The look of pure joy on her face when she saw him was like a pain in the chest. He was trying so hard to hold onto the image of indifference but as soon as she hugged him it was like he broke. His own arms circled around her as he hugged so tightly he would have killed her if she had been human. Pressing his nose against the top of her head he inhaled and closed his eyes.
When she had hated him it was so hard but he knew showed it. In fact he had been hard with her to the point where Stefan stepped in. But it had been for her own good. One hand reached up and caressed the back of her head. "Elena..."