Three months later after Stefan had left town with Klaus, in The Birthday, Elena has just turned eighteen and she is still desperately trying to findStefan ever since he left Mystic Falls. She gets a lead from Sheriff Forbesand tells Damon. Damon goes with Alaric to Tennessee, while Elena stays with Caroline and Tyler who help plan her party. Later that night, Damon gives Elena the necklace that Stefan gave to her once, which she lost a while ago. He puts it on her, and after Elena discovers that Damon has been looking a lot more for Stefan than she thought, she confronts him about not telling her. Damon tells Elena that the victims are not Klaus', they are in fact Stefan's. Damon tells Elena that Stefan has flipped the switch and that he has become a full blown ripper. Elena continues to be in denial about this but Damon tells her to stop looking for Stefan and to stop waiting for him to come home. Damon then tells her that Stefan is gone and that he is not coming back, not in her lifetime. Devastated and crushed, Elena holds onto her necklace, which is a symbol of their love. At the end of her birthday, she gets a call from Stefan, even though he doesn't speak or say a word, Elena somehow knows that it is him on the other end of the line. Elena tells him that he will be okay, that she loves him and that he needs to hold onto that and never let that go.
In The Hybrid, Elena is as determined as ever to find Stefan and bring him back home. After unsuccessfully asking Damon for help, Elena goes and seeks help from Alaric. She then finds out information aboutwerewolves and how certain packs could be hanging out with Tyler, specifically those packs in Tennessee. Alaric and Elena head off to the mountains, where they engage in banter, and her telling Alaric that he's not a lost cause. Damon surprises her and flings her into the lake. Alaric had sold her out, as he didn't want to take her somewhere without protection. The trio find Ray Sutton in the woods, and he attacks Damon. After bombing him with a wolfs bane grenade, they tie him up, and Elena is determined to ask him the whereabouts of Stefan. Ray starts to change into a werewolf while the sun is up. As Damon lures him away, Elena and Alaric run off to the car. Later, in her room, Damon tells Elena that he will help her search for Stefan and bring him back, but he wants her to remember that in Stefan's absence, she was worried about Damon getting hurt, and that she has to remember those feelings.
In The End of The Affair, Elena and Damon go to Chicago where they find Stefan and Klaus. They go into their apartment and she sees a list if all Stefan's victims and is in shock. Later, she hides in the closet when Stefan and Klaus enter. Stefan sees her but doesn't say anything. She gets Damon to distract Klaus so she can talk to Stefan and drug him with vervain but it doesn't work. Elena then is extremely heartbroken and hurt when Stefan tells her he doesn't want to see her again and no longer cares for her.
In Disturbing Behavior, Damon helps Elena prepare for the Lockwood party. Later, when Damon wants to go after Bill Forbes, Elena and Alaric try to stop him but Damon kills Alaric. Elena calls Caroline for help. After the fight between Damon and Caroline, she yells at Damon and asks him what's wrong with him. He tells her he is not Stefan and that she should stop trying to turn him into him. [1]Klaus and Elena " The Reckoning"In The Reckoning, Elena and the others plan Senior Prank Night when she walks into Klaus and he brings her into the gym. Later, she watches him turn Tyler into a hybrid. When Stefan enters, saying Elena means nothing to him, Klaus hits Elena and as she falls, Stefan attacks Klaus but gets compelled to attack Elena. When "time's up," Elena runs away but while Stefan tries to follow, Klaus makes Stefan "turn it off" and he bites Elena, attempting to drink her blood. Later, Damon saves her from the hospital and brings her to the Salvatore boarding house where she is upset about all that has happened. [2]Damon and Elena in Damon's bathroom.In Smells Like Teen Spirit, Elena is being trained by Alaric. At their first day of senior year, Elena is upset because its her and Stefan's anniversary. Later, she meets Stefan and he tells her he's only there to watch out for her, on Klaus' command. After this, Elena, Damon and Alaric hatch a plan to capture Stefan. Elena is now on the bleachers, pretending to be drunk, and almost falls. Stefan is there as well, telling her not to be stupid. She does end up falling, and he catches her. Alaric shoots Stefan. Elena, Damon, and Alaric load Stefan's body into the car. Vicki's ghost spills some gas and throws a cigarette in it to start a fire. Elena's trapped in the car and Vicki's keeping the car locked so she can't get out. Elena wakes Stefan who kicks the back door open, and they get out just in time. Damon does some first aid on Elena before Alaric prepares to take her home. Stefan is surprised that Elena thinks his humanity can be salvaged; he calls her pathetic. In retaliation, she stabs him. [3]Elena and Lexi captures StefanIn Ghost World, Elena asks Jeremy to contact Lexi so she can help Stefan like she did the first time. Once Lexi arrives, her and Elena trap Stefan in an old prison. Lexi begins to drain every inch of blood from Stefan and stabs him multiple times in the chest. Stefan then begins to confess his love for Elena but Lexi tells her not to let him in.
In Ordinary People, Elena, Alaric, and Damon are investigating the cave with images about the history of the original family. Elena decides to go to the source of the story: Rebekah. Elena and Rebekah have a long conversation about what happened to her family and the beginning of vampires. After discovering what had happened, Elena returns to the cave with Alaric and Bonnie. Elena learns the truth about Esther and her death. Elena returns with Rebekah, who tells her Klaus killed her mother, not Mikael.
In Homecoming, Elena neutralizes Mikael so Stefan and Rebekah can attract Klaus back to Mystic Falls. Elena and Damon make preparations for the destruction of Klaus. Damon does not trust Mikael, or Stefan, so tells Elena that has a Plan B: use Katherine to avoid putting her on the battlefield. When Matt is going to pick up Rebekah, Elena tells him that if he does not mind going with "someone" else. Eventually, Matt and Katherine, who is disguised as Elena, arrive at the party, but they learn that Klaus is planning something of his own. When Mikael comes to the celebration, he uses to Elena to attract Klaus but she is "killed" in the process. In the middle of the fight between Klaus and Damon, Katherine is revealed and attacks the hybrids with vervain bombs. Shortly after, Elena finds out what happened and tries to console a distraught Damon over losing Stefan to Klaus and not killing Klaus. Elena tells Damon that she accepts that Stefan is gone and never returning and that they will be fine without him. [4]In The New Deal, Elena is jogging around town but is being chased by one of Klaus' hybrids, Tony. She then meets Bonnie at the Grill and Bonnie tells her about her weird dreams. Elena hints that these dreams could reveal a way to kill Klaus. Bonnie switches to another topic: Damon. Elena talks with a drunk Damon, who is playing darts. They talk but get interrupted by Klaus who was there with Tony. Klaus orders them to find Stefan so that he can get his family back. Preparing lunch with Alaric, Jeremy comes home and tells them he was hanging out with Tyler. He then invites him in and they talk about his sire bond to Klaus. Elena learns about how serious it was when Tyler said that he would rip his heart out if Klaus demanded that. After Tyler left, Elena and Alaric turn their back on Jeremy and the next moment he was gone, not wearing his ring. They went outside and saw him standing on the street, unable to move. A car comes and was about to hit Jeremy when Alaric pushed him away, saving his live. Instead of Jeremy, Alaric dies but he is wearing his ring. Elena calls Damon and he tells her that Stefan has four coffins. She remembers Bonnie's dream and calls her to prove her guess. Together with Damon, she goes to Stefan. As Damon can't move on, she goes to talk to Stefan. She tells him that Klaus tried to kill Jeremy but when he shows no compassion or emotion, she slaps him and tells him to go to Hell. [5]Damon and Elena kiss.Elena leaves Damon alone and goes back home. There, Alaric awakens but something was wrong with his ring. He calls the ambulance but Tony, who stands in the door, compelled them to leave. He gives Elena the option to let him in but he was then killed by Jeremy who cut his head off. She makes a deal with Klaus to get Jeremy spared. Klaus promises that he can control Rebekah and she tells him that Rebekah knows that Klaus killed her mother. Damon comes to Elena and she tells him what she did. She gets him to compel Jeremy to leave town, as he does. Elena and Damon kiss. [6]Stefan grabs Elena.In Our Town, Elena is training at Alaric's. She then goes to school, informing Bonnie that Jeremy was compelled to leave town. Bonnie is not happy to hear it. Together with Bonnie and Matt, Elena prepares a party at the Forbes' House for Caroline as it is her birthday. As they see, she is not in the mood so they throw her a "funeral" at the cemetery instead. She reveals the cake and Bonnie then lights the candles herself. All four have a good time talking about Caroline's achievements and Caroline reveals she is upset because she will be seventeen forever. Bonnie then becomes angry with Elena, claiming she controls everyone's lives because she made Jeremy leave town. Bonnie leaves. Looking for Caroline after she went away with Tyler, Elena is grabbed and thus kidnapped by Stefan. [7]Elena letting Jeremy go.Elena is in a car with Stefan. Stefan calls Damon to inform him that he has kidnapped Elena. Stefan feeds her his blood and threatens to Klaus that he will transform her into a vampire by driving her offWickery Bridge. Klaus agrees that he will do what Stefan wants; Stefan wants Klaus' hybrids out of town, causing Stefan to stop the car when Klaus agreed. Elena is sad and angry at Stefan and wants to know his reasons for taking her. Stefan drives off and Damon takes Elena home. They talk about the kiss. In the morning, she says goodbye to Jeremy, who is leaving. Together with Bonnie she watches until Jeremy is gone. Later, she meets Matt at Wickery Bridge, talking about how they have changed. [8]Elena and Bonnie at Abby's place.In The Ties That Bind, Elena was taken to the abandoned cottage by Bonnie, who showed her the coffins there. Against what Stefan wanted, she brought her there and then says that her mother could help open the coffin. Elena helps Bonnie with research, having the data of every Abby Bennett in town. Damon came and showed them the right one. Bonnie doesn't know why Damon and Elena are behaving so differently. Damon explains that they kissed. Elena goes on a trip with Bonnie to Abby's house. They are let in by Jamie who is Abby's stepson whom she raised since she left his father. Abby appears and tells Elena that she knew her adoptive mother and that she was the one who entombed Mikael in the 90's to save the doppelgänger. [9]Elena being tied up byJamie.Elena went outside, looking around, and suddenly Stefan appears in front of her. They talk but get interrupted by Jamie who tries to protect Elena from Stefan. Stefan compels Jamie to leave but not long after he returns with a rifle, shooting Stefan. Elena was tied up to a pole by him. Later, Elena knocks him out and helps Stefan to get the wooden bullets out. She admits that she kissed Damon but tells him she's not telling him because she's guilty it happened, instead because she feels guilty that he doesn't know. Stefan tells her that she's better than both of them were, but is clearly hurt. Stefan later punches Damon for kissing her. She later walks in the Gilbert House when Alaric and Meredith Fell were kissing.
In Bringing Out The Dead, Sheriff Forbes visits Alaric and Elena, informing them that the stake which was used on the medical examiner is one of the Gilbert arsenal. Later, she calls Damon and informs him about this while he is meeting Elijah because she suspects that Stefan has killed the medical examiner. She goes to him and they talk. Stefan suggests she should ask Damon if he recently killed someone. She meets Caroline in the hospital, visiting her father. After Caroline calls him and hears his phone ringing they find him dead, a Gilbert dagger driven through his heart; he was, however, fed vampire blood before so he awakens in transition. During the dinner with Klaus and Elijah, Elena is mentioned several times. When Elijah talks about Tatia and when Klaus thinks that Elena should grow old with Matt so they can have a children, so that every few hundred years there will be a new Petrova doppelgänger. Because it's only a matter of time before Damon and Stefan will turn her into a vampire, Klaus states that the worst thing for her was theSalvatore brothers. Elena comes home with Matt, finding Alaric bleeding to death. He wanted her to stab him because she's supernatural and he would came back to life. Rebekah threatens to kill Elena. [10]In Dangerous Liaisons, Elena and Matt are at the hospital where Alaric is being taken care of. As Elena is going to her car, Elena is attacked by Rebekah but before she could kill Elena, Elijah came in to save her. The following morning, Elena receives an invitation from Esther, asking her to come to the ball. Elena wants to find out what Esther wants so she tries to go to the ball, but Damon refuses by saying that it was a bit too dangerous for her to go. At the ball, she dances with Damon and Stefan. Later on she asks Stefan to help distract Damon so she can go and see Esther alone. [11]Esther reveals her plan to Elena.After Stefan has Damon distracted by temporarily breaking his neck and rendering him unconscious, Elena goes to Esther, but before she gets there she meets Elijah who asks Elena to tell him what Esther said to her. Elena says that she will find him later and goes to Esther's room. In her room, Esther explains the reason why she is really back from the dead, and she also says that she requires Elena's help to kill all of her children. Esther pricks Elena's finger and takes a few drops of blood. Esther says that she needs the Petrova doppelgänger's blood to complete a spell that will bind all the Originals as one, so if one dies, they all die. Elena goes down the stairs where she meets Elijah who asks what his mother told her, and Elena lies by saying that his mother only wanted to say sorry for trying to kill her. Later, Damon gets upset that Elena went behind his back to meet Esther, and she rejects him. After being dropped home by Stefan she tries to ask him if he felt anything. Stefan denies he feels anything and that if he let himself care, all he would feel is pain. He then leaves Elena at her doorstep in deep thought.
In All My Children, Elena tries calling both Stefan and Damon but neither of them want to listen to her. Angry, she goes to the Salvatore boarding house and sees Damon and Rebekah together, she gets upset knowing that they slept together. Angry, she leaves and goes to Caroline's house, where they try a privacy spell with Bonnie. [12]Later, Elijah goes to Elena's house where he requests her to join him. He brings her to the forest area correlating with the Lockwood's land, explaining his world prior to the modern change. Elena tries to compose herself, however Elijah points out he knew that she was lying the whole time. Unable to lie anymore, she confesses the truth and her guilt, expressing that she'd do anything to help. Elijah, who has planned everything, grabs her and shatters the ground, trapping her in the underground cellars. While down in the cellars, Elena realizes that Rebekah is down there with her, too. [13]After Damon, Stefan, Caroline, and Alaric successfully plan to and daggerKol, Rebekah drops down, and this gives Elena time to run away. She gets to the cave under the old Lockwood property, where vampires can't enter. Getting creative, Rebekah returns with a tank of gasoline and a box of matches, more than willing to end Elena. Elena, however, stalls her under the guise that Rebekah has always wanted to see her suffer so what would it be for her if she were to end it right in the present. Elena hears the news and the price of saving her, leading her to seek Bonnie who is watching over Abby who is in transition. [14]Elena reads the letter that Elijah left in her bedroom.Caroline asks her to leave, because even though Bonnie is alright since the goal was to save her friend it seems that Bonnie is the one who always gets hurt. Elena decides to leave but asks Caroline to tell Bonnie about her gratitude and love. Elijah leaves Elena a letter of apology saying that his actions were to preserve the one thing that matters most to him, his family. He tells Elena that her compassion is a gift and that he truly regrets what he has done.
In 1912, Elena and Matt go on a run. She's upset. He mentions he's talked to Bonnie. Abby has decided to complete the transformation and become a vampire. Caroline's going to help her through it. Damon turned her mother into a vampire to save Elena's life. She feels responsible. Elena gets a call from Elizabeth and goes to the courthouse. Damon tells Elena he plans to stay out of it. He needles her and says everything is back to normal as he is mean and she hates him. She tells him if he keeps pushing people away, he's going to end up alone. Elena goes to meet Meredith at the hospital, but Meredith doesn't want to listen to her. Matt helps Elena break into Meredith's. [15]Elena reading Samantha's journalElena checks the closet and finds a secret compartment. There are boxes of files. There are files on Brian Walters, Bill, and Alaric. In Meredith's box, they find an old Gilbert journal. A country coroner's report contradicts the ME's time of death. They hear footsteps and hide in the closet. Meredith arrives home. They wait until it's quiet and open the door. Meredith is standing outside it. After being released from the Sheriff's, Matt and Elena go around the corner of the Grill and see Stefan having just drank blood. Elena is aghast and walks off. Back at Elena's, Matt doesn't understand her thing with the Salvatores. She says she felt safe with Stefan after he parents died, which she realizes sounds crazy. She knew he would never stop loving her and he would never die. Damon just snuck up on her, she says. Matt says you can't shake someone once you fall in love with them. He gives her the old Gilbert journal he swiped from Meredith. Elizabeth didn't notice he took it. Matt says it's a good thing he's the only normal person amongst vampires, as it makes him invisible. As Alaric arrives home, Elena runs to hug him. Elena reads through the old Gilbert journal. Alaric tells her he doesn't want her getting in trouble for him. She suggests they agree to take care of each other. She thought it was Johnathan Gilbert's diary, but it is actually his granddaughter, Samantha's, who went just as crazy as he did. Elena reads the journal, in which Samantha says she's losing time and doesn't feel like herself. Elena and Meredith realize that Alaric's ring makes him commit murders.
In Break On Through, Meredith and Elena are talking about Alaric's condition and how it can be cured. Elena asks Meredith when she found out Alaric was the killer and why she didn't tell anyone. Meredith then replies that she found out when Alaric told her about the ring, and it's because she's a doctor and she doesn't enjoy seeing people suffer for things that they have no control over and that it's because when she met Alaric, she knew that she just had to help him. Damon shows up at the hospital to come and get Alaric and he promises Elena that he will make sure that Alaric won't kill anyone else. [16]Elena calls Jeremy.Elena is angry because Damon let Stefan feed on an innocent girl. Damon tells her that he is helping him by teaching Stefan how to control his blood lust. Elena then tells him that he is the last person who should teach Stefan about self-control. Elena arrives at the Salvatore boarding house and is surprised when she sees Stefan. Stefan tells her the story of Samantha. Elena calls Bonnie and asks if she can help Alaric.
In The Murder of One, Elena drops by Alaric's apartment and asks Damon if she can see him, but he refuses and she leaves. Later, in the woods, Elena tells Caroline that Alaric might have killed her father. Matt, Damon, and Stefan arrive. Damon and Stefan tell the others that they found more, and all of them quickly make a plan to kill the Originals. Finn and Sage arrive in the middle of town, where Caroline and Matt ask Elena to call Stefan and tell him of the Originals being in the area. Stefan comes to the Grill, where Finn and Sage are taking shots. [17]Damon and Elena in DenverIn Heart of Darkness, on Stefan's suggestion, Elena and Damon go to Denver to see Jeremy. Elena still seems to struggle with her feelings for Damon. They share a passionate kiss in the motel but are interrupted by Jeremy and end up fighting later.
In Do Not Go Gentle, Elena follows Caroline's advice and asks Stefan to accompany her to the dance. She encounters Esther at the dance, and tells Jeremy to warn Stefan and Damon. Esther tells Elena that she means her no harm, but she must leave the dance and follow her, willingly or not. Elena decides to follow Esther to the site where the Originals were created. She is surprised to see Alaric there, but realizes that he is possessed by the Darkness of the Gilbert Ring. Esther informs Elena that she still plans on killing her children, and to ensure her plan a success this time, she will tap into the dark magic she used to turn her family into vampires. By turning Alaric into an Original, he will have strength and speed that surpasses her children, making him the "ultimate vampire hunter". Esther tells Elena that her blood is necessary for the spell, as Tatia's blood was used in the ritual a thousand years previously. Elena says she won't donate blood, but Esther uses a spell that draws blood from Elena's heart and makes her finger bleed. Elena's blood is added to the mixture, which Alaric drinks. Esther then stabs Alaric in the heart with the White Oak Stake. Esther tells Rebekah that when Alaric wakes up, he will be himself for some time. Elena, horrified, tells Esther her methods are despicable, since she is not only getting rid of bad vampires, but good vampires as well. Esther criticizes Elena for saying so, stating that she desires a world where mankind will no longer fall victim to vampires, and uses Jenna as an example. Elena scolds Esther, telling her not to use Jenna as an excuse for her actions. Esther tries to console Elena, informing her that Jenna isn't trapped on the Other Side like she was. [18]Elena saying goodbye to Alaric.She explains that even though Jenna was turned into a vampire, she remained pure, and knows peace, which is what everybody hopes for. Esther hears sounds coming from outside, where she finds Matt and Jeremy aiming rifles at her. Just as Esther is about to kill them, Alaric awakens and stabs her from behind, killing her. Alaric informs Elena and Jeremy that he doesn't want to complete the transition and Elena and Jeremy say their goodbyes.
In Before Sunset, Elena and Jeremy repaint Alaric's bedroom. Stefan comes by to check on them, and Jeremy criticizes Stefan for not giving them a reprieve from vampires for one day. Jeremy then leaves Alaric's room. Elena tells Stefan that Jeremy didn't mean it, but Stefan disagrees. Later, Elena receives a call from Alaric's cell, and she tells them that the joke is not funny. She is startled when she hears Alaric whom she thought was dead. Alaric tells her to come to school and not inform anyone of her whereabouts, otherwise he will kill Caroline. Elena complies with his demands, and finds Caroline held captive in his classroom. Elena tells Alaric to let Caroline go, and he allows Elena to free her. However, Alaric goes against his word, berating Elena for trusting vampires. He goes on a tangent about how Elena's parents joined the Founder's council to protect the town from vampires and that Miranda and Grayson would be disappointed in her for protecting vampires instead. He hands Elena the White Oak Stake and tells her to kill Caroline or else he will and ensure Caroline a painful death. Elena pretends to stake Caroline, but attacks Alaric instead. She sees a cup filled with vervain solution sitting on his desk and splashes it all over his face, giving her enough time to free Caroline. Caroline manages to escape, but Alaric recovers, blocking the classroom door. He holds Elena against the lockers, informing her that he should kill her just as he killed Brian and Bill. Stefan and Damon arrive, trying to hold Alaric down, but he overpowers them and knocks them both out. Klaus appears out of nowhere, plunging his fist into Alaric's chest and making a connection with his bloodstream. This prompts Bonnie to commence her desiccation spell. However, Alaric overpowers Klaus, and the connection is broken. Just as Alaric is about to kill Klaus with the White Oak Stake, Elena tells him to stop, brandishing a knife and threatening to kill herself. Alaric tells Elena to put her weapon down, but Elena questions why, asking if its just because he still needs her alive. Elena figures out that when Esther turned Alaric into an Original, she didn't want him to be truly immortal. To prevent this, she linked his life to Elena. That way, he only has one lifespan to kill the other Originals. Alaric doesn't confirm this, but panics when Elena starts to pierce her neck with the knife. This gives Klaus the chance to escape, and he takes Elena with him. [19]Elena wakes up strapped to a chair and hooked up with IVs in Klaus' mansion. Klaus is intent on killing Elena by draining her of blood. That way, Alaric will die and his greatest threat will be gone. Elena tells Klaus that by killing her, he won't have enough blood to create a hybrid army like he wants. Klaus says whatever amount of blood he receives from her will have to suffice, and that it doesn't really matter to him because he has his family. Elena asks him that if he believes that, then why he has to take blood from her at all. She explains that Klaus wants a back-up family, since he knows his siblings will never trust him again. Klaus changes the subject to Stefan and Damon, telling Elena that Stefan blamed him for splitting him and Damon apart. He says that he's not the one responsible, but she is. He knows that once Elena chooses a Salvatore, she will break their bond. He explains that by killing her, she won't have to choose and neither brother will get hurt. He then asks her which brother she would choose, and Elena responds by telling him to go to Hell. Tyler enters the scene, shocked at the state of Elena's condition. He attempts to rescue her, but is caught by Klaus who previously asked him to leave. Klaus asks Tyler how he broke the sire bond and just as he is about to kill Tyler, Stefan and Damon arrive to save them. Stefan plunges his fist into Klaus' chest and Bonnie performs her desiccation spell. Then Damon helps Elena up. After Klaus is desiccated, Elena returns home to find the others celebrating a Klaus-free life. After the party, Elena mysteriously faints, and she begins to bleed.
In The Departed, Elena returns from Mystic Falls hospital and remembers about how her life was before vampires: she was a popular high school cheerleader and all she had to deal with was her relationship with Matt. Elena wakes up from her sleep and sees Matt watching over her, and she tells him she was sorry for leading him on. Elena remarks that she's doing the same thing with Stefan and Damon, but she knows that if she chooses a brother, she'll lose the other. Elijah visits the Gilbert house to make a deal with Elena. [20]Elena drownsElijah requests that Elena hand Klaus over to them, and in return, promises not to awaken for the remainder of her lifetime or her children's lifetimes. Elena agrees to the deal, much to Damon's dismay. Matt and Jeremy realize that Elena's in danger because of Alaric so they plan to send Elena out of town. Matt secretly drugs Elena's tea, and Elena wakes up to find herself in Matt's car, both of them driving away from Mystic Falls. Eventually, the two find out that Klaus was killed by Alaric and that Tyler died. Matt delivers Elena an ultimatum: she can choose to head to the warehouse to be with Damon or she can return home to her friends, and Stefan. Elena chooses to head back to town, and calls Damon, informing him that she chooses Stefan. She tells him that Stefan came into her life at a time when she really needed someone, and even though she developed feelings for him, her feelings for Stefan still remained. Elena says things may be different if she had met him before Stefan. Elena tells him she'll see him soon, and Damon gives his goodbye. Damon then remembers how he had, in fact, met Elena before Stefan but had compelled her to forget. While heading back to Mystic Falls, Elena and Matt drive off Wickery Bridge when Rebekah stands in the middle of the bridge. Elena experiences flashbacks of when her parents were underwater and died in the first accident. While Stefan goes into the water, trying to save Elena first, Elena refuses and points to Matt, wanting Stefan to save him first; in the past, he tried to save Grayson first, who motioned for him to save Elena instead. During a fight between Damon and Alaric, Alaric suddenly falls onto to ground not knowing what is happening to him. Damon does, however. [21]Elena in transitionDamon isn't able to believe he's dying, knowing that if Alaric is dying, then Elena must be dying. Damon then cries, repeating, "You are not dead." Later, Stefan is seen at Elena's side, mourning over her death. Damon rushes to the hospital, demanding to know where Elena is. Meredith stops him, telling him she gave Elena vampire blood earlier that day because of a cerebral hemorrhage, (bleeding of the brain) as she would have died otherwise. After that, Elena awakens as a vampire in transition.