"Are you hurt?" Elena asked quietly, feeling something like sorrow twist in her chest. She could not understand the emotions in her mind, but she knew what she felt in her heart. Her heart throbbed, and she knew Stephen could heart it.
Did he do anything to you?
She saw the question on Stephen's lips, but heard nothing. What could she answer with that would sound like the truth? Damon had abducted her, true, but from the moment she awoke in this room she had felt nothing but comfort. The bed was soft on her skin and the pillows were clouds beneath her head. She shook her head.
"Why, brother?" Damon moaned, ignoring Elena completely. He stared daggers into his brother.
"Why have you done this?" Stephen asked, his eyes intense and shaded, "Again?"
Elena felt as though she were being punished, like Katherine. Sure, despite his unorthodox methods, Damon had endeared himself to her, and despite his brother's anger at him she knew that she felt better when he was around. His earlier behaviour had scared her, but the thought of loosing him scared her even more.
"It was the only way he could have any time with me." she echoed, her heart sinking in her chest. How could he make her feel so guilty, after everything?
Stephen's eyes met hers and the guilt swelled inside of her. She knew who she loved.
"I don't want you two to fight any more, and you must promise me that you won't..."
Stephen groaned but Damon merely looked interested, "I won't share you." Stephen whispered.
"I don't want to choose between you two, I can't." Elena told them, feeling the de ja vu that passed between the three of them.
"I won't share you." Damon said, in a tone that asked for no questions.
Elena turned to the open window. She wondered mildly if she could reach the ground without breaking anything, anything to escape this torture – she could not choose. She loved them both.
"I can't choose either of you," she told them, her eyes on Damon and her heart laid out on the floor, broken,and torn apart, "I love you both."
Damon reached for her but she pulled away. His eyes were like wet jade – sad. She had never seen him like this, and the sight of him touched her more than Stephen's hand on the shoulder.
"Damon."