"Vampire Diaries" fans were heartbroken at the end of last season when series lead Nina Dobrev announced on Instagram that she decided to leave the show. Although Dobrev already officially left The CW show, that doesn't mean she won't ever appear again. CW president Mike Pedowitz told reporters at The CW's Television Critics Association panel on Tuesday that the actress is welcome to come back.

"We would have loved Nina to stay," Pedowitz said. "She did a great job for the six years she was on the show. She is welcome back any time she wants to come back."

However, the return of Dobrev might not happen to soon. In the Season 6 finale, Dobrev's character Elena was cursed to be asleep for as long as Bonnie, played by Kat Graham, is alive. The ending was written to allow Dobrev to return, but show runner Julie Plec previously hinted that she wouldn't come back until the very end, reported International Business Times.

Dobrev said she was "very torn" about leaving the series she was on for six seasons, according to People magazine.

"I was very aware of how lucky I am - and how lucky I've been over the past six years - to have this incredible family, and very aware of how much I'm going to miss them," she said.

While she was scared to leave the show, she knew it was inevitable.

"The fairy tale has to end, and the next chapter has to begin," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "I knew this was my time, and I'm excited for the next step."