Hal appreciated her, probably more than she would ever know. She was here in spite of argument. Unlike what most people believed he was capable of apology when he was wrong. And in her case he had been wrong. He still believed Caroline hypocritical, and Kol utterly insane. Perhaps he wasn't trying to win Alex' heart, but he had ultimately taken her from him. And he was no less dangerous. He in fact was worse in many ways. Unkillable and hiding behind a mask of civillity. It disgusted him. And it was why he had left her.
"I just know what they'll say, they'll accuse me of clinging to you, to Damon, of hypocracy and yes, I'll freely admit I was wrong about your type of vampire but I have learned some things already. I still feel as I do about the particular people I have issues with and I do not believe heightened emotion to be an excuse. Yes, I possess it now, and perhaps because of my nature I am able to tone it down some, but it is far from a reason for being as fickle and offensive as a lot of your kind. So let them say what they will, I'm ready for it."