A/N: Thanks to everyone who is still reading this! I am very sorry I've been so slack lately but life has been hectic and I just haven't had any time. This is a very short chapter that I felt I owed you guys at the very least. Next week I should have a little more time and hopefully will have a much longer chapter or a few short ones.

Many thanks to my Beta Someryn!

Breaking the Boundaries Chapter 10

Like every morning this week, I woke up feeling warm, safe and loved wrapped up in the man that I love. Also like every morning this week, I felt a gentle prod in my back from Ric's customary morning condition.

I felt him stir slowly awake and move his lower half so only his arms held me. I rolled over to face him directly and smiled softly up at him. "Hi," I whispered softly.

"Hi," he whispered roughly back. I snuggled into his chest, while he wrapped an arm around my back and incorporated me into his morning stretch.

I placed a few kisses down his chest and I felt him harden a little further, causing him to roll even further away.

"Elena..." he warned in a low voice.

I grinned up at him then, more light-hearted than I had been in weeks.

"You're forgetting something, Ric." He paused comically, straining to remember whatever it was that he had forgotten. I practically saw the light bulb go off in his head. He was now sporting a shit-eating grin identical to mine.

"Happy Birthday, princess," he congratulated before flipping me onto my back.

It was a happy birthday indeed.

Caroline was driving me nuts. The only reason I agreed that she could throw me a party in the first place was to stop the crazy begging and half-disguised suggestions. What a mistake that was. She repaid me with a litany of questions, decisions to make and other time-consuming tasks in which I had no interest whatsoever.

I had only one request for her: to keep it small.

However, when I came downstairs on Damon's arm, it became evident that she had ignored this completely. There were so many people here! I didn't even know half of them!

Once I realised that the party was not all about me, I calmed a little. I could pretend it wasn't about me at all! If I had a drink I could, anyway. After only a half cup of unidentifiable but fruity and potent alcohol, I was not ready to come across Jeremy smoking pot again. I thought he had cleaned himself up.

Caroline had her problems and I had mine.

I found Ric and Damon outside away from the teenagers. I could hear Ric whining about being a bad chaperone and how parents would hate him. If only they knew! Ha! I took a swig of Damon's drink, only to instantly regret it. Scotch again.

In for a penny, in for a pound, it was my birthday, after all. I stole Ric's drink and signed in the slow warm after burn that came with good quality booze.

They both looked at me quizzically, Ric putting his hand out for his drink back.

I smirked half-heartedly and shook my head at him. "This is the first good drink I have come across so far, no way I'm giving it up." I sighed resignedly. "Jeremy is smoking again. Can you talk to him, please? He looks up to you," I asked Ric.

As I walked away I heard Damon mockingly say, "You're screwed."

That was much funnier than he knew. I was sorely tempted to turn around to see Ric's reaction, but I knew it would ruin the effect of walking away. I'd also be busted for eavesdropping.

After another hour or so of pointless high school partying (when had I become so old?), I found Ric and tried to convince him to come home.

It didn't take much, just a nip on his ear and he was busting to get out of there. I'm not sure whether it was the idea of what lay at home for him or the idea of someone seeing his current situation with me, but he seemed pretty motivated to leave.

We crossed the threshold of my bedroom kissing furiously. There was a struggle to tear each other's clothes off as fast as possible without breaking contact.

I was down to my underwear when my phone buzzed next to me.

Unknown caller.

The temptation to just ignore it was extraordinary.

"Answer it," Ric said resignedly, slowly withdrawing his hands from around my back. He sat back on the bed and looked at me pointedly.

I knew who it was, but it didn't make the decision any easier. I finally picked it up and held to my ear delicately. "Hello?" I asked with trepidation.

No reply. Not even breathing on the other end. Definitely a vampire, then. "Stefan?"

Still nothing.

"Stefan, I know it is you." I heard a breath being taken at the other end of the line.

"Stefan, please come home. I love you, Damon loves you. Hold on to that."

Dial tone.

As I put down the phone again, I turned to Ric, only to see his face twisted into a look of defeat and disappointment.

Dread filled me as I realised his interpretation of the conversation.

"No! Ric, I love you!" I grasped his face between my hands and looked down into his eyes, hoping to convey the truth.

"It's just, I still want Stefan to come home and be back to normal. I'll always love him, but I am in love with you. Don't you doubt that for a second. His coming back won't change our relationship," I said earnestly.

"Of course it will, our relationship is constantly evolving, it's still new," he replied. "But I believe you. I know you won't leave me for him." He held out a hand and drew me towards him. "I love you, Elena." He settled down into bed with me tucked into him. "Happy Birthday, princess. Good night."

Well, I guess Stefan had killed the mood.

But as I lay there, I knew that while sex was essential in any strong relationship, so were moments like this. Moments when he held me like I was made of the finest china and I felt more loved than I could ever remember being before.