A/N: This is my TVD story. Please review.

I do not own TVD.

Stefan just stared at Elena's cold, lifeless body. Even after he brought her body to the hospital, he still could not accept what happened.

"I should have saved her first," he thought. If Stefan had pulled her out first, she would still be alive. But then he realized that they would be looking at Matt's corpse instead. Stefan knows that Elena would not be able to cope with such guilt.

Tears started to fill Stefan's eyes as he continued to stare at Elena's body, a small part of him hoping that Elena was still alive and would open her eyes at any moment.

However, as he touched her hand and felt her icy fingers, Stefan is reminded of the cruel truth, Elena Gilbert was dead. Throughout all the pain and torture Stefan endured as a vampire, all of that had no comparison to the pain he felt inside him.

"What do I do now?" Stefan said, not knowing if he was asking himself or to Elena, hoping to hear a response. Finally, he stepped forward and gave Elena one final kiss, feeling her cold lips.

"Goodbye," Stefan whispered. After one last look at her body, he turned around and left.

Stefan arrived at the Salvatore Boarding House and he went up into his room. He took a deep breath and started grabbing several clothes and other belongings. As he was packing, he saw his journal on his desk. Stefan opened it, ripped out a page and started writing:

To whoever may find this,

By the time you'll be reading this, I would have already been gone. I'm deeply sorry for running off, especially with what happened to Elena. I know my actions are inexcusable, but this is the only thing I can do to keep you all safe. With Elena gone, I am this close to shutting off my humanity just to remove the guilt I feel for failing to save her. If I do shut it off, I could go back to becoming the Ripper. If that happens, Mystic Falls is the last place I want to be. I could hurt any one of you or even kill you, and I can't let that happen to anyone else I care about. So I'm leaving Mystic Falls. Don't try to find me, because you won't. Keep living your lives and protect each other.

Damon, if you are the one to find this, I only ask that you don't leave Mystic Falls as well. Stay and help the others. Be what I couldn't be right now. Be the stronger brother.

I truly hope we will be able to see each other again.

Sincerely,

Stefan

As he finished writing, Stefan still had some resistance to leave.

"What if this is a mistake?" he thought. What if leaving will only make things worse for everyone.

He then shook his head. He knows this needs to be done. Stefan finished packing the rest of his things, looked around at his room one last time and walked out to the door.

Stefan rode on his motorcycle as far as Wickery Bridge until he stopped for a moment. He turned around and had one last look at Mystic Falls, wondering if leaving is still a mistake that this may be the last time he would ever come back here.

He sighed with regret, revved his motorcycle, and drove off into the darkness.