AN: Sorry it took a while. We are now back to dealing with the brooding Salvatore. He deserved a proper "goodbye party". xoxo

After long hours roaming the forests of Mystic Falls Stefan's tired feet led him to the boarding house. He knew that he and Elena were truly and irrevocably over… He had fully expected it but it still hurt like hell. Stefan knew that they were over the moment Elena died because she would remember the many compulsions he had worked on her. They were all well intentioned, but Stefan knew she would never ever forgive him for it. He had been surprised to find out, through Elena, that Damon had also compelled her once or twice. His ex didn't share the details except to say that Damon had compelled her "to keep her safe", whilst Stefan had compelled to protect his "sorry ass" as she so eloquently put it. Still he had thought, no... he had hoped that they had a chance since she did not dump him straight away. Fat chance…

The look in Elena's eyes at the Karaoke still haunted him… Stefan's heart tightened at the memory of her letting him go... She had never given up on him...not though his darkest hours or through her deepest fears and now... Now that they had been so close... not she let him go. Elena's words pleaded for his understanding… her reassurance that she loved him. Then the obvious truth that she didn't need to confess, the nail on the proverbial coffin..., she had chosen the wrong brother…

Stefan hated being dumped..., but it was made worse by the fact that she chose Damon over him... Stefan knew that he had never stood a chance when competing with Damon's bad boy allure, so he had chosen to play the good brother. That had earned him Katherine's heart and Elena's for a while.

In trying to reason with his true nature and reel the bad side of him, Stefan had effectively lived a lie, and lies always need more lies on top to keep going, hence the compulsions. It was a small wonder that Elena didn't want him once she found out the whole truth. Stefan shook his head determined not to think of it….His mind wandering to another set of eyes that had haunted him before. Stefan reached for his phone and scanned the numbers until he found hers.

"I was wondering when you would call lover." – Katherine's self satisfied voice traveled through the miles.

Stefan closed his eyes and sat down on the couch, hands in face, emotionally exhausted.

"How?" – was all he had the strength to ask.

"Oh you know me Stefan." – Katherine smiled –"I always know what is going on with those I care."

".. I don't know..." - Stefan mumbled into the phone - "...I shouldn't have called you ..."

"Don't be silly Stefan. We both know this phone call is way past its due." - Katherine's voice asserted matter of fact -"I'll come and pick you up in two hours. Be packed up and ready to go."

"I'm not sure this is a good idea Kat..."- he whispered brokenly.

"Stefan," – Katherine pleaded softly – "Let me try to help you. Worse case scenario you get a vacation out of this, some needed head space and time. Best case you get the love of your life back: me!" - Katherine's voice betrayed her neediness but this fact comforted Stefan. Right now, he needed more than anything to be needed, to be wanted, to be desired.

"Ok..." - he could hear her turning the car on.

"Good. See you soon Stef."- Katherine purred before hanging up.

Stefan put away his phone and sighed deeply. He hadn't exactly thought things through but to hell with it he concluded. Thinking had done nothing for him except push away the love of his life… He needed time, he needed distance...he needed perspective. He may look like an eternal teenager but his soul bore the weariness of one that had live the span of 3 love for Elena was bump on the road of his existence and he needed to push it out of his heart and to it's footnote place at the bottom of his story. Katherine's company should be just what the doctor ordered. Stefan spared a moment to long for his friend Lexi... wishing for a moment that she was still around. The thought of asking Jeremy to contact her crossed his mind.

"No..."- he growled menacing at himself -"No more living trailing after ghosts, false hopes and things that cannot be." - he dictated to himself.

Stefan ascended to his room at human speed. His heart was too heavy to go any faster.…

.

.
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The hours since Elena had come to the boarding house with Damon had been exhausted and fraught with volatile emotions. They talked, fought, kissed and made up but not necessarily in that order. Things weren't perfect but they were finally ready to try to be together and for them that was huge. No more denial, sabotage or half truths. She and Damon had agreed to give in into their love for each other and work through the emotional wreckage they had left on their way to this moment. It was an odd arrangement if you didn't know their story, but Elena knew she had to pay her dues to secure his trust in her love and cement herself into his undead heart.

After blissfully losing themselves in each other for a few rounds of mind blowing sex Damon had fallen asleep with his arms holding her tenderly, possessively to him. Elena couldn't follow him into the land of dreams. Her mind was reeling… a part of her wondered where Stefan was. Was he ok? Was his heart too broken? Would he forgive her? With a pang she realized it wasn't her place anymore to worry about him so she let the worry slide since they were broken up after all. But, she reason, the least she could do was something productive with her insomnia and take all the boxes she had packed out of his room. No need to remind him of the emotional stake she had plunged into his heart a couple of hours ago.

Elena begrudgingly left the safety of Damon's arms, dressed herself and then turned sparing a moment to watch Damon in his sleep. She smiled tenderly as she took in his tussled hair, the softened features devoid of the cold mask he normally wore. Elena's dead heart swelled with love for the raven hair beauty she now claimed as hers as she turned away and walked to her ex-boyfriend's room.

AN: A bit shorter than usual. R & R please? xoxo