A/N: Thanks to the few of you who are actually reading this story. Please feel free to give your opinion. I am open to constructive criticism (it makes me a better writer), directions you would like this to head or just requests for more. If you ask me to continue, I always will, at least until the story is marked as complete.

As always, I do not own the vampire diaries.

Breaking the Boundaries Chapter 5.

I have to admit, I have never really had any need to be a seductress. Or more specifically, to learn to be a deliberate seductress.

With Matt and I, it was a natural progression from childhood friend to first boyfriend. Stefan was an instant fire, he really didn't put up too much resistance.

Again being arrogant perhaps, I know that Ric is attracted to me. His looks and actions speak for themselves. It seems that the biggest hurdle to overcome is to make him admit it. Maybe even admit it to himself.

Seeing as how none of my more subtle hints have motivated him, I think it might be time to turn up the heat.

I haven't given up on Stefan completely. He will come back and we will help him. Damon and I both want to have a normal, bunny-eating, semi-boring Stefan back. I still love him and I am going to everything I can to help Damon get him back.

But I don't want him back anymore. How can you be in love with something you are scared of? He is dangerous, temperamental, heart less. Even if he came back and he went back to normal, we wouldn't be back to normal.

This new discovery of mine, the 'not forever' Stefan and Elena plan is a lot easier to accept now that I have my sights set elsewhere. If nothing else, making this decision makes me feel a little less guilty about pursuing Ric while technically, I haven't actually broken up with Stefan.

I haven't seen or heard from him at all. While Damon isn't usually the most reliable source of information, I believe everything he says. He has nothing to gain by lying and I can see the pain on his face every time he tells me about the latest of Stefan's grotesque actions. The flirting is minimal and he actually seems to be happy with Andie. There are no angles to be played here, I think he just wants me to understand that I'm not going to get my boyfriend back anytime soon. He didn't mention to me the decades he did to Ric, but at least now I know he's thinking them.

Ric is always hesitant to talk about whatever he sees on his trips with Damon. He just got home and no surprises here, went straight for the bourbon.

He sat down next to me and stared at the TV (which was off) for about 5 solid minutes before he even looked like he was thinking about relaxing.

"Want to talk about it?" I asked him tentatively.

"No" he said bluntly, and went back into stare mode.

"Was it to do with Stefan?"

"Yes"

Well I really wasn't getting anywhere here.

"Did you see him? Did you find any clues?" I barrelled on, hoping for something at least to give us a reason to keep looking.

"Elena! What part of 'I don't want to talk about it' don't you understand?" he barked at me. I looked at him then, mostly in shock and saw that he really wasn't looking well. It was more than his normal 'I've had a bad day and need a drink'. He looked old and tired, much more than normal. I now want to know more than anything, just what exactly Ric had seen or done on his trip with Damon to make him like this, but I couldn't bring myself to put him through any more. Against my nature, I let it go. Not permanently, mind you. I fully intend to find out everything, but it could wait.

"I would offer to cook dinner for you, but we both know I don't do that. So which frozen pizza would you like me to reheat for you? Hawaiian or Meat lovers?" I wasn't sure whether he would go for the subject change.

He looked like he wanted to yell at me some more for a minute, but then he sat back into the chair and stared at the blank TV again. "Meatlovers" he said grudgingly, not turning around.

I smiled to myself. It was hardly a question worth asking, only Jeremy ever had Hawaiian but at least he was no longer yelling at me. I have to say, my seduction plan was failing miserably. When was a girl supposed to work her magic when it is always doom and gloom and possibly murderous not-quite-so-ex boyfriends.

The oven beeped me out of my self-pity and I set the table for two with the pizza in the middle.

Venturing into the living room, I saw Ric had finally turned on the TV, but was obviously not watching the animated children's characters ambling across the screen.

"Ric? Pizza's ready. On the table, actually."

He looked up in surprise, as if no time had passed since I left to get it ready.

"Already? Alright let's eat!" He said enthusiastically, as though I would forget that he had been a walking zombie for the past half hour.

Seeing this for the opportunity that it was, I decided to ignore his quick turnaround and go with the flow. If he wanted to act like there was nothing wrong then who was I to stop him?

I smiled at him as though tonight were any other night and started off the conversation, as per usual, with "How was your day?"

He froze. I backpedaled fast. "I, I mean my day was great, although Caroline kept going on and on about this stupid dress she wants, she's trying to make me go to Richmond with her to look at it. Who can be bothered driving all the way to Richmond for a damned dress?" I was babbling, I have no idea of the words currently coming out of my mouth, just that anything was better than acknowledging that, yes, I actually am that stupid and I don't think before I speak.

"Elena, stop. You are boring me to death. I don't care about Caroline and her stupid dress or Richmond or whatever else you have been blurting out at the speed of light. I think I'm OK to talk about my day now, but I really don't think you want to hear about it over dinner. Or ever. But if you really want to know, which I think you do, we will talk about it. OK?"

Really? He was going to tell me now? Apparently word vomit does have some uses.

"OK, that would be nice."

"It's not nice, especially if you want all the gory details. It is sick and twisted and ...after dinner" he broke off, obviously not wanting to think about it too much.

"Actually," he continued, "I don't think I want to finish this after all. I'll put mine in the fridge for now."

I felt pretty bad, putting him off his dinner and all, but I just don't know how to deal with this situation. I am not an adult, and sometimes even they don't know what to say sometimes. I remember my Mum once saying to me, "It's not what you say, it's how you say it and the intentions behind it. If your heart is pure, they will understand." My heart is definitely not pure, but I think I know what she meant. Ric didn't need or want to talk it out. He needed family, love and touch as he had once told me.

I put all the remaining food into the fridge and followed Ric back into the living room.

He was sitting there looking so forlorn my heart nearly stopped for him. Just as I had done time and again, I sat next to him and cuddled into his side. This time the need wasn't mutual. I didn't need him, but he needed me and this was the only way I could show him I cared without talking.

Slowly, his arm came over my shoulders and he tucked my head under his chin. His grip tightened and his arms stretched further around me. He gripped a handful of my hair and used it to push my head into his chest and kissed me on top of my head. I had never felt so close to someone before. He was sharing his pain with me, accepting my silent support.

I could feel his body beginning to relax beneath mine as his grip loosened. Still silent, I stood up from the couch and took his hand. I led him up the stairs and began to walk into my bedroom.

He pulled his hand back, "Elena, no. I'm not going to sleep with you."

"Yes, you are." He looked very taken aback at that. I rephrased, "You are going to sleep with me. Just sleep. I don't feel like sleeping on the couch with you, but tonight you need me. And I need you." I wasn't lying. I did need him now. Maybe not for the same reasons, but I just couldn't bear the thought of going up to bed and leaving him downstairs alone with his demons.

I went over to my dresser and took out a pair of pyjamas. "I'm going to the bathroom to put these on. You can get into bed now." I left no room for argument, leaving immediately.

When I returned, he was sitting up awkwardly in bed with no shirt on, looking very lost. I went around to the other side and got in. I threw my arms around him with my head on his chest, mimicking our position on the couch. He reached up and turned the light off before moving me back to my side. I was about to ask what the hell his problem was when he slid down the bed to rest his head on the pillow and repositioned me against himself.

I felt his arms go around me once more and I smiled as I drifted off to sleep.