17. Because The Night

"Wait, you and Kaitlynn took Elena to New York and not me?!" an angry Brayden asked his twin through the phone.

"I knew this was going to be your reaction, it's the reason I didn't pick up the phone the first twenty times you called" Damon said.

"I can't believe this" Brayden snapped, "I need a vacation more than that doppelganger, Damon".

"The reason I didn't bring you along with us is because this isn't a vacation, Bray" Damon defended.

"What?" a confused Brayden asked, "If not a vacation, then what is this spontaneous trip to New York about?".

"This joyride is actually a cure hunt" Damon clarified, "The vampire Katherine sent after Hayley, he's a old friend of ours, Bray".

"Which friend?" Brayden asked curiously.

"Will, from New York" Damon reminded.

"Wait, Will, is he the guy who got vampires fake identities?" Brayden asked.

"Bingo" Damon confirmed, "I'm sure that Katherine was one of his clients".

"Wonderful" Brayden mumbled.

"Look, just be a good brother and keep Mystic Falls afloat for me" Damon said, "You've got an immortal named Silas to deal with, remember?".

"Trust me, I remember" Brayden assured.

***

"This is a nightmare" Fae complained, as her and Caroline stood in the living room entry and looked at the extremely messing house, because of the party Elena threw.

Caroline looked at Fae, "The brothers don't expect us to clean this, do they?".

"They better not" Fae stated, "I am not touching any of this, god knows where all those grubby hands had been before".

"Hello, love" Klaus greeted, entering the room.

Caroline looked at Klaus in confusion, "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Yeah, shouldn't you be chasing Tyler to the ends of this earth?" Fae asked.

"Depends, do either of you happen to know where the young Brutus is?" Klaus asked curiously.

"We know where he's not, here" Caroline replied, "He gave Matt the deed to the house, so he's gone for good".

Klaus nodded his head, he then walked closer to Caroline "Tyler made it his life's mission to kill him" he reminded, "You can't hate me for driving him away".

"But we can, and we do" Caroline retorted, she then lightly pushed Klaus away from her, "And can you please keep your distance from me, I need my personal space, so go away".

"Actually, we asked him to be here" Stefan informed, as he and Brayden entered the room.

"Not we, he" Brayden corrected, pointing to his brother.

"Why?" a confused Fae asked.

"We need his help, we think Silas is in Mystic Falls" Stefan informed.

"That we, do think" Brayden confirmed.

***

"So some blood went missing from a few hospitals" Klaus said, pouring himself a drink after Brayden and Stefan filled him in on everything they knew, "What about Elena? Don't vampires with their humanity off tend to overindulge on human blood? Or were you two the exception?".

"I never overindulged in human blood" Brayden snapped, already annoyed with the original hybrid.

"It's not Elena" Stefan said.

"Well, let's say for a moment that it was Silas" Klaus said, "I'm struggling to see how this affects me".

"Because genius, Silas wants to die and reunite with his soulmate" Brayden explained, "The only problem with that is that he is supernatural, meaning if he takes the cure and dies, he won't get peace, he will just be stuck on the other side".

"How Shakespearean" Klaus mocked.

"But if he destroys the other side altogether, he can take the cure, die and pass on" Stefan continued, "But in destroying it every dead supernatural being will return to our side".

"That means every werewolf, every witch, every vampire" Caroline informed, "I wonder how many of those you've personally killed, care yet?".

"If not, then let me remind that both your murderous parents are also on the other side and if this veil is lifted, they will be back here to kill you" Brayden added.

"My interest is piqued" Klaus suddenly said, realising Brayden was right, "How do we stop him?".

"Bonnie said Silas needs to complete three massacres to do the spell" Stefan explained, "Before Professor Shane died, he convinced the pastor to blow up the council, next, he had you kill your hybrids, and now, he only needs one more massacre, so if he's here, that's what he's doing, we need to find him".

***

"What are we even looking for?" a confused Caroline asked, as her, Fae, Stefan, Klaus and Brayden entered Shane's office.

"If Shane was part of Silas's plan to destroy the other side, the chances are somewhere in this office there should be something about what Silas's next move is going to be" Brayden replied.

"Where? On his evil villain to-do list?" Caroline asked, as the group started searching Shane's office, "Steal blood, perform three massacres, pick up dry cleaning?".

"Actually, not to nit pick, we evil villains usually use minions to pick up our drying cleaning" Klaus teased, "That sort of thing".

"Remind me once again why he's necessary?" an annoyed Brayden asked his brother.

"Well, we don't know what Silas can do, so if we do have to go head-to-head with him an original hybrid who can't die might come in handy" Stefan explained.

"Besides, Stefan and I work well together" Klaus informed, "Or at least we did in the 20s".

"Well, granted my emotions were off" Stefan retorted.

"And that's why you were more fun" Klaus stated, "Just as Damon is probably relishing in Elena's emotionless company in New York".

"Damon has a girlfriend who is madly in love with" Fae snapped, going through Shane's collection of books, "He's not enjoying Elena's company, he's enjoying Kaitlynn's".

"I'm just saying, you should never underestimate the allure of darkness" Klaus said, looking at Caroline, "Even the purest hearts are drawn to it".

Brayden clenched his hands into a fist, "You're right Klaus, there is just something about darkness that pulls the purest hearts in" he said, making Klaus look at him in confusion, wondering where he was taking this, Brayden ignored Klaus's questioning gaze and looked at his girlfriend, "Right Princess? I mean you and I are a perfect example of that, my darkness pulled your pure heart right in".

"Absolutely" Caroline said, kissing Brayden's cheek.

A smug looking Brayden turned to Klaus and gave him a smirk, letting Klaus know as long as he was here, Klaus was not going to have a chance with Caroline.

"Guys, I found something" Fae suddenly announced, grabbing a book from the bookshelf and taking it over to the table.

"Symbolic Figures in the Dark Arts" Caroline read out the title of the book.

"Bonnie was talking about expression triangles, right?" Fae asked, she pointed to a passage, "Look here".

"In some schools of magic, such as expression human sacrifice can be used as a focus for power, it's rumored that the addition of two supernatural sacrifices compounds the mystical energy creating an expression triangle" Stefan read out.

"Humans, that's the council fire" Caroline connected, "Demons, Klaus' hybrid failure".

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a failure, what's the third?" Klaus asked.

"Oh my god" a shocked Fae whispered, "It's witches".

***

While Stefan and Fae had gone outside to talk to Bonnie, Brayden and Caroline grabbed a map of Mystic Falls and tried to figure out where the third massacre is going to be while completely ignoring Klaus.

"There's been two massacres" Caroline informed, marking the massacres spots on the map, "Pastor Young's farm is here and the old Lockwood cellar where Klaus spitefully slaughtered twelve of his own hybrids is here, according to the book, the expression triangle is equilateral, putting it here".

"Actually princess, there's another place the third massacre could be at" Brayden said, grabbing the marker and ruler from Caroline's hands and marking the second potential spot".

"Well, you didn't let me finish" Caroline defended.

Brayden chuckled, "Sure princess".

The door to Shane's office opened and Stefan and Fae stepped in again.

"Hey, what's going on? Did you guys find Bonnie?" a curious Caroline asked.

"No, but we talked to her dad" Stefan informed, "I think we found Silas".

"Silas is currently masquerading as Professor Shane and brainwashing Bonnie to preform the third massacre" Fae revealed.

***

"So Silas is appearing as Professor Shane" Damon said through the phone, as Brayden walked a bit behind Caroline and Klaus to one potential massacre site while Stefan and Fae checked the other, "Wouldn't be my first choice".

"It's the perfect face he needs to brainwash Bonnie into committing a massacre of her own kind" Brayden said.

"You need me and Kaitlynn to come home?" Damon asked.

"No, we're good" Brayden assured, "How's your search for the cure going?".

"Well, not great, I mean, it's no massacre in the making but Rebekah trailed us here" Damon informed, searching through the many boxes, "And in addition to our buddy being a brilliant identity thief, he's also a hoarder".

"What exactly are you trying to find?" a curious Brayden asked.

"Will had a repeat customer" Damon reminded, "Five-foot-seven brunette, said she was a runner".

"Are you telling me this whole time we were helping Katherine stay on the run?" an annoyed Brayden asked.

"Yeap" Damon confirmed, "Turns out I was helping her run from me, ironic, problem is, I'm pretty sure this filing system goes by birth date but I can't for the life of me remember Katherine's".

"Well that's not going to earn you any boyfriend points because it's the same birth date as Kaitlynn's" Brayden reminded, "June 5th--".

"1473" Damon remembered.

"Would you look at that, turns out all you need was a push through Kaitlynn's name" Brayden teased.

"Shut up" Damon said, going through the files in the 1473 box, finally his eyes landed on Katherine's, "Got it", opening the file, he was met with a list of addresses, "All her former addresses, including a couple from the last two months, they're mostly P.O. boxes, but hey, it narrows the search".

"So I'm guessing that means you're coming back home now?" Brayden asked.

"Yeah, tomorrow morning" Damon informed, "Gotta keep up the ruse for the terrible twosome outside, pretend like I'm having a good time".

"Which you are" Brayden retorted, "Don't pretend as if you weren't dying to take Kaitlynn out of town since the moment you two confessed your love".

"Ture, but if I don't get back to her soon, she's going to murder me for leaving her alone with Elena and Rebekah, so hang up, we'll talk when I get back" Damon said, hanging up on his twin and going back to the party.

***

"I just wanna see where we are" Caroline complained, as Klaus walked infront of her and Brayden behind her, the trio walking in the woods hoping to find Bonnie before she helps Silas commit a massacre.

"You know, when we split up, you did have the option of going with Stefan and Fae" Klaus reminded.

"First of all, I wanted to be with my boyfriend, I didn't expect you to follow us" Caroline said, "And second of all, I would never leave Bonnie's life in your hands, and do you even know how to read a map?".

"Yes, and you know who taught me? My friend Magellan" Klaus replied.

"Wow, you had a friend" Caroline said sarcastically.

"Stop" Brayden told Klaus and Caroline, "According to my map, this is the place".

"Mine says the same thing" Klaus informed.

"Going by the fact that they are no witches here, I'm going to go on a limb and say this isn't where the third massacre is happening" Brayden realised.

***

Brayden, Klaus and Caroline arrived at the second massacre spot just in time to see the witches use their magic to shove Stefan and Fae away from them and into the trees.

"They're linked, Bonnie's gonna kill them" Stefan informed the trio, standing up and helping Fae up as well.

"Not if the witches kill her first" Klaus retorted, shoving Stefan to the tree, stopping him from saving Bonnie.

"Can't you do anything?" Brayden asked Fae.

"They have the power of twelve witches Brayden, I'm not strong enough to stop them" Fae replied.

"But we need to save her somehow" Caroline said.

"How?" Klaus asked, "The only way to stop the witches is to kill them, and then Silas gets what he wants".

Caroline looked towards the witches, just in time to see a witch life her knife in the air, all ready to kill Bonnie, "Spirits, take her soul! Free her from darkness!".

Bonnie started yelling in pain, unable to just stand there and watch Bonnie die, Caroline quickly speeded over to the witch and grabbing the knife made her stab herself.

"No!" an enraged Klaus yelled, angry that now Silas had everything he needed to destroy the other side.

"Caroline!" a worried Brayden yelled at the same time, knowing the guilt of this massacre was going to now eat her alive.

Caroline stood there in tears, watching as one by one all twelve witches fell to the ground, all dead.

Brayden quickly rushed over to his girlfriend and pulled her into a hug, shielding her from seeing all the dead bodies.

Bonnie, who was still laying on the ground, suddenly opened her eyes, that were now all white, "The triangle is complete" she informed.

***

"Is it done?" an emotional Caroline asked her boyfriend.

Brayden threw the shovel on to the ground and turned to face the Forbes vampire, "All the witches are buried".

Caroline looked at Brayden with teary eyes, "I screwed up, didn't I?" she whispered.

Brayden sighed, he walked over to Caroline and cupped her face in his hands, "You didn't screw up Caroline, you just reminded me why I love you so much".

"What?" a confused Caroline asked.

"What you did Caroline, it wasn't because you wanted to help Silas, it was because you were protecting someone you care about, and that is what I love the most about you" Brayden said, "The fact that you will go to any extent to protect the people you love, you don't mind being in pain as long as the people you love are safe and sound, and that is a very admirable quality" Brayden said.

"But I killed twelve witches" a guilty Caroline cried.

"I know but you had no choice, it was either the witches die or Bonnie" Brayden said.

"Do you hate me?" Caroline asked, "For saving Bonnie, despite knowing her part in killing Kol?".

"Caroline, Kol was close to me, he wasn't close to you or Damon or Stefan, I can't expect you guys to be angry for his death, that's my job" Brayden said.

"But I am angry" Caroline said, "I am so angry, but at that moment I--".

"You couldn't let Bonnie die" Brayden finished, "I get it, it's fine princess, you don't have to defend yourself, especially not to me because I know you and I know how pure your heart is".

Caroline gave Brayden a small smile, "Hold me?" she whispered.

"Don't have to ask me twice" Brayden said, pulling Caroline into his embrace.

Caroline wrapped her arms around Brayden's neck and hid her face in his neck while Brayden did the same, as Caroline breathed Brayden's scent in, her heart finally felt at peace, she was guilty for what she did and Brayden was the only one who could calm her down, he was the only one who could stop her from losing her mind, he was not only her love, but he was also her sanity.

***

Knowing that Caroline needed something to take her mind off of what happened tonight, Brayden decided they were going to spend the night staring at the stars, that's how the two soulmates ended up laying on the roof of Brayden's car, a blanket underneath them and on top of them staring at the stars, neither of them realised when they had fallen asleep but Brayden's sleep broke when his phone started ringing, he quickly answered it before it could wake Caroline up, who was in a deep sleep on his chest.

"Let me guess, you and Kaitlynn failed" Brayden said, answering his twin's phone while talking very quietly.

"First of all, why are you speaking so quietly?" Damon asked, "Second of all, let's just say something happened because of a five foot seven brunette and her blond accomplice".

"I'm speaking like this because Caroline is sleeping, she's had a long day, I don't want her to wake up" Brayden replied, "And secondly, let me guess, Elena and Rebekah gave you and Kaitlynn the slip when you two were doing the devil's tango".

"They didn't give us the slip, they snapped our necks, and the lead we had on Katherine, Elena stole it" Damon said, "And before you ask, no it wasn't while we were having sex".

"I wasn't going to" Brayden stated.

"Good, also don't speak nonsense about how badly I screwed up cause I don't want to hear that either, because I already know" Damon said.

Brayden sighed, "You're not the only one who screwed up, me and Stefan couldn't stop the massacre".

"Guess Silas has everything he needs" Damon said.

"Not everything" Brayden said, "He still doesn't have the cure".

"Which means to stop Silas we need to get to the cure before him" Damon realised.

"Yeah" Brayden confirmed.

***

Presenting 4x17 of They Don't Know About Us!

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Brayden being annoyed that Damon went to New York without him?

Thoughts on Brayden not giving Klaus a chance to get close to Caroline?

Thoughts on Caroline killing the twelve witches?

Thoughts on Brayden comforting Caroline?