21. Isobel

"Hello?" Caroline answered her phone.

"Come out" Brayden said simply, before hanging up on Caroline, confusing her.

Caroline grabbed her bag and went outside, to her shock, when she came out Brayden was standing infront of her, leaning against his black sports car.

"Wow" Caroline said, "Nice car".

"Thank you" Brayden said, opening the front door for Caroline, "Come on, let me drop you to school, I'm going there anyways".

"Why are you coming to school?" Caroline asked confused.

"Ric called me and Damon, saying he needed to talk about something very important with all of us" Brayden replied.

"All of us?" Caroline asked.

"You, me, Damon, Stefan and unfortunately Elena" Brayden replied, "Now get in princess".

Caroline chuckled, "Okay".

After Caroline was seated, Brayden went over to the drivers side and sat in the car, "You ready?" he asked Caroline.

"Should I be scared?" Caroline asked.

"Depends, do fast cars scare you?" Brayden asked.

"I'm about to find out today" Caroline replied.

Brayden smirked, "Yes you are".

Without wasting another second, Brayden turned the car on and speeded towards the high school.

***

"How are you not dead yet?" Caroline asked, as Brayden opened the door to Alaric's classroom, "You drive so dangerously".

Brayden chuckled, "I'm a vampire princess".

"Still" Caroline mumbled.

"Let me guess, you rode in Brayden's car" Damon said, also entering the classroom.

"That obvious?" Caroline asked.

"You look scared" Stefan replied.

"Have you seen the way your brother drives his car?" Caroline asked.

"Yes" Stefan and Damon replied.

"We've learnt not to get in his car, a long time ago" Damon said.

"So, what's with the meeting?" Brayden asked, he looked between Stefan and Elena and smirked sensing the tension between the two, "Yikes, the tension is thick in here".

"What's with all the furrowed brows?" Damon asked, looking between Elena, Stefan and Alaric and seeing their upset faces.

"I saw Isobel last night" Alaric replied, shocking the twins and Caroline.

"Isobel's here?" Damon asked, Alaric nodded, "In town?", Alaric nodded again, "Did you ask her about Uncle John?".

"Are both of them working together?" Brayden asked.

"No" Alaric replied.

"So they're not working together?" Brayden asked.

"No, I didn't ask" Alaric clarified.

"What about the invention?" Damon asked.

"Didn't ask" Alaric replied.

"Did she know about all the tomb vampires?" Brayden asked.

"I don't know" Alaric replied.

"Did words completely escape you?" Damon snapped.

"I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions" Alaric snapped back.

"What the hell does Isobel want anyways?" Brayden asked confused.

"She wants to see me, Brayden" Elena replied, "And Caroline".

"Me?" Caroline asked confused.

"Absolutely not" Brayden stated, "Caroline's not meeting your mother, forget it".

"Alaric is supposed to arrange a meeting, we don't know why or what she wants" Stefan said.

Brayden turned to Caroline, "You're not going".

"She really doesn't have a choice Brayden" Elena said.

"Of course she has a choice" Brayden snapped.

"She's threatening to go on a killing spree" Alaric informed.

"And?" Brayden asked, "I don't see a problem there".

"I wanna do it" Elena said, "But she said she won't meet me unless Caroline's there".

"No" Brayden stated.

Elena turned to Caroline, "Caroline please say yes, this might be the only time I will get to meet my birth mother".

"Don't emotionally blackmail her" Brayden snapped.

Stefan sighed, "Caroline, it's your choice, no one's going to force you and we will understand if you decide not to go".

Caroline looked between Elena and Brayden, after a moment of hesitation, she said, "I'll go".

"No" Brayden said, "You're not going Caroline".

"Brayden--".

"You don't know Isobel, Caroline" Brayden snapped, "I do, just like her daughter, she's a manipulative bitch, I'm not risking it".

"Brayden, I will be there with Caroline" Elena said.

"That makes me even more worried" Brayden snapped.

"Brayden, Elena's mom will go on a killing spree if we don't meet her" Caroline said.

"Once again, I don't see anything wrong there" Brayden said.

"Brayden, I'll be fine" Caroline assured.

"Caroline--".

"You will be there, won't you?" Caroline asked, "Then I'll be completely fine".

Brayden sighed, he then turned to Elena, "If your mother even thinks about laying a hand on my girl, then I will rip her heart out infront of your very eyes, understood?".

Elena sighed, "Understood" she said.

***

Caroline and Elena sat on a table at the Grill, waiting for Isobel to arrive, while Stefan and Brayden stood near the pool table, keeping an eye on the two girls, and Damon and Alaric waited outside the Grill.

The waitress came and placed two coffees infront of the two girls, just as Caroline's phone went off.

Brayden 💋: Are you sure you don't want to ditch?

Caroline looked towards the pool table, to see Brayden already looking at her.

Princess 👑: We can't ditch, you know that

Brayden 💋: I still don't see what's wrong with a killing spree

Princess 👑: Going on a killing spree is a very bad thing Brayden

Brayden 💋: Why? It's reducing the population of  a very crowded country.

Caroline laughed reading Brayden's text, just as she was about to reply, Isobel walked over to the two girls, alerting everyone.

"Hello, Elena" Isobel greeted, sitting down, "You look just like her, it's eerie".

"You've met Katherine?" Elena asked shocked.

"She found me after I turned" Isobel replied, "Genetic curiosity, I suppose, she would be fascinated by you".

"Does that mean you've also met Kaitlynn?" Caroline asked.

"Unfortunately no" Isobel replied, "After escaping the tomb in 1864, Kaitlynn parted ways with Katherine, she wanted nothing to do with her sister so she left her, no one knows where Kaitlynn is, not even Katherine".

Caroline looked towards the pool table, to see Brayden staring down at his glass, his knuckles white from his tight grip on his bourbon glass.

"Is that how you can walk in the day?" Elena asked, pointing to Isobel's necklace.

"Katherine helped me obtain it" Isobel replied.

"Who's my father?" Elena asked.

"Not important" Isobel replied, "He was a teenage waste of space".

"A name would be nice" Elena snapped.

"It would, wouldn't it? You ask a lot of questions" Isobel said.

"Why did you compel that man to kill himself right after he told me to stop looking for you?" Elena asked.

"Dramatic impact, wish it would've been more effective" Isobel replied.

"Human life means that little to you?" Elena asked, disgusted by the women infront of her.

"It means nothing to me" Isobel replied simply, "It's just part of being what I am".

Elena shook her head, "No, it's not, I know other vampires, that's not true".

"You mean yours and Caroline's boyfriends over there by the pool table?" Isobel asked, "Stefan and Brayden Salvatore, tell me Elena, why Stefan? Why didn't you go for Brayden? Or did Caroline get to him before you could?".

"Stop" Caroline said, "Stop trying to create trouble and just tell us what you want from us?".

"Yeah, why did you wanna meet us? It can't be to just catch up" Elena asked.

"Because I'm curious about you, Elena" Isobel replied, "But the real reason is I want what your uncle wants, Johnathan Gilbert's invention".

"How do you know my uncle?" Elena asked confused.

"I used to spend a lot of time here when I was younger" Isobel replied, "John had a crush on me for years, he was the first one that told me about vampires".

"So, what made you wanna be one?" Elena asked.

"It's a very long list of reason, Elena, all of which I'm sure you've both thought about" Isobel replied, causing Elena to shake her head, "That was your first lie, it's inevitable, you both are gonna get old, Stefan and Brayden won't, forever doesn't last very long when you're human".

After hearing Isobel's words, Caroline glanced at Brayden to see him already looking at her.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have what you're looking for" Elena snapped, standing up.

Isobel quickly grabbed both Isobel and Caroline's wrists, "Sit down, and tell both your boyfriends to walk away".

"Let go of me my wrist, or my boyfriend won't mind ripping your heart infront of everyone" Caroline snapped, as Stefan restrained Brayden from attacking Isobel.

Isobel let go of Caroline's wrist, and she looked at Brayden and gave him a reassuring nod.

"I want the invention" Isobel said.

"I don't have it" Elena said.

"I know that" Isobel said, "That's why Caroline is here, because Brayden has the invention, and Caroline you're gonna get it for me".

"Brayden won't just give me the invention so I can hand it over to you" Caroline snapped.

"Then the blood will be on your hands" Isobel stated, standing up, "It was nice meeting you, Elena".

As soon as Isobel walked away, both Stefan and Brayden walked over to Elena and Caroline.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked Elena, while Brayden went and straight away checked Caroline's wrists .

"You're okay?" Brayden asked, Caroline nodded in assurance and hugged Brayden.

"Can I hug you?" Elena asked Stefan, due to the tension between them since the last few days.

Stefan hesitated for a moment but then nodded, and Elena didn't waste any time in hugging him.

Brayden and Caroline looked at Stefan's awkward face.

"He really needs to get the word no in his dictionary" Brayden mumbled.

***

Isobel entered the mansion she was residing in, as soon as she entered the mansion, she was shocked see her two minions laying on the floor, dead.

"That will be my bad" Brayden said, coming behind Isobel, "I took your anger out on them".

"How'd you find me?" Isobel asked.

"Because you are very transparent Isobel" Brayden replied, "Residing in the most expensive bank owned mansion, really?".

"Oh, I should have known you would have found me, after all you and Damon were the ones that taught me that" Isobel said.

"I didn't teach you shit, Isobel" Brayden said, "Your desperate ass was way too much for me, that was all Damon".

"What are you really doing here, Brayden?" Isobel asked, "Except killing my entertainment".

"You caused quiet the drama, you know" Brayden replied, "You came into my town, and had the audacity to threaten the love of my life".

"I'm so sorry" Isobel said sarcastically, "Did you bring the device?".

Brayden chuckled, "I'll give you the device, first answer some of my questions, like what's your deal with John Gilbert?".

"We dated a few times when we were young" Isobel replied, "He was a little bit in love with me".

"Gross" Brayden commented, making Isobel chuckle, "Now, next question, what do you want with the invention?".

"Oh, me personally?" Isobel asked, "I don't want anything with it, I'm just doing what I'm told, you know, Brayden, we're on the same side".

"I doubt that" Brayden said.

"We're both on Katherine's side" Isobel said.

Brayden suddenly started laughing, confusing Isobel, "Does stupidity run in the bloodline?" he asked, "How could you ever think I will be on Katherine's side, I hate the bitch".

"It doesn't matter whether you hate or love Katherine, she wants John Gilbert to have the device" Isobel said, "I think that you know that she's not happy when she doesn't get what she wants".

"I think you have me confused with Damon, I don't care about Katherine's feelings" Brayden said, "And tell me something, why the hell are you doing Katherine's dirty work?".

"Don't kill the messenger" Isobel replied, "We both know that you can't control Katherine, she does what she wants".

"Does she now?" Brayden asked.

"Yeap" Isobel replied.

"Thanks for the information" Brayden said sarcastically.

Before Isobel could realise anything, Brayden had speeded over to her, he wrapped his hand around Isobel's neck and slammed her on to the floor.

"Now listen up, you bitch" Brayden said, tightening his hold on Isobel's neck, "You do not come into my town and threaten the girl I love, going after Caroline was a bad move, stick to your daughter and stay far away from Caroline or god so help me I will rip you limb to limb, because I strongly believe in killing the messenger, because it will send a message to your bitch of a owner whose dirty work you are doing", Brayden slammed Isobel's head on to the floor, causing her to yell in pain, "If the bitch wants something from me, you tell her to have the guts to come and take it herself, or is she too scared to show her face to me?".

***

After Brayden had threatened Isobel, she retaliated by going over to the Mystic Falls High School, breaking Matt's arm and kidnapping Jeremy, which is why Bonnie, Elena, Stefan and Caroline were now in Alaric's classroom, discussing how to get Jeremy back.

"Where's the device?" Bonnie asked.

"Brayden has it, he's gonna be difficult to reason with" Stefan replied.

"Then we'll go to him, I'll talk to him" Elena said.

"No offense Elena, but I don't think that will help" Stefan said, causing Elena to frown.

"Fine" Elena said, "Then Caroline, you talk to Brayden".

"Elena, Brayden isn't just going to hand over a invention that can harm him and his brothers to me" Caroline snapped.

Elena looked at Bonnie, "What if it's not?".

***

"Nope" Brayden said simply.

"Just hear me out" Elena said.

"La la, can't here you" Brayden said, putting his hands over his ears.

"Brayden, please" Elena pleaded.

"I am not gonna give the device to your shitty mother so she can give it your even shitter uncle, who will then use it to kill me and my brothers" Brayden snapped.

"I agree with him" Damon said, "It's a stupid plan, we like being living dead people".

"But it'll be useless" Elena said, "Bonnie can take its power away".

"I don't trust her" Damon said simply.

"Same" Brayden said, "She blames us three for her Gram's death, and Damon tried to kill her, overall she hates vampires, why will she help us?".

"I can remove the original spell" Bonnie assured.

"John and Isobel will never know" Elena said.

"Nope" Brayden said simply.

"We'll get Jeremy our own way" Damon said.

"Really? How are you two gonna do that?" Stefan asked, "Because Isobel is a vampire and Jeremy could be dead the second you two walk in the door".

Damon looked at Bonnie, "Are you even up for this? I mean, no offense, you're no Fae or Emily, they knew what they were doing".

"Exactly" Brayden said.

"I've been practicing" Bonnie said.

"It's not piano lessons, honey" Damon said.

Bonnie stood up, "What your favorite book?" she asked the twins.

"Excuse me?" Brayden asked confused.

"Name a book, any book" Bonnie replied.

"Name a book" Damon said, "How about Call of the Wild, Jack London?".

Bonnie walked over to the bookshelf, after taking a deep breath, she started chanting, and suddenly a book flew right into Damon's hand.

"Jack London" Damon confirmed, "Great parlor trick".

"Yeah, I'm still not convinced" Brayden said.

"Caroline, please, tell him" Elena pleaded.

"Stop doing that" Brayden snapped, "Stop using Caroline to do your dirty work, just cause she's asking doesn't mean I will do it, specially when I know she's being manipulated by you".

"I'm not manipulating her, I'm trying to save my brother" Elena defended.

"Who is in this mess, because of you" Brayden snapped, "That's what you get for keeping him in the dark, why should I risk mine and my brother's life, for your mistake?".

Caroline sighed, "Brayden, look, it's Jeremy, we can't just let Isobel kill him".

"I never said that, I said I will save Jeremy, but without handing this device over" Brayden said.

"Jeremy will die Brayden" Stefan snapped.

"We're doing this, Brayden" Elena stated, "And we're gonna do it my way, now give me the device".

"Go die" Brayden told Elena, he walked over to Caroline and placed the device in her hand, "I'm doing this only for you and Jeremy, I'm not that bad that I will let a fifteen year old die".

Caroline smiled, "I know" she said.

***

The group of five stood around Bonnie and watched her open Emily's grimoire, she took a piece out of the device and lifted it in the air, suddenly the lights started flickering, causing Caroline to latch on to Brayden's arm, she jumped when the flames on the fire got higher.

"Relax" Brayden whispered into Caroline's ear.

A few moments later, everything went back to normal, Bonnie turned to Elena, "Done".

Elena stepped forward to grab the device, when Brayden speeded over to Bonnie and took the device, "I believe I gave this to Caroline, not you" he told Elena, handing the device to Caroline, making Damon chuckle, and Stefan shake his head in amusement at his brother's pettiness.

"Great, now what?" Damon asked.

"Now we give it to Isobel" Elena replied.

Unknown to both Caroline and Brayden, trusting Bonnie with the device was going to have a major life changing effect on both of them.

***

Elena and Caroline walked in town square, looking for any sign of Isobel, suddenly, Isobel came behind them.

"Where's the device?" Isobel asked.

"Where's my brother?" Elena asked.

"This isn't a negotiation" Isobel snapped, "Where's the invention?".

"Where's my brother?" Isobel asked.

"Do you really think that I came alone?" Isobel asked, as two of her minions, who she compelled after Brayden killed her old ones, came and stood behind Caroline and Elena.

"Do you really think we came without back up?" Caroline asked, as Brayden, Stefan and Damon stood behind Isobel.

"For God's sakes, call home" Isobel told Elena.

"What?" Elena asked confused.

"Call home" Isobel repeated, "Ask to speak to your brother, Jeremy".

Elena quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed home.

"Hello?" Jeremy answered.

"Jeremy, are you okay?" Elena asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, Uncle John hit his head" Jeremy informed, "It was an accident".

"And we're all laughing" Jenna interjected, causing Jeremy to chuckle.

"Yeah, but I'm okay" Jeremy assured.

"I'll be home soon, all right?" Elena said.

"Yeah" Jeremy said, hanging up.

"You were never gonna hurt him" Elena realised.

"No, I was gonna kill him" Isobel corrected, "Don't look for any redeeming qualities in me, I don't have any".

"But you took a risk with Brayden, how did you know he was gonna give it to me?" Elena asked, causing both Caroline and Brayden to frown.

"Don't be delusional Elena, Brayden didn't give it to you, he gave it to Caroline, and that's cause his madly in love with her" Isobel replied, "Mark my words Elena, for the three Salvatore brothers, Caroline Forbes will always come before you, and once Fae and Kaitlynn enter the picture, you will be practically non-existent to them", Isobel turned to the three shocked brothers, "Because rumor has it, that Fae and Kaitlynn have been looking for you three, and they are very close to finding you".

The three brothers exchanged alarmed looks, they didn't know if they should believe Isobel or not.

Isobel held her hand out to Caroline, "The device" she said.

Caroline sighed, she took the device out of her pocket and placed it in Isobel's hand.

"Thank you" Elena said.

"For what?" Isobel asked.

"For being such a monumental disappointment" Elena replied, "It keeps the memory of my real mother perfectly intact".

"Goodbye, Elena" Isobel said, "As long as you live in the delusional world where you believe that you have the three Salvatore's wrapped around your finger you're doomed, because the truth is, each of those boys, even your own boyfriend, are in love with three different girls, one of them being your best friend, and the other being your ancestor, but not the one you think, and the last one being your other best friend's ancestor, there is no place for you in their lives, the sooner you realise it, the better".

Brayden frowned seeing Damon look suddenly very alarmed, hearing Isobel's words.

After Isobel walked away, Caroline rushed over to Brayden and hugged him, while Damon and Stefan stayed back and just smiled at them, Stefan feeling awkward near Elena, specially since now both of them knew, Elena could never take Fae's spot in his life.

***

"Would you two like one?" Damon asked, as Brayden and Stefan entered the living room.

"Yes" Brayden replied.

"Say it Brayden" Damon said, knowing his twin all to well, "Whatever it is, purge, get it out".

"Is there something you're hiding from me?" Brayden asked.

Damon froze, he looked at his brothers, and wondered if it was time to tell them the truth, but Damon decided against it, his relationship with his twin was the one relationship he couldn't lose, under any circumstances.

"I'm not hiding anything" Damon lied.

"You're lying" Brayden said.

"Think whatever you want Brayden" Damon said.

Brayden sighed, "I know there's something I don't know Damon, but I also know better then to force you to open up, but just know, I will eventually find the truth out".

"Good luck" Damon said, handing Brayden a glass of bourbon, he then turned to Stefan, "What's on your mind?".

"It's about what Isobel said" Stefan replied, "About Fae and Kaitlynn coming, do you think that's the truth?".

"Anything that comes out of that family's mouth seems like a lie to me" Brayden replied.

"But what if it isn't a lie?" Stefan asked.

"Then break up with Elena and get back together with Fae" Damon replied.

"But only if her reason for leaving is a good one" Brayden said.

"You both think I should break up with Elena?" Stefan asked.

"Yes" Brayden and Damon replied.

"Come on Stefan, that relationship is on it's last leg anyways" Brayden said, "If Fae comes or not, it shouldn't matter, do yourself and Elena a favor, get out of a relationship that's clearly making you unhappy".

"But before you do that, you might want to tell Elena the truth about John" Damon said.

"John?" Brayden asked confused.

"Am I the only one around here who has the ability to put two and two together?" Damon asked, "Isobel, hello?".

"What about her?" Brayden asked.

"She dated John when she was 15" Damon replied, "She gets pregnant and ends up at the doctor's office of John's brother, now, what do you two think John's role is in all this? I mean, go ahead, think about it, I'll wait, did you get it? You there yet?".

"So you think that John is Elena's father?" Stefan asked shocked.

"Ding-ding-ding-ding!" Damon said.

"Yikes, another red flag to break up with her" Brayden told Stefan.

"What proof do you have?" Stefan asked.

"I don't need any proof" Damon replied, "There's a DNA test for John and Elena and Maury Povich to deal with".

"Well, I think I've had my share of bombshells for one day, I'm going to bed" Brayden said.

"In Caroline or yours?" Damon teased.

"Shut up" Brayden said, giving Damon the middle finger, making both Damon and Stefan laugh.

***

Presenting 1x21 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

DOUBLE UPDATE, AGAIN!? I'M ACTUALLY SO PROUD OF MYSELF 😂

Anyways, how was the chapter?

Thoughts on Isobel revealing to Brayden that Kaitlynn hasn't been with Katherine since 1864?

Thoughts on Brayden threatening Isobel for going after Caroline?

Thoughts on what Isobel told Elena, about her having no place in the three Salvatore brother's life?

Thoughts on what Damon could be hiding from Brayden?