After Klaus is dead and her life is no longer in constant danger, he takes her away from Mystic Falls. He says it's for her own good, but at first, she feels nothing but hate for him.
He, on the other hand, has nothing left to lose. Elena's the only thing that matters to him anymore because Jenna is gone.
It takes her a few weeks but one day, she finally understands.
She's walking along the beach, enjoying the feel of the hot sand between her feet. She's watching him swim in the ocean. She puts her beach towel on the sand, lays it out just right, and she relaxes in the sun.
Her eyes are closed and she has no idea how much time has passed, but all of a sudden there's water dripping down her body and her first thought is that it's raining; but when she opens her eyes, he's staring down at her with this innocent smile on his face.
"Alaric!" she screeches. "What the hell?"
She gets to her feet as fast as she can and he bolts down the beach, heading back to the water, and she chases after him; for the first time in so long, it doesn't feel dangerous to be normal anymore.