"Elena did you.." Caroline widened her eyes as she added two and two, "flip the switch?"

"So what if I did, Care?" Elena walked over to Caroline, "it doesn't make much of a difference, just that I won't feel bad about being myself."

"Elena, this isn't you," Caroline put her hand on Elena's arm, "you're better than this."

"You know, Caroline," Elena said as she made her way towards the kitchen, "I like you better when you shut up."

"Woah, when did Elena get this awesome?" Kai entered the room, a tiny grin plastered on his face.

"See? He understands," Elena said as she raised her eyebrows and poured herself a glass of whiskey.

"Kai, you don't have to push her further or encourage her," Caroline said narrowing her eyes, "her humanity's off, and you're not helping."

"This is about Elena again," Kai shook his head and stepped closer to Elena, with a mischevious smile playing on his lips, "do you ever let the topic dart away from yourself?" he said jokingly.

"Me, me, me, me," Elena smirked smugly, as she pulled Kai closer and held him by his collar, "only me," she said proudly and let go of Kai, not even slightly disturbed by Kai's comment.

/ . / . / . / . /

"Where's Elena?" Elijah asked, entering Damon's bedroom.

"No idea," Damon turned towards Caroline and Stefan suspiciously, "I haven't seen her since..the morning."

"About that.." Stefan dragged on, hesitating to break the ice.
"She switched it off."

With that, Elijah sped towards the main gate as Elena was about to exit.

"Elena?" he called out to car, making her turn around. He noticed the difference in her looks. She looked..blank, but at the same time, there wasn't the usual emptiness in her eyes.

"Good morning, Elijah," she grinned. She didn't want to appear snarky in front of him, due to respect she had reserved for him, "going somewhere?"

"Good morning to you to, Elena," he greeted before turning to the main topic, "I heard about your humanity? Is it correct?"

"It is," she said, pursuing her lips.

"Will you tell me why you did it?" he demanded, and she shook her head in response.

"Well then.." he removed a hair strand from her face and looked her straight in the eye, preparing for compulsion, "tell me why you turned it off."

/./././

"You need to calm down," Bonnie said, trying to calm Damon down while she was panicked herself.

"She just turned it off," he spat, "how reckless."

He had gulped several tequila shots by now, and the loathe in his voice was increasing as time passed. He was angry, of course, but not only at Elena – but at himself, for even at a time like this, he was subconsciously thinking of Bonnie.

"Damon, no, look at me," she said, holding his warm face, "stop. She.. she probably had her reasons. You can't be like this forever. We'll find a way, okay? We'll get her back."

"I don't care, Bonnie," Damon said, keeping a straight face, as he removed Bonnie's hand from his face, "she wants to remain cold-hearted? I'll let her be. I couldn't care less, I mean, the girl wiped her memories with me away in a split second for god's sake! Why should I care?"

He knew he was lying, to himself, to Bonnie, and to everyone else. But did he really have a list of options? He didn't want to be like this.

"Damon," she held him by the collar, picking up authority in order to make him listen to her, "get a grip, okay?! You are not this person. We will get through this, no matter what you say. And if you think I'm going to listen to one more negative word from your mouth, then you are one second away from me burning your face off."

That certainly made him shut up.

/./././

"Oh, Elijah," Elena said, an acknowledging smile playing on her lips, "why would I tell you that?"

He was taken aback, but regained his composure when he realized Elena's system contained some vervain.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," she said, fixing a bobby pin, "I have places to be and people to eat."

Elijah didn't approve of this, but before he could say anything, she added, "just kidding. I'm no ripper unlike our Hero Hair."

/./././

"Stefan!" Caroline whined, "things are so intense right now, and you're playing on your phone? Seriously?"

"I'm just ..utilizing my free time," he replied, not looking at her, but the screen, "just a second," he said, and got up and turned around to face Caroline, "there you go."

"Can we leave now?" she asked him, "Damon has been missing since you decided to come clean about Elena's humanity. God, I swear, you and your brother are like the poles. So different. I don't get how you're related to him."

/./././

A/N: This chapter sort of revolved around Elena a bit, but there is a reason behind that.