Dear Diary,

The truth is that I'm still worried, worried for Jenna's safety and wellbeing, I don't want her to know about the night world and to know that the 'things that go bump in the night' really do exist, in a way I feel like her parent and she's my child, gosh I am so worried! Even Stefan's arms and kisses don't soothe me, do I need therapy?

Elena closed her diary there, she felt she really did need therapy, and that she was going to go prematurely grey from all this stress, she needed to take her mind off this. Stefan had left earlier to go hunting so she was alone. She crawled out of bed and into the bathroom. She turned on the shower, stripped out of her pyjamas and stepped under the hot water; letting it cleanse her, mind body and soul.

It was the Twenty-Third of December, the day before Christmas eve and she still hadn't gotten Stefan, Damon or anyone a present yet or made plans for Christmas lunch. She was assuming Jenna would throw something, she decided she would call after she got out of the shower just to make sure. Then she would go Christmas shopping. That, she decided would be her therapy, retail therapy, what every girl needed now and then. Elena left Stefan a note to say where she was heading and not to worry, then drove to the mall.

The stores and all the people and the noise was somehow soothing for Elena, and soon enough her worries about Jenna and vampires were at the back of her mind and replacing those worries were more worries, but of a different kind; she had no idea what to get for Stefan and Damon.

She had to get her boyfriend something perfect that would say 'I love you' but something that would be practical and that he would use everyday…she had it! She would frame a photo of them together and buy him a new journal too; he had filled up his last one that had been from 1864, so she decided to go to a second hand bookstore. She knew a place that held antique books and other antiques as well; it was one of Stefan's favourite stores in the mall.

She browsed the shelves and all the titles, most of them written in gold on leather bound covers, but one word stood out to her; vampires. She picked it up, it was a novelty book called 'Grammar for Vampires', obviously written for the vampire crazy teens in today's society she thought, and it made her smile, she had to get it for Damon; his grammar was atrocious! Ok, one gift down, next, to find something for Stefan, and Jeremy she realised, she could buy Jeremy a new sketch pad, or an easel, the latter sounded pretty good she thought.

After more browsing in the antique book dealer she found what she was looking for; a leather-bound, blank paged journal that just screamed Stefan to her. She payed for the items and went to the next store in her mental list; the art supply shop. She picked up an easel and some new pencils and charcoal for Jeremy.

Still puzzled about what to get for Jenna, she walked past a shoe store and remembered that Jenna had wanted a new pair of heels, to wear on a date with Alaric Saltzman, she added mentally with a smile and walked into the store and found a fire engine red pair; every girl should have a good pair of red shoes in her closet.

As she was walking out she remembered Anna, what would she buy for Anna? She was now a part of their family and was like a sister to her, she couldn't leave her out. While walking past a CD store she remembered Anna loved music, but Elena couldn't remember what bands she listened to, so she just bought a $50 gift card, there, Elena said to herself, Christmas shopping complete.

Before leaving the mall she picked up some gift wrap because she remembered they had run out, and she also bought some takeaway Thai food for lunch, Damon loved it. She went home to her house and hid the gifts in her room for wrapping later and took the thai food down to the kitchen for re-heating and serving, and found Jenna sitting waiting for her, an unhappy expression across her face, and her arms were crossed, not good, she thought.

"Elena we need to talk" she said sternly.

"What's wrong Aunt Jenna?" Elena set the food bag on the counter and sat down on the stool. Then Jenna dropped the bomb.

"Did you know Jeremy and Anna are vampires?"