DISCLAIMER: I do not own any characters created by L.J. Smith or the producers of The Vampire Diaries. Please respect that all other characters are mine.

Story title inspired by Ryan Star's "You and Me" - Awesome song. There's a line, "Keep your window opened up, I find my way to your heart." - Is that not Damon?

Elena opened her eyes, taking in a deep breath, fighting against another dream. It had been 3 years today. 3 years since he had left her behind, for her own good, he had said, as if the way she was living now, numb and lonely, was preferential to the way they had lived together then.

She shut the alarm before it could go off and stepped quietly out of bed, careful not to disturb the man sleeping next to her, and put on her robe. Her boyfriend thought she was going to work, like every other weekday. Little did he know that she had taken the day off and was planning on commemorating the last day she felt happy, in the last place she had felt happy.

The water in the sink ran cold for a moment and Elena leaned against the counter, eyes barely open, waiting for it to heat up. She could feel the tears fall, soundlessly, as she sank to the floor.

Elena lay on Damon's bed, smiling to herself as she relived the night before, the two of them, alone, up until dawn. She had awakened to find the bed cold, but a note from Damon, saying he'd be back soon.

She heard the front door close and listened to the familiar footsteps hit the stairs and come down the hallway. She turned her head and watched as Damon entered the room. Always perfect, she thought. His tousled hair and all black attire set off the bright blue eyes she loved, and she unashamedly let her eyes wash across his body as he smirked, knowing exactly what was going on.

Damon walked slowly over to his bed, his mind spinning. He had spent the morning thinking, driving around aimlessly, hating the words he felt he had to stay. He had gotten a year with her. A year that would have to last him a lifetime.

"Where have you been?" Elena asked, reaching for him as he lay beside her.

"I, uh, had to run an errand." He mumbled, his face revealing an anxiety that Elena had never seen before.

"Damon, is there something wrong? Has something happened?"

"Yes, I – "Damon began, getting lost in her eyes, the feel of her hand in his, her hip beneath his arm, her skin beneath his fingertips. God I will miss this, he thought mournfully.

"Damon, what is it? You're scaring me." Elena whispered, feeling her heart pound at the look in his eyes.

"I have to leave Elena."

"Oh, did Stefan call? What's going on?"

He sat up, pulling her to her knees, so that they were eye level, gripping both her hands.

"Elena, sweetheart, I have to leave. For good." Damon said softly, his eyes never leaving hers, the sound of her heart pounding mercilessly in his mind.

"What?" She asked, eyes wide, mouth open in shock.

"I have to do this for you, baby, it's the only way."

"No! You can't leave me Damon! You promised me. No!"

Damon watched as Elena shook her head vigorously, tearing her hands from his to clutch at his chest as she began to sob. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close as she began to beat her fists into his body.

"You're not leaving Damon! You are not leaving me. How dare you say that!" Elena screamed, her swings becoming more powerful, but Damon only felt pain in his heart.

"Listen to me Elena, you have to listen to me. I am doing this for you. This life, it's not right for you. You deserve a human life. Marriage, kids, something dependable. I can't bear to not see you have that, I love you too much to watch you let it all slip away."

Elena stopped hitting him and pulled back, looking angrily into his eyes.

"Who says I want that Damon? What I want is you, always. I don't care about anything else. Don't do this to me, please don't do this to me."

She curled into a ball and cried so hard Damon was afraid she'd break a rib. He tried to touch her shoulder but she pulled away and screamed in pain, as if he'd burnt her with a hot poker. Damon sat and watched in horror as she screamed until her voice cracked, tears pooling over the sheets, her body shaking.

Then there was silence. He could hear her breath, her heartbeat slowing to his relief.

"Do you hate me?" Elena asked so quietly, Damon could barely hear her. When the words registered, his heart broke into a million pieces.

"Elena no, I could never hate you. I love you, more than anything. Please, turn and look at me. Please."

Slowly Elena turned over, her face blotchy, eyes bloodshot, hands shaking.

"Elena, it's because I love you that I have to do this. I don't want to be the one who takes away your chance for happy, normal life. I didn't have a choice in when my humanity ended and I don't want you to see you give up everything you dreamed of because I am a vampire."

Damon's eyes pooled with hurt and Elena felt like she was staring into an endless sea, a storm on the horizon. Her head hurt from crying, and her heart strained against her chest, unable to comprehend what Damon was saying to her.

"But I don't want that Damon, I gave those dreams up long before you and I were together. I knew I couldn't have anything normal anymore. When I made the choice to be with you, I made the choice to live differently."

"Don't you see? You gave up those dreams when Stefan and I came back into town, when we came into your life and turned it upside down. You didn't give up your dreams. We took them from you."

"I don't want you to go Damon, it's not fair. I love you, don't go, please."

Damon took her hand in his and placed it over his chest, where his unbeating heart sat, twisting with pain.

"You'll always be with me Elena, in here. But I need you to try for me, try for something normal. Try to let me go."

Elena could see in his eyes that he was serious, and she felt her body go slack, all of her energy drained as she thought of a life without Damon. She wouldn't go a day, an hour, without thinking of him.

"Give me one last night." She whispered softly, watching tears build up in Damon's eyes.

Damon nodded and wrapped his arms around her, holding her so closely that their tears ran together.