Damon Salvatore: I will always choose you.

Christmas Part 1

EDITED// 12-31-21

Christmas had always been my favorite time of the year. The music, the food, the movies, the decorations, the lights, the happiness and the excitement are just some of the things that make me love Christmas so much.

Christmas was always a special time for my family as well.

On Christmas Eve, Elena and my Mom would go and buy the Christmas dinner, as well as Prosecco and snacks. They'd also do a bit of last minute shopping while my Dad, Jeremy and I dropped the presents off at different people's houses.

Sometimes, if it was a 'white' Christmas we made our Dad go by himself so Jeremy, Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, Tyler and I took sledges to the woods and had snow ball fights. Occasionally, the river under Wickory Bridge would freeze over so we'd slide around on there.

I cherished those moments; of us all laughing. Elena and Matt being all cute. Tyler, Matt and I teaming up against the girls in the snow ball fights. Trying to push Tyler over when he was on the ice just to see him get angry when he fell.

Nothing had been the same since my parents died.

Last year we practically scrapped Christmas; Jenna tried to celebrate but it hurt us all too much.

This year was better though. Even with all of the vampire drama going on, we went back to our old traditions.

Of course we had to change them a bit because Mom couldn't exactly go shopping or Dad couldn't drop off gifts. Instead Jenna took the role of my Mom and Elena took the role of my Dad.

At the start of December, Caroline decided that we should do Secret Santa. She wrote down all of our names on a piece of paper and put them into a hat. One by one we all picked one piece of paper and that was who we were buying for.

I got Stefan.

I was so glad I wasn't buying for a girl because even without the $10 budget it would've been impossible.

However, I found it quite hard to think of what to buy/make him.

He was very old. Hang on, let me do the maths. He was turned 145 years ago plus his age when he was turned. That made him 162 years old. What was I meant to get him? Seriously. He probably had everything he'd ever wanted.

Anyways, I did finally make up my mind.

He's a boy so I obviously had to buy him some socks, as well as some gel for his hero-hair.

The main present was something a little more special. It was hard to find someone to do it for me in time for Christmas - I was going to ask Tyler but he's part of the secret Santa so it would've been against the rules to do so. I eventually found someone online who would do it and mail it to me within the next seven days.

The main present was a sketch of the picture Elena took of Stefan and I in our football jerseys at the start of the school year. 

I already bought a 50x70cm white frame to put it in and I was ecstatic when it finally came, but I had to suppress my excitement as much as I could because Elena was in her bedroom with Stefan at the time.

As quietly and as quickly as I could, I carried the drawing up the stairs and ran straight into my bedroom, locking the door behind me.

Like a kid on Christmas morning I ripped open the packaging. I gaped at it. It was so beautiful. I'm not really an emotional person but seeing that sketch of Stefan and I looking so happy made me tear up a bit.

After admiring the beauty and detail of the drawing I put it in its frame and wrapped it up in red glittery wrapping paper.

As well as that, I wrapped the socks and the gel and wrote on his Christmas card.

I breathed out a sigh of relief and exhaustion and looked proudly at my gifts.

I really hoped Stefan liked them.

I got up off the floor as I was sitting cross legged on my carpet and walked over to my desk.

I now had to wrap the gifts that weren't part of the Secret Santa.

For Matt I bought him a new football.

For Tyler I bought him new football gloves.

For Bonnie I bought her a silver necklace with an emerald green pendant - to match her eyes.

For Caroline I bought her pearl ear rings as she had been talking non stop about ones she saw in a shop last summer.

For Jeremy I bought him a new game for his Xbox.

For Jenna I bought her a bottle of expensive red wine (with the help from Damon of course).

And for Elena I bought her a voucher to buy two concert tickets for a band of her choice.

By the time I had finished wrapping all of the gifts it was nearly 2am.

I put my PJs on, brushed my teeth and got into bed. As soon as I closed my eyes I was away in dream land.

•—•

It was the last day before Christmas break today.

During home room they handed out our report cards for the exams we took at the beginning of December.

Although I didn't revise for them because I was too busy with all the vampire drama, I still got decently good grades.

In English I surprisingly got an A-, Math I got a A+, Science I got an overall of a B, History (thanks to the help of Mr. Saltzman) I managed to get an A and in PE I got an A.

I could've done better in some classes but it didn't really matter at this moment in time.

Christmas was in three days and that's all anyone cared about. Especially my friend group because tonight we were exchanging gifts at Caroline's house; and then tomorrow the town would come together to watch as Sheriff Forbes lit the Christmas tree.

•—•

It was around 7pm when everyone was ready and sat down in Caroline's living room.

Liz made us all hot chocolate with mini marshmallows before she left for work.

Caroline bought for Bonnie, Bonnie bought for Matt, Matt bought for Elena, Elena bought for Tyler, Tyler bought for me, I bought for Stefan and he bought for Caroline.

Tyler bought me a book which was titled 'The football handbook for dummies' as well as new nike socks and a vintage Stanford hoodie. He got brownie points for remembering that Stanford was my dream school.

I gave Stefan my gift last and I was really nervous when I passed the wrapped presents over to him.

He opened the socks and gel first which made him laugh.

He then carefully ripped open the wrapping paper and his jaw dropped to the floor when he saw the picture. He was speechless.

"I know it's not much but I couldn't think of anything else to buy because you probably have everything..." I rambled on nervously when he didn't speak.

He stopped my rambling by hugging me.

"Thank you, Lily. It's amazing." He whispered into my ear.

When we pulled away a massive smile grew on both of our faces and he showed the rest of the group the picture.

Overall it was a great night full of laughs and jokes. It was definitely one for the books.

A/N
Part 2 will mostly be based off the flashback scenes in Season 6 Episode 10 , so stay tuned! I'm very excited to write it :)