Stefan does "love" Elena, but his love for katherine is MUCH stronger, no matter how many times he denies it.

stefan wishes katherine WAS everything elena is.

I think Stefan loves Katherine but because he was hurt by her he's using Elena as a fill in.

I think Stefan loves Elena. but like what others have said Stefan was drawn to Elena because she looks like Katherine. Damon just liked her for who she is.

these SE fans.you guys they say that stefan loves elena but yet he didn't do anything to stop klaus from taking her and their excuse is that he couldn't do anaything or klaus will kill him,um damon went to klaus in person not only that he pissed him off by telling him that he screwd up his plan and that's laidies and gentalmean IS LOVE and not the idea of her like stefan,i'm not a stefan or a stelena fan and i was pissed at stefan as hell i mean he just shruged when said"the i will be dead"and het took for a freaking hihk and just closed his eyees are for real,he could have hide her or fight klaus when he came to take elena but no he just stood there such corwed,i agree he only love the idea of elena not her.

you r damn right bones45 caus if stifan was love her as stelena fans says he had to stop klaus , and that in my o pinion is a selfish thing ,he couldnt stop hem caus he fraid to get killed , but if it was damon he wouldnt leave hem take her of caurs , and thats why i prefer damon caus he is ready to lose his live for the woman he loves ,and go team delena for ever

Stefan is in luv wid kat & stalked elena for months with the intentio of using her as kat s replacement, he does not love her even though he says so. Damon is the one who truly loves elena for who she is

Oh lord lol this many people think Stefan doesn't love Elena? o_O

I think Damon and Stefan both love her for who she is but at the same time love her in very different ways (as we've seen recently...).

I think Stefan does love Elena, but in a completely different way from Damons love. Stefans love for Elena has limits, where as Damons love for her is unconditional. Take when Klaus came to get her for example - Stefan backed down (understandable - he would have died) where as when Damon saw Elijah rip out those two vamp hearts in 2x10 and he stood up, and was willing to die for her.

In fact he was willing to die so that Elena wouldn't turn into a vamp. He wanted to postpone the ritual. He would have died just to save Elena those 30 days. Stefan has more of a 'passive' love for her.

I don't think Stefan really see's Elena for who she is. She has a dark side, just as she has a light side, but Stefan more or less keeps a perfect picture of Elena, with no flaws. I don't think he really *gets* Elena, but I do think he loves her. It's just a little bit tainted.

Stefan loves Elena because of. Damon loves Elena inspite of

100 % this

Like seriously.

I completely agree with SpuffyDelena. It's actually one of the main themes in the later seasons. One of the best moments that show this is Stefan's hallucination about Elena in 5x01.

I wrote this a year ago.. and everything i want to say is explained in this!
link

Lol, oh the irony. Looks like it was the other way round all along.