Elena wakes at the first ray of sunshine. She rolls over and grabs her phone off the night stand eager to see if anyone had found anything. When there are no missed calls or messages she pulls her calendar up. She counts the days as if she hasn't done it every morning.

Twenty-three days.

She should have known better than to think she would get to keep him. She had left him repeatedly, it was only fair he left her now. A small part of her was proud of him, he finally decided he wasn't going to take any more shit from her. No more being second best, no more waiting around.

And that other part of her that wasn't proud of him?

It is beyond furious with him.

She understood that he thought she was going back to Stefan, but he had to know that they had something real. After all he wasn't he the one that first told her that? She stops herself because she knows she's starting to sound self entitled, and she's not. He owes her nothing. He has repaid his debt to her. For feeding her his blood, for killing her brother, for hurting Caroline, and so much more. He made up for everything he had done to hurt her tenfold.

She wishes that she gave him more to hold onto. Something that would give him faith in her...in them.

"Elena."

"Morning Stefan."

"You've been laying up here for hours."

"I don't want to get out of bed." She pulls Damon's covers over her head. She just wanted to be left alone, but Stefan doesn't let her. He pulls them right off.

"Where did little miss 'we have to find Damon no matter what, no matter how long it takes, I can't not find him' go?"

"Stefan if he doesn't want to be found he's not going to be, and he does not want me to find him."

"Do you really believe that?"

"I believe that he thinks I came back to you. I think he's tired of being second best. Stefan, he's lived his whole life never having real love. Damon loved his mother, and I know that she loved him. How could she not? Your father didn't love him the way he should have. I know you loved him, but there is so much bad blood that it was tainted. And Katherine, she screwed him in every way possible. He thought I loved him and then was told it was a lie. I didn't make it better Stefan. I wanted to but I thought it could wait. Look what happened then. So do I believe that? Yes. I believe he wants to get out of here more than anything. Maybe he already has."

"For someone who knows my brother better than even I do, you are being really dumb right now."

"Thanks Stefan."

"I was there Elena! I'm not stupid. I wish the both of you stopped acting like I was."

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember this? 'Where were you Damon?' 'I promise you, I will never leave you again.' Well I remember Elena. I knew there was more going on than either of you were willing to admit. I loved you so much, I wanted nothing more than for you to choose me, but even I was shocked when you did. You have loved Damon for longer than you ever let your self admit. If you give up now he will see how easy it was for you to let him go."

"How can he see something when he's no where to be found?"

"When Damon makes a promise he never breaks it. Especially when that promise is to you."

"Like you know where he is?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe? Why haven't you said anything?" She sits up quickly.

"Because I just figured it out."

"Explain?"

"I was sitting down stairs listening to you. I could hear you toss and turn all night. I figured I'd bring you up some of Damon's special bourbon. That's become your thing now too I've noticed. So I went down to the basement to get it but it's no where to be found."

"How is it gone?"

"He was here Elena."

"When? Someone has been here at all times."

"I don't know when, but he was here. Damon has spend all of these years perfecting vampirism. He knows more tricks than most vampires I've met. He's met some of the best and worked with them. He's smart Elena."

"He's here." She finally feels like breathing is normal again.

"Yeah. Damon knows how to survive. He promised to protect the Bennett line. My guess would be Emily gave him a safe haven for when he would have to come back to Mystic Falls. That would be the only way to keep a vampire safe from a witch." Stefan watches her and waits for it to click and when she smiles a real smile. One filled with hope he knows she figured it out.

"The old Salvatore grounds. He has to be there."

"Should we go?"

"Yeah. Let me get dressed quick."

"Meet you downstairs."

"Damon! I know your here."

"Come on brother. Did you really think I wasn't going to drink your bourbon? Soon as I saw it was gone I knew you were still here. No one knows that hiding spot besides us."

"Damon please. We need to talk."

"You know how stubborn she is. Might as well just come out and talk to her."

"He's right you know? I brought a backpack with me. I plan on camping out here until I find out where your hiding. Then when I do I'm going to kick your ass."

"We both know you would rather die than hurt her so my bet is on her kicking your ass. Then I can have my turn, I've been wasting all this time looking for you and you've been right here all along."

"Dammit Damon! Jeremy is alive, Ric is alive. We got them back. You best friend has been busting his ass trying to bring you back. He missed you too Damon. Stefan misses you, I miss you."

"How is Ric back?" He says coming out from no where. There is a spell on this place, someone wanted to keep him safe. Emily protected Damon, and Elena feels so grateful someone was looking out for him all these years.

"Damon..." She can't stop herself from throwing myself into his arms. He holds onto her the same way she holds him.

Like a lifeline.

Elena pulls back as soon as she knows he's real, that he's alive and here with her, and punches him as hard as she can.

"I think I taught you too much. Get your girl under control Stef."

"You mean your girl?" Stefan tells him with a know it all smirk on his face, and Elena smiles at him. They were complete opposites most of the time but every now and again you can see the similarities. Elena knows now that above all else they are brothers. Brothers who hate, who love, but would die for each other.

"Go to hell brother." Damon seethes out. "What the hell happened once I left?"

"Bonnie is dead Damon. She traded her life for Jeremy's and we got Ric back to balance out everything we lost. You were dying and you left me, and then you weren't dying and you left any way. Damon we all looked for you. I was so worried. I was scared you were going to die alone and then I found out you were going to be okay. You left me, I read your letter. I tried to find you, I wasn't going to give up on you when you never gave up on me. I need you Damon, I always have, always will. But you were just going to up and leave without a goodbye."

"I don't do goodbyes."

"Bullshit. I got your letters."

"Not to break up this lovers quarrel, but I'm glad your alive and well brother. Elena, good luck. You'll need it. I'll see you back at home."

"Why did you have to find me?" Damon spats as if this was the worst thing in the world.

"Because you were so wrong."

"About?"

"Everything you thought."

"Cryptic doesn't suite you Elena."

"Can we go home Damon? Please?"

"No."

"No?"

"You heard me. I don't want to go back there. I'm not. I stayed for one purpose, to make sure Silas was gone, and Klaus stayed away. Once I'm positive they aren't just letting you get comfortable before striking I'm leaving. I'm not going to watch your fairytale. I'm done."

Elena is shell shocked. She doesn't know what to say. Everything she thought she could tell him, would tell him, seems moot. He doesn't want to hear it. He doesn't even want to be here. Knowing she's been looking for him, worried about him, scared makes no difference.

She had pushed him too far.