Stefan's POV

I wake with a jolt. Once my breathing evens I look around and find myself in Hope's bedroom. I smile as the events of last night come back to me. I woke her up in the middle of the night again to have a round.

But she is nowhere in sight. I sit up on the bed and am instantly hit by the smell of pancakes. I follow the smell and see that it leads to the kitchen. Her back is to me and she is cooking away. I creep behind her slowly and wrap my arms all the way around on her waist and rest my chin on her now exposed neck.

She giggles and puts one pancake on the rest of the pile switching off the stove and turns around in my arms. I instantly react and kiss her fully on the lips. It was a simple kiss.

"I miss this" I admit.

"I miss this too"

"I was afraid that I might never got to see you again. I was afraid that if I did it would be too late. Someone might steal you from me"

"No one is going to do that"

"Conner might" I say with distaste in my mouth.

She takes a deep breath in and then replies lightly,

"No"

"No ?"

"I broke up with him."

My glee could break metres rigt now. A vast smile grazes my face and I hold her by her forearms keeping her at arms length. A traitorous chuckle escapes me.

"What ?"

"I did"

"Why ?"

"This.... whatever's going on here.... he doesn't deserve this. He deserves someone better than me. He fell in love with me. I never did"

"I thought you might choose him over me"

"Just because I was afraid of choosing you doesn't mean I would do that to him. Doesn't mean I would choose anyone over you. I would never choose anyone over you. It's always been you. Always"

My heart flutters at her words. I lift her up by her hips and spin around in the kitchen and her laughter and squeals are echoed in the whole apartment.

I was missing out on so much. I was such an idiot.

I love her.

Very short.... I know. But there's a bang in the next one.