Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or these characters. Unfortunately I dont own Ian Somerhalder also...

Author's note: Thank you so much for your reviews and Special thanks to Peachie X for her help. Please let me know If you like this.

Elena burst through the door to the boarding house and ran inside. "Damon!" She shouted as she quickly walked into the living room only to find Stefan there.

She frowned as he looked at her from the middle of the room.

"Hi Elena." He said, concern obvious in his tone.

"Stefan." She replied walking over to him.

"I think we need to talk." Stefan said softly.

She nodded at him and sat on the couch, not daring to look at him.

"How long have you known about this?" Elena asked as Stefan took the seat next to her.

"A couple of weeks. But Damon didn't tell me much, he revealed it all today."

"You should have told me." Elena whispered.

"I know. It was wrong to keep this from you, but I was afraid." Stefan touched her jaw and turned her face so she was looking at him. "I was already concerned about you and Damon bonding and then, after what Isobel said... I just didn't want anything to come between us. I am sorry Elena. I really am. I swear I will never keep anything from you ever again. Please try to understand why I was scared." He pleaded

"I understand and I forgive you.." Elena stated sincerely.

"I love you." He said looking deep into her brown eyes.

"I love you too." She said with obvious hesitation.

"But..." Stefan added, correctly interpreting that she had more to say.

"But, we cant go back to where we were in our relationship."

"Please don't do this." Stefan begged.

"I have to be honest with you. I have to do what I feel is right. I care about you like I care about Matt and Bonnie, you are a dear friend Stefan and…" Elena explained. He put his finger to her lips, asking her to stop.

"You are obviously very upset right now and you don't know what you are talking about. The memories are still fresh in your mind and you must feel confused. When you calm down and think this through you will see that the past is the past and your present is here. With me." Stefan said softly.

"I am not confused Stefan. Not any more at least. Actually its the first time, in a long time, that I am not confused. I had been these past few weeks but not any more" Elena stated.

"What do you mean?" He asked raising his eyebrows.

"You said it yourself. It was strange how Damon and I have bonded recently. How much I trusted him, how close I felt to him. After everything he had done, it didn't make any sense. I was drawn to him and I didn't know why. But I knew it scared me."

"Elena..."

"No, let me finish." she raised her hand. "I was feeling guilty and scared of my feelings for Damon. I was trying to deny them and I kept feeling ashamed. But now, I know that I shouldn't feel ashamed Stefan. And I refuse to do this anymore." She waved her hand in between them indicating their relationship. "I have to stop denying what I really want. I wont do it to myself, or to you. This is not just about the past. This is all about the present, right now. Regaining my memory didn't change my feelings. Its just helped me see that it's okay to feel like this. I am relieved, because finally I can say it, without being scared that I am making a wrong choice." She took a deep breath "I am in love with Damon." She stated firmly. She felt her heart crack as she saw pain fill Stefan's eyes. "I am really sorry." she whispered, looking down at her hands "But we all deserve the truth, it's always been him, Stefan, it's always been Damon."

Stefan got up from the sofa and walked over to the bar. "I will try to accept this, Elena. Because I love you and I want you to be happy. But I'll need some time. This just hurts too much" he said after a few seconds. Elena walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist in a hug. "I am sorry and thank you for being so understanding." She felt truly grateful that he didn't try to make it more difficult for her, more than it already was.

"I really need to talk to Damon." Elena said as she released him. She saw a strange expression in Stefan's face before he turned his back to her.

"What is going on?" She asked "Where is he?"

"He left and I don't know where he went" He sighed, turning to face her.

"He... left?" Elena asked, thinking she must have misunderstood him. "What do you mean? When is he coming back?"

"He said that he isn't coming back. He packed his things this afternoon and left Mystic Falls. For good."

"What?" Elena yelled, feeling dizzy 'No, no' she repeated in her mind.

"I am really sorry Elena. He said that it was for the best. For all of us."

"Then I'll just call him" she said, her voice anxious as she searched for her cellphone in her pockets.

"He changed his number Elena and he didn't give me the new one. Obviously, he doesn't want to be found"

Elena looked at Stefan, eyes wide with surprise and desperation. 'This is not happening' She thought 'I cant loose him. Not again.'

Stefan walked to the library and came back with an envelope. He walked to Elena, who was still standing wide eyed and in shock. He extended the envelope for her to take. "He left this for you." he deadpanned.

Elena looked at it for a few seconds, afraid of what was hidden inside, she took with both hands.

"Do you want to be alone?" Stefan asked.

"I think I'll go home and read it there." Elena replied mechanically and Stefan nodded. Taking her hand into his he lowered his gaze to capture hers "If you need anything, I am always here for you." He said.

"Thank you Stefan." she whispered and gave him another hug, before she walked out of the boarding house.

On the way home her head was spinning. 'How is it possible that he left without even saying goodbye? How can he just disappear and change his number?' Elena's hands clutched the steering wheel turning her knuckles bright white. She was frustrated, hurt and most of all, she was pissed off.

She got home and head straight into her bedroom 'It seems that the reading will continue today' she thought sarcastically and took a seat by her window with the envelope still in her hands.

She dropped her eyes to the envelope seeing 'Elena' written on it in Damon's perfect script. She traced the letters with her fingers and then slowly opened it. She took out the letter that Damon had left for her unfolded it carefully. With a sigh she started reading.

Dearest Elena

I know that you probably hate me by now. I am really sorry about everything. I am sorry that I wasn't honest with you, but I hope that you understand. I hope you saw that erasing your memories was the best thing I could do for you. I am a monster and you thought that I was a prince. When I would look into your eyes all I could see was love and I couldn't bare to see this change into fear and disgust for me. You were living in a lie and I am so sorry that I dragged you into this. In 145 years I managed to turn off my humanity and in all those years the switch had flipped back on, only twice. The first time was two years ago, when I met you and the second time was during these past couple of months when I was around you. You are my humanity, Elena and you will always be. I loved you and I still do. That's why I had to leave again. This time, I promise, for good.

Seeing you with Stefan was hard for me but I know that it is right. He is a good person and I know that he loves you. He will protect you.

I have tried to convince myself that when I returned to Mystic Falls it was for Katherine. The truth is, that I was desperate to find her again, but not for the same reason I had before I met you. You see, I don't know when and I don't know how, but somewhere along the way Katherine became your replacement.

I love you. I loved you then, I love you now, I'll love you always.

Forever Yours,

Damon

Elena closed the letter carefully and put it back inside the envelope. She closed her eyes tight and took a shaky breath. She had shed so many tears today, she didn't seem to have any left. She felt hollow, like someone has removed her heart. Damon left and for the wrong reasons, again. He thought that she would hate him. He thought she would want to stay with Stefan. He couldn't even stick around to hear what she had to say. She felt angry towards him. He was being so blind and so stubborn and shockingly insecure. The great Damon Salvatore, with the biggest ego in the world, left, because he was sure that she couldn't possibly love him back. He could not have been more wrong.

It had been two weeks since Elena had regained her memories. She stayed in her room, sitting by her window. She went through her days robotically some times crying but mostly she was lost in her own thoughts. She was hurting so much because for the second time in her life she lost the one man who she was in love with. 'At least this time I can mourn my loss.' she thought sarcastically 'It's better to know, than to feel empty and have no idea why.' She would reassure herself.

One afternoon Elena was perched at her usual spot by the window when Jenna peaked her head into the room.

"May I?" she asked slowly opening the door and Elena waved at her to come in.

"I am worried about you." Jenna said sitting on the bed. "What is wrong? Is this about Stefan?" Her eyes scanning Elena's face as if looking for some kind of clue to her niece's misery.

"No. Its not." Elena sighed.

"Please Elena, talk to me." She pleaded "I know that I haven't be around lately… God I feel so bad that I heard today, from Jeremy, that you broke up with Stefan a couple of weeks ago. I am really sorry I wasn't there for you..." Elena raised her hand signaling for her Aunt to stop.

"Don't worry Jenna, really, I am not upset about Stefan. Breaking up with him was my choice and it was the right one. I don't have any regrets about that."

"So? What's bothering you?" Jenna asked

"If you want to do something for me, let's just talk about you, I could use a break from my own thoughts." Elena said forcing a smile to her face "How are things with you and Alaric?"

Jenna eyed Elena contemplating whether she should push the issue. Finally, she smiled and her cheeks flushed "Pretty good actually. We've been spending a lot of time together and … last night"

"What?" Elena asked urging her to continue.

"Well we almost...were intimate." Jenna blushed

"Almost? Why? What stopped you?" Elena asked smiling genuinely for the the first time in weeks.

"Damon" Jenna replied annoyed as she rolled her eyes.

Elena frowned "What?" She asked jumping up of her seat "What do you mean Damon?" Jenna looked surprised at her reaction "He called Alaric and I at the most intimate…"

"He called Alaric?" Elena asked, her eyes widened with anticipation "Why?"

"I don't know" Jenna replied, astonished. "They speak once every day…" Elena felt her heart stop "They speak every day?" she repeated, practically shrieking at Jenna.

"Yes... " Jenna replied but before she had the chance to ask again what was going on Elena interrupted "Where is Alaric now?"

"He is at his office... " Jenna stood up confused, as Elena grabbed her jacket and stormed out of the room.

Next chapter is the last one. Let me know If you liked it so far. Thanks!