ELENA:Sorry for barging in. Especially after earlier.

STEFAN: No, no. I'm gladyou're here. The way we left things... I didn't like it.

ELENA:See, the thing is, I got home tonight planning on doing what I always do, writein my diary, like I have been since my mom gave me one when I was 10. It'swhere I get everything out, everything I'm feeling. It all goes in this littlebook that I hide on the second shelf behind this really hideous ceramicmermaid. But then I realized that I'd just be writing things that I shouldprobably be telling you.

STEFAN: What would youwrite?

ELENA:I would write... "Dear diary,today I convinced myself it was ok to give up. Don't take risks. Stick with thestatus quo. No drama, now is just not the time. But my reasons aren't reasons,they're excuses. All I'm doing is hiding from the truth, and the truth isthat..." I'm scared, Stefan. I'm scared that if I let myself behappy for even one moment that... the world's just going to come crashing down,and I... I don't know if I can survive that.

STEFAN: Do you want to knowwhat I would write? "I met agirl. We talked. It was epic. But then the sun came up and reality set in.Well, this is reality. Right here."