;STELENA

Takes place at the end of 3x12, after Stefan hits Damon for kissing Elena. Enjoy!

Elena walked into her bedroom, exhausted from this horrible day. She wanted desperately to feel like a weight had been lifted off her chest but instead it was still there, heavier than before. Telling Stefan was the right thing to do but she didn't think he'd take it how he did. He was clearly upset and a little bit hurt by her actions with Damon.

Elena felt horrible, how could she let it get this far between them, when did she stop fighting for him. All this time she blamed him for giving up, but she was giving up too or else the kiss with Damon would have never happened.

She walked over to her bathroom, which up until now she had shared with her brother Jeremy. It was sad to think she was the only one left of their family in this house. Elena walked over to her bed and lied down, trying to erase her guilt from today.

Flashback

"All I keep thinking about is how I promised I'd never keep anything from you and so I am telling you this" Stefan struggled to get out to her.

"It's okay I need you to tell me these things!"

"But I don't want you to see me like this. I don't want you to know that this side of me exists." He looked so torn up and broken sitting on her bed.

"Stefan you're going to get through this, I'm going to help you pull through. It's going to be okay, you're going to be okay..." She told him trying to take his face in her hands, but he got off the bed and pushed her aside.

"No, no, no, no... I'm sorry... I can't... I'm afraid of what I could do to you." Stefan confessed, looking straight at her.

"I'm not." Elena told him as she walked over and took his face in her hands to face her.

"Stefan, I'm not." Elena kissed him like she always had. "I'm not, okay?"

She wrapped her arms around him, trying to make him understand he was safe with her. She would help him through this, no matter what. Stefan broke down, letting himself be fully engulfed in her arms.

"I love you so much..." Stefan told her.

End of flashback

Elena couldn't stop remembering her memories with Stefan, their love; that they'd do anything for. Stefan was honest with her that night about his thirst for blood. How he didn't want to tell her because he didn't want her to see him like that. How could she be so stupid...? He was scared about what he could do to her in that moment, he couldn't live with himself if he ever hurt her, and the guilt would eat away at him. That's why he was pulling away from her now; he couldn't bring himself to let him come back to her after what he did to her and her life.

Elena jumped out of bed and changed into whatever was closest to her that was decent to go out in. It was beyond late, but she didn't care and she knew he'd still be awake. She needed to see him now.

She pulled up to the Salvatore House, got out of the car and walked through the front door that was never locked. This house held both great and terrible memories for her, more recently, just terrible. She walked into the big living room where Damon sat on the couch, drinking as he usually did.

"Elena, what are you doing here? Did something happen?" Damon said, standing up to meet her, clearly worried about why she was at the house so late in the night.

"Nothing happened Damon, don't worry."

"Ah... You're here for my little baby brother, as usual..." He sounded irritated now, figuring out her intentions for being here. She watched him down what was left of his alcohol.

Elena started to turn around to take the stairs that let to Stefan's room when Damon called out to her.

"Elena. I just thought you should know..."

"Know what Damon?" She answered back, turning slightly to look at him.

"Stefan still loves you. Tonight, when he came in, he punched me for kissing you." Damon told her, sounding defeated. He was always losing to his brother.

"I'm sorry Damon..." She told him, and turned around to find Stefan, leaving Damon behind her.

Elena came up to Stefan's closed door, she didn't bother to knock, fearing he would just tell her to leave him alone and close the door in her face. She opened the door to the room she had been in so many times, with him and alone.

She looked around the room which was empty. If he wasn't here, Damon would have told her. Just then he walked out of the bathroom, clearly not expecting her.

"Elena...?" Stefan looked at her confused as to why she was in his room and in the middle of the night. She was clearly the last person he expected to see here.

How to be brave
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow

Elena stood there looking at him, not knowing what to exactly say now that she was here. She didn't know whether to move closer to him or keep her distance. She didn't want to push him. Instead she stepped forward into the room so she could close the door behind her. Damon didn't need to hear any of this, even though she knew he could hear anyways.

"I...I couldn't sleep." Elena managed to stutter out.

Stefan just looked at her; he still wore the same expression he did when he left after talking to her earlier on that night. This was clearly an awkward situation for them both, neither not knowing how to exactly act towards each other.

"Well, if you're worried about the coffins and Klaus, I think he'll be a bit busy tonight" Stefan told her as he walked up to her, standing a few feet away.

One step closer

"I wasn't worried about the coffins but what happened with them?" Elena asked him; clearly they left her out of the loop again.

"Damon only managed to get one coffin out before Klaus showed up. He got the one that won't open, which is clearly the one he wants back most. Damon also pulled the knife from Elijah, so he'll be dealing with that I'd assume." Stefan smirked at the thought of Klaus not expecting his brother which he stabbed in the back.

"Well at least we still have something he wants and needs, well beside me." Elena tried to joke with him. Stefan didn't smile.

"Why are you really here Elena?" Stefan asked, getting annoyed with her not getting to the point.

Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this

Elena sighed, trying to sort through the millions of thoughts running through her head. There were so many choices she could chose, so many different paths to take. She took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Damon told me you punched him earlier... Why Stefan?" Elena knew she was stupid to challenge him, especially after what she put him through tonight.

"He shouldn't have kissed you Elena..." He spoke softly to her. His arms crossed across his chest.

"Why Stefan? I need to know why?" Elena pleaded with him. This could be their breakthrough or downfall.

"Because Elena! He's Damon! He's continually tried to make both of our lives a living hell, he's killed how many people in this town, including Jeremy! He doesn't deserve you Elena." Stefan was angry now, angry with her, his brother and himself.

"If you want this Elena, if you chose him, I promise you I won't do anything to get in the way. You deserve happiness Elena... You don't deserve this life." Elena could hear the sadness in his voice, and it killed her to know he was hurting so much inside.

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

"What I want Stefan, is to be with you! I want our life back! And I get that it's not going to be the same but I don't care. It's you and me Stefan, always." Elena finally spoke up full of all the pent up emotions that she was holding in for so long.

One step closer

"How do you expect me to love you Elena after all the things that I've done? How do you think I can lie next to you knowing I've brought you all this pain? I've taken everything from you; it was selfish of me to come back to this town." Stefan let his gaze fall to the floor, not wanting to look into those beautiful eyes of the woman he loved so much.

One step closer

Elena closed the gap between her and Stefan, making the moment and situation more intimate between them. He felt something. He had done exactly what she asked him to do that night in the cellar. She just didn't realize it was all hidden behind his guilt and need to destroy Klaus.

"You said it yourself Stefan, I've changed. I'm stronger than before, I know the risks of being with you, of this life. I can't just walk away from it now... I need you Stefan." Elena was on the verge of tears now.

"I... Elena...I just don't want you to regret this. I can live knowing your happy with someone, I can live knowing that my brother can in fact take care of you, unlike me... But I can't live knowing that you regret me." Stefan was breaking down too. Finally all those emotions he had been pushing back were coming back to the surface full force.

Elena wanted him so bad, the ache in her chest, the void that had been there for the past couple of months was slowly lessening now that Stefan was being honest with her, admitting he cared about her.

"I'll never regret you Stefan. I'm fighting to start a life with you Stefan..."

I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you...

Stefan took her face and brought her lips to his. This need, this feeling, it was never going to go away for him. Elena was everything he'd ever need. No matter how far he'd push, no matter how fast he'd run, she'd always be there, they would always find their way back. Elena kissed him back with all the love she felt for him and would always feel for him. She could never feel this way with Damon or anyone else, ever.

"I love you Elena... I'll spend forever trying to fix pain I've put you through. I promise I'll make things right, because I can't lose you anymore. I won't survive." Stefan whispered to her, breaking apart their kiss.

Elena looked up into his eyes, looking right into his soul. How could anyone love someone this much? When even though you love them it aches in your heart like you could never be close enough?

"I'm right here Stefan. I'm not going anywhere, ever. I love you."

Stefan pulled her in for another kiss, deepening the need between them. This was home.

...I have loved you for a thousand years... I'll love you for a thousand more.

Hope you all enjoyed it! How Stelena makes my heart ache =( Stefan, Stefan, Stefan... As always R&R!