Stefan is roused by the smell of coffee first. Coffee is good. Coffee is great actually. It's the smell of food that just might be on the edge of burning that worries him, and draws him from his bed, making his way through the apartment to the kitchen.

Stefan is always going to be grateful that Elena is here. Being alone isn't all it's cracked up to be, and it doesn't matter how long they're separated, they still manage to fall into the same patterns, one way or another. Elena is always going to be Elena and Stefan is always going to be Stefan and she's the one person in this town that he doesn't have to lie to. He's always going to value that, one way or another.

He makes his way into the kitchen, and brushes past the coffee to lean over his shoulder and see what she's doing. "Whatcha doing?"