chapter 20: Party time

"It's over"

Caroline exclaimed and following the promise she made to herself she jumped straight into Stefan's arms and started kissing him like there's no tomorrow not giving a damn about Elena who was simply staring at them with wide only caring about how Stefan tightened his arms around her and was kissing her hungrily back.

"hi, I'm riley"

"Elena, nice to meet you"

Elena gave the newcomer the once over.

'Hott! Maybe lying off the Salvatore brothers isn't such a bad idea...'

she thought and kept her hand in his intertwining their fingers smiling softly. Tyler was confused but his wound had somehow closed and healed with the vampire's death and frankly he felt better than good.

Stefan pulled back smiling brightly when he saw Elena over Caroline's shoulder looking at him. He walked up to her ready to receive a hard slap only to be hugged.

"thank you"

"I couldn't let him kill you"

"or Caroline"

"or Caroline"

"how long"

"never. I swear"

"how long have you had feelings for her Stefan?"

she asked in a gentle voice.

"From the beginning I think, when she mocked killing small animals for food. I just figured it out now"

"Stupid 162 year old vampire"

she shook her head, walked up to Caroline who even though had heard everything was afraid of Elena slapping her and she had a beauty contest to go to. Elena simply hugged her and 'advised' her not to hurt him.

"riley what are you doing here?"

"I owed your girlfriend one"

riley answered Tyler and winked. everyone piled back in Lexi's car and headed to the founder's hall where they dropped off the girls and they guys went to the Salvatore house to get ready. Damon met them there along with the remains of Katherine. She had tried to make a run for it as soon as Klaus was dead and his compulsion on her was over. Damon got her and simply killed and burned her.

'Thankfully Alaric's place has a rather large fireplace' Damon thought sarcastically

Meanwhile back at the Founder's Hall

Bella and Lexi had arrived together as soon as the sun went down and were met with Amber and Joy. Talking with them helped to take their minds off of the battle that was happening.

Less than half an hour before the pageant would take place all the guests had arrived and were rnjoying their drinks with missing half the contestants. Caroline and Elena ran in with bonnie on their heels and after a series of hugs still high on the relief they were all alive and that the threat was gone just like that, the four girls each with their own companion got ready for the blasted party and met up at the top of the stairs.

Amber was first to be presented in a long vibrant yellow dress with a long slit on her let leg and was met by her boyfriend at the bottom of the stairs.

Next was Caroline in her green dress and was met with her friend Matt that had been kindly stripped off his vervain and was compelled to forget all about Caroline being a vampire and had also accepted the breakup by demon who was more than pleased to compel sheriff Forbes in knowing and accepting the vampirism nature of her daughter. Would be handier in the long run.

Elena was next in a long simple midnight blue dress met by Stefan and last but not least was Bella in a long silvery dress being met by Tyler. The couples did the customary dance, attended the party and promptly rolled their eyes when Caroline was named Miss Mystic Falls and was excited as if she didn't expect it. Caroline had chosen a green dress and lastly Bella had changed into her flowy off white/silverish dress.

Hours later the four couples lounged together by the river talking about the events of the day.

"Can someone come back to earth and pick me up 'cause I'm totally confused? What the heck is going on with the couples here?"

"This whole sacrifice thing with Klaus made me see i wasn't actually in love with Stefan but it was more of a convenience relationship so..."

"and you're in Riley's lap because you're warm? I've been in a cold one's lap and it can get cold"

Bella hinted to Elena causing her to flush crimson

"I'm just taking it one day at a time now"

Elena excused but the way Riley's arms enveloped Elena and she made herself comfortable made Bella think that there was gonna be one more cold one around soon.

"i had a thing for Stefan when he took care of me when I first changed so when faced with mortality and him pleading to spare me made me decide to go for it"

Caroline explained and Lexi finished

"well little bell..."

"don't call me that Lexi or I'll start calling you Lex and we both know how much you hate superman"

Lexi stuck her tongue out and kept talking

"Like I told you, I broke up with Lee and decided to see what's going on with mr. Arrogant here"

"yeah and since Katherine is dead I thought you may like this"

Damon presented Lexi with Katherine's lapis lazuli bracelet who promptly kissed him senseless and then Damon threw a lapis lazuli cameo pendant to Riley's hand.

"that was Katherine's too, maybe it can help"

"It's for a woman"

"it's what we have"

"true maybe it can cover your disco ball skin Riley"

Bella ended the quarrel effectively and nested more comfortable in Tyler's arms letting her mind go over the events of this year. Moving to Forks, meeting Edward, searching out what he was and confronting him with it, them dating, meeting James, getting bitten and then dumped. Charlie having enough of it and sending her away, the plane breaking down. Meeting Lexi. Meeting Stefan and Damon, being attacked and found by Tyler. and now being happy in a group of friends all from different species including a cold one.

She really should send a thank you gift to Edward for being so self centered as to leave her when things got bad.

THE END