"It's a little loose here," Elena mentions to Sheila as she stands on the step stool and looks at her reflection in the mirror.

"I'll just take a tuck in right here," Sheila smiles at her through the mirror.

"It's pretty." Elena smiles at her mentor.

"Well, of course, I was a lot bigger than you. Don't laugh," Sheila scolds playfully as she sticks a pin in. "What do you think?"

"Sheila...thank you." Elena bends slightly to kiss the older woman's cheek.

Sheila stares for a millisecond... "Get down, let me put on the collar."

Elena nods and steps off the stool so Sheila can add the white collar to the pretty royal blue skate dress.

As she turns to look in the mirror once again, Elena feels herself tearing up a little. "Thank you, Sheila. None of this would be happening without you."

"Oh, sweetheart..." Sheila pulls her into her arms for a quick hug. "Why don't you run along and put your clothes back on so I can get to sewing."

Elena gives her a beaming smile and scurries off to change.

Elena blearily opens her eyes at the sound of her alarm clock. It can't be morning yet so she reaches out blindly and slaps it with her palm, silencing it. She turns, smashing her pillow, refusing to open her eyes, and tries to get back to sleep.

"Elena..."

She tries to ignore it but the dip of her mattress makes it impossible. Her eyes blink open to see her dad.

"It's time to get up. Sheila and Damon will be here to pick you up soon."

She groans as she sits up in bed and rubs her eyes.

"There's some breakfast in the microwave. I'll be outside working on the tractor so don't go back to sleep," John tells her as he leaves her room with a soft snap of her door.

Yawning, Elena throws off her covers and pads to the bathroom...

Elena looks out the window when she hears a car pull up. She waves at Damon, rushes to grab her things, and carries them out to the car.

"You ready?" Sheila asks as she opens the trunk, allowing Elena to put her duffel bag in.

"As soon as I say goodbye to my dad. I'll be right back." Elena tells her and trudges through the snow toward him.

"Daddy?" Elena stoops over to where he's laying on the ground working on rebuilding the 1956 John Deer tractor he bought.

"On your way?"

"Yes. They're waiting for me. I'll be back in a couple of days. Wish me luck, please, Daddy."

"Sure, honey. Good luck," he says and watches wistfully as she walks away.

Elena sucks in a breath as she enters the locker room where all the other girls are getting ready for the competition. She looks at herself in the mirror and straightens her collar as she tries to get her anxiety under control. She recognizes some of the girls from watching TV but she never knew they were as catty as they are.

She can't help but overhear their whispers.

"Who's the girl in the tacky blue skate dress?"

"I don't recognize her."

"Do you know her?"

"I love her little collar. She's probably wearing it to cover hickeys," Another girl remarks as the others laugh along.

Although she'd like to smack the smiles right off of their faces, Elena holds her head up high as she leaves the room to find Sheila and Damon.

Somehow Elena manages to keep a calm confident poise while she waits for her turn in the rotation.

She has plenty of time to kill since she isn't slated to perform until the third warming group. Elena tries not to worry about any of the other skaters as she warms up, vaguely registering that the competition is underway when she hears the faraway roar of the cheering crowd.

An hour flies by and before she knows it, Elena is standing by the boards on the side of the ice, waiting for the announcer to invite her group to take the ice. She concentrates on her breathing and only glances at the scores of the previous skaters.

She notices Damon standing just to her right, winking at her when their eyes meet.

"You got this," he tells her just as the announcer speaks up.

At the call to take the ice, Elena is the last one through the gate and quickly separates herself from the others. They have six minutes to practice.

The place is packed to the brim with people and full of energy.

When time is up, Elena doesn't linger. She's the first one off the ice, quickly grabbing her skate guards before heading back through the curtain to stand with Sheila while she waits her turn.

When Sheila tells her it's time, her nerves finally start to rear their ugly head. Sheila gives her a quick squeeze and wishes her luck.

Damon kisses her and sends her out to meet her destiny.

"I love you," Elena mouths silently as she steps through the gate and waits for her name to be called.

She takes her time gliding to the center ice, letting the electricity and applause of the audience seep in.

She's really doing this.

With confidence and poise, Elena strikes her starting pose. Her music - The Free Willy instrumental starts and she matches it perfectly, feeling every note in her steps. She remembers what Sheila has taught her as she glides around the ice.

Elena's first jump is a little tight, but her second is smooth and clean. With those behind her, she gains momentum and flies through her routine.

One more jump... Elena maintains an air of calm as she sails down the ice and nails the triple Axel.

"Yes," she whispers quietly to herself.

She has a grin on her face for the last minute and a half of her program because she knows she's doing her best.

The crowd is screaming and on its feet, as she hits her final pose.

The whole thing is almost dreamlike.

Elena collects herself before taking her bow, making sure to blow a kiss to where she knows Damon and Sheila are standing.

She scoops up the roses as she skates off the ice into Damon's waiting arms. He lifts her up and spins her around. Sheila gives her a beaming smile and ushers them to the bench to wait for her scores.

It's completely out of her hands now. Sheila and Damon chat on either side of her as she empties a water bottle.

The crowd came alive again as the voice finally drones through the speakers to give her scores.

"For Elena Gilbert, the scores are 5.2, 5.0, 4.8, 5.0, 5.2."

She feels disappointed because she gave her performance everything and the low scores do not reflect that.

"Those bastards!" Damon screams but it's drowned out by the crowd.

"They didn't believe the story she was telling. Her skill and exceptional grace were right in front of their eyes, and they didn't allow themselves to see it," Sheila remarks with frustration.

Much to Elena's surprise, the crowd again rises to their feet and begins clamoring and stomping their feet.

"They want you, Elena," Sheila bursts out excitedly. "They want you to circle the ice."

"Go. Go. Go." Damon gives her a nudge and she glides triumphantly back onto the rink.

Damon pulls into John's long winding driveway and stops when he's close to the house. He looks up as John comes down the steps and opens the passenger side door. Elena is sound asleep with half a dozen roses clutched in her hand.

"What's going on? Where are we?" Elena mumbles as her eyes flicker open.

"Don't wake up, baby," John says softly as he lifts her into his arms.

"What are you doing here, John?" Sheila asks as she sits raises up, half asleep herself.

"I live here," John mocks her with a chuckle.

"They threw me flowers, Daddy," Elena's voice trails as her eyes fall closed.

"'She was great. She was really great," Damon remarks as John cradles Elena's limp form up the steps and into the house.

"Bye," Damon calls out and extends an arm out the window, waving as he drives away...

Thank you all so so much. I used to be so excited to finish my string of night shifts so I could get back to writing. I hadn't felt that with any intensity for a long while. With this story, I felt that again and with the one I'm currently working on... :D. I wouldn't still be here without your support and if not for Eva. Love you, girl.

Do check out Florencia7, Siberia21, and CosmicAdventurers' stories. They're all magical and brilliant and suck you right in like a whirlwind.

Have an amazing day and a wonderful week ahead.