Party and Promises

The girls walked into the sorority house and went straight to the drinks. Caroline asked Rebekah to wait with her by the door so she could see Tyler when he came, and she agreed. Rebekah saw her brothers talking to some girls. Klaus looked bored still and Kol was having a field day with all the women around. Caroline kept checking her phone to see the time and didn't see when Tyler walked in.

"Waiting on a call?"

"Tyler! I was checking the time again. You're late." She said with a smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt him squeeze her roughly, but not enough for anyone to notice.

"It's not my fault you chose a campus full of idiots, and what are you wearing? Do you want to look like a whore?"

"I wore it for you. Tyler please not here. I didn't do anything."

"Whatever Caroline. I'm getting a beer." He said as he let go of her and went towards the keg. Caroline took a minute to make sure no one noticed before putting a smile back on her face and turning to Rebekah.

"What was that all about?"

"What?"

"He looks like he's mad."

"He just had a hard time finding this place, and he's been setting up his dorm the last couple days. He had to drive for a while to get here. He'll be better later."

"Is he staying?"

"He brought some of his friends so he wouldn't be driving back drunk."

"Good. Listen, I'm going to go dance. Want to come with me?"

"I have to wait on Tyler or he'll think I'm flirting with the other guys. Give me 5 minutes and I'll be there."

"Okay. See you out there." Rebekah replied as she started working her way to the dance area. Caroline made her way over to Tyler and did her best to pull him to the dance floor. He gave her a look before accepting and following her. She excitedly pointed out Rebekah and told him about how glad she was to see her again. After a couple hours, Tyler was starting to sway from the drinking and Caroline told Rebekah that she needed to help him find his friends, but she would meet her back at the dorm. Rebekah set out to look for her brothers, while Caroline led Tyler outside.

"Tyler, where did you tell everyone to meet you?"

"I have to text them when I want to leave."

"Why don't you do that, and I'll help you get there?"

"What makes you think I'm ready to leave yet?"

"Tyler you're drunk."

"And I drove all the way out here to see you. The least you could do is give me something for my troubles."

"Tyler, we can't out here and Rebekah was heading back to the dorm."

"I'm sure we can find somewhere private." He said as he grabbed her arm tightly and started tugging her towards the back of a building. She looked around and could see people walking around. She tried to not let anyone see what was happening. When they were at the side of the building, he pushed her against the wall.

"Tyler, not tonight; not here." She rasped from the pain of hitting the wall. He pounded both his fist against the wall next to her and she bit her lip to keep from screaming. "Tyler please."

"Please what Caroline? You know how upset you get me. You do it on purpose. You asked me to come here to that pathetic party, you dress like a slut and say it's for me, you make me dance with you while I'm trying to drink just to get me riled up and then you say you don't want it." He said as he moved his hands down to her shoulders to shake her before pushing her against the wall again.

"Tyler I didn't do anything. Just stop it, you're hurting me."

"You always make me hurt you Caroline. Why do you have to fight me on everything?" He hissed as he pulled her head back with her hair and looked at her.

"Tyler please, not tonight. I'm tired; I moved everything into the dorm today and got it all unpacked and we just danced for hours. We'll see each other in a couple weeks and we'll have a better place then. Just please not tonight."

"Fine, I'll see you in two weeks." He said as he released her hair and pushed her against the wall. "You've been like this for months Caroline; ever since you got pregnant. I told you I didn't want a baby, but you just weren't smart enough to keep that from happening."

"Tyler you made me lose the baby."

"You should have listened to me then. You didn't and you paid the consequences. I didn't want to hurt you and I still don't, but you won't listen to me; you just keep fighting against me. You're only hurting yourself. Just don't forget that I was the only one to pick you instead of your precious friend Elena. No one will ever love you like I do."

"I love you too Tyler. I'm sorry okay? Let's just find your friends so they can take you home, okay?"

"I don't need your help. I'll find them on my own." He said before he kissed her roughly and pushed her against the wall again before walking away. Caroline took a couple breaths before falling to the ground, silently crying. She heard footsteps coming towards her from around the building and stood quickly, wiping her eyes before trying to walk out of there.

"Caroline?"

"Oh, you're Rebekah's brother. Is she back at the dorm?"

"I would assume so. Kol walked her back. Mind telling me why you put up with that?"

"What?"

"Don't play dumb with me Caroline; I was walking towards the front when that guy pulled you back here. I ducked out of sight, but there isn't another way to get where I needed to go, but past you guys."

"Don't tell Bekah." She said as she tried to turn and walk away again.

"You need out of that relationship. He's just going to keep going until one of you is dead."

"He's not always like that. It looks worse than it is."

"No it doesn't. I won't say anything to my sister, but you shouldn't wait around for him to change."

"He's been through a lot, okay?"

"Is that why he made you lose your baby?"

"You heard that?"

"Yes."

"I wouldn't get an abortion and we were in high school. His dad was mayor, but when he died, Tyler's mom took over. He was thinking of what would happen if everyone knew that the mayor's son knocked up the sheriff's daughter."

"How did he do it?"

"I don't want to talk about it, okay? It just happened, but it's over now. He's getting better and he'll get back to how he was soon."

"You're an idiot if you believe that."

"No, I just don't give on people I love. It means I care." She said as she turned away again and walked away. Klaus ran after her; he wasn't going to let her walk back alone after the night she had.

"Listen, it's not my business, but I'll make you a promise love. I won't say anything to anybody about it, but if he doesn't get better or he gets worse will you get help?"

"I don't need help."

"Yes, you do, but I just said I wouldn't say anything. What happens if he does that again and someone else sees? What if my sister saw it? If Kol had been the one to see you two, he would have ran to Rebekah first thing."

"Why does it matter to you? You don't know me or anything, so just don't get involved."

"You're right; I don't know you, but my sister does. You're her roommate and friend; I won't have caught in the crossfire from you two."

"She won't be unless you tell her. She didn't like him in school, so I know she'd probably go to the cops if she knew. My mom is the sheriff and I don't want to see her go against him and his mother. His mother and my mother have been friends since they were in school together. I can handle it, so just don't think on it."

"That's not a problem love. Like I said, it's not my business." He said as they reached the building she was in. "You should be good from here. Do yourself a favor and be careful."

"Thanks for walking me back here. You didn't have to. And thanks for agreeing to keep quiet about what you saw."

"I haven't yet. I want you to promise that you'll get help if it gets worse or doesn't stop."

"I can't give up on him."

"I understand you care about him, but is it worth your life?" He asked seriously and she shook her head while holding back tears. "Then will you get help?"

"If I need to I will, but I won't have to. I better get inside and get some sleep. Class starts early for me in the morning."

"Same here. Goodnight Caroline and it was good meeting you too."

"Goodnight Klaus." She said as she walked inside. She went upstairs and gathered everything for a shower, hoping there would be a free one to use. She would have to figure out when no one would be in there so she could shower the next few days. She looked down at her arm and saw that it was already trying to bruise. She gathered a long sleeve shirt to use instead of a tank top, even though they were having a heat wave. When she walked into the shower room, she was thrilled that no one was in there. She put her clothes in the booth and put her towel on the hook outside the stall before stepping into the shower and turning it on. After showering, she wrapped the towel around her and stepped out towards the mirrors. She started dressing and noticed her back was sorer than she realized. She turned to look at it and noticed the wall had scraped her and she was starting to bruise back there as well. She quickly finished dressing and drying her hair to go back to her room. When she got there, Rebekah was still asleep in the same spot as when Caroline had come and got her clothes. Caroline turned on a book light and reviewed her schedule so she could put the right books in her bag for the next day before setting her clock and lying down herself.