A/N= Hi! I just want to say thank you to everyone that added this story to alerts and favorites. Thanks to the reviewers too! I'm trying to make the chapters longer for those of you who asked. This chapter wasn't beta'd so please excuse my grammatical and spelling erros. Please enjoy!

Caroline walked down the shopping strip searching the windows for a dress. Her heart really wasn't in the hunt though. She couldn't stop thinking about Damon. All she could see in her head was his piercing blue eyes. Of course all those beautiful eyes see is Elena. She huffed, everything was always about Elena. She loved her, they had always been really close, not as close as she and Bonnie were, but close. Stefan loved Elena. Damon loved Elena. Hell, it even looked like Elijah may be falling in love with her.

"What's so serious, love?"

Caroline narrowed her eyes and turned around.

"Klaus."

She was really confused about where her and Klaus stood. First he had tried to use her for the sacrifice and he acted liked he hated her, but now he has been civil. Nice, even.

"How are you?" She didn't think she'd ever asked a Original that.

"I'm alright. How are you, love? You looked very deep in thought when I walked up."

"It's nothing." The blonde wasn't about to spill her guts to the guy who has made her life a living hell for the past few months.

"If you say so. Can I treat you to lunch?" Klaus asked, pointing to a small restaurant.

She couldn't help but wonder what people would say if they saw her out to lunch with him. Still, Caroline really didn't want to go eat with the Original. She could admit he wasn't such a bad guy when he wasn't killing and threatening anyone, but he was still Klaus.

"No, I don't really enjoy eating with a man who has killed friends of mine and who has made my life a living hell." She stated bitterly, hoping he would just leave her to shop.

"Still sore about the past are we? That was long ago, lets let bygones be bygones."

Caroline glared at Klaus, "It doesn't change the fact that all you've done is torture us since you got to town. If you were smart, you'd leave."

Caroline turned, and left Klaus alone on the street.

Damon sat at the mystic grill bar downing a bottle of bourbon, trying to forget about Elena and the drama she called her life.

He was tired of being a Elena doormat. He longed for the life of partying and having all the sex he wanted. He missed it. Damon honestly couldn't remember why he came back to this town in the first place. He should have left as soon as he found out Katherine wasn't in the tomb.

Damon couldn't leave now, though. Not now that he loved Elena and that there may be a possibility of her returning his feelings.. He couldn't help but love her. There was just something about the doppelgänger.

He placed the empty bottle back on the counter and compelled the bartender for another one. Looks like I'll be here all day, he thought.

"Wallowing in self pity again?" Alaric said, sitting down and ordering whiskey.

"No."

"Sure looks like it." He said.

Ric had fun teasing Damon. He didn't do it often. He doesn't like getting killed that much, but tonight he was in the mood.

Ric composed himself and sat his glass on the counter. He was trying to figure out how to bring up a subject he knew would hurt Damon, but that needed to be settled.

"What's with you and Elena?" He asked, trying to sound casual.

"What do you mean?"

Damon had known that this was coming. Though he didn't feel like he had to answer to anyone, even the man sitting beside him that he (not that he would ever admit it) called his best friend.

"Come on, something's clearly going on between you two." Ric stated.

"She's hot. Wouldn't mind getting in her pants." He smirked and raised an I brow to emphasize his point. Damon knew that Ric would know he was skirting around the question. Alaric, and maybe Stefan, were the only ones who could understand the way his mind works.

"I don't doubt that, but there's something more. You have feelings for her. " Ric didn't want to piss Damon off but he didn't know how not to. "You love her, don't you?"

Although it was in question form, it sounded more like a statement.

A flash of anger flicked across Damon's face, but it was gone in a instant. He really didn't have anything to be angry at. It wasn't Ric's fault that he couldn't hide it better. If anything, he should be angry with himself rather than anyone else.

Damon opted to, for once, be honest.

"Yeah, I do." He replied dryly.

"But you do know she's probably the most unavailable girl in this town, right?" Alaric didn't want to sound like a jackass but he needed to make sure that Damon knew this. Ric may poke fun at him, but Damon was his closest friend. He felt a strange urge to look out for him.

"Yes, I know. It's not like I'm going to try anything. I know better than that. She's a Petrova doppelgänger, she's trouble. Not to mention she's with Stefan." He said glumly.

"Okay. I just don't think we need a hurt Damon Salvatore on our hands. You know how he is." Ric replied trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, haha." Damon said sarcastically, but was actually relieved at the topic change. "So, what are you up to tonight?"

Ric smirked and said, "I need to get laid. Although, I don't think I'll find anyone in this crap town."

"I swear you're more like me than people think. And you're right, you probably won't find anyone here." Damon said thoughtfully, "I know about this bar/club a few hours outside of town, wanna go?"

"I don't know." Ric said skeptically, "I'm supposed to be setting an example for Elena and Jeremy now that I'm their legal guardian. And with the break in at the house... I'm not so sure that is wise at the moment."

"Jeremy won't know, he's somewhere in Colorado, living a supernatural free life. I'm sure Elena won't mind if you take a night to yourself. Just tell her your heading to the next town over for a history exhibit or something. I'll make sure Stefan keeps an eye out for any trouble. He'll make sure no one harms Elena." Damon said really liking the idea of getting out of Mystic Falls, even if it was only for a night. "Come on, we'll get a couple rooms in a hotel and stay over night. Plus, I could use a day or two away from this town." And Elena, Damon thought.

"Well, I'll have to okay it with Elena, but I suppose it would be okay. It definitely would be nice."

Ric walked in the house later that afternoon to find Elena sitting on the couch reading a book.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a moment?" Ric asked sitting on the opposite side of the couch.

"Sure, what's up?" Elena asked, her face taking in the familiar face of worry.

"Don't worry, it's nothing serious. I was wondering if it would be alright with you if I head to a history exhibit the next town over? I would only be gone a night or two."

Alaric still wasn't sure she would be okay with it, with all the recent drama they've had going on. Then again, it seemed like Mystic Falls was never short on drama.

"Well, I guess it would be okay if it was just a short trip. I'll get Bonnie and Caroline to stay with me in case someone try's something again. And Damon and Stefan will be around so I'll be okay." Elena said with a small smile.

"Damon's wanting to go with me, I think.."

"Since when does Damon care about history? He's probably lived most of what you'll be seeing." She said a little confused.

"I just thinks he wants a little time away from Mystic Falls."

"Why would he need time away? It's not like he does anything. " Elena rolled her eyes. He could be such a drama queen sometimes.

"Really, Elena? You, of all people, should know that he does way more than nothing." Alaric didn't like the way that she talked about his friend. He saw Elena and Jeremy somewhat as his own children since they came into his custody. He cared about them both very much, but sometimes Elena could be a little self-centered.

Elena didn't say anything. She knew that her comment was out of order. She just didn't want Damon to go out of town. Him and Stefan were the only reasons she was okay with Ric going. Elena knew there was no way she would be able to keep him from going, so she just decided to drop it.

"Okay, but let me know when you'll be back." She said, wishing they weren't going to be gone long.

"Thanks, I'm going to go get a bag ready then we're hitting the road." Ric said, relieved that she bought the story.

Alaric climbed the stairs to his room and stuffed a few clothing items in a bag. He decided to throw in a few stakes and a few vials of vervain.

'Just in case.' He thought to himself.

Ric said bye to Elena and climbed into his car. He stopped by a gas station to fill up his car and grab a few snacks and a soda.

While he was browsing the chocolate bars he saw a blonde head pop up beside him.

"Hey, Ric." Said the cheerful teen.

"Hey, Caroline. How are you?" He asked politely while grabbing a Twix.

"I'm okay. Wish I was anywhere but here." She said deflating slightly.

Whenever Ric saw the cheerleader around town or with Elena she always looked a little down. It wasn't profound, just something that Ric could see in her eyes. Ever since she became part of the supernatural world she always seem stressed.

"I understand that. Maybe you should take a vacation sometime."

"I would love to, but I really wouldn't want to go alone. Bonnie and Elena are always to busy with supernatural stuff and my mother is always at work." Caroline had thought about it before, but always came to the same conclusion that she didn't want to go alone.

Ric knew Damon would kill him, but he couldn't help the words that came out of his mouth, "Well, you could come with us."

The blonde immediately brightened up.

"Really?" Caroline asked. She knew Ric had been hanging around with Damon a lot lately and she wasn't sure if this was just a joke or not.

"Yeah, really. We're heading over to Charlottesville for a night or two and going to a bar there."

'Yeah, Damon really is going to kill me.' Is all Alaric thought.

"Who's we?" Caroline asked, although she really didn't care. She had already decided that she was going and was mentally making a list of what she needs to pack.

"Damon and I." He said gauging her reaction to her past tormenter going.

Caroline's face fell slightly. She wasn't so sure that going on a trip with Damon would work out so great. She didn't want to expose her feelings. She realized that she wanted to get out of town more than anything so she decided that it should be fine as long as she distance herself emotionally from him.

She plastered a smile on her face and said, "Okay, sounds fun. When are we leaving?"

Alaric was surprised that she still wanted to go and told her that they were leaving tonight.

"Okay, see you in a bit, I have to pack." She replied brightly and then bounced away.

Now all Ric had to do was break the news to Damon that the blonde was tagging along.

A/N #2= I promise there is Daroline interaction in the next chapter! I'll try to update soon. Please review.