Although Elena had been pretty terrified from coming back, the first feeling that came over her when the bus crossed the town border was joy. Her lips widened into an excited smile, which pleased Jeremy. He hadn't doubt that Elena would eventually thank him for bringing her back, but he hadn't reckoned on it happening so soon.
'I'm at home!' sang Elena, out of the sudde full of energy and desire to meet everyone. 'I wanna see Jenna and Rick and Caroline and Matt and Bonnie!'
Jeremy burst into laughter. 'You'll see them all,' he promised to her. 'First, we'll stop by at our house so that you can drop your things and then you can visit Bonnie. She's expecting you and she's looking forward to seeing you so much!'
'Wait, so she already knows that I'm here?' wondered Elena.
'I've reported that to her,' mumbled Jeremy and he lifted his phone.
'You've ruined my surprise,' Elena reproached, but she was only pretending to be mad.
'Sorry then,' he growled and rolled his eyes.
Jenna was beside herself with happiness when her niece finally came home and she expressed it by a loud exclamation and a tight hug, which Elena had a problem to scramble out of, even despite her vampire strength. 'I've missed you,' she told her aunt with glowing eyes.
'And I've missed you,' responded Jenna.
'Congratulations on your engagement,' Elena wished her heartily.
'Thanks!' giggled Jenna like a thirteen-year-old and she showed her her engagement ring. It wasn't a diamond, but it still looked very beautiful and it suited Jenna almost as much as her I'm-so-in-love look, which probably became a part of her face ever since Alaric proposed. 'I'm so glad that I'll have you at my wedding!'
Elena would never think of not going there and she immediately told Jenna that. Jenna grasped her in her arms again, even tighter than before, and then she announced that she was going to serve the food she had cooked and that they could drink the last champagne that was left there from the engagement party.
But Elena was reluctant. 'You know, I was thinking that I'd visit my friends first if that's fine by you.'
'Of course it is, we'll eat whenever you want! So hurry, Bonnie and Caroline have missed you terribly.'
They hardly could have missed me more than I've missed them, thought Elena, she gave Jenna a brief kiss on the cheek, she took a quick shower, changed clothes and headed to Bonnie's. Her friend welcomed her with her arms open and her eyes full of sparkles.
'I'm so happy that you're back!'
'So am I!' replied Elena cheerfully. She couldn't believe that she had been able to live so long without her best friend.
'Are you here for good?' asked Bonnie a bit nervously.
A shadow flew over Elena's face. 'I don't know, Bonnie.'
'Because of Klaus?' frowned Bonnie.
Elena nodded.
'You should keep far from him,' said Bonnie.
'What do you mean?'
'While you were gone, all he did was trouble. We never managed to prove it, but we think that he killed at least five Mystic Falls citizens and he turned a model into a vampire and he spends most of his time with her and he doesn't have her under control at all.'
Elena felt a stab in her heart. She wasn't sure if it was fear, disgust or... she wriggled at that thought... jealousy. 'Oh my god,' she breathed out.
'A lot has happened, Elena, and Klaus Mikaelson is behind all the bad things. I'm telling you, don't ever let him close to you again.'
Elena didn't even know if she had planned to do that, but now she swore to herself that she would be cautious and that she wouldn't let Klaus get under her skin.
'And what else has happened?' she asked Bonnie.
Her friend grinned and invited her in. 'Let's sit down for that. It's for a long chat.'