I know that some fans were pissed off about Elena hurting Damon and her constant denial before the promo of 3x19 was released. （It's the only thing I've been thinking for the past few days) I think if I wrote this earlier it may help stop the Elena hate. Because if you loved Damon's journey last season, you should know that Elena's is no different.
I realized that their journey of realization began on 2x01 for Damon and 3x14 for Elena. Of course they have their moments of realization before that, but it became more obvious after those episodes.
Elena: I care about you Damon, listen to me, I care about you. (2x01)
Damon snapped Jeremy's neck.
Damon: I'm mad at you because I love you.
Elena: Maybe that's the problem.(3x14)
In both scenes, there was a confession, a heartbreak, an argument and most important of all, both of them ended with regrets, Damon regretted his action, and Elena regretted her words.In the next few episodes, DE continued to be mad at each other. They say words that hurt each other, those that even they don't think it's true.
Damon: You and Katherine have a lot more in common than just your looks.（2x03)
Damon: So this is where you spend your time when you're not stabbing people in the back. (2x04)
Elena: He was gloating,like actual gloat, like he was proud of himself for sleeping with her (3x15)
Elena: If you keep pushing people away, you'll end up alone、 （3x16)
They make each other jealous, Elena did it intentionally in 2x03, kissing Stefan in front of Damon; Damon did it by sleeping with Rebekah, although unintentional but he must have enjoyed it. But despite all of that, in desperate times, they still put each other above everything else.
Damon: It's Elena (before leaving to save Elena from Rose and Trevor, 2x08)
Elena: Rebekah has Damon. Our next move should be finding him (3x18)
They refuse to talk about their feelings and deny it when others come up with it. But everyone else knows better.
Bonnie: You'll do it....for Elena (2x01)
Stefan: Because you feel something for her, because you actually care. (2x01)
Damon: There's nothing to talk about.
Stefan: That's not true, sure there is. I mean, are you in this car because you want to help your little brother save the girl that he loves or is it because you love her too? (2x08)
Damon: Keep it up Stefan. I can step out of helping as easily as I stepped in.
Stefan: No, that's the beauty of it. You CAN'T. (2x08)
(because when it's real, you CAN'T walk away)
Rose: He wants to care but when he does he runs away from it(2x12)
Andie: Love does that, it changes us.
Damon： Just stop talking. (2x13)
Caroline: Damon's gotten under your skin. Ugh. God. Just admit it, Elena! Okay! You are attracted to him and all of his bad brother glory! (3x04)
Bonnie: Was it good?
Elena: Doesn't matter, it won't happen again.
Bonnie: That means it was. (3x12)
Matt: Once you fall in love with someone, I don't think you can ever shake them. [3x16]
Stefan: I just want you to look me in the eye and tell me that you don't feel anything for him (3x18)
But, in the end, no matter how much they're trying to deny or to fight it, when it's real, you can't walk away. We may not know how season 3 will end, but we do know how season 2 ended, don't we?
Damon： I love you Elena, you should know that.
Elena: I do.
PS: i don't own the pictures, got them off tumblr. They're just so pretty to look at!
