03. Bad Moon Rising

"Thanks for coming, Ric" Damon said, letting Alaric in, "Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, bourbon, bourbon in your coffee?".

"Elena mentioned you needed my help" Alaric said.

"Let's just hurry and get this over and done with, I have a newly turned vampire girlfriend to go see" Brayden said.

"We were hoping you could help shed some light on the Lockwood family" Stefan told Alaric.

"Now why would I know anything about the Lockwoods?" Alaric asked confused.

"Well, you wouldn't" Damon replied.

"But your bitchy, manipulative, evil, not so dead ex-wife might" Brayden said, causing Elena to glare at him, while he simply gave her a mock smile.

"Isobel's research from when you guys were at Duke together" Elena clarified.

"You said that she had spent years researching this town" Stefan remembered.

"Isobel's research here in Mystic Falls was rooted in folklore and legend" Alaric informed, "At the time, I thought most of which was fiction".

"Like that amazing vampire story" Damon said.

"Aside from vampires, what else?" Elena asked.

"The lycanthrope" Alaric replied.

"Wonderful, now we have werewolves, just what I needed" Brayden said, downing his glass of bourbon.

"No way, impossible" Damon said, "Way too Lon Chaney".

"Is it?" Stefan asked.

"I believe it" Brayden said.

"I've been on this planet 160-some-odd years, never come across one" Damon said.

"Just cause you haven't come across a werewolf, doesn't mean it doesn't exist" Brayden said.

"If werewolves exist, where the hell are they?" Damon asked.

"Well, here" Brayden replied, "A town we've avoided for a century".

"Well, why do you suspect the Lockwoods?" Alaric asked confused.

"Because vervain didn't affect the mayor on Founders Day, but the Gilbert device did" Damon replied, "And it affected his son Tyler".

"And at the school carnival, his Uncle Mason exhibited, inhuman behavior when he fought one of the carnival workers" Stefan informed, "It suggested some sort of a supernatural entity".

"Hey Elena, has Bonnie told Tyler the reason as to why his dad is dead, is because she decided to betray us?" Brayden asked.

"Brayden" Stefan warned.

"Don't Brayden me" Brayden snapped, "You both have broken up, so why the hell is she still butting in our business?".

"I'm here to protect the people I care about" Elena snapped.

"Liar" Brayden said, "You want Stefan's attention, news flash, you're not getting it, Fae is back, you are no longer needed".

Elena ignored Brayden and turned to Alaric, "We were hoping that Isobel's research could help us figure out what it is".

"Tell her not to include my name with hers" Brayden told Stefan, making Damon chuckle, while Stefan simply shook his head.

"Well, all of her things are still at Duke" Alaric said, "I mean, her office is still there, she's technically still missing".

"So can we get access to it?" Damon asked, "Ric, we need to know what we're dealing with, if this wolfman thing is true, I've seen enough movies to know it's not good, it means Mason Lockwood is real-life Lon Chaney, and that little Tyler punk may just very well be Lon Chaney Jr, which means Bela Lugosi, meaning me, is totally screwed".

***

"Brayden stop laughing" Damon snapped, shoving Brayden.

"You're going on road trip with Elena bloody Gilbert" Brayden laughed, "I feel so sorry for you".

"It doesn't seem like it" Damon said, he turned to Stefan, "Why aren't you coming?".

"He's supervising me and Caroline, making sure I don't teach her anything wrong" Brayden replied.

"And why couldn't I do that?" Damon asked.

"Because you and Brayden together will just corrupt Caroline" Stefan replied.

Brayden smirked, "Too late" he said.

Elena and Alaric walked over to the car, and Elena shoved her bag in into the car and turned to Stefan, she took a step forward, while Stefan took a step backwards.

"Um, you guys are getting late" Stefan mumbled, "You should go now".

"Not without me" Kaitlynn said, walking over to the group with Fae.

"You're not coming" Damon stated.

"You can't stop me" Kaitlynn said, "I need some answers as well".

"On what?" Damon asked, "How to be a decent being?".

"Ha, ha, Damon, you're so funny, that I forgot to laugh" Kaitlynn said sarcastically.

"Just take her" Brayden said.

"Bray--".

"I'm not going to let you leave until you take me" Kaitlynn said, sitting on the bonnet.

"Are you serious?" Damon asked.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Kaitlynn asked.

"Are you coming as well?" Damon asked Fae.

"Nope" Fae replied, "I'm staying to make Caroline a daylight ring".

"And can you hurry with that" Brayden replied, "Caroline's getting restless".

"I will" Fae assured, "After they leave".

Brayden turned to Damon, Kaitlynn, Alaric and Elena, "Leave, now".

Damon groaned, "I'm stuck with the two worst people".

"Aww Damon, I love you to" Kaitlynn said, sarcastically, getting off the bonnet.

For a moment, Damon stared a Kaitlynn in shock, but before anyone could notice his shock, Damon quickly opened the passenger seat door and got in.

"I'm sitting in the back?" Kaitlynn asked.

"Yes" Damon replied simply.

"So no being a gentleman and offering me the front seat?" Kaitlynn asked.

"Nope" Damon replied.

"Rude" Kaitlynn said, getting in the back along with Elena.

"Thank you" Damon said simply.

"I wish you luck my brother" Brayden said, very amused with Damon's situation.

"Shut up" Damon snapped, causing Brayden to laugh.

***

As Alaric was driving, Kaitlynn placed her head between Damon and Alaric's seat, "So, how's it going?" she asked.

"You can't say silent for one second can you?" Damon asked.

"I have a beautiful voice Damon" Kaitlynn replied, "I want everyone to hear it".

"Your voice makes my ears bleed" Damon said.

Kaitlynn looked at Damon, "How long are you going to pretend to hate me?".

"I don't think he's pretending" Elena replied, "You played with his brother's feelings".

"I never played with Brayden's feelings" Kaitlynn snapped, "I'm not my sister, and next time don't speak without knowing the full story Elena".

"Are you going to tell me the full story?" Damon asked, turning his head to see Kaitlynn.

Kaitlynn looked at Damon, "Not today if that's what you're wondering".

Damon rolled his eyes, he then put his hand on Kaitlynn's face and pushed her back into her seat.

"Hey!" Kaitlynn complained.

"Your face was hurting my eyes" Damon said.

"Yours made me want to vomit" Kaitlynn retorted.

"Real mature guys" Alaric interjected, "Real mature".

***

"So thoughts on the ring you have to wear for the rest of your life?" Brayden asked Caroline, laying next to Caroline on her bed, while Fae prepared for the spell, and Stefan sat on the chair.

"It's beautiful, you chose this?" Caroline asked, slightly shocked.

"Should I be offended that you're shocked?" Brayden asked.

"I just didn't think you had good taste in women's jewelry" Caroline defended.

"I don't, I just know your taste" Brayden said.

Caroline smiled, "You really do".

"Alright, I'm ready" Fae said, gaining Caroline and Brayden's attention.

"What do I do?" Caroline asked.

"Just put the ring on the bed" Fae instructed.

Caroline followed Fae's instruction and placed the ring on the bed, Fae opened the curtains slightly, letting the sunlight fall on to the ring but not on Caroline, she then closed her eyes, and started chanting, after a while, she opened her eyes again, and handed the ring over to Caroline.

"Done" Fae said.

Caroline wore the ring, "So that it's?" she asked, "I mean, nothing witchy happened, you know, no flickering lights, no gusts of wind, have you even done this before?".

"Caroline" Stefan warned, while Brayden tried not to laugh.

"Well, I just wanna make sure it worked" Caroline defended.

"Let's find out then" Fae said, opening the curtains fully.

"Fae!" Caroline yelled, crawling into a ball, but feeling no burn.

"Well, it worked" Brayden said amused.

"What if it hadn't, Fae?" Caroline asked.

"Then you would have burned, to death" Fae replied simply.

***

"So Isobel was officially employed by the Anthropology Department, given that most paranormal phenomena is rooted in folklore" Alaric informed the trio, as they entered Isobel's office, "Excuse me, hi, I'm Alaric Saltzman" he greeted Isobel's assistant, "I called earlier".

"Yes, of course, I'm Vanessa Monroe, research assistant" Vanessa introduced, shaking Alaric's hand, "Comparative folklore, oh, let me just grab Isobel's keys".

"I'm sorry, these are my friends Elena, Damon and Kaitlynn, I hope this isn't an imposition" Alaric said.

"We're acquaintances, actually" Kaitlynn corrected.

"Oh, please, Isobel's office is right through there" Vanessa said, leading the group into Isobel's office, "Isobel was one of my first professors, I'm a grad student, she was brilliant, and one of the reasons I went into folklore, I have to ask, has there been any news?".

"No" Alaric replied, "No, I'm afraid not".

"So about that office" Kaitlynn said.

"It's right this way" Vanessa informed, opening the door for the group, "I'll grab the light, feel free to look around, it's fascinating, isn't it?".

"I've seen better" Kaitlynn replied, starting to look around the bookshelves.

"Where did she go?" Damon asked, after Vanessa disappeared.

Suddenly, Vanessa appeared behind an oblivious Kaitlynn with a crossbow in hand, while was going through a random book, Vanessa shot at her, but before it could hit her, Damon stood infront of Kaitlynn, taking the arrow.

"Oh my god" Kaitlynn whispered, grabbing Damon before he could fall.

***

"Pull it out, Kaitlynn" Damon snapped, "I can't reach it".

"Why would you take a arrow for me?" Kaitlynn asked.

"Just pull the damn thing out, it hurts" Damon snapped.

"I thought you hated me" Kaitlynn said, "Do you take arrows for everyone you hate?".

"Pull it out Kaitlynn, now!" Damon demanded.

"Geez, fine" Kaitlynn said, grabbing the arrow and pulling it out of Damon, "So now can we kill her?".

"Definitely, that bitch is dead" Damon replied.

"Uh, none of you are gonna kill her" Elena stated.

"Remind me again, were you the one shot at?" Kaitlynn asked, "Or did you take the arrow for me? I think not, so you get no say in this".

"You touch her and I swear I will never speak to you again" Elena told Damon.

Damon looked at Elena in confusion, "You really think that threat's going to work on me? Just cause I'm not as vocal as Brayden, doesn't mean I like you Elena, I dislike you as much as Brayden does".

"Ouch" Kaitlynn said, seeing Elena's hurt face, "Anyways, I have a feeling I know why Vanessa attacked me, but I need to be sure, so I'm going to go to her, and decide if she dies or not, see you both later".

Kaitlynn walked out the room, and Damon followed, not wanting to talk to Elena.

***

"Please" Vanessa pleaded, as Alaric shoved her into a chair, "Okay, I freaked, alright, you would have done the same thing, it is not possible, Kaitlynn and Katherine Pierce can't be alive, and Damon Salvatore died in 1864, okay, I read Isobel's research".

"Well, then you should know just how possible this is" Alaric said.

"Hello attacker" Kaitlynn greeted, entering the room, "I'm guessing you know who I am?".

"Kaitlynn Pierce, twin sister of Katherine Pierce" Vanessa replied.

"Older by ten minutes" Kaitlynn informed.

"I'm Elena Gilbert" Elena introduced, "Isobel's daughter and a descendent of Kaitlynn and Katherine Pierce".

"That grumpy fellow is Damon Salvatore" Kaitlynn said, pointing to Damon.

"I'd be extra nice to me right now" Damon said.

"I'll pay you fifty dollars to shoot him again" Kaitlynn said, making Damon glare at her.

"Look, we need your help, okay?" Elena said, "We need to see all of Isobel's research, anything related to Mystic Falls".

"Or my amnesia" Kaitlynn added.

***

"Do we really have to teach Caroline your diet?" Brayden asked his brother, as they walked in the woods.

"You're teaching her both" Fae interjected, "The bunny diet, and snatch, eat and erase, and then Caroline will pick which one suits her".

Brayden looked at Caroline, "If you pick the bunny diet, we're breaking up".

Caroline chuckled at Brayden's words, then turned to Stefan, "So, what do I do when I see the rabbit?".

"Chase it, catch it, feed on it" Caroline replied.

"Gross" Brayden said.

"Isn't killing cute, defenseless animals the first step in becoming a serial killer?" Caroline asked.

Brayden put his arm over Caroline's shoulder, "It indeed is, princess" he replied, "He's turning you into a serial killer, how do you feel about that?".

Caroline shoved Brayden away from her, "Shut up".

"Hey, now that you're a vampire, we should totally have sex in the woods" Brayden said.

"I'm going to kill you" Caroline said, chasing after Brayden as he ran away, while Fae and Stefan laughed at their antics, but nonetheless ran after the couple.

***

"This box tracks Katherine and Kaitlynn's arrival, to Mystic Falls in April of 1864" Vanessa said, handing Elena a box.

"You realise, you could have just asked me, right?" Kaitlynn said.

"Would you have told me?" Elena asked.

"Not likely" Kaitlynn replied.

"That's why I didn't ask you" Elena snapped.

"Wow, someone's wearing their grumpy pants today" Kaitlynn said, making Elena glare at her, while Damon, Alaric and Vanessa chuckled.

"Is that all there is about Katherine?" Elena asked Vanessa, as Kaitlynn walked away.

"All that I'm aware of" Vanessa replied.

Elena looked at Damon then at Kaitlynn, and handed Vanessa some vervain, "Here" she said, "Take this".

"Does vervain really work?" Vanessa asked.

"Nope", "Never" Both Damon and Kaitlynn said.

"Can they hear us?" Vanessa asked.

"No, that would be creepy" Damon replied.

"And spooky" Kaitlynn added.

"Can they read minds too?" Vanessa asked.

"You know, if you wanna see me naked, all you have to do is ask" Damon replied.

"We're getting naked now?" Kaitlynn asked, "Cause I will gladly get naked, but beware if I do, then someone's getting turned on".

Damon threw a book at Kaitlynn, which she easily caught.

"Your aim sucks" Kaitlynn teased.

"You suck" Damon said.

"Dick?" Kaitlynn asked, smirking

"Someone tape her mouth shut" Damon snapped, making Kaitlynn laugh, she realised making Damon Salvatore uncomfortable was very fun.

***

After Caroline tried to catch a bunny, and failed miserable, the group of four decided to attend the lake party, Tyler Lockwood was throwing, after much pleading from Caroline.

As Mason drove past the brothers, the brothers stared at him, more like Brayden glared, and Stefan tried to read him.

"Why are you two looking at him with your serious and I'm going to murder him vampire looks?" Caroline asked the brothers.

"Our what looks now?" Brayden asked.

"Yeah, but it's different from your worried vampire look" Fae told Stefan.

"And your, I'm going to torture him look" Caroline told Brayden.

"Oh, I get it" Stefan said, looking at Fae, "Okay, you think I'm too serious?".

"Only when you're not drunk" Fae replied, "Drunk Stefan is definitely the life of the party, oh that reminds me, let's go drink cheap beer and get drunk".

"Fae--".

"Bray will handle Caroline, and look at her, she's fine", Fae said, causing Stefan to look at Caroline, who waved at him, "I haven't been to a party in so long, come get drunk with me Stefan, pretty please".

Stefan sighed, "Fine".

"Yay" Fae said, grabbing Stefan's hand and dragging him towards the keg stand.

"So, you think I'm too murderous?" Brayden asked Caroline, stepping closer to her.

"Yes" Caroline replied, giving Brayden a teasing smile.

"Oh okay" Brayden said, putting his hands on Caroline's hips, "You know what you are?".

"What?" Caroline asked, wrapping her arms around Brayden's neck.

"A bloody tease" Brayden replied, smashing his lips on to Caroline's.

***

"Hey, guys" Alaric called out, "Check this out".

Kaitlynn grabbed the book off of Alaric, as Damon looked over her shoulder.

"What am I looking at?" Kaitlynn asked.

"There's no record of werewolf mythology in Mystic Falls" Vanessa replied, "But here are some records of some of the lesser-know legends, everything from, Scandinavian skin-walkers to the Marechal de Retz", Vanessa pointed to a phrase, "Which roughly translates into, the curse of the sun and moon".

"It's Native American" Alaric realised.

"Aztec" Both Vanessa and Kaitlynn corrected.

"It explains one origin of the werewolf curse traced through Virginia" Vanessa explained, "The short story, 600 years ago, the Aztecs were plagued by werewolves and vampires, they terrorized the countryside, made farming and hunting impossible, until an Aztec shaman cursed them, making vampires slaves to the sun and werewolves servants of the moon, as a result, vampires could only prowl at night, and werewolves could only turn on a full moon, when the full moon crests in the sky, who's ever unlucky enough, to fall under the werewolf curse turns into a wolf".

"Can they control the transformation?" Damon asked.

"If it were a choice, it wouldn't be called a curse" Vanessa replied, "Werewolves will attack humans, but instinct and centuries of rivalry, have hardwired them to hunt their prey of choice, vampires".

Damon and Kaitlynn looked at each other, "Well, if werewolves are hunting vampires, I would know about it" Damon said.

"Not if there aren't that many werewolves left alive" Vanessa said, "Hundreds of years ago, vampires hunted them almost to extinction".

"Why would they do that?" Elena asked confused.

"To protect themselves" Vanessa replied, "Legend has it that a werewolf bite is fatal to vampires".

"I need to call Fae" Kaitlynn said, suddenly worried, "Her, Stefan, Brayden and Caroline are at lake party hosted by Tyler Lockwood, and tonight's a full moon".

***

"Ready, set, go!" Fae yelled, as both her and Stefan competed to see who could chug a beer the fastest.

"Yes!" Stefan yelled, "I won!".

"Only cause I'm out of practice" Fae said, just as her phone started ringing, "It's Kaitlynn" she informed, answering her phone, "How's the road trip going?".

"Legend has it that a werewolf bite is fatal to a vampire" Kaitlynn said, getting straight to the point, "Please tell me you guys are not out tonight, it's a full moon Fae".

Fae and Stefan exchanged alarmed looks, "We're out Kait, at the party Tyler Lockwood is throwing".

"Fae, get out of there!" Kaitlynn yelled worried, "For the love of god, don't make me come home to a dead you".

"I'll call you when we get home" Fae said, hanging up on Kaitlynn.

"We have to find Brayden and Caroline" Stefan said.

"Let's go" Fae said, as both of them ran to find the couple.

***

"Hey, does Isobel know why I don't remember things?" Kaitlynn asked.

"Isobel has nothing on you" Vanessa replied, "Only about your arrival in Mystic Falls, that's it".

"So this was a waste" Kaitlynn complained, laying on the floor.

"Since when are you so dramatic?" Damon asked.

"Since always" Kaitlynn replied, "You just never took the time to get to know me".

"I had better things to do" Damon said.

"What?" Kaitlynn asked, "Explore my sister?".

Damon threw an another book a Kaitlynn, which once again Kaitlynn easily caught.

"You're getting predicable Salvatore" Kaitlynn teased.

"Hey, have you done any research on doppelgangers?" Elena asked Vanessa, interrupting Kaitlynn and Damon.

"Well, the word means a lot of different things to different cultures" Vanessa replied, "But typically a doppelganger is a living, breathing double of oneself".

"Did Isobel have anything that'd explain the link between me and Katherine?" Elena asked.

"That's all she had on Katherine, unfortunately" Vanessa replied, "But I can tell you, that doppelgangers usually torment the people they look like, trying to undo their lives, it's not exactly uplifting".

"Well, my sister isn't exactly uplifting" Kaitlynn said.

"Just--I wanna know why we look alike" Elena said.

"Cause your from the same bloodline" Kaitlynn said, making Elena look at her, Kaitlynn stood up and grabbed a book from the shelf and handed it to Elena.

"Petrova?" Elena read, slightly confused.

"Mine and Katherine's real names, are Katerina and Katalina Petrova" Kaitlynn informed.

***

Brayden grabbed Caroline and leaned her against the tree and smashed his lips on to hers, he then trailed kissed down her neck.

"Brayden" Caroline whispered.

Before Caroline or Brayden could get further, they heard a loud growl, causing the two vampires look at each other in confusion, they then turned to see a wolf growling at them.

"Brayden!" Stefan yelled running over to his brother with Fae, "We need to go, now!".

"No" Brayden said, "I need to kill that".

"Brayden, a werewolf bite will kill a vampire" Fae snapped, "We need to run, now!".

Brayden looked at Fae and Stefan, he then grabbed Caroline's hand, and all vampires speeded off, with the werewolf following them.

Suddenly, Caroline tripped over a rock, causing the werewolf to jump on, before it could attack Caroline, Brayden jumped on him and separated him from Caroline.

"No!" Tyler yelled, gaining the werewolf's attention before it could bite Brayden.

The werewolf look at Tyler for a second, then ran away.

"Brayden!" Caroline yelled, running over to Brayden, "Are you okay?".

"I'm okay" Brayden assured, hugging Caroline, "I'm okay".

***

After the events of last night, Brayden dropped Caroline off at her house, when Caroline woke up the next morning, she saw someone hovering over her.

"Elena?" Caroline asked confused.

"Nope, try again" Katherine replied.

"Katherine" Caroline realised.

"Don't be frightened, we're gonna have so much fun together" Katherine said.

***

Presenting 2x03 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Kaitlynn joining, Alaric, Elena and Damon's road trip?

Thoughts on Damon and Kaitlynn's constant back and forth?

Thoughts on Fae helping Caroline?

Thought Katherine meeting Caroline?