Hello, everyone! It's been a LONG time, but with school and work, I haven't had ANY time to write. So hopefully now with school being done for the summer, I will have some free time. Thank you for all the reviews, they mean a lot. Keep letting me know what you think about the story and any suggestions are welcome. I don't own anything related to Vampire Diaries, so no credit is being taken. Without further ado, here is chapter three of my story.

...

Stefan and I walked the short distance to the lot and met Caroline outside her car. She was leaning against the hood of the car, head down, typing away on her phone. As she heard our footsteps approach, she smiled, "Hey Elena. What was with-"she stopped mid-sentence when she glanced up and met my eyes as well as Stefan's, "Okay, what is going on?" She directed the question toward me, but I heard Stefan's soft voice reply.

"Hey Caroline," He gave her a quick grin, "I know this is insane, me being here after so long. Trust me, I never expected to hear Elena's name during roll call." His eyes met mine and I smiled, encouraging him. "Elena invited me along with you guys today. If that's too much, I completely understand." He held Caroline's gaze for what seemed like a full minute, "Okay, I will just be going then. Elena, Caroline," He tipped his head at each of us in recognition, "It was really good seeing you both." At that, he turned on his heel and began to walk away.

I shot Caroline a pleading look and she sighed, "Stefan, wait." I watched as he stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around. Caroline made her way over to Stefan. I decided to stay put, and waited for whatever was going to happen next. I watched as they exchanged a few words, watching as Caroline seemed to spout off all of her held in anger towards Stefan and what he did to me, to all of us. I was surprised as Stefan just stood there, head slightly bowed to the ground and nodding every so often. My eye brows shot up in surprise as both Stefan and Caroline turned and headed back toward Caroline's waiting car. I looked at Caroline questioningly but she just shrugged her shoulder and unlocked her car. After she was seated in the driver's seat, I turned my head to Stefan, but he just smiled a small smile and reached out to open the back passenger side door. With both vampires seated in the car, I put my hand on the door handle and took a deep breath, 'here we go,' I thought to myself as I opened the passenger side door and situated myself in the front seat of Caroline's car.

The normal thirty minute drive back to Mystic Falls seemed like it took barely half the time. I was incredibly nervous and the quick glances Caroline shot at me, and then through the rear view mirror weren't helping. Finally, after what seemed like a dozen of those very same glances, I sighed, "Okay Caroline. I know you're dying to say something, what is it?"

I watched as she shot another glance through the mirror, back at Stefan and then a short one at me, "I was just wondering how this was going to work. I mean, we all know Damon will not take this well. No offense Stefan, but you really screwed him up by leaving. He's just now starting to get back to normal."

I turned slightly in my seat so I was facing Caroline, but could also see Stefan in the back seat. I watched as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and intervened. "What Caroline means is that everyone, Damon included, was just so lost when you left."

"And pissed," Caroline added with her eyes on the road.

I gave Caroline a slight grin and nodded turning back to Stefan, "And pissed. Really, really pissed," I emphasized while looking into his eyes. He seemed to get the point, so I continued. "Damon. Well, he kind of went off the deep end. He became obsessed with finding you. All he wanted to do was make me happy and protect me. So he looked and looked day after day for you. Weeks would go by without any of us hearing from him." I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. I opened them when I felt a cold hand reach out to rest on my own. I smiled up at Caroline, knowing that she was encouraging me to go on with my story. I took another long, deep breath and continued, "Then one day, he knocked on my front door. He said he had big news and that it was really important. He told me that he had a lead on where you were and he was leaving that night to check it out. He would have gone in a heartbeat, but I told him I didn't want him to." I closed my eyes and this time felt a much larger hand on my own, and when I looked up, my eyes met Stefan's and I blinked back the tears forming, "I told him not to go. I was so mad at you, Stefan, so so mad. And I couldn't bear the thought of losing Damon, too. After that day, he never looked again," I finished.

Elena watched as Stefan seemed to process what she had told him. Caroline continued to shoot glances in the mirror while otherwise keeping her eyes on the road. Stefan took a deep breath and looked up at Elena, "You guys went on living, that all I wanted you to do. I always thought of you, Elena. Of everyone. I wanted to come home, I did, I just couldn't. Not after everything I had done to all of you," he took another deep breath and threw a small smile my way, "but just like you said once, we always find our way back to one another somehow."

My eyes grew wide as I heard Caroline mutter, "Oh, God."

I took a deep breath and met Stefan's eyes, "Stefan. So much has happened since you've been gone. A lot has changed. When you left, I was devastated. Heartbroken. It took a really long time for me to open up to anyone, even Care or Bonnie."

Stefan nodded, "I'm so sorry 'Lena. I know I hurt you, but we've always been able to work things out. We know each other better than anyone else in the world, surely-"

I cut him off, "Stefan, I'm with Matt now," his eyes grew wide and I could just faintly see movement under his eyes. The car came to a stop in front of the Salvatore mansion and I quickly unfastened my seat belt and reached for the handle. Before exiting the car I stopped, "Stay here? Both of you, just for a few minutes? Let me tell Damon what's going on, try to feel him out. I'll come and get you when he's ready?" I looked at Stefan and then Caroline who nodded.

I closed the passenger door and jogged up to the front door of the house. Before entering, I paused to take a much needed, deep breath and I pushed the door open. I was met with bright blue eyes staring back at me. I looked up at Damon who stood in the entrance way with his arms crossed and an angry look in his eyes. Before he could say anything I started, "Damon, he-"

But he was out the front door heading straight for Caroline's car.