"You'll freeze this winter if I don't find some firewood. Apparently your dad didn't intend for anyone to be here this winter." Stefan pointed to the few logs left from last winter on the wood rack.

"Stefan you don't have to." Elena tried to tell him knowing it was probably no use. Stefan was already working on the chainsaw.

"We have a couple of dead trees that need to come down anyways."

"You can't do it alone." The thought of Stefan trying to cut down trees alone scared her. She had heard about too many bad accidents happening. She didn't need Stefan getting hurt or worse.

Stefan smiled at her concern. "I won't be alone. I have you." He winked.

"Oh no I am not into the manual labor." Elena said shaking her head at him.

Stefan laughed at her reaction that he knew would come. "I called Damon this morning and he said he'd drop by to help out."

"So you'll be busy with this all day huh?" Elena asked him as she sat down on the lawn mower while he continued to tinker with the chainsaw.

"More than likely yes. It will probably be an all day task just getting the trees down. We will be busy until about dark. chainsaw might be a little loud so I wouldn't blame you if you headed into town for the day. Maybe spend some time with Jenna."

Elena didn't want to go anywhere today but she didn't want to sit around the house all day by herself either listening to a chainsaw. "You eaten yet?" Elena didn't know what she would be doing for the day but she knew she needed to eat before anything.

Stefan shook his head. "I can cook for us while I wait on Damon to get here."

"I can cook." Elena offered earning herself a surprised look from Stefan. "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" He grinned.

"Like I have two heads! I can cook thank you very much."

"I didn't say anything." Stefan wiped his hands on a towel before tossing it on the work bench. "Come on I'll keep you company while you attempt to cook." Stefan took off running towards the house when he seen Elena jump up to try and hit him for his comment. He laughed all the way into the house.

"Jerk." She said punching his shoulder getting another laugh from him. She knew she could never hurt him but she liked to try sometimes with his smart comments.

"What's on the menu Mrs. Salvatore?" Stefan liked the way that sounded coming out of his mouth. It was smooth like it was supposed to be her name all along. Elena didn't even seem to notice anymore when he used the name. She had grown used to it over the months. Stefan used to say it to get under her skin but now he said it because he liked the idea of her actually carrying his name. He liked to hear it.

"Well how about I make some waffles while you make some eggs."

"Putting me to work?"

Elena smiled at him as she began to get things out of the pantry to prepare the waffles. "I wouldn't even be cooking eggs if Damon wasn't coming."

"Then don't cook them." Stefan shrugged. "He can eat at his house."

"You think Katherine cooks for him?"

"No." Stefan said."You Gilbert women never picked up a cooking skill in your life did you?"

"You better watch it mister." Elena warned him in a playful tone as Stefan opened the fridge up getting out the eggs in bacon. He liked how Elena was considerate of Damon's favorite breakfast food. Stefan loved to eat whatever but he always had enjoyed waffles but he never really made them much. "I'm so glad I stole this waffle maker from Jenna." Elena laughed setting it on the counter.

"Stole?" Stefan asked her as he began to crack the eggs.

"Well more like Ric insisted I take it but not tell Jenna. He is afraid she might burn the house down with it."

"And he trusted you instead?" Stefan dodged an orange flying at him. "You are violent this morning."

"You are pushing all the right buttons."

"I can push some different buttons if you'd like." He suggested watching her face react to his comment.

"You will be the death of me. Make the damn eggs." She rolled her eyes at him trying to fight back a smile.

"I love it when you talk dirty to me." Stefan bumped his shoulder against hers when she came to stand near the stove getting things she needed for the waffle mix. Stefan and Elena cooked side by side talking about random things until they heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" Stefan hollered. Damon walked in and he almost stopped walking when he saw the two cooking together. They were so domesticated that it was blowing his mind. Damon hated to admit that they were more domesticated than him and Katherine and they had lived together longer.

"Wow." Damon said coming into the kitchen to see a variety of food. The two had prepared eggs, waffles, bacon, and cut up a bunch of fruit. "It smells delicious in here." Damon grabbed for a piece of bacon popping it into his mouth. "The only thing I miss about you is the cooking." Damon smirked at Stefan.

"Elena prepared most of this." Stefan said smiling at her.

"She did?" Damon asked shocked pointing at Elena like he couldn't believe it.

"Looks like I snagged the better sister." Stefan smirked at Damon in return.

"You two need to quit." Elena said shaking her head and handing Damon a plate. "Enjoy."

"Oh I will." Damon began to fill his plate up.

After breakfast Stefan and Damon cleaned the kitchen up while Elena went upstairs to get cleaned up for the day. They eventually made their way outside where they put their plan into action to start cutting down some trees. Damon and Stefan worked side by side trying to get the trees down.

Elena walked downstairs bored already. It was only noon and she couldn't find a thing to do. She was sure there was some homework to be caught up on like always but she wasn't in the mood for any school work. She knew she could have called Matt and spent the day with him or Jenna like Stefan suggested but she didn't want to go anywhere. She wanted to spend the day at home. She just didn't want to be alone in the house all day.

"Well well well do my eyes deceive me?" Damon asked making Stefan look up to see Elena in what looked like an old pair of jeans, tanks top with an old flannel shirt on that was unbuttoned. "Is that your shirt?" Damon asked noticing Stefan's shirt upon Elena's body.

"She must have gotten it from the laundry." Stefan said lying to Damon. Stefan hadn't worn that shirt since he moved in. Elena must have gone through his closet. Stefan didn't mind because back when they were dating Elena used to wear his shirts all the time. He actually enjoyed seeing her in his clothes. He was positive she would come up with some excuse as to how she ended up with his shirt.

"You come out here to work or watch?" Damon asked her when Elena finally reached them.

"I'm not Katherine." Elena said to him as she tied her hair up in a ponytail. "I don't mind getting my hands dirty." Damon looked at Stefan and he just shrugged with a proud smile. Elena definitely was not Katherine that was for sure. Damon sometimes always liked to assume that Elena was just like her sister but Elena loved to surprise him with how different she was.

"Well then now I've got some real help. All Damon does is complain." Stefan said laughing at Damon. It was a lie and they all knew it but Stefan loved to tease his brother whenever he could. "Elena I've got some gloves you can use." Stefan tossed her a pair. "Me and Damon are gonna cut off pieces and if you don't mind just carrying them and stacking them over by that tree." He pointed where he already had a few stacked up. "I'm going to borrow Tyler's truck sometime this week and move the wood to the wood rack so I can start splitting it."

"Sounds easy enough." Elena said slipping on the gloves. Damon and Stefan went back to cutting up the wood and as they went Elena would pick up a few pieces that she could carry on her own. Stefan watched her more than he probably should have because he thought she looked too cute doing yard work. Damon had caught him staring more than once and just rolled his eyes at him. Stefan was like a puppy sometimes when it came to a while Elena got tired and made herself comfortable on the stump of the tree they cut down and just watched the two work. She needed a break and she knew they wouldn't mind anyways. Looking at her phone she saw the time and headed back up towards the house. Within thirty minutes she was back with a basket making Stefan stop what he was doing.

"Whatcha got there?" He asked taking his gloves off while Damon did the same.

"Lunch." Elena grinned setting the basket on the stump and opening it up and pulling out a few contents.

"Two meals in one day I'm impressed." Damon said elbowing Stefan. "You married a keeper that's for sure."

"Keep it up and she will be sending her built up anger your way." Stefan warned him.

"Little Elena beat me up?" Damon laughed wrapping an arm around Elena's shoulders pulling her close to him.

"Ew you are drenched in sweat!" Elena squirmed to get away from him making the two boys laugh.

"It's called work." Damon smiled taking a bite of his sandwich.

"It's called you need a shower." Elena said as she grabbed a sandwich and handed it to Stefan.

"Thank you." He said taking it from her as he leaned against a tree.

"You boys almost done for the day?" Elena was ready for them to be done.

"Yeah we've just got to cut one more down." Stefan pointed to another tree in the distance. "Make a stack for that one and we will be done. You don't have to stick around Elena."

"I know but I don't mind. Someone has to keep an eye on you two operating heavy equipment." She teased.

"Hey this isn't my first rodeo." Damon told her. "I have done this plenty of times in my lifetime."

"Hmmm I thought by the expensive clothes you wore out here today all you'd be doing is supervising Stefan doing all the work." Elena said.

"It was all that was clean." Damon said.

"Ha yeah right more like it's probably all that you own living with Katherine. That girl probably threw out all your clothes without a name brand that she recognized." Elena laughed along with Stefan. Damon rolled his eyes at them eating his lunch. He knew that she was right but he didn't want to tell her that. Katherine had completely cleaned his closet out over the years replacing everything with name brands that she appreciated. Katherine had good fashion sense Damon had to admit but he did miss being able to just buy whatever he wanted. After their short lunch Damon and Stefan got back to working. Elena helped them get the rest of the wood stacked up and she watched from a far as they cut down the last tree for the day. Stefan and Damon began splitting the tree up and Elena jumped back on her job knowing if she helped then they could get done faster. It was close to dark when they finally finished everything up.

"I'm starving." Damon said rubbing his stomach. It had been a couple of hours since lunch and with all the working and sweating his had worked up an appetite.

"Fatty." Stefan shot at him as they walked back up towards the house.

"Oh please don't act like you aren't hungry."

"I am." Stefan said while he thought about it. "A big steak sounds amazing."

"And a cold beer." Damon added.

"We could go to the grill." Elena suggested. She couldn't deny that she was hungry as well. After hearing Stefan talk about a steak her that's all she could think about.

"I can call Katherine to meet us."

Elena shook her head as they reached the house. "It's Sunday night she's probably at our parents."

Damon nodded. "You're right she mentioned this morning before I left that she was heading over there today."

"We could go." Stefan offered gently. He didn't want to force a reunion between Elena and her parents but he didn't want her to feel like she couldn't go.

"No that's okay." Elena said walking into the house.

"Elena you picked up some steaks this week at the store right?" Stefan asked following her into the house.

"Yeah I did." Elena nodded walking to the fridge.

"If you set them out I'll fire up the grill." Stefan smiled at her. "We don't have to go anywhere for dinner."

"I like that idea." Elena smiled back at him. "Damon what sides would you like?"

"Beer and scotch." Damon smirked at her as he went to wash his hands.

"No scotch unless Stefan has some." Elena shrugged.

"Beer?" Damon asked hopeful knowing Stefan probably didn't have any scotch left after Lexi stole his bottle from the house.

"Beer is in my cooler outside." Stefan said as he came back inside.

"Why outside?" Damon groaned.

"We don't drink beer every night." Stefan said like it was obvious. Stefan went about seasoning up the steaks while Elena pulled everything out they needed for a salad.

"How about you go clean up and we'll take care of this." Stefan told her knowing she was probably dying for a shower by now.

"Are you sure? I don't mind helping." Stefan took the knife from her hand that she was about to use to cut up vegetables.

"Elena I can handle dinner tonight. You have done enough today and I appreciate all the help but you kinda stink and need a shower." He grinned at her.

"Careful Salvatore I do have a knife still in my hand." Elena said looking at the knife still in her hand that Stefan's hand was covering as he tried to take the knife.

"As if you could ever hurt me." Stefan pulled the hand he was holding closer to him making her fall towards him. Stefan looked in her brown eyes as she stared right back. He used his other hand to wrap around her waist to steady her against him. Elena's free hand rested against his chest as she stopped herself from colliding with him. Stefan's eyes searched hers for some kind of sign that she wasn't enjoying this but he couldn't find any. Elena watched his eyes as they looked down at her lips. Stefan licked his lips as he looked back into her eyes. Elena noticed that he was leaning in slowly as her eyes were slowly closing against her own will expecting to feel his lips on hers. Stefan's eyes closed as he leaned in to try to close the distance between them.

"Hey you guys look who I found outside!" Damon's voice boomed through the quiet house startling the two causing them to jump apart quickly.

Elena took a deep breath trying to compose herself before Damon saw them. Stefan ran his fingers through his hair wondering what he almost just tried. He looked around the kitchen trying to get his mind right again. He felt scattered brained all of a sudden.

"Hey guys." Lexi smile entering the kitchen quickly picking up on the awkwardness. Stefan wasn't looking at Elena and she was squeezing a knife so tight her knuckles were turning white. Something had just happened Lexi was sure of.

"Hey Lexi." Elena greeted her still looking rattled.

"You weren't about to stab Stefan were you?" Lexi joked nodding to the knife. Elena looked down at her hand and realized just how tight she was holding it.

"No." Elena shook her head setting it down finally. "Stefan was trying to take it from me and that's when you walked in. I'm going to go shower." Elena left the room before anyone could blink. She couldn't believe what had almost just happened.

"I'm not even going to ask." Damon mumbled as he grabbed the steaks and headed to the back porch. "You two finish up in here and leave the steaks to a real man."

Stefan shook his head at Damon but grateful he was going to cook while Stefan cleared his mind for a second.

"What is going on?" Lexi asked going to the fridge to find something to eat.

"We are about to eat Lexi." Stefan said taking the strawberries from her hands and putting them back up.

"Ugh I'm starving." Lexi whined. "I've been starving all weekend."

"Parents gone?" Stefan asked as he started to prepare the salad again.

"Yes I came home Saturday morning to a note saying they would be gone all week."

"Why didn't you tell me? You could have stayed here all weekend."

"I didn't want to intrude."

"Intrude?"

"You and Elena seem like you are doing really well so I wanted to give you two space to work things out."

Stefan tried not to laugh at her reasoning. "Lexi I told you my house is always open to you no matter where I am. Elena feels the same way. In no way would you be a bother to us. Elena and I just sit around here most of the time anyways. You would be a good distraction."

"But I don't wanna be a distraction."

"You two would be rolling around in the sheets by now if Damon and I wouldn't have walked in a minute ago. That's what I mean by distraction." Lexi's smile grew so big when she said that Stefan could have counted all of her teeth.

He looked down at the salad choosing to ignore her. "Not true."

"So true!" Lexi pointed at him. "I know a Stefan and Elena almost kiss situation from a mile away! I could probably see one with my eyes closed."

"You are a mess you know that?" Stefan laughed shaking his head at her.

"You and Elena were about to kiss." Lexi stated.

"No we were not."

"Yes you were." Lexi told him not phased by his denial.

"No."

"Yes."

"Maybe." He looked up at her with a small smile. "If you would have given me about two more seconds I probably could have sealed the deal."

"Oh I knew it!" Lexi squealed.

"Hush!" Stefan said putting his hand over her mouth. "If she knows you know she will freak out. Hell I know she is probably upstairs freaking out anyways." Stefan sighed leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. He had almost crossed a line with Elena earlier and he was beginning to regret it. "She's with Matt."

"She's here with you." Lexi said quietly. "Stefan this all means something. No one knows what yet but it does. There is a reason behind all of this."

"What if we are just young and I don't know what I really want from life?"

"Then you are doing it right." Damon said bringing the steaks back in. "You took an adult step but you're still a kid. We don't expect you to have it figured out."

"Yeah Damon here doesn't have it figured out and he's an old man." Lexi winked at him getting a scoff from Damon in return.

"What I'm telling you Stefan is that no one knows what's going to happen five years from now or even five minutes but we have to do what makes us happy in the mean time. No one expects you to have all the answers. I don't have all the answers and neither do the Gilberts but we are trying to help guide you two towards the answer. Finding the answers is up to you not us." Damon clasped his hand on his shoulder in a supportive way. Stefan looked at Lexi who nodded in agreement. Elena was standing at the bottom of the stairs listening to Damon's advice. She didn't mean to ease drop but she didn't want to interrupt the moment either. Damon didn't always give Stefan advice and it was nice to see him supporting Stefan still. Stefan's eyes found hers and Damon's words hit home for him. He had to find the answers he was looking for on his own. He couldn't wait for them to be handed to him by anyone. Elena wasn't going to open up easily and tell him what he needed to hear. It was going to take work. Finding his way may be the best thing yet to happen to him. After dinner Damon left bidding everyone a goodnight. Lexi had retreated to Stefan's room to get ready for bed while Stefan and Elena were left alone in the kitchen cleaning up.

"Elena?" Stefan asked softly.

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for all your help today."

"You're welcome." Elena continued cleaning trying to ignore Stefan but he wasn't having any of it tonight. Not after Damon's speech.

"Can we talk about it?" Stefan asked placing his hand on top of hers that was drying a pan they had used. He took it from her and set it down.

"I don't think there is anything to talk about." Elena went to walk away but Stefan grabbed her hand holding it in his. "Stefan please."

"Elena I can't keep running from this. We almost kissed tonight and you didn't fight me."

"Stefan I was caught in the moment."

"So you are saying you would have stopped me?"

"I wouldn't have continued it." Elena told him honestly.

"Elena we have to talk about this. Not just tonight but everything."

"I don't want to talk about any of it." Elena said shaking her head at him trying to pull away.

"I said I was sorry." Stefan's voice broke. "Elena I said I was sorry and I said that nothing like that would ever happen again. I would never intentionally hurt you. Elena you don't understand what happened that night."

"Stefan what is there for me to understand? It was all pretty clear!"

"You never asked me what my side of the story was." He said.

"There didn't need to be a side told because what I saw was enough to fill in the blanks. Stefan you made that choice not me. I loved you and you broke my heart."

"I never wanted that. I never wanted to hurt you. Elena you still love me just as much as I love you."

"No." Elena felt her tears coming on. "I don't love you anymore Stefan." Her voice trembled as she said those words. It was as if her own heart was breaking at telling him that. Stefan's whole face dropped when he heard her say that. Elena wanted to tell him she was sorry but she couldn't find the words.

"I can't accept that." He felt like breaking down at her confession. "I can't accept that you don't love me anymore because I love you." He whispered. "I still love you and you still love me." Stefan was walking closer to her as Elena tried to back away from him only to find her back pressed against the counter. She was trapped with no where to go and Stefan wasn't stopping. "Elena I am the guy for you. I will never hurt you again if you just give me a second chance." He whispered cupping her face in his hands. "I'm in love with you Elena." He said softly before pressing his lips against hers. Elena tried to fight him but as Stefan's soft lips worked against hers she felt herself playing in to the kiss like she always did. Stefan felt her start to respond the the kiss and he put as much of his love into it as he could. When he pulled away both were out of breath. Stefan rested his forehead against hers trying to gain his senses back. "I'm not giving up on us Elena." He whispered before leaving her standing there.