"Elena…"
"I love you—"
"I love you, too."
"—and the thought of staying is so enticing…"
"Then stay!"
Her knees grew weak at his words. She was sacrificing so much... But she had to go.
"Let's get real," she said. "This thing we had… It wasn't just bad. It was a shit show."
"Come on, it wasn't exactly—"
"Shh, let me finish." Elena took a deep breath. "We can't undo the past, and we can't make amends. All we know is dysfunction. We've screwed each other over so many times—and we've screwed other people along the way. Stefan. Caroline. We're one moment away from guest starring on Jerry Springer! As much as we hoped otherwise, what we had wasn't fate. It's neglect, Damon. I mean, Chernobyl next to us looks like a campfire! Hurricane Katrina was just bad weather!"
"It wasn't—"
"We have chemistry, of course, but that's just a formula for divorce!"
"Elena…"
"Fine! Let's say we go to bed right now. What happens after sex?
"Fatigue and hunger?"
The smirk her threw her way made her want to jump into his arms. Instead, she rolled her eyes—her usual method of deflection.
"I mean in the long run." Couldn't he see? "When you say that I should stay, that's exactly when I should split."
"Elena, please…"
Elena cupped Damon's face in her hand and looked into his deep, blue eyes sparkling with unshed tears.
"I won't forget…"
She moved closer toward him.
"I won't regret…"
Closer.
"This beautiful…"
She could feel his breath on her face.
"Heart stopping…"
Their lips were so close.
"Breathtaking…"
Damon's eyes closed, and he leaned his head forward, waiting for her kiss.
"Life-changing…"
But no kiss came. Elena moved away from Damon and picked her bag off the floor and moved toward the door of the boarding house.
As Damon listened to her leave, his eyes remained closed. If I can't see, it didn't happen. It didn't happen. It didn't—
The door closed with a soft click and Damon's eyes opened. A single tear slid down his cheek. I need a drink.
