There wasn't much Elena could say to that, really. Because it was obvious that everything together had wounded Damon deeply. Elena had thought that a good deal of their animosity toward one another lay rooted in the battle over Katherine. Obviously it went deeper than that.
Instead she set her glass down, moving to cup both of his hands with hers. She wouldn't try to tell him that Stefan loved him, because obviously Damon harbored more than a little resentment. "Things were changing," she answered finally. "Not that it helps with any of that but I could see your relationship improving the longer you were in Mystic Falls." Apart from the occasional flirtation with Elena. And even that wasn't mean-spirited.
"You were brothers for the first time in a very long time. You were both united against something. The tomb vampires or Katherine or Klaus." All to protect her. "I'm still sorry that you went through it all. I'm sorry that you were hurt."