As days went by, and then turned into weeks and months, Elena thought less and less about the Kitsune ball up in the Salvatore attic.

It was a gradual forgetting, as she never seemed to have time alone. She locked it somewhere deep within her brain,where she had locked all the other things which had once given her a sense of adventurousness, or naive curiosity. Maybe she had done so on purpose, telling herself "Ignorance is Bliss".

Or maybe it was out of fear. The Guardians had turned back time in Fells Church,so what was a forgotten Kitsune ball doing here anyway? As far as she was concerned the Kitsunes had ruined her life, and she wished she had never met one, or knew of their existence.

Dalena was keeping her busy, which she was glad for,as it kept her mind off the looming wedding she chose not to think about. She however was thinking about it now, though reluctantly. When she had been a girl, she had dreamt of this day. How she would be surrounded by her friends, with six bridesmaids and bridegrooms. Her little sister would be a flower girl, and it would be an outdoor wedding, with Lily petals lining the way. Her dad would kiss her on her check with a sniffle and tell her how beautiful she was, and hand her over to the groom.

She felt a tear silently slide down her cheek,which she used the back of her hand to wipe away.

That was all gone now. Now she just wanted a small ceremony, with only Bonnie, and Jenna.

Mat would be one of the witnesses, and Bonnie the other, and Jenna would hand her over.

How ironic, she thought to herself. She didn't want anyone else there, besides her Angel.

Actually she would of been fine with a quick trip to Vegas but Stefan said "no".

He kept trying to make a big deal out of everything, and didn't understand, she truly didn't want anything bigger.

She had gone that day with Bonnie and picked out a form fitting white dress, with a sweetheart neckline. It was only seventy-five dollars,and then found herself spending the next two hours watching Bonnie try on dresses. Somewhere between the seventh and tenth dress Bonnie tried on Elena found herself daydreaming. She was imagining what her dress would of looked liked if Mrs. Elma had made it. Part of her really missed her, as if she had somehow become part of Elena's family.

"Excuse me, are you not listening to a word I'm saying? What do you think about this one,I thought the

Peach would look nice along side Stefan's blue suit. Well I mean his and Mat's too. You know..in the wedding pictures?"

" Yeah, that's great Bonnie,I'm sure you will look great." Elena added to herself..."with your Three hundred and fifty dollar flowing gown, they probably won't even know I'm there." Which oddly was fine with her. She just wanted it over with.

"Elena, why are you even getting married if you are going to be such a bitch about it. Stefan deserves More than that."

Elena knew what she meant. She meant, "better than that". She was right, Elena thought to herself.

Bonnie had made herself a permanent fixture in their lives. Elena knew she should be more grateful. After all, Dalena loved Bonnie. Maybe that was part of the problem. Sometimes Elena felt like she was the guest. On the other hand Bonnie also spent a lot of time with Stefan, which helped get her out of a lot of awkward silences, between her and him. Bonnie kept him occupied.

Bonnie seemed to know, and come into the room, every time time Stefan was trying to have one of his talks with her.

"I know Bonnie, it's just ...you know, wedding jitters I think."

"Oh please, you've been in love with this guy for years. You literally went to hell and back for him. You got what you wanted, so be happy, before something comes and swipes It all away. The guy is head over heels for you, you've got a vampire wrapped around your finger, and now you have jitters? You crack me up Elena, never knowing what you want until it's to late."

"What's that suppose to mean?"Elena was feeling the heat inside her starting to rise up.

"You know exactly what it means."Bonnie answered.

" I need to get home to Dalena, I'll catch a cab and see you later" Without another word, Elena was out the door.

The whole ride back she brooded. Bonnie has some nerve bring him up at a time like this, even if she was right, maybe that's why it hit a nerve so easily. She was getting married tomorrow. Why did it feel like something to check off a list? Dalena loved Stefan and she did too, that is all that really matters.

She found herself repeating that mantra over and over in her head.

That night Stefan crawled into the bed and wrapped his arms around her.

" What's wrong Love?"

"Nothing" she answered and snuggled closer. He lifted her chin and kissed her gently. It was a sweet caring kiss, but Elena could feel when it started to change from being innocent. She hated these nights.

Stefan's hand dropped down to her butt and he started pulling her inward so she was pressed full length against his body, and she could feel how much he wanted her. Elena squirmed a bit trying to break the embrace and kiss.

" It's okay Love, we are getting married tomorrow, we aren't doing anything shameful. Just two people expressing their love."

"Stefan, no, I'm not ready."

" What do you mean you aren't ready, it's only one night early? I've been really really patient haven't I?

I have needs too Elena, and you'll enjoy it, I promise." When he didn't feel her soften in his arms, but instead remain rigid with her arms outstretched against his chest, as if to push him away, He continued. "It's not like you haven't done it before, I mean, for heaven's sake, you had my brother Damon's baby."

Elena flinched, he had finally mentioned the elephant in the room, which they had never before spoken about. At the same point she also somehow felt offended.

"So what, just because I'm not a virgin means I should no longer wait till our wedding night?" She was becoming flustered and upset, and knew she wasn't being rational. Then she just blurted out "It's Bad luck, you shouldn't even be in here, haven't we had enough things go wrong, you want to take the chance of ruining our wedding too, just because you can't wait one more night!" She quickly rose from the bed making her quick escape into the nursery to sleep, and luckily he didn't follow.

It had been another close call, another lame excuse. What would she say tomorrow night,when there would be no more she could give? Elena didn't really know why she didn't want to sleep with Stefan.

First she had gotten out of it due to the recent birth, then it was the trauma of her experience, and lastly, wanting to wait till they were married and do it right. The truth of the matter was, she just didn't want to. She had begun believing her own lies and excuses. She thought she just needed more time to get over what happened with Markus. However in the end she had thoroughly enjoyed herself in Markus's bed, and still dreamt about it some nights. That is when she wasn't busy dreaming about a thick fog and hearing Damon's voice asking her why she left, and searching endlessly in the fog to no avail. Those nights were the worst!

She peered down over the railing of the crib to see her Angel sleeping so peacefully that she wished she could see inside her head. She had already gotten her first tooth, and last week had sat up on her own for the first time. A week before that she had crawled, and now there was no stopping her. Yet she had the disposition of a genuinely, happy, peaceful baby, she was angelic like,and ever once in a while it seemed like a light shone from her. Elena figured all mother's thought that about their babies. Sometimes, Elena was just in awe of Dalena's beauty. She wished Damon could of seen her, as she was absolutely sure it would of been love at first sight, and that this Angel could of and would of wrapped Mr. Salvatore around her little finger, and made a puppet out of him. If only. With that Elena fell into a peaceful sleep.