stefan x elena ; i've always loved you

chapter one - the end of the beginning

stefan injected damon with the cure, arms tightly wrapped around the evil doppelganger. he guessed this was exactly what she had imagined; the two of them together only it wasn't like she wished. the flames consumed the two of them burning through their flesh immediately. in a matter of seconds, they were dead.

the young salvatore didn't even feel it coming, he didn't feel any pain and deep down that surprised him. he stared down at his body for a few moments before realising damon had already took off. before crossing over to the light, he went off to the high school, where he'd left elena. just as he was about to turn the corner, someone bumped right into his chest in the middle of the corridor. elena.

upon revealing what he'd done, the still in coma petrova doppelganger hugged him tightly. he felt her heart beating against his own chest and couldn't help saying the whispered words into her ear. ' i love you, elena. i've always loved you. ' his grip tighten around her for a moment as she nodded and pulled back, a single tear streaming down her cheek.

without hesitation, stefan reached out to it cleaning it with his thumb. ' at least i got to see you one last time, elena. ' the young salvatore smiled before he began to walk away, choosing to let her live her life as she'd chosen all these years: with damon. his fingers slipped away from hers and he headed out through the large doors.

' that was beautiful. ' a familiar voice called making him frown for a split second. he never thought he'd see her again: lexi. she was sitting right there on the hood of his old red car which he couldn't deny he missed. ' i was feeling epic. ' stefan quoted, a smile coming to his features as his all time best friend ran to him. he picked her up in an embrace and spun her a few times. not long after, the two were getting inside the car and speeding their ghostly way out of town.

a couple months went by and stefan and lexi were closer than ever before. ' i know that look. ' she pointed out with a smile, ' what happened? ' stefan sat across her somewhat puzzled. he'd heard things and even seen things he probably wasn't meant to see. ' i think... i saw her. ' he finally commented aloud with his blonde best friend, ' i think i saw elena. '

the blonde looked at him somewhat confused. what did he mean with that? ' what are you saying stef? ' she asked calmly, relaxing back into the car seat with her eyes fixated on him. ' i saw her, she's here. ' he replied, bringing the car to a stop to glance over at her, ' i'm sure of it. '

lexi couldn't help the smile. ' then what are you waiting for? shouldn't you be turning around and returning to mystic falls? ' she suggested. she heard his goodbye, she heard the whispered words and she was there all along to hear her best friend say how elena was his epic love, how he was in love with her and would go back to her in a heartbeat. ' go get her tiger. ' she teased before nudging him slightly. the engine started, the steering wheel turned completely and they were going back; for elena, for him, for them.