Stefan walks in through the small walkway from the garage making his way towards me into the kitchen. Everything in the house is an open layout, I see him taking everything in once he's in the same room as me. "Nice place you've got here Lena." Ugh, really he had to use the nickname he gave me? "Thanks, but I can't afford the rent anymore so I may have to move." I say to him. "Follow me."

As we start for the hallway he stops, I turn to see what he's looking at. "You graduated high school and college?" he asks me and I look to him, giving Stefan my full attention. He looks at my graduation pictures, studying them closely I know its stupid to try to avoid him because now he is back in our lives. Also knowing him he will just call me out on it anyway. "Yeah, I decided to stick it out in high school and decided to be the first person in my family to make it to college." A smile breaks out onto his face, but it fades quickly. His mask it back on. "Weren't you the one who said that school was a waste?" Rolling my eyes I nod, "Yes, but I was 17 when I said that, I also realized that finances, insurance and all that other shit is expensive so I took my ass to school like I was supposed to and graduated." Stefan shakes his head, "That's not all you got." he says pointing to my body. "Oh, the tattoos yeah I have a few more." I say with a shrug. Stefan and Damon weren't just car guys, they were into everything. Guitars and drums and also tattooing. They thought it was stupid to be in a band with no one else they knew to play instruments and at the time of them running their garage they were working on being licensed professionals so they could have a tattoo shop of their own after being someone's apprentice. My first two tats were done by Stefan, a black bleeding heart on my wrist and a kiss on my hip bone.

I turn around and continue down the hallway leading him to my bedroom of all places. I take a breath before opening the wood and glass double doors and once inside with him I don't feel nervous at all. I feel completely comfortable with Stefan in the most intimate place in my home. I don't like the feeling. "Damn this is a huge fucking bedroom." he says and I give him a small smile. He looks over to the huge king size canopy bed, then his gaze travels to all of my to my open walk in closet that also has a vanity inside. "Damn Lena, what the hell do you do for a living?" he questions me with creasing his forehead. I sigh walking over to open my bathroom door for him and I can feel his body heat against my back instantly. "You're not going to talk to me?" I fight back tears and the urge to slap his face, he is the only person alive that can make me have the urge to do both. I feel his warm hand wrap around my arm as he gently spins me around to face him. The feel of his touch on my skins crates goose bumps, the hair on my arms raise and I have to hold in a gasp. "Well?" he asks and I can almost hear his voice crack. Stefan is one bad ass guy, someone you don't want to piss off. He's sexy and fucking scary, but he's told me that I've been the only one to ever bring out his real emotions.

"Yes, I have tattoos, 4 to be exact which I'm sure you saw them. I graduated high school and college, I went to New York for a modelling career after I was 'noticed' by someone. It didn't work out but I made a very small fortune and returned home, that is how I can afford this place. However the rent is sucking me dry since I can't find a damn job in this God forsaken state and my money is dwindling. I have a degree in Preforming Arts, Theater to be exact. It was the only thing I was ever good at, but I would have to live in a major city to get a job and that's if I got one. Its just like modeling, you have to be exactly what they're looking for. Auditions are harder than you'd think when you have so many other people going for the same role as you. Modeling is what I do best though, its what I know. I just don't know what to do, but I'll figure it out." I'm doing my best to avoid eye contact with him, he's the one who used to go on and on about how I could be a big time model. Yeah well, been there tried that and got fucked over in a big way, never again will I be so fucking naive.

"New York?" he asks like his heart dropped which is funny since Stefan is hell bent on proving that he doesn't have one. Stefan is from Brooklyn, his stomping ground, 17 years of his life was being raised there by foster parents. He never met his biological dad and his mom died when he was 4 thanks to her pimp. He had only ever received 3 things from his real dad his last name, a twin that he doesn't like and has only met a few times who was adopted by a family after they were sent to foster care and the family ring that I still have. "What part?" He smirks at me, he knows every inch of that city and he knows that I know this. "I had an apartment on the upper east side with my friend Caroline, she and I met in college and went into it together." I tell him while biting my lip and his eyes get wide. "Manhattan." He states and I nod looking into those fucking eyes of his, ugh what is wrong with me? We both grew up poor as dirt and did dirty shit to survive. My family has always had a bad reputation on both my mom and dad's side, Stefan was raised in foster homes and was doing dirty work by age 12. Stealing, B&E, other things as well, Damon and him hit it off when Stefan moved here all those years ago. They became inseparable, Stefan became part of the family instantly. My parents adored him and he loved them back, he always said that we were his family.

"When are you planning on moving out?" he asks with a hoarse voice. "Soon, rent is too high and all the other bills that I have to pay each month aren't cheap. I was contemplating on going back to New York. I talked to a friend of mind who is now an agent and she says that she would love to help me get on with another modeling agency. Well to be more specific her brother's company. " I reply staring down at my feet. Stefan lifts my chin to meet his eyes, "I'm happy for you Lena, I'm glad to see that you've done something amazing with your life and only at twenty-two. A model at that, I told you long ago that you could easily become one." His face holds a sad smile. If he only knew how 'amazing' my life has really been since he's been gone, then he would be less than pleased. "Hell I was a year in when I turned twenty-two." Stefan chuckles while I bite my bottom lip and close my eyes. "What's wrong?" Running his thumb up and down my jaw line I shiver opening my glossy eyes. "I just can't believe that you've missed a good bit of your twenties because you worked for Enzo." I tell him, my throat is scratchy and I'm trying to contain myself. I don't need to cry and be upset, I was like that for far too long. Stefan was suppose to be my forever, he was my brother's best friend, from the time he moved to Mississippi when he was a teen I was instantly all about Stefan Salvatore. "Elena don't go there." Stefan's eyes hold mine and I can see memories running through my head.

He and Damon were best friend's for a good four years, before he ever made a move, granted I was younger than him, so I can see why he didn't. However I would catch him staring at me from time to time, he would wink at me and I would turn to mush. He and I became friends too even though we had a little bit of an age gap between us, but he always did his best to include me. He didn't treat me like a younger teen, Damon of course never minded because my brother and I are close and Damon saw it as Stefan being my protector when he wasn't around. I can still remember every detail about the day we first got together though I was no longer a young teenage girl, by that time though Stefan was a young adult in his early twenties. What was a horrible day turned out to be the best day, I was upset that I had another birthday without my mom and dad being there. It didn't help that I was also dumped by my boyfriend Jonah Carson. Stefan found the guy and beat his ass, he was outraged when he found me crying inside the old rusted trailer I grew up in. He had come over to pick up his tattoo kit, his flavor of the week was wanting a tramp stamp on her back and he aimed to please the sluts. After thirty minutes of beating around the bush with him, I fessed up and told him how Jonah had dumped me for Shanna Lane in front of everyone at the lake. He grabbed my hand and drove me back there and beat Jonah bloody, canceled on the 'client' and took me to my favorite restaurant to eat. I can still remember the wind blowing in my hair as we went for a drive on his Harley after dinner and when he took me back home Stefan walked me inside the old tin can I called home. Once inside I gave him a hug then thanked him for the best birthday and when we pulled apart he leaned in and kissed me. I had never been kissed like that in my life, it was deep, raw and oh so good. He didn't just kiss me, he pushed me against the front door and grabbed my ass causing me to wrap my legs around his waist. I moaned into his mouth kissing him back with everything I had in me, I didn't want Stefan Salvatore thinking i was some lame teenage girl who couldn't kiss. I lost my virginity that night, he walked us to my bedroom and threw me on the bed. Instantly his lips were back on mine and I couldn't stop myself from running my hands through his hair, over his strong arms and down his back. He professed his love to me, saying that he couldn't keep it in any longer and I did the same. I couldn't believe that he had the same feelings for me, we both laughed and then we made love. It was the most amazing night of my life, I'll never regret that night.

I had seven amazing months with Stefan before he went to prison, shockingly enough Damon had approved of our relationship after some words and threats were made. He said that if anyone could take care of me, protect me and love me with every fiber of their being, it was Stefan. My brother had been right. It scared me being with him at first since he wasn't known to do exclusive, Stefan was a one night stand guy and had only one serious relationship before me. He proved me wrong though, he never looked at other girls, he made it clear that I was it for him and that he loved me. Stefan was the most perfect guy for me until he fell back into the hands of his old boss which costs him five years of his life and our relationship. Everything was perfect, he was perfect for me. Now seeing him fresh out of prison it makes me think about everything that happened once he was no longer here to do all the things Damon said he would do. He wasn't here to love me, he wasn't here to protect me, he made a choice when he went away. Stefan didn't want me in his life, I mean sure he was incarcerated and I was on the outside, but he didn't have to cut me out of his life completely.

"I'm only 26 Lena, I still have a whole lifetime ahead of me, I can pick myself up and move on from the past." I winced at Stefan's words, so I guess that meant moving on from me and what we had. It shouldn't bother me though, I've had five years to move on with my life and I have. I have moved on from so much more than Stefan Salvatore, so this shouldn't dig at me. "Well, then that is what you should focus on then, anyway I'll let you get changed." I say before making my exit around his hard body and intense eyes.