Elena's face showed the shock she felt, but as she saw the fear begin to rise in Damon's eyes, she closed her mouth- she hadn't even realized she had let her jaw drop. She tried to keep her disbelief out of her voice; she didn't want to hurt him. Not when he was starting to change, and for the good.

"I…I'm not Katherine, Damon. I'm not a replacement," She said quietly, trying to be kind. Damon shook his head subconsciously, leaning towards her.

"I'm not looking for a replacement, Elena. I didn't love her. I don't think I ever really did. And you're right- you're not her. You could never be the monster that she was. This has nothing to do with a replacement for me and everything to do with you." Damon was pleading with her, trying to get her to understand.

Elena swallowed, nodding. "I believe you."

Damon smiled again, for a brief second, before it left his face and took her hand off his cheek and placed it back in her lap.

"But you don't feel the same." It wasn't a question; Damon had said it as a statement. And once again, before Elena could respond, Damon was gone.

But unlike the night before, when Elena had been sure everything would be okay, she was now left unsure of anything.

Damon loved her. Was in love with her. And not because she looked like Katherine, or because he thought he could somehow change her into Katherine- he loved her because of herself. Elena wasn't entirely sure how she felt about it- let alone what she felt back. It was all too much; they had been so comfortable, so happy, just moments before…and now, that was all lost. Now, Damon was upset, and she was confused, and everything was another emotional mess.

And because it was the middle of the day, Elena didn't even have the luxury of crying herself to sleep.


Stefan hadn't spoken to Elena in over twenty-four hours. It had been more than twenty-four complete hours since they'd broken up. All of those hours of her hating him, and all those hours he'd spent alone, knowing he was the sole person at fault for ruining the best thing that had happened to him in almost two centuries' worth of existence.

He had tried to ignore the gaping hole in his chest, but it was no use. He'd hunted until he felt bloated, he'd delved into his own rarely-touched liquor cabinet, he'd attempted to read, and he'd turned on the TV- searching for some thing, anything, to occupy his mind for a full five minutes. But none of it had worked.

In his final stage of desperation, he'd even looked for Damon, thinking that maybe being around another person- if Damon could be called that- might help. But Damon was nowhere to be found. Probably off, persuading more college girls into being his dinner, Stefan thought, his mind full of contempt.

Damon was the real reason he had acted how he had. If Damon hadn't posed such a threat, hadn't been around to torment him and Elena, then he could have been more honest with her. Their relationship could have been normal, and she would still trust him. But there's no changing the past, he reminded himself with a grimace.

He'd had enough- it was time for him to go talk to Elena. She wouldn't just ignore him, would she? No. She was sweeter than that. Cared about him more than that. She would at least talk to him again, give him a chance to fix this. Right? Well, he had to try.

But just as Stefan opened the door of the mansion to leave- there she was. Elena. It was almost as if his thoughts had made her materialize out of thin air. He'd never been so happy to see anyone in his whole life. And even better, she'd come to him. Probably because she was as broken up over how things had ended as he was.

Stefan smiled as the hope that had been fluttering in his chest bloomed, and he stepped aside for Elena to come in.


Elena had had enough wallowing. Sure, her life was a mess. And sure- she didn't know how she felt about everything that had transpired between her and Damon. But if her parent's passing, not to mention her induction into the world of the supernatural, had taught her anything, it was that difficult situations had to be dealt with head-on. So an hour or so after Damon had left, Elena threw on her jacket and drove to the Salvatore mansion, prepared to talk to him.

But when she got up to the door and Stefan had opened it, she was thrown. With everything that had happened with Damon, she had completely forgotten about Stefan. The breakup that had only happened yesterday seemed like it had happened years ago. She was unable to speak at first, but when Stefan stepped to the side as an invitation to enter the house, she did.

"Elena. I'm so glad you came over," Stefan said as he shut the door, a shy smile playing at his lips. Elena just nodded. He thinks I came here to see him, Elena thought, shifting her weight. She felt uncomfortable letting him think she was there to see him, but she couldn't bring herself to admit the real reason she was there. But she had to know if Damon was in the house somewhere, able to overhear the conversation Stefan was expecting them to have. So she asked him, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Is Damon here?"

Stefan shook his head. "No, he went out, earlier... Hasn't been back since. Why?"

Elena smiled at him weakly; what she was about to say wasn't technically lying. Right?

"Just want to make sure he can't hear us or anything."

Stefan nodded, his hand on her back as he guided her into the living room to sit on the couch. It reminded Elena of the very first time she'd ever been in the house, when she'd first met Damon. Damon had put his hand at her back, too, guiding her in the same way, only his hand had been slightly lower than Stefan's was now. She smiled inwardly at the memory.

"So. Uhm, what do you…want to say?" Elena asked, not sure how to broach the subject. She was resolute in her decision that she and Stefan were over. She would always care for him…but it wasn't the same anymore. It never could be.

"I just want to apologize. Everything you said yesterday- you were right. I am overprotective. I have tried to control where this relationship goes- but only because I wanted everything to be perfect. But that's no excuse, I know," Stefan said, his voice sincere. When Elena didn't say anything, he went on.

"And I do realize that you're strong. That you can handle…everything. I realize it now. I see it in the fact that you saved me, saved us all…you are not some china doll. And I also see, that the only thing I've broken is your trust. But I just need you to accept my apology. Because I love you, Elena. I do."

Elena was quiet, the look on her face imperceptible. Finally, she spoke.

"I accept your apology."

Stefan blew out the breath of air he'd been holding, his face breaking into a grin.

"Thank you, Elena. You have no idea. And I promise you, this time, it'll be different. No lies. No protecting. You can do all the man's work you want," Stefan said, leaning in to kiss her.

Elena pushed herself deeper into the couch, avoiding Stefan's kiss.

"What do you doing, Stefan?" She breathed, confused. Soon she was standing up, looking down at Stefan on the couch, who looked confused. "What do you mean, 'this time'?"

Stefan shook his head, confused laughter stuttering out, as if it were a misunderstanding.

"Well- well, we're back together, that's what I mean. Right?"

Elena shook her head, sympathy clouding her features.

"No, Stefan…we aren't. I accepted your apology- but I told you. I don't trust you. Saying sorry doesn't magically fix that," Elena said, her arms over her chest. She had to get out of there as soon as possible- before Stefan found out why she was really there.

"And, the truth is…I don't know that I'm even in love with you anymore. Your betrayal…it's too much, Stefan. I can't do this, again."

Stfanm still had that desperately confused look on his face.

"Then…then why did you come here? If you didn't come here to get back together, then why are you here?" Stefan was off the couch now, standing close, too close, to Elena. He looked angry, but she knew he would never hurt her. But she also couldn't bring herself to answer his question.

Elena's silence drove Stefan's mind over the edge. It was almost as if she felt guilty. And then it broke on him, like a storm that had been threatening all along.

"Does this- does this have something to do with Damon?"

Elena's features sharpened at Damon's name, and Stefan could see his suspicions were true. But he wanted to hear her say it.

"Are you in love with him?" Stefan demanded, his voice going up another octave.

Elena remembered what she'd told herself before, about meeting things head-on. And she thought, It's now or never. It's hide or fight. The truth or nothing. It's time. Time to be honest.

And as she looked up into Stefan's green eyes, that had turned dark jade with the anger building inside him, she met his gaze coolly, and told him.

"Yes."

Elena didn't know what Stefan's reaction would be- but in a million years, she never would have guessed it would have been what he did.


Stefan's whole body, that had been tense, relaxed. He was so angry- so angry- that he felt he had been about to explode. He was almost certain that Elena was compelled, that Damon had done something to her that had changed her feelings. But then he saw her vervain pendant, the one he'd given her- still latched around her thin neck, keeping her safe from Damon's influence.

So this really is how she feels, he thought, disappointed. But…I love her. And it's what she wants.

Stefan's hand raised, going to Elena's neck. His fingers touched the vervain-filled charm, grazing over the metal in an almost loving fashion.

"I respect your decision then. If it's what you want, I respect it. At least you made a choice."

Stefan leaned in, giving Elena the barest of kisses on her forehead, before taking a few steps away from her.

"But I still love you. And I always will. So I can't stay here. I can't watch you be…with someone who isn't me. So this is goodbye, Elena." Stefan shoved his hands into his pockets, turning towards the door.

"Stefan," Elena whispered, as his hand touched the doorknob. Stefan looked back at her, his eyes shining with hope.

"Goodbye."

And then, his hope was gone. And so was he.

And in the same instant, Elena felt a pair of hands, surprisingly warm, sliding around her waist. The touch was kind, gentle, and not unwanted. She turned into Damon's hug, embracing him fully. She knew he'd heard what she said- about how she loved him. Words weren't needed. She just let him hold her.


Damon had been eavesdropping, yet again. It was a bad habit to break, after all. He'd listened in as a way to torture himself. Because he knew- in his bones, in his un-beating heart, in the soul that he so often claimed was nonexistent- he knew that they were going to get back together.

And their reunion would just be proof of the suspicion he'd had all along- he didn't deserve happiness. He wasn't worth it. That the only remnants of humanity that still resided inside him were useless, because they belonged to her. Useless without her, and so, useless to him- because she would forever be his brother's.

But he'd been wrong. She'd said no. And then, amazingly, she'd said yes. Yes to loving him. Yes to choosing him. His mind was whirling with happiness- a pure, unadulterated, unmarred happiness, that he couldn't remember ever having feeling before. She said yes. She said yes. She said yes.

And then, his arms were around her, and her arms were around him. And he was breathing in her scent, feeling her warmth, seeing her love for him glowing in her eyes- words were completely unnecessary. Because no one had said they had loved him, since his mother had died. It had been over one hundred and sixty years since anyone had spoken those words to him. And to hear them then, from the only person he wanted them to come from- it was unreal. And yet it wasn't. It was happening, right there, right then, and he was the luckiest bastard on the planet. Maybe humanity is worth more than I thought, if this is what it's supposed to be.

Elena raised her head from his shoulder, and repeated the words that had brought him back to life: "I love you."

He smiled, tightening his grip around her, and whispered simply:

"I know."