"But I can't leave my job Stefan. What about Caroline? What about money for the apartment and to live on? I'm barely affording my rent as it is and I need to work overtime just to pay my bills." I start spitting out so many questions off the top of my head that I am clearly panicking. I can't do this. I can't quit my job. "It's not that simple Stefan. I've worked hard to get to where I am now. I'm not going to jeopardise that just because you have told me to."

He just smiled at me. "But it is that simple Elena. You can leave your job and go freelance. You can write about anything you want then. You have the contacts. You just need the stories." I relax trying to process all of this. It was not a bad idea. But I would technically be starting at the bottom again if I went freelance. I would have to work for a company of some sort just to keep myself afloat. I could probably make enough there to cover everything since people are practically begging me to interview their client while I am a hot topic in the press myself.

"I could do that." I start to suggest "It would be a better pace but I would be starting at the beginning Stefan. Where would my publications go to? I need to stay where I am for work. I can put up with all of this. It will blow over eventually."

"As long as you are sure." Stefan said to me holding my hand while stroking his thumb on top of my hand. It was something to look at but it just wasn't practical. If Stefan could get used to being in the spot light so can I.

As soon as I had changed at my apartment Stefan and I made our way to Stefan's place. Nerves started to settle in. Stefan and I have been a thing (or whatever we are) for only two weeks now, so of course I'm still nervous about meeting his friends and family. I'm always socially awkward and say the wrong thing and deeply offend people - foot-in-mouth disease I call it- and I have it bad when I am not at work. Taking deep breathes to calm myself down, Stefan tightens his grip on my hand he is holding.

"Don't worry they are going to love you. Damon has a key to my house so everyone is here already so you have nothing to worry about." He says not particularly reassuringly to me, but I like the sentiment. Not letting go of his hand, we walk into his house to hear loud rock music playing in the kitchen and loud conversations.

Walking into the kitchen I see three faces snap to our direction and the conversation holts to greet us all. Stefan introduces me to everyone in turn. I'm first greeted by a tall, dark chiselled faced all dressed in black.

"I'm Damon. Stefan's brother. I'm glad I'm finally meet the girl Stefan has been talking about all of this time." He says shaking my hand a little too roughly for my taste.

Stefan moves me around the room to shake hands with another tall older looking guy with stubble. "This is Alaric. He's an old friend of mine who I work with and if you want any juicy gossip you go to him." Stefan jokes.

"Actually it's me you go to for the juicy gossip. I know much more than Stefan thinks." A blonde haired girl interjects hugging Stefan and then hugging me. "I'm sorry where are my manners. I'm Lexi."

"Lexi is one of my oldest female friends." Stefan explains. "Whatever she says about me tonight is not true. Don't believe a single word." He jokes pointing at her making everyone laugh.

"What me? No never. I would never let out anything that wasn't the truth. Don't worry Stefan your secrets are safe with me." Stefan walked around us to get us both a drink.

"I know a lot of things that Stefan thinks I don't. But I am an excellent secret keeper I mean Elena will never have to find out that you peed into the Trevi fountain while drunk one night when we were on holiday in Italy with your parents." A large cheeky grin covered her face and Stefan's face had turned to shock as he returned with our drinks while we were all bursting out laughing.

"Oh are we telling secrets now? So Lexi, you are not the one who flashed at a japanese couple taking a picture on their phones while drunk outside Big Ben?." Both Lexi and Stefan continue with this banter telling story after story about each other knowing full well that if anyone interjects they will get the same treatment. I was getting some real horror stories about Stefan as a child and it was hilarious. I knew that I would end up using at least one or two of those stories later in life. About twenty minutes later there was a knock at the door. Stefan went to open the door and was met with Caroline and Matt. Both of them walked into the kitchen and they looked a little flustered. I gave Caroline a hug and an all-knowing 'I know what you guys did' look. All she did was grin and nod her head to confirm my thought. Matt must be great otherwise she would not have that smile on her face right now. Stefan introduced everyone and they joined us for some more banter.

After a while general chatter ensues and we all sit down for our makeshift barbecue since Damon pointed out that it had started to pour it down about an hour ago. The food was delicious! I was expecting charcoal flavoured meat but instead it was nicely cooked. At the dining table I sat next to Stefan, Caroline and Matt opposite us, Alaric next to me, Lexi next to Stefan and Damon next to Matt. It was a nice little set up.

While we were tucking into our food, Damon decided to change the conversation. "So Elena. How did you and my brother meet? He wasn't quick on divulging the details."

"I interviewed him for an article I was writing for my work."

He nodded in acknowledgement "Anything I would know?"

"'The Daily Journal?'" I asked. Damon just smiled and picked up a newspaper showing in bright bold letter 'The Daily Journal'. I laugh in acknowledgement.

"So you're the one putting my brother in the paper every week?" Damon asked when suddenly Stefan's face shot up to look at Damon in a 'dont-go-there' stare. Damon gave him a quizzical look in return.

Trying to ignore the apparent secret conversation. "I don't particularly like it. I love being a journalist but I would rather write about more serious matters in the world than about a fade diet and who has walked outside in the wrong outfit." I joke getting a few chuckles in response.

"That's great. You know what? I met my ex the same way." He said with a slightly different tone to his voice. The table suddenly went silent. Clearly there was something missing here that Caroline and I didn't know about because we both looked at each other and Stefan and Matt in confusion both shrugging our shoulders in response to our quizzical looks.

"What did she write for? If you don't mind me asking that is." I asked. Clearly this was a new breakup or something like that so I didn't want to pry.

"She was freelance. Anyone who would asked her really. She ran into me, asked for an interview about young Stefan over here since we were coming into the business picture more and bam, 3 years down the line she leaves me for another guy she interviews." He answered bitterly.

"Oh God. I'm sorry Damon" I answer feeling genuinely sorry for him. I give Stefan a look of 'I would never do that to you' just to make sure he wasn't thinking that it was a possibility with us. He gives me a little smile in return and grabs my hand to squeeze it. I swear my heart skipped a beat with that little gesture. Before returning to our food I noticed Caroline catching my eye and silently grinned in delight at what she was seeing. She was so happy that my relationship with Stefan was progressing well. Every night when I came home if I had seen him previously she asked everything she could about the night. Even if it was just sitting down watching TV she wanted to know. It was like her own version of a boring soap opera. I liked it though. She would always return with news about her and Matt. Looking at them across the table, you could see that they were almost like they were teenagers again when they first went out. They are so hung up on each other. I notice that he tries to sneak a hand graze here or there or a touch of her knee throughout the night. It's so nice to see them two happy again. My attention turns back to Damon who was talking about something that I wasn't quite listening to. To make sure I wasn't rude, I brought my attention back just in time.

"It happens." He said shrugging it off. "So Caroline, what do you do?"

"I'm a journalist too." Caroline mutters hoping to not start up the conversation again.

"Oh look Stefan. Got a couple of storytellers in the building." Damon half jokes. Everyone giggles again but with an awkward tone to it.

"So Matt. Congratulations with your last win at Wembley." Alaric says to change the subject completely.

"Thanks. I was so glad we won it otherwise out team would not be in the final in two weeks time. We worked so hard for it"

"So what defence are you guys playing?" Alaric asked trying to keep the subject on football. Next thing you know the entire table erupts into conversations about the tactics and different team rivalries, while Matt gave us embarrassing stories about his team mates that no one would know about from the locker rooms.

-

"You take good care of her Stefan" Lexi said while hugging Stefan goodbye at the front door. "This girl is amazing!" I grin and give her a hug. Tonight I've quite taken to Lexi. She and Stefan definitely go way back and I can see that. We walk back into the house and shut the door. It was about 10pm at this point and everyone was starting to go home. I think Lexi is the most sober out of us all since the wine and beer started to flow. Somehow Stefan's house has turned into a small sorority party as music was blaring from the CD player on the wall, Matt was dealing with a slightly drunk Caroline who were in the corner of the living room in their own little world while she whispered and giggled to him about something, and Damon and Alaric were in the kitchen discussing some work deal they had coming up. We had just got into the living room when Damon and Alaric join us sitting down on one of the many sofas Stefan owns.

"Let's play a drinking game." I hear Caroline say from behind me.

"I'm up for that. None of us have work tomorrow so why not" Alaric says "What do you have in mind?"

"How about….I have never?" She slurs

There was a round of agreements and next thing we know, we are in the living room with a bottle of bourbon and 6 shot glasses. Looking around I can tell that this is going to get messy.

"Now Stefan. I know that we have learnt a lot about you tonight but don't pussy out on us on the details alright?" Damon jokes making everyone laugh. We all take our places and let Caroline start with the first question since it was her idea.

"Okay. Let's start off with a simple one. I have never kissed a girl" Looking around all of the boys drink. Shit I can't lie in this game so I take a shot making all of the guys woop in response. Caroline looks at me shocked. "Who with?" She asks.

"Well Caroline you should be drinking because it was you." I joke causing more woofs and cheers from the boys. It wasn't true since it was a random girl in a bar but it was fun to watch drunk Caroline believe anything I told her. Also it just made me more in the clear.

"Alright my turn." Matt says filling everyone's glasses up. "I have never….. kissed a guy." Causing myself and Caroline to drink. All of the boys look at each other awkwardly squaring each other up and giggling nervously incase one of them took a shot.

"My Turn!" I shout. "Let's get into the awkward stuff. I have never had sex" Of course everyone drinks with Alaric shouting to Damon that he should drink the whole bottle causing Damon to flick his middle finger in a very affirmative form. The night turns into a full out confession from admissions of most embarrassing places to have sex in to admissions of where they have been caught. By this point everyone is quite drunk and I myself am not sure how I have managed on so much alcohol. From the amount I have drunk I should be passed out on the floor! It got around to my turn and I twisted my head to the side with my tongue sticking out over-exaggerating my thinking process making everyone laugh in amusement.

"Okay. I've got it… I have never been in love." Considering this is true for me I don't drink and laugh thinking that others won't drink with me. But no one does. They all just stare at me in confusion. Caroline's face with sadness. She knows full well that I have never been in love but that I want to. I look up from my place on the floor to look at Stefan on the sofa behind me to see him looking at me with sadness and what looks like pity.

"You've never been in love?" Damon asked slightly concerned

In my drunken state I shake my head profusely "Nope." I answer making a popping sound on the 'p'. But my grin on my face suddenly becomes serious. I look again at Stefan and he places a hand on my back. I suddenly feel a lot of pity towards me and the atmosphere in the room feels very awkward. I felt like I needed to clarify myself. "I've never felt like that with someone. I've never really met someone who has made me feel like that before." I suddenly feel like I want to cry but I somehow stop myself. I feel Stefan come off the sofa to sit with me and sluggishly places an arm around me. "Don't worry 'Lena. You will meet someone one day who will love you for you." I smile and snuggle into his arms with a warm rush running through me. "And on that bombshell" Stefan says quoting Jeremy Clarkson to change the subject making everyone laugh, the game picks up from where it left off. It carries on for another hour until I felt a pressing need to pee. Excusing myself, I stumble to the nearest bathroom on the ground floor and place myself carefully on the seat. This was my usual stance when I normally give myself a pep talk because I know I have had enough to drink. I put my head in my hands and I mentally kick myself. Why did I think that question was going to be funny. Of course these guys have been in love before. Everyone normally has by the age of 16! That really wasn't appropriate and it ruined the night! I just sat there for a few minutes to think things through. My conscience was telling me that everything was fine and it was a bit of fun but my drunken insecurities had dibs on my brain at that moment telling me that they were all now going to think of me as the girl who can't fall in love. Great. This was not what I wanted. I just wanted to meet Stefan's friends and family and have a great night.

Meeting my need to pee, I wash up and calm myself down. After washing my hands and taking a sip of refreshing water from the tap, I feel slightly more sober now and more in control of my actions. Mentally preparing myself, I walk out of the bathroom to see Stefan standing outside looking as gorgeous as ever. I don't know whether it was the drink or me acting on inpulse but I wanted right there and then to kiss him and just cuddle up with him. "Hey." I say grabbing his attention. As if he was reading my thoughts, without saying a word he comes over and grabs my face with both of his hands and kisses me hard on the lips with desperation. This was not a kiss I was used to from Stefan. Yes we have kissed more the once and even slept together but something didn't seem right. When we part I look him straight in the eye as well as I can.

"Everything okay?" I ask

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked

"Ask me what?" I have no idea what he is talking about.

"That you have never been in love?" My mouth turns into a small 'o' realising that this still has an impact on him.

I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know. Just not met the right guy I guess." I really didn't want this conversation with his friends and family in the next room but there seemed to be no way out of it. "I know people that have and it's sucked for them or it's turned sour over time. I don't particularly want to go through that." I say telling Stefan my real reason for avoiding love thanks to my alcohol fuelled brain to mouth malfunction. I stand there shocked. I had never said that to anyone before. It was my closest kept secret and now I have just blurted it out to a guy I'm not even in a proper relationship with. Crap. He stares back at me and places a hand on my face cupping it.

"That's because they are not with the person they are meant to be with Elena. I want to make sure that you have that. I want you to feel loved by someone who will love you no matter what. To feel like you deserved to be loved because you do. You are an amazing woman Elena and those guys you went out with before don't realise what they have let slip past them." My legs suddenly turn to jelly and I blush at that romantic notice. Stefan leans forward and kisses me again deepening the kiss. He starts to move me so my back is against one of the walls while he kisses my throat. My libido awakens and I feel the butterflies again. He breaks off the kiss a little too soon to rest his forehead against mine while I feebly attempt to reconnect our lips.

"Go out with me." I hear him ask. I stare up at him and in my heart I know there is only one answer to this.

"Yes"

I felt an amazing rush through my body as I said those three small letters out loud. He grinned at me and grabbed my face again to kiss me with full force. This felt amazing. I had never been kissed like this before. Fireworks appeared in my eyes again as he moves me from the wall he had me against. I barely heard him open a door and we go in, him shoving me against the wall again in the pitch black. I loved it when he did this but it would have been nice to see him. I felt his hands start to roam. He started with my bum, down to my thighs, the small of my back then while one stays on my back, I feel his hand roam up to my breast. I let out a small moan knowing that we had been there before so I didn't flinch. If he wanted to take me here - wherever we were- I would let him. He moved his head to kiss the side of my neck and I moan again indicating to him that I like it there. I felt a chill run through my spin and I am like putty in his hands. He could do anything to me right now and I would be in bliss.

Thank you guys so much for reading this fan fiction! I am loving writing this! I know this is a little fluffy and maybe a little rushed but I wanted to move the story forward instead of doing it all day by day. What do you think so far? Where do you think this will head? Is there anyone missing in the story you would like to see? Comment and let me know :D xx