Chapter one

"I just don't understand what you expect from me. I'm working so hard, trying to keep this relationship, and I feel as if you

don't even care! Do you even want a relationship with me? Do we even have one?" Elena whispered quietly. A stray tear

dripped down her face. She looked at the ground, and raised her face back up to Stefans. She wasn't going to back down

now. Not when she had just worked up the courage. "Elena, you know I love you, It's just, things are hard right now and I

need you to understand that I can't be with you every hour of everyday. I'm trying to keep you safe."

Stefan muttered as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. The guilt was eating at him from the inside, but he

couldn't tell her, He couldn't. Eventually, the truth would come out, but until then, he would hide it best he could. He paced

around the darkened living room of the boarding house, trying to calm his frayed nerves. Light from the roaring fire flickered

around the room. Not like this, Not now. If they held out just a little longer, he could make it up to her somehow, make her

realise. But she just would not let it go. He wouldn't be able to lie to her much longer.

"Stefan, This isn't normal. We never fight, and all of a sudden it's like a whirlwind of emotion, and I can't stop crying, and I'm

absolutely miserable. I know your keeping something from me. Your pulling away! Why Won't you just tell me what's

wrong so we can work it out? Isn't that what you want?" Elena ranted. She ran her fingers though her hair in frustration.

She looked around the room, desperate for clues to what he might of done. Why wasn't he telling her what the matter

was? Why was it so important he leave her in the dark? She realised that he must have done some horrible things while he

was with Klaus, but she had accepted every single mistake. It wasn't him to act like this, and she was terrified of loosing

him again. She sat down on the plush couch and stared into the flame in the fire.

"Elena, I want to tell you, But I just can't. You wouldn't understand. I can't loose you over something I did in the past. I

want you to trust me, and what happened is over and will never happen again. I need you to understand that." He begged.

The look of anguish on his face almost made Elena cry again. What had possibly happened that was so horrible he needed

to beg for forgiveness, before he even told her what was wrong? She looked him in the eyes. "Stefan, I need to know." Her

voice broke a little on the last word, but she look at him, her gaze steady He nodded his head, Face solemn.

"When I was with Klaus," He began. "When I was with Klaus, I was, delusional. Everything in my world revolved around

Hunger, Greed and Lust." Elena cringed at the last word, Her bottom lip quivering. She could guess what this was about. The

world started to spin around her, as it dawned on her. Stefan had cheated on her. He hadn't been faithful. "What? No,

Stefan you wouldn't do that." She whimpered pathetically. She couldn't help it, It was too much. Why hadn't he told her

before now? "I'm so sorry Elena. I was drunk, high off blood, and Katherine walked into the bar. One thing led to another

and. Well." He stopped, but Elena knew what happened. How could he?

"How could you!" She cried, furiously trying to fight back the tears that were raising. She ran to the door. "Don't talk to me.

I can't believe you would cheat on me, with that merciless bitch that has been trying to kill me for the past year!" She

shrieked. "Elena Wait!" Stefan shouted. "No. I'm going home. I can't, I can't stay here. I need time. I can't think straight.

Just let me go." She whispered. "Goodbye Stefan." She said coldly, letting her words hang in the freezing night air. She

slammed her car door shut and sped away. Stefan stood there watching her leave.