Stefan took Elena home and stayed with her to look after her; she was all upset, shaking and crying.
'I'm so sorry, Stefan,' she kept repeating in her sad, fragile voice.
'It's going to be OK,' he comforted her.
'How can it ever be OK after everything I've done? Stefan, I... I apologise for the way I treated you.'
'There is nothing to apologise for, Elena. Klaus compelled you to do this. I forgive you, do you hear me?' He took her face in his hands and looked closely into her teary eyes. 'This is not your fault. This is all about Klaus and his compulsion.'
Elena looked back at him and her heart broke into pieces because she knew Stefan was wrong. Her feelings for him getting weaker, that wasn't caused by the compulsion. Klaus never exactly told her to stop loving Stefan. He just made her enjoy every aspect of her vampire life. Not a single word about Stefan and her love for him. It disappeared for some other reason, although it was true that it had something to do with Klaus.
Elena hadn't been able to stop thinking of him before he changed her. But how could she confess this to Stefan? Now, when he was standing in front of her and stroking her hair and comforting her?
'You can fight this, Elena,' he said; he sounded convinced. 'I know it because the bound between us is strong - our love is strong enough for you to resist the compulsion.'
'I will try to fight,' sobbed Elena. 'That's all I can promise to you.'
'You're a brave fighter, Elena,' said Stefan and he pulled her closer. 'I know you're going to win.'
Elena was drowning in his arms and she felt so uncomfortable there that it gave her shivers. She was horrified to realise that she didn't deserve such a kind, caring and selfless boyfriend and that she actually doesn't even want him anymore.
Consider this new chapter a Valentine's Day gift, as I always take ages to update this story. ♥