A/N: I won't continue this chapter where I left off, just so you know ;) Heh. Here comes some lovely SE! ;)

Enjoy.

Everyday since Elena had been here, she had wondered how the hell they survived here in this hot state. It was horrible, no matter how short Elena's pants were or if she wore tank tops, the heat was unbearable. And so she was sitting with a glass that was filled 50% ice tea and 50% ice cubes on the porch in the backyard and fanned herself, trying to blow some air into her face.

Stefan was watching her from the pool, smirking his ass off. It was one of the hottest days in weeks and he understood that Elena didn't have a bikini or whatever but she could still jump into the pool, or not? Woman were just weird. But no, she sat there and was sweating waterfalls. It was so amusing to him.

Elena threw her head back and closed her eyes, trying to think about something else, not the heat. She had already rolled her shirt up over her stomach, but it all wasn't helping. It wouldn't even get colder if she stripped herself to the naked butt.

She remembered how pale she had looked when she was still living in California, not because it wasn't sunny, but because she was always inside, but not here in Texas, no, she and Stefan were outside all damn day. He was brown like a toast too. Which looked pretty good on him, though. Elena had to admit that she appreciated him running around in nothing but his swimming shorts all day. The way his abs and other muscles flexed when he moved was divine. Elena caught herself starring many time, secretly hoping that Stefan hadn't seen her how she almost drooled after his fantastic body. Oh yeah, Stefan Salvatore was a catch.

Cold water drops landed on Elena's skin, running down into her belly button and ripping her out of her thoughts, suddenly. She screamed in shock and found Stefan standing over her, letting the water drop down onto her.

"You should join me in the pool!" he nodded, smirking as he made her scream and squirm.

But Elena just pushed at his cold chest, shaking her head as she brushed the remaining water off of her stomach. "Trying to get me naked again?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow up at him questioningly.

"I wouldn't.." he said, innocently as a little boy. "But you seem so hot." he grinned. "C'mon!"

"No." Elena laughed, laying back down and closing her eyes again. "You know, I don't have a.. Stefan!"

Her words got cut off as she was lifted into the air by two slippery, cold, wet arms, before she was thrown over Stefan's shoulder and he ran down the stairs of the porch, towards the pool. "No! No! No, Stefan! Please!" Elena struggled against him, laughing even though she was really in panic, but it was this funny kind of panic. "Stefan!" she shrieked as he jumped into the water.

She pulled as much air as possible into her lungs before her head went underwater.

The cold, blue water was clear as she opened her eyes, Stefan had let go of her body and she was struggling to find her own location. As much as she wanted to slap him right now, the water was refreshing and felt good. But she was soaked and he'd pay later for that. She promised that to herself.

Busting back to the air, she took a deep breath and found Stefan next to her, laughing loudly. This was clearly amusing to him. "Hey!" she splashed some water on him, making him choke.

But Stefan was faster than she thought and tackled her down into the water, both of them broke out into playful fighting and lots of water being splashed.

But they didn't know that they were being watched, and if looks could kill, Elena and Stefan would have drowned in the water. Because Katherine was glaring heatedly at them, watching them play in the pool.

She wasn't jealous or anything, but wasn't one of Elena's greatest fans either. How dare her come here and interrupt the small life they had here together with 4, not 5, people! Katherine huffed quietly, brushing her hand over Snowballs head as he was purring in her arms.

Katherine hadn't talked to Elena against since that idiot had run into her, and she hoped it would stay that way. She didn't want anything to do with the brunette.

"Cute, aren't they?" Lexi asked as she came up behind Katherine, smiling as she watched Stefan and Elena as well. "Was about time that he brought someone here, right?"

"Mhhmmpf.." Katherine shrugged, stepping around Lexi before walking out of the room and away.

Lexi rolled her eyes after her, shaking her head before looking back at the pool, she had to laugh herself as Elena pressed Stefan's head underwater, squealing as he shot back up and picked her up. Lexi quickly stepped outside and yelled over to them. "I've sandwiches if you want!" but they were too lost in each other to notice.

"Hey! Stefan! Sandwiches." Lexi called again, crossing her arms as she watched them amused. Maybe they just didn't wanna hear her, she thought to herself while frowning. "Stefan Salvatore!" Lexi yelled, finally catching his attention as he had Elena wrapped around his shoulders.

He grinned at Lexi, holding tightly onto a struggling Elena. "Huh?"

"Sandwiches, if you are hungry, in the kitchen." Lexi pointed through the window to the kitchen counter, smiling widely. "And there's ice cream in the freezer."

Elena dipped her hair to one side to look at Lexi as well as Stefan answered. "Yeah, we'll be out in a minute, I still have to give Elena a few splashed, she deserves them."

"Ah, yeah, alright you two." Lexi nodded, shuffling back into the house.

"Stefan nooo!" Elena whined, but they were already underwater again.

When Stefan was done with her he let her crawl back out of the pool, her clothes soaked and clinging to her skin, it was sight to see, he had to admit. She was a gorgeous human being with an amazing body and Stefan couldn't help it but stare as the wet fabric hugged her cleavage in all the right places, leaving almost nothing but the color of her skin to the imagination.

He swallowed quickly, fixing his gaze on her eyes as he smiled. "See, this wasn't too bad, eh?"

Elena coughed softly, shaking her head to get the wet hair which was clinging to her face out of her eyes as she shrugged a shoulder. "Not too bad, but mean, mister!" she huffed, pointing her index at him. "And now get us towels!"

Stefan did as he was told, wrapping her body up into a pink fluffy towel and his in a blue one before they went inside, both of they bodies and hair still dripping from the pool water. Stefan knew Lexi would kill him if he tip-toed through the house with wet feet again, but he couldn't care less.

"Here." Stefan handed Elena a sandwich and she hopped up onto the kitchen counter, biting into it before chewing happily. "Tastes good!" she said with food in her mouth, giggling quietly.

It was almost midnight and Stefan was laying on his bed, playing with Snowball as someone knocked ever so quietly on his door. "Stefan?" Elena whispered from the other side of the door and Stefan nodded. "Come in." he said quietly, stroking his hand over Snowball's belly repeatedly.

Elena opened the door as quietly as possible before stepping into the room. "Are you asleep already?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Does it look like I am?" Stefan laughed, waving her further into the room. "Why are you here? Couldn't sleep?"

"Nah, I wanted to talk." she answered, shrugging a shoulder softly as she stepped further into the room before dropping herself onto the bed. "You were right the other night, it's only fair to tell you more about me." She nodded, rolling onto her stomach on Stefan's bed and glancing nervously up at him.

"It would be nice, but you really don't have to say too much if you don't want to, Elena." he reassured her, setting a hand on Snowball's head to pet him there.

"Yeah, but I want to." Elena confirmed, nodding again as she reached out to touch the cat's tail, but she pulled immediately back as the animal hissed dangerously at her, pouting she looked up at Stefan. "He doesn't like me."

"He doesn't like anyone."

"He liked you."

"I bought him for Katherine." Stefan shrugged, cradling Snowball in his arms like a baby.

Elena had to admit that he looked incredibility cute with the cat in his arms. But she couldn't let herself change the topic again, it was time to get through with this. It wouldn't be fair to hide all of her life from Stefan when he had invited her into his home and let her live here for free with his friends, she didn't even have to pay the food and had tons of fun with them, this was better than a damn hotel.

"So?" Stefan asked, smiling down at her.

"I don't really know where to begin." Elena admitted, sitting up on the bed as she played with her own fingers in her lap, huffing quietly to herself as she frowned.

"Umm, why where you outside there in the desert?" Stefan begun.

"I ran away from home." Elena said quietly. "I just couldn't stay there anymore. I had screwed up and ruined other people's and my own life." she explained, leaning back in the bed. "I screwed up big time." she muttered, more to herself than to Stefan. And he set the cat aside and leaned in closer, furrowing his brows together in a worried frown. "You know, Elena. Most of the time when people, especially pretty girls like you, say that. They were the victim and something or someone screwed up their lives." Stefan said, placing his index finger under her chin to make her look up at him.

"Do you really think, whatever the reason for you running away was, was your fault?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow as Elena tried to avoided his eyes.

"It was my fault, no one else's. I wasn't careful enough and naive." she admitted quietly, a hint of sadness and regret in her voice. "But what I did then was even more stupid. I just left and made it even worse, and while I was on my way through California, I realized that I couldn't even go back and so I just wanted to get away as far as possible, that's where the Route 66 came into my head."

Stefan sighed. "You are a smart girl, I don't really believe that whatever happened to you, was really your fault." Stefan shook his head, taking both of Elena's arms and pulled her into a tight hug before he whispered. "But you're always welcome here, no matter what happened in your past, okay?"

Elena hugged him to him, cuddling herself into his embrace. It was the tiniest bit of love and comfort she had had in days and so she absorbed it all, inhaling Stefan's scent and melting into his warm body as she sniffled sadly.

"Don't you think your family will come after you?" Stefan asked quietly, holding the sad girl against his chest.

And suddenly he felt a little wet spot on his chest and another as Elena murmured a quiet "No." And that was when he knew that she was crying, and so he only tightened his arms around her dainty frame and locked her in his embrace, ready to stay awake all night to look after her. She was such a troubled mind but so lovely at the same time, Stefan wouldn't ever let go of her like this.

She continued sobbing into his shirt quietly while he was stroking her hair softly, just holding her as they both stayed silent. And he only fell asleep after she did. Her wet cheeks buried in his chest.

Elena awoke at the bright sunlight in the room, finding herself still wrapped up in Stefan's arms. His nose was resting right above her ear, blowing air against it with every breath he let out. Elena's eyes quickly caught the black spot of mascara in Stefan's shirt and she ran her fingers carefully over it.

"Morning." He whispered and she immediately regretted touching him.

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you up." she apologized quietly, feeling kind of embarrassed after yesterday night, her rush of feeling and the waterfall of tears she had dropped onto him.

"I was awake already." He mumbled sleepily and hugged Elena closer to him, cuddling her slightly to him. "How did you sleep?" he asked her, his eyes still closed while Elena was starring up at him.

"Umm.." she struggled with her words for a minute before settling comfortably into his embrace and relaxing a little. "Pretty good. I'm sor-"

But Stefan cut her off. "It's fine." he just stated and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead.

A/N: I know, I know. Elena didn't really explain what happened to her, but that wasn't my intention anyways. I mean, I still have to let you guys suffer a little before I tell you -everything-. Right? :DD

But it would still be nice if you left me a review and told me how you liked this chapter ;) Thanks for reading.

- L :*