A/N: I know it's been a month since I've updated and I'm sorry, but my grandmother needs a knee replacement, so I've been taking care of her. She can't walk by herself so I don't have much time to sit down and write. Between that and my beta's schedule with school, our schedules seem to conflict with each other. I've finally got some time since my mom is taking care of my grandma on weekends, so hopefully *crosses fingers* I'll get some more written soon.

When Caroline woke up the next morning, she could remember last night in vivid detail. While she was not ashamed about her past and spoke very openly about it, part of her wondered if she should have shared so freely with Damon. She had learned the hard way that not everybody was comfortable hearing those things. She made a few people uncomfortable without meaning to, and that's one of the reasons that she didn't normally talk about her past unless someone asked. Part of her remembered that Damon had asked a few questions, but she wasn't sure if she should've answered everything. A lot of people in her past felt bad for her, and Caroline didn't want anybody's pity. She was a strong person and hated the fact that anybody felt sorry for her.

As Caroline sat up groggily, she rubbed her eyes. Even though she didn't drink that much last night, she felt like she had a little bit of a hangover. Her head was just throbbing and she felt like she wanted to climb back into the bed and sleep for a year. Instead, she grabbed her purse and pulled a bottle of aspirin out of it, taking two of the tablets. Caroline looked around; she almost forgot that she had gone upstairs and used one of the spare rooms. After getting up and dressing, she slowly tip-toed through the house. She felt the need to get out of here, like, now.

She got as far as the front door before she heard his familiar voice, "Why are we sneaking, Caroline?"

Damn it. Caroline's eyes scanned the room, and there, leaning on the wall in front of the doorway, was Klaus. Caroline groaned; part of her wished that he would've left Mystic Falls already to go back to Richmond. If there was anybody that Caroline did not want to see right now it was him. Well, him or Elena. There were two people in this entire world that she could not lie to, and it was them. Sometimes it seemed like they knew her better than she knew herself.

"I, uh…" Caroline sighed heavily. "I've got to get back to Richmond. You know, I have that wedding dress to work on, and the beadwork is going to take for-fucking-ever –"

"You didn't answer my question, though. You seem almost itchy to get out of here."

"Yeah, I am. Okay? I want to get out of here before Damon wakes up."

"What happened last night that's got you so jumpy?" Klaus walked over to her and watched her carefully.

Caroline shrugged; she might as well tell him the truth. He was going to find out eventually anyway; he always did, "Last night Damon and I did some drinking."

Klaus nodded, "I know. Did you know that after we got home from the founder's party last night, Stefan collected at least three different empty liquor bottles? What were you thinking, exactly, Caroline? Getting drunk alone with a guy with a reputation like Damon Salvatore?"

"I didn't get drunk, Nik. I just drank until I was buzzed and then I stopped and drank water. I don't get drunk around other people; you know that better than anyone else."

"You're right. But what happened at the founder's party that made you leave like that?"

Caroline groaned, "I don't want to talk about it right now."

"So, you're just going to go back to your shop and pretend like it never happened? That's not healthy, Caroline, and you know it."

"So, are we done here? I mean, can I go now?"

"No, as a matter of a fact, you can't. I understand that you want to get out of here before Damon wakes up, but are you really going to do that to your friends? Just sneak out at seven in the morning? C'mon, put your bag down and I'll make you breakfast."

Caroline groaned, but there was no sense in arguing with him; when Klaus made up his mind, he stuck to it. Caroline dropped her bag by the front door and followed him into the kitchen.

"This isn't even your house, Nik. How are you going to know where things are?"

"Easy. Just look around until I find what I'm looking for."

It took a few more minutes than he anticipated, but about half an hour later, Caroline was eating eggs and sausage. Klaus was a good cook, and he enjoyed it, too. Caroline ate it greedily – she just loved his cooking.

About an hour later, Elena came down the stairs and was genuinely surprised when she saw Caroline sitting in the parlor, "I didn't think you'd be up yet."

"To tell you the truth, Elena," Caroline said, watching her friend closely. "I was going to sneak out. Nik caught me and told me I should stay, at least long enough to say goodbye to my friends."

"Look, Caroline," Elena said, sitting beside her friend, "I'm really sorry about the whole founder's party thing. I had no idea that things would end like that."

"How do you know about it?"

"Stefan told me."

"Of course he did. Look, Elena, I'm okay. I'm used to people like Carol, and –"

"You might be used to it, but you shouldn't have to be. It's sad that most people you've had in your life have made you used to it."

"It doesn't matter, Elena. It's done, it's over with. I just…I need to go home and go back to work."

"What happened between you and Damon last night?" Elena asked Caroline suddenly.

Caroline groaned, "We drank. Not a big deal. We drank and talked like we were friends. He didn't hit on me once all night."

"Do you want to be friends with Damon?" Elena asked her.

"I don't know, Elena," Caroline said wearily.

"You said that he didn't hit on you at all, and you said that you talked like you were friends, right? Besides, everyone can use more friends."

"Look, I know you're weary because of what has happened to you throughout your life. I get it. But not every guy out there is like that, I can promise you that. I mean, Stefan's a good guy, right? So is Klaus and his brothers. So because you know them, and they're good, doesn't that mean there could be more out there?"

-x-

Damon stumbled out of bed around two in the afternoon, walking down the stairs. He needed his coffee. He got to the kitchen, noticing that Stefan was at the table, eating breakfast. Damon poured his coffee and joined his brother at the table.

"Is Caroline here?"

Stefan shook his head, "No. She left around noon."

Damon rubbed a hand over his face, "Oh."

"What happened last night, Damon? I know about Caroline running out of the Lockwood mansion, and I know about you following her, but what happened after that?"

Damon shrugged, taking a drink of his coffee, "Not much. We drank and talked."

"Did you sleep with her?"

Damon shook his head, "No. I wanted to, but then she told me a little bit about her past. It helped me understand why she's so closed off."

"Tell her how you feel, Damon. I mean, seriously, it's better than you sitting here, thinking about her."

"How do you know I'm thinking about her?"

"I know you, Damon. I saw the way you looked at her last night, the way you defended her. You feel something for her."

"Caroline's different. She's got something special. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is, but she's not like other girls."

"So ask her out, Damon."

"It's not like I want to date her, Stefan. Maybe invite her to dinner or something, get to know more about her. I don't even have her phone number."

"You could ask Elena."

"Yeah, right," Damon laughed bitterly. "What am I supposed to do? Go up to her and say 'Hey Elena, I know I've been an ass for the last few years but I really want to get at your friend?' That won't fly and you know it, Stefan."

Damon rubbed a hand over his face, got up, put his coffee cup in the sink and headed towards the door. Stefan watched his brother, "Where are you going?"

"Out," was Damon's reply, but Stefan knew his brother. Something told him where his brother was really going – to Richmond. This was a small victory, but he'd take any victory he could get.