Damon carries Madeline back to his house. She holds her arms around his neck and rests her head against him. He finds comfort in the fact she still has enough strength to hold on to him.

"Shit," Caroline covers her face. "Is she-"

"No." He assures Caroline she is not dead. "But at least she isn't nervous about anything anymore." Damon slides a comment in about Caroline's sloppy compulsion.

"Damon, I'm-"

"Who was out there? Tell me you caught them and ripped them limb from limb, slowly." Damon asks the rest of the room.

"They were gone before we even got outside. Whoever it was, they weren't human," Enzo replies.

"Damon," Caroline leaves Stefan's side. He is almost completely healed now after the attack.

Damon carries Madeline up the stairs, ignoring Caroline's attempts to apologize.

Caroline tries to follow. Bonnie grabs her. She thinks it is best to give Damon a little space right now. She knows Caroline wants to fix this but Damon just needs a little bit of time.

Damon slides Madeline into his bed, carefully pulling the covers back and folding them over her. She moans in pain as he moves her. He stands over her, watching her chest rise and fall shakily as she breathes. It may not be a great pattern of breath but at least she has not stopped. It was touch and go while they were coming back.

Damon descends the stairs halfway before calling out to Caroline. "Listen, Care," he starts, continuing down the stairs.

Bonnie and Enzo leave what they assume is going to be a tense conversation and opt to go find some food in the kitchen. They are starving.

"I shouldn't have compelled her. You're right. You wanted to leave her out of this and I-"

Damon stops her from rambling. She could go on for hours if he lets her. "As much as I would love to put all of the blame on you, it's not your fault, Caroline. You can't blame yourself. Katherine would have gotten to her regardless. At least this way, she was with us when it happened." Caroline smiles, hugging Damon. She knows he has forgiven her. "Now you're pushing it."

Caroline releases him.

"That was big of you, Damon."

"Yeah, well," he turns to go back up the stairs. "Don't get used to it." He turns back, leaning over the railing. "Listen though, I do need someone to go over there and compel her mom not to worry about her not being home tonight. She's out with friends or something, I don't know. I can't send her home like this."

"I'm on it!" Stefan volunteers. Damon silently cheers that Caroline will not be compelling anyone else tonight.

He returns to his bedroom and lays on top of the covers beside Madeline. He listens to her heart beat while she sleeps. He is going to sit here all night and make sure nothing happens to her. She has vampire blood in her system now. If she dies, she becomes a vampire. He can't have that happening. Not on his watch.