She need to make a decision, she need to make it now. What use was it stringing both of the brothers along, all three of them together would not survive. She knew that choosing one over the other would be wrong because the other would be forced to be slapped in the face by their feelings every single day.

The Salvatore brothers needed each other a lot more than they needed here. A clean break was exactly what Elena needed. Sure she loved them both, but that was exactly why she had to walk away.

Saying goodbye was another story. How would they take it? Elena decided to go and see her friends first.

"I got into college" She told Caroline proudly, as best she could. It was good news, but it was sad too. She'd miss the crazy blonde, loving vampire.

"Oh my god! That's great! I'm so proud of you!" She hugged her tight and Elena had to say 'ow' to remind her that she was only human.

"Sorry, sometimes I forget" She said with a sheepish grin.

"It's fine, it's actually kind of good. I needed one last 'Caroline hug' before I left" Elena told her. Realization slowly slapped Caroline in the face and her jaw dropped. She started shaking her head.

"No! You can't leave! Our lives are just getting back to normal again" Before Caroline knew it, she was bawling her eyes out.

"But this is what's right. I need a clean break. Especially from Damon and Stefan. I don't want to force them out just when they're starting to feel at home. I can't choose between brothers, Care" Elena was pleading now, begging her to understand.

"Where are you going?" Caroline finally asked.

"Flagstaff, Arizona. I can't give up the small town life" Elena answered. That made her Caroline smile through her tears. They spent the next hour reminiscing over their childhood everything that they had been through, promising to stay in touch.

Say goodbye to Bonnie was much the same. Jeremy and Alaric were there too so there were even more tears. But Elena didn't feel so bad about leaving them since the Originals had all fled. Though one day she'd probably see them again, for now she was at peace that Klaus was spending time with his family that he didn't care about making more hybrids.

Then came the hard part, saying goodbye to Stefan and Damon. When she found them at the Salvatore boarding house they were drinking bourbon and discussing what they really would have liked to have done to Klaus. There seemed to be many ways to kill an original in their imaginations.

They both looked up and smiled when they heard Elena's footsteps.

"Hey guys" Elena managed a smile, but it was all a facade. Though she knew that she had to do this.

"Elena, I've missed your 'Stefan-like' brooding around here" Damon said, standing up to hug her. Elena even managed a laugh at that one.

"We're a right pair aren't we Stefan?" She joked. Stefan of course grinned back at her. When her smile faltered they of course both realized that something was wrong and this was not a happy visit. She told them that she had to leave town to go to college and that it was the best thing for all of them.

"Like hell it is, Elena! I'd rather have you choose Stefan over me than leave all together" Damon yelled. He went from happy to pissed off in less than a second.

"I know you think that Damon, but it's not true. You and Stefan are brothers, you need to be a family without me getting in the way of that. I can't be that girl anymore. Even if I love you both, I can't stick around to see either of you be destroyed by that love" Her words rang true and felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She had never had a better feeling in all her life. But only until she looked both of them again.

"You will both be happy again one day, I promise you that" She walked over to Damon and kissed him on the cheek, doing the same to Stefan afterwards.

"Elena, we can work this out. Well, if you love Damon..."

"Goodbye Stefan, this time it's for good"

Then Elena walked out the door, composed until she reached her car. She opened the drivers door and fell inside crying. She was losing a better part of her life and while it might have been the right thing. It hurt like hell. Once she had stopped crying (which seemed like hours) she started the car and drove away. Already with her suitcases in the back she headed out of state.

But when Elena got to Georgia, she had to stop. Bree's bar seemed to be the perfect place to stop and with the motel just two doors down she had to have a drink for the Salvatore brothers. Armed with a fake ID in her right pocket and wallet in the other she opened the doors to the old fashioned bar. It was crowded, full of old and young people. Most of them looking depressed. She looked around to the pool tables and she almost missed him. He was talking to a girl who was clearly flustered, drunk and wanting to take him home.

Elijah.

What the hell was he doing in Georgia? Elena started to turn around but he had already seen her. His expression seemed somewhat grateful and he made his way toward her.

"Hello lovely Elena" He took her right hand and kissed the top of it, then let it go. Elijah was a gentleman to the core, no matter how much he thought of himself as a monster.

"Elijah, I did not expect to see you here"

"I came here a few days ahead of my siblings, Niklaus it seems has found himself another harlot that wants to marry him" The words flowed so easily off his tongue. Elijah found it hard to not open up around Elena.

"He plans to drain her dry after using her for sex doesn't he?" What was it with Klaus and going after small town girls?

"I came here to make sure she doesn't die and forgets about the whole thing afterwards." He then pointed behind the bar where a young girl (who couldn't be more than 19) was working. She was extremely pretty and her smile was lovely. But then Elena saw the way she flirted with every man she came across, even the women.

"Why is he not here now?" Elena asked after a while.

"Because he has several woman on the go, you know my brother well enough" Elijah pointed out. Everyone knew his habits, even those that feared and hated him. After a thousand years Klaus became slightly predictable.

"That I do" She conceded.

"Get a drink with me?" Elijah asked, he did not compel her. He had made a promise to himself that he would never do that again.

"I better not, I don't know why I even came to this bar. All it does is remind me of Damon. I need some sleep before I drive again tomorrow"

"Then at least allow me to walk you back" Elijah offered his arm which she gladly accepted. Even in a one horse town people got mugged. The air was cold and Elena started to shiver. Of course it wasn't long before Elijah wrapped one his arms around waist in an attempt to keep her warm. They reached her room and Elena pulled out of his grasp.

"It was good to see you again, at least this time I get to say goodbye" Her voice was sad, on the verge of tears.

"I know you don't like my family Elena, but we can be friends. I would like that very much"

She found it hard to refuse him, but she didn't want any part of her old life. It would be so easy to slip back into old habits.

"I'm sorry Elijah, I need to leave my past where it belongs"

"I'm sorry too, I'll miss you Elena Gilbert"

He leant down to kiss her cheek as she was about to do the same. Their lips connected softly, it was strange at first and Elena didn't know what to think. But she didn't pull away and neither did Elijah. He molded his lips against her own and put his hands on her waist, pulling her as close as he could. Her heartbeat became erratic, never had she experienced something like this.
Elijah moved back, but only so much that their foreheads were touching.

"The only humanity I have left belongs simply to you" He whispered. Elena didn't know how to handle such a proclamation. So she reached behind her and opened the door. She had feelings for Elijah and even if this was for one night she would finally admit what her heart had desired the moment she saw him.