Elena POV

Today is the day of the awards. I literally had to force myself out of my bed not particularly still wanting to go. I haven't slept right the way through the night since I left Stefan. I know that I gave myself this time before the awards to make sure that Stefan understood the enormity of what he had done and for me to do some thinking, but it had all been in vain. Stefan is with Rebekah now. She has won.

I walk into the kitchen and see Caroline and Matt sitting at the breakfast bar. "Hi" I moan out of my mouth grabbing myself a coffee.

"Hey" I hear back from them both. Caroline gives me a look of sincerity. "How are you feeling?"

"Same as always" I answer. "Please tell me that I have crossed off an extra day of my calendar and it is not the awards day."

Matt shakes his head "Sorry." I groan and put my head in my hands.

"I honestly thought that I would be ready for today but I'm not. I haven't even worked out what I am going to say to Stefan when I see him. Honestly it really matter now." I say taking a swig from my coffee

"Why do you say that?"

"Because he is with Rebekah now. I can't do anything now. She won."

"No she hasn't." Matt say next to me.

Caroline and I look back shocked. "What do you mean?"

"I saw him two days after you arrived here and I asked about that newspaper article. He completely denies it. He told me himself that he feels nothing for Rebekah." I look back at him with surprise. Caroline just looks mad.

"Why didn't you tell us before? You've let Elena stew for days about it." Caroline shouts at Matt

"Because Stefan told me not to say that I saw him. Believe me Elena I really wanted to say something. All he did was ask about you which I wasn't allowed to say anything about either!…..Honestly he's a mess Elena. He hasn't been the same since. He's more closed off than usual. Also I thought that you working for the paper and all, you would have worked out that it was made up."

"It's not as simple as that Matt." Caroline said

"No no. It's fine. Now I know the truth." Instantly I felt a little bit of weight off my shoulders. Him and Rebekah are not together and I need to talk to him personally to get the full story.

Caroline took a calming breath and walked over to me and gave me a hug. "Never mind. Let's get you ready for the awards. What time do you need to leave?"

"4 pm."

"Good. It's 11 am now so that means we have 6 hours to get you ready. We are going in the VIP area with Stefan and Damon for 7 pm." With the luck that Caroline has, Stefan managed to pull an extra 3 tickets (One of them originally was mine) so Matt, Caroline and Lexi are on the table. They also have Stefan and Damon's mum and dad and Katherine as Damon's date on the table so tonight is going to be extra awkward.

I take a deep breath. "Okay let's do this."

-

5 pm approaches and I am outside facing the red carpet waiting for all of the award nominees next to the rest of the journalists that were invited. A few people recognised me and asked for a photo and a few questions but I told them that I was on a job so I wouldn't do any of that. The main question that was asked was "How do you feel about Stefan Salvatore moving on so fast with his ex Rebekah Mikelson?" How do you think I am going to feel! God some reporters ask the most ridiculous questions. In the meanwhile waiting to spot Stefan and Damon, I see many top names from the business world and inside I am so proud of Stefan and Damon for making this far and being in the same leagues as these people in front of me.

I am pulled out of my thoughts when I see Rebekah in the crowd. Instantly I am seething. I look at the guy next to her and I am glad to see that she has managed to bring some young handsome blonde who happens to be from another business. I do anything that I can to move my gaze away from her and her boytoy but I can not help the amount of attention she is getting. All of the journalists are screaming in my ear.

"Rebekah!" "Rebekah!" "How does it feel being connected with Stefan Salvatore?" "Where is he tonight?"

I cant help but think the same question. I have a sneaky look around for Stefan as everyone is occupied by Rebekah and then I see him.

He is standing there in the middle of the red carpet, arm wrapped around Damon's waist showing his game face smile and I can't believe that it is him. I feel a tear run down my face as I see him look around the crowd.

Then his gaze catches mine. Inside my heart beats over 100 times a minute in my chest, my eyes well up from what ever tears I seem to have forgotten to cry over the last few days and inside I feel myself slightly heal. I know that things with myself and Stefan may never happen again but it feels okay to know that he is okay too. When our gazes catch I see him smile slightly and his shoulders drop. He knows I've been looking for him and I think that he has been too. Then the gaze is broken as he moved his eyes away from mine, from our own world of probably 15 seconds and I am back in the room with the rest of the photographers and journalists trying to take a photo of the other business men and women in the awards. Instantly I feel happier than I have been in a week and as the rest of the people walk into the room where the awards are taking place, I sit and wait for the after show party watching the award show from the outside on a screen.

About half way into the show, Stefan's category has not been brought up yet. I thought to myself that since I have all of this time to wait and that I needed to syke myself up to talk to Stefan, I decided to turn my phone on for the first time in a week. My phone constantly buzzes for the next 5 minutes from all of the missed calls and texts that I have missed. 110 texts 15 voicemails and 30 missed calls. Shit. Best go through them all. Some of the texts, calls and voicemails are from Mum and Dad and Lexi, but the most are from Stefan. They all said along the same lines that he missed me and that he wanted to call him but every single one pulled a little on my heart strings. As much as I did want to talk to him, I just couldn't. I promised myself that I would talk to him tonight at the after show party so I took this time to work out what I was going to say to him.

It wasn't long until Stefan's category came up. The other journalists and myself were looking at the screen with anticipation waiting for a name to be called. One journalist standing next to me told me that she was hoping Stefan got it too but she wasn't allowed to be biased. On the screen was a live video stream of all four of the company owners. In the bottom right was Damon, Stefan and Guiseppe. I was so nervous for them and I could tell that Stefan was extremely nervous.

"And the winner is….SALVATORE INC!" I screamed and jumped up and down so loudly that photographers ended up moving away from me a little. Some were even taking pictures of me being so elated. I am so proud of Stefan! They all have worked so hard for this that they truely deserved it.

I calmed myself in time to see Stefan, Damon and Guiseppe hugging and kissing all of the people on the table (Rebekah was not there luckily since she was with another company manager) and watched them make their way to the podium at the front of the hall to make their speeches. Now I wanted to be sitting at the table more than anything. I just wish that I didn't have to leave last week now so that I could enjoy this moment with the Salvatores and all of our friends.

Guiseppe was the first to make it to the podium to do his speech. As Guiseppe was talking I caught Damon and Stefan giving each other a hug of congratulations to each other making me smile. "Thank you all so much for picking us. This award means so much to myself and the boys. It takes a mixture of hard work, perseverance and commitment to make a company run successfully and this award which we are so gratefully receiving has proven to us that it has all been worthwhile. Thank you again!" A round of applause followed and Damon was next for his speech.

"Wow. There is not much else I can say that my father didn't other than thank you to all of our friends, family and loved ones, especially for me my lovely girlfriend Katherine, for all of the continuing support that we have received over the years. We really could not have received this award today without any of your support." Another round of applause followed.

Stefan finally reached the podium to deliver his speech and there were a few screams from the spectators at the back of the awards. Stefan was clearly the favourite. "Again I just want to repeat slightly what my brother said, we really did not expect this award and we are so grateful for all of the support for this company that we have had over the years. I would like to also say thank you to our family and friends and for myself one person in particular who has opened my eyes and made me believe that anything is possible. Elena-" my heart stops for a second and my cheeks flush to the brightest red at the mention of my name "- if you are watching this, thank you for everything you have done. You have made me a better man. I love you. Thank you again everyone" With that they walked off. For the first time tonight all of the journalists were cheering so loudly that we could not hear anything else for the next few minutes. I myself was wiping the tears away from my eyes as I was making my way to the front of the row of journalists looking up at the tv screen. Around the back of the Tv screen was a door that led to the VIP section where the after party was going to be staged. No one dared to make me shove my way to the front. They all seemed to know who I was and what my intention was so they practically parted like the red sea so that I could make it to the door first.

I knew that security would not let me through until later on tonight when the party was starting, but since Stefan's award was the second before last award, I would not have to wait long. However, out of no where, one security guard came from behind the one in front of me right now and talked into his ear. He nodded to whatever the message was and looked at me.

"Are you Elena Gilbert?" He asked me. Honestly I looked a little scared of him but I just nodded my head quickly. "Pass?" He asked and in return I showed my pass to show who I was. "You are needed backstage." What did they need me for? He opened up the door behind him to let me, making sure that no one else got in, and another security guard walked me down a few corridors. The walls became whiter and cleaner as I walked further and further into the large building.

"In here" The security guard says to me eventually, opening a door on my left. I was still puzzled. I tried to ask the security guard where I was going and why was I needed, but he never said a word. Normally that means that they are good at what they do but right now it really frustrated me. I peeped slowly inside the room that the security guard opened for me. The room was white with a blue carpet, two blue sofas in the middle facing each other and a table a the side with a mirror on it. I sat myself down and waited for a few minutes to see what this was all about. But my question was answered very quickly by the door opening again to see the man that I had been avoiding for over a week. My heart broke open again as I saw the face of the man that I had just watched on the Tv screen outside confess his love to me. When I spoke my voice was hoarse trying to hold back any tears that threatened to spill over.

"Stefan."

So what do you think? They are finally going to meet after almost a week! How do you think this is going to go? Do you expect Elena to give Stefan what for or do you expect Elena to listen to what Stefan has to say? Thank you for still reading this fan fiction and I hope you are still enjoying this as much as I am enjoying writing it :D Love to you all xx