A few notes before you start reading this: This is a Damon and Elena fanfiction. However, if you hate Stefan and Elena that much, you are free to not read this. I figured that I should create a bit of a story, to make Elena realize that she was wrong by choosing Stefan. Therefore, for a chapter or two, I still have no idea; I'll be creating a few SE moments. Still, this story is about DE as much as possible. I hope you enjoy it, I hope you review it I accept good and bad reviews, although you have to construct them wisely and I'm going to apologize from the start by saying that English is not my mother language, that I'm Portuguese and that it is normal if while you read the story you find some grammar mistakes, etc. Thank you.)

Chapter One.

Elena woke up with the sunbeams patting her brown, clean and very beautiful face. With a little smile, she opened her eyes and looked at her right, only to see the space in her bed entirely empty. She pouted, as she stuck under the sheets, hoping that she could go back to sleep. But she couldn't; she had school in the morning and, by the afternoon, she would have to help Bonnie and Caroline with another big festival in Mystic Falls, school related. Elena couldn't help but smile; with her two friends, but especially with Caroline, she practically had no free time.

That's when she realized. There was no school and no big events. Klaus and the rest of the Original Family took it all away. And it was just like if a big bucket of cold, sparkling water fell on her, making her day a lot worse than she expected.

It was curious, though, extremely curious, how she managed to woke up knowing the only thing that had changed; she woke up knowing that, once again, Stefan Salvatore would be with her, waking her up with his meek, yet provoking smile of him, holding her in his arms once again and making her feel like if she was in heaven. That, she knew. She knew from the bottom of her heart, she knew that it was as certain as the sunrise that day, as certain as the docile, sweet chant of the birds near her window, outside, hidden in the big tree that for many years was a safe haven to her whenever she tried to write on her diary.

Stefan Salvatore was with her again and that thought made her smile a bit again.

She thought really hard about the choice she made, and since last night she was entirely sure that she had made the rightful choice. When she came back last night from that ridiculous drive with Matt, Stefan was waiting for her outside her house. Once Matt said goodnight to both of them, he took her in her arms and they shared a long, powerful kiss, the kind of kiss that usually makes a girl dizzy, the kind of kiss that usually drives every girl mad. She knew she made the right choice, forgetting about all that happened, about Klaus, about the Ripper inside Stefan, even about the vampire nature inside him; because a kiss like that, a kiss like those old kisses they used to share, was all that she needed to be taken to her bed and share with him one of the most memorable, passionate and emotional nights she have ever felt.

That I have ever felt with him, Elena thought, while trying to get up from bed.

Her eyes gazed another time, from days ago, when she shared the bed with another person and when her heart, soul and head were also dizzy, but with such different feelings. They never had sex, which made everything different and more complex. Damon, she thought again, getting closer to the window while staring at the old street where she was born and raised. The only thing that was necessary of him to make her skin go fire and her heart burn into flames was his touch. That was all he needed to drive her insane; his touch was as dangerous and luxurious as the taste of the powerful sin. He touched her hand while they were sharing a bed, knowing that he shouldn't force her to more, that he couldn't force her to more, and she lost it completely. And that was also one of the most passionate moments she have ever felt, and nothing happened. At least not in that exact moment. She smile while she remembered the touch of his thin lips, like if they were some kind of sweet poison that drove her to heaven. That was definitely passionate, and important for her heart, and she would never forget it. She couldn't forget it, could she?

But then she remembered. She had chosen Stefan, and with that choice there had to come many sacrifices. Of course, Damon and her shared some good, sexy moments, but Stefan was everything she could possibly want. They both shared significant moments, and he was the closest thing she had to humanity, to kindness. At least that's what she wanted to think. That's what she had to think to forget the tiny, yet huge part of her that had feelings for Damon. She needed to forget him, and she would; oh, she would. Elena Gilbert never missed a challenge, and this one was the most important of them all.

She couldn't have them both, and she knew it. She wasn't Katherine, except in her looks, where they looked exactly like twins although she envied the vampire at some point, because Katherine most of the times had some sensual, provoking moves that Elena simply didn't have (there goes the Petrova fire, she thought with a quick laugh and that's why she had to make that choice. And she chose the person who made her feel safer and better. And that person was Stefan.

"Good morning", Stefan mumbled in the front door of her bedroom, gently smiling at her.

"Good morning", she replied, withdrawing the look out of the window to get a fine look at her… Her what? Boyfriend? Colorful friend? She really had no idea, but full of positive thoughts, she actually didn't give a damn about it. "Where have you been? I missed you when I woke up."

"I was preparing breakfast", he explained, getting closer to hear and holding her waist in his muscled, powerful, yet gentle arms. "We need to start perfectly, and there's no better way than with some good food, prepared by me, with the modest hands of a Salvatore."

"Well, you're in a good mood", she pointed, smirking at him. He simply smiled, staring at her with those two touching green beads. She didn't have to look too much to know that he would give the world for her happiness, which many times happened. She meant everything to him, or at least a big part of it, and that thought made her happier than ever. But still, a bit frightened. "Look, about us…" she started.

"We'll take it slow", he answered, nodding once with his head. "No need to rush things, I know."

She smiled briefly, and took the shot by kissing him once on the lips. He responded almost immediately, but after a few seconds he pushed her away gently, smiling while breathing quietly.

"Let's get downstairs, breakfast is waiting for us", he asked, getting closer to the door.

"I'll go in a minute, let me just wash my face", and he accepted it, leaving her alone once again.

When she got in the bathroom, safe and secure, she stared at herself in the mirror for a while, trying to understand why she was so terrified. Was it because she couldn't forget all the things he said to her while he was under Klaus's compulsion? She had decided to forget, all of it; so why the words, the gestures didn't get out of her head? No, it wasn't because of that, and she knew it. She kept on starring at her face, without a change on her expression, challenging her face and daring her to make a move, to smile, to roll her eyes over her stupidity. But deep down inside, she knew; she always knew, since the beginning when she decided to keep the safe haven, when she decided to remain secure, with someone protecting her.

But that wasn't the case. No, Elena Gilbert, you're just a coward, she thought. You're just a coward because he brought you safety as well. He just brought you safety with a bit of adventure and lust as well. And she wasn't ready; she would never be ready to be with someone as impressive, as powerful and meaningful as Damon. She closed her eyes and got away from the mirror, while the Elena in the reflection kept on screaming to her. You'll never be ready but you decided to not even give it a shot. Coward.