Chapter 4 - Say It's Over

Just wanna give a shout-out to 'IkeaGoddess' for knowing all the artists related to the titles, and to 'ilovedamon101' for knowing the last chapter title was from Linkin Park...I can listen to their albums on loop all day! Love 'Easier to Run!'

Also wanted to say, I was inspired by the N-Dubz song, "Say It's Over", (which is also the title for this chapter, as you'll find out why...)

A dark figure gracefully leapt into Elena's room and landed perfectly upright in her bedroom. The figure stood there, watching Elena intensely as if waiting for her to acknowledge his presence.

Elena studied the silhouette. From the moonlight streaming into her room she could tell it wasn't Damon. Anger, disappointment and hatred rushed through her simultaneously, she had never felt so let down. She had psyched herself up for the apology, only for the wrong brother to turn up.

"Elena?" Stefan finally called out.

Elena bit her lip, trying to subdue her anger. It wasn't Stefan's fault she made a complete mess of her moment with Damon. She felt the pressure inside lessen as she inhaled and exhaled slowly. She preferred being in the dark, even though she knew Stefan could see perfectly in the darkness; it would be easier for her tell him with the lights off. If she saw his face she was afraid she'd be overwhelmed with guilt and chicken out. But that would do no one any good.

Reluctantly, Elena blindly reached for the light switch, she knew it was here somewhere. In an instant, Stefan was by her side. He leaned across her, accidentally brushing her arm as he switched the light on. Elena let out a quiet gasp before jumping back at his touch, rubbing her arm if he had scratched her. Again her anger rose up, she couldn't control it. This whole situation had her on edge; she just wanted to see Damon. Her thoughts went back to him as she wondered where he was and what he was doing... was he thinking of her?

Stefan looked at Elena worryingly. His forehead was creased and his arms were crossed as he looked at Elena as if she were a child who had done something wrong. She hated that look.

"Elena? What's wrong?" Stefan asked again, taking a step closer.

Immediately Elena raised her hands up, as if to say 'stay.' She knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to smother her with affection and get her to open up to him; but she couldn't do that, what would she say: 'I think I love your brother,' or 'You're an overprotective ass and I'm sick of you.'

"No, I...Stefan..." Elena began, not sure how to start this conversation. She knew what she had to do; she couldn't be with Stefan, not while every time she was with him she was thinking of his brother. She was not Katherine, she wouldn't do that to them.

She looked at Stefan, who was looking lovingly at her, showing his patience. She turned around; she couldn't look him in the eyes, afraid he knew what she was thinking; she instinctively reached for her necklace, gently tugging on it for support and reassurance. Elena turned back around again and looked at Stefan who was obviously confused by her behaviour.

Taking a deep breath, Elena dived straight in. "Stefan. I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore."

She held her breath as she waited for Stefan's reaction. It killed her to do this to him. She truly did love him.

Stefan was looking at Elena even more confused than before. Just looking not saying anything, his expression said it all. The silence was awkward, not one of them saying anything; just Elena looking at Stefan apologetically and Stefan looking at Elena with sadness and defeat.

"Why?" Stefan finally asked, his voice low, barely a whisper.

Elena shook her head. "I'm sorry, I just need space." Elena hadn't realised until her vision went blurry again that she had begun crying. She quickly wiped the tears away with her sleeve. "It's not working. We're not working."

Realisation suddenly sprung onto Stefan face as he crossed the room and locked lips with Elena, catching her completely off-guard. Elena was suffocated by the kiss, barely able to breathe. Stefan gently but firmly held the back of her head with one hand as the other rested on her cheek, his eyes scrunched up in determination as he tried to prove that they did work.

Elena pushed Stefan's chest, powerless against the kiss, her eyes wide in shock.

Stefan finally ended his one-way kiss, looking at Elena seductively, hoping his little stunt had worked. He smiled.

"Do you think we're not working now?" Stefan asked confidently.

Stefan was answered by a slap to his face. She had never slapped him before, and it felt surprisingly good.

"What the hell was that Stefan!" Elena cried.

"I had to try," Stefan said. "I love you Elena."

Elena could hear the despair in his voice; the kiss was the last act of a desperate man. Elena could feel a lump building in her throat, she never expected their relationship to end like this; she had always believed Stefan to be 'the one,' but it seemed that it was never meant to be and nature had run its course.

"I love you too, but not like that. Not anymore."

Stefan sighed, looking down at the floor. Elena swore she saw a tear drop.

"Is it Damon?" Stefan finally asked.

Elena was taken aback by this question; she wondered whether to lie or to tell the truth. But this was Stefan, and after their time together she couldn't just lie. Elena looked up at Stefan and slowly nodded. She was tempted to say she was sorry again but thought against it.

"Do you love him?" Stefan asked seriously.

"Yes. I do," Elena answered straight away. Even Elena herself was shocked at her response speed. She looked to him, silently pleading with him not to hurt or blame Damon - wherever he was. I love him. Elena thought through those three words, the more she said it, the more she was certain: Elena Gilbert loved Damon Salvatore. Elena smiled to herself.

That was when Stefan knew – He had lost her.

Defeated, Stefan walked back to the window, still open. He sat on the sill, ready to jump off.

"Wait!" Elena called back. Stefan turned back expectantly, a glimmer of hope flashed through his eyes.

"Take this," Elena began, moving her hands behind her neck to unclasp the necklace Stefan had given her.

"No," Stefan replied. "It was a gift. It looks beautiful on you. I'd rather you kept wearing it."

He didn't wait for Elena's answer. Instead he flung himself off, landing painfully on his knees - he needed to feel the pain – he felt numb. He had come back to Mystic Falls to be with Elena, to know her, and now she didn't want to know him.

Elena ran to the window, the way he jumped looked like an attempt at suicide. She knew it was a stupid thought. She looked down and saw Stefan, crumpled in the front garden; he looked up at Elena, his hurt almost reaching out to her, screaming at her to look at what she had done. Before she could say sorry again, Stefan was gone.

Elena unclasped her necklace, throwing it outside with all her might. Stefan had practically demanding she never take it off; did he not realise she knew the reason why he asked her to keep it, a constant reminder to Damon of who had her first. Elena was no fool, she knew the vervain was essential to her survival, especially in this town with dozens of vampires on the loose. But the necklace - that was tied to Stefan, she could easily find other ways of keeping vervain on her person.

Elena closed the window, not bothering to lock it completely through the tiny chance Damon would visit her during the night. As much as she wished he would, she knew he probably wouldn't. Elena sat back down on the floor again, hugging herself to keep warm. She reached for her diary, opening it up to the last page she had written in. In large bold writing was the word 'Delena.' Elena absentmindedly drew a heart around the word, tracing around it over and over again until it just became a circle. Elena sighed, she needed to do something constructive; with that she turned to a fresh page and put pen to paper:

'Sorry: a meaningless word. It causes more harm than good. I must have said sorry about 10 times today, and all it did was magnify the hurt even more. I can't stand it, I tried doing the right thing, but why do I still feel like a horrible person. I know what I did was right; they say good things don't last forever, someday they've got to end. I know it was for the best. I know Stefan and I are over, I just hope Stefan can get over me and move on.

Damon: He's constantly in my thoughts - I can't sleep, can't eat, and can't think without thinking of him. I need him. I love him. I just have to tell him that, I just hope he can forgive me...'

The last full stop turned into a long line, trailing off the page, as the pen fell from Elena's hand. She had succumbed to her dreams - to a place where nothing mattered and anything could happen. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were puffy from crying; she sat rather uncomfortably on her bedroom floor, her head rested back on the edge of the bed as her diary lay open beside her...