There had never been any doubt for Elena, Damon was fun but he wasn't Stefan. It was just a shame that Stefan had been diagnosed with a case of self imposed isolation.
After being released from Klaus's compulsion, they had all assumed that things would return to the relative norm although no one really had any idea of what that entailed. For Elena though it had certainly meant the return of Stefan into her life which was something she had been craving for months. Living without Stefan was like breathing underwater - every breath was a struggle. Damon had been there though, like an oxygen mask under the water. It was only a temporary solution though, eventually the oxygen would run out and she would be left gasping again. It had to be Stefan.
Although to say that Stefan wasn't in her life in any capacity wouldn't be entirely true - he had been there - to threaten to drive her off a bridge and through generally hostile interactions. He had been forced to turn off his emotions by Klaus which was one of the hardest things that Elena had ever witnessed. As the light in his eyes turned stony and harsh, every line on his face conveyed a renewed sense of menace - he was completely unrecognisable. She though t that would have been the hardest thing she would ever witness. But she was wrong. completely. That moment was far outdone on the night that she first crossed paths with Stefan after his release from Klaus.
Elena:
Normality seems like an unattainable goal at this point. Each day I find myself haunted by his presence. subconsciously I revisit our favourite places - but it is to no avail. I'm searching for a ghost, but even his spirit doesn't reside here anymore. I can't let him go though, I Need to find him, to unshackle him from the prison he's been confined in for months. Lost in her own thought, Elena had been wandering aimlessly down to the Grill where she was meant to meet Damon in an hour. Since Stefan's departure, she found it increasingly more difficult to find refugee in her home...her kitchen...her bedroom. Memories of their time together lingered, with a tantalising allure that she could easily lose herself in. That is, at least, until the shattering knowledge of Stefan's absence comes crashing down on her again and she can barely take it.
Head down, she marched forward assuming that it must be about time. As she navigated the sea of people walking along the snow dusted street she cautiously marched on. One step after another. Suddenly her feet fell out from under her on her she found herself barrelling towards the ground - face first. She braced herself for the inevitable impact but was surprised to find that that the ground wasn't as cold as she thought it would be... or as hard. It did, however, provide a type of relief that had been missing from her life for too long. It was like inhaling for the first time and not like before - this was clean, fresh air. That was at least until she pried her eyes open and found herself looking directly into his eyes. They were different this time, the flare of life flickered behind them, illuminating them in a more beautiful light than she had seen in months.
"Stefan..."