14. Fool Me Once

Caroline woke up when someone started shaking her, Caroline slowly opened her eyes and saw Elena standing over her.

"Wha--?".

Before Caroline could ask any questions, Elena put her hand over Caroline's mouth, she pointed towards a sleeping Ben, "Don't make any noise" Elena whispered.

Caroline nodded, she slowly sat up, and Elena pointed towards the door, telling Caroline that they needed to make a run for it, Caroline slowly stood up from the bed, both her and Elena slowly walked around Ben, Elena slowly opened the lock and as soon as she was about to open the door, Ben speeded behind the two girls.

"I wouldn't" Ben said, startling the two girls, he walked closer to Caroline, and started compelling her, "Don't try to escape, don't even move, and don't let your friend move either, do you understand?".

"I understand" Caroline replied.

As soon as Ben turned his back to the girls, Caroline opened the door and tried to run, but her path was blocked by Anna.

"Seriously?" Anna asked, grabbing Elena and Caroline's arms.

"I told them not to move" Ben defended, "I did that eye thing you taught me".

"But forgot the lessen about vervain, they date vampires Ben, duh" Anna snapped.

"Who are you?" Elena asked, struggling in Anna's grip, "What do you want?".

"Does it matter?" Anna asked, locking both the girls into bathroom.

"Open the door!" Caroline yelled, rapidly knocking on the door.

"Caroline" Elena said, her eyes falling on the bathtub.

"What?" Caroline asked, following Elena's eye sight and finding an unconscious Bonnie laying in the bathtub, "Oh, my god".

***

"Did you find her?" Brayden asked, entering the living room.

"No" Damon replied.

"Dammit!" Brayden yelled, kicking the table.

"Brayden relax" Damon said.

"I can't relax Damon!" Brayden yelled, "Caroline is missing, Anna took her, that's assuming she's with Anna and not some unknown enemy".

"Bray--".

"Anna took Elena" Stefan interrupted, walking into the living.

"Yeah, we got that from your 600 voicemail" Damon said, "And I'm sorry inform, but Elena is currently not our priority".

"What's more important then Elena?" Stefan snapped.

"Caroline is!" Brayden yelled, "Caroline is and will always be more important then Elena!".

"What happened to Caroline?" Stefan asked confused.

"Anna didn't just take Elena, Stefan" Damon replied, "She also took Caroline".

"And my stupid necklace won't stop glowing" Brayden said, taking the necklace out of his pocket, and showing his brother, "Caroline's in serious danger Stefan, and I don't have time to argue with you, I need to find her".

"You both were with Anna, you know where she's living, maybe we should check there" Stefan said.

"The bitch isn't stupid Stefan" Brayden said, "We checked there, that was the first place we checked, but she's no longer there".

"We've been searching all night, we can't find them anywhere" Damon said.

"Well, we can't just give up" Stefan snapped.

"Who said anything about giving up?" Brayden snapped back, "None of us want to give up, we just don't know where else to look".

"There has to be somewhere you both didn't look" Stefan said, "She couldn't have just disappeared with two unconscious girls".

Brayden looked down at the necklace in his hand, suddenly remembering something, "Fae".

"What?" Stefan asked confused.

"Where is Fae's diary?" Brayden asked Stefan.

"What do you want with Fae's diary?" Stefan asked confused.

"Just answer the damn question" Brayden snapped, "Where is Fae's diary?".

"In my room" Stefan replied.

Without wasting any second, Brayden speeded up to Stefan's room, Damon and Stefan exchanged a confused look, but nonetheless, quickly followed their brother, wanting to know what he was up to.

***

Elena placed a wet towel over Bonnie's head, "Bonnie?".

"Elena?" Bonnie asked confused, slowly waking up.

"Oh, you're okay" Elena said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"My head" Bonnie complained.

"Here" Elena said, helping Bonnie.

"Oh, my god, Ben is a va--".

"Don't talk" Caroline warned, letting her presence known to the witch, she walked over to the tap and turned the water on, in case Ben and Anna were listening to their conversation.

"I'm so stupid" Bonnie said.

"How did you get here again?" Caroline asked confused.

"I was on a date with Ben" Bonnie replied, causing Caroline to frown, she had no idea about that, "And towards the end of our date, I kissed him and realised he was a vampire, but before I could run away, Ben grabbed me and bought me here, what's going on, why are we here?".

"It must have something to do with the tomb and Emily's spell book" Elena replied.

"Spell book?" Bonnie asked confused.

"Oh look, something Elena didn't tell you about" Caroline replied sarcastically, causing both Elena and Bonnie to frown.

"I was trying to keep her out of this Caroline, hoping it would never come to this" Elena said.

"Come to what?" Bonnie asked.

"They need a witch, to break the spell and let the vampires out" Elena replied.

"In simpler terms, they need you to do the spell Bonnie" Caroline said.

"No way" Bonnie said, shaking her head in denial.

"I know" Elena assured, "I know, I know".

Suddenly, the bathroom door was bursted open, and Ben came in, he turned the tap off.

"You're wasting your time" Bonnie said, "I'm not gonna help you".

Ben grabbed both Elena and Caroline, "That's why they're here, motivation for you to behave".

"You are so dead" Caroline said, struggling in Ben's grip, "You actually think Brayden's going to let you and Anna live?".

"Your boyfriend isn't going to find us" Ben said, pushing Elena and Caroline out the bathroom, "She wants to talk to you two".

"Well, well, Elena Gilbert, you really are Katherine's doppelganger" Anna said, "Must be hard knowing you don't have all the Salvatore boys reeling, not like Katherine did".

"Who are you?" Elena asked, while Caroline stood next to her, her necklace in her hand, hoping to god, somehow, someway, Brayden will find where she is.

"I'm Anna" Anna introduced, "Your brother may have mentioned me? I mean, we're, like, practically dating".

"Yeah, he did mention a weird, stalker chick, who doesn't get a hint" Caroline snapped, causing Anna to glare at her.

***

"Where is it Stefan?!" Brayden asked, trashing Stefan's study table.

Stefan walked over to his bookshelf, he took out a black diary, that said Fae.B's diary, don't touch unless you want to die.

Brayden quickly snatched the diary from Stefan and started looking through it.

"What are you looking for Brayden?" Damon asked confused.

"Remember when Stefan locked us in the basement, I used my necklace to let Caroline know where I am" Brayden replied, "I'm thinking there has to be a way for me to somehow see where Caroline is".

"And how's Fae's diary going to tell you that?" Stefan asked.

"Fae made these necklaces for me, Stefan" Brayden replied, "And she never wrote about it in her grimoire, she didn't want anyone find out about these, but she wrote about them in her diary, her diary that only us three can open, remember what happened when Lexi tried to read this?".

"She got burned" Stefan remembered, "The diary burned her, that's when we figured out that Fae only wanted us three to be able to read her diary".

"Found it" Brayden said, showing his brothers the page that told Brayden how to use the necklace to find Caroline's location, "I know how to find Caroline, and if we find Caroline, we will find your girlfriend Stefan".

***

"Bonnie's not gonna open the tomb" Elena told Ana.

"Oh, I think she will" Anna said.

"Do you really want Katherine and Kaitlynn out that bad?" Elena asked.

"Trust me, no one I know wants to see those two girls again, actually, no one wants to see Katherine again, Kaitlynn was alright" Anna replied.

"Then what is it?" Elena asked.

"Or who is it?" Caroline asked.

"My mother's in there" Anna replied, shocking Elena and Caroline, "Katherine and Kaitlynn couldn't help themselves, Katherine had to toy with Damon and Stefan, while Kaitlynn genuinely fell in love with Brayden".

Elena looked at Caroline, to see her reaction, only to see her looking back at Anna with a neutral expression.

"When the sisters got caught, so did my mother" Anna explained, "I watched Jonathan Gilbert take her away".

"I'm sorry" Elena apologised.

"You really mean that, don't you?" Anna asked, Elena nodded, "Yeah, we'll skip the dead mom bonding so you both can start serving a purpose".

"Which is what?" Elena asked confused.

"Leverage" Anna replied, "This belong to one of you?" she asked, holding out a phone.

"Hey, that's mine" Caroline said, trying to take the phone off of Anna, but failing.

"Caroline?" Damon asked, answering Brayden's phone, "Where are you? Are you okay? Brayden's losing his mind".

"She's fine, for now, tell me you have the Grimoire, and she'll stay fine" Anna replied.

"We don't have the Grimoire" Damon lied.

"That's your first lie Damon" Anna said, "One of you better meet me in the very public town square in thirty minutes, so we can safely discuss how fun it's gonna be to work together".

After Anna hanged up on, Damon walked back into Stefan's room, "Anna is getting impatient, whatever you're going to do, you better start now".

Brayden nodded, he turned to Stefan, "You ready?", Stefan nodded.

Brayden sat on Stefan's bed, clutching the necklace in his hand.

"Okay, you need to clear you mind" Stefan said, reading what Fae had written, "And just focus on Caroline, put your full mind on trying to find Caroline".

Caroline, who was still with Anna, looked down at her necklace, to see it glowing, she quickly put it under her shirt, hiding it from Anna.

Looking up, Caroline was shocked seeing Brayden standing behind Anna, Caroline quickly shook her head, not believing her eyes, when she looked back up, Brayden was no longer there.

Brayden opened his eyes and looked towards his brothers, "Found her".

***

"Witches don't have eternal life, right?" Ben asked Bonnie, "So you guys can die".

"Yeah, we can die" Bonnie replied.

"Huh, that sucks" Ben said.

Suddenly, the door bursted open and in came Brayden, Damon and Stefan, Ben yelled in pain when the sun hit his skin, causing him to quickly hide between the beds.

"Brayden" Caroline said, running over to the middle Salvatore.

"You're okay" Brayden whispered, hugging Caroline, "You're okay".

"You came for me" Caroline whispered, hugging Brayden tightly.

"You're not getting rid of me this easily, princess" Brayden said, "Now go with Damon, I'm going to deal with that dickhead".

"Brayden--".

"I'm not leaving him" Brayden interrupted, "If he and Anna think they can get away by kidnapping you, then they have something else coming for them", Brayden turned to his twin brother, "Take her to the boarding house, I'll meet you guys there".

Damon nodded, he grabbed Caroline's hand, and after Caroline spared Brayden one last glance, Damon speeded away with her.

"Guys, get outside" Stefan told Bonnie and Elena, knowing what his brother was about to do.

Bonnie and Elena ran out the door, while Brayden walked over to Ben.

"Don't kill me" Ben pleaded.

"Shouldn't have come after the girl I love" Brayden said, shoving his head into Ben's chest, and without any hesitation ripping his heart out.

"You could have just warned him" Stefan said.

"He came after Caroline, Stefan" Brayden snapped, "You're delusional if you think he was going to live after that, and if Anna was here right now, I would have killed her to, I don't do well with people coming after the people I care about, you out of all people should know that".

Without hearing anything else from his little brother, Brayden speeded out of the room.

***

Damon, Brayden and Caroline sat in the living room, when Elena walked in.

"I'm gonna have to change the locks" Damon said, seeing Elena.

"I convinced Bonnie to help you two" Elena said, getting straight to the point.

Brayden scoffed, "Bullshit".

"I'm not gonna say that I'm sorry we got the Grimoire without you two last night because I'm not really" Elena said.

"Well, at least you're honest" Damon said.

"I was protecting the people I love" Elena defended, "But so were you two, in your own twisted way, and as hard as it is to figure, we're all on the same side, after the same thing".

"I'd rather rip my own heart out then trust you and my brother again" Brayden said.

"You were willing to work with us yesterday" Elena snapped.

"Fool us once, shame on you" Damon said.

"Fool us twice, shame on us" Brayden said.

"Last time you figured out I was lying by listening to my heartbeat" Elena told Brayden, "Listen to my heartbeat, and tell me if I'm lying Brayden, you and I we have something, an understanding" Caroline frowned hearing Elena, "And I know Stefan's betrayal hurt both you and Damon, but I'm promising you this now, I will help you two get Katherine and Kaitlynn back".

"You have some nerve thinking we have anything other then hatred between us" Brayden snapped, causing Elena to frown.

"We wish we could believe you" Damon said.

"You two were listening to my heartbeat, did it jump even once?" Elena asked.

Brayden and Damon exchanged a look, "Fine" Brayden said, "I'll entertain you, but if you and my brother even think about double crossing us again, then we won't feed your blood, we will just snap your neck in half".

Brayden grabbed Caroline's hand, and both of them walked away from Elena.

"Don't make us regret this" Damon warned, following Brayden and Caroline.

***

"Brother, witches" Damon greeted, as he, Brayden, Caroline and Elena walked over to Stefan, Bonnie and Sheila Bennett.

"Everything okay?" Stefan asked Elena.

"I just wanna get this over with" Elena replied, "Are we ready?".

"I guess so" Bonnie replied, walking into the tomb with everyone.

***

"Air, earth, fire" Sheila said, lighting the torches up.

"Water" Bonnie said, handing a water bottle to Sheila.

"That's it?" Elena asked, as Sheila sprayed the water on the ground, "Just water from the tap?".

"As opposed to what?" Sheila asked.

"I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something" Elena replied, causing Sheila to smile.

"What's that?" Stefan asked, as both Brayden and Damon pulled out blood bags from their jackets.

"It's for Katherine and Kaitlynn" Damon replied, "We gotta have something to get them going".

"Unless your little girlfriend is offering her blood" Brayden said, making Stefan glare at him.

"We're ready" Bonnie informed.

***

Bonnie and Sheila held hands and started chanting.

"What are they saying?" Damon asked.

"Sounds Latin" Stefan replied.

"That can't be Latin" Caroline said.

As the witches kept chanting, the fire on the torches got higher, causing Caroline to latch on to Brayden.

"What's happening?" Elena asked confused.

"The tomb is about to be open" Brayden replied.

Just as Brayden said that, the door of the tomb, slid open.

"It working" Bonnie said, amazed.

"Well, of course it worked" Sheila said.

"Don't you have some fires to build?" Damon asked Stefan.

"I'm gonna get the gasoline, I'll be right back" Stefan told Elena, and walking out of the tomb.

Damon looked at the witches, then at Elena, "You ready?" he asked.

"What?" Elena asked confused.

"Do you actually think we are stupid enough to go in that tomb without insurance?" Brayden asked, as Damon grabbed Elena.

"Don't take her in, I'll bring the walls down" Sheila replied.

"You'll bring the walls down if we don't" Damon snapped, "You think we trust you?".

"As much as I trust you" Sheila snapped.

"Enough" Elena said, "Look, they need leverage, they need to know you're not gonna shut the door when they get inside, I get it, I'll go".

"May I?" Damon asked, grabbing one of the fire torches.

Brayden turned to Caroline, "Stay here".

Caroline shook her head, "I want to come with you".

"Princess, please, you need to stay here, in that tomb there's vampires who haven't had blood for over a century, I can't risk anything when it comes to you, please just stay here" Brayden said.

Caroline sighed, but nonetheless nodded, "Please be quick".

"I'll be back before you even realise it" Brayden said, placing a kiss on Caroline's forehead.

Brayden then grabbed another one of the fire torches, and after sparing Caroline one last glance, Brayden, along with Damon and Elena entered the tomb.

***

Elena, Brayden and Damon entered the tomb and started looking around for Katherine and Kaitlynn, when suddenly Elena started hearing whispering.

"What is that?" Elena asked, frightened.

"They can sense you" Damon replied.

"Come on Kaitlynn, where are you?" Brayden asked, speeding away from Elena, and Damon following.

"Brayden, Damon" Elena called out, shocked that the twins left her alone.

***

"Hey, you're not going in there" Bonnie snapped, as Anna walked down the stairs.

"You think you can stop me?" Anna asked.

"Bonnie" Sheila said, telling her granddaughter to step out of the way.

Anna grabbed a torch that was lying on the floor, and quickly ran into the tomb.

"Why did you let her go in?" Bonnie asked.

"Because she isn't coming out, baby" Sheila replied, confusing Caroline, "None of them are".

"What?" Caroline asked shocked, "What do you mean none of them are coming out?".

***

"Say something Grams!" Caroline yelled, just as Stefan walked down the stairs after killing another one of Anna's minion, "What do you mean none of them are coming out?!".

"Where's Elena?" Stefan asked confused.

"Damon and Brayden took her inside" Bonnie replied.

"Why is no one replying to me?!" Caroline yelled, shocking the witches, who won't used to seeing Caroline look so angry, "What is going on?!".

"Opening the door didn't remove the seal, it just opened the door" Sheila replied.

"What's the seal?" Stefan asked confused.

"Some seals keep vampires from entering" Sheila replied, "This one keeps them from coming out".

"Elena's human" Stefan whispered, "She can leave, Anna, Katherine and Kaitlynn can't".

"Brayden and Damon can't" Caroline whispered.

"You were never planning on breaking the spell" Stefan realised, "Were you?".

"I told you" Sheila replied, "I will protect my own, Elena can get out, that's all that matters".

"That's not all that matters!" Caroline yelled, "How could you do this?!".

"Caroline--".

"Shut up Bonnie!" Caroline yelled, pushing Bonnie away from you, "How could you do this to me?!", Caroline turned to a shocked Grams, "The two people you've locked in that tomb, are the reason you two exist! If they hadn't save you're lineage back in the day, then you wouldn't be alive today!", Caroline turned to Bonnie, "Did you forget Bonnie?! The only reason you're alive is because of Brayden, you owe him Bonnie, he saved your life!", Caroline fell to the floor crying, "I love him, please don't take the one person who loved me away from me, please don't do this, please".

Sheila, Bonnie and Stefan looked at Caroline in both shock and sympathy, when suddenly they heard Elena scream, without wasting even a second, Stefan ran into the tomb.

"Stefan!" Bonnie yelled, trying to run into the tomb but Sheila stopping her, "You can't just leave him in there, Grams".

"He made his choice" Sheila said.

"No" Bonnie said, looking a hysterical Caroline then back at the tomb, "No, here" she said, grabbing the grimoire, "Just show me what to do, I'll do it".

"We are not strong enough" Sheila argued, "Even if we bring the seal down, there's no guarantee we could get it back up again".

"Caroline is right Grams, I owe Brayden, we both do, we can't leave them in there" Bonnie said, "You said it yourself, many things can fuel a witch's power, help me, or I'll do it alone".

"Please" Caroline cried, standing up "Please let them leave, please".

Grams looked between Bonnie and Caroline, and after a moment of hesitation, nodded.

***

Bonnie and Caroline looked towards the tomb when Elena came running out.

"Elena, Stefan--".

"He's right behind me" Elena assured, she turned around when Stefan came behind her, but didn't step out of the tomb, "Stefan, what are you doing?".

"He can't come out Elena" Caroline replied, shocking Elena.

"It's gonna be okay, we'll fix it" Bonnie assured.

"What does Caroline mean?" Elena asked confused.

"I can't" Stefan replied.

"Can't?" Elena asked confused, "Can't what?".

"The spell's still up, we can't get them out yet" Bonnie replied.

"You went in there not knowing if you can come back out?" Elena asked shocked, when Stefan stayed silent, Elena had gotten his answer, "Oh, my god".

"I heard you scream" Stefan replied.

"We can't leave them in there, we promised them, both of us" Elena said.

Stefan nodded, "I know".

"Even if we're able to break the seal, we won't be able to hold it for long" Sheila said.

Caroline looked at Stefan, "I'll get them" he assured her, going back into the tomb.

***

"They're not here!" Damon yelled kicking a vampire.

"Damon, Brayden" Stefan called out, running over to his brothers.

"They're not here" Brayden whispered.

"What?" Stefan asked confused.

"They're not here!" Damon yelled, throwing the blood bag on to the wall, while Brayden let his simply drop to the ground.

Outside, Bonnie and Sheila started chanting, while Elena and Caroline paced anxiously.

"I think it's working" Elena said.

"It has to work" Caroline whispered.

Just as Caroline said that, Anna and her mother walked out the tomb.

"I just wanted my mother back" Anna said, "Jeremy's fine, he's outside, we won't touch him".

"Bonnie, keep going" Sheila urged as Bonnie started to struggle, "They better hurry".

"Stefan, they can't hold it much longer!" Elena yelled.

Having enough of waiting, Caroline ran into the tomb, ignoring Elena's yell to come back.

"We need to get out of here" Stefan told his brothers.

"They were both locked here Stefan!" Brayden yelled.

"If we don't leave now, we're not getting out" Stefan snapped.

"How could they not be in here?" Damon asked.

"It's not worth spending all of eternity down here" Stefan said, "They're not worth it".

"No!" Brayden yelled, pushing his brother away from him.

"Brayden!" Caroline yelled, running over to the brothers.

"She's not here" Brayden whispered to Caroline, tears in his eyes, "Kaitlynn's not here".

"Brayden, please come with me" Caroline said, holding her hand out, "Please, don't get stuck here for eternity".

For a second Brayden hesitated, he then looked at Caroline and after a moment held Caroline's hand, and with that all three brothers along with Caroline existed the tomb.

***

Caroline looked at Brayden and Damon, who walked out the tomb with no expression on their faces, it was obvious to everyone that Damon and Brayden were devastated, they had spent a hundred and forty five years waiting to reunite with the girls who were never in the tomb to begin with.

"Brayden--".

"I need to go" Brayden said, speeding away.

Caroline sighed, she knew Brayden wasn't a person who liked to show people his emotions, he liked to keep whatever he felt to himself, and Caroline wanted him to talk to her, but only when he wanted to, she didn't want to force him.

Caroline turned to Damon who still standing there, if she couldn't comfort Brayden, then she can comfort Damon, so she stepped forward and hugged Damon, "It's going to be okay" she whispered.

***

Anna and Pearl entered their motel room to see both Brayden and Damon waiting for them.

"You knew Katherine and Kaitlynn weren't there" Damon said.

"None of you would have helped me" Anna defended.

Brayden glared at Anna, he then speeded over to Pearl, and held her in a choke hold.

"No!" Anna yelled, trying to rush to her mother but Damon held her back, "No!".

"Why do you get a happy ending?" Damon asked.

"Please, you wouldn't have helped me, you know you wouldn't have" Anna replied, struggling in Damon's grip.

"Why do you get it and we don't?" Damon asked.

"The guard" Pearl replied, struggling Brayden's grip, "The one at the church, the one that locked us in, Katherine promised to turn him, he was obsessed with her, she had him under her spell like everybody else, he let her and Kaitlynn go".

After listening to Pearl, Brayden let go of her.

"Last I saw Katherine, was Chicago, 1983" Anna said, "She knew where you were, Damon, she didn't care, and Kaitlynn she--".

"What about Kaitlynn?" Brayden asked, speaking for the first time.

"Throughout the years, I've seen Kaitlynn in the same cities as you Brayden, I think she was always keeping an eye on you, but for some reason she never came infront of you" Anna replied, "I'm sorry".

***

Brayden entered his room, to see Caroline sitting on his bed, waiting for him.

"I needed to see if you were okay" Caroline said, when she saw Brayden enter the room.

"Okay?" Brayden asked, "I'm more then okay Caroline, the girl I waited for a hundred and forty five years, wasn't in the tomb, turns she knew where I was this whole time, according to Anna, she looked out for me, but never came infront of me, she let me spent a century in guilt, I hate her so much!" he yelled, throwing the things off of his desk, making Caroline flinch in surprise.

"Brayden, calm down" Caroline said, stepping towards Brayden.

"Stay away" Brayden warned, stepping away from Caroline, "Stay away from me Caroline, I don't deserve your love, you're going to leave me as well, my mom left me, my father hated me, my brother hates me, the girl I wanted to spend forever with walked away from me, I'm a horrible person, I don't deserve love, that's why everyone walks away from me".

"No, Brayden" Caroline said, tears welling in her eyes, "You're not a bad person, don't think like that".

"Then why did she do this to me?!" Brayden yelled, "Why did this happen to me?!".

"I don't know Brayden, but I'm here, okay" Caroline said, "I'm here for you".

"You will leave me" Brayden whispered.

Caroline shook her head, "I won't, I promise I won't".

Brayden stared at Caroline for a moment, he then stepped forward and hugged Caroline, tightly, "It hurts Caroline, it hurts so much".

"I'm here Brayden, I'm right here" Caroline said, hugging Brayden back.

***

Presenting 1x14 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Fae leaving behind her diary that only the brothers can read?

Thoughts on Brayden killing Ben for kidnapping Caroline?

Thoughts on Caroline going off at Bonnie and Grams?

Thoughts on Kaitlynn, apparently looking out for Brayden all these years, but never coming infront of him?