"If it comes down to you and the witch, I will always choose you," Damon told her with such vehemence that her heart skipped a beat. She knew that he and Bonnie had to do what they had to do in order to fool Klaus but that didn't change the fact that her heart literally broke when she had Bonnie's lifeless body in her arms in the school's cafeteria. She couldn't say anything to Damon; she couldn't tell him thank you because she didn't want to ever go through what she went through that night. Instead she left after a simple good night. The thought that Bonnie would die for her still sent her into a fit of hysterics. She lost her parents, her biological mother, Vicki, she couldn't lose anyone else. She wouldn't lose anyone else.

"How are you doing?" Stefan asked her as she entered the study where he sat with a cup of burbon. He seemed different, distant and she couldn't help but worry about him now that she knew Bonnie was alive. So she tried to go to his arms which would usually be inviting to her but now the only thing on her mind was Damon's words and the way her heart stopped with them. You love Stefan! she told herself as she looked at the man she was suppose to love and instead of going to hug him she made her way to the couch. Right at that moment Damon made his way past them muttering the words that he needed to hunt.

"My best friend died in my arms Stefan and then I was told it was all a lie. I'm relived, I'm angry. And I'm just tired," she whispered as she plopped down and closed her eyes. She expected him to come over to her and comfort her only he stayed away. She wanted to ask him what was on his mind, but she knew his answer would be the same as her's. Someone else was on his mind like someone else was on her mind.

"She's alive and that's all that matter's" he whispered and she knew where his mind was. So when his eyes met her's she hoped she'd be able to convey what she was feeling.

"You should go find her," she whispered with her heart in her throat as he closed the gap between each other.

"All I wanted was to keep you safe," he whispered and she leaned her forehead on his chest.

"You did, but it almost cost us Bonnie's life," she whispered and she felt Stefan stiffen at the mention of Bonnie's supposed death.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"I've been so selfish because I love you. Because I want to keep everyone safe while everyone else is risking their lives saving me. Tonight… I don't question my love for you, but I don't think we're in love anymore. I understand… things have changed," and with her words he backed away and ran his hands through his hair.

"I wanted to keep you safe, out of Klaus' grasp but Elena… the thought of Bonnie dying …" he whispered with pain in his words.

"I know … I know Stefan which is why we have to break up…" she whispered and within seconds he was in front of her and kissed her forehead.

"I will protect you always Elena," he whispered.

"Thank you, but I know you will also keep my best friend alive and that's what I want. Because I can't have her die Stefan. Promise me… Promise me you won't let her die for me," she pleaded.

"I promise," he whispered and was out of the house and to find where her best friend was. She felt betrayed but she knew that like her heart his heart had grown distant. It saw what a beautiful and selfless soul Bonnie was while she was able to see what a protective and caring man Damon was. Stefan and Elena loved each other but they were in love with someone else.

Which was why she went down to take the dagger out of Elijah's body after both Stefan and Damon left. She never wanted Damon to have to choose her over Bonnie. She wanted to find another way to kill Klaus and the dagger was the only other way. With the house to herself this was her perfect opportunity; she had to make sure she kept her best friend safe. She had to keep Bonnie alive not just for herself anymore but for Stefan. She didn't give too much thought to the emotions that she saw in Stefan's eyes until that moment when all she could do was wait for Elijah to come back to his undead state. She thought about the pain, the regret, the despair she saw there and she wondered if once he found her he would fight for Bonnie's love the way he fought to save her life.

SPOV

She cast a spell, Bonnie's okay. Damon's words were on replay in his mind and all Stefan could think was that she was okay. So he ran to where Bonnie was staying needing to see her alive, needing to see her not the lifeless body that had been in Elena's arms. He was devastated when he searched for a pulse in Bonnie earlier and didn't find one. He had felt empty at the thought that he wouldn't see her beautiful green eyes or smile, that he wouldn't have her in his life and now that he knew it had been a lie there were no words for the need to see her. After speaking to Elena, breaking up without many words showed him why he loved Elena at one point but how he wasn't wrong when he felt the distance between them. As he made his way inside the old mansion that Bonnie and Jeremy was staying he knew he was close to Bonnie, he could hear her heart but he wasn't close enough to her.

"You should go home Jeremy, I need to have a word with Bonnie," Stefan whispered as he kept his eyes on Bonnie's form on the couch. She opened her eyes slowly and met his gaze and when her eyes connected with his it was like nothing else mattered. The only reminder that they weren't alone was Jeremy's presence but he knew the young boy would leave soon.

"I was going to stay," Jeremy said trying to hold his ground. Stefan almost felt proud of the young Gilbert before him but he needed to be with Bonnie alone and to think that this kid was keeping him from it he almost went crazy.

"Please," Stefan pleaded without meeting the young Gilbert's gaze. Jeremy gave him a confused look but instead he went over to where Bonnie was and kneeled down and gave her a kiss on her forehead sending white hot anger to shoot through his body. He didn't know how to explain it, he loved Elena but was no longer in love with her. Her safety was his number one priority but when he found out that Bonnie was on a suicide mission he wouldn't allow that to happen. Elena wouldn't have liked that he had told himself over and over earlier that evening but as he felt the jealousy course through his body he knew that that wasn't it. Maybe Elena wasn't his number one priority anymore. He would help protect her, but not at the expense of the woman who won over his heart with her selflessness.

When Jeremy left he was left with Bonnie in silence, a pin drop would have been heard but when he heard Jeremy's car drive off he ran to where Bonnie was sitting and pulled her up into his arms. He held her, his arms tightly around her lithe form and his face in the crook of her neck. The smell of her blood was still on her, but it didn't face him. When he thought that her blood had ceased he couldn't contemplate life afterwards. Now that she was in his arms he knew his priorities had changed.

"Stefan…" her small whisper came to fill the room. His name never sounded so good and he wanted to hear her voice over and over. He pulled back and cupped her face in his arms and searcher her eyes for any indication that she may feel what he felt and a glimmer of hope lit his heart back to life.

"I couldn't let you die tonight, I wouldn't allow it and when Jeremy told me that that was what you planned…" he whispered pained as he caressed her cheek. "Then seeing you dead in Elena's arms broke me, I couldn't find a pulse, I couldn't give you my blood to bring you back to life. You risked your life to save Elena and all I wanted to do was bring you back." He searched her beautiful emerald eyes that were now filled with tears and he only wished she didn't reject him. That she would accept his love because it was all he had to give.

BPOV

She died tonight. Her heart had stopped beating and Klaus believed she was dead. Elena had believed it and so had Stefan. It had all been so easy to cease to exist but she knew that the hardest part of this war had yet to come. As she stood locked in the cafeteria staring at Elena in such distress Stefan had caught her eyes. He looked as distressed as Elena looked and she wondered if the two soul mates felt the same emotions. The thought of Stefan and Elena at the time of her death, even if she knew it was fake, brought heart ache. For an instant Stefan wouldn't know how she felt about him, how she admired his caring dead heart. How if he was worried she was worried with him. How she did everything she did not only for Elena, but for him as well. He was more than her friend in her heart but she couldn't and wouldn't hurt Elena that way.

Which was why she found refuge in Jeremy's arms, in his kisses. But they were never enough. They didn't ignite the fire that Stefan ignited with just one look and now as she looked at things with different eyes she knew it wasn't fair to the young Gilbert. Which was why she broke up with him right before Stefan arrived. She couldn't continue with the lie even if it meant being alone seeing Elena with both Salvatore brothers at her beck and call. She hated herself for having such petty thoughts of her best friend but she felt like Elena was dragging along both brothers because she couldn't let the other go.

So to say that she was surprised to have Stefan holding her in this moment telling her that all he wanted to do was bring her back was an understatement.

"What are you saying Stefan?" she asked in a meek whisper.

"I realized that I couldn't live with you Bonnie, that I fell out of love with Elena a while ago. That I love you and not just because I want you, need you and can't have you. It has nothing to do with what I want. It had everything to do with you; who you are, what you do, how hard you try. How you risk everything for those you love. I've seen your kindness, your selflessness and your strength. I know who you are Bonnie," he told her as her tears were running freely down her cheeks. "and I couldn't help but fall in love with you but I was too caught up in the danger of losing Elena a love I thought made me whole." His words were registering in her heart because it was beating a hundred miles a minute but her brain had yet to catch up.

"You're with Elena.." she whispered stupidly when all she wanted to do was kiss him senseless.

"We talked before I came to find you. I let her know that although I will always protect her and love her I was no longer in love with her and she understood. She saw how losing you nearly broke me," he told her as he got nearer and nearer to her. "I love you Bonnie."

DPOV

She was who he wanted god damn it! Elena Gilbert was everything he wanted, everything he needed yet the perfect feel of Bonnie in his arms wouldn't go away. The way she felt as they moved to the music, and the fierce loyalty he wished was directed at him had him running in the direction of the mansion that she was staying in. Only when he was close enough and he heard Stefan's words did he stay still shocked.

Stefan and Elena were broken up.

Stefan loved Bonnie.

His Bonnie he thought as his first instinct was to go in and kill Stefan. He took another woman he loved and as the thought entered his mind it was pushed back to the back of his mind. He shouldn't worry about Bonnie, he should be running back to the boarding house to console Elena yet here he was waiting for Bonnie's response.

"Stefan you are everything I wish I could find. You aren't selfish and manipulative. You put everyone before yourself. I've loved you since the moment you saved me after your brother attacked me. I kept my feelings from you for-" but she was cut off by his younger brother he imagined since he could hear kissing.

He shouldn't feel jealous. He should be happy Elena would be all to himself. It was the doppelganger after all who he wanted but as he walked away from the mansion before announcing his presence he couldn't help but feel he was the one with the short end of the stick and his brother once again having it better than he did.

A/N:

I had to do it. I just had to.

Stefan/Elena, Stefan/Bonnie, Elena/Damon, and of course Damon/Bonnie.

Have at it folks. Since the writers want to be duchebags and give us Delena in "The Last Dance" I decided to give Stefan and Bonnie a little loving! After all… if Delana happens Bonnie better be there to comfort Stefan. I'm just saying!

Yes, we had our few Bamon moments! The whole jealous glare that Damon gave when he saw Jeremy and Bonnie hugging. The two secret lovers dancing! "Careful Damon I may start to think you actually care" UUUMMMM…. HELLO! I fainted and gasped and jumped around. Well not in that order but you get what I mean. When Bonnie was "dead" and the gentle way in which he took care of her had me all "sigh" and thinking I loved Damon even more since he really does care for Bonnie! But damn the stupid writers and their obsession with Damon and Elena; they ruined the episode for me. I loved the episode. It was fantastic but I could seriously do away with Beremy (sorry everyone who loves the couple) and countrary to my previous rant, I can see why Delena is loved! If I wasn't such a Bamon shipper I would be a Delena shipper right there with the best of them. But Elena… the way she … she's like pretending to be Katherine… playing both my Salvatore's… and come on. THERE IS ONLY ONE BADASS KATHERINE. We all love that woman. You know you do!

On to Klaus/Alaric. Wow. Hot. Sexy.

'Nough said. I have a Alaric/Elena thing coming on now! Its weird… I mean yes I know… it was Klaus looking at Elena like that in the class… but it was Alaric's body… and the look he gave her… well… damn!

I digress… wait… what was my original point? Well… yeah.

I hope you enjoyed it.

Review if you want to make me love you for eternity.

XOXO,

Criminal Dawn.