Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of the characters (although I would love my own Damon).

This is my first ever story and it will be a Delena fic, am just setting the scene.

***

Elena was worried about Stefan.

She already had enough on her plate. In the past few months she had found out that vampires weren't just the result of an overactive imagination and that she was also, in fact, dating one. Then she found out that she resembled said boyfriends old girlfriend who was also a vampire and was the one to turn him and his brother Damon. And now she knew she was adopted and that her real mother was not only married to the new teacher at her school but was also a vampire now – turned by Damon at her request – and that she didn't want anything to do with her daughter.

Now on top of that she had to deal with Stefan's newly found blood lust.

She had tried to talk to him about it but he dismissed her, telling her he was 'fine' and 'not to worry'. She knew better, after all she had already been through all this with Jeremy when he was battling his drug addiction.

Now Elena was at the end of her tether, she had seen enough and regardless of how much she loved him there is only so much one person can take.

It was up to him now – he could have her or the blood.

***

Stefan was at his house when Elena arrived there. Thankfully Damon wasn't home. She really didn't want him to witness any of the ensuing conversation.

She went straight up to his bedroom where she found him asleep. It looked as though he had had a rough night as his clothes were strewn all over the floor and he was normally a complete neat freak.

'Two guesses as to what he has been up to' Elena though.

Elena noticed a canter of some sort of fluid and, deciding that he didn't deserve to be pried gently from his slumber, proceeded to pour the entire contents over his head.

It had the desired effect. He was out of bed in seconds.

"What the... Elena, what was that for?" He was gob-smacked by the turn of events. "What that necessary? Couldn't you just wake me up like a normal person"

"Normal person? Stefan, you know nothing about normality at the moment," Elena stated incredulously. "Heavy night was it? How is it taking a leaf out of your brothers book? Seriously, you used to judge him but at least he was honest about it."

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you Elena, I do not have a problem. I just... I had forgotten what it was like and how much stronger it makes you feel. You don't understand..."

"You're right, I don't understand Stefan and more to the point, I never want to understand but this is how it's going to work," Elena took a deep breath before continuing, "either you stop feeding off of human blood or I walk away from you forever. Your choice."

Stefan was stunned. He didn't expect an ultimatum off of his girlfriend but he it was and he was unsure of the right path to take.

He wants to be with her, of course he does, he loves her. But this... this new feeding habit was making him feel things he hadn't felt in around 150 years.

'I... Elena, I love you" he started, "and it's not that I can't stop, it really isn't. The truth is, I simply don't want to right now.

It was now Elena's turn to be stunned. This was not how she had imagined this situation to end up. She had, quite arrogantly, expected him to give up the blood for her. She thought what they had was strong enough, she though she was enough but clearly that just wasn't the case.

She could feel a headache coming on and was aware of her eyes getting hot and heavy with tears but she was determined to not let him see her cry right now – he didn't deserve to know how much she was hurting.

So she just turned and walked out. He didn't follow.

She walked outside to find Damon sitting on the front steps. She could tell from his body language that he had heard the whole thing.

'Great, just great. This is all I need.'

She walked straight past him and to her car. She drove off without looking back.

***

A/N: So that's Chapter 1. Please let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcomed :-)