After Stefan sat with her for a while, he decided to go downstairs and make her some warm tea to drink when she wakes up.
He cautiously stood up trying his best not to wake her as he quietly left the room to go downstairs.
When he got to the kitchen his face turned red with rage as he saw his brother sitting at the kitchen table, holding a glass of bourbon in his hand.
When he looked at Damon, all he could see was the fear in Elena's eyes that he caused.
"Get out," Stefan hissed under his breath trying not to let Elena hear.
The last thing he wanted was for her to leave the room and see Damon sitting right there.
"I would, but I really don't want to," Damon stated nonchalantly as he took a sip from his bourbon. "I was out partying all night last night and well, none of the girls satisfied my needs quite like the one currently lying in your bed."
"What did you do to her?" Stefan hissed, although he was petrified of Damon's answer.
"Her legs were just so long and slender, mmm I remember how amazing they felt against my face as I sunk my teeth into her thighs," Damon said with a devilish smile on his face reliving the memory. Stefan has never felt this kind of blind rage in all of his life.
"What did you do to her?" Stefan repeated as anger consumed his being.
"Oh Stefan, you only witnessed half of the fun. When I found her in the woods, we had plenty of fun, or well at least I did. Her skin was just so soft I couldn't help myself."
Suddenly Stefan was right on Damon, tightly squeezing his hand around his brother's neck.
"If you EVER touch her again so help me God Damon I will tie vervain-soaked ropes around your neck," he said as he tightened his grip around Damon's neck, "and I will watch as they slowly burn through your skin before I drive a wooden stake through your heart," he said rage consuming his whole entire being.
He wanted to kill his brother for how he treated Elena.
He wanted Damon to endure a slow painful death for what he did to her.
Seconds later Stefan's eyes widened in panic as he heard small footsteps coming out of his room.
Damon looked at Stefan's terrified expression and smiled knowing the true effect he had over him.
"Looks like my little pet has come out to play," Damon sneered when Elena came into earshot.
Elena gasped when she heard Damon's voice and quickly hid behind the railing as her body began to tremble with fear.
Rapidly Stefan vampire sped up the stairs and buried Elena behind his body.
"Don't you ever call her that again," Stefan growled, "Her name is Elena."
"I don't care what her name is," Damon said as he sped up the stairs causing Elena to whimper behind Stefan.
"I'm just a little jealous that you get her all to yourself, that's all," he said while looking her up and down.
Not even a second later Stefan broke a piece of wood from his railing and stabbed it into Damon's chest, just barely missing his heart.
"If you ever even think about getting near her again," Stefan said shoving the stake deeper into his brother's chest, "I will not hesitate to stake you an inch lower next time," he threatened as he twisted the stake around inside of Damon causing him to grunt in pain.
While Damon was still in pain Stefan quickly picked Elena up and speed out of the house as fast as he could.
"You're safe now, I've got you, you're safe," Stefan cooed as he held her close to his chest.
She just buried her head against him latching onto his body as if her life depended on it.
Flashbacks of how Damon touched her flooded through her brain, and all she wanted was for Stefan to hold her tighter.
When she finally opened her eyes, a small whimper escaped her lips as she buried her head back into Stefan's chest.
The sun's brightness killed her eyes.
He completely casted a shadow over her with his body to conceal her from the light letting her slowly adjust.
He was going to take her to the most beautiful place he could think of.
He needed to show her that there is more to this world than her terrible experiences in it.
He needed to show her all the beauty it has to offer.
"I'm going to take you someplace safe, okay?" he whispered while rocking her back and forth as she continued to shake in his arms.
"O-Okay," she stuttered against his chest.
"Hold on tight Elena. I am going to run very fast, but we will be there in one second. There is no reason for you to be afraid."
She nodded her head and tightened her grasp around his neck like he told her too.
"I trust you," Elena murmured against his chest.
Stefan knew that Elena hearing Elena say this after everything she has been through was a huge deal.
"I am so glad that you trust me. I will always protect you, I promise," he whispered against her hair.
Before she knew it, Elena could tell they were not at the mansion anymore.
Her head was still buried in the comforts of Stefan's chest, but she could hear the sounds of birds chirping in the distance, and she felt a nice cool breeze wisp by her.
The feeling of Stefan's hands on her made her relax, and her heartrate began to slow down again.
"We are here sweetheart," Stefan said as he stroked her hair.
"I want you to lift your head up and look around. Do you think you can do that for me?" he asked her sweetly.
She hesitantly did what he asked and what she saw had her speechless.
They were standing on top of the most magnificent mountain, surrounded by hundreds of trees and flowers going on for miles.
She could see the whole world from up here she thought to herself as she looked around in awe.
She had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire existence.
As she looked off into the distance, she could see an enormous waterfall streaming into a river filled with colorful stones and fish.
It seemed as though everywhere she looked there was something wonderful to see.
It didn't even seem possible that this could be a part of the same world that she knew.
"I wanted to show you that the world can be a beautiful place too Elena," he said as he set her down letting her wander around the mountain top.
His smile grew as he watched her smell the flowers and explore her surroundings.
The look in her eyes made Stefan's heart full.
There was so much wonder and joy in them that Stefan just wanted to save this moment in his memories and keep it forever.
Minutes later Elena came running over to Stefan with a small pink flower in her hand.
"Look at this flower Stefan!" Elena exclaimed excitedly.
"Isn't it the prettiest flower you have ever seen?"
Stefan chuckled to himself as he nodded his head in agreement.
"It is very pretty, but not as pretty as you," Stefan said as he picked her up in his arms and spun her around playfully.
She tilted her head back as she giggled in delight before Stefan placed her gently on the ground again.
In this moment, Stefan knew that he was falling for Elena.
He knew it was crazy, but from now on Elena would always hold a special place in his heart.
After a little while the sun began to set, and Stefan could tell that Elena was becoming more and more tired.
He lightly took her good hand in his and led her underneath a tree to settle down under.
He leaned against the trunk and let Elena position herself comfortably against him as he gently cradled her broken arm against his chest.
They sat there together in a peaceful silence as they watched the sky turn into different shades of pink and orange.
Elena was enchanted by the colors that illustrated the night sky.
She has never seen anything so beautiful.
Stefan gently stroked her hair as he watched her take in the sunset.
A moment later just before the sky turned all the way dark Elena looked back up at Stefan with a small amount of sadness in her eyes.
"What's the matter Lena?" Stefan asked concern coloring his voice as he continued to stroke her hair.
"I-It's nothing,"
"Whatever it is isn't nothing honey. If something is upsetting you, I want you to know you can always talk to me about it."
"It's just that Jeremy would have loved this," Elena sighed as a tear streamed down her cheek onto Stefan's chest.
"We were locked up for so long in that dark and awful cellar that I don't remember the last time he saw the sun before he died."
Stefan's heart broke more and more for her with each tear that stained his shirt.
"I-I just w-wish he was h-here right now," she sobbed, "I-I m-m-miss my l-little b-brother."
Stefan pulled her closer to him and let her cry into his chest.
"I know baby, I know," he whispered placing a light kiss on her hair.
She took a deep shaky breath trying to calm herself, but she could not contain the sobs escaping her lips.
He hated Klaus for what he put her through.
He hated that she was kept underground for God knows how long.
He hated that her whole family died.
He hated that she went through all of that abuse.
And he most of all hated the world for letting something so terrible happen to such a precious human being.
It just wasn't fair.
As he looked down at her crying form in his arms, he knew that he could not take away her pain.
All he could do was help her get through it.
Suddenly in a small voice, Elena looked up at Stefan and whispered, "I wished you got along better with your brother."
Stefan looked at her in disbelief.
"Elena, I despise him for what he did to you. How can you say that after everything he put you through?" he asked.
"Everyone deserves the love of a sibling," she replied as her eyes began to close, sleep taking over.
Stefan could not understand how after everything his brother put her through, she still wanted him to feel loved.
Her heart was so pure, Stefan thought to himself.
Even after all the trauma and abuse she has suffered through in her short lifetime, at least the core aspect of her humanity still remained intact.
No matter how many times the world tried to rip it away, her heart remained full of kindness and love.
"You have a heart of gold Elena," Stefan whispered to her, "Did you know that?"
He smiled as he felt the heat rush to her cheeks against his chest as she shook her head.
"If anyone has a heart of gold it's you Stefan," Elena said against his chest barely keeping her eyes open.
"Thank you for saving me," she murmured as sleep took over.
In her sleep, Elena cuddled closer to Stefan subconsciously placing her hand in his.
He gently took it and brought it to his lips.
In this moment nothing else in the world mattered to Stefan besides her.
As he watched her sleeping soundly against his chest, he smiled remembering how happy she looked earlier.
He knew that there will be a long way to go before she is okay again, but he will make sure that she will still be able to smile through it all.
Even when times are hard, he will always be there for her no matter what.