Is she saying what he thinks she's saying? Does she want to… be with him? He searches her beloved face and knows it doesn't change anything. This is not his wish coming true because she still needs to leave, to give it a try but if this is all he ever gets…

He knows it's wrong, and it's like cheating because this isn't all he hoped for when that star shot across the sky...at the time he didn't think of this at all, and it feels like a consolation prize. But she means it and he's sure it's not just the kiss she offered; she wants this just as much as he does. It's confusing how he can know all these things, maybe it's just wishful thinking, still… how could he say no to her?

And for once, he decides to be just a little selfish and taste a piece of the heaven she's offering, he simply can't resist.

He takes her in his arms and brings her closer. She goes willingly despite the tension in her body, but she soon relaxes. It's the first time ever, for her and for him and he's not going to leave out a few steps or even just one.

Hours and hours of kissing and gentle touches, his mouth all over her body following the path of his fingertips. And when he enters her, he knows it's not pain that drove the tears in her eyes, it's a bit of sadness but it's more than that, it's also happiness and an unearthly power that brought them to completion. At least he's sure that's the case for him.

She holds onto him and he holds onto her, a pair of quivering human beings and a thought crosses his mind.

This isn't wrong. And it can't be the end...

"Will you keep in touch? Will you take care of yourself?"

She nods, kisses his shoulder and tightens her embrace. It takes a while before she meets his eyes.

"Will you?"

"Of course..."

He doesn't say, 'I love you' although it's on the very tip of his tongue.

Although it's right, it's just not right now.

Damon's eyes snap open. This dream's been haunting him for months now, he still hasn't decided if it's a curse or a blessing. But reliving that night again and again in his unconscious mind is certainly addictive. He falls to bed every night hoping it will come back.

The worst part is waking up in the morning.

Does she keep in touch? Yeah, sort of. But her phone calls are scarce now, she's busy working on her first album and he stopped trying after he'd called her at an inconvenient moment a few too many times.

He sighs and gets up.

Nothing's ever been easy for the two of them.

At least it seems she's reached her dream now. He hopes she's happy. That's what matters the most.

Damon drags himself out of bed and after slipping on his jeans, boots and a shirt, he goes outside to start feeding the horse and the chickens. He also has to mow the yard and trim both the hedges and his mom's rose bushes. Breakfast is in the microwave, his mom already left for work. He warms it up and then sits down to eat his pancakes and bacon. When he finishes, he puts his dishes in the sink, grabs his favorite baseball hat and then heads outside to start working.

Stefan is supposed to show up later. The last crazy wind they had blew several shingles off of their roof, repairing it is also on the list of today's chores. And that's not all, he needs to fix some fencing too. Knowing there's nothing to be gained by procrastinating, he goes outside, feeding the animals first. His dream is to someday have an alpaca farm. One of his favorite memories is when they were kids, before his dad died, they drove to Sioux Falls, taking Elena along, to go to the Great Plains Zoo. The alpacas were her favorite, gushing to him that someday she'd love to have one for a pet.

While he's putting the lawn mower away, Stefan drives up. He steps out of the car then reaches into the back seat for his tool belt. Damon walks around to the garage to get the ladder and leans it up against the house. He gestures for his brother to lead the way and after getting a box of shingles, he joins him on the roof.

By the time they finish, their mom returns home. They climb down and go into the house, Damon plops down at the kitchen table, takes off his hat and rakes his hand through his sweaty drenched hair. He looks up, thanking Stefan when he hands him a can of beer. Martha takes a can for herself and joins her sons, sitting between them.

"Cheers," Stefan clinks his can with Damon's. "All you need is a wife and a couple of kids and this can all be yours someday," he laughs.

Damon avoids his eyes and takes a long swig, wiping his brow when he's done. He looks at his mom, his stomach turning uncomfortably. His mom knows exactly who he wants to be with and the more time that passes, the less likely it seems a possibility.

Martha knows her younger child very well, he's always been more of a mother's son although he has a fiercely independent streak, one she knows will serve him well in the future. She's aware his mind is on Elena and as much as she'd like to help him, she can't change who holds his heart.

Not that she'd want to...

Elena pulls the headphones off and sits down on the stool. She reaches over for her drink and takes a long pull from the straw, smiling when Tyler enters the studio. She yawns, quickly covering her mouth when he approaches. He's always with her, supportive as ever. Her producer is a little gruff but the crew who do the technical stuff are rather nice.

Tyler eyes Will the producer and points at his watch. He looks a little disgruntled but does okay the lunch break. He smiles and places his palm against her lower back, nudging her outside. Together they walk across the street and to the end of the block to the restaurant that he has been raving about.

During the break, she's looking through the glass wall in the restaurant, watching the traffic and the people that hurriedly zip past. She zones out, comparing it to the woods around her house at home. She thinks of her mom. Sometimes she wonders what she's doing now, without her. Isobel doesn't keep in touch. Instead of saying goodbye, she slammed the door shut, mocking Elena with the 'don't let it hit her on the way out' when Elena left the house for good. The last time she talked to Damon, on one of their rare phone calls, he mentioned that her mom's boyfriend, Finn Mikaelson, moved in with her and started helping out on the farm.

Elena can't explain the funny twinge she feels thinking she no longer has a home to go back to...

No!

This is her home now. She has an apartment... a nice one, one that overlooks Puget Sound. Honestly, she's pretty proud of what she's been able to accomplish. Tyler and Lockwood Records have helped her tremendously. They arranged for a voice coach to work with her and Tyler actually helped her find this place. At first, they had her singing at some of the indie bars and joints in downtown Seattle and in the surrounding areas till she began to build a name for herself. Now she's working her ass off on her debut album.

Tyler asked her to choose the cover image, it's a girl standing in the dark, trying to catch a falling star. It's going to be a blend of pop, rock and a couple of lonely ballads. Putting together an album is exhausting but she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Tyler interrupts her musings, it's time to get back to the studio.

It's almost midnight when she gets back home, she's dead on her feet but happy with today's result. Happy? Is she truly happy? Of course, she is, she's living her dream, it's really coming true. Sometimes she forgets that and needs to remind herself.

What she hasn't forgotten though is Damon and how long it's been since she talked to him. Glancing at the clock, she sighs...it's too late to call him now. It's an hour later at home and she's almost certain that he's sound asleep by now.

Damon pulls the curtain back and stares. Snow dances in the light, a choreographed ballet conducted by the gentle wind. The yard is covered with a blanket of it and the tree branches hang low with the weight of it. Glittering snowflakes fall soundlessly, taking their time before they reach their destined places of rest, enveloping everything in a calm, silent coldness that was comforting in its own special way.

Sometimes he wonders if she's looking at the sky the way they used to. Christmas is only days away, the second one without Elena coming over to help him choose a tree, chop it down and then decorate it together. It had become a Christmas Eve tradition for them, they'd sip his mom's homemade hot cocoa then she'd surprise him with a new CD by some band that he's never heard of. He prefers vinyl anyway; he has all of his dad's old 45's along with a record player.

The trees shiver in the bitter cold, their now naked branches are adorned with snow. Clusters of gnarled and twisted boughs extend like the hands of an old man ready to catch the softly falling flakes. When he hears his name, he looks over his shoulder.

"Damon, do you want to go to the Midnight Star with Lexi and I this weekend? They're having a prime rib special, we could play the slots a little, have a couple of beers. You can stay at our place."

"Mom?"

"Mom's working Saturday night. She traded a shift with someone."

Although Damon is feeling a little annoyed, he knows that they're just concerned so he reluctantly shakes his head.

"Great, I'll see you Saturday then."

"Sure," Damon agrees and turns back to look up at the sky. It's now awash with glittering stars as far as he can see. He sighs, lets the curtain drop shut then puts his winter stuff on to go outside to feed the animals. When he opens the door, he stiffens from the freezing cold draft. His breath rises in steamy puffs to join the darkened sky. The frost crunches beneath his feet and his teeth are chattering so he pulls his woolen hat over his ears and draws up his collar, tightening his scarf as he does.

As soon as he gets to the barn, he grabs the pitchfork and scoops some hay for McKinley. After brushing him down, he goes back to the house, says goodnight to his mom and crawls into bed, hoping that his favorite dream will visit him in the land of Winken, Blinken and Nod.

On Saturday he finds himself at the casino with Stefan and Lexi. They had the prime rib and now they're sitting in front of the slot machines. Damon's won a few bucks, not a lot but at least he's ahead. Soon the empty seat next to him is filled, it's Meredith, a girl Damon went to school with.

Stefan is none too subtle in his attempts to encourage them. Although he's a little annoyed with his brother, Damon thinks it may be time to have a life of some sort but when it comes to asking her for a date which is clearly expected, he just leaves it open ended, telling her that he'll call her sometime. Whether he will or not, he'll follow through, he can't say.

Stefan's clueless but is now concerned. He tries to explain to him that he should stop dreaming, Elena's gone and alpacas will not keep the farm up and running. Damon has no choice but to listen and a part of him knows he's right but he can't give up his dreams, not yet, not after he made a wish...

He sleeps at Stefan's tonight, lying in bed he stares through the window. Snow clouds sail above in a wind-charged buoyant sea, each of them carrying the white-gold of so many childhood dreams...

"No Tyler, I don't want to talk to you anymore tonight," she snaps and turns her phone off so he can't continue to bother her. She unlocks her apartment door, steps inside and secures the deadbolt lock. She's livid with him, she doesn't understand why she has to do the Christmas shows to support the album, not just hers but some of the other artists on her label. It's not that she doesn't want it to be a success or work hard but artists should get to celebrate the holidays too. What it really boils down to is that she wanted to go home for a few days and now she can't.

Moments later, she hears a knock on her door. She sighs heavily, she knows it's him and reluctantly opens it.

"I know you're upset but you're the one who told me that you never wanted to go back. Might I remind you that you were pretty adamant about it too..."

Elena argues that there are still some people she cares about and wants to see. Tyler lights a cigarette, taking a puff before asking her bitingly if it's her old boyfriend.

"No, Tyler. Damon is my best friend; his family is my family. I did have a few friends at home."

"Look, I hate to pull rank on you Elena but you knew what was in the contract and you signed it without hesitation. It may be possible for you to take a few days off before you go on tour next year. Until then you have to cooperate. Your contract also states that you can be terminated if you fail to live up to your end of it."

"Fine, you win." She walks over to the refrigerator and pulls out a bottle of wine, pouring them each a glass. "Did you get my album?"

He just nods and takes it out of his bag. They sit down on the couch and enjoy their drink. She's mesmerized by the album, the girl trying to catch a star. When she starts to yawn, she asks him to leave. Although she can see that he's a little unhappy with her, he does as she asks.

Elena moves to the window, watching the rain, missing the snow and the silent beauty of the Black Hills. She wonders why they stopped calling, aware that it's mostly her fault. Pressing her palm against the glass, she wonders if he's looking up at the sky now too. She permanently feels guilty when it comes to Damon and is not sure she's ready to face him again.

Walking away from the window, she picks up the record and wraps it up as a Christmas present for him. It's not enough to assuage her guilt but she knows he'll love it. She stares at it a few minutes thinking she simply must take it to the post office tomorrow so it arrives in time.

Damon is in the barn tending to the animals. Night has fallen fast, a mere hour ago, the sky was painted with hues of red, orange and pink. Now the color has faded, leaving only a matte black canvas with no stars in sight. It's bitterly cold, the temperature having plummeted way below zero.

It's Christmas Eve and it's just him and his mom. Stefan and his wife are spending the night with her parents, they'll come tomorrow. The gusty wind creeps up to him, following his path, hissing at the warmth in his body, the cold ready to strike like a snake, its venom lethal to those without shelter. His heart is pumping slower, the icy frost burning his body. His lips are blue and his teeth are chattering by the time he reaches the house.

His mom made a big pot of chili and baked some homemade cornbread. They'll have turkey with the trimmings with Stefan and Lexi.

They have dinner and Damon tries hard not to think of what Elena's doing, what her Christmas looks like, if he's ever going to see her again. He picks up his spoon and starts to eat, forcing a smile when he catches the concerned look on his mother's face.

His mom still notices the longing and would like to help him but she knows it can't be helped. Time may or may not heal his empty heart. When they finish, Damon helps her with the dishes, drying and putting them away.

Martha puts one of Giuseppe's old Christmas albums on the turntable. Soon Bing Crosby's rich, dark, full, and deeply resonant voice fills the room with the notes of 'White Christmas'.

They unwrap their presents, Damon watches her with rapt attention when she starts to open what he bought her. It's a Black Hills Gold necklace with his and Stefan's birthstones. He's happy when her face lights up.

"Damon, it's beautiful. Honey, you shouldn't have spent so much."

"You needed it; you don't have anything like that."

"Thank you," she whispers and embraces him in a hug, pressing a kiss to his temple. They part and resume their unboxing. Damon finds a sweater, he runs his fingers over the soft weave, he knows it's made from alpaca wool. He also finds an envelope with cash; the card reads for him to put towards the purchase of his first female alpaca. If they sell some of cattle next year, he may have enough to buy a pair to start his foolish dream.

Martha's heart fills when she sees his face light up like a firecracker on a fourth of July night. "This is the best present ever, thank you mom."

"Hang on, you have one more here," she picks it up and hands it to him.

Damon takes it and runs his fingertips over the brown paper. His heart jerks in his chest when he recognizes the handwriting. He carefully unwraps it and inside is an LP record, her debut album. He runs his fingertips over the embossed title she chose. "Life Isn't Just a Fairytale". He's touched, his heart is pounding at a furious pace. She didn't forget him after all. At his mom's urging, he turns it over and sees there's a dedication... to her "best friend".

"We meet many people through the journey of life, some stay a while, some are meant to be forever. Knowing that someone has your back no matter what is the best feeling ever, there's a ready shoulder to cry on, and a ready heart to love. Now I can go let go of the past with all confidence that you are never far away."

Martha doesn't stop him when he disappears behind his bedroom door to listen to it.

I apologize for the lateness. Kept getting a '503 error' when I tried to update yesterday.

Black Hills gold jewelry is a type of jewelry manufactured in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It was first created in the 1870s during the Black Hills Gold Rush by a French goldsmith named Henri LeBeau, who is said to have dreamed about the design after passing out from thirst and starvation. In 1980, the 8th Circuit affirmed an injunction ruling that if a manufacturer was to call its jewelry Black Hills Gold, then it must be made in the Black Hills.

Chapter title: 'A Star to Follow' by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

A huge thank you to everyone and to you Eva.

Have a truly amazing day.