08. We'll Always Have Bourbon Street

A sleepy Caroline slowly opened her eyes, and immediately she was confused seeing the other side of her bed empty, she swears last night she heard Brayden enter her room, she even remembers hugging him and him whispering into her ear.

Suddenly all of Caroline's confusion went away, when her bathroom door opened and out came Brayden, he had a towel wrapped around his waist and using another towel he was drying his wet hair.

"Brayden" Caroline called out.

Brayden looked at Caroline and immediately a huge smile came on his face seeing her awake, "Morning, princess".

"I wasn't dreaming" Caroline whispered.

Brayden walked over to Caroline, he put a finger under her chin and lifted her chin up to meet his eyes, "No you weren't" he whispered against Caroline's lips, he then placed his lips on to Caroline's, pushing her back on to the bed Brayden hovered over her, and started kissing her neck.

"Brayden, I have to get ready for school" Caroline whispered, as Brayden kissed down her cleavage.

"Be late" Brayden said, reattaching his lips on Caroline's.

After a heated make out session, Brayden laid next to Caroline, who looked at him with a smile on her face, "We're idiots" she stated.

Brayden looked at Caroline, with one of his hands he started playing with a strand of her hair, "We're not idiots, we're just too stubborn".

"And too possessive and jealous" Caroline pointed out.

"Can you blame me?" Brayden asked, putting his hands on Caroline's waist and pulling her on top of him, "Do you even realise how beautiful you are?".

Caroline chuckled, she put her hands on Brayden's chest and then rested her chin, "Do you remember the first time we met?" she asked, "You told me that if I be myself then a lot of people will want me, and my future boyfriend would have a hard time fighting everyone".

Brayden groaned, "At the time I didn't realise I would be that person".

Caroline looked at Brayden curiously, "Do you regret being that person?".

Brayden looked at Caroline in confusion, "Is this your way of asking me if I regret being with you?".

"Kind of, yeah" Caroline admitted.

Brayden suddenly switched their positions, with Caroline now under him, "Get one thing straight in your mind Caroline Forbes, yes we fight, yes we argue, yes there's a lot of things we don't agree on, but that will never change the fact that I love you, not just for now, but forever, till my hearts beating, it's only going to beat for you, no one else".

"Even if I annoy you?" Caroline asked.

"Even if you annoy me" Brayden said, kissing Caroline's forehead.

"Even if I fight with you?" Caroline asked.

"Even if you fight with me" Brayden said, kissing Caroline's eyes.

"Even if I make you jealous?" Caroline asked.

"Even if you make me jealous" Brayden said, kissing Caroline's nose.

"Even if--".

"Just shut up, princess" Brayden interrupted, smashing his lips on to Caroline's, who gladly kissed him back.

***

Damon slowly opened his eyes, a small smile formed on his face when he saw Kaitlynn sleeping right beside him, her back facing him, not being able to resist himself, Damon wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her towards him and started kissing down her neck to her shoulder, slowly waking the vampire up.

"Mmm" Kaitlynn groaned, turning around and facing Damon, "Morning stranger".

Damon leaned forward and kissed Kaitlynn, after breaking the kiss he stared at her for a moment.

"You're staring" Kaitlynn pointed out, fixing Damon's hair.

"I'm letting it set in" Damon defended.

"Letting what set in?" Kaitlynn asked curiously.

"That the girl I've been pinning for since 1864 is finally mine" Damon replied.

"You know, I loved Brayden in 1864 but when I first arrived at your house, it wasn't Brayden who caught my eye" Kaitlynn admitted.

"What?" a shocked Damon asked.

"When me and Katherine arrived, I met you before I met Brayden" Kaitlynn reminded, "And I remember thinking, wow, he's gorgeous, but then--".

"But then you met Brayden" Damon finished.

"In my defense, you never showed any interest in me, I genuinely believed you hated me" Kaitlynn said.

"Because as soon as Brayden saw you, he fell for you, and at that time he had sworn never to fall in love, and when I realised you also had feelings for him, I stepped back" Damon informed.

"Brayden had sworn never to fall in love?" Kaitlynn asked shocked, never knowing this information.

Damon nodded, "Before Caroline and you, there was another person in Brayden's life, but she broke his heart and after her Brayden thought he would never fall in love again".

"Which is why you didn't fight for me" Kaitlynn realised, "Because you didn't want Brayden to be heartbroken again", Damon shrugged, "But you competed with Stefan for Katherine?".

"Hey, in my defense, neither me or Stefan truly loved Katherine, Stefan hadn't met Fae yet so he took infatuation for love, while I needed to distract myself from you" Damon said.

 Kaitlynn shook her head, "Clearly 1864 wasn't our time".

"But this is our time?" Damon asked.

Kaitlynn smiled, "It might be" she teased.

Damon smiled, he then pulled Kaitlynn closer to him and once again attached his lips on to hers.

***

"Fae" Stefan complained, as his girlfriend pushed him off of her and stood up from their shared bed.

"This is no time for romance, Stefan Salvatore" Fae scolded, "We have a serious problem on our hands".

"Look, we don't know anything for sure" Stefan pointed out, getting out of bed and walking over to Fae.

"Oh come on Stefan, it's so obvious Elena is sired to Brayden" Fae said, "Now it makes so much more sense why Brayden actually started liking her company".

"A vampire sired to another vampire is one in a million" Stefan reminded, walking behind Fae and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest, "Maybe it won't affect her the same way".

"But it is" Fae said, stepping away from Stefan, making him sigh, "And because of that, it's effecting Caroline and Brayden's relationship, Caroline is starting to get really insecure about Elena, Stefan, and I don't like seeing her like this".

Stefan grabbed Fae's hand in his, "Brayden will never leave Caroline for Elena" he assured.

"I know that" Fae said, "And I'm sure deep down so does Caroline, but no girl likes seeing someone they call a friend try to get with their boyfriend".

"Elena isn't trying to get with Brayden" Stefan defended.

"We don't know how vampire sire bonds work" Fae argued, "I should talk to Tyler, he'll know what to do, I mean he broke his sire bond with Klaus so he must know how to break Elena and Brayden's sirebond".

"Talk to Tyler, but not now" Stefan said, grabbing Fae's hand and pulling her towards him.

"Stefan!" Fae yelled.

"Shh!" Stefan whispered, putting his finger on Fae's lips, "You've done enough talking".

"Actually--".

Stefan interrupted Fae by kissing her, he then walked her backwards towards their bed, finishing what he wanted to do all morning.

***

"I can't believe you're leaving me for school" Damon complained, walking behind Kaitlynn as she walked down the stairs.

"Because of you I'm already late, Fae is already there and she's been constantly texting me and Caroline threats that if we don't show up soon, then she's going to kill both of us" Kaitlynn informed, grabbing her bag.

"Wait, why is Caroline late?" Damon asked confused.

Kaitlynn looked at Damon, "Take a guess" she said.

Realisation suddenly drew on Damon, causing him to let out a chuckle, "And suddenly it makes sense as to why I haven't heard from Brayden all morning".

"Yeap" Kaitlynn laughed, "Now I have to go, I'm so late".

Kaitlynn turned to leave, but Damon grabbed her arm and turned her to face him, he then placed his lips on to her.

"Now you can go" Damon whispered against Kaitlynn's lips.

Kaitlynn looked at Damon, she put her hand on his neck and pulled him down to a deeper kiss, "Now I'm leaving" she whispered, giving Damon one last peck.

Damon chuckled, he led Kaitlynn towards the front door, just as he opened the door for Kaitlynn, Brayden walked up to the door, looking extremely happy.

"Morning" Brayden greeted.

"Well, you look happy" Damon commented, "You and Blondie finally patch up?".

"Yeah just like you and Kaitlynn finally slept together" Brayden retorted.

Both Damon and Kaitlynn looked at Brayden in shock, "How did you know?" Kaitlynn asked.

"The hickey on your neck hasn't healed properly" Brayden informed, walking past Kaitlynn and into the house.

Kaitlynn looked at Damon, "I'm gonna go now".

"Yeah" an amused Damon whispered, "Bye".

"Bye" Kaitlynn said, walking out the house.

Damon shut the front door and walked into the living, seeing his twin pouring himself a glass of bourbon.

"So, should we talk about this?" Damon asked, suddenly feeling awkward.

Brayden looked at Damon in confusion, "Talk about what exactly?".

"About me and Kaitlynn" Damon clarified.

"Don't make this awkward Damon" Brayden warned.

"I'm trying to stop things from being awkward" Damon retorted.

"Stop reading too much into it then" Brayden said, "I am no longer in love with Kaitlynn, haven't been in love with her for a long time, so just relax and be happy, but saying that, I do care about her Damon, so don't hurt her".

"I will never" Damon assured.

"Good" Brayden said, patting Damon's shoulder, "I'm happy for you".

"All three of us are happy at the same time, as that ever happened before?" Damon wondered.

"Don't jinx it" Brayden warned, just as Stefan entered his the room, "Stefan! Welcome to brother bonding, did you hear the latest gossip, Kaitlynn and Damon are officially official".

Damon shook his head at his brother, while Stefan looked at Brayden with a worried expression on his face, "Bray, we need to talk".

Brayden and Damon frowned seeing Stefan's worried face, "What went wrong this time?" Brayden asked.

***

"Sired?" a shocked Damon asked, as Stefan revealed to the twins what Fae had figured out, "Elena is sired to Brayden?".

"You're talking shit, Stefan" Brayden said, refusing to believe Elena was sired to him.

"Look, it was your blood that turned her right, I mean she's been different since day one because of you, and on top of that you and have her even started getting along" Stefan said.

"Me and Elena getting along does not mean she's sired to me Stefan" Brayden snapped, "Out of us three, I'm the one who knows how to have a good time as a vampire, and I taught Elena exactly that, we are getting along because vampire Elena is actually tolerable not because she's sired to me".

"Okay, you know what, prove me wrong, tell her it's okay to drink from a blood bag" Stefan said.

"She can't" Damon reminded.

"Exactly, her body rejects the blood" Brayden added.

"Because you told her to" Stefan retorted, "Bray, you said she had to drink warm human blood straight from the vein, she almost died to make you happy, look, just ask her to drink from the blood bag, make sure you tell her how happy you'll be if it works, and if I'm wrong, I'll be the first to apologise".

Brayden glared at his brother, "You better start preparing your epic apology brother, because I assure you, Elena's body is going to reject the blood".

"And if it doesn't?" Damon asked.

Brayden looked at his twin, "Then I am so screwed" he mumbled, standing up and going to find Elena.

***

Brayden walked down the crowded school corridor, desperately trying to find Elena, who he finally found standing infront of her locker.

"Elena" Brayden greeted, walking over to the doppelganger.

"Brayden?" a confused Elena said, "What are you doing here?".

"We need to have a chat" Brayden said, grabbing Elena's arm and guiding her towards an empty classroom.

"Brayden, what's going on?" Elena asked, as Brayden shut the classroom door.

Brayden looked at Elena, he then pulled out a blood bag from his jacket, "You need to drink this".

"I can't, you know I can't" Elena said, extremely confused as to why Brayden was offering her a blood bag.

"You tried drinking out of a blood bag once, let's try again" Brayden said, walking closer to Elena, "Come on Elena, it will make me really happy if you try and drink from this blood bag".

Elena sighed, but nonetheless she took the blood bag from Brayden's hand, she then took a small sip out of it, Brayden eagerly watched her, waiting for her to puke it out but to his shock and Elena's happiness, Elena was able to drink from the blood bag.

"You want to puke it out?" Brayden asked.

"No, I'm fine" Elena replied, "It tastes like blood, last time it was like hot garbage".

"You're hundred percent sure you don't want to puke?" Brayden asked as Elena took another sip of the blood.

"I'm better than okay" an excited Elena said, "I mean, maybe last time it was a bad batch or something, I can't believe this Brayden, I don't have to hurt people anymore".

An excited Elena lunged forward and hugged Brayden.

Brayden awkwardly patted Elena's back, he then grabbed her arms and pulled Elena off of him and stepped back from her, "I have to go" he said.

Before Elena could stop him, Brayden rushed out the classroom, just as Brayden stepped out the classroom, Caroline, who was at her locker, her eyes landed on Brayden coming out of the classroom, just as she was about to walk towards him, Brayden quickly walked towards the exist, not having seen Caroline, whose confusion increased when she saw Elena come out of the same classroom as Brayden, with a huge smile on her face, looking at Brayden's retreating figure with a dreamy look on her face.

***

"Hey" Fae greeted, standing in an empty corridor at the school, talking to Stefan on the phone, "So I finally managed to talk to Tyler".

"And?" Stefan asked.

"Well according to Tyler, the sire bond exists between the hybrids and Klaus because the hybrids are grateful to Klaus, as because of him they don't have to feel the pain of turning every full moon" Fae informed, "Which is why in order to break the sirebond all the hybrids have to turn until they don't feel the pain anymore".

"Alright, but Elena's not a werewolf, so what's the vampire equivalent?" Stefan asked.

Fae sighed, "There's where our problems comes in" she said, "There is no vampire equivalent to this".

"Stefan" Damon said, walking over his brother just as he hanged up on Fae.

"Where's Brayden?" Stefan asked.

"In the library" Damon informed.

Both Stefan and Damon walked into their library, only to see their brother rummaging through a bunch of papers.

"What are you doing?" Stefan asked curiously.

"Elena Gilbert is sired to me, congratulations Stefan, you were right and I was wrong" Brayden informed, "Are you happy?".

"No, I'm not happy" Stefan said, "But what are we gonna do about it?".

"Believe it or not Stefan, Elena isn't the first vampire to be sired to a Salvatore brother" Brayden revealed.

"What?" Stefan asked confused.

"Oh" Damon whispered, suddenly realising who Brayden was talking about.

"Found it" Brayden stated, grabbing the card he was looking for and showing it to Stefan, "Remember this city?".

"New Orleans" Stefan realised.

"1942, to be exact" Damon added.

Stefan looked between his two brothers, "What was in New Orleans in 1942?" he asked.

Brayden looked at Damon, "Go on, tell him".

Damon sighed, "Other than bourbon and beads, us, Stefan".

"Oh, yeah" Stefan remembered, while Brayden rolled his eyes.

"And don't forget about that one girl, brother" Brayden told Damon.

"I remember her, but what was her name again?" Stefan wondered.

Damon chuckled, "That was no ordinary girl, that was Charlotte".

"She was crazy about me from the minute we met" Damon recalled, "So, of course when she asked me to turn her, I did

"And I hated that idea because like most of the girls Damon dated, I hated her from the moment we met" Brayden informed.

New Orleans, 1942

Damon and Brayden sat at the bar, drinking the night away when Charlotte came and sat next to Damon, immediately causing Brayden to roll his eyes in annoyance, she was too clingy in his opinion.

"Hi" Damon greeted.

"Hi" Charlotte greeted.

"So did you decide who you would like to have for dinner tonight?" Damon asked.

"Him" Charlotte said, pointing towards the man who was singing, "He looks tasty".

"That is a very fine choice, Miss Charlotte" Damon praised, "I will go set that up, you stay here with my brother, now if anyone tries to touch my drink, you show them no mercy, okay?".

Charlotte nodded and Damon went to go talk to the singer, as soon as he went another man took his spot, he slid Damon's drink across, in the process he ended up spilling it, angering Charlotte.

"You spilled my man's drink" Charlotte snapped, catching Brayden's attention.

"Sorry, it's crowded in here".

"That's no excuse" Charlotte snapped.

"Relax Charlotte, it was just a drink" Brayden said, "Damon's perfectly capable of getting himself another one".

"Exactly, so take it easy, lady".

"I'm not gonna take it easy" Charlotte said, snapping the man's neck, shocking both Brayden and Damon, who had seen everything.

Before the body could fall to the ground, Brayden quickly grabbed him and placed him on the stood, making sure no one saw while Damon rushed over.

"What did you do?" a shocked Damon asked Charlotte.

"He touched your drink, you said, show no mercy" Charlotte reminded, "I thought you'd be happy".

"She's insane" Brayden said, "You turned a insane lady, Damon!".

"That was my first clue" Damon informed.

"She was sired to you" Stefan realised, "And I can only assume you took full advantage of that until you got bored of her, right?".

"Well, when she went all fatal attraction on me, then I had to make a clean break" Damon defended.

"How'd you do that?" Stefan asked curiously.

"You don't want to know" Brayden said, finally finding another paper, "Finally!" he showed the paper to Damon, "Remember this?".

"What's that?" Stefan asked.

"Valerie La Mache" Damon informed, "The witch that I found to help me break little Charlotte's sire bond".

"And now she's going to help me break Elena's sire bond" Brayden said, standing up, "Brothers, pack your things, bourbon street is calling us".

***

"Well, the city's the same, just brighter" Stefan said, as the three brothers walked down the loud and crowded streets of New Orleans.

"Have you been back her since '42?" Damon asked curiously.

"Nope, not since I shipped off to join the war effort and you two didn't" Stefan replied.

"We stayed back to entertain the women who their idiot men left behind" Brayden stated, just as his phone beeped, "Alright, good news, Fae is with Elena, at the boarding house, making sure she doesn't do anything stupid, bad news, Elena somehow got into my Dom collection, I guess that's what I get for telling her to make herself at home".

"Yeah, you told her, so she does, right?" Stefan said.

"The sire bond's not that literal, Stefan" Damon said.

"Really?" Stefan asked, "Name one thing that Brayden has asked her to do that he hasn't gotten, huh?".

"Okay, what is with the constant taunting?" an annoyed Brayden asked, "I didn't ask for Elena to be sired to me Stefan, so stop acting like this is my fault!".

Stefan sighed, "You're right, this isn't your fault, I'm sorry, I'm just worried for Elena".

Damon looked at Stefan, "What'd you say?" he asked, Stefan's words reminding him of their past.

"I'm sorry I blamed you two for my bloodlust and for me becoming a ripper" Stefan said, as him and Lexi entered the bar, "It wasn't either of your fault, do I really have to say it wasn't their fault, Lexi? I mean I guess it wasn't Brayden's, but it was kind of Damon's".

"Yes, keep going" Lexi urged.

"You two are the only family I have and I hope that we can be friends again" Stefan continued.

"Perfect, now, just remember we're here to talk to Damon and Brayden" Lexi reminded, "Not to yell, not to dredge up the past, and most definitely not to pick a fight, especially with Brayden, please don't pick a fight with Brayden, it was already so hard for me to get him to fess up where he and Damon were".

Stefan nodded in understanding, "That's the real trick, isn't it?".

"You've spent the last twenty years turning your life around" Lexi said, "It's time to make nice with your brothers, it's honestly really tiring for me to keep going from you to Brayden, I would really like for you two for once be in one place and at least try to act civil with each other".

Stefan sighed, but regardless looked towards the bar where Damon sat, and after exchanging a look with Lexi, he walked over to Damon, while Lexi stayed back, letting Stefan and Damon talk.

"So you finally managed to find me".

Lexi turned around and a huge smile came on her face as she came face to face with her other best friend, "Brayden".

"Hey Lex" Brayden greeted.

Lexi laughed, she lunged forward and hugged Brayden, tightly "I missed you".

"Then why didn't you visit?" Brayden asked, hugging Lexi back.

"I tried remember, but you refused to let me know where you were" Lexi reminded, breaking the hug.

"Because you wanted to bring Stefan with you" Brayden retorted.

"He's your brother, Bray" Lexi argued.

"My brother who blames me for everything bad that happens to him" Brayden argued back.

"Bray--".

"Oh look my two brothers are finally bonding, can't miss this" Brayden interrupted, walking over to his brothers, Lexi let out a sigh but nonetheless followed Brayden.

"Egypt, ha" Damon said, as Brayden sat next to him while Lexi sat next to Stefan, "You're finally gonna get to see the pyramids".

"Oh, I doubt I'll be doing much sightseeing driving an ambulance through the front line, but, uh, yeah, yeah, Egypt" Stefan confirmed.

"Think they have room for two more drivers?" Damon asked, gaining both Brayden and Lexi's attention, "Me and Bray could handle some war if it meant spending quality time with our little brother, right Bray?".

Brayden looked at Damon, with an annoyed expression on his face, he then looked at Lexi, who had an pleading expression on her face, she wanted Brayden to say yes.

Brayden took a deep breath, and looked at Stefan, "What Damon said", Lexi smiled hearing Brayden.

"Tell you what, I'll talk to my CO" Stefan said, kind of excited to be with his brothers.

"I'm going to get us another round" Brayden announced, standing up.

"I'll help" Stefan said, following Brayden.

After Brayden and Stefan left, Lexi turned to Damon, "Brayden's going with Stefan, but you're not" she stated.

Damon glared at Lexi, "I don't like you, you're trying to take my twin brother away from me".

"In 1912, you pressured Stefan to drink human blood" Lexi reminded, "He's been trying to put his ripper days behind him, but he needs to see death and blood, deal with them as part of life, he needs balance and restraint, and so does Brayden".

"What makes you think I'm not balanced and restrained?" Damon asked.

"The fact that you never have been, you think of what you want first, second and third" Lexi replied, "Both Stefan and Brayden are better off alone than in your company, you're the reason they can't be brothers".

"Well, I beg to differ" Damon snapped, just as his brothers walked over.

"To the Salvatores in Egypt" Stefan said, placing a shot infront him and Damon, while Brayden handed Lexi a shot.

"Cheers" Damon said, clinking his glass with Stefan and Brayden.

"Cheers" Lexi said, clinking her glass with Brayden and Stefan.

"Damon" Charlotte greeted, walking over to the group, an unconscious girl in her arm, "Did you forget you were supposed to meet us for dinner?".

"Uh, I'm sorry, I lost track of time" Damon apologised, while Brayden stood next to Stefan, after seeing his eyes on the unconscious girl.

"I brought you leftovers" Charlotte informed, showing the brothers the bloody neck of the girl.

"Charlotte" Damon whisper-yelled, looking around to make sure no one was looking.

Charlotte shoved the girl towards Stefan but Brayden quickly stood infront of him and grabbed the girl, he then looked at Lexi, "Take Stefan away, now Lex!".

Lexi nodded and quickly proceeded to take Stefan away before he lost control of himself, but she turned to face Damon one last time, "She's better off without you too".

"I apologise okay" Stefan told Brayden, as they were walking in the streets of New Orleans, "As much as I hate this sire bond thing, I shouldn't take it out on you, because you're right, it's not really your fault".

"Keep the warm and fuzzy words for some other time Stefan, we're here" Brayden said, as the brothers stopped infront of a building.

"This is where the witch lived" Damon informed.

"What, you weren't expecting to find the same exact witch in the same place?" Stefan asked.

"Nope, but since neither me or Damon could remember where her store was, we figured this would be a start" Brayden replied.

"Maybe there's another place to start" Stefan suggested, "You think Charlotte might be in New Orleans?".

"Yeah, maybe" Damon said.

"Where was the last place you saw her?" Stefan asked.

"Corner of Bourbon and Dumaine" Damon informed, "I kind of told her to count every brick in every building in New Orleans, that I'd meet her on the corner".

"But me and Damon were gone before the sun even rose" Brayden added.

Stefan shook his head at his brothers, he then turned around and started walking.

"Where you going?" Damon asked confused.

"Corner of Bourbon and Dumaine" Stefan informed, "See how literal the sire bond is

***

"There's no way she's gonna be in the same spot after seventy years" Damon said, as the brothers arrived at the corner of bourbon and dumaine, just as Damon said that a vampire speeded over to him and shoved him to the floor.

Brayden quickly speeded over to his brother and using his vampire strength, pushed the vampire away from his brother, "Who the hell is that?" he asked.

"She kissed me" a shocked Damon informed.

"Oh my god" Brayden whispered, seeing the face of the person who kissed Brayden, "Charlotte".

Charlotte stood up and gave Damon a huge smile, "Damon, I always knew you'd come back for me, I must have counted literally every brick on every building in all of New Orleans".

A shocked Stefan looked at an even more shocked Brayden, "Literally every brick" he said.

Damon looked at Charlotte, "Charlotte, please tell me you had a full life and that you've done something other than counting bricks".

"Of course I have, I'm not crazy" Charlotte said, making Brayden give Stefan a see look.

"Then why are you still here?" Stefan asked curiously.

"You know when someone breaks up with you and there's a song that reminds you of them?" Charlotte asked, she placed her hand on Damon's shoulder, "At first you hate it, but then it brings back all the good memories of them, counting the bricks is my song and I've been playing it for decades".

"That's a really long time stuck listening to the same song" Stefan commented.

"Forget all that" Brayden said, "Charlotte, since you have literally been counting the bricks of New Orleans, it would mean you know everything about this city, meaning you can help us find the person we're looking for".

***

Damon, Brayden and Stefan entered the shop in which Charlotte had told them they would find the witch they are looking for.

"Can I help you, gentlemen?" the owner of the shop asked.

"Hi" Damon greeted, "We're looking for a witch, sorry, no time for pleasantries".

"I'm sorry, I don't understand".

Brayden looked at the blackboard that had Nandi's Specials written on, "Look, Nandi, right?" he asked, "Can we for my sanity just skip the part where we all pretend we don't know about the supernatural world, I have a girl who is sired to me and I need her to be unsired before she starts creating problem between me and the girl I actually love".

"We need a spell that can break a vampire sire bond" Damon clarified, "Now, there was a witch here named Val, ring any bells?".

"She was my great-grandmother" Nandi informed.

"Her grimoire had a spell that allowed her to break a sire bond" Brayden recalled.

"The magic you two are talking about is dark, powerful" Val informed the two brothers standing in her shop, "Magic like this doesn't come cheap".

"How much?" Damon asked.

"Money won't cut it here, pretty one" Val replied, "Dark magic draws power from dark places, casting the spell you need requires the sacrifice of twelve human souls".

"Yeah, you're on your own on this one" Brayden told Damon, "If you want Charlotte off your back, you're killing the humans, I'm not killing anyone".

"A sacrifice?" a shocked Stefan asked, "You two brought me knowing the spell required a human sacrifice?".

"Well, we were hoping the recipe had changed" Damon retorted.

"Look, there's no magic like that here" Nandi informed, "I see herbs and homeopathic remedies and dress it up with a little witchy woo-woo for the tourists, but I don't practice".

"Fine, you don't practice but do you know anyone who does and who might know how to break the sire bond and not give us false promises like your great-grandmother did?" Brayden asked.

"There's no one, all of her stuff is gone" Nandi informed, "The grimoires, her journals, we lost it all during Katrina, if a spell like that ever existed, it's gone for good".

***

"The witch is lying, doesn't practice magic, my ass" Damon said, as the brothers walked out the shop.

"Human sacrifice?" Stefan asked his brothers, "Did you two really think I would go for this?".

"We are in an extreme circumstance, Stefan" Brayden snapped, "And extreme circumstances call for extreme measures".

"Did you both kill those twelve people in 1942?" Stefan asked.

"I didn't" Brayden replied.

"But I absolutely did" Damon stated.

"And this time I'd do it in a heartbeat if it meant Elena will not be sired to be anymore and Caroline and me can live happily ever after without worrying about Elena coming between us" Brayden stated, "Now, I'm going back in there to bad cop that witch, you two pick who out of you two is playing good cop".

Damon looked at Stefan, "Not it" he stated, making Stefan shake his head.

***

Both Brayden and Damon once again entered Nandi's shop.

"What are you two doing here?" Nandi asked, confused seeing the brothers back.

"Calling you out" Damon stated.

"Val wasn't your great-grandmother, she was your mother" Brayden said, remembering seeing a young Nandi write her name on a paper.

"You're eighty years old, you don't look a day over fifty" Damon said.

"Which means you lied to us when you said you don't practice magic" Brayden said.

"Get out of my store" Nandi told the twins.

"Give me what I want then you will never see our faces again" Brayden promised, he went to walked towards her when Nandi suddenly turned around and gave the twins an aneurism, causing them to yell and fall to the ground in pain.

"I gave both of you a chance to leave with your lives" Nandi said.

"Wait, wait, wait" Stefan said, coming out of the shadows, "We don't want any trouble, okay? We just need your help, that's all".

"I told you, there's no one here who can help you" Nandi said, her magic on Brayden and Damon increasing causing their yells to get louder, "The kind of magic my mother practiced, it's unnatural, witches don't even call it magic, we call it expression".

"Is that like black magic?" Stefan asked, as Nandi finally stopped her magic on Brayden and Damon.

"Worse" Nandi stated, "Channeling the power of human sacrifices calls on darkness that can't exist on this plane without swallowing it whole, she sold you a bill of goods about breaking the sire bond because she wanted access to that power, and you gave it to her when you killed those twelve people".

"What the hell are you saying?" Brayden asked, as he and Damon slowly stood up, "There wasn't ever a spell to break the sire bond?".

"The bond can't be broken with magic" Nandi stated, "A vampire only bonds to her sire when she has feelings for him before she turns, human feelings, vampirism only heightens those emotions, you want her free? You have to set her free, tell her to live her life without you and never think of you again, to stop caring about you, and then leave her, that's the only way around the sire bond".

***

Damon was inside the restaurant freeing Charlotte from the sire bond while Stefan and Brayden waited for him outside on the bench.

"Something's bothering you" Stefan said, looking at his brother in concern.

Brayden sighed, "That witch Nandi, she said a vampire only bonds to their sire if they have human feelings for them, when the hell did Elena develop human feelings for me and how did I miss it?" a frustrated Brayden asked.

"You weren't the only one who missed it, we all did" Stefan assured, just as Damon came out of the restaurant, "How'd it go?".

"I set her free" Damon informed.

"Must have been hard doing the right thing" Stefan taunted.

"Honestly Stef, you're taunts haven't been helpful, so do us all a favor and shut your mouth" Brayden snapped, just as Damon whistled for a taxi.

***

"Where's Damon?" a confused Brayden asked, walking over to Lexi at the train station.

"Damon's not coming, Bray" Lexi informed.

Brayden looked at Lexi in confusion, "What do you mean Damon's not coming?" he asked, "Of course he's coming, this whole thing was his idea in the first place".

"Damon killed twelve innocent people" Lexi said, "Stefan doesn't need that kind of person in his life, you don't need that kind of person in your life".

Brayden looked at Lexi, finally realising why Damon wasn't here, "You sent him away" he whispered, "You sent Damon away, didn't you?".

"It was for the best Bray" Lexi defended.

Brayden shook his head, "And let me guess, while Damon stays here, I go with Stefan?".

"This will help you and Stefan come closer as brothers" Lexi said.

Brayden looked at the train station where Stefan stood, he then looked at his best friend, "I can't go with him, Lex".

Lexi gave Brayden a disappointed look, "How long are you going to continue being Damon's shield?" she asked.

"For eternity" Brayden replied, "His my twin Lexi, I can't leave him alone".

"And what about Stefan?" Lexi asked, "You're going to leave him alone?".

"Stefan has you, Damon has no one but me" Brayden stated, he then grabbed his bag and looked at his brother one last time, "Good luck, baby brother" he whispered.

"Your devotion to Damon is one day going to cause you to lose everything, Brayden" Lexi said.

Brayden shrugged, "I don't have anything to lose Lexi, the only thing I have is my brother, leaving him is not an option".

***

Brayden stood in the Salvatore's living room, staring at the fireplace, waiting for Elena to come, who after much waiting finally arrived.

"Hey" Elena greeted.

Brayden turned and faced Elena, "We need to talk Elena".

"I know that I'm sired to you, Brayden" Elena revealed, "I heard Fae and Kaitlynn talking about it".

"Does Caroline know?" Brayden asked, not wanting anyone but him to tell Caroline about this.

Elena shook her head, "No" she assured, "So I'm guessing the reason you three were absent today because you were looking for a way to break the sire bond? Is there a way to break it?".

Brayden nodded, "Kind of".

"Before you say something, I need to tell you something" Elena said.

"Don't" Brayden said, knowing what Elena was going to say, "I know what you're going to say Elena but I can't let you say it, I can't love you, I already love someone else, I will always love her, I'm sorry but there's no space for you in my life".

"So you feel absolutely nothing for me?" a hurt Elena asked.

"Elena--".

Elena stepped closer to Brayden, she then grabbed his hand and placed it on her heart, "Does this feel wrong?" she asked, she then caressed Brayden's face, "Does this feel wrong?".

Brayden opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, a voice called out to him.

"Brayden?".

Brayden and Elena turned around to see Caroline standing there with teary eyes.

Brayden shook his head, he couldn't believe his luck, this is not how he wanted Caroline to find out about Elena's feelings for him.

"Caroline--".

Caroline ignored Brayden and turned to Elena, "You have feelings for Brayden?".

"Yes" Elena admitted truthfully.

"No!" Brayden snapped, glaring at Elena, he then looked at Caroline, "She doesn't have feelings for me, she is sired to me".

"Tyler said that the sirebond doesn't affect how I feel, only how I act" Elena defended.

"Okay you need to leave" Brayden snapped at Elena, not wanting her to mess up his and Caroline's relationship.

"Brayden please--".

"I said leave Elena!" Brayden yelled, causing Elena to flinch in surprise.

After looking between Brayden and Caroline one last time, Elena finally left the room.

Caroline looked at Brayden, "Please don't tell me I lost you to Elena" she whispered.

"Are you insane?" Brayden asked, rushing over to his girlfriend and pulling her into his arms, "I love you Caroline, I don't love Elena, I can't love anyone but you".

An emotional Caroline lifted her pinky up, "Swear".

Brayden didn't intertwine their pinkies, instead he put his hands on either side of Caroline's face and with immense passion kissed her, "There is no but you for me" he whispered against Caroline's lips.

Caroline let out a breath of relief, she then lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Brayden, holding on to him as tightly as she could.

***

Presenting 4x08 of They Don't Know About Us!

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on the three brothers starting their respective mornings with their respective partners?

Thoughts on the three brothers going to New Orleans to break Elena's sirebond to Brayden?

Thoughts on the flashbacks of the brothers in New Orleans in the 1900s?

Thoughts on Brayden finding out that Elena had feelings for him when she was human?

Thoughts on Caroline finding about Elena's feelings for Brayden?