Elena's POV

She stared at the man that she still loved so dearly.

When she had left Stefan, hurting him was the only thing that she couldn't bear. Being away from friends and family was capable, but hurting Stefan was something that had caused Elena to look away with disgust at herself. His sad eyes and tear-stained face when she had put her suitcase in Damon's car would be etched in her memory forever. Her heart had been breaking in two- and part of her had wanted to run to him and beg for him to take her back. But Elena hadn't done that, because she had realized her love for Damon. He had confessed his undying love to her in the most romantic of ways, and she had left Stefan for him.

Stefan.

When Damon was asleep, she cried her heart out for her lost love. Leaving Stefan was the hardest thing she'd ever done, and considering all that they had been through together- the Shi No Shi, Katherine, and Klaus, that was saying something. She missed Stefan's comforting arms around her body, being safe with him. Although Elena adored Damon, she wanted Stefan back with her- and when she thought of how much she wanted him back, she felt unbelievably selfish and cruel. If Stefan was happy, then maybe things would be different- she always told herself.

But Stefan wasn't happy. Not at all.

How could she do something like this to him? In all her life, she'd never imagined feeling so selfish and unbearably pained by his absence and hurt. Leaving him had left a hole in her heart- one that even Damon couldn't fill. No-one could, only Stefan.

And he was in pain.

"I followed you here," Elena breathed out to answer Damon's confused and annoyed expression, her voice breaking as she looked deep into Stefan's eyes. There was nothing familiar about him there- nothing to remind her of the person her once was with his sad, beautiful smile. Her life had been him.

His eyes were narrowed slightly as she tried to find something that resembled the Stefan she had so reluctantly left behind, as if her mere presence annoyed him- and that thought hurt more than anything else in the world, causing her eyes to spill out a few tears.

"Stefan, please, I never meant to hurt you. You know I didn't. This isn't you, Stefan, it isn't! This- this person you've become!" she spluttered, tears now freely pouring down her face.

There was no reaction from him, as she somehow hoped her tears would achieve- like they had always used to. His beautiful forest green eyes still gleamed under the disco lights of the club, the pupils slightly dilated in something that resembled hatred.

Damon watched his fiance try to communicate with his brother, but there was no change in Stefan's appearance. Usually, he had been able to read Stefan's thoughts easily, but now that he was stronger due to the human blood he'd been consuming, Stefan could block his mind from intruders.

"Goodbye, Elena," Stefan said coolly, stepping away from Damon and beginning to walk up the stairs again.

"No, Stefan, wait!" she cried, trying to grab his arm, but Damon quickly put his arms around her and dragged her away. Stefan might do anything- which shocked Damon. He'd never had to be wary in front of his little brother before. This whole thing was so different to him, and he wasn't sure that he liked it yet.

His black coal eyes watched as Stefan barely glanced at Elena coolly before swiftly walking up the steps to the exit.

With Elena struggling in his arms to go after him, sobbing her heart out, Damon felt frozen. His little brother- cold and detached, not the way he was born to be. Do I want this?- he thought to himself as Elena stopped struggling and sagged against him, her tears on his jacket. Did I want this to happen? I was always calling him a sissy, but I never thought that he'd actually... prove me wrong.

Do I want to keep this brother, when I know he's not truly being his true self, when he's so unhappy?

Yes, I know, VERY short chapter, but I promise that the next one will be longer! I hit a writer's block, as I seem to on all my stories sometimes, and they're always really sticky to get out of. Hopefully, as an apology, I'll have the next chapter up for next week sometime- I have exam leave! =-)