Looking down at the angel laying in his arms, all he could see was the promise of forever.
As they lay there, tangled under the covers, warmth spread throughout Stefan's whole entire being.
The feeling of her wrapped up in his arms felt so incredibly right.
He watched her as she slept peacefully against his chest, as he ever so softly stroked her hair leaving a trail of delicate kisses in its place.
"I love you… so so much," he whispered to her as he took in the warmth radiating off her skin for one of the last times.
He will miss it, her being human, but just the thought of getting to spend eternity with her makes that thought disappear as fast as it came.
Nothing else matters to him besides Elena- she is his everything as he is hers.
Suddenly Stefan feels her shift against him nuzzling closer into his chest, tucking her head under his chin.
"Good morning beautiful," Stefan murmurs as he intertwines her hand with his.
Lazily he brought her hand to his lips and began to gently kiss each and every one of her knuckles, causing a light chuckle to escape her throat.
"What are you doing?" she asked lightheartedly reacting to his gentle kisses.
"I'm loving you," he said simply without hesitation-
There was no doubt in Stefan's mind that Elena was the only girl he will ever love, no one could ever compare to her… not even close.
His comment made Elena blush as he felt her smile widen against his neck.
Stefan considered each and every time he was the reason for her smile a small victory.
After a few more moments of pure bliss, Elena finally spoke, breaking the peaceful silence,
"I love you Stefan, more than humanly possible," she said as she changed their position so she was on top of him looking straight into his emerald eyes, "That is why I am ready- ready to spend an eternity with you."
Nothing sounded better to Stefan then an eternity with Elena, but he wanted nothing more than to protect her from what he had to go through.
The bloodlust, the cravings, and all the pain and violence that comes along with being like him-
a vampire.
He never wants her to feel the same guilt he felt, never wants her to feel the heightened emotions of grief and anger, pain and loss.
It was almost as if she could read his mind as she lightly placed both of her hands on either side of his face.
She began to stoke his cheeks soothingly, automatically easing the tension from his features.
"I want this Stefan; you don't have to worry. I know it will be hard, but we will get through it- together,"
The look in her eyes was so sincere that he knew she was not going to turn back- this was exactly what she wanted, and he has always respected her choices.
After he gently bit into his wrist, Elena brought her lips to his skin and began to drink the blood that was oozing out of his body.
After she finished, she tenderly kissed the already healing scar leaving all her love on his skin.
She found Stefan's hands and placed them around her neck, ready for him to complete her transition.
The second his hands made contact with her neck they began to tremble as tears welled up in his eyes.
He couldn't do this to her.
The thought of what he was about to do sent an excruciating pain into his stomach.
Although he knew that she would wake up, he had to snap her neck, he had to kill Elena with his bare hands to complete the transition.
The tears that he tried so hard to suppress steadily began to trickle down his cheeks.
How could he ever do this to her?
A small smile took over her face at his distraught expression, and to Stefan she could not be more beautiful.
Gently brushing away his tears she cooed, "Hey Stefan, love, it will be okay, I'm ready to spend forever with you," she said as she brushed her lips against his.
Finally his hands stopped shaking and he began to regain control knowing that what was about to happen next was inevitable.
"It will only hurt for a second," he promised as he reassured himself that she was going to wake up.
"When you wake up, I will be right there waiting for you okay?"
"Okay," she said in barely a whisper, waiting for Stefan to enable their forever.
"Take a deep breathe," he told her as he gently kissed both of her eyelids shutting them in the process.
He didn't want the image of what he was about to do next to be seared into Elena's mind forever.
She was not afraid, he could tell, she made peace with her decision and that is exactly what he needs to do.
"I love you," he croaked out as his tears flowed freely out of his eyes.
"I love you too, so so much," she replied.
He kissed her warm forehead listening to her beating heart for the last time before making her whole world turn black.
The next few hours were complete and total hell for Stefan.
He wept over her limp body as he cradled her into his chest.
The sound of her neck breaking in his hands replayed over and over in his mind.
He watched the life drain from her eyes because of him, and that thought alone was too much for Stefan to bare.
He cautiously lifted her into his arms and carried her up the stairs into his room.
He gently placed her on his bed tucking her under the covers making sure she was warm.
He cringed at the thought of her waking up frightened and confused, or at the thought of her regretting her decision.
He took her hand in his as he cried over her unmoving body.
It hit him again as he rested his head on her chest not even hearing the faintest heartbeat.
He lightly caressed her face with his fingertips, desperately waiting for her to awake.
After hours went by she suddenly shot up with a crazed look in her eyes.
At this time Stefan was already by her side doing everything in his power to soothe her.
"W-What happened w-where am I?" she panicked, her voice on the verge of hysteria.
"Stefan? Stefan!" she cried as he cautiously wrapped her up in his arms trying his best not to frighten her further.
"Shhh sweetheart, everything will be okay," he said as he stroked the back of her hair, "You are in transition now honey."
Suddenly realization washed over her as she remembered what was going on.
She was about to turn into a vampire.
She unburied her head from Stefan's chest and looked at him with so much love she thought she might burst.
"I love you," she said smiling up at him, "today, tomorrow, and for the rest of eternity."