Beautiful Accident

Chapter 21: How Much Do You Really Love Her

"Why won't she puke on me? Doesn't she like me?" - Jenna whined while holding a confused Lara up in the air. Lara had a confused expression on her face, her little light brows furrowing, not quite sure what Jenna wants from her.

Jenna and Jeremy were able to stay in the town for a week. They probably spent every waking moment of every day with Elena, because Stefan had barely seen her during these seven days. Or his daughters, for that matter. He would usually be in charge of them when they woke up in the middle of the night, screaming, because they're unable to put themselves back to sleep.

And the only time he would see Elena is when she would crawl in the bed next to him, her body bending next to his. This is how they fell asleep every night since she moved into his bedroom. After only few days of sleeping in the same bed as her, he could not imagine ever sleeping without her in the same bed again.

Elena would never agree to make out sessions on the bed, she was afraid they would go too far, so she insisted on keeping them on the couch.

Few days ago, he was lying in bed, checking out his mail. Few pictures of Rose from Damon, Caroline's detailed description of how she spent her day, and few mails from work he was more than happy to skip when he saw Elena coming out from the bathroom. She was dressed in.. well, she wasn't dressed. All she had on her body was a pink transparent bra covered in black lace at certain places with matching panties. Only when she walked over to the other side and opened the closet was when he noticed she's wearing a thong. He turned off his laptop as he stared at her smooth skin as she bent down to get something from the closet. He wanted to melt into her. He had a need of pulling the tips of his fingers all over her skin. He wanted to kiss her, to fondle her curves, to squeeze her thighs. He wanted to have her. He closed his laptop and it's thump on the bedside table on which Stefan had laid it down was a little bit too loud. It made Elena straighten her body and turn around with a black oversized shirt in her hands. A playful smirk appeared on her face as she cocked her eyebrow at him. "See something you like, Mr. Salvatore?" - she asked teasingly. He was too overwhelmed to even try to act like he's not taken back by her current appearance. He cleared his throat through a cough, and she giggled. Somehow he managed to gain his posture and smiled - "Oh yes." She had put the shirt on and it slid over her body, reaching her thighs. She jumped on the bed, got herself under the covers, and crawled next to Stefan. She had put her head on his chest, and he had put his hand around her, pulling his fingers through her hair. Her breathing lowered and her body relaxed on his. He could have felt her slow heartbeat, and that's when he realized she fell asleep. He kissed the top of her head and turned the lights off. And they melted into each other.

Elena smiles at her aunt while taking a confused baby in her arms. "Of course she likes you" - Elena pokes Lara's nose with her index finger - "Don't you, sweetie?" - she says with a silly, baby voice and Lara laughs. It's the sweetest sound anyone in the room has ever heard. As everyone smile at the fact she's laughing, Lara laughs louder. She loves being in the center of attention, there's no question about it.

But her sister is calm in Lexi's arms, satisfied by being held. Emily was never as loud as Lara. She often smiled, but she rarely laughed. She was always so quiet, so patient. Sometimes that would worry Elena, especially when she was only few days old. She would go by to her crib just to check to see if she was breathing. Caroline was sitting next to Elena, trying to play with Lara, but she continued eyeing Tyler, who was talking to Jeremy, from a safe distance.

Stefan was in the kitchen, preparing coffee. He felt like he doesn't fit in the crowd, like he's an odd man there, a black sheep. He was much comfortable with watching everyone from the distance.

He wanted to be there, by Elena's side. He wanted to be there every time she smiles and laughs and every time her eyes glisten in that certain kind of way only her eyes can. He wanted to capture her smile and make it his prisoner, forcing it to be present every second of every day. But his selfishness and hunger for her presence is overshadowed by his understanding she needs to be with her family at the moment. Family she hadn't seen since her parents died. Family she was estranged from for such a long time. Once they're gone, she's going to be all his.