A/N: Here is my newest story! A bit different from the rest and I hope you will enjoy it like you have all of the others.
This story is Stefan and Elena, with others thrown in for the fun of it all. The theme of this story deals a lot with healing and moving forward, which I think is so important and many people can relate to it. Whether you experience a breakup or a death of a loved one, you find ways to cope and sometimes those ways are not necessarily the healthy. So I throw in Stefan shirtless and playing a guitar and all is right in the world again! :) Kidding.
So I do hope you give this story a chance. It is rated M for language and probably sex and who knows what else. I am also changing Jeremy's age to make him a lot younger.
Please let me know what you think and whether or not I should continue.
She groaned as she walked up her front porch steps. The bright light of the sun was making her already pounding head feel like it would explode. She squinted as she tried to find the right key on her key ring. "Damnit" she muttered when she dropped her keys and had to bend down to get them.
When she finally found the right key and was able to open the door, she stumbled inside, still a little off balance. But she managed to kick her heels off and toss her purse onto a nearby table. She was quiet as she tried to sneak across the living room.
"Where have you been?" she heard her aunt ask. Jenna was sitting in a chair in the corner, with a blanket draped over her shoulders. Her eyes were dark from lack of sleep and worry.
Elena turned to face her, clearly not happy with being interrogated this early in the morning. "I don't see why that is any of your business" Elena shot at her.
"Damnit Elena!" Jenna said, raising her voice as she stood up, ready for battle with Elena once again. Third time that week. "You are 17 years old and you live under my roof. That means you respect my rules" she said angrily.
Elena scoffed. "I'm not a child anymore, Jenna!" Elena yelled at her. "I'm almost an adult, and if I want to stay out late, then I will. You sure as hell won't tell me what to do" Elena informed her.
Jenna wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or scream at Elena, so she did both. "I can't do this anymore!" Jenna yelled at her. "I can't watch you throw your life away, staying out late getting drunk and doing God knows what else you do!" It was almost every night that Elena was out drinking with her irresponsible older friends. And Jenna was up all night scared to death that the next knock on her door would be the police saying that Elena was dead.
"Then mind your own damn business you bitch!" Elena yelled at her.
That had hurt. Bad. Jenna didn't bother to wipe her tears anymore. What was the point? "If your parents were here to see you right now …" Jenna trailed off.
That was cutting way too close to Elena's open wound and her face showed how much it affected her. "They're not" Elena said icily. "So back the fuck off Jenna" Elena warned, turning around and heading for the stairs.
As soon as Elena grabbed onto the stair railing, Jenna spoke up again. "Where are you going?" Jenna asked.
"To bed" Elena growled at her.
"You have school" Jenna reminded her.
"I'm not going" Elena told her. She had missed a lot of school lately, was barely passing all of her classes, and didn't give a fuck.
"Fine" Jenna told her, crossing her arms over her chest. "When you decide to wake up, pack your bags" she instructed.
Elena scoffed. "What, are you kicking me out?" Elena asked in disbelief. Though, Elena was happy to go. Surely someone would let her crash someplace.
"No" Jenna replied, walking closer to Elena. "I'm sending you to Wyoming" she announced.
Elena laughed in disbelief. "Where?" Elena asked.
"If you would attend class like you're supposed to, you would know where Wyoming was on the map" Jenna shot at her. It was a low blow, but it made Jenna feel good.
Elena glared at her. "I know where Wyoming is. But I'm not going" she informed her aunt. "I'll be 18 in September" she reminded. That was only four months away. Then Jenna really couldn't tell her what to do.
"You will go" Jenna corrected. "If you want your inheritance" she added.
Elena's mouth dropped open. "You can't withhold my inheritance from me. It's mine" Elena said angrily. At 18, Elena was entitled to all of it. The house. The vacation house. The money. The investments.
"Wrong" Jenna told her. "Your parents left me in charge of distributing your inheritance how I see fit" she reminded. "And right now, I don't think you are responsible enough to have that much money" Jenna informed. "So, you have a choice. You can go to Wyoming for a year, get your grades up at a school there, and turn your life around to get your inheritance in one year, or you can defy me yet again, stay here, and wait until you are 26 to get your money. It's your choice Elena" Jenna told her.
Elena was red with fury. "You can't do this" Elena told her.
Jenna shrugged. "Looks like I am" she told her. "Make up your mind by the end of the day. So I can let my friend know whether or not to expect you" she added. Then, Jenna turned around and went into the kitchen, feeling like she had more power than she had in the last year.
Elena was still fuming as she stomped up the stairs. This was unbelievable. She didn't want to go to Wyoming. What the hell was there in Wyoming? Surely, Jenna was just upset and overreacting. Elena could talk her out of it later when they had both cooled off.
"Elena?" a sleepy seven-year old asked, peeking out of his bedroom door. "Why were you yelling?" he asked sadly.
"I wasn't Jeremy!" Elena snapped, causing the young boy to ease back into his room quickly. Elena continued on to her room, slamming her door to prove her point that her aunt was being unreasonable and that the universe was unfair.
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"Them cattle are going to need to be moved to the south end of the ranch tomorrow" Ric said before taking in another spoonful of potato salad. "A few guys will be here tomorrow, falling trees and I don't want the whole herd getting spooked and running through a fence" he added.
Both Damon and Stefan nodded. "Sure thing, Ric" Damon said, grabbing for another piece of bread from the basket in the middle of the table.
All three settled into a peaceful silence for a bit as they continued to eat their dinner.
"I saw a few new youngsters in the barn this afternoon" Ric said, looking at Stefan.
Stefan smiled proudly. "I just picked them up this mornin' from Rawlins" Stefan told him. "I'm thinking both of them will make mighty fine barrel horses once I'm done with them."
Damon laughed. "Brother, when are you gonna stop playin' with a woman's horse and help us real men with the cattle? Or better yet, ride a bull?" his brother asked.
Stefan didn't respond, because he had learned not to. Damon didn't understand Stefan's passion for training horses. Damon was all about the thrill of possibly getting his face kicked in by a bull. Or working with cattle all day to earn a living.
"Leave your brother alone, Damon" Ric warned. "Stefan here is making quite a bit of money training those young horses. Hell, he could probably give you a few tips on your ridin' too" Ric said, grinning as he caught Stefan about ready to laugh.
"Funny" Damon said, glaring at Ric. "I don't have to be the best horse rider in town if I want to make my career outta ridin' bulls and raisin' cattle" he reminded.
"That why you fell off your horse last week trying to get that calf back with the herd?" Ric asked. Damon glared again. "Leave your brother alone" he warned again. Ric had known the boys since the day they were born. Ric had been a ranch hand for their parents for five years and was practically family by that point. And Ric had been raising them since Stefan was two and Damon was eight, after their parents up and left, claiming they didn't want the ranching life anymore. Or the responsibilities of raising two children.
Damon took it the hardest, seeing as he was eight when their parents took off for Europe. Stefan didn't remember a thing about them, and Ric thought that might have been best.
And now Ric was running a ranch and looking out for Damon, 23, and Stefan, 17. It wasn't the future that Ric had pictured for himself, but it was his life now and he was doing the best he could. Ric wasn't from Wyoming originally, having grown up in Mystic Falls until he was 18 before heading west to try his hand at ranching. He sure as hell wasn't expecting to be in charge of a ranch.
Damon and Stefan hadn't changed one bit either. Damon was still impulsive and eager, while Stefan was kind and patient. Their personalities fit their futures perfectly.
"I need to talk to you two about something" Ric said, setting his spoon down.
Stefan and Damon both looked at each other and then at Ric. He looked serious. "We're listening" Damon said.
"We will be having a guest stayin' with us for a little while" Ric announced.
"What kind of a guest?" Damon questioned. They hadn't had a guest in quite some time.
"Well, her name is Elena …" Ric began.
"A female guest" Damon grinned. "How old? Maybe it will be Stefan's lucky year and he can get laid" Damon announced, smacking his little brother on the back.
Stefan glared at him, as did Ric. "No one will be laying with anyone" he warned. "Elena is the niece of a close friend of mine back home in Virginia. Elena will be staying the entire year with us, which means she will be going to school with Stefan and helping out on the ranch" he added.
"So she is Stefan's age" Damon smiled. "There you go buddy. Maybe you got a shot at this one" he said, laughing at his own comment.
Stefan punched Damon in the side. "Why is she coming to stay with us?" Stefan asked curiously.
Ric sighed. "She's going through a rough time right now and her aunt thinks it will be good for Elena to start fresh someplace new. So I expect you both to be the gentlemen I know you are and help Elena out while she is here" he said, eying them both carefully.
Damon rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "Sorry Ric, but I got too much on my plate to be babysittin' some girl who probably has never set foot on a ranch" he told him. "So, I'm leaving this one up to you, little brother" Damon announced. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have cattle to feed" he said, standing up from the table to clear his plate. He grabbed his hat on his way out.
"I'm counting on you Stefan" Ric said, leaning on the table. He knew he couldn't count much on Damon. "Jenna means a lot to me and she is asking for my help with Elena" he admitted.
"Does Elena even want to come stay with us?" Stefan asked cautiously.
Ric just smiled. "She's … on the fence about it still" he replied, meaning, hell no. Ric was well aware that Elena Gilbert would give them all a run for their money. "I think I'm turning in early tonight" he said, standing to take his plate away.
"When can we expect her?" Stefan asked, taking a sip of his milk.
"Tomorrow" Ric said, and Stefan spit his milk out, eying him with disbelief.
"Tomorrow?" Stefan asked.
"You can come with me to pick her up at the airport" he said. "I'd sure appreciate it." With that, Ric left the room.
Stefan sat back and sighed. Tomorrow, while it was Saturday and he didn't have school, was supposed to be his time to work with his new horses. On top of his ranch chores. But Ric needed him, and seeing as how Ric had done a hell of a lot for him, Stefan couldn't justify saying no.
Besides, maybe this Elena girl wasn't going to be so bad.
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Jenna knocked lightly on Elena's door, having seen the light under her door. She opened Elena's door after not receiving an answer. Elena was at her desk, her journal open and a pen moving back and forth as Elena thought about what she wanted to write. "I talked with Ric today" Jenna said, trying to sound as friendly as she could so as not to start a fight. "He's excited to see you tomorrow. I think you're going to love the ranch you'll be staying on. They have a lot of horses and …"
"Would you stop?" Elena asked, turning towards her aunt and pinning her with her annoyed stare. "Do you think I care about Ric or some stupid horses?" she asked.
Jenna remained quiet for a moment, already fearing that she had set Elena off. Which wasn't hard to do anymore. "What happened to us, Elena?" Jenna asked sadly. "We used to do everything together. We used to talk" she reminded her, feeling a few fresh tears form. She just wanted her niece back.
Elena scoffed. "What happened? You became a neurotic control freak dead set on ruining my life" Elena told her. "I would expect this from Uncle John, but you?" Elena asked. "You're quite the disappointment lately."
The hatred that colored Elena's words made Jenna sick to her stomach. "I am not trying to ruin your life!" Jenna said, raising her voice at her. "I'm trying to be a responsible parent figure and raise you two" she reminded.
"They're dead, Jenna!" Elena snapped at her. "I don't need you to replace them. I don't need you telling me what to do and worrying about me all the damn time!" Elena said as she slammed her journal shut and walked past Jenna to leave.
Jenna stepped out into the hallway as Elena was going down the stairs. "I hope one day you realize how much I love you!" Jenna called after her, not bothering to fight the tears that were already falling. The front door slammed shut and Jenna jumped slightly, desperately feeling like a failure. Her own niece hated her.
"Aunt Jenna" Jeremy said softly, rubbing his tired eyes as he stepped out of his room and into the hallway.
Jenna sighed sadly and wiped at her eyes before turning around. "Hey kiddo" she said, walking towards him. "What are you doing out of bed sleepy head?" she asked with a small smile.
"I heard you guys fighting again" he told her.
She bent down to his level and brushed his messy hair off of his forehead. "I'm sorry we woke you up" she said, frowning. "Hey, I need to tell you something" she said. "Elena is going to go away for a little while tomorrow" she told him. "She's going to go stay with a friend of mine. He has lots of horses and farm animals" she said.
Jeremy smiled at the mention of animals. "Can I go too?" he asked.
Jenna laughed. "Not yet" she told him. "But maybe we will go and see Elena sometime" she added.
"Okay" he smiled contently. Such an easy going kid for what he had been through. What he was still going through. "Can you read a story with me?" he asked. He already had one picked out.
"You bet" she said, leaning in and kissing his head. "You go and get the book all ready and I will be in in a few minutes" she promised.
Jeremy smiled as he ran back into his room and jumped onto his bed. Jenna smiled as she watched Jeremy. She hadn't lost him, but she was scared that she had lost Elena.
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"Here" Ric said, handing Stefan a large cup of coffee as he got back in the truck. "We'll stop for a late breakfast after we pick Elena up. I reckon she'll be hungry" he said, putting the truck into drive and pulling away from the small diner in town.
"That's fine" Stefan said, messing with the radio to find a country station he liked. "Have you ever met Elena?" Stefan asked curiously, trying to see if he could get a better picture of who Elena was.
"A few times, when she was a baby" Ric told him. "When I moved out here, Jenna and I stayed in contact and she'd send me pictures and updates and what not" he explained.
"So, you and Jenna …" Stefan said, not bothering to hide the grin he had on his face.
Ric just laughed. "No. We weren't involved, if that's what you're askin' me" he told him. "We're just really good friends." And he missed her like crazy.
Stefan knew that Ric felt something a little stronger than friendship for this Jenna person, but he was going to let it go. For now. Because it was a long drive to the airport and a nap sounded pretty damn good to him.
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Stefan and Ric were waiting by the baggage claim, dressed like most of the other men in there. A plaid shirt, blue jeans, a belt and buckle and cowboy boots. Stefan had no idea what to expect, but he figured he would know her when he saw her. Most of the people coming through were families though.
Stefan glanced up at Ric who was anxiously waiting for Elena. "Maybe she didn't get on the plane" Stefan said, not seeing anyone else coming.
"Believe me, I tried not to" came Elena's fiery attitude from behind them. Both whipped around to find her standing before them, looking none too pleased. "My flight arrived an hour ago" she said, crossing her arms.
"My apologies" Ric told her. "I'm Ric. I assume Jenna gave you the details" he said, holding out his hand to shake hers.
Elena gave him a snotty look and ignored his hand. Then she glared at Stefan. "Who the fuck are you?" she asked. Clearly, the girl wasn't shy.
Stefan was caught off guard by her hostility towards him. "This is Stefan. He lives on the ranch, well, owns it really" Ric explained. "And you'll meet his brother Damon when we get back."
Elena looked Stefan up and down. "Don't you speak?" Elena questioned him.
With her upfront hostility and her absolute beauty, the cat really had gotten his tongue. He never liked to think of himself as one of those guys who chased girls for their looks, but with her long dark brown hair and her long tan legs, he was intrigued. "I do, Miss Gilbert" he said, holding his hand out for her. "Like Ric said, I'm Stefan. Welcome to Wyoming" he said.
Elena was still looking at him with irritation and she didn't take his hand. "Keep it" she told him. "I hear you rednecks out here put your hands up cows' asses" she informed them. "So I'd rather keep my hands to myself." She slung her purse over her shoulder and then pointed. "My bags are over there" she said, walking towards the exit and expecting them to follow.
Stefan and Ric shared a look. "She's … somethin' alright" Stefan said, quickly grabbing her bags with Ric. He had a feeling that she wasn't going to like being told that flip flops and short shorts weren't suitable for most of the daily ranch activities.
"That she is" Ric sighed. It was going to be one long ass year.
A/N: Thoughts?