Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Vampire Diaries, just this scene that follows :)

Who else loved Damon's line "He already has a brother, not to be territorial or anything" in Season 3 Episode 20? That showed Klaus ;D And it made my 'Stamon' heart swell with pride! But I seriously hope whoever Elena chooses doesn't break their "unshakeable bond" :O That scene inspired me to write a 'what happened next' scene, after Klaus left.

Please read and review! :)

"The Salvatores, and their unshakeable bond. I wonder what will happen when Elena finally makes her choice. Will we see you shake? Just a little bit...?"

With that Klaus whisked away when Bonnie declared the boundary spell broken.

Stefan's anger towards Klaus was reaching maximum point. He was nothing to him in comparison to Damon. Although he didn't show it, he was filled with a sense of pleasure when Damon had interrupted Klaus' crap 'brotherhood' speech.

What was it with him, that he couldn't leave Stefan alone, despite their supposed 'friendship' in Chicago? Klaus obviously only wanted the 'Ripper' to return. Which hopefully was never going to happen! Not with Damon's help, anyway.

Stefan was now left alone with his brother. Turning round, he caught his glare. Why...?

"Thanks Damon for -"

"Look Stefan, why don't you just tell him to go stuff himself in one of those boxes he kept his siblings in? He obviously has an unhealthy obsession with you, which is, frankly, becoming irritating..."

"Yeah I know Damon but -"

"I mean, he took you unwillingly away from everyone who loves you for god's sake just to bring you back as some sort of killing machine without humanity which would have killed you, only to allow you to switch your feelings on again, and leave me to pick up the pieces of your broken heart!"

There was a moment of silence, in which Damon was looking anywhere but at Stefan, and Stefan was trying hard to find a response. "Um..."

Damon shook his head "Honestly Stefan, if you want me to have a word with him, then I -"

"NO - I don't want you to mess with my life more than you already have..." He trailed off, mentally cursing himself. Should he have escaped as soon as Bonnie had unravelled the spell?

Damon stepped closer, his ominous aura looming, something which had not been present against Stefan in such a long time. "What do you mean by that?"

Stefan had to restrain himself from taking a step backwards. "Err nothing - I just meant I don't want you to provoke Klaus into doing something stupid..." Would he believe it?

Damon's expression said it all. "Well, no one can stop Klaus from doing that!" He took a deep breath "This is about Elena." It wasn't really a question.

Stefan scrunched his eyes shut. It still hurt knowing that Elena would never be able to choose him 100% ever again.

Of course he loved his brother like no other, but she was the one girl he loved purely. No one had ever captivated him as she did, not even Katherine.

Yet ultimately, in saving his brother, the price hadn't been leaving Mystic Falls and forced to become a 'killing machine', it had been the knowledge that Damon loved her too, and that his absence would change things. Which it had.

He felt rather than heard Damon stand right in front of him, and he honestly thought that his brother would punch him.

Instead, he felt Damon's comforting hands on his shoulders, and he opened his eyes. Tears were threatening his composed face, and he tried to avoid his brother's penetrating stare, but it was impossible, as usual.

"Stefan..." His voice was unusually soft and quiet, without any traces of 'Damon humour' (which he'd once called it) or anger. "Stefan listen to me okay? Whatever happens, whoever she chooses, nothing will break our bond! Not again..."

Stefan tilted his head back, assessing his brother. Was this an act? If Elena chose Damon, would he whisk her away from here the first chance he got, and never contact Stefan ever again?

Then Damon spoke again "I can't lose you again. And I certainly won't make your life a misery, either way. One 'eternity' of that was enough."

With that, Stefan's 'don't trust Damon' thoughts caved in.

This was his big brother, who would protect him no matter what, as Stefan would, having demonstrated that numerous times.

And Stefan realised, if Elena did choose his brother, Damon deserved it. He deserved to have someone who loved him as he loved her, and not be manipulative *cough* Katherine *cough*.

"Stefan, isn't this the part where you say 'brother's for life' and give me a high five or something along those lines?"

Stefan nodded, finally able to smile, even in these grim circumstances, and took the opportunity to lean in for a quick hug.

He felt Damon tense, but slowly relent, and awkwardly pat his back.

Backing away, they both looked at each other and said one word "Elena."

Then they rushed off to save her together, for what must have been the hundredth time.

If you liked this, then please review and why don't you give my damon/stefan story 'Tough Love' a go? xD