Apologies for the long wait for this chapter. I had some computer issues - but the good news is it's all fixed now! I'm on a bit of a roll, so the next chapters will come out of the works soon. Hopefully, they'll make it worth the wait. Big thanks to all reviewers, and frankly to anyone who has stuck by this story for so long and hung around waiting for me to update. You guys are truly amazing. If you can stand the unfortunate holiday theme for the next few chapters, I promise you that the plot developments will be worth it. Anyway, as always, I would love to hear any thoughts you have. Read on, and enjoy! :)

"Elena!"

"Jenna, you're going to break my ribs."

"Well, I missed your responsible self, okay?" Jenna still had her niece locked in a hug, but at least Elena didn't feel like she was about to snap in two. Elena laughed.

"I missed you too."

Elena's aunt finally released her, leaving her feeling surprisingly whole. It was strange. All those months ago, she'd constantly visited Mystic Falls, looking for this feeling. Looking to feel at peace. At home. Why was it here now, when she stood looking at her aunt, brother and Alaric? What was so different? She felt happy to be here. She felt good. It was the first time she'd felt good in Mystic Falls for months. Elena wondered why for only a moment. Then Damon walked up behind her, and she knew why. Life just wasn't the same without Damon Salvatore.

It was almost funny to watch the reactions of the three people before her. Alaric looked a little surprised, but in a good way. Like he was glad to see Damon, despite everything. Jeremy just had a slight smirk on his face, almost saying 'I told you so'. Elena didn't know why he was so smug. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. Jenna however, just looked suspicious. She tried to be civil, at least.

"Damon. I didn't expect to see you." Jenna sounded like she wished he'd never turned up.

"Oh, Elena and I bumped into each other at Duke. She said she was coming back here so I offered to drive her. I was coming this way too." Damon was using his best human-nice-guy voice. Elena didn't turn around, but she knew he'd have that cute little winning smile on. He put Elena's suitcase in down in the hallway. Jenna clearly didn't buy it.

"I didn't think you'd come back for the holidays, though. Where is Stefan these days?" Jenna probed. Elena silently wished she'd never mentioned the younger Salvatore brother. His memory still caused her some pain.

"Oh, Stefan got caught up with some stuff at college. But there's nothing like coming home for Christmas, is there?"

The lack of response Damon got was stunning. He moved on quickly.

"Anyway, I've got to get going. I have some things to sort out at the boarding house."

"Do you want a ride?" Elena offered politely. They'd driven back to Mystic Falls in Elena's car, so she was just trying to be nice. She knew Damon could run back to his house faster than she could drive.

"Nah, it's not too far. Anyway, I guess I'll see you guys around. Merry Christmas." With a smile and a wink, he was gone. As soon as the door closed behind him, Jenna practically exploded.

"What is he doing here?" Jenna demanded. "I thought he left town."

"He did. But you know, we just ran into each other..," Elena lied. Although it wasn't a real lie - they hadn't exactly planned to meet again. Well. Maybe Damon had planned to see her again. Their relationship was complicated. Elena frowned slightly as sympathy and almost understanding flooded Jenna's eyes.

"You don't have to lie to me anymore, Elena."

Elena looked between Alaric's guilty expression, Jeremy's retreating back, and Jenna's half smile. It was in that moment that Elena knew something was going on.

"Jeremy, get back here. Did you tell her?" Elena demanded of her brother. Jeremy ducked back down the staircase, grinning. Alaric looked even more guilty, as he slipped away into the living room. Elena looked between her aunt and her brother expectantly. She'd sat down and agreed with Jeremy that the lies kept their aunt safe. She hadn't expected him to go back on their pact so easily. What benefit did Jenna knowing the truth bring?

"Hey, don't look at me," Jeremy insisted. "But she found out all right."

Jenna shrugged, walking over to the living room and sitting down beside Alaric. Elena walked into the room, but remained standing, her hands on her hips.

"It's my own fault, really. I went snooping." Jenna shrugged. Elena raised an eyebrow expectantly. Finally someone cracked.

"She found my armoury," Alaric supplied. A small smile twitched Elena's lips.

"Armoury? You mean all the..?"

"Stakes and vervain and stuff? Yeah." Alaric really did look guilty. The expression on his face was so ridiculous that Elena cracked a smile.

"You couldn't lie about it either, huh? After everything we did?" Elena said, finally sitting down.

"What are you meant to say about that?" Jeremy said, from where he was hovering in the doorway. Elena considered it for a moment.

"I suppose." Elena then turned her attention to her aunt. "I'm sorry I lied to you so much, Jenna, but..."

"You thought it was for the best. I know," Jenna said sympathetically. "I'm kind of glad you did lie to me. As much as I would have liked to help, it was probably better I kept out of it. But you don't have to lie to me anymore, Elena. I can handle it."

Elena exhaled, considering this for a moment. At least she didn't have to keep secrets in her own home any more. But in a way, she really didn't want to say everything.

"I mean, it's not like anyone's life is at stake this time, right?" Jenna prompted. Elena winced slightly.

"Yeah, about that..." Elena began. All three of them stared at her, but it was Alaric who spoke.

"Elena?"

"I don't know. I don't want to explain it on my own." Elena admitted. In truth, she was missing Damon already and he'd only been gone five minutes. Had she really gotten so attached to him over the past two months? Evidentially, considering the way she felt about him. But she really couldn't face the memories alone. Besides, she didn't even know the full picture - Elena was positive Damon had theories he was yet to disclose.

"But who else would know?" Jenna asked. Elena didn't speak. Neither did Jeremy or Alaric, although Elena was sure they knew who she meant. "Elena?"

"Damon's been at Duke with me for a couple of months now," Elena admitted quietly. Jenna's eyes widened. Jeremy's smug smirk returned, making Elena want to wrestle him to the floor like she was six years old again.

"Elena..." Jenna said in her best parental-authority voice. Elena rushed to amend her statement.

"We're not living together! There's nothing going on. We're just friends. And he's been helping a lot, with everything that's going on." Elena spoke in a rush. Jenna looked a little relieved. She couldn't help but feel like a liar.

"Well, why don't you call him and we'll get the story?" Jenna suggested. Alaric , Jeremy and Elena all stared at Jenna, stunned. She thought about it for a second, then bit her lip.

"I did it again, didn't I?" she asked. Alaric tried to reason with her.

"You don't like Damon very much. Perhaps we should let him do his own thing for a little while," he suggested gently. Staring at her ex-history teacher, Elena knew he was as much a part of the family as Jeremy was now. She was glad - her aunt needed someone, especially once both her and Jeremy had moved out.

Elena silently thought that if Isobel had kept her, Alaric would have made a great dad.

In the end, Jenna reconsidered talking to Damon at all. Elena had been out and about around Mystic Falls, and had repeatedly bumped into Damon. But she couldn't help but notice he seemed different than before the ball. He was less distant, although she didn't feel a hell of a lot closer to him. It was like he'd taken a step back in her direction - he was still cut off from her, but he was closer. The change encouraged her. But more importantly, every time she met Damon, she felt like she was under scrutiny. He kept looking at her weirdly, like he was trying to work out the motives behind her renewed friendship with him. She was being more than civil these days. In fact, she was trying a lot harder to win him over than she had been. Damon noticed.

On the plus side, Elena had successfully convinced Jenna to let Damon visit them for Christmas. Alaric had pushed a little too, as had Jeremy. Their combined efforts had been too much to resist, although Elena hadn't been expecting to receive back up on the matter. But when she thought about it, she figured Alaric really did consider Damon a friend. She wondered if Alaric would have invited Damon over for the holiday season himself, if the history teacher hadn't been coming over to the Gilbert house for the festivities. As for Jeremy - it struck Elena that he saw Damon as the older brother he never had. It wasn't quite hero-worship, but it wasn't quite friendship either. Either way, Jeremy liked Damon more than he let on. Between the three of them, Jenna had been unable to resist.

"Fine, but he had better not bring one of his silly little girlfriends. This is not permission to gatecrash," Jenna warned. Elena assured her that she would take care of that part of the deal. She didn't think Damon would try to ruin Jenna's Christmas, though. He had a little bit more heart than that. At least, Elena thought so.

Admittedly, Elena would have been completely focused on Damon had it not been for the surprise she received several days after she arrived home, two days before Christmas. They'd all be nestled inside the house for the night when the doorbell rang. Half-expecting Damon, Elena went to the door, although she was unable to work out why he'd bother with the doorbell. If he had wanted to see her, he would have invaded her room, where she'd been sitting with her diary. Curious, Elena opened the door. She stood, staring at the woman facing her.

"Hi." Caroline smiled shyly, looking a little uncomfortable. Elena just smiled.

"Caroline." It was all the encouragement Caroline needed. She fell onto Elena, hugging her warmly.

"Oh, Elena, I missed you so much! How've you been? I'm so sorry I ditched you like I did, and I was a sucky friend. I stopped texting you and everything and I'm awful and I'm so sorry. I'd understand if you hate me. Do you hate me?" Caroline spoke in a rush, eventually withdrawing from her hug so she could stare Elena in the eye. Elena couldn't help but smile.

"No, I don't hate you," Elena said calmly. She never had hated Caroline for leaving. Caroline had left because everyone expected her to go to college. Everyone expected Caroline to be growing old. But neither of those things were going to happen, but Caroline had to protect her secret. Elena understood. Caroline had left because there wasn't really a place left for her in Mystic Falls. Elena knew the feeling. It stalked her every step. Caroline smiled weakly.

"I'm glad. I hate it when you're mad at me." Caroline said. Elena smiled.

"Come in. We need to catch up," Elena informed her. Caroline bounced through the door, and they both headed up to her room before anyone could say a word to them. It was like they were fourteen all over again.

Elena had missed this like crazy.

Over the past two years, Damon had been frequenting the Mystic Grill so often that it was almost like a haunt for him now. It was a near certainty that if he wasn't at the Boarding House, then he would be at the Grill, nursing a scotch. As such, he supposed he really shouldn't have been surprised when he was tracked down to the bar, and the stool on his right hand side was filled.

Damon raised his glass in honour of his companion, a slightly cynical smirk gracing his lips. "Ric," he greeted. Damon really had no right to be surprised that Alaric had sought him out. He hadn't shown up at the Gilbert household since he had dropped Elena off. No doubt Auntie Jenna would be bouncing off the walls with his mere presence in town. And Alaric had to be the good boyfriend and solve the issue. Too bad that it wasn't an easier issue for the History teacher to rectify.

"Damon." Alaric almost sounded tired. Damon's smirk deepened slightly. At least he knew his evaluation was probably right on cue. Damon waved to the barman, ordering Alaric a drink in three seconds flat. "I didn't think I'd see you again," Alaric continued.

"Yeah, well I like to keep you on your toes, Ric," Damon replied, verbally shrugging his abrupt departure from town off. He'd left in a whirlwind all those months ago. Even Damon himself hadn't expected to return to Mystic Falls any time soon. But the town still held one elusive attraction.

"Didn't expect to see you with Elena either."

At the mention of her name, Damon knocked back some more of the scotch in his hand, letting it burn its way down his throat. Elena. A word with oh so many connotations. Damon had been absolutely sure that she wanted rid of him. Frankly, being anywhere near her had hurt like hell. She'd been extremely mad at him on a basis that ran like clockwork in the past few weeks. Really, it wasn't like he was killing anyone. But now, all of a sudden, she wanted him to play house with her family. Over Christmas, no less. Damon hadn't done Christmas since 1992. It was silly. Why was she making such an effort to be friendly now? It just didn't make sense.

Not only was it illogical, it was murderous. Damon had made his choice weeks ago. He'd given her up. He'd finally given up on chasing Elena Gilbert. She clearly was never going to love him the way he loved her so much. So he wouldn't force her to do a thing. He loved her too much for that. If she was going to be happier with some nice, weak, feeble, pathetic, normal human guy, then so be it. Damon would want that for her, because it was what she wanted. Sure, it was going to kill him. It was going to hurt like a wooden bullet through the head. It was going to tear him apart for the rest of his existence. But he would do it. Because the other option just wasn't an option.

He loved her that much.

"You still hung up on her?" Alaric questioned Damon when he refused to speak. Dammit, why did he have to be so on the ball? Damon just rolled his eyes as a mask.

"Yes Ric, I'm still pining after her. Why do you think I'm drowning my sorrows?" Damon spoke with perfect sarcasm, looking at Ric, just asking for a reason to smack the teacher around the head. It would feel great right now. Alaric just lifted his own glass of alcohol to his lips, examining Damon carefully. It was like a flipping x-ray.

"I'm the closest thing you have to a friend, Damon. You don't have to lie to me."

God, was he really so transparent? He didn't want to seem like the idiot guy longing after a girl and doing nothing about it. But what was there to do? He wasn't pining. Alaric was clearly just imagining things. Hell would almost certainly freeze over before Damon was caught moping. Or worse, brooding. His name was not Stefan. He did not brood.

"Who says I'm lying, hm?" Damon retorted.

There was a pause. It crossed Damon's mind that perhaps the History teacher was far more intelligent than he looked.

"How's Jenna? You two looked like you were having fun playing happy families."

"She'd fine. Although right now she'd kinda pissed." Damon couldn't help but smirk. He loved it when he was right.

"Really? Whatever had the lovely lady upset now?"

"Elena invited you over for Christmas."

Damon hadn't thought she was serious. He hadn't actually expected her to convince Jenna it was okay for him to come over on the 25th of the month. It was baffling. What the hell was she up to?

"Do me a favour Damon. Don't ruin it for her. I have no idea why Elena wants you there, and I can't say I have an issue with it. But Jenna's had a rough time lately. Don't screw it up."

"I am perfectly capable of being civil, Ric. Family night is the highlight of my existence."

"Fabulous." Glad we got that one out of the way. Damon sipped at his drink, just happy it was all over. If Alaric shut up for long enough, he might be able to theorise over the actions of a certain teenage doppelganger. "I think Jenna wants to talk you anyway." Damon was confused (again) in moments.

"About what?"

"Elena."

Damn. Elena, Elena, Elena. Why did it always come back to one girl? She was like a magnet.

No matter how hard Damon tried, he couldn't pull away.