Late night updating! This chapter was inspired and named after the scene and chapter from City of : Flashbacks are in italics. And be prepared, this might be a loooooooooooooooong chapter.

Elena came out of the shower and was shocked to find Meredith sitting on her bed. "What are you doing here, Meredith?"
"Get dressed. Nicely. We're going somewhere for your birthday. And don't worry, your mom is okay with it as long as you get back before 12:30." Elena nodded. It was no surprise that Elena's mother said yes. Her mother liked Meredith.

Meredith ended up picking out Elena clothes. She picked out something Elena had never found an occasion or reason to wear it. It was a dark blue mini dress that flowed up to just above her knees. With it, she wore silver heels and silver jewellery. Meredith put on a black dress that complimented her tan and her hair with black heels. Then, the two girls headed downstairs and got in Meredith's car.

Elena had no idea as to where Meredith was driving her. Mostly because Meredith put a blindfold on Elena's eyes and she couldn't see a thing. Soon, the car slowed down to a halt and Meredith helped Elena out of the car. She pushed Elena forward and made her walk down a path before Meredith opened a door. Then, she untied the blindfold from Elena's head. She heard two feminine voices. Opening her eyes, Elena saw a short girl with pale skin, rosy cheeks, and curly red hair. Next to her stood a taller girl with fair skin and blond hair. "Bonnie! Caroline!" Elena ran over to hug her friends. It had been so long since she had last seen them. Bonnie had moved away in middle school to Minnesota to help take care of her sick grandfather. And Caroline had moved away in grade 10 to New York to be closer to her aunt and uncle. Looking around at the house, she recognized it from when Stefan let her come over for a cup of coffee. It was the Salvatore Boarding House. Just then, Stefan and Damon walked out from the kitchen. He immediately walked over to Bonnie, put his arm around her shoulder, and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
"I didn't know you two knew each other",Damon said to Elena. "I met her in Minnesota and well, here we are now."

"I was surprised when Meredith told me about Caroline",Stefan said.
"Why",Elena asked.
"I'll explain",Caroline said. She grabbed Elena's arm and dragged her to the hall.

"Okay, remember when I moved to New York?"
"Yeah."
"Well, it wasn't to be closer to my aunt and uncle. I moved there because I got meningitis." Meningitis was a severe fever that could even kill someone.
"You got meningitis? How come you didn't tell us?"
"I couldn't. So I moved to New York because there were some hospitals there that could've helped me. It was there that I met Stefan. He was like a volunteer and we became quick friends. Eventually, he discovered that I was a vampire hunter." He could have found out she was a hunter by her last name. The Forbes, Gilbert, Sulez, and even McCullough were powerful vampire hunters. "One day, I found out that I was going to die soon.

Stefan came into her hospital room right after she found out she was going to die soon. "Are you okay Caroline?"
"No." She was quiet for a bit. "Can you do a favor for me?"
"Anything."
"Can you turn me?"
"Caroline. Your family is an extremely powerful hunter family, you'll have betrayed them."
"I know but...I don't want to die. I want to live a long life. I want an eternity. Please."
"Are you sure this is what you want?"
"I want this more than anything."
"Okay." He grabbed an empty syringe from a nearby table and injected himself. She watched as the scarlet liquid filled the tube. Then, he handed it to her. She took it from his hand and inserted the needle into her arm. Soon enough, vampire blood ran in her system. She died that very evening.

"Oh, Caroline." She pulled her friend into a hug.
"I eventually woke up the next day in a casket in a funeral home. When I got up, I found a blood bag hidden under the table. Stefan must have left it there. Close to it was a lapis daylight ring. I drank the blood bag, put on the ring, and escaped through the window. I stupidly went back home and my parents saw me. I thought that they would've been happy to see me alive but they almost killed me with a wooden stake. I was exiled. Stefan left me his place after he left New York. Now come on, we're missing the party."

When Caroline got back, Damon was setting up a table for what looked like a game of beer pong. "Wanna play girls against me",he asked. Caroline nodded and joined Bonnie at the opposite side of the table. "I'm good",Elena said.
"Suit yourself",he responded.
Elena felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around and saw Stefan standing behind her. "Come on, I want to show you something",he whispered in her ear. She turned around and followed him.

He led her to a room that looked like a greenhouse. She was amazed the second she looked inside. It was a large dome full of plants and flowers of all shapes, colors, and sizes.
"Why do you have a greenhouse here",she asked.
"I just like to come here and think about my life."
"I would just love to come draw in here."
"I didn't know you liked to draw.
"Yeah, it's sort of like a little hobby." He moved closer to her an stuck a candle into a chocolate cupcake.
"Sorry there's no cake. I know it's not what you're expecting."
"It's not. Because I was expecting nothing so this is great."
"What vampire hunters don't celebrate birthdays?"
"We do. It's just that my family doesn't like to celebrate 18th birthdays."
"Why not?"
"This ancestor of mine betrayed the family when she willingly turned into a vampire on the night of her 18th birthday. It's against hunter law to willingly turn into a vampire. That's why Caroline was exiled from her family."
"Got it." He led her to a spiraling staircase that stood in the center of the greenhouse. They climbed the stairs and sat on them mid-way. "Make a wish",he said. She smiled and blew out the tiny purple candle on the cupcake. She then took out the candle and devoured the cupcake. She immediately finished it and expertly threw it in the trash bin across the room. Suddenly, there was a large ding.
"Midnight",said Stefan. "Watch." She looked in the direction he faced and watched as an entire bush of closed flowers bloomed and opened. She turned back to face him. In his hand, he held a necklace that looked as if it were made out of lapis lazuli, the stone that let vampires walk in the sunlight.
"You didn't have to get me anything."
"Everyone should get something on their birthday." He made her turn around and he put the necklace on her.
"I should get going. My mom will freak out if I'm not home by 12:30."
"I'll drive you back. Just be careful on the stairs. They might be wet and you're wearing heels." He stood up before she did and began going down the stairs. She went after him and slipped on the step. He caught her and she was suddenly against his body. She was so close to him she could feel his chest rising up and down with necessary breaths and the sound of his slow and steady heartbeat. She deeply wanted to give into her feelings. It seemed as if he thought the same because he gazed at her for a second before he leaned in and kissed her. As soon as his lips met hers, she forgot about everything she knew. She forgot about her best friends downstairs. She forgot about sarcastic Damon, sweet Bonnie, fierce Meredith, bubbly Caroline, optimistic Jeremy, her not so nice mother,, and the father she hadn't seen since she was eight. All she could think about was the fire of Stefan's lips on hers. She couldn't keep lying to herself. She loved Stefan Salvatore and that was something that no one-not even her mother-would ever change. Suddenly, she felt something wet by her feet and realized that the sprinklers had gone on. Finally, Stefan pulled away. "We should definitely go",he said against her lips. She ran behind him, trying to avoid getting wet.

The car ride back to her house was too short. Along the way, Stefan brushed his hand against her leg and she laced her hand into his. It felt as if her hand belonged with his. Tonight, her wish came true. The wish she made on the candle was to have Stefan kiss her. It had come true.

That was long. So, what'll happen now? Stay tuned...