Ch.4

1 month later…

After her first night at the club, Elena had come to an alarming decision. She could find happiness here, and even though her heart still ached for Stefan, it had begun to fade. Coming to a solitary bench next to her favorite bridge, Elena found herself writing down the events that had transpired since her stay. Most of them heart felt and sad from the distance of her father, and the Salvatore's. She had come to this city to escape something she feared. What she hadn't realized was that it was fear of her life itself. Fear of it changing into something she couldn't foresee.

Elena smiled to herself remembering her first visit to the market. City vendors had lined up alone the roadside with fruits, cheeses, vegetables, and the finest baguettes she could ever imagine. She wanted to take part in the luscious food around her, but found she could not speak. Her self doubt had been prevalent at the time, due to her lack of the native tongue. Just then Marie, just a couple yards away had come to her aide. Waving and smiling they met up together, and continued down the street discussing how Elena was enjoying her stay in Paris.

"Oh its beautiful," she'd replied.

"I've noticed that you and Elijah have become close no?" she asked eagerly.

Elena blushed. She had noticed for quite sometime that Elijah had become attracted to her. She couldn't imagine why, but for some reason instead of getting taken in the moment, she had distanced herself. They still took walks, and enjoyed each other's company but for some unbeknownst reason, she could never forget Stefan. The hope she had in him clung to her.

"Yes, we have become close. He's very kind, makes me laugh, and I enjoy how he sees the world around him."

"Yet something is not right…you are holding back, no?" Declared Marie. She had guided them to a local café, and sat down. She smiled across the table at Elena, and ordered her a cappuccino while she waited for the full story.

"Yes, I'm still finding myself drawn to Stefan."

"Is this the man you've mentioned casually thirty or forty times in passing since you arrived?"

"Yes." Declared Elena, taking a generous sip of her cappuccino and awaiting the judgment she feared would come.

"Hmm I see, this man is your self fulfillment, an illusion to keep you're thoughts of others at bay. I know these kinds of men. After awhile you come to realize that the man himself is not what your mind has made him out to be. You find that the illusion is what you seek, not the man you thought you loved."

She took Elena's hand and held it, making her feel comforted for the first time since being in Paris.

Finally she let herself admit to Marie, what exactly she knew in her heart, "I like the illusion. It keeps me company."

Marie sighed and replied, "Take it from someone who knows Elena. I vied for one man's affections for what seemed a century, and you know what I realized? I needed to find myself. I took long walks, I drank coffee, and I wrote down non-sense in a journal. Then after awhile, I came to find that it was not non-sense. Elena, I found myself in Paris. You will too."

With that she stood, and with a final squeeze to Elena's hand and released it.

"Now it is within you my dear, to find your chapter. To start anew, and claim what you need to discover what's in your heart."

As Marie Rose walked away Elena found her heart hammering in her chest as she came to a new realization. She needed to know herself, and for the first time in a long while, she found the strength within herself to know she could.

2 months later…

Elena's self discovery over the past two weeks went by in a blur. She came to find that she saw Paris through rose-colored glasses. The city itself had transformed her heart and had given her a joyful gift. Every day she saw the beauty of the city around her. The lights, the music wafting in and out of streets, even the bridges surrounding the city seemed to hold her attention simply by existence. She took pleasure in finding herself getting lost down the winding streets of Paris. Always taking with her a camera, courtesy of Elijah, and a journal. Marie Rose had been right, she had needed time for her. With a little help from her new friends, and a new place she had come to find solace in being alone. Marie had also told her not to be ashamed of her loneliness, for it was only then when she could discover her own desires.

In fact, she came to find that loneliness had given her a freedom she had never known: A life of purpose and strength in her talents as well as her beauty. During the duration of her internship, she had received many tips from Elijah as well as a few models on set. One in particular, Katarina, a dark haired beauty, had given Elena a few tips on her lengthy locks. She explained that she needed to have pride in her natural beauty to maintain the fire within. At the time Elena had blushed and retreated, not wanting to believe that she could possibly possess any form of beauty herself.

However, days passed by and Katarina slowly began breaking down her defenses. Every day she would bring her something new, a hair barrette, a tube of mascara, some eyeliner to frame her eyes, and finally a curling iron to soften and perfect Elena's naturally frizzy curls. Lately, Elena came to find enhancing her features was fulfilling and she surprisingly found her confidence growing from within. At the moment she was dressing for shoots as well as the models. Along with makeup tips Katarina was big on fashion in Paris. Working for Vogue, had its perks of course and Elena was slowly becoming Katarina's new Barbie doll. Everyday she had her trying on a new ensemble. Today was a clinging plumb top with dark pants and high-heeled boots. Along with her shiny curls and smoky eye shadow, Elena was practically transformed. All that was left now were the dark framed glasses she kept on her face. Somewhere inside she had known they would eventually be replaced with contacts, but she could never find it in herself to do so. Her glasses had been her barrier for so long, keeping the world at a distance. As long as she had them, she was protected from the world around her.

Farther away in a not so unfamiliar town stood Stefan Salvatore in a black tuxedo. However dashing he may appear, he found his apparel was irrelevant to where he stood now in the Pediatrics' wing of Mystic Falls General. He let out a long breath looking across the way in the room before him.

Looking down at his Rolex he noticed it was now nine o'clock and the party would be over by now, dwindling down to oblivion. Stefan sighed as he remembered the night's events.

He had waited most of the night for Caroline to find the perfect dress to wear. Going through her wardrobe had been sexy and fun around six, although her on call duty beeper going off…not so much. He was reluctant to follow her to the hospital, knowing that the page had to mean an emergency of some kind, and he had never been very comfortable around problems he couldn't talk his way out of. Caroline had assured him it wouldn't take too long, and even arrived at the hospital wearing her eveningwear. Three hours later she was rushed into surgery, and had exchanged her floor-length gown for a pair of baby blue scrubs. Stefan held the items as he stayed waiting for her in the lobby, and contemplating why he was still there.

He knew of course, being with Caroline meant having these emergencies. He soon found himself questioning what it actually meant for him to be here. Past girls in his life would have easily been dismissed by now, but there was something about this girl that held his attention. She was sexy, beautiful, and so intelligent and witty in conversation. He found he was never bored around her, and she made him happy. Something he couldn't say he'd felt in quite sometime. Just the sight of her made him smile, and for the first time he wasn't counting the days until he got out. Just as he realized this, Caroline burst through the double wooden doors down the hall. Stefan took in her appearance, her white coat flying behind her, and her scrubs clinging to her curves. Before he knew it, he found himself falling in love.

"Hey," she said looking into Stefan's eyes with concern, "Thank you for waiting. I'm sorry we missed the party."

Stefan smiled and took her hand in his and gently kissing it and looking up into her eyes. "For you I'd wait forever." He said and before he knew it he was on one knee.

Caroline gasped looking into Stefan's green eyes. Her hair pulled back in messy curls on her head and her blue eyes wide in anticipation. His hand held hers and her breath caught in her throat.

"What are you doing?" she said, causing others around them to stop and gaze and what was happening in front of them.

"Caroline, I've never met a woman like you. You're beautiful, smart, and caring. You're everything I've always wanted. The kind of woman I always dreamed of marrying. Caroline Forbes, make me the happiest man in the world. Marry me."

As he kneeled there, he couldn't believe what was coming out of his mouth. Marriage? He had never even thought of marrying anyone. He had never wanted to, and now here he was on a dirty ER floor, asking for her hand, and waiting anxiously for her reply.

"Yes," was all she said and he swooped her up in his arms, spinning them around and kissing her lips while the room erupted in harmonious applause.