Forever The Name On My Lips

twenty-nine.

"Don't you think I know that? I know it's all my fault, but at least I feel bad about it. You guys don't feel anything."

"This is you feeling bad? Putting all the blame on other people?" You rolled your eyes. "You know who else did that? Every other naive, selfish girl who has had that face."

"I'm nothing like Katherine," Elena said, looking offended.

"Hm, I would beg to differ," you said, sitting back. "Anyway, I've said what I needed to say. I extended a peace offering. Just remember that next time you try to blame us for something."

"I'm gonna go," she stood up. "I'll see you later, Caroline."

"Elena, wait..." Caroline started but Elena took off. "And she's gone."

"Hey, Y/N, can I get you anything?" Matt walked over to your table.

"No thanks, I'm not expecting to stay long," you said, crossing your arms and looking at Caroline as Matt nodded and walked away. "So...what do you want? I came alone so no Originals to ambush I'm afraid."

She looked at you apologetically. "Look, I know what I did hurt you. I have to leave to go help Bonnie with her mom now that she's...you know. But I didn't want to leave before seeing you. I'm so sorry, Y/N. I didn't want to trick you but..."

"But they're your friends," you said, not unkindly. In truth, you understood why Caroline had done what she had done. It was more the anger at yourself for believing she could be your friend too.

"You're my friend too," she said. "I didn't want to use you like that, I swear. Damon was supposed to keep you at the house."

"And that makes it okay? Sorry, Y/N, you weren't supposed to be there when we killed your best friend," you rolled your eyes.

"You can't deny that they have a reason to want them dead," she said.

"You have been on this planet for 17 years," you said after a moment. You had forgotten that she was still a child compared at you. They all were. She had not lived long enough to know better. "I have roamed this earth for over a thousand. And if there's one thing I learned, it's that not everything is as black and white as your friends seem to think. The Mikaelsons are my family, and I will always protect them."

"After everything Klaus has done to them, to you? Why are you still protecting him?" She asked. "I get the others are your family, but he's hurt you so many times."

"For the same reason Elena is protecting Stefan and Damon," you reminded her. "For the same reason you chose to help them last night. I love him. Look, I'm not mad, Caroline. You did what you had to do. You protected your own."

"Really?" she looked at you suspiciously.

"Really," you said. "I'm not mad. I just don't see the point in continuing this friendship anymore."

"Y/N, come on," she said. "I know I should have stayed out of it, but I couldn't say no."

"No, I know. Look, there's no hard feelings, really," you said. "I just don't need someone in my life I can't trust."

"You can trust me. I know what I did wasn't okay, but we're friends," she said. "It was a momentary lapse in judgment and will not happen again."

"You're right," you said, standing up. "It won't happen again. You should let your friends know that. They won't get that close again."

"Y/N, please."

"Goodbye, Caroline. Good luck with Bonnie's mom. I truly wish she hadn't been a casualty in all of this," you said, and walked away. She sighed behind you, but you didn't turn around.