Caroline shook her head, wondering how she’d managed to catch his eye. He’d traveled the world and then some while she was a small-town girl from Mystic Falls who saw the world through the eyes of a Council she hated, of parents who’d never understand how it felt to want more to this life than Founding Families and bloodlines and a marriage she was being forced into.
She felt confined suddenly, as if this were a cage traveling on water, taking her back towards Mystic Falls where she’d be shackled forever and Caroline’s outburst surprised even her. Her mouth opened in shock for a moment after she’d said all of that, her cheeks flushing a furious red. Her upbringing told her that she should not question her lot in life. She was fortunate, of course she was, when so many others were impoverished… They were of a better class, she should think herself lucky…
Everyone thinks that at a given point, Ms. Forbes. The storm inside her was far from over but Damon saying that, Damon admitting that was like applying salve to a frayed soul. She couldn’t be that selfish, surely, if others before her had indulged in this kind of thinking. Still, Caroline didn’t speak when he told her that. It seemed wrong to, given her previous outburst. It wasn’t until Damon laughed, until he told her she wouldn’t want his life that Caroline found her voice again and she lifted her gaze to his once more. “Is that… Is that what you’d want? A companion?”
The territory she was treading on was dangerous, undoubtedly. Her outburst had been a long time coming but, again, placing her on knife-edge from which she was was sure to fall. He promised that her secret would be safe with him, that dead men told no tales and Caroline was so utterly grateful in that moment. “Thank you,” she breathed out, though it was clear by the look on her face that the only person who’d ever hear those thoughts would be him. They walked again in mostly companionable silence until Damon brought their conversation back to safer footing - England and its classic touch, Scotland, traveling… Then the Council. It should have been the wake-up call Caroline needed, instead, she found herself laughing at his admission and she brushed a lock of blonde hair away from her face, “Your secret is safe with me, Mr. Salvatore,” she teased, “Caged women tell no tales either.”
Talk of his brother seemed to unsettle him, more than anything else had in their short time together and in the time it took to answer her question, Caroline stared at him, at the way the lock of hair fell over his brow, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled a little, how his eyes always seemed to hold the shadows of something else, of a world that was different. He told her his brother was being looked after and Caroline vowed, after this trip was over, to make sure that was indeed the case if Damon wasn’t to stay in Mystic Falls. She’d visit his brother herself before her doomed marriage to Richard began, before it was considered unladylike to do so… And then he caught her staring and Caroline’s cheeks flushed again, though she smiled this time. “You, Damon,” she murmured, feeling emboldened suddenly, “Are the elder brother. You talk of looking out for him and yet you know enough to know he’s safe, though I can’t imagine there are many years between you.” They’d reached the end of the railing now, Titanic was traveling at an impressive speed and some of the people who’d stayed behind to wave off loved ones were beginning to disperse. Caroline watched them for a moment before turning back to Damon. “I think you feel guilty sometimes, though. For leaving him.” Her head tilted as she studied him. “Maybe… Maybe you wish it were him you were travelling the world with and not alone?”
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