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Then Elena turned her face up, and shut her eyes, and pursed her lips slightly She wanted a kiss But

"You're just a child in your e of you?"

There was a sign language they had had, back in her old life, which Elena still remembered She would tap under her chin, just where it was softest: once, twice, three times

It meant she felt uncomfortable, inside As if she were too full in her throat It meant she wanted

Stefan groaned

"Ican't"

Tap, tap, tap

"You're not back to your old self yet"

Tap, tap, tap

"Listen to me, love"

TAP! TAP! TAP! She gazed at hi eyes If she could have spoken, she would have said, Please, give me some credit - I'm not totally stupid Please, listento what I can't say to you

"You hurt You're really hurting," Stefan had interpreted, with sonation "I - if I - if I only take a little"

And then suddenly Stefan's fingers had been cool and sure, le, and then she had felt the twin bites, which convinced hershe was alive and not a spirit anymore

Andthen she had been very sure that Stefan loved her and no one else, and she could tell Stefan sos she wanted to But she had to tell them in little exclamations - not of pain - with stars and co around her And Stefan had been the one who had not been able to think a single word to her Stefan was the one struck mute

Elena felt that was only fair After that, he held her at night and she was always happy