EPOV

I felt defeated, annoyed and vulnerable all at the same time as I paced back and forth across the landing of the Salvatore house. Every solitary thing that was going through my mind was how things could have gone so differently… So much better even.

Jenna. The last guided family figure I have left who I can trust, can depend on and rely on to look after me is in the hospital suffering a critical knife wound. Tyler, albeit not the greatest friend, lost his brother again, tonight. Jeremy, the person I hold so close to me, the only main family I have left could be in so much danger because of my selfishness. Hell, everyone I have come in contact with ever since my birth is in critical danger because of my existence and choices involving Stefan and deals with the wrong people.

I rounded on my last sweep of the landing and eyed Stefan hunched in front of the fireplace looking as defeated as I felt. With a heavy heart with what my mind was telling me to do I slipped into the room and watched as he turned around and looked at me with so much sadness it felt as though my knees were going to buckle beneath me.

"I'm so sorry" He choked out with sadness entwined with each syllable he spoke.

I shook my head and threw my arms into the air as I descended the few steps finally leading me into the room fully,

"We were so stupid… Sneaking around, thinking we weren't going to get caught". The truth of my words finally hit me fully as I had flashback after flashback of the awful day we had suffered. Why couldn't we go back to the lake house? Where everything was easy and free, where we could act like a normal couple with no care in the world. Tears streaked their way down my face as I saw the salty solution pool in the bottom of his eyelids.

"I know Elena"

Stefan's answer only fuelled my main purpose of this conversation with him and I felt anger building in my chest as I blurted out,

"We did this" I watched him stiffen as if he was recalling the night's event with a sour taste in his mouth, "Stefan, Jenna is in the hospital and Jeremy could be next, all because we didn't- we didn't listen to her... Because-Because we're together" My chest was heaving with the heartbreak I was feeling, my mind was telling me this was the right thing and my heart was screaming at me we could stop Katherine and still be alright. "Stefa…"

"Stop, I know what you're going to say to me" he stated with no emotion in his voice what so ever but his face betrayed him as his eyes crinkled up, trying their hardest to keep the tears from streaming down his face.

"Then let me say it Stefan" I needed to get this speech off my chest, everyone's lives around me depending on the next words that were going to pool from my mouth, he seemed to understand me as he gave a slight nod indicating he was steeling himself for next sentence. "I've been so selfish because I love you so much… And I know how much you love me" The tears we're uncontrollable as they hammered down my face and made my upcoming speech seem more and more stupid as I watched him agree to his love for me with a more forceful nod, what made matters worse was the tears which finally spilled from his eyes and dripped down his cheeks. "But it's over" Whispered from my mouth as Stefan's face seemed to crumble before my eyes; I felt I needed to explain more. "Stefan it has to be.."

"Elena, I Don't.." Fluttered from his mouth at the same time he was shaking his head as if in a trance.

"No Stefan" My feet flew forwards as my hands grasped at his cheeks without warning, I forced him to look at me while my thumbs ran over his upper and bottom lip. When his eyes finally met mine I tried to convey what I was feeling through eye contact but I nodded anyway just wishing he was able to understand that this was the right thing. "It has to be" Barely made it past my lips as it was uttered so quietly but I knew he had heard me.

An internal war was raging inside me as I forced myself to look away but I knew I couldn't leave the room, leave Stefan and everything that felt right to me without one last glimpse of happiness, I forced my eyes back to his face and pressed my lips against his hoping against all hope that this final act of desperation would finally make him understand, I pulled away, stroked his cheek one last time and walked out on the landing at a loss for words.

My mind switched off as my feet lead me down the staircase through the hallway and towards the door clutching my stomach as I felt a deep sickness and despair within me, as I pulled the door open I heard Damon behind me.

"Elena… I riled Katherine up, I wasn't thinking… I didn't think" He stated with more force in his voice towards the end and his face scrunched up as though he was at a loss for words, I couldn't even be bothered to talk anymore all I wanted was to get home, sort myself out and climb in my bed hoping everything would be better in the morning so all I said was,

"It doesn't matter Damon… She won, Katherine won" I looked back to his face once more as it crumpled up just like his brother's had moments before and all I could feel was that I had hurt yet again another person in this mess, as I forced myself out the door and onto the gravel outside the extravagant house.

I couldn't tell you even if I tried how I got home it seemed like it wasn't me who drove myself through Mystic Falls or even myself who opened the front door to my house, went upstairs and stripped out of my clothes and climbed in bed with a tear streaked face and an empty heart.

SPOV

I stood in front of the fireplace for god knows how long and stared into the space which Elena had vacated just before. I was in shock, disbelief and most of all emptiness. Anger suddenly coursed through me with a new found energy as I recalled how we had got through everything since my return to Mystic Falls and I wondered how she could easily give in to Katherine's desires.

I found myself mulling over the previous events wondering where we had gone wrong and I began to think there must be something we could do for everything to get back to normal, for everything with Katherine to settle, I thought we could make sure everyone Elena held close had vervain in their system constantly, we could make sure they all had weapons to protect themselves and we could make sure we could keep an eye on them and protect them also. The more I thought of the better scenarios the more I wanted Elena back by my side.

My feet carried me through Mystic Falls as I ran to her house not too far away and I found myself climbing in through her open bedroom window and watching as she slept fitfully beneath the covers. Even though she had a tear streaked puffy face and seemed so miserable I couldn't help but appreciate how beautiful she looked, her hair spilled around her like a halo and her hands tucked beneath her chin, I approached her and carefully sat down on the edge of her bed and placed my hand on her cheek tenderly stroking away the left over tears.

"Elena" I whispered into the darkness trying to wake her so I could tell her of my solution. I shook her lightly and whispered her name a bit louder. She stirred ever so slightly and her eyes fluttered open and she took in her surroundings.

When she finally looked at me her eyes widened and she seemed shocked as she spoke,

"What are you doing here Stefan? I told you we can't do this anymore" I shushed her immediately with my finger over her lips as I told her of what we could do to make things better. As I finished telling her of all the scenarios we could do I was feeling more confident and as she sat their quietly mulling it over I manoeuvred my way around the other side of the double bed and climbed beneath the covers and wrapped my arms around her and pulled her too me. She instantly settled her head on my chest above my heart and seemed to be at a loss for words.

Elena began playing with my right hand as she said "Do you really think filling our friends up with vervain and making sure they know how to protect themselves against vampires will help?"

I nodded against her head and told her I thought it would work 100%. She seemed to mull it over even more as she continued playing with my fingers and finally whispered "You know I think this could work, I don't want to lose you Stefan… I never want to lose you; you make me feel safe, happy, complete even".

"We will get through this Elena, and I never want to lose you either" I then lifted up reaching down and placing my lips upon hers and scooted down the bed so we were face to face, my hands gripped her waist as I realised she wasn't stopping me from carrying on. I felt her tiny hands in my hair like she always does and her tongue probing mine as she deepened the kiss even further.

I felt myself reacting to her advances and shifted my legs trying to relieve some of the tension and I started making my way down her neck leaving a trail of open mouthed kisses. "Yes Stefan… Right there"

The sounds she were making were spurring me on even more as I manoeuvred my way around until I was half on top of her petite body, she was grasping at my t-shirt and I lifted myself up and pulled it over my head along with my shoes and socks. I placed myself back over her as I reached for her sleeveless t-shirt asking her with my eyes whether it was okay, when I received an eager nod back I swiftly pulled the garment over her head revealing bare breasts before me and I reached down and gave another open mouthed kiss to the left then paying the same attention to the right.

Elena seemed to be getting impatient as she growled "uuughh… Stop teasing me Stefan I'm hot and ready for you just make love to me please"

Not one to disappoint I swiftly shrugged out of my jeans and pants and proceeded to relieve Elena of her underwear noticing she was indeed wet and moist for me, laying my body back over hers with my legs in between hers I gave her a long chaste kiss to her mouth as I sheathed myself inside her, pausing slightly because she felt so good surrounding me.

"Elena can I move, I'm really struggling here"

"Yes, oh god yes please move!" She grunted in my ear as her legs wrapped around me urging me to move inside her. I pulled back and entered her again slowly and deeply hitting every spot inside of her causing her to moan and pull on my hair which felt amazing. I set a moderate pace feeling every muscle in my body contract as I kept on pulsing inside of her, feeling her walls clamping down on me indicating she was close.

I started pounding into her even faster hoping she would come soon because I could feel my balls tightening and my penis pulsing inside her even faster; I reached down between us and started rubbing my thumb over her clit causing her to call my name and moan even louder as her nails scratched down my back.

"Stefan, Yes yes ooh! Keep going I'm so close baby!" I Slammed into her two more times and felt her walls clamp down violently on my penis as I spilled my load deep inside of her, my body collapsed down on top of her sweat dripping down my back.

"Tell me if I'm crushing you" I told her as I felt her nails scraping against my scalp lulling me into tiredness, I finally rolled over and pulled her with me as I kissed the back of her head I said "I love you so much Elena, don't you ever forgot that I'd do anything for you"

The last thing I heard before I was pulled into a deep peaceful sleep was her reply "I love you too, so much" and I was pulled under with the women I loved wrapped up in my arms.