Authors Note: I was so unbelievably frustrated with the turn of events in the last two episodes that I finally came out of hiding and wrote my first fan fiction. The sire bond plot line is just terrible, especially for a long time Damon/Elena shipper. The show has actually given me hope. And now….that she actually loves him….some sire bond is going to come in between that?! AHH!

I am sure that there are other stories out there, or will be, along these same lines. I have not read any of them, so similarities are just because we are like-minded people equally frustrated about this situation.

As I said, this is my first story ever, so please be nice and if there is any constructive feedback you have I greatly appreciate it. Who knows, maybe I will come out of hiding completely and post regularly. :-)

This short fic takes place right after Elena's last line to Damon in episode 4x08. This is what I desperately wish will happen!

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Elena places her hand on Damon's cheek. "Does this feel wrong?"

A pained look tears across Damon's face as he steps away from the girl that he loves. Elena's hand drops and she takes a step forward pleadingly. Damon turns from her, and takes a deep breath. There is only one thing he can do, the right thing. This is not what he wants, but he knows that anything they could have together would be tainted by the sire bond. He has waited too long for love for it to be anything but free and genuine. With his resolve in place, Damon turns back around and cups Elena's face in his hands.

"Elena, forget about me and forget about how your feelings for me," Damon barely chokes out. "You are free to make your own decisions now. Live your life without me, and be happy." The pain that clenches in his chest is unbearable as his words set in and Elena steps away from him.

Elena blinks several times, and then gets her bearings. It feels like a fog has lifted from her mind, and she looks up to Damon with a renewed sense of self and purpose.

"You listen here, Damon Salvatore. If you think that I am going to listen to this nonsense, then you are crazy. You can't tell me how to feel, or what not to feel. I am in love with you, and have been for some time. No bond or broken bond can change that. I love you, and will always love you, Damon." With those last words, Elena wraps her arms around his neck and embraces him in a fierce hug.

Damon can barely move, much less process what just occurred. He broke the bond, like he was supposed to. Isn't this about the time where she should be running away from him and off to his oh so saintly brother? She loves him? Actually loves him, even without the influence of the bond? "Elena….I don't know…I…"

"Shhhh," Elena soothes. "Please just trust me, and trust that I am making my own decisions. I want to be with you, and only you. You have always been there for me when I needed you. I know we have been through a lot, and that we both have done things that we are not proud of, but we are past all of that now. We are both different people than we were in the past. I see the good in you, and I know how fiercely you love and protect those that you care about. When I am with you, I feel excited and exhilarated. You make me feel alive in ways that I never knew were possible. Can we please just put the rest behind us, and move forward together?"

The tears are flowing freely from Damon's eyes now as what she is saying finally sinks in. With a shuddering breath, he clutches Elena to him and rests his head on her shoulder.

"Yes, god yes. There is nothing on this earth that I have ever wanted more," he whispers. Elena answers him by tightening her arms even more and letting out a sob of her own. "I love you, Elena, so much. We are going to make it through this….together."