Azalea woke early the next morning. As the night before filled her mind she sighed.

I hate Halloween, she thought miserably, getting up she began to make coffee and some American pancakes. Knowing Jeremy would probably wake up soon, the dreamless she had given him would be wearing off.

Footsteps on the stairs confirmed her theory, then the young Gilbert entered her line of view.

"Here," she said handing him the plate and the cup.

"Thanks," he muttered, his eyes flickering to her forehead and back.

"No one knows who I am here Jere, I would like to keep it that way."

"I won't tell anyone. Thanks for stopping them from compelling me." he said, his sad eyes looking into hers.

"Yeah, well blocking isn't the answer with something like this." She said sipping her own coffee.

"I mean it, thank you,"

"No problem, Jere." She smiled. "Hey I'm gunna go get dressed, can you put this in the dishwasher?"

"Yeah, sure, no problem." He smiled leaning to grab her plate. She smiled, making her way upstairs. She checked the weather on her phone, before grabbing jeans and a light blue jumper. She heard the phone, buzz.

Lea can you come over?

She frowned at the younger vampire's message.

Yeah, just let me finish sorting Jeremy out. Why? Has Damon done something?

She watched anxiously as the dots danced on the screen.

No, no it's not Damon.

She frowned, what else could have happened?

Ok I am on my way

She stuffed the phone into her bag and made her way downstairs. Jeremy pressed the start button and the whooshing of water roared in the machine.

"Thank you. I'd hate to be a bad host, but I got to go."

"No, you're not. I should head home anyway." He said checking his watch.

"Tell Jenna I said hi, and Jere. Call anytime all right." she smiled as she let him out, then locked her door.

He smiled and waved as he walked across the grass. Azalea jumped into her car and made her way over to the Salvatore house.

Before she even got to the drive the younger Salvatore was there, his eyes glistening slightly. She got out shutting the door behind her. He pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, shh. What's happened?" she soothed rubbing his back.

"Elena, she… She says she can't be with me. I get it I really do, but…"

"You know it isn't because she doesn't like you, it's the other stuff." Azalea said softly squeezing her friend closer. "I'm sorry Stefan," she said.

The two went into the house, and the redhead began to make tea for Stefan. Gently putting it in front of him, with some food.

"Here," she said, sitting beside him.

As he ate, he told her what Elena had said. Azalea stayed quiet allowing him to speak.

"You know what, I've never had to deal with heart break, and break ups. So… let's go off every movie I have ever seen. We are watching movies, eating ice-cream and drinking. I'll even have one drink with you."

Stefan smirked.

"It's a deal," he said. "I will go grab what we need."

In a blur he was back with 3 large tubs of ice cream and a various amount of different coloured liquids.

"Pick your poison," he said. She laughed grabbing the salted caramel, and one of the darker liquids.

"I'll make you a cocktail wit that, it's rum."

"Sounds great, I will pick a film. I haven't seen many so…" she looked at his large pile of DVDs.

By the time Stefan returned with the drinks the redhead was still sat with a frown on her face.

"Why don't we start with what you have seen, then from there we will watch stuff you need to watch." He said placing the drinks down and crouching beside her.

"Uh, like the odd Disney film. The Lion King, Peter Pan… and they were once before I was eleven.

"Ok, we are going to be a while, we are going to have to have many movie nights. What the hell happened to you. You were abused." He said mock seriously, turning to stab the spoons into the ice-creams.

"Actually, I kind of was," she said quietly. Stefan's head whirled to look at her, his eyes wide, and mouth open. "Not like super badly. They'd starve me, or lock me… in my bedroom." She edited, technically it was her bedroom, it just happened to be the cupboard under the stairs too. Plus, she couldn't say too much, because of those damn books. That would defiantly reveal her.

"Lea, I'm sorry."

She waved him off.

"I bet by 19th century standards it was just a normal childhood." She joked, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, lets fix this injustice. What films do I need to watch?"

Knowing she was changing the topic on purpose, Stefan allowed it to slide, and began to pick out films she needed to see.

"What! There was obviously enough space for both of them on that door. Why didn't she just move over?" the redhead said gesturing to the sinking man.

"A lot of people argue the same thing," Stefan said amused. It was interesting to see someone watching such a well-known film, and somehow knowing absolutely nothing about it. It was such a big pop culture reference these days.

As soon as the credits rolled, he slotted the next film into the player, pouring himself another drink as he sat back down.

"Ok this one is a bit more light hearted. Let's get your Disney knowledge up, shall we?"

"That's a nice message, and I liked how the villain was basically the embodiment of the patriarchy."

"You should see all the versions of his song on various media – actually no we will keep you innocent to scary internet places… Like tumblr."

She threw a pillow at him, he caught it easily. He chuckled placing it beside him.

"Belle reminded me a lot of my friend," she said softly, thinking about the beloved bookworm. Focusing on the happy memory, trying to keep her death out of her mind.

"You must miss them all." He said softly. "When will you go visit them?"

"I can't… they are all dead." She whispered, she didn't dare look at the vampire, knowing what kind of shocked and pitiful expressions would be on his features.

"No one?" he said quietly.

"I mean me and my old school nemesis talk now, we all went through too much to keep up the pointless preteen feud." she said. "Anyway," she kept talking before Stefan could say anything else. "What we watching next? What's this Star Wars I have heard people mention at school?"

"Your kidding?" he said, she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Do I look like I am kidding," she said. Stefan moved passed her slotting the new disc into the machine.

"I can't believe you –"

"Well, I'm watching it now. Shh it's starting."

"HIS FATHER!?" she cried to the screen, then turning to Stefan to confirm. He nodded. Where had this girl been? Even if you hadn't watched the films you knew that pop culture reference. Had she grown up in a cult?

"Oh great," Azalea muttered, checking her phone and stretching.

"What?"

"Another email from the councillor. I kind of didn't go to the mandatory session after…" she trailed off knowing Stefan didn't need her to finish.

"It'll be easier if you just go, then she'll stop hounding you."

"Yeah… but what if I have, like… abuse tells, you know, that a professional will spot. I got plenty of trauma too. I don't want her cottoning on to that. I'd never lose her."

"Trauma?"

"To do with why I know about you and Damon," she said tiredly, rubbing her eyes. What time was it anyway? She checked her watched and her eyes widened. "Whoa, it's 5 already!" she said showing him.

"You wanna keep going?"

"Sure," she said pulling the blanket up to her shoulders, reaching on hand out to grab some of the nachos Stefan had made during one of their intermissions for peeing and eating.

The two finished the Star Wars trilogy, Stefan had suggested the prequals another time. As the two scanned the collection of films a familiar face walked into the room.

"I thought I heard the soft British tones of –"

"Go away Damon," she interrupted him scowling.

"Aw come on, it wasn't that bad,"

"Vicki died." She hissed, turning around fully to glare at him.

"Yeah, well. She would have killed herself eventually. Drugs or –"

"Do not finish that sentence," she snarled. She so badly wanted to curse him, but it would give her away. Throwing something was still a very tempting.

"If it makes you feel better, I'm sorry." He said, holding his hands up in surrender.

"You don't mean it. Leave me alone Damon," she said turning back to the stack of DVDs.

"He's gone," Stefan said, she turned to see no trace of the older vampire.

"Come on, let's pick another one," she muttered, gesturing to the large section of DVDs. Stefan picked out another 3 films before, he noticed the redhead's head drop, he paused the film smiling at the teen.

Gently, so he didn't disturb her, be scooped her up into his arms and began to carry her to one of the spare rooms. He pulled the blankets over her sleeping form, smiling at his friend one more time before he closed the door behind him. As he turned he saw his older brother beside him.

"She's asleep leave her be Damon,"

"Damn it Stefan, how do I get her to get over it. It's been a while since I had the whole human interaction bar food and sex."

Stefan ignored his brothers comment, focusing on what he was asking.

"You are just going to have to show her that you are worth being friends with, and actually have to be a good person. She isn't going to want to talk to you, if you are hurting and killing people. It's as simple as that." He shrugged walking away from his brother. He decided to go and get something to drink. Especially if the sweet, but delicious smelling redhead was going to be here tomorrow too.

As Stefan blurred out of the house, Damon's eyes fell back to the door where the redhead slept. He wanted her to like him, he wanted to be her friend – as much as he hated admitting it to himself – he wasn't sure when the last real friend he had was. He grabbed a bourbon, he didn't want to think about that too much. All that mattered was Katherine would be out soon. Then the two of them would be leaving this tragic little town. Hopefully with his new forming friendship intact.

"Do you think I did the right thing?" Elena said, looking at the redhead. The two of them were sitting in the redhead's kitchen, the last few days had been awkward at best Elena and Stefan avoided each other, bar some glances. Azalea looked back at her, she could see the doubt in the brunette's eyes. She had been spending a lot more time with Stefan as she knew that Elena had more people to talk about the break up with.

"I think," she started trying not to give any bias or unfair advice. "That is a question only you can answer, you need to look at reasons why. Is it just because you are scared, or is it more than that…"

Azalea handed her the mug, the steam swirling as it escaped.

"Thanks," she smiled taking a sip. "And… thank you for helping Stefan through this. He doesn't really have anyone he can share all of this with. I am glad you are there for him. Azalea smiled putting a hand on the other teens.

"Try and focus on you, and what you need. You can only do what is best for you with this kind of stuff.

During her various nights at the Salvatore estate Damon had let slip that it was Stefan's birthday this Saturday. After scolding the vampire for not telling her, she had decided that she was going to make him a cake. On the Friday she baked, sliced and placed a cake in the fridge ready to be decorated the next day. She was going to try and help make they day a little happier, even if the vampire's mood was low. She just hoped she could make him smile…

Hi guys so I changed Stefan's Birthday because I am trying to get the timeline to fit, Klaus leaves with Stefan 3 months before they start their senior year at school so that has to be around late may early June so I added 2 weeks for wiggle room.