Author's Note: So I'm still really new at writing, so i need your advice and reviews. PLEASE REVIEW!

Warning: There may be slight abuse in the future. Just a bit.

Extended summary:

Stefan is murdered by a mysterious stranger. Elena, heartbroken and mourning, flees Mystic Falls, abandoning everything behind. Damon loses the rest of his humanity he had left. Elena returns four years later, with her new fiance, Jake Millers. Damon does the unexpected( or expected, i guess) What does he do exactly?

Elena POV

"Stefan?" I stepped into the boarding house, faced by nothing but silence. I was surprised; it was very rare when I had the boarding house to myself. It seemed to be empty.

I half expected Damon to jump out and scare, me. But, because it was so quiet, Damon was obviously not here.

Maybe Stefan's in the library. Usually, during previously visits at the house, 50% of the time, I found him buried in one of hundreds of his journals. I stepped in and looked around. Not there.

I had an uneasy feeling. "Uh, hello?"

Then, I heard a loud crash coming from around the kitchen area. What's going on there?

I crossed the living room, getting closer to the kitchen each second. "Is anyone here?" Each step I was taking to get to the kitchen, the more nervous I felt.

Every nerve in my body was screaming at me not to go where I was heading.

But I was struck half with curiosity and maybe just a bit of fear. "Stefan? Damon?"

I entered the kitchen, looking around warily. I felt relieved when I realized nothing was out of place.

I sighed, content as I left the kitchen, walking into the dining room.

Then I froze. And screamed.

Oh...my…god. Stefan was leaning against a wall. There was a stake in his chest.

I was already in the middle of heart-wrenching sobs and I didn't even know it. Falling to my knees, I pulled the stake out with all my strength.

Stefan didn't even flinch. He was probably already dead.

I felt the whole world come crashing down on me. Mom was dead, dad was dead, Anna was dead, Caroline was—technically—dead. And now the person I cared about the most was dead.

A new batch of tears came flooding out of my eyes. I didn't care that I was staining Stefan's shirt. "But you can't die!" I wailed, "I can't lose you too!"

I shook Stefan. He wasn't moving. I wasn't even thinking about who had killed him at the moment. Finally, I gave up and cried.

Then, a sudden idea flashed in my mind. Maybe he wasn't dead. Maybe if I gave him some blood…

Quickly, still crying, I ran to the kitchen, frantically searching for a knife or anything sharp. Surprisingly, even though this was a big house and kitchen, there wasn't a knife anywhere.

After checking several cabinets and drawers, I sank to the floor in defeat, sobbing to myself. There was no way I could I could cut myself without a knife. I had tried scratching myself, biting myself, even attempted to break glass. There was nothing that could make my blood shed but a knife.

Suddenly, I heard the front door open. Oh, no. Had the killer come back for me?

Footsteps.

Then I heard a familiar voice. "Elena?" Damon.

Hurriedly, I stood up and went back to finding ways to cut myself. I had to hurry, before Damon found me. He would definitely stop me for sure.

I tried to search quietly, muffling my sobs, but accidentally let out another whimper.

Damon voice sounded nearer. "Elena what's wr—oh…my…god."

I searched faster, knowing Damon just discovered Stefan's body. It wouldn't be long before he found me.

I stuck my hand in another drawer, and was met with an edge. I pulled it out. A knife.

Unfortunately, Damon found me at the same time.

He looked at me, my tear-stained face, and the knife I was holding in my hand. He probably put everything together pretty fast, because immediately he was in front of me, restraining me wrists. The knife fell to the floor with a clatter. Damon kicked it away.

"Let me GO!" I screamed at his face. It was full of concern, but I was concentrated on getting out of Damon's grip and getting to the knife.

"Elena," he murmured in a soft voice.

"LET GO OF ME!" Tears were streaming down my face as I said this.

"Elena."

"Let go! I have to…have to…"

I broke, down, falling to my knees. I completely gave up. Heart-wracking sobs left me and I couldn't stop shaking. Damon kneeled down to my level and held out his arms.

I leaned against him, crying into his chest. "H-he's dead. He's r-real-ly dead."

"Shh…" Damon was soothing me, stroking my hair as he murmured comforting nonsense into my ear.

After a few minutes, I stopped crying, and Damon gently lifted my chin up so I could meet his eyes.

He thumbed the remaining tears of my face. My eyes were on his lips. How tempting there were…

Damon leaned closer, and so that my lips were inches from his. Just when I was about to cover the distance, I jerked back.

I stood up and stepped away from him. "No." I ran out of the boarding house as fast as I could, and only heard part of what Damon was saying. "Elena, wait—"

I never looked back as I ran for my car. Locking the door behind me, I sobbed against the steering wheel.

I almost kissed Damon. My head fell in my hands. I couldn't stay loyal to Stefan for five minutes. Even when he was dead.

Then I came to my decision. Everyone that died was because of me. I can't let another person I care about get hurt.

I have to leave. I suddenly decided. Leave town. Not one could know where I went. No record of where I was going.

So with that, I left my car behind, and ran. I stopped by my house, grabbed my stuff and fled.

Fled from Mystic Falls, fled from Bonnie, fled from Matt, fled from Stefan, fled from Jenna, fled from Caroline, fled from Jeremy…

Feld from—Damon…

I cried and left.