Elena slept peacefully throughout the night.
It was one of the first times she has not woken up screaming to a nightmare.
"I want to take you somewhere," Elena said, excitement gleaming in her eyes.
"And where is that?" Stefan asked- curious as to what she had in mind.
"I remember my parents used to have this lake house. I went there every Summer as a kid, and I always dreamed about going back. I just thought it was a silly wish and that I will never actually get the chance to go back, but Stefan I would love to see it again," she said smiling as the good memories from her past consumed her.
"Well then what are we waiting for?" Stefan asked, getting out of bed.
"Really? Just like that?"
"Just like that," Stefan said kissing her head one last time before he began to pack a small suitcase.
Elena had been wearing Stefan's clothes since she didn't have any of her own when he saved her.
When Klaus left her in the woods, all she had were the clothes on her back, which were ripped and caked with dirt and blood.
Elena never minded wearing Stefan's clothes, in fact she secretly loved wearing them.
He would always offer to buy her new clothes, but she could tell that he liked her wearing his clothes just as much as she did so it never became a problem.
Now when she had to pack clothes to bring Stefan let out a small chuckle as Elena made her way to his dresser to pick out her favorite pair of his sweatpants.
"I think it's time we go buy you some clothes my sweet girl," Stefan said as she took the sweatpants and shoved them in her suitcase anyways.
Elena just grumbled and shook her head, she loved being in Stefan's clothes.
They all smelled like him, and she found comfort in that.
It was like he was always with her, always protecting her.
She knew it was dumb, but his clothes just felt like safety.
Stefan just laughed at Elena's expression.
He also loved seeing her in his clothes, it was quite adorable to Stefan.
She practically drowned in his sweatpants, and his hoodies sometimes fell to her knees, but she always look so cute and cuddly Stefan just wanted to squeeze her.
"I wouldn't mind if you wore my clothes forever Elena, but when I was looking up directions I noticed there was a small village two blocks away from your lake house. If you want, we can stop there to grab some clothes for you from one of the stores?"
Elena nodded her head.
She knew she would have to get her own clothes at some point.
Before she knew it both of their bags were packed and they were ready to go.
Stefan grabbed her bag for her as they made their way to his car.
When they went outside a gentle breeze washed over them as Elena inhaled the fresh cool air.
It was the most beautiful day ever.
The sun shone down on them enveloping Elena with its warmth, and as she looked up, she did not see a single cloud in sight.
The sky was crystal clear.
She forgot how wonderful Spring time can be.
He quickly packed their bags in the trunk giving him enough time to still open the door for Elena.
She smiled at him as he shut the door behind her.
As they began to drive, Elena could not wash the smile from her lips.
Stefan looked over at her as she peered through the window with a look of pure joy written on her features.
The world was such a beautiful place, Elena thought to herself as she took in the views around her.
When they got out of the city, they found themselves on a long windy road.
There were no other cars in sight, only hundreds of trees and mountains going on for miles.
Stefan held her hand the whole time as he drove, and Elena's smile has never wavered from her face once.
Stefan pressed a button, and Elena watched in wonder as the whole roof of his car opened up.
She lifted her hand that wasn't in his up in the air, feeling the breeze on her skin.
She just closed her eyes and soaked in everything.
She soaked in the Spring air, the sunshine on her skin, Stefan's hand on hers.
Stefan watched her as she sat there with her eyes closed and had the biggest smile on her lips.
He loved how she enjoyed the little things in life, and wished everyone could view the world as she did in this moment.
After another hour or two they finally arrived in the little village near her lake house.
The village had so many restaurants and little shops, and it was only two blocks away from Elena's lake house.
When they parked he saw Elena take a deep breathe trying to steady herself.
He knew this place was filled with memories from her past.
He gave her a moment before enveloping both her hands in his and looked her in the eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked her concern lasing his voice.
She quickly nodded her head and smiled at him.
"It's just that the last time I was here was with my parents. I might just need a few more minutes until I am ready."
"Remember I will be with you the entire time. If the memories become overwhelming just say the word and we are out of here. Okay?" he said as he gently kissed her on the cheek.
"Okay," she whispered back, but Stefan could tell she needed another minute before getting out of the car.
The last time she was here was when her parents were still alive, and before all the terrible things happened to her.
He knew that she needed time.
"I'm ready," Elena said after taking two more deep breathes, "I'm ready," she repeated this time more confidently.
He got out of the car and went around to her side to open the door for her.
Elena took Stefan's hand as he led her out of the car, keeping their hands intertwined as they walked.
"I will be here the whole time Elena," Stefan repeated as she leaned her head against his shoulder.
"I know," Elena said with a small smile, "You always are."
After passing about ten stores, they finally passed a clothing store that looked right for Elena.
When they walked in Elena was so excited to finally have new clothes of her own.
Chills ran down her spine as she remembered the clothes Klaus forced her to wear.
She was only given black shirts and black pants to wear every single day for the years that she was captured.
She quickly brushed away her tears as she remembered what she was wearing, or the lack of, when she wasn't in the black outfits.
Suddenly Elena was not with Stefan anymore, she forgot where she was and it felt like she was back with Klaus again.
Elena looked down at her outfit, all black, just like it was yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that for God knows how long.
What day of the week was it? Elena didn't know.
What season was it? Elena had no clue.
What year was it? Elena didn't know that either.
Anger consumed her as she looked around the cell she has been trapped in for what has been years now.
There were no windows, only stone walls surrounding her, and metals bars keeping her from ever escaping.
No, Elena thought to herself.
You are not giving up.
She searched around her empty cell for something, anything to get her out, but there was absolutely nothing in there.
It was just walls and dirt and stones.
Suddenly she saw a glint of something right outside of her cell.
It was a large shard of glass that Klaus left behind.
Chills went down her spine as she remembered the scars that piece of glass left on her skin from one of her more recent beatings.
Elena made sure Klaus was nowhere in sight before she reached her hand through the bars, doing everything in her power to reach the glass.
The sharp object was the closest thing she had to a weapon, and it was just out of reach.
She was so caught up in grabbing the glass that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching her.
She heard a small cough, and her heart dropped as she saw Klaus standing right in front of her.
Before she could pull her hand back Klaus stomped on her hand so hard that Elena could feel every bone in her hand crack.
She whimpered, doing everything in her power to keep in the awful pain.
She did not want to give Klaus the satisfaction.
"Why were you trying to get this piece of glass my dear?" Klaus asked as he picked up the shard from the ground.
Elena just whimpered, unable to answer him.
"ANSWER ME!" Klaus shouted as he stabbed the glass straight into Elena's broken hands.
This time Elena cried out painfully, unable to contain herself.
"You weren't trying to use this as a weapon against me, were you?" Klaus asked as he laughed menacingly.
"In case you forgot I am an Original, this measly piece of glass cannot hurt me, but it most certainly can hurt you," he growled as he unlocked her cell stepping into it before locking it again behind him.
He was so dangerously close to her that her heart began to beat at a dangerously high velocity.
"I think I need to teach you a lesson," he said softly as he got so close to her she could feel his breath on her face."
She couldn't scream or move, she just shook in complete and utter fear as his hands stroked her face.
He was being gentle- too gentle, and Elena knew what that meant.
"Bad girls need to be punished," he murmured against her ear.
Elena braced herself, whenever he used that tone of voice with her it almost certainly meant the same thing every time.
She closed her eyes and waited for him to force himself onto her, but instead she felt a sharp excruciating pain in her lower stomach.
She shrieked as blood began to poor freely from her abdomen, coating the stones underneath her with her warm sticky blood.
She could barely breathe the pain was so bad as she curled up on the ground, doing everything in her power to stop the bleeding.
Klaus just stood there watching her as she bled helplessly on the ground.
The glass shard still sticking out of her stomach blood squirting everywhere.
"When stupid girls do stupid things, they have to pay the price," Klaus spat at her, finding pleasure in her agonizing shrieks.
After a while of struggling on the ground Elena's body became limp.
She lost so much blood that she couldn't move.
Just as the darkness began to consume her she felt Klaus's wrist forcefully on her mouth as he shoved his blood down her throat.
"I hope you didn't think I would let you off that easily," he said as he walked away from her unlocking her cell.
"There is still so much more fun to be had," he said before he was gone again, leaving Elena shaking on the ground.
Stefan cups her face in his hands as he caressed her cheeks with his thumbs.
"Elena, come back to me baby. Please come back," he pleaded as she continued to tremble in his hands.
"St-Stefan?" Elena croaks out, finally coming to her senses.
"I'm here baby, I'm right here," he soothed as he pulled her into his embrace.
Elena melted into his arms, grasping onto him like a lifeline.
"Was it another flashback?" Stefan whispered to her as he gently stroked her hair.
Elena just nodded her head against his chest, she was still obviously shaken up.
"Would you like to talk about it?"
Elena just shook her head.
She wanted to tell him about her past, she wanted to tell him everything, but not right now.
She takes a deep breath and buried everything deep inside as she looks up at Stefan with a fake smile on her face.
"I'm fine Stefan, really. Let's go find some clothes, okay?" she said as she took his hand and led him deeper into the store.
Stefan knew that she was not okay, in fact she was not even close to being okay after everything she had been through, but he decided not to push her to talk about it yet.
There will be a time that Elena will need to unpack her past, and Stefan will be there for her when she is ready.
Elena led him past all the racks filled with clothes all the way to the back where the sale rack was located.
Stefan was confused at first, but then he realized this was typical Elena.
Before she picked out any clothing item, Elena checked the price tag before giving it to Stefan.
After letting this go on for a few more minutes Stefan set down the clothes on the nearest chair and put his hands on Elena's shoulders.
"Elena, I want you to buy anything in this store that you want. Please stop worrying about the prices, what's mine is yours," he said with a smile.
"You need to have clothes that you actually like wearing."
He knew how much she hated when he bought things for her, but she should be able to wear whatever she pleases.
Who knows what Klaus made her wear.
Within a matter of minutes Stefan had a pile of clothes in his hand ready for Elena to try on.
He did not know anything about style, but he tried his best to help Elena find some outfits.
Right as they went to the changing room, Stefan and Elena saw another couple walk past them.
The woman whispered something to the man, and they both stared at Stefan with disgust.
The woman was very pretty with long straight blonde hair, and the man was about twice her size and something about him frightened Elena.
She still was uncomfortable around people besides Stefan, especially around men.
Elena looked up at Stefan with fear in her eyes as she held onto his hand tighter.
She had no idea why they were looking at Stefan like that but it scared her.
"Hey, hey, don't worry about them," Stefan whispered to her as he gently stroked her hair, "Just go try these on and I will be waiting for you right out here."
She nodded as she took the clothes and went into the changing room.
She felt really uneasy at the way those people looked at Stefan.
Before she could even try on her first top, she could hear footsteps approaching around where Stefan was sitting.
Suddenly she heard a man's voice that did not belong to Stefan.
It was not kind and loving like Stefan's, it seemed hateful and sent chills down Elena's spine.
"Why does your girlfriend have all those hideous scars?" Elena heard the man ask Stefan.
"Do you hurt her you piece of shit?" the man accused.
No, no, no, no Stefan would never hurt me, Elena wanted to shout at him, but she couldn't move.
"I would never lay a hand on her," Stefan replied and Elena could hear the anger in his voice.
Now Elena could hear the woman talking, and she began to tremble in her changing room as she listened to what she had to say.
"It looks like she just came back from hell. What did you do to her you freak?" the woman questioned Stefan harshly.
Elena could not listen to them treating Stefan this way anymore.
She had to do something.
She quickly opened the curtain and stood right in front of Stefan.
She began to shake as the man and woman looked down on her like she was some hurt puppy.
Elena you're stronger than this she said to herself as she found her voice.
"Stop talking to him like this!" Elena yelled, "Stefan would never hurt me, he is nothing but kind and gentle. Please mind your own business and leave him alone!"
A rush of pride flowed through Stefan as he looked at Elena.
He had never seen her like this before, so strong and independent, he loved it.
Elena just stood there as the couple gave her one last look and walked away.
Even after they were gone Elena just remained motionless, standing in the same place completely still.
What they said affected her more than she thought it would.
She really was hideous.
"Hey Elena," Stefan said softly as made his way around her body to face her, "I am so incredibly proud of you."
She just looked up at him and gave him a small smile, trying her best to suppress her dark thoughts.
"Really?" she breathed out.
She doesn't remember the last time someone said they were proud of her.
"Yes Elena, you were so brave standing up for me like that," he said as he enveloped her in a hug. "I love you."
"I love you too," Elena whispered into his chest as tears pricked her eyes.
She just wanted to leave this store with Stefan, she couldn't stay here any longer.
"Can we please leave Stefan?" she asked him softly.
"Of course let's go," he said as they quickly paid for the clothes and left.