AN: Again- sorry for the late update. I really don't have much time anymore and I'm sorry! Sending hate emails really isn't going to get me to update any faster- so please stop!
I hope you all enjoy this chapter and take the time to review :) xx

Once again, just like the time they watched The Hunger Games, everybody had fallen asleep in front of the TV. Elijah and Damon had rested their heads on the back of the sofa and their mouths were slightly open. Elena was curled into Stefan's side. Her head was on his shoulder and her right arm was slung across his waist. Her left arm was tucked between her chest and Stefan's side. Stefan's head was gently resting on Elena's head. Out of the four of them, they looked the most comfortable. Damon was the first to wake up. 7:02PM. 'Perfect timing', he thought to himself. As he stood up from the sofa, he couldn't help but smile when he saw how Stefan and Elena were positioned. If a stranger was to walk into the house right now, they would probably think that they have been dating for quite a while given how comfortable they already were with each other. Damon shook his head when he thought that they actually got together only yesterday- well this morning to be more official. He took his phone out and took a snapshot of the two. He wanted to have a picture to bring with him back in Switzerland. He wanted to make sure that what was happening was real and not just a dream- his best friend and baby brother had finally found their way to each other. The picture would remind him that he was right to never give up on them no matter how many times Elena had been an emotional wreck! Finally, Damon didn't want to bring back a picture of the two of them posing and smiling for the camera, no. He wanted one where neither knew that the picture was being taken, one that would show how it really is between them. Damon headed to the kitchen and opened the fridge to see what he could start cooking for dinner that night. There was 5 of them, including Jeremy and he was starving- Damon wanted something good!

Elijah eventually got up as well and joined the elder Salvatore in the kitchen.

"Stefan and Elena are full-out couply today", Elijah said as he entered the room. Damon closed the fridge and smirked.

"Give them a chance", Damon answered laughing.

"I think it's adorable, given everything they went through to get to where they are today. I'm also glad they can act like that around us. They trust us enough."

"What do you mean?" questioned Damon.

"Well, they're obviously not going to be super public about their relationship right now. Especially not in front of Caroline. He barely got out of a relationship with her and now he's with Elena. Caroline is going to be crushed and then go mental when she finds out. I mean you know how she can get. Then there's also the fact that Stefan is leaving a couple of weeks after you, meaning that Elena will be in Mystic Falls for a bit. Single or taken?" explained Elijah.

"No. no," Damon answered while shaking his head. "First off, Stefan is leaving a couple of days after Elena. He pushed his ticket back. Don't tell her that, Stefan wants to surprise her. He wanted to maximise his time with Elena, whether they were a couple or not. And secondly, I refuse to believe that they'll break up. It can't. I won't allow it. I don't want to see either Elena or Stefan crippled in pain. Elena has been through enough of that to last her a life time. I won't allow it to happen again!" he continued determined.

"Alright, calm down... No need to get all worked up about this," said Elijah trying to calm Damon down from his almost angry monologue.

"Sorry. It's just that I don't want to see her get hurt. Or him. But Elena's face when she's in pain is unbearable. I mean, you must have witnessed it since you practically live with her. Speaking of pain, I need to get Elena to the hospital for her hand. I wouldn't be surprised if she would need stitches."

"It wasn't that bad of a cut D."

"I'll take her anyways. Rather safe than sorry right ?"

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Elena had woken up not long after Elijah but she was too comfortable to move. She liked the feeling of Stefan's arm around her shoulders keeping her safe. She lifted her head slightly without realising that Stefan's head was on top of her's. As soon as she moved, his head fell on the back of the sofa and a small smile creeped unto his lips.

"You're staring," he simply commented without opening his eyes.

"Mh-hmm," Elena answered. She couldn't deny that she was more or less swooning at the Greek God sitting right next to her. Without any warning, Stefan grabbed Elena's waist and attacked her neck with kisses. She giggled out loud and started screaming a little when he tickled her. She fell on her back onto the couch and Stefan hovered over her still ticking her waist and kissing her neck.

"Stefan! Stefan, stop!" she yelled between two breaths. "Can't. Breathe. Stop!" she continued begging while laughing hysterically. He then suddenly stopped and looker at her. His deep mossy green eyes meeting her endless chocolate brown ones and pure love could be seen in both pair of eyes.

"Alright, alright. I'm done... For now," he gently said in a husky voice that made Elena's inside melt. He leaned forward and kissed her straight on the lips. Her arms which were on his biceps trying to prevent him from tickling her earlier made their way around his neck bringing him closer. He held most of his weight on his elbows as to not crush her but she didn't seem to mind when one of his arms circled her back pushing her body closer to his while deepening the kiss at the same time. Elena started tangling her hands in Stefan's hair while he tightened his hold around her waist. By now, more or less all of his weight was on her, but she sure wasn't complaining.

"Woah! Yeah, Elijah wasn't kidding when he said that it got disturbing watching you two!" Damon said as he caught them in their full-out making out session. As soon as the couple heard Damon's voice, they turned their attention to him. Elena turned bright red and hid her face in Stefan's chest. Damon chuckled a little bit at her reaction while arching an eyebrow at his brother.

"It wasn't going to go any further than this," Stefan answered Damon's silent question. Again, Damon chuckled.

"No judgement is being done," he said as he raised his hands, palms up, to his shoulders in a defensive manner with an upside down smile on his face. "It's just good too see you guys happy with each other. Although yes, very awkward. No more of that when I'm around please!"

Elena, who was still hiding her face in Stefan's shirt, laughed out loud upon hearing that. She didn't exactly know why she was laughing, nervous maybe ?! Stefan who was still hovering over her chuckled lightly while Damon shook his head with a smile on his lips.

'Lena, I need to get you to the doctor for your cut. I know it's probably not that big of a deal, but I don't want it to get infected, especially since we're going out tonight!" informed Damon. With that said, he left the couple and headed back to the kitchen.

Elena and Stefan laughed a little before he gave her one quick peck on the lips and then getting up to help in the kitchen. Elena was about to hold a knife to chop the tomatoes that Elijah had just taken out of the fridge when she heard Damon said: "Nope! You, me, hospital. Now! I also need to buy more food. No ways is there enough food for all of us !"

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(AN: Imagine the nurse as Doctor Bailey from Grey's Anatomy)

"I knew you would have to get stitches for that cut," Damon exclaimed almost victoriously.

"Didn't know that would get you to be so happy," Elena said and winced slightly in pain.

"Sorry, Elijah and I were talking about it earlier and he was pretty convinced that the cut wasn't that deep."

"It sure is one hell of a cut," the nurse intervened, making both Damon and Elena laugh.

"So, Elena, how does it feel to finally be with Stefan?" he asked suddenly changing the conversation.

"Perfect. I know it really hasn't been long at all since we got together, but it just feel so natural," Elena answered unable to wipe the grin away from the face.

"Salvatore? Stefan Salvatore, your brother?" asked the nurse to Damon. "He sure is a hottie."

"Umm, what?" asked Damon.

"I'm just saying... I remember when he came in here after he broke his arm a few years ago. I was more than happy to take care of him- such a loving man! You girl, you better keep him," the nurse directed her last part to Elena. She couldn't help but laugh out loud. Here she was sitting on a hospital chair while the nurse stitching her hand was gushing over her boyfriend. The nurse was probably married and had a family of her own which made Elena totally comfortable with what she was saying.

"After everything they've been through, yeah, she better keep him alright," answered Damon. What was it about nurses that automatically made you want to open up to them? Was it because they were healing you, or was it because you just get one of those vibes from them? Whatever it was, Elena and Damon just kept on talking to her.

"You even waited for him? You go girl!" the nurse encouraged while finishing her stitches.

"Yeah, something along those lines," answered Elena amused.

"Well, you're all set to go. When you see Stefan, tell him Doctor Bailey says hi."

"Thank you. I promise I will pass on the message to Stefan. You have a good night," Elena answered and made her way out of the room. Damon nodded his thanks and followed Elena.

"Alright, let's get food and then get back home!"

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Meanwhile at the Salvatore boarding house, Elijah and Stefan were having more or less the same conversation.

"Thank you for being yourselves around Damon and I," Elijah started off.

"What do you mean?" asked Stefan. He was just as confused as his older brother when Elijah had made the same comment.

"You were discrete at the camping house this morning. You obviously don't want the public to know about you guys yet and I completely understand. It's just that I think it's nice that you can be like a couple with us in the house."

"Elena is your best friend and Damon is my brother and Elena's best friend as well, so I don't think it's fair to hide anything from you. I also know that I put Elena through a lot and she relied a lot on you guys. I'm sorry for that. Also the fact that neither of you gave up on us is what kept me hoping that maybe, just maybe, Elena hadn't given up on me."

"You're a good guy Stef... You're a good guy, although I could have killed you when Elena told me you got with Caroline!" he said and his anger almost rose again from the memory.

"Yeah, that was really messed up. I don't know what I was thinking! Was I even thinking ?"

Before Elijah could answer, the front door opened and Jeremy walked in. Elijah and Stefan were so immersed into their conversation that they didn't even hear his car drive in.

"Hey guys, how was the trip?" the young Gilbert asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Better for some than others," answered Elijah on the spot and it made Stefan laugh out loud.

Before Jeremy had a chance to question his curiosity, the front door opened once again, "We're back!" came Damon's voice. They both made their way to the kitchen and as soon as they entered, Elena jumped into Stefan's arms and hugged him tightly, oblivious to Jeremy's presence.

"Huh- now I understand," Jeremy said with a smile on his face.

The minute Elena heard her brother's voice she immediately let go of Stefan and turned around faster than lightning. "Shit, Jeremy!"

"Elena, chill, it's only me. Calm down," he answered cooly. The other three guys laughed while Elena just shook her head. Stefan took hold of her hand and examined the stitches.

"Quite the cut huh?" he asked before gently kissing it.

"Yeah. By the way, you've got quite a big fan in the hospital. Does Doctor Bailey ring a bell because she says hi!?" At the mention of her name, a smile broke across Stefan's face.

"That was one tough woman- didn't take shit from anybody!"

All five of them fell into an easy conversation after that. There was occasional hand holding from Stefan and Elena's part but nothing like what had happend on the couch earlier that afternoon. As dinner ended, Damon got the drinks out while Jeremy started saying goodbye to everyone. Elena begged him more than once to stay over, but he kept on refusing saying that he was absolutely dead tired. They all started off with a beer in the living room. Easy does it right ?
An hour passed by and eventually a second one as well. They were all feeling the buzz of the alcohol by now and decided to walk to "Dance Forever" since it really wasn't that far. As they got in, Damon ordered a round of shots for everyone. Tequila. Elena was half squinting by the time she was biting into her lemon to chase away the taste. She absolutely hated tequila shots. The music picked up quite a bit and all four of them made their way to the floror. Stefan held Elena close, his hands placed on her upper back while her arms were on his shoulders. Their foreheads were pressed against each others, both enjoying the moment. Their first outing as a couple.

No one however, saw Caroline enter the club just an hour after them.