So, this idea came to me while watching the promo for the next episode and I just had to write it, and this short one shot was created because of it. This is set after the prom.

Summary: Elena had never thought that her humanity would have been turned back on so easily. But, now it was apparent that it was. She wished nothing more than to have it turned off again. But, she knew that she was stuck with it now. And, it hurt like hell.

Disclaimer: I don't own TVD. If I did, then DE would be happy together without everyone and everything getting in between them and keeping them apart.

The Truth Will Set You Free, But It's Not Always Kind About It

"So, let me guess. You want to talk about what happened at prom," Elena said from her spot on Damon's bed as he walked into the room

She didn't even have to look up from painting her nails to know that Damon was frowning from where he stood at the door, which he hadn't even bothered to close. She smirked hearing his unneccessary breathing getting heavier and heavier with each and every breath he took. She'd struck a nerve with her actions and words from earlier that night and the feeling of satisfaction made itself well known throughout her body.

Twisting the cap on the nail polish, Elena stood up from the bed, placing her hands on her hips and asked, "Would you like to fuck out your anger, instead?" She gave him a sexy wink. "Cause' I'd rather skip right to it than talk about it. I'm sure you agree."

"I can't do this anymore," Damon spoke both ignoring and surprising her.

Well, that was unexpected. Usually, he didn't pass up on a chance at sex no matter what the reason for it was.

"I'm sorry. I didn't quite hear you," Elena lied having fully well heard what he said, she wasn't human anymore, and even if she was those words would have made themselves hearable.

"You heard me just fine, Elena," Damon said calling her out on her obvious lie. "I'm done."

Elena raised an eyebrow at him and questioned, "You're done?"

"You don't want the cure. You want to stay a vampire, that's fine, I can understand that. I don't want to force you to be something you don't want to be. But, staying a vampire without your humanity..." Damon trailed off and with each word Elena could hear the break in his voice.

"But, staying a vampire without my humanity what, Damon?" Elena asked.

Damon shook his head his way of saying that he was already passed that part. "I'm not going to stick around to see the rest of your apparent inevitable downfall. I love you too much to do that," Damon continued to speak his truth and he showed no signs of letting up on it.

Elena stood there frozen in place, not knowing what to say. Not a single word was coherent in her mind. Humanity or no humanity, this side of Damon was not failing to stun her into silence. She wasn't at all use to Damon speaking the truth in so many words. Usually, he kept his emotional speeches in 15 words or less. But, he wasn't now, so there was no way she could protest that he didn't mean any of it, and that he was just saying it because she was acting out and bringing it on herself.

"It sucks that it has to end this way. But you finally got what you wanted, Elena. I'm not going to try to force the cure on you. You're still your own person. You do what you want," Damon said in a tone of voice that made Elena want to rush over, grab onto him, and never let go.

"Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?"

"Because I am saying goodbye."

"Wait! You're really leaving?" Elena asked, shocked by what she was hearing, as her heart felt like it was sinking into her stomach.

"I thought that was implied by the word goodbye," Damon answered sarcastically.

Before she could stop herself, Elena exclaimed in protest, "But, you said you'd never leave me!" A moment later she added, "You promised me you'd never leave me again!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Elena, but promises are meant to be broken," Damon told her rather harshly.

Elena's voice started to break before she could stop it and she stuttered almost heartbreakingly, "But, but...you...you can't. You can't leave me!"

"Oh, but I can," Damon stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "And, I will."

"Are you trying to hurt me?" The question left her lips before she could even think of them. It's like she had no control over her own words anymore. It was like her mind was no longer in control of anything she said or did.

"I'm sorry, I thought you had no humanity anymore. You're not suppose to feel, so why on Earth would I try to hurt you when I know it won't do any good?"

And, just like that Elena was speechless. She honestly had no answer to that. Damon had a point. A point that made Elena want to go back in time a minute or so and just let Damon leave when he had first turned to leave. But, even if there was a time machine that could make that happen, Elena didn't think she'd be able to. What was going on with her? She was feeling things that she shouldn't all of a sudden. She wasn't suppose to feel.

"This isn't me," she thinks. "Well, not the new me."

This really wasn't her. She didn't feel any emotions now. She didn't have her humanity. She was humanityless. But, there was just something about the thought of Damon leaving her all alone and Damon's words that had hit her in a way that makes her think, maybe just maybe, her humanity was in fact still there and that it was returning. That it wanted to return and she was powerless to stop it.

And, then it happened.

One moment Damon was standing by the door, the next he was in front of her.

Elena looked up at him and opened her mouth to speak, but he put a finger against her lips, silencing her.

"Goodbye, Elena," Damon said softly and placed a kiss on Elena's forehead.

Then, just like that he was gone.

Elena stood there, unmoving for what felt like an eternity. Her brain was trying to process everything that had just happened. She tried as hard as she could not to care that Damon had left. But, no matter how hard she did try, she only felt worse. She had just pushed him away from her. She didn't have to be a genius, humanity or no humanity, to realize it.

As if she was hit by a freight train, Elena suddenly felt the pain that Jeremy's death caused, the guilt caused by the innocent lives she's taken since er humanity had been turned off, and the heartbreak of having just pushed away, possibly forever, the one person that she could always trust and that she really did love, but was just too blind for way too long to realize, come crashing down on her. It was overwhelming and she felt her eyes start to water and tears one by one fell from her face coming out more and more as the minutes passed.

Elena had never thought that her humanity would have been turned back on so easily. But, now it was apparent that it was. She wished nothing more than to have it turned off again. But, she knew that she was stuck with it now. And, it hurt like hell.

Yeah, so that turned out not too happily. My fingers had a mind of their own typing this. And, as a result it ended in angst. I figured it'd be a bit unrealistic if her humanity was turned back on and all was just forgiven and happy ever afterish.

Review?! All reviews are welcome!