The show continues to let these little "missing scenes" remain possible...so the game (such as it is) remains afoot...
The morning after "Plan B"...
Damon was waiting outside of Elena's home as she left in the morning. The tears he had seen the previous evening were gone. She didn't glare or even look annoyed at him as she had in the past, she just sighed.
"Please don't make this harder for me Damon," she said, not stopping.
"Not why I'm here, Elena. Still just keeping an eye on you while the crazy vampire bitch wreaks havoc."
She did stop and turn to him then. "Is that really necessary? She's won. Doesn't that mean anything?"
Damon smirked. "What do you think she's won, Elena?"
"She split us up. It's what she wanted."
Damon shook his head. "No, Elena. Not that she's told me anything, but she told Stefan she wanted him. She told the werewolf she wanted the Moonstone. She doesn't have either."
Elena closed her eyes and shook her head. "You're making this harder. I don't have either of those. Won't she leave me alone?"
"If they really are what she wants, you are the common thread. You hold the heart of both of us that do have what she wants."
"Damon, I can't take this." She said desperately. "Just give it to her."
Damon just looked at her. "Do you mean the rock…or Stefan?"
Elena sat down and buried her head into her heads. "I don't know what to do. I can't stop her."
"Elena, you don't have to."
She looked up at him. "You think she'll stop?"
Damon shook his head. "No, but you don't have to stop her. You think she won because she discovered your ruse and got to Jenna. But that's not all that happened."
Elena looked at him, waiting.
"Bonnie, who hates me – me and Stefan – helped us take out the werewolf. Do you know why?"
"Stefan convinced her to help?" Elena asked.
"No. She wanted no part of it until we convinced her that Mason was a threat to you."
Elena was still sitting, processing what he had said, when he continued.
"Alaric was in before, now that she has gotten to Jenna, he'll be even more in. Jeremy is in, no matter what you say. He has the ring, but he knows you're vulnerable. Caroline is helping, as afraid of Katherine as she is. We will not let her get to you."
Elena stood now, desperation still showing on her face. "But it's not just about me, Damon. She can hurt anyone I care about."
"Which is why we're not playing defense anymore," Damon said, his face reflecting the seriousness of his words. "Not when you are her target."
"Damon, no."
"Elena, yes. Maybe we went too far taking out the werewolf, but Katherine's too close to you. We're not waiting to see who else she can hurt to get to you."
Elena shook her head. "Please, Damon….no. I can't risk any of you."
"We're already at risk, Elena. Stefan, Caroline, Jeremy, Bonnie, even me."
Elena gave Damon a desperate look.
Damon turned to walk away. "Waiting's not my style, and for once, I'm not alone. We're going after her. She's not getting so close to you again."
Elena watched him walk away, finally whispering "Please be careful," just before he was out of sight.