"Stefan Salvatore, don't make me tie you to this chair right now!" Caroline yelled at Stefan. He had just given her the news about his departure and Caroline wasn't handling it very well. Having her best friend back there with her these past few weeks had been amazing, and she wasn't ready to let that go quite yet. Plus, she didn't see a reason for him to leave. Elena and Damon were broken up, it was his chance to woo her back to him. "You can't leave." She said, sitting down on his bed next to Nik with a pout on her face. Nik put his hand on her back and started caressing her hair.

"I can't stay, Care." He told her softly, half amused by her overreaction, half upset that he had to leave her as well.

"I don't understand why can't you just get back with Elena." Rebekah said, for the first time since being in that room. The three of them turned to her with confused expressions. Rebekah had been 100% against the idea of Stefan and Elena being together again. Something had clearly changed her mind.

"Who are you and what have you done to my sister?" Nik asked in his strong charming British accent.

They all chuckled. "Come on, you adore her, and she called her engagement off when she finally realized she was hurting you, that has to count for something, right? She wants you."

"First, she doesn't want me." Stefan corrected her, and Bekah rolled her eyes at him. "Second, I don't even think I want to be with her anymore."

"Of course you do!" Caroline protested. She had always been one of those hopeless romantics, and couldn't stand the idea of the Stefan & Elena story not having a happy ending. Stefan half rolled his eyes, and lowered his head.

There was a big moment of silence as they all thought about the matter and Nik got to a conclusion, voicing his thoughts and breaking the silence. "I think she should be the one to fight for him." They all turned to him. Nik was actually giving relationship advices, who would have thought. "She'll never really appreciate you unless she has to fight like hell to get you."

"Who are you and what have you done to my brother?" Rebekah asked, instating him, in her perfect accent as well.

"I'm just saying, you should go. Let it all just cool out, then see what happens." Nik suggested.

Stefan smiled at his friend actually giving good relationship advices. "I don't know what Caroline has done to you," Stetan turned to Caroline. "But keep doing it." They all laughed and quickly changed the subject.

Stefan was a very, very lucky man for having them in his life.

xxxxx

I has been five days after Stefan last spoke to Elena. Caroline told him she had been asking about him. How was he doing, when did he plan to leave. Stefan didn't ask Caroline to keep anything a secret from Elena, but he wished she wouldn't ask anything about him, so Caroline wouldn't tell her. It would be best that way. She hadn't even tried to contact him, and he didn't know it was a good thing or a bad thing. If she didn't care at all she wouldn't be questioning Caroline about him, but if she did, why hadn't she tried to talk to him? He knew Elena, and when she had something on her mind, nothing would take it out of there. Maybe she cared, but not enough to actually do something to let him know that. Whatever.

Stefan heard the doorbell ring and ran downstairs to get the pizza Nik had ordered for them. He paid the pizza guy, telling him to keep the change and as soon as his fingers touched the warm pizza box his stomach growled in hunger.

"Was that Katherine?" Damon asked, coming into the room.

Stefan motioned to the box in his hands. "Just the pizza guy." He said. "Why, are you expecting her?"

"Nope." Damon denied, though his expression told him otherwise. Stefan couldn't help but wonder how were thing between them now that him and Elena were over. Maybe they'd go back to being together and had a real shot at happiness. Before Stefan could make his way back upstairs Damon spoke again. "So," Stefan turned to look at him an noticed he looked really nervous. That was not a common thing to see. "I've been meaning to talk to you."

"Whatever it is just spill it." Stefan said harshly, probably because he was starving and wanted to get on that pizza.

Damon sighed, walking closer to his brother. "What I did was wrong." He admitted and Stefan was caught a little off guard. He had never seen his brother admitting to being wrong, ever in his life. Damon had his full attention now, as he settled the pizza down. "I never meant to hurt you, but I did, it was wrong, I'm sorry." He finished.

Stefan stared at him blankly for a few seconds, and Damon felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze. "That's it?" Stefan asked. "That's you apology?"

Damon threw his hands in the air and ran them through his hair. "God, I screw everything up!" He said angrily and Stefan noticed he said it more to himself. "I can't even make an apology right."

"I couldn't agree more." Stefan said, and Damon could detect a hint of playfulness in his voice even if his expression was completely serious. Damon was trying, and that counted for something, specially coming from him. "Get on that apology again, will you?" A smile crept on his lips, he couldn't help it.

"You enjoy seeing me struggle, don't you?"

"Very much." Stefan chuckled, but Damon went back to being serious, making Stefan imitate him.

"I mean it, Stefan. I'm really sorry about it, all of it. I don't expect you to forgive me, because I know I don't deserve it, but I need you to know that..." He stopped for a moment, looking for the right words. Or maybe he was finding strength inside of him to say them out loud. With Damon you could never be sure. Damon groanned, realizing there was not another way of saying this without making a complete ass of himself, as he used to say. "That you're my little brother and, yes, you're annoying and a buzzkill, but you're my best friend in life and I miss having you here with me." Damon finished, but was not satisfied with his words, like they didn't exactly represent his feelings. He needed to say those three words out loud. "What I'm trying to say is: I love you, brother."

A small smile crept on Stefan's lips upon hearing those words. Damon hadn't said he loved him since they were little kids. Stefan didn't make an effort to do so either. They didn't need to hear it from one another, they just knew it. They knew their bond was strong enough to get them through anything. They knew they were the only family the other had, and nothing could change it. They were brothers. They were, but they had ignored that for so long that, at one point, they weren't anymore. Or maybe they were and they just had to be reminded of it.

Damon shifted his weight from one leg to the other, waiting for Stefan to say something, even of it was to tell him to go to hell. When he didn't Damon threw his hands in the air and sighed, defeated. "That's the best I've got." He said, figuring that Stefan's silence meant he was not forgiven. He turned around to leave, but was stopped by Stefan's voice, calling his name.

"You're the worst brother in the history of bad big brothers, you know that?" Stefan said, and Damon noticed he didn't really mean it. Um, maybe just a little.

"I've been called worse." Damon smirked.

Stefan's expression turned serious one more time before he spoke again. He took a breath and put his hand over his shoulder. "I, um, I love you too, brother." Damon's face lit up some, knowing that meant he didn't totally screw it all up. "And I forgive you." He said, more silently, and a little uncomfortable, the elder brother realized it would take a lot more than that crappy apology for Stefan to completely forgive him. Maybe he never would. But Stefan was going to try and that was one of the million reasons why Stefan is just a better person than him.

"Thank you, little brother."

xxxxx

Stefan was reading in the living room, enjoy the peaceful minutes he had while Nik was out with Caroline and Rebekah had gone on a date with Matt. Their last one, since they were leaving the next day. It's too bad that Matt lives in Mystic Falls. He was an amazing guy, and he really seemed to like Rebekah. Rebekah liked him too, but she knew she couldn't get too attached to him. Long distance relationships sucked. However, that didn't stop her from enjoying it while it lasted.

A loud knock on the door caught his attention. He sighed, getting up from the couch and moving to answer whoever it was at this hour. Stefan pushed the door open, and Katherine skin figure was revealed behind it. He was surprised to see her without her heels. She was way shorter than him, something he had never noticed before. She left her leather jacket at home as well, wearing a dark blue dress that barely reached her knees, and matching sandals. It looked odd on her, almost like it was a different person. She looked less... Intimidating. It was like all – or at least most of – the walls she had put up around herself were temporarily down. Stefan instantly knew what she came here for.

"Um, who are you?" Stefan joked, stepping aside for her to come inside.

"Funny." Katherine rolled her eyes, coming in and shutting the door behind herself. "Where's Damon?"

"Upstairs." Stefan said, walking back to the couch and opening his book back on the page he was reading.

"Great, I need to talk to you." Katherine seated on the little table in front of Stefan, took the book off his hands, throwing it on the other side of the couch and crossed her legs. Her clothes were different, but her attitude was still the same.

"Took you long enough." Stefan said, hinting that he knew what she would say, or better, ask him.

She rolled her eyes again. "What do I do?"

"About what?" Stefan played dumb, forcing her to explain herself.

"You know what!" She said. "I can throw myself at him all I want, he won't give in."

"Have you thought about putting a little more effort into whatever you're doing?" Stefan suggested, trying to find a solution that would still go her way, even though he knew the only real solution to the problem was the very opposite from that.

Katherine smirked. "If he didn't give in in the first two days, he won't." She said, matter of factly. "I know him." She added. "But I have no idea what to do." Stefan smiled, but said nothing. "What?"

"Katherine, you know what you have to do. You're just scared of doing it." Stefan said, with an even larger smile. She looked at him with a puzzled look, waiting for him to continue, and silently hoping he wasn't talking about what she thought he was. "Tell him how you feel."

"He knows how I feel." She responded instantly, making him sigh. "We've been playing this stupid game since high school, Stefan, I wouldn't spend that much time and energy with this if I didn't– he knows how I feel."

"But you never said it." Stefan observed. "You two spent so much time trying to find a way to be together, and maybe it was enough for you, not to hear it, but he's insecure." Stefan explained as Katherine listened carefully to his every word. "You left with another man and stayed away for years. It's understandable. I'd be insecure too."

There was a long pause in which the only sound they could hear is from their breathing. Katherine seemed to be thinking about it, she seemed understand it. Suddenly, she stood up. "He's upstairs, right?" Stefan nodded, with a grin on his face.

Katherine went up the stairs and listened carefully to find where he was. After hearing make a noise in his room, she made her way to him. "What do you want?" Damon asked with his back to her. She was about to ask how did he know it was her, but saw her reflex in a mirror across from her.

When she didn't say anything, Damon turned around to look at her and before he knew it her lips were on his. It was... Gentle. And the opposite of what he expected. When their lips parted he felt her warm breath on his skin, her words against his lips. "I love you." Damon froze in place. That was the last thing he expected from her. Before he knew it she was moving away from him and at the door, turning around to look at him one more time. "When you're ready to believe it, you know where to find me." And with that, she left the room.

xxxxx

The day they were going back to New York had finally came. Stefan thought about packing some stuff of his that had stayed in the house the first time he went away, like journals, books or those picture albums from when he was a little kid, but decided against it. Those things were part of his old room and taking one small item out of place would feel wrong. He was leaving but part of him was still there, and he would like it to ramain that way. Plus, now that Damon and him were going to try and save their bond, he would probably be coming back to this place more often.

Damon insisted on driving him to the airport to say goodbye. Stefan didn't see the need to it, but didn't say anything, since his brother was clearly – and probably for the first time – making an effort.

Caroline came to say goodbye to them as well, obviously. Stefan couldn't help but feel bad for her, because he knew she misses them a lot. He knew because he misses her too. And now, with her actually being in a relationship with Nik, it would be even harder for her. The good thing is that he was sure he would be seeing a lot more of her in New York. Those two cant keep their hands off of each other. That summer, Caroline had asked to transfer to a university in New York. It was not to be close to Nik, since they were t even together at the time she did, but because she was studying fashion and the market over there was way bigger. At first she wasn't sure about it, not wanting to leave her mom, since her dad was not in the picture anymore, but she was able to convince herself to do this for her. Her mom would be just fine. They still hadn't given her an answer, though, and she was almost positive the transfer request would be denied. Nik was practically counting on it now. He was sure she would get in and come to New York to be with them soon. Stefan was positive about it as well, knowing anyone would be crazy not to want Caroline in their class. Rebekah had already made plans have lunch and go shopping with her at least once a week.

"You'll be there with us soon." Rebekah assured her.

"But I don't even know if I'll get in." Caroline pouted, while wrapping her arms around Nik's neck and securing herself there, while he put an arm around her waist.

"Of course you will!" Stefan said, getting a smile out of her.

Caroline's soft expression turned into a shocked one. "You'll have to take care of this one for me." She said to Stefan. "And," she turned to Nik. "If you do as much as look at another girl I'll rip your eyes off with a spoon, do you hear me?" She added in a threatening tone.

"Don't worry about it, love." Nik winked at her and kissed her temple, making her relax in his embrace. "Last chance to get a ticket and come with us." Nik said in her ear.

"I can't." She laughed lightly.

"But you can come to see us in a couple of weeks." Rebekah suggested.

"That I can do." Caroline said, getting excited over this last trip before summer was over.

Nik kissed her temple once again, before moving away from her a little to be able to kiss her. "We should get going." He said and Caroline agreed before kissing him one more time.

Stefan turned to Damon who was standing a little on the side, not intruding on the group's conversation. "So," Stefan started awkwardly.

"Guess that's it." Damon said before his brother could continue. "Let me know when you get there safe?" He asked, surprising Stetan with this sudden concern. He had to remind himself it wasn't so sudden. Damon worried about him, he just didn't let anyone know about it.

"Yes, Sir." He nodded in agreement. He smiled slightly at their awkwardness and pulled the dark haired brother in for a hug. "Take care of yourself." He tapped him on the shoulder and pulled away. "Don't screw things up with Katherine." He joked.

"You wouldn't have anything to do with her opening up about her feelings, would you?" Damon asked, smirking.

Stefan pretended to think it over for a second. "Have no idea what you're talking about."

Damon chuckled and smiled. "Thank you for that."

"You're welcome."

"Come on, Stefan, we have to go." Rebekah said from behind him, and he turned to follow Nik and Rebekah when he heard someone call his name in the distance. Figuring he was just imagining her voice, he kept walking. She called his name again, this time being a lot closer, and he turned around to see her, knowing he wasn't imagining it.

He turned just in time to see her running toward him. He had no time to react. Before he knew, Elena was inches away from him and jumping in his arms. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her waist to secure her and again, before he knew it he could feel her breath against his lips, as she come closer.

Her lips came crashing down on his soon after. Everything was happening too fast for him to process it, so he didn't respond to the kiss right away. A couple of seconds later he tightened his grip on her waist, pressing her body even closer to him as he kissed her back. He wasn't thinking, just acting; allowing his body to enjoy this. Them.

He didn't know exactly how long the kiss lasted, only that it had been so passionate that he felt like it had lasted forever. Breathless, Elena reluctantly pulled away, resting her forehead against his. Stefan was too shocked and overwhelmed to form a proper thought. He just stared at her blankly, waiting for her to say something, explain herself.

When she didn't, he took a step back, detaching their foreheads, and moving his hands away from her body. He swallowed dryly; his expression changed from blank to confused, maybe a little hurt. Elena just wanted to wipe away that confusion, the pain and replace it with countless kisses.

After a little while, she finally willed herself to say something, and without moving her gaze from his, she spoke.

"Don't go." She asked him. "Stay here with me."

XXXXX

Sorry for taking long to update, guys. My notebook wasn't working and I had to write the entire chapter on my phone. So, thoughts? It wasn't goodbye sex, but was it good as well? Hahaha. Anyway, review and let me know what you think.

Oh! Someone asked me about my twitter. Follow me to know when I plan on updating and stuff. Just know that I talk a lot, haha.

Twitter: anna_ _carol (ff net won't let me put both underlines together, so I put a space between)