Elena had pulled the wood from his heart, but the damage had been done. He was going to die. Sadness filled him. He was supposed to be leading a happy life with his wife. "Take care of her." he had told his brother. His brother nodded. Stefan felt another spasm of pain. "Help me." he said softly, getting up. Elena helped him into a sitting position. Looking into his eyes, he was filled with love. Elena had come back to him, and married him. They were supposed to have many years together. Her request on their wedding night had surprised him, but pleased him. His eyes filled with fresh tears as he looked into the sun. He pulled his ring from his finger, and handed it to Elena. "Help me out there." he told her.

"Stefan no…."

"I'm going to die too slowly. The wood will kill me, but not fast enough." she understood, but denial was in her eyes. Elena wouldn't move. "Damon…." He felt Damon lift him to his feet, and they were both looking at each other. Damon's sadness hit him then. Elena sat on the ground, her head bowed, his silver ring in her hand.

"Elena." she stood, trying not to look at him. God, he loved her. So much that it hurt. "I love you, Elena." he said, his voice weak. She met his eyes then.

"I love you Stefan." she said back to him. Damon walked him outside, he felt the heat of the sun. He turned to face Elena, his heart breaking. Damon stepped away from him, his silent presence moving away to hold Elena. She was trying to reach out to Stefan, to pull him back. Stefan felt the flames take hold of him, and dropping to his knees, he let out a scream. Elena's scream filled his head.

"Take care of her, Damon" he told his brother again, before he died.

Elena continued screaming, even after he was gone. Damon held her as she cried. He had taken Stefan out into the sun. her despair turned to anger as she turned on Damon. But he held her wrists, eyes boring into hers. Elena felt her rage melt away. She had lost Stefan. She walked outside, and dropped to her knees, her hands softly touching the ash that had once been her life. She looked at Katherine's body, and nodded. Katherine was dead. Stefan was dead. Tears fell into the ashes. Elena didn't want to move. But then Damon was there, lifting her to her feet. Elena hissed, the sound startling her. She didn't want anyone here. She just wanted to sit next to Stefan. Weak and in pain, she couldn't fight him. He pulled her into his arms, letting her cry. Her heart hurt. Then, no longer able to hold on, she fainted.

Damon caught her before she fell. He looked down at the ashes. Elena's limp hand dropped the ring he had given her. Damon bent down to pick it up with one hand. He needed to get Elena to her friends. She needed them right now. He would return to take care of Katherine's body later. Damon walked through the early morning light, his heart heavy. He had fair Elena to himself now, but not the way he had wanted to win her.

Damon stumbled, his own weakness causing him to curse. His wounds had healed, but he needed to feed. As did Elena. He would take care of her first.

Arriving at his villa, he made his presence known to Bonnie. The humans came out to meet him and looked at Elena in his arms.

"Is she…." The boy, Matt couldn't finish the sentence.

"No, she's alive. She needs rest." He took her to his room, placing her gently on his bed. The humans stood in the doorway behind him. It was bonnie that asked him the question he had dreaded.

"Damon. Where's….." realisation hit her. "nooo." she moaned. The others understood then too. He didn't want to hear anything. Bonnie stood beside him, looking at Elena. "Oh, no." she whispered. Damon tensed. He hated all this emotion, and it fuelled his own. He watched Elena's face as she slept, his heart tearing for her.

Elena felt her friends around her as she awoke. She had slept all day, for it was dark again. She met Bonnie's eyes, and the pain in her chest exploded. She burst into tears. "Stefan." she moaned. She didn't want to be feeling this pain. Bonnie held her hand. Matt stood when he had heard her speak. She looked around. She was in the villa. In Damon's room. Caroline, Meredith, Matt, Alaric and Bonnie sat around her. But she couldn't find Damon.

"Where is he?" she asked. "Where's Damon?"

"He slept all day, like you, but he left an hour ago. He didn't say anything." Matt answered. Elena's heart sped up. She heard the promise he had made to Stefan.

"He saved Damon's life." she said softly. "He stopped her from killing us."

"Where is she now?" Caroline asked. Elena just stared at her, images of bloodlust in her mind.

"Elena here killed her." Came Damon's voice. "She tore Katherine's throat out." Elena met his eyes. They were blank. Was he hiding his grief? What was he feeling. "Plus, she didn't have a talisman made. Eventually the sun killed her also." Damon walked to Elena's side, helping her up. Elena felt her injuries from that morning had healed. And she felt hunger flare up.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Alaric asked, as they left the room, Damon supporting her. Damon looked over his shoulder. "Hunting." He said. "Elena needs to feed."

"Can we help?" Alaric asked. Damon laughed.

"You already donated blood once. And what Elena needs, is more than what the 5 of you can offer."

Elena felt there understanding, and their horror. Any other time she would have felt horrified herself. But the hunger had control of her thoughts.

Damon and Elena stalked the human together, Damon's thoughts on his brother. Stefan had asked him to take care of Elena. And he would. He would respect that she loved Stefan, and she was married to him, but he would make sure Elena was strong. It had been a week since Stefan's death. They had held a funeral for him. Damon had collected his brothers ashes into a small box. Elena wore Stefan's ring, as Stefan had worn hers. She had held it at the funeral. Damon had not left her side. The human's Stefan worked with had been so annoying. They had all come up to her and Damon, offering their condolences, bringing fresh tears to Elena's eyes.

He snapped back to reality to watch Elena feeding. It disgusted him that she was feeding from humans. Stefan would not agree to that. She had killed 3 humans already since his brother had died. Her grief feeding her bloodlust. She looked up at Damon, her eyes the eyes of a stranger. The new blood making her stronger. Her fangs revealed themselves as she smiled sadly.

"So this is it then?" she asked softly. "this is the life you wanted me to live when you offered me immortality?" Damon looked down.

"A lot has changed, Elena." he began. Then he stopped. "You will always be Stefan's wife to me. But I will take care of you, like I told him I would. You can live how you want. I wont stop you."

Elena took his hand. "You said it yourself, I'm in between worlds. I will live in your world Damon, but I wont let go of Stefan's memory. Please don't ask me too." Damon nodded at her. She had lost her whole world, and it was his job to make sure he didn't lose his.