After the encounter in the kitchen, Elena cleaned off her face and hands and began to think about what Damon had said. She knew that everything changed when she became a vampire, Stefan was the choice she made as a human because she had never intended to give up her humanity for Stefan. With the choice of humanity gone, was Stefan really the brother she wanted or was Damon right when he said she made the wrong choice? Before she had too long to think about it, Damon came down the stairs holding a duffel bag filled with what she assumed to be her clothes, but knowing Damon, it could very well be full of her sexiest undergarments.

"Are you ready to go Elena?" Damon asked, leaning in the kitchen doorway.

"I just need to call Jeremy, but yes, I'm ready to go," Elena sighed. She hated that she couldn't stay in her own house because she could potentially kill her little brother, but she knew that Damon would help her control her blood lust and before she knew it, she'd be back living a semi-normal life.

"You can call Jeremy from our place, I really should get you back to baby bro; he's probably worried sick. We wouldn't want to add anymore frown lines to Captain Broody now would we?" Damon laughed sarcastically. He hated mentioning Stefan because he knew that it would bring Elena back to Earth; the Earth in which she had chosen his baby brother over him.

"Yeah, right, I forgot about Stefan. I think he was with Caroline hunting, so I'm sure he's fine," Elena replied. "Let's just go, I don't want to risk Jeremy coming home and me going all angry vamp on him,"

"Your wish is my command," Damon smiled seductively. Elena smiled inwardly, thank God he was back to playful Damon; she could handle playful Damon. When Damon was emotional and sharing things with her that she knew he'd never share with anyone else, Elena couldn't help but let her heart open up a crack to the older Salvatore.

"Don't be an ass Damon," Elena playfully smacked his arm and felt the sparks fly between them. She quickly recoiled her hand and regretted her action, nothing between her and Damon was innocent anymore.

Damon noticed her visibly tense after her playful smack and he knew she felt what he felt. He had two options; take advantage of her discomfort or choose to ignore it in order to lighten the mood. Seeing as he'd already pushed her buttons today, he decided to leave it alone and opened the front door for her.

"After you, m'lady," Damon waved, gesturing towards the now open door.

Elena instantly relaxed, glad that Damon hadn't picked up on her discomfort. She turned back to look at her house, not knowing when she'd be able to call it her home again and sighed, this whole ordeal had been wearing her down little by little and she just wanted it all to be over. Part of her regretted making the transition, but she couldn't leave Jeremy alone, not after he lost so much and all at her fault. Before she could let that thought eat away at her, she turned and exited the house and walked towards Damon's car.

"Stefan, what's up? You seem broodier than usual," Caroline smiled. Stefan and her had become closer friends when he decided to help her complete her transition and stick to an animal-only diet, and she was thankful for him. She knew that he'd gone through a lot with Klaus and Elena, but things seemed to be better. Elena had chosen him and now she would live forever, Stefan should be happy.

"It's Elena, she's changing. She's trying so hard to make me happy but I can see it's making her miserable. I mean, she lied to me and went and fed on Damon behind my back. I don't blame her though, I know how hard it is to make this transition and I shouldn't have tried so hard to get her on the animal diet, I could see it wasn't working but I just don't want to see her hurt someone because I know she'll never forgive herself," Stefan sighed. He loved Elena so dearly and wanted to do his best to protect her, but he knew he couldn't protect her from everything. With her becoming a vampire, he started to realize that he may not be her first choice anymore. He was already seeing her change into something he could never be. She could learn to control her blood lust and be reckless, but never could and he knew that she would realize this sooner or later and grow bored of him.

"Stefan, Elena loves you, you know that. She's just stubborn and always wants to put others before herself; she probably assumed you'd be disappointed in her for trying the people diet. I know that you're not upset about her feeding on human blood, so what's the real issue?" Caroline could tell Stefan was hiding his true feelings from her and she hated to see him in pain, but she had an idea of what was bothering him; Damon. Stefan was worried that Elena would choose Damon now that she was a vampire. Caroline wished she could ease Stefan's worry, but she could see her friend clinging to Damon and Damon clinging to her. It was obvious there was chemistry there, and as much as she didn't like Damon, she just wanted her friend to be happy and if Damon was the guy, then he was the guy.

"Elena needs someone who can show her what it's like to be a vampire and I can't be that person. We've seen what happens when I lose control and I know that if I try to show Elena how to be a true vampire, it will send me off the edge again. I'm leaving Mystic Falls, Caroline; tonight. I need time to let Elena blossom into her own person and I need to figure out how I can be a part of her new life without losing myself and those that I care about. You can't tell Elena that we had this conversation, I promise to tell her I've gone. I'll come back, I just don't know when, please Caroline, don't tell her," Stefan begged. He knew that leaving would upset everyone, but he needed to go and figure out where he belonged, because right now, he didn't belong here with Elena. She was tempting him to give in to his blood lust, and that could never happen. He knew that Damon would take care of her, he always would. He wished he didn't have to leave, but it was what needed to be done.

Caroline wasn't shocked by Stefan's sudden need to leave Mystic Falls. She understood that Stefan was tempted to go back to drinking human blood and that Elena's transition wasn't making it any easier to control his urges. She knew that he would keep to his promise and come back, but she was worried to see what he would come back to. The last time he left, Elena's feelings for Damon had a chance to blossom and she knew that with Elena's heightened emotions, there was a good chance feelings would be explored once again. Caroline thought about it for a second and realized that was Stefan's reason for leaving, not because he was worried about losing control but because he knew that Elena needed to get Damon out of her system….or Stefan.

"I promise this stays between us, but Stefan, you know you might not come back to a waiting Elena, are you prepared for that?"

"Caroline, I've been prepared for that since I came back. I know what's going on between her and Damon, me being here or not here won't change what they have together," Stefan sighed. "Take care of her, please. I will call you once I'm settled somewhere. Be safe," Stefan hugged Caroline quickly before running off to gather some of his belongings and leave before Elena had the change to find him, he needed to do this.

It was a quick run to the boarding house and Stefan quickly grabbed some clothes and his journals. He then tore a page from one of the empty journals and wrote a note to Elena;

Dearest Elena,

I know that you won't understand why I am leaving today, but I want you to know that I will always love you. Being a vampire is going to be one of the most difficult things you do, and I can't help you when I can barely be one myself. Damon will help you and keep you safe. We will see each other again someday

Until then,

Love, Stefan

Stefan left the note on his bed and grabbed his belongings, taking one last look at his bedroom and sighing. He knew he would see her again someday, he just wasn't sure if she'd want to see him. Shaking off the thought, he got in his car and drove away, out of Mystic Falls and into the unknown.