Elena woke up as the rhythmic lulling of the engine stopped. She had surprisingly gotten a good night's sleep, considering the circumstances as well as her up-right sitting position. She looked out the window and immediately recognized the location. Chicago. They were in Chicago. Hadn't Klaus had enough of Chicago? She thought, she didn't really… well she didn't at all want to be here. She knew it would make Stefan uncomfortable, and she also has unpleasant memories of a certain closet in a certain apartment, and a certain street outside a certain bar.

But it didn't matter know. She knew. Not anything could tear them apart. And lord knows, everything's tried… even Stefan. But their love never diminished. And it never would, and that made it all worthwhile. Because she knew. She knew.

Stefan began to wake and she heard footsteps on gravel walking up behind the car.

"Stefan, sweetheart." She hummed. "Wake up, baby. We're here." she stroked his face.

"Where's here?" He asked as he sat up, lazily ran a hand through his hair and blinked hard. She looked scared. She really looked scared. The only time she'd ever looked truthfully scared was the night that he bit her. He'd never seen her scared before then. He'd seen her shocked, worried, and surprised. But this was scared.

The thing about Elena, though, was she was never scared for herself. That's something he loved about her. That night, she'd been scared for him, she told him.

Everything sunk in and she saw so much blood ahead of them. She didn't know what she'd done. Why'd she ever let Klaus take Stefan? He'd hurt him. He'll hurt him! And to bring him back to Chicago, where all the hurt ensued!

She never wanted this for him.

But she'll protect him.

She has to.

Klaus opened the door on Stefan's side, and grimaced. "Welcome back, mate." He said patting Stefan on the back as he stepped out of the car. Stefan merely looked at the scene and swallowed. He turned back around to help Elena out. He offered his hand she took it stepping out and trying to look like she's enjoying the sight of the city, when his hand dropped back to his side, she didn't let go.

Klaus led them to a small, but very put together summerhouse. It looked to be Victorian-style and could have been a mansion had it been twice its size. It had four bedrooms, but no dinning room. They were showed their bedroom by a hybrid that was a little too likeable. Klaus said he was tired so today they could just rest and get to know the house. Elena dropped her bag in the corner and began putting her clothes into the dresser, when she turned to Stefan.

"So… whose drawers are whose?" she questioned. He turned lazily from his side laying position, to face the dresser.

"I'll take the bottom two."

"Okay" she said as she continued to unpack. When she finished, she collapsed on her side of the bed, facing his back. "Hey, Stefan?" She lightly grazed his shoulder with her fingertips.

"Hmmm?" he responded as he turned to face her.

She put her hand on his and memorized the shape, while he draped an arm around her and played with the ends of her hair. She looked into his green pools and wondered if he seen the blood in their future, and the tears they've yet to shed. If she could make it all disappear, she would. She just wanted to tell him that it would be okay. But was it? No. She couldn't lie to him, she never could. And it wouldn't be okay. Though she knew their love would remain, she didn't know it would be okay. She closed her eyes and reopened them met his, and said the only thing she knew was true. She said the only thing she could.

"I Love You, Stefan." She breathed as she looked from his slightly parted lips and back to his eyes. "Always have, always will." She sighed. He pulled her closer to his chest by her hips, and kissed her. He kissed like his life depended on her. His self-revival had been found in her kiss. His whole life had started in her kiss. His reason to get up in the morning is brought in her kiss. All love that he lives for is in her kiss. She started to cry in the kiss, as the salty tears cascaded off each other's lips. The kiss was open and deep, but also gentle, slow, loving. When he pulled away he reached up to her face and in her doe browns, he repeated.

"I Love You."