Days went by after that night. The situation never worsened but never let up. I felt like a zombie walking down the halls to classes. The worst part was not only was I distant from Stefan he was growing a tiny bit distant from me. We were right next to each other yet miles apart. We still held hands and kissed when we would part but it had become a mechanical reaction. It wasn't that I didn't love Stefan, because I love him with every aching beat of my heart. I was just too bruised and felt more like I was mourning the loss of a love then celebrating the one I had.

Stefan was distant most likely because he wasn't dumb and he knew what was going through my mind. I had barely seen Damon since that night. Only a couple of times at the house. He would walk through and nod in my direction and quietly disappear. The other time he made some smart remark about the dress I was wearing being colorful enough to burn him alive and then disappeared once more.

Jeremy still wasn't talking to me, Bonnie had gotten even more depressed recently and wasn't talking to anyone. Caroline was obsessing over the float for founders day. I felt very alone and it was beginning to take a toll out on me.

I was headed over to Stefan's this morning to spend some time with him before he left for a small hunting trip. He was not only horribly thirsty himself but he noticed Damon hadn't tried to eat anything over the last week. He was trying to talk him into going with him. Stefan met me at the door as I walked up.

"Hey there." He said lightly. I smiled and walked in. Damon came around the corner swinging on a jacket. His eyes were dark and horribly tired.

He rolled his eyes. "Ugh, why don't you just move in already. I can google a moving truck service for you for crying out loud." Before he even began grumbling out his sentence he shut the door behind him and was gone.

"He seems to be more sarcastic than usual today." I noted.

I turned to Stefan who shrugged. "He needs to eat." He shook his head.

"Where is he going anyway?" I asked.

"He got called by the council. They have had several reports of some attacks further up north of Mystic Falls. So I guess he's going to pretend to help I don't know." He replied.

We hung around the house for a small bit, talking about nothing and avoiding anything that was really on our minds. He kissed me on the forehead as I left and reminded me he would be back the following day. I got in the car and before I knew it, tears once again found their way to my eyes. Something wasn't right. Nothing felt the same. I missed a place I was already in. I missed a person who was always by my side and I longed for someone who could never be mine. Could he? I literally shook my head to remove any question.

It was still early evening so I decided to ride to the cemetery and see my parents. It felt like ages since I had been. I parked the car and began the peaceful walk to where they were. The cool air washed over me and sound of the trees rustling in the breeze calmed me so deeply. I finally made it to where they were buried and collapsed to the ground. I laid my head to the ground, curled up and let the tears fall. I thought to myself that If I just go ahead and let myself cry, whether it be five minutes or the rest of the day, that maybe...just maybe I could finally let go of him. The tears rolled over my face and dripped to the ground. I studied the individual grains of dirt and leaves through my teary vision. I didn't remember crying like this since I was a child.

It seemed to be almost an hour later, I hadn't moved an inch, and the tears still hadn't let up. The breeze became even cooler and the afternoon sun was darkening with on coming clouds. It was then that a pair of hands took me softly by the shoulders and set me upright. As I fell into Stefan's chest I hit the grand finale of my cry fest. I sobbed and apologized over and over while he rocked me back and forth. Finally after my tears quieted, simply for lack of tears left he finally spoke.

"I'm about to leave for my trip. I decided to make sure you were okay before I left. I figured I'd find you here." Stefan said quietly in an almost monotone manner. He pushed lightly on my shoulders and set me up to where I was looking straight into his eyes. He was merely inches away.

"Tell me what it is?" He simply said.

"What?" I spoke for the first time my voice cracking terribly. He looked down to the ground for a moment and then back up to me.

"What can I do to make you happy? That's what I've been asking myself for days. You've been miserable, distant, distracted ….and the crying." He shook his head and looked to the ground again.

"Stefan, I'm so sorry I've been acting this way. I'm so so sorry. I never meant to hurt you I just ...I just need some time and I'll be fine." I said trying to convince myself.

He looked up with the saddest smile. "That's not true Elena. You see your not the only one I've been dealing with this with. I've been watching my brother the past few days and quite honestly, it's more painful to watch than post Katherine. He's starving. The only thing he's taken down is triple his body weight in alcohol. He can't even muster up the energy to be witty with his sarcasm now. I've heard him cry. I thought for a while that you were still with me because you honestly wanted to be. Then it occurred to me today after you left, that you might still be with me because you feel obligated to be." He stared deep in my eyes as he spoke, his eyes shining with forming tears.

"No."I said and I shook my head, but he placed his fingers softly upon my lips to quiet me.

"I just wanted to let you know before I leave for my trip that you really should understand something. I wanted you to know that you have a choice. So maybe you should think about that. I want you Elena. I love you and I want you to be my love.....not my prisoner." He finished speaking and I looked up at his beautiful face, his eyes burning through the tears. His jaw was tensed. I found myself speechless as I stared at him. He leaned in and kissed me softly. I closed my eyes and all the moments we had ever had together flashed through my mind.

"I love you Stefan." I whispered. But when I opened my eyes, he was already gone.

Thunder tore through the sky and the heavy raindrops began to hit the top of my shoulders. I realized I had been sitting there in the cemetery far longer than I thought. I jumped and began to run to my car parked over the hill. The smell of the rain hit me as I ran and I inhaled it. I loved the smell.

"Elena!" I heard my name called and I turned to find Isobel standing a few feet away. I backed up a few steps in sudden alarm.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Good to see you to." She smiled. I rolled my eyes and she made it a foot away from me in a flash.

"I over heard your little conversation with Stefan earlier." She smiled wildly.

"Why were you listening?" I said through gritted teeth.

"You know Elena, Stefan really is a good guy. But let's face it. Damon is quite intoxicating isn't he?" She laughed lightly.

"You don't even really know Damon." I said clenching my fist. She smiled and cocked her head to the side.

"Whatever, if you had just went with him as a first choice you wouldn't be going through this right now." She shook her head.

"I'll ask you one more time....what are you doing here." I began to get angry.

"I came to warn you." She suddenly said seriously.

"What do you mean?" I said as thunder tore through the sky and the rain picked up even harder.

"Well, Katherine has caught word of the rekindled love triangle between you and the Salvatore's . I don't think she's very happy about that." She frowned.

"I don't care what Katherine thinks. What does she care anyway. She walked away from both of them." I replied.

"Please, it's a part of her game Elena. She walked away knowing they would pine over her for decades. And they have....until you came along." She spoke calmly.

"So what does she want?" I asked nervously.

"She wants you dead Elena." She answered simply.

"What?" Was all I could say.

"She's sending a couple of vampires this way to take you out. I just wanted you to know. They will be here shortly." She began to talk with more urgency and began to look around her.

"Why are you warning me?" I asked.

"Elena, you may not like it, but your still my daughter." She smiled strangely. Thunder ripped through the sky. She looked around nervously.

"Go, get out of here Elena!" Her voiced raised with nervousness. I turned and ran to my car and jumped in. I cranked the car and fumbled with my cell struggling to flip it open with my hands shaking violently. I knew Damon was here in town so I dialed his number first.

"What may I help you with?" His answered dryly.

"Where are you?" I tried to keep my voice calm.

"I'm in hell. Where are you?" He replied.

"Damon,please."

"I'm at the bar, what's wrong?" He asked beginning to pick up on my nervousness. I hung the phone up and slammed on the gas towards the usual hang out bar.

I pulled into the parking lot and flew out of my car towards the bar. I didn't get one foot away from my car before my arm was grabbed and I was snatched backwards. I started to scream but a hand covered my mouth. They spun me around and I realized with great relief it was Damon.

"Oh my god you scared me?" I gasped.

"What's going on?" He ordered. Even though I was scared out of my mind and there was an emergency at hand I still couldn't ignore his firm grasp on my arms.

"Isobel was at the cemetery, and she warned me that two vampires are coming here to kill me. Soon." I explained quickly. His eyes sharpened and became furious.

"Did she say why?" He asked.

"Katherine, she doesn't...like me." I answered. His mouth fell open for a split second and then his face grew into a twisted kind of anger I'd never seen. He pulled into him and wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"Everything's going to be okay, Elena. I promise."