AN: This chapter gets a little heavier. I don't like the fact the TVD overlooked Damon's treatment of Caroline, and I've decided to address it here.
Caroline slipped into the booth across from Elena. After Elena had called Caroline had suggested breakfast at the diner. Some things were better said face to face.
"I'd just like to state, for the official record, that I did not intend to keep this from you for so long."
"Then why did you?" Elena asked tugging the hem of her blouse back into place. "Why did you wait? I had no idea that you were seeing someone." Elena peered at her through widened eyes; searching for an answer before the tears behind her eyes threatened to spill over. She commanded them to stay at bay and glanced towards the waitress now pouring their coffee. "How could I not notice that you were seeing someone?" Elena whispered around the lump forming in her throat.
"I'm sorry Elena," Caroline took Elena's hand across the table. "I wanted to tell you; I did. I tried to tell you, but you had just found out about Katherine and D-Damon and I couldn't bring myself to tell you."
Elena's eyes were glued to their hands joined on the table while Caroline babbled. She only looked up when Damon's name was mentioned: stuttered.
"You didn't want to pile on top of everything else that I was going through," Elena surmised pouring cream and sugar into her coffee. "You didn't want to flaunt your new relationship over my failed one."
Caroline nodded and squeezed her hand tightly. "I'm sorry."
"Just make sure that next time you'll tell me sooner," Elena begged looking into her friends eyes. "Whenever something big happens in your life I want to know about it. I don't care what I'm going through you tell me," she asserted gripping Caroline's hand. "OK?"
"OK."
Their conversation was put on hold as Maggie came over to take their order. She had been serving them at the diner for year and they always made a point to chat with her whenever they saw her. She was the grandmotherly sort who would bring you pie when you were upset.
"The usual today, girls?" Maggie asked already jotting it down on the notebook she carried everywhere. She smiled and slipped them a couple of butterscotch candies when they nodded.
"Thanks Maggie." Caroline nodded picking up her candy and popping it in her mouth. It didn't matter how old they got Maggie always slipped them candy on the side.
"I have a question Caroline," Elena smirked around her own candy. "And given how you hid your boyfriend for so long I'd like a straight answer." She waited for Caroline to nod in assent before taking a deep breath. "Why did you stutter over Damon's name?"
Elena wanted to know. Now that she thought about it she couldn't remember the last time she had heard her friend say his name; or text it for that matter.
"If I tell you," Caroline began slowly murmuring over the creamers. "If I tell you I need you to promise me you won't freak out." She waited for Elena to nod her assent. "And that you will never bring this up again in the vicinity of my mother."
Elena squinted at her but nodded nonetheless. Why would I talk about this with Liz?
"D-Da-," Caroline took a deep breath before continuing in a hushed voice. "He and I 'dated' for a month in high school."
"You and D- him?" Elena questioned. To say she was surprised was an understatement Caroline would hardly look at Damon in high school. "When exactly did this happen?"
Caroline began silently stacking the coffee creamers into a pyramid. Elena was beginning to think Caroline wouldn't answer, but then she raised her head to meet Elena's gaze.
"It was sophomore year," she whispered with a misty look. She seemed lost in a memory.
"You only dated one guy sophomore year," Elena thought back and became lost in the past as well. "Oh Caroline," she gasped reaching for her friends hand again. "If you had told me I never would have looked twice at him."
She could remember sophomore year. She remembered Caroline coming to her house covered in bruises. She remembered the bone chilling conversation; how Caroline had recounted her first sexual experience with the guy she had been seeing, the guy who Caroline had refused to name. Caroline had been too mortified to tell her mom; to terrified to tell the Sheriff. And Elena had helped her to hide the bruises.
You can't tell anyone Elena, the words echoed in her brain. It was like she was back in her childhood bedroom. She could hear Caroline's broken sobs, and her own promise to never speak of it again.
"I'm so sorry Caroline," Elena began.
"Don't apologize," Caroline hiccupped wiping away a stray tear. "You had no way of knowing. We were still new friends, and you knew I didn't like him – I made no real attempts to hide it." Caroline babbled. "I didn't think you would believe me. And then you found him cheating with Bonnie and dumped him…"
"You didn't think it would ever come up again?" Elena guessed. "Care," Elena waited until she had her undivided attention and continued. "You are my best friend Caroline Forbes. It doesn't matter what you tell me, I will always believe you."
Caroline smiled weakly.
"And now I want you to believe me," Elena informed her. "Believe me when I say that the next time I lay eyes on Damon Salvatore I'm going to break his nose."
The declaration had the desired effect in drawing a giggle from Caroline.
"Elena –"
"No Care," Elena cut her off. The joking tone was gone and her voice was slowly rising in volume. "I promised I wouldn't tell your mother. I know you're not going to press charges because you don't want to dive into the past again. You can't relive it I understand, but he will not get away with this Care."
Maggie chose that moment to deliver their meals, and two slices of apple pie.
