*Author's Note: Hey, guys! Here's the next chapter! Thanks for sticking with me!

Chapter Four:

Elena was not really sure how to feel. This was low even for Damon; and Damon has been pretty low before. Elena wasn't stupid. She knew that whatever Damon wanted, he made sure he got. It's just that it was hard for her sometimes. Every once in a while, she got to feeling like the two of them were in a really good place; but then he usually did something or said something to ruin it within a few days or so. Every time he did it, it cut her a little bit deeper. Every time, it was something a little more unbelievable. Something a little more unforgivable.

Elena was broken out of her thoughts when she heard the light patter of paws running to her spot of solace. When she looked up, however, she saw something she wasn't expecting to see. She saw the dog carrying a book in her teeth. The book seemed to be way too big for her to fit in her little puppy mouth. When Mistletoe reached her, she dropped the book at her feet, stared up at her, and let out a single bark.

"What are you doing, girl?" Elena cooed at the dog. Mistletoe barked again in response. She placed one small paw on top of the book and continued to stare at Elena with literal puppy-dog eyes. "Do you want me to look at that?" Once the dog barked again, Elena picked up the book and started turning pages.

But how did she even get ahold of this? Elena knew how anal Damon was about his book collection: no book was ever out of place. There weren't any of his books lying around in other rooms or even in the same room. Everything had to be put back where it was found. What did the dog do? Jump on the bookshelf and pull it down?

As she began reading, Mistletoe took it upon herself to jump up onto the chair and into Elena's lap. Elena didn't see how any of this was relevant. She was reading about all sorts of different creatures and curses, but nothing stuck out to her. It wasn't until she came across something sticking out of the book that she suddenly knew exactly where to look. She looked down at Mistletoe, who seemed to have a strange twinkle in her eye, and skipped to that page.

When she turned there, the first thing she saw was a large picture of a dog very similar to Mistletoe. As she began reading, her stomach began to drop. She read about a puppy born on Christmas, archenemies becoming lovers unexplainably, and how she continues to visit someone new. When she looked down at the puppy, she realized that she had something else in her mouth. It was what was sticking out of the book to mark the page.

It was mistletoe.

Damon was telling the truth.

Deep down in her heart, Elena knew that. It was no secret that Damon was capable of going to whatever means necessary in order to get what he wanted. Of course it would be logical for her to come to that conclusion. But she didn't blow up at him the way she did because she believed in what she was saying. She did it because she needed an excuse not to believe his story.

Damon and Elena had gone back and forth for ages. And yes, there was something between them. The problem was that the feelings she had for Damon paled in comparison to the feelings she had for Stefan.

Or so she thought.

This little four-legged elephant in the room was beginning to make her think differently.

Did she love Stefan more than Damon? Or was Stefan just easier to swallow? Every girl goes for the bad boy because she thinks she can change them, but Elena had already been through enough without all of Damon's intensity. She didn't need it.

She needed Stefan.

Stefan was everything she needed in her life. He was calm, he was nice, he was passionate, he loved her with everything he had, and he was easy.

He was the one she wanted to want.

But with everything going on with Mistletoe, Elena was having trouble deciding what she really wanted. Another part of the reason she hadn't acknowledged her feelings for the other Salvatore brother was because she knew that every girl he liked, she had always liked Stefan more. Katherine messed with both of their heads, but she only really loved Stefan. Damon did so much for her because he thought they would be together again only to discover that it had always been Stefan. And now, the same thing was happening here. Damon had done so much for Elena to keep her safe. He'd also done some pretty horrible things to the people she loved, but it was only because of the love that was eating away at him. Elena knew that Damon had felt strong feelings for her, but she did everything she could to delay the agony that would occur on both of their parts. She thought that if she suppressed the feelings that she had for Damon, maybe he wouldn't have had to make her choose. Maybe he wouldn't have to hear her say it, like a broken record that had been playing in his head since 1864:

It has always been Stefan.

But maybe now she wouldn't have to make that choice. Elena wasn't much for religion, but she did believe that everything happened for a reason. According to the legend, whatever pair Mistletoe chose to visit had to fall in love by Christmas. Wouldn't that essentially eliminate the choice? Would Stefan be okay with it if he knew that it was out of her control?

No!

No, she was not going to allow herself to think like that. She picked up the dog, stared into her eyes, and said, "You are not going to be my scapegoat. I will not choose Damon because you force me to. We've found plenty of loopholes over the years. This will be my decision," Elena forcefully announced, more to herself than to the dog.

Elena put the dog on the ground, got up from her chair, and went downstairs to find Damon.

So that was the end of chapter four! What do you guys think so far? Good? Bad? Let me know how you feel in the form of a review, favorite, follow, or whatever it is you guys do! Thanks!

~You'veGotMeAndJesus