a/n: I started this story awhile ago, and I only have a few chapters written, but I'm going to start posting anyway. I'll update whenever I can. It seems like having a story up pushes me to finish it, so that's what I'm hoping will happen with this one. :) I have no idea how long this story will be and I'm going to be taking some liberties with the characters and their family ties and fuse the books and the show together...let's see how it works out :) enjoy :)

Oh, and I will be working on a Tyler/Elena story too as a request from Hecate's Diamon (I'm finally starting it!) so look for that too. For those of you that have read my Nothing Without You series, T/E will kind of be like that :)

ONE

Damon sat in the tree outside of Elena's window. He watched her with sadness as she moved quickly around the room, scrambling to get ready. She was in her cap and gown and there was a smile on her face; a smile that he hadn't seen before. She moved with excitement and it made him feel a little guilty. He forced the feeling away, telling himself that it wouldn't affect her in the least. She wouldn't miss him. His lip curled as he thought about the ring Stefan had shown him earlier.

"What do you think?" he asked, tossing a little black box across the parlor.

Damon caught it and froze. "I'm pretty sure the state of Virginia frowns upon marriages between the same sex," he taunted, hiding his panic. "Not to mention one between siblings."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "It's for Elena." He moved closer and motioned for Damon to open the box. "Do you think she'll like it?"

His stomach twisted and he felt sick as he opened the box and stared at the little heart shaped diamond on a silver band. Quickly, he snapped the box closed and roughly returned it to his younger brother. "She'll love it," he said a bit colder than he intended.

"You're coming tonight, right?" Stefan asked as Damon began to walk towards the front door.

"Seriously? This isn't the first time you've graduated high school. I think I'll pass."

"Elena wants you there."

He snorted. "Have fun," he retorted before leaving the room.

Since then, he had been perched outside the Gilbert house with his eyes glued to Elena. He stuck to the shadows as he followed her through the house. He had dealt with his feelings for her and decided it was best to keep those feelings to himself. The last thing anyone needed was a repeat of 1864; even if he truly believed that it was meant to be this time around. He didn't have a choice where Katherine had been concerned, but he didn't have to stick around to see Stefan get the girl. Again.

He had been content with being Elena's friend. They would see movies, play pool, do all sorts of things together. He loved that she let him push her in their verbal banter. He had even gotten her to say things that let everyone know she had been hanging around him a little too much. As long as she was a part of his life, Damon was fine with being her friend while she was dating his brother.

But for Stefan to propose...

He couldn't stand the idea.

At least with being friends, he had the faintest trace of hope that it wouldn't work out and she would come to him. It was a stretch, but he couldn't help himself. It was time for him to leave Mystic Falls; as he should have done the moment he realized that he was in love with Elena Gilbert.

He was pulled from his thoughts as Elena moved towards a framed photograph on her dresser. The smile on her face dimmed and turned to one of a bittersweet emotion. He could see it was a picture of her parents. She brought the frame to her lips and then hugged it to her chest. "I wish you could be here to see this," she breathed, her voice carrying through the window that was slightly ajar. "I miss you guys so much."

Damon wanted nothing more than to go inside and hold her; to take away that pain he heard in her voice. She still blamed herself for the accident, he knew that, but there was nothing anyone could do about it. She carried the picture to the bed and laid down on her side, curling up into a little ball. A few tears slid down over her cheeks and she took a few deep, calming breaths.

Before she knew it, she was out cold. It was then that Damon moved inside. It was still fairly early, she had plenty of time for a nap before the graduation ceremony started, followed by the party at the Grill. He stood by her bed and gently sat on the edge. He brushed the hair out of her face and traced her cheekbones, her jaw, her lips. This would be the last time he saw her and his eyes stared at her intensely, etching her into his mind. He stood up and bent over, placing his lips to her forehead. "Goodbye, Elena," he breathed and disappeared from her room.

The Grill was packed. Almost the entire town had turned up to celebrate the most recent graduating class. Elena was in a good mood, surrounded by friends and family. It would have been better if either one of the Salvatore brothers decided to make an appearance. She had been talking about this day nonstop for months. Damon had promised to be there and as her new best friend, she was getting worried about the fact that he had yet to turn up. When she spotted Stefan making his way through the crowd, her smile brightened and she met him halfway. "We made it!" she cried over the crowd noise.

"You made it," he corrected, flashing her a smile. "Can we talk outside?" he asked and took her hand in his.

She nodded and let him lead her through the crowd. Once outside, she took a deep breath. It felt nice to take a break from all the people inside. She was pretty sure the maximum occupancy had already been reached and then some. "Where's Damon?" she asked.

He shook his head. "He's not here?"

"He said he would be, but I haven't heard from him all day."

Stefan's brows furrowed with concern. He had been late because he had needed to feed more than usual. The Grill had so many people that even being outside the building was proving to be difficult. His thoughts went to earlier; how Damon had reacted when Stefan showed him the ring. He had a sinking suspicion about what had happened, but the last thing he needed was anything to spoil the mood he was trying to create. "He left when I did. Maybe he decided to feed first."

Elena nodded wearily, and smiled at him, refusing to let anything bother her. Today was a happy day and she was determined to stay that way. "What did you want to talk about?"

Here it was, the moment he had been planning for months now. He had spent the better part of the day practicing his speech in front of the mirror. He reached forward and took her hands in his. "You know I love you right?"

"And I love you," she returned.

"From the moment I met you, there was something that drew me in. I had to get to know you. I'm sorry that I put you through hell these last couple of years, but that just proved that we can get through anything that life has to throw at us." He paused and moved one of his hands to her cheek, cupping it lightly. "I've said it before and I will say it a million times more, but my love for you has nothing to do with her. It never did and never will. When I look at you, I know what real love is. I hate that it took me so long to find you, but it was worth the wait." He paused to wet his lips which had suddenly gone dry. He hadn't felt this nervous since he had been human. "Elena, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want us to be together forever."

Elena's breath caught in her throat at his words. She never thought he would ask her. Her eyes brimmed with tears and she felt her head nodding with a non verbal response. The words tumbled past her lips before she could stop herself. "Yes," she breathed.

At the same moment she spoke, Stefan let go of her face and began to kneel before her. They both froze. Elena's eyes began to widen and the tears vanished. Her head began to shake and she pulled her hand from his. Stefan stood up and stared at her. "Elena-"

"Marriage? You're asking me to marry you?" He could hear the disbelief in her voice and it left him puzzled.

"Of course. What did you..." his voice trailed off as he caught on. She looked at the ground, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "You thought I was asking to turn you."

"You said forever!" she hissed. The tears came back, this time they meant sadness instead of joy.

"Elena-"

She looked up at him and shook her head. "Stefan, I'm eighteen. In two years, people are going to think it's weird that we're together." A tear slid down her cheek. "How is it fair of me to ask that you stay with me while I grow old and die in front of you? I love you, Stefan. I want to be with you forever, I do."

He took a step back at her words. They cut through him and left him deeply confused. "You want this? The life of a monster?" He shook his head. "I can't do that. I can't plague anyone else with this curse. Especially not you."

She noticed the small steps he was taking to get away from her. That brought up the anger within her. "Shouldn't that be my choice?" she whispered.

He shook his head more forcefully. "I can't. I'm sorry. I won't do that to you Elena."

Silence fell between the pair as they stood starting at each other. They knew what was coming next and neither of them wanted it to happen, but there was no other choice. "Then I think..." Elena started, trying to keep her voice steady. "I think we're done."

"Elena-" his voice was pleading and the tears gathering in his eyes made her heart break.

"There's no other way, Stefan," she stated.

His head hung in defeat for a moment before he walked up to her and cupped her face in his hands. He backed her up until she was pinned between his body and the wall. He kissed with an intensity she'd never experienced with him before; something that had been lacking in their relationship to start. He pulled away abruptly and rested his forehead against hers. "I'll never forget you," he whispered.

She laid her hands on his forearms and nodded as best she could. "Neither will I. You opened my eyes to all of this. I'll always love you."

He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, letting his lips linger longer than necessary. "Goodbye, Elena," he whispered and then he was gone.

Elena took a few deep breaths, but it did no good. Tears were burning their way down her cheeks and her body was shaking. She wished that Damon was there to comfort her, but Stefan's confusion earlier had confirmed it. Damon was gone and he hadn't even said goodbye.

As fast as they had come into her life, the Salvatore brothers and vanished from it.

Instead of going back inside, Elena took one last look at the building and began walking towards her house. She thought about the road ahead, making her final decision once she was inside of her room. After writing notes to the appropriate people, she left.