A/N: Finally, the final chapter! I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to finish this story everyone! Reviews would definitely be appreciated!

Lots of love,
Anneryn

I DO NOT OWN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES OR THE CHARACTERS.

Chapter Eleven:

Jeremy's POV

"He won't see me at all, Matt. I don't know what else to do. I've called. I've texted. I've shown up at Mason's and nothing. He just refuses to see me. I don't know what changed for him or if I did something wrong…" I complained to Matt. He patted my back, sympathetically.

"I don't know, man. He's being weird lately. I had to rip him a new one, before he'd even talk to me. Maybe he just needs time, Jere."

"I'm going crazy here. I don't even know if he's okay or where his head's at." I sighed.

"Gilbert, if you really want to see him, then go over there and make him see you." Damon told me, showing up out of nowhere.

"Do you ever go home?!" I snapped at him. He just smirked at me.

"What fun would that be?"

"Hello?" I answered my cell, but I didn't recognize the number.

"Hey Jeremy, it's Mason Lockwood. How're you holding up?" He asked me. I shrugged, even though I know that there's no way that he'd be able to see me.

"I've been better. How's Tyler doing? How's he really doing?" I asked him. Mason chuckled.

"He's… Tyler. I think that he's doing as well as he can be, considering what he went through." He replied. "I've told him to stop being so bone-headed, but he won't listen to me. The two of you need to talk and I'm tired of waiting on him to do something about it. Come over here and I won't let him kick you out." He proposed.

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" I asked him.

"Do you have a better one?"

"No, not really."

"Good. Be here in fifteen minutes."

Tyler's POV

"Tyler! I need your help with something!" Mason yelled at me.

"I'll be there in a minute!" I told him, before getting up and walking out into the living room.

"In here!" He yelled from the hall closet. I walked over to the closet and he came out, with an armful of boxes. "There's a bag in there. It's not heavy. Can you grab it for me?" He asked. I nodded and walked into the closet, only to see Jeremy. I turned to leave, but Mason had already shut and locked the door on us. Luckily, the light in the closet was on.

"Hey Tyler," Jeremy greeted me, weakly. I sighed and turned to face him.

"Hey," I replied, flatly.

"I just… I had to see that you were okay with my own eyes. I've been worried sick." He told me, reaching out to touch my face. I flinched and moved out of his reach. I looked taken aback and let his hand drop. "Sorry." He apologized, softly.

"I'm fine. You can go now."

"Why do you keep pushing me away? I'm here for you, Tyler. Let me be here. I care about you." He tried.

"It doesn't matter, Jeremy. Okay? We're done. It's done. It's not like we were official, anyway."

"No. I'm not letting you do this. Don't sabotage what we have, just because you're scared. Why are you doing this?" He pressed. I sighed.

"Let me out, Mason!" I yelled.

"No! Work this out!" He hollered back. I grimaced.

"What do you want to know, Jeremy?" I asked him, quietly.

"You already know what I want to know, Tyler. Don't play dumb."

"I'm pushing you away, because I don't want to get hurt. Okay?! You deserve so much more than I can give, Jeremy! You deserve normal… better than me. Okay? I just… I can't."

"So you're giving up?" He asked me, in disbelief. "I'm in love with you, Tyler! Don't shut me out!" I stared at Jeremy like he grew a second head. Did I hear him right?

"You what?" I whispered.

"I love you." He breathed. "I don't care about anything else. I don't care about normal. I'm here with you, because I want to be. I know that you've been through hell and back. I'm not walking away from you, because you're scared. You're worth so much more than that, Tyler." He lamented.

"I don't even know how relationships work, Jere. I'm messed up in the head. All that shit with my dad… I can't jump into anything." I pleaded with him. He didn't look detoured.

"I'm not asking you to. I'm just asking you to give this a chance – us a chance – me a chance. I'll work with you through this. I'll be patient, whatever it takes. You're worth it. We can take it slow. We don't even have to label this." He promised me. I gave him a small smile.

"You really mean it. Don't you?"

"Of course, I do."

"I want to label it."

"What?"

"I want us to have a label."

"What do you want to be?" He asked me, creeping closer. I became all too aware of how hypnotizing his lips are and how good he smells. God, I've missed him.

"I want to be your boyfriend, Jere." I told him, softly. He grinned.

"Done," he agreed.

"And I know this is going to be hard, but you're right. It'll be worth it. I want you. I want to be with you. Just… I need to take it slow." I breathed. He nodded, as his mouth inched closer to mine.

"Slow is good."

"Jeremy?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, too." I told him. His smile widened and I pressed my lips to his. Even if it's just for the moment, things are perfect… at least as perfect as they can be.