This missing scene occurs the day after The Descent…
Elena was still worried about Damon. He had pushed her away the previous night, and she wanted to make sure he knew she was there for him.
It took her a little while to find him when she started looking. She had to get Stefan to give her some space, but he was willing.
He wasn't at the boarding house. Actually, she found him near her home. She wondered if he had been hiding from her. She approached him tentatively.
"Damon, do you need to talk about Rose?"
The vampire's face remained blank. "No, Elena. That's done. Nothing to say."
She was glad he didn't just walk away from her. "I know you're hurting Damon."
He looked annoyed now. "You knew that yesterday. Got anything new?"
"Don't push it away, Damon. Don't push me away. It helps to talk about it."
He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Nothing helps."
"I can't imagine having to do what you did to someone I cared about. But you had to, for her. I know it still hurts, but the pain makes us what we are."
"What am I, Elena?" His face was hard, but she didn't flinch.
"You're getting your humanity back. Don't give up now."
"I'm not human. That was stolen from me 150 years ago by the bitch in the tomb."
"But you still have humanity in you," the girl argued, "just like Stefan, just like Rose."
"Rose? She wanted to be human, but she wasn't. Look at what she did."
Elena flinched at the thought. "I know Damon, but she still had humanity. She was sorry for the killing. She said she never liked it."
Damon continued to stare at her, not softening. "She did say that. Lost her mind for a little, then regretted what she did. But before she went insane she kidnapped you to turn you over to die. I guess there are humans that would do that."
Elena let a breath out, closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead with one hand ."Stefan still has his humanity," she said before looking at him again.
"Stefan lives in the land of pretend. It worked, until he got a taste of your blood."
"That wasn't his fault," she argued. "We got him back to normal, me and you. You helped me and he's fine now."
"No, Elena. He was able to keep pretending until trouble came to town. Then he started drinking blood again. Maybe it is just a little every day but it's who he is."
"He's controlling it Damon, and you're the one who told me he needed it."
The vampire continued to hold her eyes. "I told you the truth Elena. And I'm telling it to you again – he's not human. Neither am I."
"At least he wants his humanity."
"He wants you."
Elena could not believe what this discussion had become. "He was this way before I met him, Damon. He wasn't pretending. Maybe you are, but not him."
Damon's expression finally did soften slightly as he shook his head. "No, Elena. I've never pretended. What I do for you is because I care about you. I want you safe and will do whatever it takes."
She continued to look at him, trying to come up with a response, when he spoke again. "You and those you care about are safe around me Elena. That hurts enough. I don't need anymore pain."
"I'm sorry about Rose, Damon." She said quickly, not sure what he meant. "I'm sorry you had to do that."
"Not your fault."
She looked at him desperately now. "Please don't give up. You can do this. I know it's hard…"
"No, Elena. You don't know. It's who you are, who you always have been. Maybe it's who Stefan is, but not me."
"But you can do this, just like he can."
"Stefan has you, Elena."
That made her pause. "I'll still help you with this. You know I will."
Damon nodded and turned to leave. "I know you will. I know you'll do all you can, Elena. It's who you are."
She let him walk away from her, not really understanding what he meant, but worrying.