Oh well. I wished more people reviewed last chapter, but.. I had to keep on writing this, hoping you'd give me a second chance to make it up to you! Please enjoy, this means a lot for me.

So basically this is set after the 3x13. Stefan and Damon realize how important the bond of the family is. Ad Stefan makes his choice..

REVIEWS ARE LOVE!

Stop saying Forever

Author's POV

"Right.." he whispered in her ear, stroking gently her flesh with his tongue.

Their bodies were still connected, regret washed over her like a waterfall.

"I shouldn't have done this" she said, holding back her tears. "Go Stefan." Her voice became steady and emotionless, she fixed her gaze on the ceiling.

"Look at me" his tone was a replica of hers. He cupped her head between his hands and said. "You'll never see me again. Are you aware of this?"

Elena was trembling, realization took full control of her body. "Why couldn't you just love me like a human would? Why is this so complicated?" she whispered,afraid she might break under the pression of so much pain.

"Because family's above all. I had to save my brother. You'd have hated me more if I let him die"

There was a long pause, their breathings slowed down as they realized their bodies were still connected.

"Then you should leave, Stefan." She pushed him away. "Leave and never turn back, not until you'll come crying on my grave".

He backed off, his expression narrowed all of a sudden. "Elena…" his voice seemed softer.

"I said go, Stefan" she looked away,finding it too hard to meet his gaze. "You had your last chance to your goodbye, your life's calling."

Something moved through Elena's body, making it hard for her to breathe.

Soon enough, she realized she was sobbing, wrapped around the covers of her bed, still filled with his scent.

"I will always love you Stefan, you've been my first love. But it's over."

He had dressed in the few seconds she had closed her eyes.

Suddenly Elena felt his arms around her, recognizing the sculpted chest that used to make her feel safe and sound.

"I'll love you forever, Elena". Something wetted her dark hair. His tears. "This is for the best. This is because I love Damon,too. I won't hurt my brother any more."

And with a last look in her eyes he was gone.

Forever.

Sobs filled the silence that Stefan had left, at the same time they filled Elena's lungs, making it hard for her to breathe evenly.

When would it be over? Couldn't she just live emotionless? She wasn't asking for happiness. By now, that hope had been too far gone. She was asking not to feel.

She couldn't know how later, but a pair of arms wrapped tight around her, no questions arrived to her ears.

"He left, Damon" she cried hard, like she hadn't done until her Aunt's death.

Because somehow, deep down, she knew Stefan had died for her. She would have never seen him again.

That train of thoughts provoked another moment of sobbing.

"I know.." he whispered, hurt filled his every single word. "We'll see him again, one day."

She backed off, tired of repeating the same dialogue. "You will. Just you." she shook her head, living her lips parted to catch extra air. Her fists were clinched in the blankets, she moved back and forth to hold back the shouts that threatened to leave her body.

"Hey.." Damon was about to chock on his own words, never since he had known her, he had seen such a reaction from her.

He knew it wasn't only because of Stefan.

He knew she had had enough even for what the strongest human on Earth could bear. This was Elena's break out.

"Hey.." he tried again, removing her freezing hands from the blankets she was wrapped in, and he hadn't missed how her body lacked clothes.

He didn't wanna know. It wasn't time for selfishness.

Elena needed him.

"D….Damon.." she sobbed,trembling so hard that he was afraid she might have a crisis .

"Elena" his voice went steady. "Cry how much you want, be as fragile as you might wish. I'll never leave your side tonight" he cupped her head between his hands. "I'll never leave your side ever again."

And with that, he kept his promise for the night.

Two weeks later

Elena was still emotionless, not even a slumber party would cheer her up.

"Enough" Caroline's anger was visible when she left the knife she'd been using preparing dinner on the counter. Elena eyed her like if she had been the most normal person on Earth and she wasn't spoilt with anything.

Bonnie stayed silent, holding Elena's hand from beneath the table.

"This is the chance of getting your life back without being wasted, gone!" the blonde blurt out, raising her hand to the sky. "Would your mother ever wanted to see you like this?"

"Caroline.." Bonnie warned as she heard Elena froze in pain and regret.

"No way, Bonnie." She eyed the witch, referring again to the human doppelganger. "She needs to know she has everything she'd be dead without. You have your brother, who loves you more than anyone else, and that needs you to be there for him. You sent him away because you wanted him to have a better life? Why are you so masochistic to live in your pain and leave anyone else out of it? You have us, Elena" she pointed at herself and at the witch. Her tone softened a bit. "We've been friends since we were able to talk. And it will be like this forever.."

"Stop saying that word" Elena's first coherent word took both girls aback.

"What are you talking about?" Caroline questioned, as Elena squeezed Bonnie's hand, seeking strength.

"Forever." Elena glared at the blonde girl, anger showing in her every single move. "Why everybody who keep on saying that, always end up living?"

Nobody had an answer for her, so she just nodded and headed upstairs.

"Wait !" Caroline begged, as Bonnie stopped her.

"Let her go" she whispered, sensing Elena needed to be alone.

"She can't go on like this, Bon." Caroline was about to cry. It killed her to see her best friend like that.

"I know" the witch nodded, trying to keep her feelings controlled. "We'll work something out".

"I haven't said forever" Damon's voice came from the open window, startling her.

She just eyed him and threw herself on her bed.

"Don't ever say that" she murmured, so low that it was hard for him to catch that.

"Aren't you going downstairs eating? Blondie's pizza,yummy!" he said sarcastic, approaching her and sitting next to her.

For the first time in two weeks, a weak smile crossed her lips.

"Actually, I'm not feeling well."

"Wait and see after Caroline's crumble!" he replied, knowing the vampire downstairs could hear him. He heard her curse on him and smiled as an answer.

"You know she's gonna make you pay for that" Elena tried her best to keep her smile.

"Who cares. I'm already dead" he shrugged, Elena put her hands to her mouth, hurrying to the toilet.

"Elena!" Damon said in a steady voice.

"Don't come!" she bgged,while she kneeled down on the toilet.

Caroline heard it all and hurried upstairs to reach her friend for help. Bonnie followed soon after,eyeing Damon.

"She won't let me go inside. For my own sake,it's better for me to listen to her" he raised his hands in a defensive way.

Bonnie narrowed her eyes, sitting on the same spot her best friend had been sitting.

Then her sight darkened and she saw it wasn't over.