"Take the cure with me! That's how much I know this is real. That's how certain I am that I'm gonna love you…even after this is all over. Take the cure…be human with me. We can be together…grow old together…this doesn't have to be hard anymore."
"That's not me, Elena…that's Stefan. You know, I used to miss being human. Now I can't think of anything more miserable on earth."
Damon kept true to his word. When they found the cure, Rebekah took it, then Stefan, then Elena. She turned, to hand it to Damon and he shook his head. "Damon please." she whispered. He looked at the cure and shook his head again, passing on it. He took a step back as Bonnie started the spell. After a few minutes of chanting, the three…now humans, fell to the ground.
When Elena woke up, she was in a hotel bed. She started to sit up and she felt a hand on her. "Easy." Damon murmured. "You've been…in and out for a few days…you all have." he said. "We were starting to wonder if Bonnie botched the spell." he said, brushing her hair away from her eyes. "Stefan….Rebekah?" she asked. "Still in and out. Stefan asks for you every time he wakes up. I guess he…wants to know how you feel…now…with out the sire bond. We all do" he admitted. Elena sighed and sat up, leaning her back against the headboard. "I feel exactly the same, Damon. I want you. I mean…the sire bond…masked what I felt for Stefan, I guess? I feel those things again…but I'm in love with you." he said. "Can Bonnie do the spell again…could she make you human?" she asked. "Yes, she can…but I don't want to be human, Elena." he said. "But…what about…I mean, you're right. I'll grow old…die…Damon, I know it's selfish…but do this for me? Please? Be human with me…give us a chance." she begged. "Elena…" he sighed, touching her cheek. "You know I'm not the right one…it's Stefan. It's always going to be…Stefan." "Not anymore, Damon. I want you…I chose…you." she fought. "I'm never going to want to be human, Elena." he said. "You and I…we have no future together." "So after everything…after ALL of it, you just want to give up?!" she yelled. "We don't have a choice, Elena. Human and vampire. It doesn't work." Damon got up and walked out of the room, ending the conversation.
Elena sunk down on the bed. The door reopened a few minutes later and she jumped up excitedly, but the door revealed Stefan. He ran over…(at human speed, it was strange)…and wrapped his arms around her. Elena sighed and gave into it, wrapping her arms back around him, burying her head in his chest."Please tell me you woke up and remembered that you loved me." Stefan asked desperately. Elena hesitated for a moment before nodding. It wasn't a lie. She did love Stefan. Given a choice, she would choose Damon…but he didn't want that. And she did love Stefan…and he was human. Melting into his embrace, Elena gave in…and vowed to spend her life with the man she loved second most.
5 years later
Elena and Stefan had attended college…Stefan appreciated that it was his last time and often joked about it. She'd received a degree in journalism and Stefan had decided to pursue a medical career. He had finished his pre-med and had just started med school when he proposed. Elena, of course said yes and they began planning the wedding of their dreams.
As they filled out invitations in the months prior, Elena sifted through, putting a stamp on each one. When she came across Damon's name, her breath caught in her throat. "You're inviting your brother?" she asked. Stefan looked up from a text book that said something about anatomy."Of course…he's my brother." he reasoned. "Yes….your brother. Which neither of us have talked to in five years." she reminded him. "I talk to him all the time." Stefan quirked an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked. "Yeah…I mean…I know things are awkward…you chose me…but he's still my brother. We try." he said. "Oh…well that's…good then…I guess." she said awkwardly.
The wedding day approached more quickly than either of them imagined. Elena stood in a back room of the church, straightening her veil. "You doing okay?" Caroline asked worriedly. "I'm fine. Caroline. My feet are perfectly warm." she assured her. "Okay…good. I'm going to go check on the rest of the bridesmaids. I'll be back." she said, walking out. There was a knock at the door moments later. "Come in." she called. She looked up in the mirror to see Damon behind her. "What are you doing in here?" she asked. "Don't marry him." Damon said. Elena sighed and walked away, going over to pick up her flowers. "I'm serious, Elena. Don't marry him." he begged. "It's been five years, Damon. You can't just walk in here and—" she was cut off by his lips. He pushed her against the wall gently, his lips attacking her's. Elena moaned softly into the kiss. "I'll do it. I'll…be human…I'll do whatever you want. Just please don't marry my brother." he begged. "I have a car outside. We can just…go, Elena. Figure this out. I'll do whatever it takes." he assured her. Elena sighed. "Damon…I'm in a wedding dress. I have entirely too many people out there waiting for me to marry your brother. I can't do this to him. I love him." "I know. I know you do. But you love me too, Elena." he reasoned. Elena looked down. "Forget about him. Forget about me…forget about the people in that church. What do you want?" he asked. Tears welled up in her eyes. She looked warily at the door to the church and back to him. Reaching up, she took her veil off. "You." she whispered, sadly. "Damon…please don't make me regret this." she warned. He shook his head. "I won't. I promise." he assured her. Elena turned, walking into the changing room, She changed back into the dress she'd worn to the church and walked back out, sighing. She took an envelope and wrote Stefan a note and poured her heart out, trying to explain how sorry she was. Damon reached over and took her hand, kissing it softly. "Are you ready?" he asked. Was she? She looked back at the note warily and bit her lip. "I'm ready. Let's go." she said, kissing his hand. She followed him out the door, letting go of her past with Stefan…and holding onto her future with Damon.