A/N: I'm thinking…only one more chapter after this one, except that there's going to be a little epilogue after this. Beware of some poorly written angst and my fail at romance.

Disclaimer: I do not own, in any form or shape, the Vampire Diaries.

Elena stood in horrifying disbelief. Damon was leaving…because it was for the best?Elena felt fury grip at her chest and she barely refrained from growling at the sight of the totally resigned and distant look on Damon's face. Without warning, Elena's hand snapped back and she slapped Damon hard across the face. Hard enough for his face to snap to the side and a red handprint to appear on his face. She didn't care about the growing horror in her chest about what she had just done. Those…words! Those incredibly stupid, the DUMBEST thing Damon had ever said in his entire LIFE!

"How," Elena couldn't stop the trembling in her voice, "How dare you say that leaving me is for the best."

"NO!" Elena shouted as Damon opened his mouth to probably defend himself, "How dare you think that you know what's best for me! You have never been "wrong" for me or whatever shit she made you believe. Throughout the months that I have known you, you have never been a mistake in my life! I don't give a shit about what you have to say! If you're going to leave, you are not going to leave because you think it's the best for me! I don't care about how you were back then, what matters is now, and right now, you are one of the best things that have ever happened to me before! So don't even think that leaving is doing the right thing for me. Because if you do…it'll be the stupidest thing you have ever done in your life, and I will not stand for it!"

Without warning, Elena threw herself at Damon again and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I don't care what you think. You have never been my mistake and you will never be. Just…don't ever forget that."

….

Damon didn't know what to do after she had thrown herself at him, the second time tonight, if he would dare brag. He let her hang off of his neck and provided a strong structure for her to hold on to. She was clinging to him as if it wouldn't make him leave. If only, he thought grimly.

"Elena," he began, oddly gentle, "Princess, you have to listen to me."

Elena muffled a negative against his neck.

Down boys, down. Damon warned his fangs (A/N: Lol, what were you thinking?)

Sighing, Damon began the tedious task of removing her arms around his neck.

She's like a leech, that girl Damon grimaced as he finally pried her arms off of his neck.

He pulled Elena into his lap and smiled gently when she curled up into his chest, he began to run his fingers through the silky texture of her milky brown hair. He savored the fact that this would be his only time being able to ever do this. He chuckled gently as she began to quietly purr at the treatment she was receiving at his hands. It was obviously very relaxing to her.

"As I was saying, Princess. No, no you have to listen." He pulled Elena out of the crook of his neck that she tried to hide her face in. He couldn't help, but raise an eyebrow at her unusual behavior. What would Stefan say to this? "When I said I was leaving, I meant it was the best for the both of us." Damon tried to ignore the hurt noise she made at the back of her throat.

"No, it's the truth. I don't deserve you. You deserve someone good in your life…even if that person is my brother," Elena laughed at the 'yuck' face he made at the mention of his brother, before quickly sobering up, "You'll be happier without me."

Elena pulled away and glared angrily and Damon, "How in hell will I be happier without you? Stefan…Stefan doesn't make me as happy as you do!" Elena gasped. Did she just say what she think she did?

Damon sat still, compensating this. If what she said was the truth, then he was in real trouble. How could he leave now? How could he leave knowing he just made his Princess of Darkness unhappy? Shit, he was really going to have to say it now…

"I am happier with Katherine." Damon didn't care what Elena had to say, what she was saying now…she didn't mean. She's not going to care whether I stayed or not in five, maybe ten years. She'll live her life happily ever after because the big bad monster took away the two biggest evil in her life. She was going to thank him for this later. He could only hope.

"That's a lie!"

"Is it, now? And how do you know that?" Damon had to raise an eyebrow at that, and he thought he was stubborn.

"Because! I know you care about me too! It can't just be her!"

Damon sighed, already knowing he was losing this battle. "Look, sweetheart, I do care about you. But, because I care, I have to let you go. You're safer with Stefan. You're safer with me out of your life.

Elena's bottom lip trembled, "I don't care who I'm safer with! I want you! Dammit! I don't even want Stefan anymore! It's been you! Always you! Straight from the beginning!"

Damon raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah?"

"Yes!" Elena cried.

"And how do I know you're not just saying this to make me stay?"

They stared at each other for an endless amount of time. Finally, Elena broke the tense silence.

"Kiss me."

A/N: Ohh! The suspense! I know it's short, but please Read and Review! Tell me what you think of this story, and I guarantee that the next chappie will hopefully be better than this crappy piece :/ Now enough with the self-hate…

Thanks to: looneynerdxd9, lina89, and 123nenagirl for reviewing