Hello lovelies! I'm back! I know I'm absolutely TERRIBLE about finishing stories so I've decided to finish the story before I post and as this is a one-shot, easy peasy This is just some of my thought on what would be running through Elena's head at this point. Stefan's not evil in her brain either. Oh and by the way I own the Vampire Diaries. Just kidding. I really don't.

Ps. Is anyone else VERY upset about this whole "mid season finale" thing they mentioned? Pardon my French but WTF?

You Can't Have Passion Without Hate

She hates him. He makes her crazy, and vulnerable, and so god damn ANGRY all the time. He challenges her. She knows that he would do anything for her, he can do what it takes to protect her even if she doesn't like it. He only says it will be okay when he means it. He's crazy and impulsive and somehow so intriguing. She finds herself drawn to him against every fiber of her being. Yet when she's with him, she's excited and alive and nervous. Every time she thinks she's beginning to figure him out, he builds another wall. He endlessly provokes, pushing her to her absolute limit. He's infuriating. Yes she hates him.

She loves him. His brother. He's loving and endearing and she's comfortable with him. He's romantic and kind, never pushes her. Sometimes he can't fix everything he says he will, but he means well. He can't bear to see her in pain. Even if it will help her in the long run. He holds her on a pedestal, like something so delicate, it will shatter at the slightest touch.

But hate and love walk a delicate line. A line she's felt beginning to blur. She used to think love was the complete absence of hate. But lately, it seems that true passionate love, can't exist without it. This revelation forced her to evaluate everything she had with Stefan. She loves him, of course she does. But is she really IN love with him? Sometimes she wants him to get mad, really loose it, just scream at her. But he just gives her that patronizing, parentally stare and agrees. She was being irrational. She knew it. But after everything that was happening, he couldn't even fight for her a little? He couldn't fight at all. He was so scared of loosing her that he was beginning to do just that.

Elena Gilbert woke with a start. Had she really just dreamed that? Dreams are unadulterated, uncensored thoughts and she had just dreamed the Damon was the better choice? DAMON? She sighed. She was sick of lying to herself. She liked Damon. Maybe more than that. Stefan was currently being a homicidal, feeling-less dick and she was getting sick and tired of waiting around for him to get better. Her hope supply was dwindling dangerously low. She needed to get out. She threw on a sports bra and running pants and headed out the forest trails near her house. The cold was a welcome ache, clearing her head and heightening her senses. She sprinted as fast and as far as she could, feet pounding to the beat of her Ipod. She had been running for less than ten minutes when she got the eerie sensation of being followed. She remembered her training and tried to remember Damon's lesson. She had been blindfolded.

"Seriously Damon? What it the point of this?" She sighed.

"Listen. When one sense is missing, the others are heightened. If you ever can't see your attacker, which is likely with vampires, you have to rely on you hearing. Now, where am?" his voice came from the left but she felt a whoosh of air towards the right, she whipped around, facing the direction the sound came from.

"EEEH," Damon shouted, imitating the sound of a buzzer. "Never let your opponent know that you know that they're there." She heard another whoosh "Element of surprise," his voice came from not an inch away, cool breath wafting on her face.

"Don't let them know I know," she murmered to herself. She fought the urge to turn around, instead slowing. Pretending to tie her shoe, she grabbed a sizeable stick and whipped around, jabbing at her attacker. He grabbed her hand, spun her around and his lips were at her throat in an instant. He playfully bit down, not breaking skin but enough to make her jump.

"Damon!" she exclaimed, heart still pounding from the encounter.

"Not quite fast enough there Buffy but I do applaud you on the whole stick maneuver. Can't say I was expecting that." She bit her lip fighting back the smile that was always on the verge of breaking through when he was around.

"What?" he asked pretending to be shocked. "No eye rolls? Not even a 'ugh Damon'?" He imitated her sighing his name perfectly. She felt like it was a line in a script she read every time she saw him. A script she was tired of acting.

"What are you doing here anyway?" she asked as she began jogging again. He kept pace with her, brushing arms every so often as they shared the thin forest path.

"Saw you jogging alone down a deserted forest trail. Kind of makes you an easy target." He stated bluntly. She liked that about him. He was always honest. Even when it was hard to hear.

"I don't think Klaus or anyone is going to attack me on my morning run."

"I wasn't talking about Klaus," he flashed a wolfish grin "I figured now would be a great time for breakfast." He said fake biting into her neck again. She smiled and shoved his arm. They ran in silence for awhile, just enjoying the company. Elena didn't know what, but she felt something begin to change. Her resolve was slowly starting to whither away.

A/n: Well… that was so not what I thought it would be. Should I continue? I kind of like where it ended up. Anyway, click that sexy review button and write me one ;)