.
"I would really really love that," he responded as he captured her lips in a kiss.
They brought fresh roses out onto the dock, one for each of their family members who have passed.
Elena watched as Stefan went to the edge of the dock and dropped his first flower in the water rather carelessly without much thought.
Elena knew that one was for his father due to the resentment present in his eyes.
Although she continued to watch as he held onto his last one for a bit longer before placing it delicately on the water watching it drift away.
Elena could tell how much Stefan truly loved his mother.
She smiled as she pictures Stefan as a young child helping his mother cook in the kitchen.
Slowly she walked up next to him with her three roses.
One for her mom, one for her dad, and one for Jeremy.
She closed her eyes imagining that she was back here on this very dock all those years ago with them by her side.
She could hear her laughter as her family swam together in this very lake, and she just soaked in the happiness she felt with her family for the last time.
Slowly she opened her eyes and she smiled when she saw Stefan standing by her side.
In this moment she finally knew that she was going to be okay.
No matter what happens next she will have him by her side and that is all that matters.
She delicately placed all three of her roses in the water at the same time watching them float away with a sad smile.
After a moment she sighed in contentment as she felt Stefan wrap his arms around her. They stared off at the lake, both of them finally at peace as they onto each other.
"What happened to your father?" Elena asked him while they were watching the sunset together on the dock.
After the ceremony neither of them wanted to go back inside, so they found themselves wrapped in each other's arms again watching the sky change colors.
Elena could feel Stefan's body tense underneath her right after she asked her question, and immediately she knew it was a sensitive subject.
Stefan just couldn't tell Elena what he did to his father.
She has seen the dark and terrible acts that can be committed by a vampire, and the last thing he ever wants is for her to group him in with that darkness.
"Elena I can't," he said quietly, "I don't want you to think different of me."
Elena looked into his eyes, and all she could see was shame and guilt in them.
Whatever happened to his father, Elena could tell it was tearing him apart from the inside.
She slowly reached up and cradled his face in her hands before she spoke, "Stefan, whatever it is you can tell me. You know that I will love you no matter what," she said softly as she leaned up to gently kiss his cheek.
Stefan desperately wanted to tell her what happened, the guilt of that day has been eating him alive ever since, but he couldn't get the words out.
The thought of her leaving him left an enormous whole in his heart, and he knew he would not be able to take it.
Life without her now seemed impossible.
"Talk to me Stefan," Elena pleaded, "You will feel better if you talk about what happened. I'm here for you, but you just have to let me in."
Stefan took a deep breath before he finally let out what has been plaguing his mind for over a century.
"He was my first kill," he said softly as he looked away from her in shame.
He couldn't bear to see the look of disgust that was bound to be present on her face.
He was his father and he killed him.
No matter what happened his actions were unforgivable.
Instantly he felt her soft hands caressing his cheeks, and as he looked at her all he saw was love and acceptance in her eyes.
There was not a hint of disgust or fear in them, and Stefan just held her gaze unable to comprehend what he did to deserve her.
Instead of getting off his lap and running away from him, Elena just held him closer burying herself deeper in his embrace.
"How are you not disgusted by me Elena?" Stefan said as he looked down at the girl who was still cradled in his arms.
"Because I love you Stefan, no matter what. Nothing you say could ever change that," she said as she nuzzled her head into his chest.
"He was my own father, Elena. I killed him and that is unforgivable. I'm a monster," he said shamefully.
"You are not a monster Stefan. He hurt you, and you were angry. I can see the guilt in your eyes despite everything he did to you, and that in itself proves how good of a heart you have Stefan," she said as she remained curled up on his lap.
"I just didn't want you to know that that part of me exists," he whispered.
"Stefan, I want to know these things," she said as she placed her hands on the sides of his face. One gently caressing his cheek, and the other right underneath his ear playing with the ends of his hair.
He closed his eyes as he relished in her soft touch.
"I want to know about every part of you, the good and the bad. I want to hear about it all."
Stefan just sat there soaking her in.
He took in the feeling of her hands gently caressing his skin, he took in the sound of her voice, he just took everything about her in as he hugged her close to his chest.
Everything about her was perfect to Stefan, and he couldn't fathom how he lived his life for so long without her.
"My mother would have loved you Elena," he barely whispered with his eyes still closed, "she would have really really loved you."
Elena felt tears forming in her eyes as she rested her head against his forehead.
"I know that I would have loved her too," she whispered back against his skin as she lightly kissed his lips before moving her head down to rest on his shoulder.
They sat like that for hours in each other's arms, never wanting to move.
Elena felt so incredibly safe that she could not help but fall asleep in Stefan's lap.
He continued to hold her as she slept, ever so softly stroking her hair.
He knew he was the luckiest man alive to have Elena in his life, and he promised himself to cherish every moment he gets to spend with her.
"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me," he whispered so softly to her as she slept.
"I love you Elena," he said as he kissed her hair encircling his arms around her as he looked out onto the water.
He was finally at peace.