Let's Go, Brother

Disclaimer: I do not own TVD. All rights go to L. J. Smith and Julie Plec. If I did, I wouldn't have killed off Kol and Elena would've stopped stringing both Salvatores along a long time ago. Plus, Damon would remain his badass self from Season 1 and would not have turned into Elena's little puppy. Oh, and not to mention I wouldn't even consider the whole Hayley pregnancy crap and Stefan would get more attention just like he deserves. My baby goes through way too much.

"I am not sorry that I'm in love with you!" said Elena passionately. "I love you, Damon."

She had tears in her eyes and pursed lips as she awaited Damon's response. She looked so happy, so sure that Damon would be ever so thrilled at her declaration of love, that he finally got the girl. And perhaps if she told him this a few days ago, he immediately would've scooped her up in his arms and kissed her with all the emotions that were raging inside of him.

But now, Damon could only stare at her, having an internal battle with himself. He strained his ears and could hear Lexi walking around in her high heels upstairs, and Stefan's ragged, pained breathing as he waited for Damon to stake his claim on his ex-girlfriend who he still loved.

He drew his attention back to Elena, the girl who'd captured his heart all those months ago. She was losing confidence now. Her face dropped, and fresh tears leaked out of her eyes as Damon remained silent. He looked at her more intently and noticed the faint twitch of her lip, her slightly widened eyes, a sure sign that she was beginning to panic.

She looked like Katherine. Of course she did. She always has. But whenever he used to look at her he didn't think of the cunning Katherine Pierce who would do anything to achieve her ends. He only saw Elena Gilbert; the sweet, innocent, compassionate human who would do anything for her friends and family.

But was she still that person? That Elena Gilbert? Now he wasn't so sure. Now he could easily her composure crumbling. She looked terrified. Absolutely terrified as Damon had yet to declare his own love for her. Absolutely terrified that she would lose him.

Or just terrified that she'd be alone, his own voice whispered in his ear. But his voice was different. It was cocky. Arrogant. It reminded him of who he was when he first arrived in Mystic Falls. Had he really changed so much since then?

Yes, you have, his voice taunted. How long has it been since you killed someone? And I don't mean ripping out the heart of a vampire. I mean brutal, human murder. When did you last kill an innocent?

Damon racked his brains for an answer, but he must've taken too long as his voice made a reappearance.

See? You can't even remember! His voice was filled with disgust. You're a vampire, not a fairy. You're Damon Salvatore, who roamed the streets of New York City in the seventies and drained people of blood. Raved at parties with Lexi and killed a few hundred humans just for the sake of it. God, look at you. You're just as bad as Stefan with your moral compass. Although Stefan's probably worse than you now. Does that make you feel bad about yourself? That Stefan, the vampire role model for humanity now has a bigger killing streak than you?

He did feel pretty shitty, he had to admit. And those times in New York were fun. He could easily see himself there now, drinking from the vein of a gorgeous blonde before swiftly moving on to a delectable brunette... just the thought of blood from the vein made his mouth water and his eyes darken. How long has it been since he snacked on the neck of a human? Lately he'd been feeding from blood bags to appease Elena—

It always came down to Elena, Damon realized. Everything was about Elena.

Took you long enough, his voice snorted. Do you see now? How selfish Elena Gilbert really is? She's just like Katherine – actually, no. She's worse than Katherine. At least Katherine didn't bother to hide how manipulate she was. But Elena's sneaky. Look at her! She's wormed her way through yours and Stefan's relationship and completely demolished it like Katherine had. What happened to sibling loyalty? Well the answer is right in front of you. Get a grip, Damon. She's changed you, and not for the better. You're her little puppy, all she does is patronize you and yell at you for the choices you make. You say you're selfish? Prove it. Leave her. Have a life of your own. Let her deal with all the shit she's dragged you into.

Damon swallowed and let his eyes trail upwards to the ceiling. Above that ceiling were Stefan and Lexi. He could still hear the shuffling of heels on the floor but he could no longer hear Stefan's breathing. He's holding his breath, Damon thought sullenly. Does Stefan really have that little faith in him? Does he think he's going to run off to the sunset with Elena now, leaving Stefan alone to pick up the pieces?

Well you can't blame him, his voice admitted, you did sleep with her the day after she and Stefan broke up.

That was a dick move, Damon thought to himself. He felt so incredibly stupid. How many times had he hurt Stefan over this girl? He knew he was selfish, but his baby brother was one thing he wouldn't allow himself to be selfish with. And here he was, hurting Stefan further by standing there idly as Elena tells him she loves him.

His eyes once again turn to Elena. Her lips are trembling and her knuckles are white from grasping so tightly onto her graduation dress. Tears have dried on her tanned cheeks and her chocolate eyes were still sparkling with tears.

She was beautiful. But beautiful enough to lose his brother over?

"No," he said out loud.

Elena looked at him as though he'd just pulled the floor from underneath her feet.

"W-what?" She gave him an awkward smile and a short laugh. "Come on, Damon. You love me. You said so yourself." Her expression crumbled as Damon shook his head slightly. "W-what do you mean? Damon, we slept together! Is this about Stefan? I don't love him anymore, I love you!"

Stefan's pained gasp from upstairs was indication enough that he'd heard her last sentence. It made Damon angry. How many times had she hurt him now? But Damon could slowly feel himself becoming just like he was before he started worshipping the ground Elena walked on. Ruthless. Snarky. Argumentative. He filled himself a glass of bourbon as he prepared to unleash his old self on his sort-of-girlfriend. What even was she to him now?

"We slept together?" he said mockingly. "I've slept with a lot of people, Elena. And you don't see me falling at their feet."

Elena recoiled as though he'd just slapped her. "D-did it mean nothing to you then? Nothing?"

Damon slammed his bourbon on the wooden table, the loud bang echoing around the room and making Elena jump.

"Dammit, Elena! Why do you always try and make me out to be the bad guy? To answer your question, yes, Elena, it did mean something to me. But did it mean something to you? Or were you so desperate not to be alone after yours and Stefan's break-up that you just jumped into bed with me, so you would have me as a replacement for Stefan at your side?"

Elena paled but did not answer. Her mouth moved, but she was inarticulate in her effort to express what she wanted to say. The accusation Damon just spat at her was enough to send her mind reeling.

Finally, she found her voice. "N-no, please, Damon..." She let out a gut-wrenching sob. "Please... Jeremy's dead and I need you..."

"You don't need me at all." Damon's voice was hollow, emotionless. His eyes bore into her own. "You just don't want to be alone for all eternity."

He took one last swig of his bourbon before setting it back down on the table and sweeping out of the room. He made his way upstairs and could hear Elena let out a loud sob of agony, but it did not stir a feeling of guilt inside of him. He didn't feel as upset as he thought it would leaving Elena; instead, he felt oddly liberated as he walked into the room where he knew Stefan and Lexi were waiting.

About damn time, his voice mocked, but there was hint of satisfaction in his tone.

He didn't know what expression to expect on Stefan's face, but it certainly wasn't this. Stefan had a look of amazement etched into his features, but there was a sparkle in his green eyes that Damon knew was gratitude. Stefan was eternally thankful that he didn't have to hear his brother replying his own love back to the girl he loved, but even though she and Damon weren't together anymore, he knew that he couldn't go back to Elena now. Everything that Damon said had opened his eyes, and he realized that Elena was playing him and Damon like puppets all along just as Katherine had.

Stefan tried to express his thankfulness, but could only manage a smile and a nod of his head. His throat was too closed up with emotion to articulate. Lexi, who was standing beside him, gave Damon a look of approval even though she hated him herself. She liked Elena, but she liked Stefan's happiness even more. And she knew that Stefan would be happy now.

Damon grabbed Stefan's coat off the hanger on the door and threw it at his brother. Stefan looked at him in confusion.

"I think it's about time we got out of this town. Where should we go? Italy?" He licked his lips. "New York? Nah," he gave Stefan a mocking look, "New Orleans?"

Stefan's deadpan look told Damon that they certainly weren't going to New Orleans, but he could see the tug of amusement pulling at his lips.

The eldest Salvatore pulled his brother up from the seat and threw an arm over his shoulder, ignoring Elena's crying as she became acquainted with the only companion she will now ever have: loneliness.

"Let's go, brother."

Okay, so this is it! Please tell me what you think! Your favorite part? Your least favorite part? How I could improve? Please leave a review!