Later that night Elena and Jenna walked up the stairs to go to bed. The rest of the party had been filled with chaos and drama and the only thing Elena wanted to do was go to sleep.

"Not so excited that we have another month of these Founder's Day events." Jenna groaned.

"Tell me about it." Elena sighed and quietly wondered why they needed all these parties for anyway.

As she passed Jeremys bedroom door she knocked and called out "Good night, little brother."

"Good night, sister-dear." Came Jeremys muffled response.

Elena walked into her bedroom and almost had a heart attack. "Stefan! God you scared me."

"Sorry." Stefan shrugged. "And I'm sorry that I ran off earlier."

"What happened?" Elena asked concerned. "Is everything okay?"

"Uhm..." Stefan looked down.

"You know you can talk to me and that I won't judge you." Elena coaxed softly as she closed her bedroom door and joined Stefan on the bed.

"I tried so hard to keep it together tonight and it was working, it was really working but then Matt's mom, she got hurt and she was bleeding and I had her blood on my hands." Stefan mumbled in distress.

"And then what happened?" Elena rubbed Stefans back gently.

"And then that guy in the parking lot, I wanted to feed on him and it took everything inside of me not to do it." Stefan admitted with a shudder.

"You do know that I wouldn't care if you wanted to feed on people, right?" Elena asked softly.

"I can't, Elena!" Stefan looked up at her with pained filled eyes. "I don't just feed on people, I lose control and become a ripper."

"What's a ripper?" Elena asked, already knowing but wanted Stefan to explain it in his own words."

"It's a vampire that gets so lost in the blood lust that they rip apart their victims." Stefan sounded defeated. "And that's not even the worst part when it comes to me."

"And what is that?" Elena wondered.

"I put them back together again afterwards." Stefan disgust for himself was clear. "Like fucking puzzle pieces."

"Do you want my honest opinion?" Elena asked.

"Yes." Stefan looked at her.

"I don't care." Elena shrugged. "You could rip apart a whole town and I wouldn't care as long as you were happy."

"But..." Stefan started to say.

"No buts." Elena interrupted. "Except this; I know you hate what you become if you let lose so I will help you in any way I can."

"Thank you." Stefan murmured softly. "You are an amazing friend."

"So are you." Elena smiled.

"I better get home." Stefan stood up. "Good night Elena."

"Good night Stefan." Elena patted his cheek softly. "And if you need someone to talk to you can always call me."

XOXOXOX

The next morning Damon picked her up before school so they could go to the court house. Elena had chosen to wear a pair of black skinny jeans, a flowy blue top and a nice-looking blazer. Her hair was done up in a tight bun and the only jewelry she was wearing was her vervain bracelet and a pair of small pearl erring that had belonged to her mother.

"Good morning, Elena." Damon greeted as she got into his car. "Don't you look all mature today."

"Good morning, Damon." Elena smiled at him. "And I thought it would help to look a little more sophisticated today. Humans always judge each other on appearance before anything else."

"You could be right about that." Damon smirked and shifted in his jeans and leather jacket.

"Don't worry, you look fine." Elena reassured him.

"Are you nervous?" Damon asked after a while.

"Not really." Elena shrugged. "I have Jenna's permission and if anything goes wrong I have you."

A few hours later a happy, emancipated, Elena smiled at Stefan as he parked his car in front of the school.

"Nice car." Elena told him with a smile.

"Thought it would be a waste to leave it in the garage." Stefan shrugged and together they started to make their way into the school.

"How are you feeling?" Elena asked softly.

"I woke up this morning feeling great and thought it was time to get back into things." Stefan shrugged. "Thank you for being there for me during all this."

"You would do the same for me." Elena nudged his shoulder with her own.

"If we don't hurry, we'll be late." Stefan hummed as he heard the warning bell ring. "Why don't you go to class, I'll catch up, I just need to grab my stuff."

"Okay, if you're sure." Elena muttered and at Stefans nodded she jogged away.

Elena managed to get into the history class room and sit down before the bell rang and Stefan walked in a few second later and she smirked at him, knowing that he had cheated and used vamp-speed to get there on time.

"Okay, this week were going to set aside our regular curriculum for a lesson in local history as we approach Founders' Day." Alaric explained as he leaned against his desk. "Apparently the community leaders feel it's more important than World War 2, but hey, what do I know?"

"Sorry I'm late." Bonnie interrupted as she hurried into the class room.

"Well, it looks like we will be at full occupancy today." Alaric smiled. "Welcome home, Bonnie."

Bonnie sat down and smiled at Elena, who smiled back, but when she looked at Stefan her smile faded even as Stefan smiled at her. Bonnie tried not to look at him and turns her head away. Elena was worried, had she not managed to keep Bonnie from being a judgmental little hypocrite?

Elena and Stefan shared a confused look even as Elena planed on talking to Bonnie later to find out what was going on.

After class Elena ran after Bonnie who walked away quickly, reading a paper.

"Bonnie!" Elena called out making Bonnie stop.

"Hey." Bonnie mumbled.

"I tried to talk to you after class but you had already taken off." Elena smiled slightly at her. "How are you? How's the family?"

"We're dealing but it's been hard." Bonnie shrugged.

"We have missed you, you know." Elena smiled again.

"I've missed you guys to." Bonnie said but Elena felt like it wasn't completely right, like there was something hidden in her words.

"Bonnie! Bonnie!" Caroline came bouncing over and pulled Bonnie into a hug. "Thank God your home!"

"I've missed you to Caroline." Bonnies smiled a lot more sincerely at Caroline.

"I know we talked everyday but I've missed you." Caroline beamed.

Elena smiled, while she couldn't just forgive Bonnie for the betrayal at the tomb, she didn't want to abandoned her completely either, so while she had only called Bonnie a few times she had asked Caroline to be there for Bonnie instead and it seemed to have worked.

"How are you doing?" Caroline asked Bonnie.

"Better, much better." Bonnie chuckled lightly. "You know, glad to be back and trying to keep myself busy."

"Well, I can help with that." Caroline beamed. "Major wardrobe problem! You need to help me pick out the perfect dress for the Founders' Court."

"The Founders' Court?" Elena asked looking shocked. "Did I miss something?"

"The Founders' Court! You know, Miss Mystic Falls." Caroline looked at her weirdly. "They announced it today and you and I are both on it."

"Oh my God, I had completely forgot about that." Elena groaned as she recalled what she had read in Elenas diaries from before the whole taking over her life thing.

"So, are you dropping out then?" Caroline asked sadly.

"I can't." Elena hummed.

"No?" Caroline looked hopeful, wanting her best friend there with her.

"Her mom is the one who wanted her to enter." Bonnie explained softly to Caroline as they watched Elena walk away.

As she made her way home Elena pulled out her phone and called her sister from another mister. "Hey Lexi."

"Elena!" Lexi called out in happiness. "It's so good to hear from you."

"I miss you, sister-mine." Elena smiled sadly.

"I miss you to, sweetie." Lexi hummed. "So, what can I help you with, little sister?"

"Stefan is struggling." Elena told her.

"Struggling how?" Lexi wanted to know.

"A few days/weeks ago, Stefan was kidnapped and tortured." Elena murmured sadly, knowing that Lexi could still hear her. "And the only way for him to survive was to give him my blood and after that he has not been himself. I honestly don't care if he wants to feed on people and massacre towns but I know that it is not something he wants."

"Shit, he's on a blood binge." Lexi muttered. "Here's what well do, Lee and I will come get him for a few days to help him get back to his normal broody self."

"Sounds good." Elena nodded even though she knew Lexi couldn't see her. "I'll call Damon and tell him to get Stefan ready to go."

"Thanks for calling, little sister." Lexi had a smile in her voice. "I will fix our best friend and then you and I can go on a celebratory shopping spree."

"I look forward to it." Elena laughed. "Bye Lexi and hug Lee from me."

"I will and I'll text you later." Lexi made a kissing sound on the other end of the phone before she hung up.

Elena chuckled quietly to herself as she called Damo and when he answered she greeted him with, "Hello Mystic Falls resident bad ass."

"Hello gorgeous." Damon laughed.

"I have some information for you and then I have a favor to ask." Elena said as she walked home, having been dropped off by Damon after the meeting at the court house earlier that day.

"Hit me." Damon hummed.

"Kinky." Elena laughed and then she proceeded to tell him about her talk with Lexi.

"I'll make sure Stefan is all ready to go when she gets here." Damon reassured her. "Now, what was that favor you needed?"

"I'm very sorry for the short notice. I didn't even know that the contest was coming up, much less that I would be in it." Elena explained softly. "And I really hoped that you could do me the huge favor of being my escort to this Miss Mystic Falls thing."

"It would be an honor to escort you, Miss. Gilbert." Damon declared with a low laugh.

"Thank you." Elena let out a sigh of relief. "Meet me at the school tomorrow."

"Sure, and you're welcome." Damon chuckled and hung up.