There was a knock at the door. Elena didn't say anything and the door opened a crack. Stefan peered in. He didn't say a word as he walked in, shutting the door softly. He came to the bed where she sat, traces of tears still on her face.

"Elena."

She looked at him. "What?" She asked weakly.

"Listen, we've both been through a lot and we never really had a chance to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about, Stefan. You didn't want to see me again, and I left," Elena answered tersely.

"There is. You know there is," He said quietly.

She didn't reply. She looked down at the blankets then back at him. He studied her. Her pale hair fell over her face; her lithe body was only in a thin nightgown. God you're beautiful. Stefan thought. He wasn't even aware that he had moved closer to her until she said, "Don't."

He sat back, startled and embarrassed as Bonnie entered his thoughts.

"Don't fool yourself, Stefan. I'm not coming home to you."

"I know." He said, pain evident in his voice. "That's not what I came here for."

"Then what did you come here for?"

"To say sorry. To say that I didn't mean to hurt you when I told you to go."

His green eyes looked so torn, so lost and pained Elena felt like crying for him.

"You had every right to say what you did. What I did was wrong. I'm the one who should be sorry."

"I just want you to know that even if we aren't together anymore, I'm here for you if you ever need me. I'll be here, Elena."

"Oh, Stefan." She shook her head. He took her in his arms and she didn't resist this time. She started to cry again.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't deserve this from you. Not for what I did to you," She said through tears.

"It's over now, what's done is done. If there's one thing you taught me, it was not to reminisce in the past," Stefan told her. Though, he couldn't help the sensations that over came him holding Elena this close again.

She pulled back. She looked at him; her blue eyes lost in his green, and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. "I don't want us to hate each other, okay?"

"I could never hate you Elena." The feel of her lips was enough to make him want her. But he tried as best he could not to try and kiss her or say that he still loved her. For her sake he was going to put his love for her in the past.

"I'm sorry, Stefan. I swear to you I am. But understand I don't love-"

"I know, Elena," he said softly. "I know."

She nodded. "Good."

There was a moment of silence again as he just looked at her. But he shook himself from his thoughts and said, "I think you should go to sleep. It's ridiculously late," said Stefan.

Before she could answer they both turned as someone else walked into the room. A sardonic, malicious voice came from the doorway.

"And _I_ think, _little brother_, that you have some explaining to do."