17. Let The Right One In

Damon hammered a wooden plank on to the broken window, "I say we go to Pearl's, bust down the door and annihilate the idiot that attacked us last night".

"Yeah?" Stefan asked, "And then what, we turn to the rest of their house of vampires and say, oops, sorry?".

"I can't believe I slept through it all" Caroline said.

"In your defense, you were pretty exhausted from last night" Brayden teased.

"Stop" Caroline said, her cheeks turning red.

"I'm just stating facts" Brayden said.

"I can't deal with you right now, it's too early" Caroline said, making Brayden chuckle.

"I can't believe you two made a deal with her" Elena said, interrupting Brayden and Caroline, and glaring at the twins.

"No one made a deal with her Elena" Brayden snapped, "I shoved my hand into her daughter's chest, and made it clear to her that we are not going to make any type of deal with her".

"If you thought Pearl was scary, you should have seen our brother" Damon told Stefan.

"Would you have me rather accept the deal, and welcome the unwanted twins back into our life?" Brayden asked, ever since the tomb, Brayden couldn't stand the mention of Kaitlynn,  he was channeling all his hurt into immense anger.

"I don't get why you are so mad at Kaitlynn, she looked out for you, remember?" Damon reminded, "Katherine was the one who could care less about me".

"Did you just defend Kaitlynn?" Brayden asked, slightly shocked.

"I'd rather die" Damon replied, "I'm just stating facts".

"What are you two on about?" Stefan asked confused.

"In exchange for information on the founding families, Pearl offered to tell us the whereabouts of Katherine and Kaitlynn" Brayden replied.

Elena scoffed, "Of course she did, Damon and Brayden get what they want, as usual, no matter who they hurt".

"Are you deaf?" Brayden asked, "Or are you just plain stupid?".

"Brayden" Stefan warned.

"Don't Brayden me" Brayden snapped, "Instead, take your girlfriend to the doctors, she needs to get her ears checked out, cause it looks like she didn't hear when I told her that we made no deal with Pearl".

"You don't want to know where Kaitlynn is?" Caroline asked.

"Why would I want to find someone who doesn't care about me?" Brayden asked, "Why would I jeopardies our relationship for someone like Kaitlynn?".

"Are you sure about this?" Caroline asked.

Brayden laced his fingers with Caroline, "I'm sure" he assured.

"Why are you so snarky about all this anyways?" Damon asked Elena.

"I woke up this morning, to learn that all the vampires have been released from the tomb" Elena snapped, "I've earned snarky".

"No, you've earned nosy" Brayden said, causing Elena to frown, "You keep sticking your nose into places where it doesn't belong".

"How long are you gonna blame me for turning your birth mother into a vampire?" Damon asked.

"I'm not blaming you Damon" Elena replied, "I've accepted the fact you're a self serving psychopath with no redeeming qualities".

"Why are you not angry with Brayden, he was there to" Damon snapped.

Caroline looked at Elena in confusion, wanting to know the same thing, "He wasn't the one who turned her" Elena snapped.

"For someone who doesn't like Brayden, you sure believe his words" Damon said, causing Caroline to frown.

"Don't" Brayden warned his twin, knowing what he was implying, "Don't even take it there".

"I'm just stating facts" Damon teased, loving the agitated looks on his brothers.

Brayden glanced at Caroline, who looked troubled, "You're creating trouble" he snapped.

"This isn't being very productive" Stefan interrupted, also getting annoyed at what Damon was implying, while Elena stayed quiet and just glared at Damon, "We're gonna figure out a way to deal with Pearl and the vampires, yeah?".

Brayden rolled his eye, he stood up from the couch, "Whatever you say, little brother".

Without hearing for Stefan's reply, Brayden grabbed Caroline's hand, and walked out the Salvatore living room.

***

Brayden stood by his door, watching Caroline grab her clothes from last night.

"You're staring" Caroline said to Brayden.

"And you're taking Damon's words too seriously" Brayden said, walking closer to Caroline.

"I don't know what you're on about" Caroline said.

Brayden grabbed Caroline's wrist and made her face him, "You hate when I shut you out, so please don't shut me out".

"I'm not shutting you out" Caroline assured.

"No, you're just hiding your true feelings" Brayden said.

Caroline sighed, "I'm scared" she admitted.

Brayden looked at Caroline in confusion, "What?".

"Everything is going so good for us, I'm scared something or someone is going to come and ruin everything" Caroline replied.

"No one's going to ruin anything" Brayden assured, "I'm here for as long as you will have me, no one's going to come in between us".

"Not even Elena?" Caroline asked.

"Specially not her" Brayden replied.

Caroline sighed, and hugged Brayden, "I'm sorry for being so insecure".

"It's okay" Brayden said, kissing Caroline's head, "Whenever you feel insecure, I'm always going to be there to make you feel better".

"Promise?" Caroline asked.

"I promise" Brayden replied.

***

After Caroline left, Brayden went back to the living room, where Damon was busy fixing the clock.

Brayden speeded over to his twin and shoved him off the stool and on to the ground.

"Ow" Damon complained, "What was that for?".

"Why are you such a dick?" Brayden asked.

"You're still mad about this morning?" Damon asked, standing up.

"You can't say shit like that, not infront of Caroline" Brayden replied.

"So you're telling me, you haven't noticed Elena taking your side recently?" Damon asked.

"What are you on about?" Brayden asked confused, "You're just trying to torment Stefan, in doing so, you're tormenting Caroline, so you need to stop".

"You and I have, we have something, an understanding" Damon said in a girly voice, reminding Brayden of what Elena had said to him.

"Stop" Brayden warned, "You need to go get a hobby, get your own girlfriend, maybe then you will stop making stupid assumptions".

"Denial is not a good look, brother" Damon said, just as Stefan entered the room, "Hunting party?".

"Guy did a number on me last night when he stabbed me, I gotta get my strength back up" Stefan replied.

"How do you feel about a soccer mom?" Brayden asked, "We have two liters of it in our fridge", causing Stefan to give him a sarcastic smile, "I'm guessing that's a no".

"We'll talk when I get back" Stefan said.

"Alright, give our regards to the squirrels" Damon said, as Stefan walked out.

***

Elena was in her house, when her phone started ringing, she answered it when she realised it was Brayden.

"Brayden?" Elena asked confused.

"Open your door" Brayden demanded, hanging up on the doppelganger.

Elena looked at her phone in confusion, but nonetheless opened her door.

"You ignore me, but answer Brayden's call?" Damon asked, as he and Brayden entered the Gilbert house.

"Not now" Brayden snapped, "Is Stefan here?".

"No" Elena replied confused, "Why? Is something wrong?".

"He went out in the woods and didn't come back" Damon replied, "We can't get him on his phone, we figured he was here with you".

Elena called Stefan's number, "It's going straight to voicemail" she informed, "Where could he be?".

"We have an idea" Brayden replied, "But if it's true, Stefan is in a lot of trouble".

***

"Pearl, open this door" Damon demanded, banging on the door, "I swear to god, I'll bust through it and rip your head off".

"Pearl's not home" Frederick informed, opening the door, he looked up at the sky, "Mm, beautiful weather, not a ray of sun in the sky".

"Where the hell is our brother?" Brayden asked, glaring at the vampire infront of him.

"Billy" Frederick called out, opening the door wide open.

Bill and another vampire, brought in Stefan, who was in immense pain.

"I'm going to kill you!" Brayden yelled, trying to enter the house, but failing.

"Whoa, I'm sorry, but you haven't been invited in" Frederick said, "Miss Gibbons?".

"Yes, Frederick, honey?" Miss Gibbons asked, walking over to Frederick, "Never let these two bad men in".

Miss Gibbons nodded, "I'll never let them in" she said, and the walked away.

"One-hundred and forty-five years left starving in a tomb thanks to Katherine and Kaitlynn's infatuation with you three" Frederick said, "The first few weeks, every single nerve in your body screams with fire, the kind of pain that can drive a person mad, well, I thought your brother might wanna get a taste of that before I killed him, Billy?".

Stefan yelled in pain, when Billy stabbed him in the side with a stake.

"You have a nice day" Frederick said, slamming the door on Brayden and Damon's faces.

***

"What happened?" Elena asked, getting out of the car and running towards the soaking brothers, "Where is he?".

"They have him, me and Brayden can't get in" Damon replied.

"Why not?" Elena asked.

"Because the women who owns the house was compelled to not let us in" Damon replied.

"I can get in" Elena stated.

"No" Brayden said, grabbing Elena's arm.

"I'm going" Elena said, struggling in Brayden's grip.

"Just stop!" Brayden yelled, causing Elena to flinch, "You going in is just going to make things worse Elena, you're human, you're not invincible, and as much as I would love to see you die, I'm not so sure my brother would forgive us for your death, so stay bloody put".

"Why are they doing this?" Elena asked, confused, "What do they want with him?".

"Revenge, they want revenge" Damon replied.

"We've got to do something" Elena said.

"You think we don't know that?" Brayden asked, "His our brother Elena, no one wants him out of there more then us, not even you, but we don't know know to get him out".

***

Alaric was walking in the empty corridors of Mystic Falls High, when his path was suddenly blocked by Damon and Brayden.

"Well, you look alive" Damon said, while Brayden and Caroline were having their first proper date, Alaric had come to kill the twins, but ended up getting stabbed by Damon.

"You can't hurt me" Alaric said.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that" Brayden said.

"Mr. Saltzman" Elena said, standing between the twins, "We need your help".

Brayden, Damon and Elena now stood in Alaric's classroom, asking for his help in saving Stefan from the tomb vampires.

"Stefan's in the house" Elena explained, "Damon and Brayden are vampires, they can't get in, we need you, I would go, but--".

"Our brother wouldn't be so happy if she dies" Brayden interrupted, "You on the other hand, I don't think anyone will even notice if you disappear".

"Stefan told me about your ring" Elena said.

"What about it?" Alaric asked, pretending to be oblivious.

"Well, let me recap" Damon said, "You tried to kill me, I defended myself, you died, then according to my brother, your ring brought you back to life, am I leaving anything out?".

"Yeah, the part where I try to kill you and your brother again" Alaric said, standing up, "Only this time I don't miss".

"Mr. Saltzman, please" Elena pleaded, "It's Stefan".

"I'm sorry, Elena" Alaric said, "It's not my problem".

"That's a shame" Damon said, "Because the woman in charge of the crowd can help you find your wife".

Elena looked at Damon in shock, "You're lying" Alaric said.

"Is he?" Brayden asked, "Or are you too scared to find out?".

"Coward" Damon taunted.

"Let's go, this was useless" Brayden said.

"All right, wait" Alaric said, stopping the trio from walking out, "I'll go".

***

"Teacher by day, vampire hunter by night" Damon commented, as Alaric took out his weapons.

"I have you two to thank for that" Alaric said, glaring at the twins.

"No, you have your wife to thank for that" Brayden said, "She came to us, we didn't go to her".

"What are these?" Elena asked, interrupting Brayden and Alaric.

"Some tranquilizer darts filled with vervain" Alaric replied.

"Just get me and Brayden in and we'll get Stefan out" Damon said.

"That's your plan?" Elena asked, "You two, take all of them on yourself?".

"This isn't our first fight Elena, we know how to get around without being seen" Brayden replied.

Elena rolled her eyes and grabbed a vervain dart, "Whoa, what are you doing?" Alaric asked.

"I'm going with you guys" Elena replied.

"No, no, no, no way" Damon said.

"You need me" Elena said.

Brayden scoffed, "Right, we need a stupid human like you, who thinks just because she's dating a vampire, all of a sudden she can't die, are you really that dumb?".

"Brayden, I'll get in, you can distract them, then I'll get Stefan out" Elena argued.

"Have you ever took down a vampire?" Brayden asked, "The answer is, no, before you even realise it your heart will be ripped out".

"I'm going" Elena stated.

"So when you get me in, get out as quickly as you can" Damon told Alaric, ignoring Elena, "Because me and Brayden know how to sneak around where they can't hear us, you'll basically just be in the way".

"Guys, now's not the time to be the Lone Rangers" Elena snapped.

"Fine, Elena, you can drive the getaway car" Damon said.

"No" Brayden said, "Caroline's driving the getaway car".

"You let Caroline come but not me?" Elena asked shocked.

"Because Caroline isn't stupid, she doesn't go in places where she will get killed" Brayden snapped.

"You're not going in the house" Damon told Elena.

"You can't stop me" Elena stated.

"Don't tempt me, because I will lock you in this classroom" Brayden threatened.

"It's Stefan we're talking about here" Elena snapped, "You don't understand".

"Stefan's our brother Elena" Brayden snapped, getting fed up of the doppelganger, "We understand, if you're worried, so are we, and much more then you could ever be!".

"We can't protect you, Elena" Damon said, "We don't know how many vampires that are in there", Damon clicked his fingers, "That's how long it takes you to get your head ripped off, we have to be able to get in and get out, we can't be distracted with your safety, or this will end up a bloodbath that none of us walk away from, including Stefan".

Alaric sighed, "If we're gonna go, let's go".

***

Alaric had managed to get himself into the house full of vampires, after killing the one vampire in the kitchen, Alaric opened the backdoor, where Brayden and Damon were.

"I need you to invite them inside" Alaric told Miss Gibbons.

"Oh, I'm sorry, they are not allowed in the house" Miss Gibbons said.

"Yeah I know, but your going to have to make an exception--".

"Get her out of the house, now" Damon interrupted, Alaric quickly pushed Miss Gibbons out the house, "Miss Gibbons, now tell me the truth, are you married?".

"No" Miss Gibbons replied.

"Parents, children?" Damon asked, "Anyone else who lives on this property?".

"No, it's just me" Miss Gibbons replied.

"No? Good" Damon said, snapping Miss Gibbons neck.

"You were supposed to compel her" Alaric snapped.

"Compulsion doesn't work like that" Brayden said, entering the house with Damon.

"She's human" Alaric said.

"And I'm not" Damon snapped, "So I don't care, now get out of here".

"Take care of the body" Brayden said.

***

Caroline and Elena sat in Damon's car, impatiently waiting for the boys to return.

Caroline very anxiously, tapped the steering wheel, "Please hurry" she whispered.

Elena, having enough of the wait, grabbed the vervain dart from her purse.

"What are you doing?" Caroline asked confused.

"I can't keep waiting here" Elena replied.

"You're going to get yourself killed" Caroline snapped.

"You don't understand Caroline" Elena snapped, "Stefan's in there".

"Elena!" Caroline yelled, as Elena got out of the car.

"We are so dead" Caroline whispered, getting out of the car and running after Elena.

***

Frederick sent two vampires to check on Alaric and Miss Gibbons, when the vampires entered the kitchen, they were confused seeing no sign of Miss Gibbons or Alaric anywhere, they closed the tap, and turned the blender off.

Just as they were about to enter the pantry, the door bursted open, and Damon and Brayden attacked the two vampires, very easily staking them.

***

Elena and Caroline climbed over a wall, they hid behind a wall when they heard Frederick's voice.

"Billy, Jacob, get back in here" Frederick ordered.

Elena tapped Caroline's shoulder and pointed to the stairs that led down to the basement, Caroline nodded, and the two girls ran down the stairs, making sure no one saw them.

Walking down the stairs, the girls were met with a locked door, Caroline broke the glass off the door, and opened the lock from the inside, the two girls walked in, they hid behind the wall when they saw a vampire, sitting infront of the room, in which Stefan was being kept it, but he couldn't hear the girls as he had music playing in his ears.

Caroline looked at Elena, "We're screwed" she mouthed.

Elena held the vervain dart in her hand, just as the vampire started walking towards the girls, but before he could reach them, his heart was ripped out.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Brayden asked the two girls.

***

"Elena" Stefan whispered, as Elena barged into the room, "You shouldn't be here".

"They were supposed to stay in the car" Damon said, entering the room with Brayden and Caroline.

Damon went to kill Harper, but Stefan stopped him, "No, no, not him" he protested.

"Let's get you down little brother" Brayden said, walking over to the ropes.

"There's vervain on the ropes" Stefan warned.

"Caroline" Brayden said, gesturing to the ropes, "Pull it".

Caroline nodded, she went over to the rope and pulled it, freeing Stefan.

"Alright, let's go" Brayden said, walking over to the door with Caroline.

"Clothes on" Damon told Stefan.

"Wait" Stefan said.

"What?" Damon asked, "Guys, come on, we have to get out of here".

Stefan ignored Damon, and pulled the stake out of Harper's leg, "Come on you guys" Brayden urged, making sure no one was coming towards them.

"The other one" Stefan told Elena, who nodded and took out the other stake out of Harper's other leg.

"You two, get Stefan in the car" Brayden told Elena and Caroline.

"Go" Damon said.

"Wait, what about you two?" Caroline asked, worried.

"We will stop the other vampires from coming after you guys" Brayden replied.

"Brayden--".

"You need to go Caroline" Brayden said, "The longer you stay here, the more danger you're in, go, please".

Caroline glanced at Brayden one last time, before finally leaving with Stefan and Elena.

***

Elena and Caroline supported Stefan on each side and tried to get him to the car, before the other vampires came and attacked them.

"Can you make it?" Elena asked, seeing Stefan struggle.

Stefan fell to the ground, causing both Elena and Caroline to also fall, Caroline winced in pain when a rock cut her hand.

"You two okay?" Stefan asked, laying on the floor in pain.

"Yeah" Elena replied.

"Come on Stefan, we have to go" Caroline said, standing up, and helping Elena, help Stefan stand up.

***

Frederick was walking in the house, trying to find Brayden and Damon, when suddenly Brayden speeded over to him and shoved him to the ground and repeatedly punched him.

Suddenly, two vampires took Brayden off of Frederick and started hitting him, Damon speeded over to the vampires and pushed one of the vampires away from Brayden and staked him, while Brayden took care of the other vampire, the twins didn't realise that two more vampires were behind them, they realised when someone had shot them with vervain darts.

Brayden and Damon looked behind them to see Alaric standing there, his gun in his hand.

"We're going after Frederick" Damon informed, as he and Brayden stood up and chased after the man who tortured their brother.

***

"It's right over here" Elena said, as her and Caroline led Stefan over to Damon's car, they helped him sit in the car, and both the girls quickly followed, with Caroline sitting in the back, and Elena in the driver's seat.

"Drive Elena, please" Caroline urged.

"I can't" Elena said, confusing Caroline.

"What do you mean you can't drive?" Caroline asked.

"The key's gone Caroline" Elena replied.

Before Caroline could react, Frederick broke the window and dragged Stefan out of the car, shocking both the girls, he repeatedly kicked and punched Stefan, he then grabbed him by his collars and made him stand.

"This is for Bethanne" Frederick said, staking Stefan, right below his heart, "And this is for the tomb".

"No!" Elena yelled, sticking the vervain dart into Frederick, causing him to let go of Stefan and fall to the fall.

"Stefan!" Caroline yelled, running over to younger Salvatore, she took the branch out of his chest, causing him to yell in pain.

"Stefan" Elena cried, kneeling by Stefan, "Stefan!".

***

"Frederick's gone" Damon informed Alaric, just as he stood up from his fight with a vampire.

"We need to go, his probably after Stefan, whose right now with Caroline" Brayden said, making his way to the front door, "I'm gonna murder him".

The trio stepped out the house, but before they could leave, they saw more vampire walking over to them, they were surrounded.

"How many of those vervain darts do you have left?" Damon asked.

"One" Alaric replied.

"There's definitely more then one vampire making it's way towards us" Brayden said, as the trio walked back into the house.

***

"Stefan, please" Elena pleaded, shaking the youngest Salvatore, trying to wake him up, "Stefan!".

"Elena" Caroline said, looking at Frederick's body, "His waking up".

"Stefan, please, get up, come on, get up, Stefan" Elena pleaded, "Stefan".

Caroline looked down at her bloody hand, she then remember how she woke Brayden up when Stefan was keeping him locked in the cellar, "Blood" she whispered, "Elena, he needs blood".

Elena looked at Caroline then back at Stefan, "You're right" she said, grabbing a rock and making a cut on her hand, and then feeding Stefan her blood.

"Elena, please, run" Stefan whispered, finally waking up.

"No" Elena said, shaking her head in denial.

"Please" Stefan pleaded.

"Stefan, my wrists" Elena said, "Here, take my wrist, you need more blood".

"No, Elena, you two need to run" Stefan said.

"Please just drink it Stefan" Caroline pleaded, looking at Frederick in fear, "Or all three of us are going to die".

"I trust you" Elena told Stefan, forwarding her wrist towards him.

After much hesitation, Stefan bit into Elena's wrist

***

"So, what you said to get me to do this, about my wife, it's a lie, wasn't it?" Alaric asked, as the vampires started banging on the door.

"Yep" Damon replied.

"Stop", the trio heard Pearl say, "What's going on here?".

Pearl opened the door, entering the house she was shocked seeing so many dead vampires.

"What did you do?" Pearl asked.

"Us?" Brayden asked, "The vampires you've been keeping as pets, they spent the whole day torturing our brother".

"Trust me, the parties responsible for this will be dealt with" Pearl assured.

"How could you come to our house and try to control us?" Brayden asked, "When you don't even have these people in your control".

"This wasn't supposed to happen" Pearl defended.

"Well, it did" Damon snapped, "If we had a good side, not a way to get on it".

***

Frederick finally recovered from the vervain dart, and slowly stood up, he looked towards an unconscious Stefan, grabbing a branch, he started making his way towards the unconscious Salvatore.

Before he could attack him though, Stefan stood up and slammed Frederick to the tree, he grabbed the branch from him and staked Frederick, over and over and over again.

"Stefan, he's dead" Elena said, running over to Stefan and grabbing his hand, causing Stefan to growl at her, scaring Elena.

When Stefan finally realised the situation, he looked at Elena, a guilty expression on his face.

***

Caroline sat on Brayden's bed, her hands shaking slightly, after seeing Stefan stake Fredrick, Caroline was terrified.

"Caroline" Brayden said, entering his room.

Caroline stood up, "Before you get mad--".

Before Caroline could finish her sentence, Brayden walked over to her and pulled her into a kiss.

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

"I'm okay" Caroline assured, tightening her grip on Brayden.

"What were you thinking Caroline?" Brayden asked, "You could have gotten seriously hurt, I let you drive the getaway car, because I thought you weren't stupid enough to enter a house full of vampires".

Caroline sighed, she broke the hug and faced Brayden, "I wasn't going to, but Elena ran out the car, so I followed her, I couldn't stay in the car while she went to save Stefan".

"That's exactly what you should have done" Brayden snapped, "If Elena wanted to die, then you should have let her, why risk your life like this?!".

"Brayden I--".

"I can't lose you Caroline" Brayden interrupted, "Not you, why don't you understand that?".

"I understand, okay?" Caroline replied, "I do, but look at the bright side, I'm okay and so is Stefan, it's a win-win situation".

Brayden cupped Caroline's face in his hands, "If anything would have happened to you, I would have burned this town to the ground".

"That's a bit dramatic, don't you?" Caroline asked.

"It's the truth" Brayden replied, "I love you, more then anything in this world".

Caroline smiled, "So, if you love me so much, can I stay here the night?" she asked, "After seeing the way Stefan killed Frederick, I'm a bit scared".

Brayden sighed, "Of course you can, and I'm sorry you had to see that, Stefan loses it when he drinks human blood".

"Is he going to be okay?" Caroline asked.

"I don't know" Brayden admitted, "Without her here, I'm scared Stefan won't know how to control his bloodlust".

"Her?" Caroline asked confused.

"Fae" Brayden replied, "The women who kept Stefan's bloodlust in check".

***

While Caroline used his bathroom to get ready for bed, Brayden decided to check on Stefan, he entered his room, and frowned seeing trails of empty bloods all around Stefan's room, walking further in, Brayden saw Stefan sitting on the ground, devouring a blood bag.

Stefan glanced at Brayden, a guilty expression on his face, then went back to drinking the blood bag.

"Oh, brother" Brayden whispered, realising his brother had given into his bloodlust.

***

Presenting 1x17 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Caroline feeling insecure after hearing Damon's words?

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p.s THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 10K READS ON THIS BOOK! 💖

p.s.s when I first made this book, I made mood boards for this book, I uploaded in on my Meet My OCs book, but forgot to upload it here, so here they are, hope you guy like, I'm actually so proud of them!