"He's my brother and he's had to deal with things much stronger than him trying to kill him," she insisted. "And he has no family left except me."

It wasn't a matter of him needing a parental figure. He needed her, and she needed him.

Elena finished off her drinks in an attempt to calm her anger, putting each glass down a bit harder than she likely should. "I can just leave you alone, Damon. Is that what you want?"