Elena stood by the refreshment table watching the crowd. She couldn't believe she had actually entered the Miss Mystic Falls pageant; it had been her mother's dream, though, so it only felt right. Her eyes found Matt happily spinning the laughing Caroline around the dance floor and smiled, they deserved to be happy. She kept looking around the room, not seeing Stephen or Damon. She sighed, her boyfriend/escort and her escort's step-in were somewhere, and she hadn't danced the whole time, except at the very beginning and that wasn't even with her escort, so she was pretty much out of the running. Shaking her head sadly, she came to the realization that she would be the first woman from her mom's family to not win the title. As she was about to leave, a voice came from behind her.

"May I have the honor of this dance, Ms. Gilbert?"

Elena turned and saw Tyler Lockwood standing behind her. Her mouth dropped unnoticeably in shock.

"Why would you want to dance with me? After all, my boyfriend ruined your relationship with Matt, his brother ruined your relationship with Vicky, and you have a vendetta against my little brother. So, you can understand my shock." Elena said, raising an eyebrow.

"Because it is expected of me. After all, the two of us are the descendants of the four oldest founding families." Tyler explained, trying to avoid the real reason.

"True," Elena stated. The Gilberts and Her mom's family and the Lockwood's and Mrs. Lockwood's family are the oldest families in Mystic Falls. "Why else?"

"Well, do to the before mentioned reason, the town, especially my mom, was expecting me to be your escort. But, since you have a boyfriend, my mom couldn't really pushing me as an escort. But, unfortunately, she has been complaining about how your escort, and then escort step-in, hadn't danced with you and then all but pushed me over here." Tyler explained farther, going even farther from his actual reason.

*Seven Years Earlier*

Elena ran up to Tyler and his mom, Mrs. Gilbert following closely behind, at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant . The mothers smiled before leaving the two seven years olds together.

"Would you like to dance with me Lena?" Tyler asked, holding out his hand. Elena nodded and took his hand. As they twirled in their own made-up dance, their mothers watched on hopefully.

"I can't wait 'til I'm old enough to enter this competition." Elena sighed as she watched one of the contestants and their escort.

"You'll definitely win." Tyler said.

"Why do think that?"

"I know it. You are the most pretty girl in this town." Tyler stated.

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are. You will have every guy in this town wanting a dance." Tyler said it like it was a fact of life.

"No I won't. But if I do, do you promise to be one of them?" Elena asked, looking shyly at him.

"I promise." Tyler said, looking into her eyes.

The two stopped dancing as the song came to an end and looked into the other's eyes. He bowed and she curtsied. They vaguely heard their dads calling for them before Elena gently pressed her lips to his before running over to her father. It was his and hers first kiss and he knew he wouldn't experience anything like it ever again. Tyler touched his lips and watched as Mr. Gilbert twirled Elena around, hearing her laughter over the din of the celebration. He knew she was going to win this thing when she was older.

*Present*

Elena took Tyler's offered hand and let him lead her onto the dance floor. After a minute of silence, Elena finally spoke.

"So, why did you really ask me to dance?" Elena said with a coy smile.

"I promised to." was all he said before twirling her again. Realization dawned on Elena and she laughed, Tyler joining her.

"I can't believe you still remember that." she said.

"For some reason, I've been thinking about it a lot lately."

"I know why."

"Why?"

"Your mother." Elena said with a smile, causing Tyler to laugh again.

"Why do you say that?"

"She has all but out right told me that you should have been my escort."

"Well, if I was, your first dance wouldn't have been with a step-in. Sorry, that was rude of me."

"No, it's fine. I haven't been able to find either of them though since the first dance."

Before they could say anything else, the song ended. Tyler bowed and Elena curtsied. Rising from their positions, they looked at each other. Elena vaguely heard Stephan call her name. She kissed Tyler's cheek and headed over to her boyfriend. Tyler rested his hand where her lips had just been and watched as she kissed Stephan lightly. He realized then, that his crush on Elena when they were growing had changed. He was in love with Elena Gilbert.

*After the pageant ended*

Tyler followed Elena onto the lavishly decorated veranda. He stopped for a second, seeing how beautiful she looked under the full moon's glow. She leaned on the railing and sighed. Tyler quickly walked over to her.

"Hey." he greeted.

"Hey." Elena sighed out.

"Want to tell me what's wrong?"

"I just… I feel like I let my mom down. The women in her family always win this pageant. All my life, I've heard the stories, seen all the tiaras in the box in the attic. All my life I have looked forward to this. Letting my mom help me get ready and then seeing the proud look on her face when I won. But I lost and I feel like I let her down, not that I'm not happy for Caroline." Elena tried wiping the tears that had started to fall away, but there were too many.

"You may have lost, but your mom would still have been proud of the way you handled everything since they died. You have taken care of yourself, your aunt, and Jeremy, especially Jeremy."

"I was thinking about the memory and you were wrong."

"About what?"

"All the guys in town wanting to dance with me, about me being the prettiest one there. I danced with two guys the entire night. And had to watch Caroline flaunting the guys that were following her around. She has never been able to comprehend the one guy thing. When I was with Matt, she was constantly bragging about her guy of the week. And even with Stephan, she does it. But she's with Matt now, and I'm happy about that. But what I don't like is how she still acts like she's single when Matt isn't right there with her. And she's been giving me the cold shoulder ever since she and Matt got together. It infuriates me that she is willing to give up thirteen years of friendships because she wants me to be jealous." the tears started to fall faster and Tyler quickly wrapped his arms around her. He led her over to the stone steps and they sat down. Tyler intertwined their fingers, like he did when they were younger to comfort her, like he did at her parents' funeral.

"You may not have had all the guys after you, but you were the most beautiful girl in there and would have won if… you know. And don't worry about Caroline. She's a shallow bitch and you know it. And don't tell me not to talk about her that way because she has given you no reason to defend her lately." Tyler said. He looked over at Elena and she smiled slightly at him. They heard Stephan and Damon calling for her and stood up, Elena quickly wiping her dress off as Caroline and Matt began calling for her as well.

"You better go. But, if something ever happens to your relationship with Stephan, I would be more than happy to give a relationship between us a try. You know, to humor my mother and get to stop nagging me about it." Tyler said, casually leaning against the wall.

"I'd go for that. Only if something goes wrong between me and Stephen. COMING!" Elena finally acknowledging that she knew they were looking for her. She turned to leave.

"Wait." Tyler walked over to where she was now standing. "I always have your back, Elena. I know things about you and the pressure put on you by this town because of your family, I have the same ones. If it ever becomes too much for you, give me a call. You still have the number?"

"I've only had it memorized since forever." Elena said coyly. Kissing his cheek again, she ran back inside.

"Where have you been?" he heard Stephan asking from the front door. Walking to the balcony railing he caught Elena's eye.

"Sorry, I got caught up talking to an old friend." She responded before walking away between the Salvatore brothers.

Tyler's gaze never left her until she was out of sight. Yep, his crush on Elena Gilbert was definitely so much more than a crush. Dang it!, he thought, why does my mother always have to be right?

The mayor and his wife stood watching their son, small smiles on their faces.

"I was right, he has fallen for her. If only her mother were still here, she would be so delighted by the news." Mrs. Lockwood said, walking back inside, her husband following close behind.