A Quiet Life in Mystic Falls

Uncle John

"I'm resisting the other blood. It is working." Stefan said as he, Damon, Elena, Azalea sat in the Salvatore sitting room.

"I have been counting the blood bags," Damon added. "It took a week, but he finally stopped."

"That's great Stefan," Elena smiled gently at the hungry vampire, sitting down beside him, and holding his hands. He smiled at her before looking back at the others.

"Being near Lea is hard. My body has worked out that I can only have her blood. So, it's..."

"Redirecting," Azalea offered, he half smiled.

"Redirecting the hunger to you."

"Which means, you should be fine to go back to school soon," Damon said.

Elena went to protest.

"Elena, I have seen Stefan in various ways over the years, the fact he is being honest and saying being near Lea is hard shows me he is ready."

Elena looked at him, then back at Stefan.

"If you think you're ready Stefan, I will support you," she said smiling, reaching her hands to hold his.

"Perfect, new year, new Stefan," Damon mock toasted before finishing off his bourbon.

The two stayed for another hour or so before they headed back to get ready for school restarting in the morning...

"So how long is he staying for?" Caroline asked Elena as Azalea and Bonnie joined the table.

"It's open ended," she said pulling a face, picking up a tomato with her fork and eating it.

"Ergh!" Bonnie slouched back in her seat.

"Yeah," Elena laughed dryly.

"And he's your dad's brother?" Azalea asked.

"Yep,"

"He sucks," Bonnie summarised. "Like really, really sucks,"

"Wow, does the whole town hate him?"

"Kinda, actually," Elena said, smiling.

"What is everyone's plans for the party tonight?" Caroline asked.

"You know I am going to have to buy about twenty hundred dresses with this town." I raised an eyebrow.

"Speaking of which," Caroline smiled, she picked up a large shopping bag that had been so far under the table Azalea hadn't noticed it.

"I found this dress that will look amazing on you," Caroline said, holding the box, Azalea frowned at it as though it had just informed her that Slytherin had beat Gryffindor in a Quidditch match.

"We knew there was another event, and we wanted to make sure you had something cute," Bonnie smiled.

"Fine, I'll open it." The redhead sighed, the girls looked on excitedly as Azalea gently pulled at the ribbon and opened up the box.

It was a beautiful green that matched her eyes, it had a heart shaped neckline, she pulled it out by the shoulders to get a better look.

"It's knee length, flares out at the waist and has cute off the shoulder sleeves," Caroline said proudly as though she herself had made it.

"I am not wearing green,"

"Oh, get over it," Bonnie said, as she and Elena smirked knowingly. She stuck her tongue out at them. It was a pretty dress... and even some of her Gryffindor friends had encouraged her to wear this colour, though she wouldn't have dared at school. She scrutinised the dress in her hands.