Chapter 4
Caroline's truth
Caroline's POV
"Hey, sweetie, are you ready to go back to school today?"
"Yeah, no, maybe" I trailed off
"It's okay if you aren't ready, Alaric is going to be your protective detail, he's taking his new position of safeguarding very seriously"
"I'm ready to tell you who did this to me" I whispered. My mom suddenly went into Sheriff-mode and sat me down with my school bag. "Do you need Camille here?"
"I think so, yes" I spoke, so quietly. Mom handed me her phone and I pressed
quick dial for Camille. "Caroline, it's good to hear from you, is something wrong?"
"No…. but I'm ready to tell mom, I need my sturdy therapist at my side"
"I'll be there in five minutes, Caroline, I am proud of you for taking this step"
Camille hung up. "Can I put my laundry in the wash, I'm nervous and ready to stress-clean?"
"Only until Camille gets here" I rolled my eyes but didn't deviate from the task ahead.
I finished putting in my laundry with two minutes to go. I did my calming technique in the kitchen and jumped when mom put her hand on my shoulder. "Do you want your stress balls, she's here"
"Yes, please, mom. I'm ready" I took a calming breath 'inhale, 12345, exhale, 54321' I kept doing the breath work until I felt calm enough to sit down.
Damon's POV
I looked at the address that Stefan gave me before wham! the son of a bitch sucker-punched me. "What the hell was that for?!" I yelled as he looked ready to punch me again. "You bit Caroline, left bite marks on her! And you couldn't have taken away her fear, I never thought you were a mind rapist, Damon, if you have ever compelled Elena, so help me, not even Elena could save me from killing you! You do not compel away a woman's free will to consent to sex, not just from boredom!"
"Ha, you did worse as the ripper! So don't go all goody-two shoes on me, Saint Stefan!" He grabbed my shirt and pushed me back against the bookcase "I have never mind-raped anyone, not even as the ripper!" Stefan glared at me, and I looked down in shame. He walked away and I wanted to cry.
Caroline's POV
"I was so pleased that someone slightly older was paying attention to me, like Stefan, I really liked Stefan at first, but then he told me albeit kindly that we were never going to happen. I saw that he was enamoured with Elena, sweet, good, and kind Elena. I saw what she's really like, last night"
"Caroline, you said someone slightly older, was the boy, a man?"
"Damon Salvatore raped me, bit me, then he compelled me to be a good obedient walking blood-bag, I want him gone, away from Elena, away from me, you can't put him in jail, you can't bring him to account because as much as I want justice, he's a vampire, he needs to realise that I am no longer his to feed from" I could see mom concede, but I knew inside she was raging. She took my hand as she was crying. "Mom, please don't cry, I know you think you failed me, but you didn't, Damon did this, not you. I love you, mom" She threw her arms around me and whispered "I love you too, Care, my baby girl" Camille was emotional as she took in the scene before her.
"He treated you badly, Caroline, I want you to say to yourself 'I deserve better' every day. Just another affirmation in the mirror, take baby steps, okay"
I took a deep breath and nodded.
Klaric's POV
Stefan sat next to me at the grill, and I was knocking back a bottle of bourbon.
"I gave him the coordinates, he's packing up and leaving, I hope he isn't too heartbroken, when he realises that Katherine only loves one person"
"Herself" I snickered
"I also wanted to say, I am so sorry for doubting Caroline. Damon was wrong, and so
was Elena for grabbing her arm so roughly, frightening her" I was furious, angry even
"Wrong, or Sorry?" I asked
"Excuse me" Stefan choked on his drink. "I said, is Elena 'Sorry' for the bruises on Caroline's arm, or is she wrong for doing that in the first place?" I repeated
"Both, and I didn't realise that Elena had left bruising on her arm" Stefan looked down in shame. "You know, Elena is hardly innocent herself, she's manipulating you and everyone around her, she'll try to fix Damon into a redeemable vampire to fit her ideals" Stefan looked at me as if I'd grown a second head. "What!"
"You need to start deciding if you know the real Elena, these are on me" I said in temper, throwing money on the bar. "Thanks, Mr Saltzman" Matt called out as I walked away from Stefan.
Klaus' POV
I was back in my hybrid body at last. I decided to assign Alaric as my angel's protector. "Please, look after her. She is to be my queen, and I have a plan to avenge my queen's sexual assault at the hands of that ingrate, Damon Salvatore"
"Klaus, I felt your pain as you saw what had happened to that sweet girl. If you do manage to court, and woo her, then don't hurt Stefan, or Bonnie, for a witch, the girl's okay, she put a proximity spell on Damon to make sure that he goes nowhere near Caroline"
"Stefan was my friend in the roaring twenties, you know, I would never hurt him, he just doesn't remember me" I said as Alaric listened in understanding. "Bring back his memories then?"
"You know, I have thought of a way to make Elena pay"
"Alaric, my friend, you are talking my language" I say as I look in the mirror.
"Compel her to tell the truth to Stefan, about her feelings for Damon"
"No, not vengeful enough" I laughed "Good start though" I point out.
"Torture Damon!" Alaric said sincerely. "He has never apologised to Caroline, and let her beat the shit out of Damon as you compel him to rip off his dick"
My eyes lit up at this suggestion. "Yes, thank you, Alaric, that idea sounds positively just like me. Now I have an addendum. Damon is a rapist and a vampire, so I will send my brother Kol after him. Kol likes to torture child abusers, rapists, he'll bring Damon back here after Katerina dumps his sorry ass, then we let Caroline have her vengeance after she sees that we are on her side. Thus, she's open to a mating of the mind, body, and soul" I frowned then "She will need therapy for a little while longer. I won't count my lucky stars just yet, and push her for more than friendship, for the moment" Alaric smiled at my measured outlook.
Caroline's POV
Today was the day that I was ready to go back to school. I would avoid Elena like the plague and Bonnie had offered to be my support friend while I was still a little shaky.
"It's okay to be nervous, Care-bear, just put one foot in front of the other and focus on classes. Like today we have our temporary teacher back. Alaric"
"Yes, and Alaric likes my mother. I swear that when mom isn't plotting to kill Dam-him, she is blushing when Alaric is around"
"Well, your mom is happy, and she's clearly crushing on our history teacher. I can't believe that Elena was trying to make sure that Alaric fell for Jenna Sommers"
"Yeah, how trashy and territorial!" We chuckled together as Elena just walked past us with a sneer on her face.
Bonnie just smirked and muttered "Keep on walking by, queen bitch!"
TBC
A/N Please review and please be kind
