20. The Last Day

"Tonight is a full moon" Elijah informed Brayden, Caroline, Stefan, Elena and Kaitlynn, as the group sat in the Salvatore's living room, "We should assume that Klaus is prepared to break the curse".

"Caroline and Kaitlynn said that the sun and moon curse is fake" Stefan said, "That it's actually just a curse placed on Klaus".

"Klaus is vampire born of a werewolf bloodline" Elijah informed, "The curse has kept his werewolf aspect from manifesting, but if he breaks it, he'll be a true hybrid".

"That's just great" Brayden mumbled, taking a sip off his coffee, then handing it to Caroline.

"Then why are we letting him break the curse?" Damon asked, entering the living room.

Brayden groaned in annoyance, he was already on edge with Klaus trying to kill Caroline tonight, the last thing he needed was Damon's attitude.

"We can kill him today" Damon reminded, "With Fae".

"No" Kaitlynn snapped.

"Fae will die, Damon" Caroline reminded.

"We are not saving Caroline's life by trading it for Fae's" Brayden said.

"All right, how do we break this curse?" Stefan asked curiously.

"Well, the ritual itself is straightforward" Elijah replied, "The ingredients, so to speak, you already know".

"The moonstone" Stefan listed.

"A witch will channel the power of the full moon, to release the spell that's bound within the stone" Elijah explained, "After that, Klaus, being both werewolf and vampire, will sacrifice one of each".

"And where do me and Caroline fit into it?" Elena asked confused.

"The final part of the ritual" Elijah replied, "Klaus must drink the blood of the doppelganger, to the point of your death".

"And Caroline?" Kaitlynn asked, looking at the Forbes girl, who was busy staring at her boyfriend, who was now staring at the ground with a unreadable expression on his face.

"After Elena's death, Klaus will have to kill the female soulmate over the alter, since Caroline is a vampire, he will stake her, if she was a werewolf, her heart would have been ripped out, and if she was human, her blood would have been drained" Elijah explained.

Brayden looked at Caroline, she gave him a small smile and intertwined her fingers with his, letting him know that she was here, she wasn't dead yet.

"How are you planning on saving Caroline and Elena?" Kaitlynn asked Elijah.

"Elena, through this elixir" Elijah explained, taking a bottle of elixir out of a small wooden box, "This is an elixir that I acquired some 500 years ago for Katerina, it possesses mystical properties of resuscitation".

"So I'll be dead?" Elena asked confused.

"And then you won't" Elijah replied.

"What about Caroline?" Brayden asked, "How are you saving Caroline's life?".

"Not me Brayden, but you" Elijah replied.

"Excuse me?" Brayden asked confused.

"You and Caroline are soulmates, with that comes a few perks" Elijah explained.

"Like?" Caroline asked, curious.

"Like the ability to use your connection to each other, to bring one of you back from the dead, but only once" Elijah replied.

"So Caroline's going to have to die?" Brayden asked, not liking this plan.

Elijah nodded, "Once Caroline is dead, your witch friend Fae, will have three hours, to use her magic and your connection to her, to bring Caroline back to life".

"What happens after three hours?" Caroline asked, worried.

"After three hours, they will no bringing you back" Elijah replied.

"I need some air" Brayden said, he stood up and walked out the room.

"Go" Kaitlynn told Caroline, who nodded and followed Brayden, wanting to make sure he's okay.

"This is a stupid plan" Damon stated, also walking out the room.

"Do we know if Klaus has everything he needs to do this?" Elena asked, "Does he have a werewolf?".

"Klaus has been waiting to break this curse for over 1000 years" Elijah replied, "If he doesn't already have a werewolf, my guess is by tonight, he will".

***

"Brayden" Caroline called out, entering the middle Salvatore's room, only to see him sitting on his bed, looking at his phone, at a photo of him and Caroline kissing.

"I can't watch you die" Brayden whispered.

Caroline sighed, she went and sat next to her boyfriend, "I'm going to be okay" she assured.

"God, Caroline" Brayden said, standing up, "I've never been this scared in my life, I don't want to wake up tomorrow morning, with you not in my arms".

Caroline stood up and stood infront of Brayden, she cupped his face in her hands, "I love you" she whispered, "And I'm going to be okay, I told you Brayden, you're going to be the one whose going to save me, our connection is going to bring me back, I believe in you, I believe in us".

Brayden stared at Caroline for a moment, he then smashed his lips on to hers, "If I lose you, I'm going to lose myself" he admitted, placing a kiss on Caroline's forehead.

"Stop thinking so negatively" Caroline said, "How about this, there is still time till the sacrifice, why don't you and I do something together".

"Like what?" Brayden asked confused.

"Give me thirty minutes, and I'll plan everything out, but will you come with me?" Caroline asked.

"I'll go anywhere with you" Brayden replied.

"Great" Caroline said, excitement shown clearly in her eyes, "Give me thirty minutes, and I'll be right back".

Brayden laughed at Caroline's excitement, "Okay" he said.

Caroline pecked Brayden's lips, and quickly ran out the door to plan the rest of her and Brayden's day.

***

While Caroline went to plan her and Brayden's day, Brayden came down to the living room, only to see everyone except Elijah gone.

"Brayden" Elijah greeted.

Brayden gave Elijah a small nod, "Elijah" he greeted.

"You know, I'm surprised you haven't asked me any questions about him" Elijah said.

Brayden knew exactly who Elijah was talking about, "I don't remember him, so there's nothing to ask you about" he said.

"Is that why you're wearing his pendent?" Elijah asked.

Brayden looked at Elijah in shock, wondering how he knew about him wearing Kol's pendent. When Elijah gave him that, Brayden had stared at the pendent for hours, he tried putting it away, but it just didn't feel right, so he ended up wearing it, no one knew about the pendent as Brayden made sure it was always hidden, and he would never admit it out loud, but having the pendent near him, gave him a sense of peace, a feeling he could never explain in words, he only took it off when he was spending time with Caroline, for some reason it didn't feel right to wear it with her nearby.

"Your friends might not have seen it, but I'm very observant" Elijah informed, seeing Brayden's confused look.

"I could tell" Brayden mumbled, pouring himself a drink.

"You and Kol were dating for about two years, when Kol finally decided it was time to introduce you to me and our sister" Elijah revealed.

"Two years?" Brayden asked shocked.

"Klaus has a habit of taking the people we love away from us" Elijah replied, a bitter tone in his voice, "Kol wanted Klaus as far away from you as possible, after making sure I wasn't with Klaus, that's when Kol told me about you, he was so in love with you, I had never seen Kol like that, it was honestly amazing".

"So, how did Klaus compel me to forget Kol?" Brayden asked, downing his drink.

"In 1920, about five years into yours and Kol's relationship, you and Kol were in Chicago, you had invited your brothers to finally meet Kol" Elijah replied, "I remember talking to Kol and you, while Kol was excited, you were worried that your brothers wouldn't understand yours and Kol's love".

"Wait, so Stefan and Damon met Kol?" Brayden asked shocked.

"Stefan, yes, Damon, no" Elijah replied, "That year, Stefan was a ripper, and he also happened to be in Chicago, him and Kol got along very well, after all Kol was the Original ripper, he knew what Stefan was going through, and he decided to help him, for you, and the night Damon was supposed to arrive, was the night Klaus had managed to find Kol, he ended up daggering him and compelling you and Stefan to forget about him because he knew, if you had Kol's memories, you wouldn't stop until you undaggered him".

"Why did Klaus dagger Kol?" Brayden asked.

"Klaus wanted all of us to stay together, as a family, Kol wanted the opposite, he had ran away from Klaus and that's when he bumped into you" Elijah replied, "And once Klaus found out that not only had Kol ran away, but he had also found love, he made it his mission to ruin his happiness".

"Where is Kol now?" Brayden asked, "Is he still daggered?".

Elijah nodded, "Kol is in the bottom of the ocean, Brayden".

"What?" Brayden asked shocked, feeling his heart drop.

"After I left him, Klaus retaliated, by dropping my family to the bottom of ocean" Elijah replied.

Before Brayden could say anything else, the two vampires heard a door slam.

"Get out" They heard Jenna yell.

"Jenna, Jenna" They heard Alaric say,

The two vampires exchanged a confused look, and went to check out what was happening, only to see Jenna pointing a crossbow at Alaric.

"Jenna, put the crossbow down, okay?" Alaric pleaded, "It's me".

"Stay away from me" Jenna warned.

"What's going on?" Elena asked, as her, Stefan and Damon, also came to check out what all the commotion was about.

"It's me, Elena, I swear, okay" Alaric said, "He let me go, Klaus let me go".

"Prove it" Damon said.

"Okay, uh, the first night you and I spent together, Jeremy walked in--".

"Okay, it's him" Jenna interrupted, finally putting the crossbow down.

"Finish the story" Brayden said, looking between the couple in amusement.

"No" Jenna snapped.

"Why not?" Brayden asked.

"Cause it's embarrassing" Jenna replied.

"I'll just ask Jeremy then" Brayden mumbled, as Stefan turned to Alaric.

"Why did he let you go?" Stefan asked.

"He wanted me to deliver a message" Alaric replied.

"What message?" Brayden asked, though he had a slight idea.

"Sacrifice happens tonight" Alaric replied, confirming Brayden's doubt.

***

"So you don't remember anything that happened?" Stefan asked Alaric.

"No, it's like I blacked out, and woke up three days later" Alaric replied, "Katherine was there".

"She's stuck there due to Klaus's compulsion" Brayden informed, "Me and Damon did sneak some vervain to her, but honestly, she may as well be good as dead tonight".

Kaitlynn rolled her eyes at Brayden, "Where the hell is your brother anyways?".

"Upstairs in his room, being himself" Brayden replied.

"I'm going to make sure he doesn't do anything Damon like" Kaitlynn said.

"Good idea" Stefan said, as Kaitlynn left to check on Damon.

"So, what else did I do?" Alaric asked.

"Oh, nothing much" Brayden replied, "Just revealed the truth about vampires to your girlfriend, and tried to kill Fae".

Alaric looked at Brayden in shock, "Are you serious?".

"Very" Brayden replied.

***

"Picnic?" Brayden asked amused, as him and Caroline walked on top of a hill, with Brayden carrying the picnic basket Caroline had prepared, "We're actually having a picnic?".

"Yeap" Caroline replied, laying the picnic blanket on the ground, "Come on, Brayden, enjoy the day with me".

Brayden sighed, he placed the basket on the floor and looked across the hill, "This would have been so much romantic if it was night" he mumbled.

Caroline chuckled, she walked over to her boyfriend, and hugged him from the back, "I promise, the next time we have a picnic, it will be in the dark, and then you'll get your wish of outdoor sex".

Brayden chuckled, he turned around and face Caroline, "I mean, I could have my wish right now".

Caroline shoved Brayden away from her, "Not happening" she said.

"Why not?" Brayden complained.

"Because having outdoor sex in the light isn't as romantic as having sex in the dark, under the stars" Caroline said.

Brayden laughed, "You are something else, Caroline Forbes".

Caroline walked over to Brayden and placed a kiss on his lips, "I know" she whispered, against his lips.

***

"Get naked Forbes!" Brayden yelled.

"You are an idiot" Caroline said, shaking her head in amusement.

"Caroline, you can stand there and be boring, or get rid of your clothes and jump into the lake with me" Brayden said.

"How do you know that the water is safe?" Caroline asked.

"I don't" Brayden replied, taking his shirt off, "That's part of the fun".

"Wait, you're seriously going to jump?" Caroline asked, shocked.

"Yeap" Brayden replied, taking his jeans off, leaving him in nothing but his boxers, he stood on the edge of the ledge, "See you down there, princess".

"No, Brayden, wait--", Brayden ignored Caroline's protest and jumped into the lake, Caroline looked down, but found no sign of her boyfriend, "Brayden!".

"I'm fine" Brayden yelled back, coming up to the surface, "Your turn, princess!".

"I hate you!" Caroline yelled, taking her clothes off.

"You love me!" Brayden yelled, "Now jump!".

Once Caroline was in just her bra and underwear, she took a deep breath and stood over the ledge, "Here goes nothing" she whispered, jumping into the lake, "Oh, my god, oh, my god!" she yelled, quickly coming to surface.

"Hey, you're fine" Brayden assured, swimming over to his girlfriend, "You're okay".

Caroline glared at her boyfriend, and splashed him with the water.

"Hey!" Brayden complained, "What was that for?".

"For making me do idiotic things" Caroline replied.

Brayden smirked, he swam over to Caroline, putting his hands on her waist, he pulled her closer to him, "Your eyes are like the ocean, I could swim in them all day" he whispered.

Caroline laughed, "It's been so long since you've said a cheesy pick up line to me, I didn't realise how much I've missed it".

"I'm sorry" Brayden apologised, "I promise to do better".

"You better" Caroline teased.

Brayden chuckled, "Do you trust me?" he suddenly asked.

"Of course I do" Caroline replied.

"Then follow my lead" Brayden said.

A confused Caroline watched as Brayden went underwater, after a moment, he pulled her in, and smashed his lips on to hers.

After a moment, both Caroline and Brayden came back to the surface.

"What was that for?" Caroline asked, slightly out of breath.

"It's called making memories, princess" Brayden replied, removing Caroline's wet hair from her face.

Caroline smiled, "I love you" she whispered, wrapping her arms around the middle Salvatore's neck.

"Same" Brayden whispered, hugging Caroline back.

***

After swimming around for a bit, Brayden and Caroline finally got out of the lake, they walked back to the hill and laid on their backs and watched the sunset.

"We have to leave soon" Caroline whispered, her head on Brayden's bear chest, with her wearing Brayden's shirt.

"Not now" Brayden whispered, kissing the top of Caroline's head.

"If I survive this, you're going to take me away from this town" Caroline whispered.

"When you survive this, you and I are going to explore the whole world together" Brayden assured.

"Starting from where?" Caroline asked.

"I really like London" Brayden replied, "For holiday obviously, not to settle".

"If one day you and I had to settle somewhere, where will that be?" Caroline asked.

"Italy" Brayden replied, "We will have our own penthouse there".

"Marriage?" Caroline asked curiously.

"Eventually" Brayden replied, "Maybe once you're a famous journalist".

"Kids?" Caroline asked.

"We're going to adopt one boy, and one girl" Brayden replied.

"Sounds perfect" Caroline whispered.

"We're going to have all this one day, I promise you" Brayden said.

"Can't wait" Caroline smiled, kissing Brayden's chest.

***

After the sun had set, with heavy hearts, both Brayden and Caroline got back into Brayden's car and drove back to the boarding house.

"This is probably the safest you have ever driven" Caroline said, as they got out of the car.

"Don't get used to it" Brayden said, "It was only so I could have more time with you".

Caroline gave Brayden a small smile, she walked over to him and hugged him, "You and me against the world, Brayden".

"Against the world" Brayden whispered, hugging Caroline back.

"Aren't you two just adorable?".

Brayden and Caroline broke the hug, only to see Klaus standing behind them, Brayden quickly stood infront of Caroline and glared at the Original infront of him.

"You had me all nervous" Klaus admitted, "I thought maybe you'd done something stupid, you ready, love?".

"Don't call her love" Brayden snapped.

Caroline sighed, she started to walk towards Klaus, when Brayden grabbed her hand.

"No" Brayden whispered, shaking his head, "Please, Caroline, don't go".

"I wouldn't" Klaus warned Brayden.

"Go to hell!" Brayden yelled.

"No reason for you to die too" Klaus said.

"No, please, don't" Caroline pleaded, she then turned to Brayden, "It's going to be okay, Brayden, please let me go, I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me".

"Caroline, please" Brayden whispered, his heartbroken tone making tears well in Caroline's eyes.

"I love you" Caroline whispered, she stepped forward and slowly kissed Brayden.

"I love you" Brayden whispered.

"We're going to be okay" Caroline assured, as Klaus walked over to her.

Before Brayden could say anything, Klaus had grabbed Caroline and speeded her away, leaving a heartbroken Brayden behind.

***

"There you are, I got here, the house was empty" Alaric said, seeing a panicked Brayden enter the boarding house.

Brayden ignored Alaric and dialed his twin.

"Bad time, little bro" Damon said, answering his phone.

"Where the hell are you?" Brayden asked, pacing back and forth in worry.

"Me and Kaitlynn just rescued Tyler Lockwood and the vampire Klaus was going to use in the sacrifice" Damon replied, "Just tell your girlfriend to stay put".

"He already took her, Damon" Brayden informed.

"What?" Damon asked shocked.

"Klaus took Caroline" Brayden replied, "Get Fae, it's time to kill that son of a bitch".

"I'll call Stefan, he's with Fae" Damon said.

"Hurry" Brayden said, hanging up on his twin.

***

"Where are we going?" Elena asked, as Klaus's witch Greta, led her and Caroline into the woods.

"This way" Greta replied.

"You're Luka's sister, aren't you?" Elena realised, "I heard about you, he and your father were looking for you".

"Well, they were wasting their time" Greta replied, "I wasn't lost".

"I can't see anything" Elena complained, nearly tripping over the rocks, making Caroline thankful she had vampire vision.

Greta rolled her eyes, but then used her hand to light fire all around the the path, that's when both Caroline and Elena's eyes landed on a body laying in the middle of the field.

"Oh my god" Caroline whispered, realising who it was.

"Jenna?" Elena said shocked.

Both Caroline and Elena ran over to Jenna.

"Jenna" Elena cried, "Hey, hey, Jenna".

Caroline checked Jenna's pulse, and quickly realised there was no pulse.

"Elena, she has no pulse" Caroline informed.

"Oh, my god, no" Elena cried, "No, no, Jenna, no".

Caroline turned to Greta, "Why did Klaus do this?".

Suddenly, Jenna gasped and sat up in shock, making the two girls realise Jenna wasn't dead, she was in transition.

***

Presenting 2x20 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

How was the chapter?

Thoughts on Elijah telling Brayden about Kol and his relationship with him?

Thoughts on Caroline and Brayden having a picnic together?

Thoughts on Caroline and Brayden talking about their future together?

Thoughts on Klaus taking Caroline from the sacrifice?