A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Sorry I'm a day late. My youngest wasn't feeling very well, and she literally would not let me put her down all day. So I never got to touch my computer. Hopefully this chapter is worth the wait!

Enjoy!

DPOV

Early the next morning I was picking up the trash in the Gilberts yard and trying my best to hose down the vomit. I was furious with Elena, so I wasn't doing this for her, I was doing it for her parents. They were amazing people who didn't deserve to have their house trashed.

I prayed that Elena woke up last night and realized she was being a complete fool. She's changed, and not in a good way. I don't even recognize her anymore. And I'm not talking about her appearance. It's her insides. The way she's acting. She's like a stranger.

I don't think Elena's parents were going to be home until tomorrow, but with how bad the house looked, it'd take an entire day just to clean. I threw the trash bags in the garbage can, taking one last scan to make sure the yard looked decent.

I made my way inside, knowing it was probably going to be awkward or hostile. But I was going to be the better person and help make the house look presentable.

When I walked in, I found Jeremy moping the floor. "It's a sticky mess in here," Jeremy sighed.

"Where's Elena?" I asked.

"She's in my parent's room," he informed me.

I walked upstairs, to see what kind of damage was done upstairs.

I found Elena stripping the bedding off her parents' bed and throwing it in a corner. She was still dressed in the sweatshirt from last night. And trust me, it didn't go unnoticed to me that Tommy was wearing that earlier, just minutes before I left.

Elena glanced at me with a frustrated look. "What do you want? Come to lecture me some more?"

"I cleaned up the yard," I said adjusting the picture frames on the nightstand that got knocked over. "I came to help."

She was silent as she continued stacking plastic cups and throwing them in a trash bag.

"Are you seriously mad at me?" I finally asked after the silence. "I didn't do anything."

"You called the cops!" She stood up straight, raising her voice. "You ruined everything." ``

"Look in the mirror Elena!" I shouted back. "I don't even know who you are anymore!"

"What?" She snorted. "How come you're allowed to go to parties, and smoke pot, drink and have sex but I'm not?"

"Because it's not you!" I crossed the room so I could grab her. I don't know why I thought I could shake her into believing it, because it was too late. She was too far gone.

"So, I'm just supposed to be the dorky girl who has no friends? Is that what you want? For me to be alone?" Her eyes filled with angry tears. "Maybe you're just jealous that I don't need you anymore!"

Now she was just being mean. "The Elena I knew was way cooler than this one," I said calmly, leaving before it got ugly.

She was hot on my heels following me down the stairs. "You turned me into this! Don't forget that." I had one hand on the door about to leave. "You wanted me like this, admit it!"

I turned to face her. "I wanted you to have fun, let loose." I explained. "I wanted you to have a beer. Make out with a guy. I didn't want you to become this self-centered person that dates the biggest douche of the century!"

"This is about Tommy?" She scoffed. "Nothing is wrong with Tommy. He has been amazing!"

"I know Tommy," I reminded her. "He's a womanizer. I bet he has ten other girls on the side!"

"You're an ass!" She whipped the fallen tears from her eyes.

"I'm just telling you the truth," I shrugged.

"Like you're one to talk!" She stepped closer to me. "Every time you and Rebekah broke up, you were sleeping with someone else."

"At least we were broken up," I pointed out. "Just give it some time. I'm sure you'll see the real Tommy soon. But more than anything I hope you see yourself. Because I don't like the person you're becoming."

"Said the snitch," she sneered. "Calling the cops seems out of character for you."

"Damon didn't call the cops," Jeremy interrupted us from the kitchen.

Elena spun around to face Jeremy, who came walking towards her. "It was out of control. Damon's right Elena… You're not… you." Jeremy gave her a look, before heading upstairs.

"I'm going to go," I finally spoke. Elena was still turned facing away from me. "I hope you find yourself Elena," I tried sounding sincere, but it just sounded hopeless.

"I have found myself!" She snapped turning to face me. "And I like who I am."

I nodded slowly. "Well, it was nice knowing you then."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She flinched.

"I can't stand around and watch," I put my hand on the door handle, but still remained facing her. "It's tragic."

This time home was miserable for me. I just wanted to go back to Texas already. Every day I was reminded of the fact that my best friend was no longer who I thought she was. I had to see her house, I had to see her car, see her walk in and out of her house. Even our bedroom windows faced each other.

I was so angry with her. Because she was so blind to the damage, she was causing herself. I hoped that she was at least doing well in school, because I feared that if she flunked out, she'd just head down a more destructive path.

Part of me blamed myself. It all started when I made the comment that she didn't know how to have fun. I put it in her head that she needed to change. But that's not what I wanted to happen. I just wanted her to experience it a little. Instead, she got lost in it.

When I saw her with Tommy… I lost it. He was the biggest man whore I knew, and unless he's made major changes, he's going to break her heart. I had many football camps with him back in the day and he had a serious girlfriend along with a lot of side chicks too. He'd brag about it to all his buddies. And it was no secret that he was able to act like Casanova to get them into bed with him, in mere seconds.

Just watching him grope her in the kitchen made me want to vomit. My stomach burned and the blood pumped through out my veins. I was ready to beat the shit out of him.

The realization that I loved her made my jealousy more obvious. But I wasn't in love with Tommy's girl. No. I didn't like that version of Elena. I would've never given her a second thought if I met her that way. She was selfish, a wanna be, a walking cliché.

I was in love with my Elena. The one that came out in glimpses the other night when she slept over. The one I've known my entire life. The dorky one. The funny one. The unique one.

Sure, she could be uptight sometimes, and maybe a little too controlled, but that's what I liked. She was always about doing the right thing and the good thing. She kept me grounded. And now that she wasn't there to keep me on two feet, I felt rocky and unsteady. I felt lost.

I had been sitting on the room of my floor, bouncing a bouncy ball against the wall repeatedly. I was lost in my thoughts when Stefan knocked on my door.

"Mom's wondering if you want steak tomorrow night, or ribs?" Stefan stood in the doorway.

Oh right. The time our families get together before I leave. Technically I left the morning after tomorrow, but it was super early, so we were going to have dinner the night before. "I actually have to get back earlier than I thought," I lied. "Mom will have to cancel."

"You can tell her," Stefan crossed his arms. "I don't want to find out how accurate the phrase, kill the messenger is."

I nodded my head as I dug out my phone, hoping I'd be able to find a flight home as soon as I possibly could. At some point Stefan must have left while I found a flight back to Texas. Unfortunately, it was going to have to leave at three in the morning and I'd have a long lay over in Omaha, which made no sense. But if that meant I got to leave sooner, I would take it.

I hadn't left before without saying goodbye to Elena, until this time. For the first time I didn't want to say goodbye. And it wasn't to punish her, it was purely for me. I didn't want to watch her circle the drain any longer than I already have. And I'm sure she'd be fine without seeing me. She already moved on to another life. She's hardly made time for me as it is. And I don't blame her. She has new friends. She has a boyfriend. She doesn't need me anymore.

My mother was not happy with me. I had to lie and tell her it was the Army asking me to come back early, because if she found out the truth, she wouldn't let me go. I got Stefan to step away from Caroline for a few hours so that he could drive me to the airport.

"What's wrong with you?" Stefan asked, after a long time of silence.

"What do you mean?" I stretched out in the passenger seat, still exhausted from the few minutes of sleep I got.

"You've been different this time home," Stefan noticed. "Moody, depressed… Is everything ok? I mean… in the Army?"

"Yeah," I cleared my throat. "Nothing to be concerned about little brother, don't worry."

"So, it's at home then," he observed. "Rebekah?"

"Haven't seen her," I sighed, wishing he'd let it go.

"Is that why you're bothered?" He pressed.

"Stefan," I said sternly.

"What? Just because I've been preoccupied with Caroline doesn't mean I haven't noticed. So, since were forced to be in the car for another thirty minutes together, why don't you entertain me," he tried.

I took a deep breath as I rolled my eyes, "It's Elena… She's different."

"I've noticed," he nodded. "She's having fun. She looks carefree and happy."

"She's also being completely irresponsible, and reckless."

I noticed Stefan peek at me from the corner of his eye, like he was trying to read me. "I guess I haven't paid close enough attention. Do you think she's in trouble?"

"No. I think she's acting like any college kid would. But that's not her. And I…" I was still trying to figure out what bothered me the most. "I just hope that deep down she doesn't lose who she is at the core."

"It's Elena," Stefan reminded me. "I think she'll figure it out."

"Yeah," my voice sounded unconvinced. I looked out the window into the pitch black, as we passed streetlights. The world seemed vacant at night. There were hardly any cars on the road, and it was oddly quiet. The night seemed to match my mood.

I had friends… lots of them. But without Elena, it felt extremely lonely. The thought of her being different made me realize how much that influenced my life. Without her, my life was going to look a lot different.

"I'll look out for her, while you're gone," he spoke into the silence.

My arm was resting on the side door, as I absentmindedly fiddled my fingers to the quiet music filling the car.

"Damon," Stefan tried getting my attention.

"Hmm?" I looked over at him.

"Did you hear me?" He asked.

"She's gone Stefan," I spoke quietly. "Don't bother."

Stefan's face was serious. He looked worried. For me? For Elena? I wasn't sure. But wither way he had reason to be worried. Our childhood friend was a different person now. Someone I didn't recognize.

The rest of the way we were silent, before Stefan pulled up to the drop off section in the airport. "Hey Damon," Stefan stopped me, before I grabbed my small bag out of his car. "What do you want me to say to her?"

I opened the door throwing my backpack over my shoulder. I leaned one hand on top of the car, as I looked at Stefan. "About what?"

"I know you didn't tell her goodbye," He mentioned. "And you're about to be deployed to the Middle East."

"She doesn't even know," I shrugged. I Stepped up onto the curb, as Stefan got out of the car.

"You didn't tell her?" He walked around to stand in front of me.

"She'll be fine," I put my hands on Stefan's shoulders, ready to get this last goodbye over. "So, are we going to make this all weepy and awkward, or can we just hug, and you save the tears for the car ride home alone?"

Stefan chuckled lightly, "I won't be nearly as bad as mom."

"I hope not," I grimaced. "I thought dad was going to have to get some tools to pry her off of me."

Stefan pulled me in for a strong hug, that was quick but held all the brotherly love. "Be safe," he breathed.

"I will," I promised. "Be extra annoying to mom and dad to make up for my absence."

Stefan chuckled again as he pulled away and gave one last somber smile, before I entered the airport.

This is exactly what I needed. A distraction. Distance. And time. I only hoped that when I returned, a miracle would occur.

A/N: What are your thoughts? What do you think will happen next? Will Elena make some changes? Will she be upset that Damon left without saying goodbye? Will Damon enjoy being overseas? Will he come home...? Let me know your predictions, I love reading them! Have a happy Halloween, and I will see you next week ;)