Elena paced around her room nervously, picking up different shirts and sweaters and then dropping them without really looking at them. In ten minutes, she was supposed to be at the Grill, and really, she should be there already. A lifetime ago, she would've been there at least thirty minutes earlier, sitting at a table and twindling her thumbs and thinking and thinking things over until she knew exactly what she was going to say. But those times were long gone, and right now she was all pent up with nervous energy and three cups of too-strong coffee because Jeremy sucked at making it and Damon's blood still lingering in her veins.

Nope, she thought, not gonna think about that right now.

Of course, the minute she thought it, she couldn't stop thinking about it. Elena still couldn't get the taste of his blood off her tongue, or the way his hands felt on her or how he looked at her and, how he held her against his body. Their fight had left her feeling raw and exposed, something Elena hated feeling, but even more she was thinking about things that had never crossed her mind before. Damon had pointed out many things that, deep down, she had already known, but had always refused to acknowledge.

Because he was right. Time and time again, she had run back to Stefan, not even because she wanted to, but because it felt like the safe thing to do. And if there was anything Elena had come to love, it was safety.

But not anymore, because today (in about seven minutes), she was doing the one thing she should have done a long time ago.

Jeremy interrupted her thoughts when he came to stand in the doorway, looking her up and down. She turned to him, distracted.

"Hey, uh, Bonnie dropped off that book you wanted..." He paused, noting the pink skin around her thumbs from her endless picking. "Is something wrong?"

She sighed, picking up a dirty pair of jeans and a t shirt. "Nope, just breaking up with Stefan." She feigned casualty in her tone.

Jeremy blinked, "Cool." he said slowly and backed out of the room.

By the time Elena got to the Grill, she was already ten minutes late. She tucked her hair behind her ear, then changed her mind and let it fall over her face. Stefan was waiting at their usual table.

He perked up when he saw her. "Hey."

"Hey." She replied, scraping a chair out and sitting down. They sat in awkward silence for a moment, Stefan staring at her and Elena staring anywhere else.

"I'm glad you wanted to talk today." Stefan said, and Elena finally looked over to him reluctantly. "Look, I know things between us have been... tense, lately. Ever since my brother came back, really."

Elena sighed. Leave it to Stefan to blame every problem they had on Damon. Was he so dense that he didn't realize that they had been having problems way before Damon even came back? Or was he still in denial, like Elena had been for so long?

"Stefan..." She started, struggling with words. "Listen, things have been weird between us for a long time, way before Damon even came back. You know it, I know it." Stefan opened his mouth to speak, but Elena went on before he could. "These past few months have been... bad for me. I've been really depressed, and," She took a deep breath. "If it wasn't for Damon, I'd probably still be in that place."

Stefan winced, and Elena cringed at the flash of pain that lit up in his eyes, but she didn't let herself stop. "It's not your fault, Stefan. I think we just didn't want to realize that we're just no longer good for each other." Elena whispered the last part, wishing she didn't have to do this but knowing it was for the best.

Stefan was quiet for a moment, narrowing his eyes at the floor beneath him. "...So you're breaking up with me, for Damon?"

"I didn't say that." Elena said immediately.

"You don't have to." He replied back bitterly.

"Stefan, you know things haven't been the same between us-"

"They can be!"

"No, Stefan, they really can't." She ran a hand through her hair, which had started to gain back it's old gleam after months of hanging dull and limp. "When I first met you, I fell in love with you, like, immediately." Elena started, feeling a painful twinge of deja vu saying those words. "And I loved you for a long time, Stefan. I still do love you. But let's face it," Surprisingly, she wasn't tearing up like she thought she would. But that didn't mean the final blow she was about to deliver wasn't going to hurt. "Our love... it's never going to be the forever kind."

They both flinched at that, at the words that both of them had refused to ever acknowledge. Stefan sighed and nodded slowly, stirring the spoon in his coffee absently.

"Would you turn for my brother?"

"Stefan-"

"Stop lying to my face for once, Elena, and answer the question." He snapped.

Elena sunk down into the chair. "I don't know." She whispered. "Maybe."

That seemed to be the answer to the question he was looking for, because he nodded again, bitterly, and stood up to leave.

"Stefan, wait." He didn't wait, just kept weaving through the tables until he was out the door. Elena let her head fall into her hands.

"What the hell was that?!" A loud voice pierced Elena's ears, and she looked up to see Caroline, her hands indignantly on her hips. Elena internally groaned.

"Caroline, were you eavesdropping?" Elena asked, angry.

The question threw the blond off guard for a moment, and she look back at Elena guiltily. "Well, I was just talking to Matt and I couldn't help but overhear-" She stopped, and resumed glaring at Elena. "But that's so not the point. Elena, how you could break up with Stefan? You guys have been doing great, and now-"

"We have not been doing great." Elena snapped. "You just see things that you want to see, Caroline. If you had really been paying any attention, then you'd see that me and Stefan have been anything but great."

"It's because of Damon, isn't it?" Caroline asked, ignoring everything that Elena had just said. "He waltzes back into town and all of a sudden-"

"This isn't about Damon!" Elena exclaimed, exasperated. Of course, it was about Damon, but not completely. If anything, his arrival had just been the right eye opener that Elena had needed. "Me and Stefan aren't right for each other anymore."

"Because of Damon?"

"No!" She groaned, suddenly really tired.

"Elena," Caroline started, taking Stefan's empty seat. "Look, I know that you and Damon have always had some weird chemistry thing going on, but in my opinion, it's just lust. So actually, maybe this is a good thing. " She perked up a little. "While you and Stefan are.. broken up, you can go make out with Damon all you want, get him out of your system, then you and Stefan can-"

"Caroline!" Elena snapped, tired and angry and, not for the first time, wanting to slap her best friend across the face. "If me and Stefan are so right for each other, then he would have noticed that I've been practically addicted to drugs for the past year!"

Elena widened her eyes at the outburst and covered her mouth. Had she really just said that out loud, to Caroline, of all people?

Shit.

Caroline's eyes were just as wide, but confused. "Drugs? What kind of drugs? Elena, I had no idea-"

"Of course you didn't." Elena said, standing up and grabbing her bag with every intention to go home and sleep for the rest of the day. "Like I said, you just see things that you want to see."

Elena headed towards the door, ignoring Caroline's calls. Really, Elena should have confided in her friends about her problem a long time ago. And when she said friends, she meant Bonnie, or Matt. Definitely not Caroline, who had always had the minuscule problem of keeping her mouth shut.

Later that day, Stefan downed his fourth glass of bourbon. Damon's bourbon, in fact, the one that had been in the very back of the liquor cabinet for years and had only been opened right before he had dropped his ring to the floor, ready to kill himself before the fatal bite could do it for him. It wasn't much, but drinking all of it made him feel a little bit better. Because his brother was stealing his girlfriend, whether he knew it or not.

He scrubbed a hand over his face and stood up, grabbing his jacket and heading to the door, planning to take out his anger on bunnies and squirrels. It was either that, or humans. And even though it would feel so good, it wasn't worth how it would feel afterwards.

Before Stefan could open the door, it swung open and his brother sauntered in, twirling his keys in his hand. Stefan felt the flame of resentment inside of him burn brighter.

"Going somewhere?" Damon asked, the tone in his voice telling Stefan he didn't care either way. Somehow, it just made him angrier.

Thinking it was better not to reply at all, he bumped Damon's shoulder harshly and continued on his way.

"Whoa whoa, what did I do this time?"

Stefan halted. Obviously, Damon wasn't aware of the breakup yet. Even though it was unlikely, Stefan had pictured Elena calling Damon immediately after and them rolling around in bed the rest of the day, with stereotypical candles burning everywhere and rose petals dotting the bed. He winced at the thought.

"So I guess you don't know?" Stefan asked bitterly.

"Know what?" His brother asked, feigning boredom even though Stefan could see interest gleaming in his eyes.

He smiled harshly. "Elena broke up with me."

Damon blinked, surprised. Multiple emotions brewed in his blue eyes; surprise, doubt, confusion, pity, hope. The last two had Stefan grinding his teeth together. "Yup, she broke up with me. Of course, she denied it having anything to do with you, but we both know better than that, don't we?"

"Stefan..."

"Don't." He snapped. "Don't pretend like this isn't exactly what you wanted. Actually, this is probably what you've been planning all along. You leave, so that when you come back, Elena is all over you, because everyone knows Elena hates losing people."

Damon's eyes burned with irritation, replacing any concern that had been there previously. "Actually, brother, I left because of that stupid fucking deal that you manipulated me into agreeing with. I didn't actually plan on staying this time."

"Oh, you didn't? Then tell me, brother, what made you want to stay?" Stefan mock asked.

Damon narrowed his eyes at Stefan's tone, then answered confidently. "The reason I stayed is probably the reason you and Elena have been growing apart, actually."

This time, Stefan narrowed his eyes. "And what is that?"

"Your ignorance." Damon answered simply, shouldering past him and heading to his room.

Stefan watched him go, and for the first time since him and Elena broke up, he wondered if his brother wasn't the only reason for that happening.

A/N: I know, I know, it's been forever! Writer's block has been kicking my arse, and if it wasn't for that awesome chick Siberia21, there would be no update today, and probably not for awhile! You're great, girl! :)

I also apologize for the short length of this chapter. I wanted to write another part, but I wanted this chapter to solely focus on the breakup (finally!). You can expect a lot of DE goodness in the next chapter, though, which I'm really looking forward to write ;) Is anyone else beyond excited for March 20th? I know I can barely wait!

Thanks for reading, and reviews will make me write faster! :D