(Chapter ten)

"Elena, it's so very nice of you to come and visit us on such a lovely day. And by the way, you look absolutely...ravishing today." Damon said as his eyes scanned Elena's body. "All this is mine" he thought.

"Why thank you Damon, you look "ravishing" as well." she giggled.
He really did look...sexy in his all black attire.

"Hello Elena. I'm glad you could make it today." said Stefan as his eyes too scanned Elena's body.

"Hi Stefan, nice to see you." she said as he pulled her in for a hug.

"Come on," Damon said as he grabbed her hand, "lets take a seat, stay for awhile. Can I get you anything to drink darling?" he had a huge grin across his face as he looked over at Stefan.

"Oh, no thanks. I just came over because I have some things I'd like to discuss with the two of you." she said.

"Well then have a seat and we'll get to talking as soon as I get myself something to drink." said Damon as he poured himself a glass full of scotch and then walked back over to sit down on his favorite black leather chair.

"Alright, now where were we? You said you had some things you'd like to discuss?" Damon said.

"Yes..." she said as she glanced from brother to brother. "I came because I wanted to discuss this situation between the three of us. I want you both to know that I have made a decision."

"Oh Elena, I'm so glad you've finally been able to make up your mind on this." smiled Stefan.

"Well, which brother will it be?" said Damon as he smiled at Elena. Would you look at those eyes...

"After taking some time to think about things I've decided that my heart belongs to Damon." she whispered.

"WHAT? DAMON? ARE YOU CRAZY ELENA?" roared Stefan.

"Stefan please, calm down...I want to explain things to you!" she cried.

"No, I will NOT calm down! How could you Elena? I thought you loved me! All the things Damon has done to innocent people and even the things he's done to you...yet you chose him? He get's in the way of everything in my life! Katherine and now you!" Stefan was fuming.

"Stefan," growled Damon, "calm down now and give her a chance to explain before you talk. What did I tell you about behavior today?"

"You shut the hell up Damon! You can burn in hell for all I care! You always try and take the one thing from me that means the most! You are supposed to be my brother yet you betray me!" yelled Stefan.

"Hey, I'm just keeping my promise on giving you eternal misery. I am a man of my word. But Stefan, how can you sit here and blame her choice on me? It's not my fault that this is what she wants." he said.

"If you hadn't gotten in the way and flirted with her constantly she would have never developed feelings for you." he growled. He had calmed down a little now.

"You're right, I shouldn't have flirted with her but can you blame me? She's beautiful and the fact that she looked like Katherine drew me in. Then I realized that she was NOTHING like Katherine and I simply fell in love with her Stefan. I'm sorry but that's the way it is and you can just get over it. I didn't make Elena choose me. I didn't compel her, she chose this on her own because you obviously weren't doing a good job." said Damon.

Elena walked over to Stefan and put her hand on top of his.

"Stefan...I love you but I'm not in love with you anymore. You will always have a special place in my heart and I want to remain friends with you but I just can't be with you. Please don't question me or try and win me back because it wont happen. I love Damon and no matter what anyone says or does, that won't change. I'm sorry but I have to let you go Stefan..." she said as she took off her necklace and laid it in Stefan's hand.

"Elena, don't take this off...he could compel you." said Stefan looking down.

"I have no reason to compel her Stefan. Shes trying to be nice so take it." said Damon.

"I want you to have this to remember me by but don't linger on the past, okay? It's time for both you and I to start a new chapter in our lives." she smiled.

"Well enjoy your life Elena. I love you and I always will but I can't stay here anymore. I can't look at you everyday because it hurts. My brother has won again and I can't watch him spend his life with you." Stefan said as a single tear ran off his cheek and hit his jeans.

"Stefan, don't do this to her. You are a big part of her life and you're my brother...as much as it pains me to say this...I do care about you." said Damon looking down at his feet.

"You don't care about me Damon. You treat me like dirt. A long time ago, you were my brother and my best friend now...you are the predator that feasts off my misery." said Stefan.

"Do you not see why your brother comes off as a mean person Stefan? He has done nothing but hurt since he was turned. He didn't want this life and he didn't want to be in a world without Katherine yet he was damned to roam the earth for eternity. His father never cared for him either. Yes you have both been through a lot but Damon has been through more. He has built these walls and refuses to let people in because he can't handle being hurt again. When he was with me I could see the walls beginning to break Stefan. Underneath all that hard exterior is a person with feelings who knows real pain. He is kind, compassionate, loving, and honest. As much as he wont admit that he is all of that, he is. Stefan, it's important to forgive people, especially the people that you care about the most and I know you wont admit it but you care about Damon and he cares about you. Can you not find it in your heart that is so kind and good to forgive him and welcome the fact that he is actually happy again after 146 years of pain?" said Elena as tears ran down her face.

"Elena...it's not worth it. Come on, just leave him alone." said Damon as he pulled Elena by the hand and headed towards the door.

"Wait." said Stefan. "You have hurt me Damon and taken the one thing from me that I love and care about the most but...I forgive you. I know it hurts Elena to see this so I forgive you. I made you live this life, the life of the living dead and I am sorry because I know that you did not want it. As much as I hate it, I give you my blessing and hope you enjoy your life with Elena because I care about you both but so help me Damon, if you ever hurt her I will hurt you even if it kills me." he said in a serious tone.

"Stefan, I would never hurt her. I couldn't do something like that to her, I love her." he said as he walked over to his brother and pulled him into a hug.
Stefan and Elena were both shocked by this.

"Well, I know you two probably want some alone time...I'm going to go and pack. I just can't stay in Mystic Falls anymore. I need to get away so I think I'm going to go and vacation, maybe tour the world. I'll be back eventually so I leave the boardinghouse to both of you. Please take care of it." he said softly.

"Oh Stefan, you know we will." she said as she went to hug him. "Thank you Stefan, a part of me will always love you...I don't want you to leave but if you have to please be careful. We will both miss you..." she turned away and went to meet Damon at the stairs.

"Goodbye little brother." said Damon as he was headed up the stairs with Elena. "Be safe."
And then Elena and Damon were both gone, out of sight,

Stefan had really lost her...it hurt but he couldn't force her to stay. He loved her and he always would but he realized that if you love someone enough, you should let them go if it means they would be happy. Stefan now stood at the threshold of the boardinghouse, taking in one last memory of the house. He was going to miss home but it was for the best right now. Stefan reached down and grabbed his bags, opened the door, turned to get one last glimpse, and then he was gone.