22. The Departed

"You did what?!" A shocked Damon asked through the phone.

"I took her to the hospital" Jeremy replied, "When you find your sister unconscious, you call 911".

"Jeremy, in trying to keep your sister safe, you just put her in more danger" Brayden said, "If the originals or Alaric find out that Elena is in the hospital, they're going to come for her, to either take her away or kill her".

"Right now, she's a sitting duck in there" Stefan added.

"Well, Meredith wants to keep her over here for observation" Jeremy informed.

"Jeremy, get Elena home, we're on our way" Damon said, after he hang up on the youngest Gilbert, he looked at his two brothers, "Have I told you lately how much I appericate you two not being the dumbest brothers on earth?".

"You know two of us need to keep moving, right?" Stefan asked, "If Klaus really is the sire of our bloodline, we need to keep his body hidden before Alaric finds him, kills him and we all end up dead".

"And one of us needs to go protect the stupid damsel in distress again" Brayden said, "You know, if I knew Jeremy's friendship would cost me this much, I would have never become his friend, but I'm telling you both now, I'm not going to Elena, you two decide between each other, might I suggest a good old coin toss?".

"Who has the coin?" Damon asked.

"I do" Brayden replied, pulling out a coin from his pocket, "So brothers, heads or tails?".

"Heads" Damon called out.

"I guess that means I'm tails" Stefan said.

Brayden tossed the coin in the air, he then caught it and put it on the back of his palm and showed it to his brothers, "Would you look at that" he said, looking at Stefan, "It's tails, tonight you're on Elena Gilbert duty, while your two older brothers take care of the big bad hybrid".

***

Once Stefan arrived back at Mystic Falls, he met up with Fae and both of them went to Elena's together where Elijah showed up, wanting to make a deal with Elena regarding Klaus's body.

"All we need is to take that stake away from him, once he's been disarmed the weapon's in my possession, my family will scatter to the ends of the earth and Alaric will follow us" Elijah explained.

"And you'll just run?" Stefan asked, having a hard time believing the original.

"We've done it before" Elijah replied, "Klaus and Rebekah spent the better part of a thousand years evading my father, what's another half-century while Elena's able to live out the rest of her natural life?".

"We finally stopped him Elijah, after everything that he's done to us I can't just let you bring him back" Elena said.

"I give you my word Elena" Elijah promised, "I will not revive Klaus within yours, nor even within your children's lifetimes, perhaps that'll finally teach him some manners".

"Why should she trust you?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, no offense Elijah, but you say you'll give us your word but not once have you stuck to it" Fae pointed out.

"And for that, I'm deeply ashamed" Elijah said, "But know this, she could've been dead the instant I walked through that door tonight, so, Elena, I leave it to you to make the decision whether to trust me or not".

"Not, hello?" Damon said through the phone, "Did the concussion give you brain damage? His lunatics siblings will kill you first chance they get!".

"Rebekah and Kol will honor the terms, if you return Klaus's body to us, Elena will come to no harm" Elijah promised.

"Stefan! Fae!" Brayden yelled through the phone, "I swear to god if you idiots leave the decision on Elena I'm going rip both of your heads off!".

"Can you for a moment relax?" Fae asked Brayden.

"She's signing our death sentence, don't tell me to relax" Brayden snapped.

"Do we have a deal?" Elijah asked Elena.

"No!" Brayden yelled.

"No! No, no, no, did I mention no?!" Damon snapped.

"Stefan, say something!" Brayden insisted.

Stefan looked at Fae, who nodded her head in understanding, knowing what was going on in his head, Stefan then turned to Elena, "Elena, it's up to you" he said.

"Oh, come on!" Damon complained,

"You idiot!" Brayden stated, furious at his brother, "You freaking idiot!".

"Why do you want Klaus's body?" Elena asked, ignoring Damon and Brayden's complaining.

"He's my brother" Elijah replied, "We remain together".

"Then let's desiccate you as well" Brayden snapped.

Elena sighed, "We have a deal" she told Elijah.

"Why didn't the concussion just kill her?!" Brayden snapped, making both Stefan and Fae give Elena an apologetic look.

***

Fae met up Brayden and Damon at the storage locker they were keeping Klaus's body.

"You know you and Stefan are useless right?" Brayden told Fae, "I can't believe you two idiots let Elena deicide weather or not Elijah gets Klaus's body, I mean why does she get to decide? She wasn't the one who put him down, shouldn't that be our choice, or more so yours or mine?!".

Fae sighed, "Look, she made the deal, what do you want me to do about it now?".

"I don't know, maybe stop her when she had the chance?" Brayden snapped.

"Fae, you know what else was her call?" Damon asked, "Everything bad, ever".

Fae shook her head at the twins, "Can we just get to Klaus's body?" she asked, "If I don't cloak it, then it won't take Alaric too long to find him".

"We hid it" Brayden replied, "Damon had this stupid suggestion of using 666, though I do agree that Klaus is worse that Satan, I also know that's too bait", the trio stopped infront front of a storage locker, "Which is why we then decided to use 1020".

Damon opened the storage locker up, "Mini fridge, couple bird cages, box full of playboys, one beef-jerkified original".

Brayden, Damon and Fae walked over to the casket and opened it, immediately Klaus's eyes opened.

"That's disgusting" Brayden stated.

Fae looked at Klaus then at Brayden, she then looked at Damon, "You should go tell Stefan that the plan is in motion" she said.

Damon nodded, he pulled his phone out and walked out of the storage place to talk to his youngest brother.

"What was with the look?" Brayden asked Fae.

"What?" Fae asked, pretending to be oblivious.

"Damon didn't see it, but I saw the look you sent between me and Klaus, what's going on in that head of yours Fae?" Brayden asked curiously.

Fae sighed, this is the part she has to tell Brayden about her plan, she knew Brayden is going to hate this, but it's the only way to save all of their lives.

"No matter where we hide Klaus, Alaric will find him, I mean, he is made solely to kill the originals, he won't stop until all of them are dead" Fae said, "And as much as we all want Klaus dead, we know that if he dies, so do all of us".

"You have a plan to save all of our lives" Brayden realised.

Fae nodded, "But you're not going to like it".

Brayden looked at Fae in confusion, wondering how bad could Fae's plan be, turns out, for Brayden, this was probably the worst thing he has been told to do, ever.

***

"Fae just left, Rebekah should be here soon to pick up the body" Damon informed Stefan through the phone, while Brayden sat next to him, anxiously looking down at his hands, knowing as soon as the clock strikes midnight, Fae's spell will be in motion and Brayden Salvatore will be temporarily gone. 

"I've got Kaitlynn, Caroline and Elijah in place, Jeremy's gonna lead Alaric to us" Stefan informed.

After hearing Stefan's words, Brayden quickly snatched the phone from Damon's hand, "Stefan, I need you to promise me something".

"I won't let anything happen to her" Stefan assured, knowing what his brother wanted him to promise.

Brayden looked down at the floor, "I can't live without her" he whispered.

"I know" Stefan said, "Which is why I'm going to make extra sure nothing happens to her, and tell Damon, I'll take care of Kaitlynn as well".

Brayden looked at Damon, who was now staring ahead, "While taking care of everyone else, don't forget to take care of yourself as well" he said.

"I will" Stefan assured, "Soon as we get the stake, hand over the coffin, you two need to get out, Alaric's got the half the police looking  for Klaus's car".

"Got it" Brayden said, just as he and Damon heard the ding of the elevator.

Damon took his phone from Brayden, "Gotta go" he told Stefan, "The original sister's here".

After Damon hanged up on Stefan, the twins stood up and walked towards the elevator.

"What the hell took you so long?" Brayden asked, looking around for Rebekah.

However, before Damon or Brayden could register anything, Alaric speeded between them and held both the twins in a chokehold.

"Where is Klaus?" Alaric asked, as the brother struggled to breathe.

"How did you find us" Damon said, trying to get out of Alaric's grip.

"Oh, you'd be amazed how competent law enforcement is when it's not corrupted by vampires, now, where is Klaus?" Alaric asked again.

"In one of these storage lockers" Brayden breathed out, "We forgot which one though, so good luck finding him in these thousand lockers".

A furious Alaric snapped both Damon and Brayden's neck, shoving the twins to the floor, he then proceeded to go find Klaus's coffin.

***

Alaric was busy looking for Klaus in the various storage lockers, when he heard the elevator ding.

"Damon! Brayden!" Alaric heard Rebekah call out, "Where are you guys?".

Hearing Rebekah, Alaric immediately took the white oak stake out of his jacket.

Rebekah walked through the many storage lockers, getting frustrated with the brothers lack of response, "Damon, Brayden, this isn't funny" she said, unaware that Alaric was looking for her, suddenly Rebekah came across a row of storage lockers that were all open, almost like someone was searching for something, as she walked a bit further, someone suddenly came behind her and placed their hand over her mouth and dragged her to the corner.

"Shh", Rebekah breathed a sigh of relief when she realised it was Brayden, after making sure Alaric had left, Brayden looked at Rebekah, "Damon has Klaus's coffin, come on we need to get him out of here".

Rebekah nodded in understanding, and the two vampires rushed over to where Damon was, once they got to him, all three vampires rushed Klaus's coffin towards his car, but before they could get away, Alaric speeded infront of them, he grabbed the back of Rebekah's head and smashed it on the car and then shoved her on to the floor, both Brayden and Damon went to attack Alaric might he punched both of them on to the floor, Alaric then opened Klaus's coffin and took out the white oak stake.

"No!" Rebekah yelled, as the trio stood up.

"No!" Damon yelled.

"Alaric don't do this!" Brayden yelled.

Before any of them could stop him, Alaric had stabbed Klaus with the white oak stake, Rebekah tried to rush towards her brother but Brayden quickly grabbed her.

"Run" Brayden told a hysterical Rebekah, just as Klaus's body went up in flames.

Alaric took the white oak stake out of Klaus and the looked at Rebekah, "Next" he said.

"Rebekah" Brayden said, standing infront of Rebekah and glaring at Alaric, "Run".

"Go!" Damon yelled, standing next to his brother, after a moment Rebekah rushed away.

Brayden charged at Alaric but he shoved him to the ground, Damon then went to attack Alaric but Alaric easily defeated him as well and then rushed to get to Rebekah.

***

After Alaric left, Damon and Brayden sat on the ground, leaning against Klaus's car, while Damon called Stefan.

"Damon" Stefan greeted.

"Bad news, brother" Damon informed, "Alaric staked Klaus, he's dead".

"I feel okay" a teary eyed Stefan informed, "Do you or Brayden feel anything?".

Damon glanced at Brayden, who was staring up at the ceiling, "No, we're fine".

"Took Sage about an hour before she got sick" Stefan reminded.

"Yeah, or Klaus was lying about being the sire of our bloodline" Damon retorted.

"If Klaus wasn't lying an hour is not enough time to get you two all the way back to Mystic Falls" Stefan whispered.

"For us to have our epic goodbye, Stefan?" Damon asked.

"Not us, brother" Stefan replied, "You and Kaitlynn, Brayden and Caroline".

"Forget about all that, you have to get to Fae, she's probably made it by now, even if Klaus didn't sire us, he did sire--".

"Fae and Kaitlynn" Stefan whispered, "He sired theirs and Tyler's bloodline".

"Go to her Stefan, go before it's too late" Damon said.

Stefan nodded, "You and Brayden should at least call Kaitlynn and Caroline".

"Call me if you cough up a lung, huh?" Damon said, hanging up on Stefan, he then turned to his twin, "You're awfully quiet".

Brayden looked at Damon, he wanted to tell his brothers what he and Fae did, but Fae had told him they couldn't risk Alaric somehow finding out, which is why till Alaric was gone, no one can know about Fae's spell.

"I'm quiet because I know we're all going to be fine" Brayden spoke after a moment.

"Yeah?" Damon asked, "How are you so sure?".

Brayden shrugged, "I just am" he replied.

Before Damon could ask any more questions, Brayden's phone started ringing, picking it up he realised Kol was calling him.

"Hey, stranger" Brayden greeted.

"Are you okay?" Kol immediately asked, as Brayden stood up and walked away from Damon while still on the phone with the Original.

"I'm fine Kol, don't worry about me" Brayden assured.

"You're not going to be fine for long, Bray" a devastated Kol whispered.

"I'm going to be fine, Kol" Brayden stated.

Kol shook his head, tears in his eyes, "Nik wasn't lying about being your sire Brayden".

Brayden looked towards Damon, and after making sure he wasn't listening, he said, "I know, you didn't think it was this easy to get rid of me did you?".

Suddenly Kol's eyes went wide open, "What the bloody hell did you do Brayden?" he asked.

"Saved your brother, saved my brothers, and saved the girl I love" Brayden replied.

"Answer my damn question Brayden!" Kol yelled, "What did you do?!".

"Something really stupid" Brayden admitted, "But it was the only way Kol".

"Brayden--".

"It was the only way to save everyone's lives" Brayden whispered, "It was the only way to save Caroline's life".

Kol let out a sad chuckle, "It's her isn't it?" he asked, "You chose Caroline".

Brayden leaned against the wall, "My feelings for you were real Kol, they were genuine, I loved you but then I forgot you, and she entered my life, I don't even know how and when I fell for her but I did, not because we are soulmates but because she's Caroline Forbes, how can someone not love her? You will always have a place in my life, but--".

"You can't love me like you love her" Kol finished.

"I'm so sorry Kol" Brayden apologised, immense guilt raising in his heart.

"Don't be" Kol said, "Yeah I'm heartbroken, but I get it, I can't blame you for not choosing me, for ninety years you didn't even know I existed, so it's okay but you tell Caroline to cherish you, because guys like you Brayden Salvatore are rare, if she hurts you, then she's going to have to face me".

Brayden chuckled, "I'll be sure to tell her that".

Kol hesitated for a second, "Bray, are you sure I'm going to see you again?".

"I promise Kol, we might not be together but you are important to me and I wouldn't give you a false promise" Brayden replied.

"So see you soon?" Kol asked.

"See you soon Kol" Brayden whispered.

***

While Brayden was talking to Kol, Damon's phone also started ringing, looking down, he realised it was Kaitlynn calling.

"Let me guess, calling to see if the grim reaper's paid a visit?" Damon asked.

"You're going to be fine Damon" Kaitlynn said, "I called to say goodbye".

"Don't" Damon warned, "Don't say that Kaitlynn".

Kaitlynn let out a sob, "When you find out Klaus isn't your sire, make sure you laugh, okay?" she said, "Don't mourn me, I don't deserve it".

"Kaitlynn, shut up" Damon snapped.

"You need to know something" Kaitlynn whispered, "I need to tell you something".

"Kaitlynn--".

"Don't interrupt me, I don't have time" Kaitlynn interrupted, "You need to know something, you need to know that Elijah was my past, a past that I don't even remember, I don't want to remember, you, Damon Salvatore, you are the person I started seeing my future with, I'm not going to lie I was honestly prepared to make you chase me a another century before I finally gave in".

"I would have" Damon whispered, tears in his eyes, he has been dying to hear this confession but he never expected to hear it like this.

"I know" Kaitlynn whispered, "I kept denying you because I was scared Damon, I don't know how to love someone, I didn't think that after Brayden I was capable of love again, but then whenever I came near you the feeling I got kept proving me wrong, you showed me what love is like, you loved me even when I pushed you away, I don't deserve you Damon, but I wanted to thank you, for loving me when you didn't have to".

"I loved you then, I love you now, and I will love you forever" Damon whispered, tears spilling down his face.

Kaitlynn sobbed, "In another lifetime Damon Salvatore, I'm going to fight for you".

"In this lifetime Kaitlynn Pierce, you're going to survive and then I'm never going to let you leave me" Damon said.

Damon's words made Kaitlynn cry harder, throughout her life as a vampire, death never scared her, instead she purposely put herself in situations where her life was at risk, but for the first time in her five hundred year old life, Kaitlynn wanted to live, for the first time she was scared of dying, she was scared of leaving behind the man she has started to love.

***

After ending his call with Kol, Brayden saw Damon talking to Kaitlynn, he realised this was the perfect opportunity to leave, he had ten minutes left before he was gone, he needed to get away from his twin before he got suspicious which is why without a word, Brayden walked out of the storage locker.

Once he reached outside, his phone once again started ringing, realising who it was, Brayden closed his eyes and looked up at the sky, knowing this was going to be the hardest phone call.

"Hey" Brayden whispered, finally answering the call.

"I hate you" Caroline cried from the other side, "I hate you so much".

"I love you too, princess" Brayden whispered.

"Come home Brayden, please come home to me" Caroline sobbed, "I need to see you".

"I wish I could" Brayden said, tears slipping his eyes, "But I can't, but listen to me Caroline, you're going to be fine, nothing's going to happen to you".

"It's not me I'm worried about" Caroline cried.

"I know" Brayden whispered, "But stop worrying about me, just promise me that you will remember something".

"What?" Caroline asked.

"That I love you" Brayden confessed, "That you are the best thing to ever happen to me, and you deserve everything you want from life".

"You need to remember as well" Caroline cried, "You need to remember that no matter what happens, Brayden Salvatore and Caroline Forbes are made for each other, no one can separate us, we are going to have our happy ending, okay? Promise me we are going to have our happy ending, Brayden".

"I--", before Brayden could complete his sentence, he suddenly let out a yell and fell to the floor in pain.

"Brayden?!" a concern Caroline yelled, but Brayden didn't response, all Caroline heard was violent coughing and Brayden screaming in pain, "Brayden?! Brayden say something?!".

The last thing Caroline heard before the phone went dead was Brayden's painful scream.

"Brayden!" Caroline yelled, into the phone, she fell to the ground sobbing uncontrollably.

***

After her call with Damon, Kaitlynn left the woods and started making her way towards the boarding house, wanting to be with Fae and Caroline for her last minutes, however before she could reach the boarding house, someone came behind her and snapped her neck.

Kaitlynn groaned and slowly opened her eyes, she looked around in confusion, that's when she realised she was in the Lockwood's cellar.

"What in the world" a confused Kaitlynn whispered, slowly standing up, wondering who brought her here and why.

"Oh good, you're awake".

Kaitlynn turned around and came face to face with Brayden, "You brought me here?" she asked.

"Yeap" Brayden replied.

"Why?" Kaitlynn confused.

"Because Alaric knows for a fact that you and Fae come from my sireline, if this plan is to work, he needs to think you and Fae died along with me" Brayden replied.

"What the hell are you on about?" Kaitlynn asked, "Seriously Brayden, what's going on? And how am I still alive?!".

"Because Klaus never died, Kait" Fae said, walking over to her best friend.

"Excuse me?!" A shocked Kaitlynn asked.

Fae pointed towards Brayden, "That's not Brayden, not anymore, I put Klaus's soul into Brayden's body to save all of our lives".

"What?!" Kaitlynn yelled, "Do the other knows about this?!".

Fae shook her head, "I was about to tell them, but before I could Klaus dragged me here".

Kaitlynn looked towards Brayden, or Klaus, "Why did you bring us here?".

"Because, the three people who we know for sure are part of my sireline are you two and Tyler Lockwood, if you three don't die, then Alaric will know I'm alive, and all of this would be for nothing" Klaus explained.

"Wait, where's Tyler?" Fae asked.

"Somehow in here, unconscious" Klaus replied.

"We have to tell Caroline, Stefan and Damon, they are going to lose their mind not knowing what happened to us three" a concerned Kaitlynn said.

"Absolutely not" Klaus said.

"We can't hide this from them" Fae argued.

"The more people know, the more likely Alaric finds out about me being alive, I'm not taking that risk" Klaus stated.

"This isn't fair on them!" Kaitlynn argued back.

"Well, life isn't fair Kaitlynn" Klaus taunted, "No one is going anywhere until Alaric is killed".

"Are you mad?!" Fae yelled, "Alaric is linked to Elena, you expect us to wait sixty years for Elena to die and then tell the others about us being alive?".

"Not sixty years, just a few hours" Klaus replied, a smirk on his face.

"What?" Kaitlynn confused.

"See, I know my little sister very well, she spent a thousand years running from our father, she won't do that again" Klaus informed.

"Oh my god" Fae whispered, realising what Klaus was implying, "Rebekah's going to kill Elena".

"Bingo" Klaus said.

Fae and Kaitlynn looked at each other in shock, neither of them knowing what to do now.

***

"Where are they?!" Damon asked, barging into the boarding house and seeing Stefan staring at the fireplace with tears in his eyes, "Stefan, where are Brayden, Fae and Kaitlynn?!".

"I don't know" Stefan whispered, "After talking to you, I tried to look for Fae but I couldn't find her or Kaitlynn anywhere, and then Caroline was talking to Brayden on the phone when suddenly--".

"Suddenly what?" Damon asked, wanting to know what happened to his twin brother.

"Suddenly Brayden started screaming in pain and then the line went dead" Stefan whispered.

"No" Damon said, shaking his head, realising what Stefan was implying, "He's not dead, Stefan! He can't be dead! If we're alive then how can he be dead?!".

"I don't know" Stefan whispered, "I don't know what happened to Brayden, I don't know where Fae and Kaitlynn went, I don't know anything, Damon!".

"They're not dead" Damon said, rapidly shaking his head, "None of them are dead".

Stefan looked at his brother, "Then where are they?".

"I don't know!" A frustrated Damon replied, "But they are not dead!".

"Damon's right".

Damon and Stefan looked at the entrance of their living room to see Caroline standing there, looking extremely distraught.

"Brayden isn't dead" Caroline stated, "Neither is Fae or Kaitlynn".

"How are you so sure?" a confused Stefan asked.

Caroline showed the brothers her wrist, where her soulmate mark was still present, "When I died, Brayden's mark disappeared, it came back when I came back alive but till I was dead, Brayden didn't have a soulmate mark".

"But yours is still there" Damon realised, "Which means--".

"Brayden is still alive" Stefan finished.

"And so are Fae and Kaitlynn, I just know they all are alive" Caroline said.

"But where are they?" Damon asked.

"I don't know" Caroline whispered, "But something has happened, something all of us have missed".

Before any of the brothers could say anything, Stefan's phone started ringing.

"Hello?" Stefan answered.

"You're alive, congratulations".

"Rebekah" Stefan realised, exchanging a confused look with both Damon and Caroline.

"Elijah spoke to Elena" Rebekah informed, "Her and Matt should be arriving back in town any minute".

"Yeah, he told me that, he also said you two would be long gone out of town by now" a confused Stefan said.

"That's the problem, Elijah says we have to run that the hunter will keep coming after us, but I don't want to run anymore Stefan" Rebekah stated, "I've spent my whole life running".

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked, "We had a deal".

"Well, I'm sorry, but Klaus is dead, there is no deal" Rebekah replied, "If my brother's and I are to survive, we need to get rid of Alaric, and the only way to get rid of Alaric, is to get rid of Elena".

"Rebekah no" Stefan said.

"I'm sorry Stefan, but there is no other way" Rebekah said.

Before Stefan could say anything, Rebekah hanged up on him, causing Stefan to looked at Damon and Caroline in shock.

"We need to save her" Caroline said, "We can't let her die".

Stefan and Damon nodded and the three vampires quickly rushed out of the boarding house, not realising that they were too late, Elena had drowned and was now on her way to being a vampire.

***

Presenting 3x22 of The Vampire Diaries . . .

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN! WE ARE OFFICIALLY DONE WITH ACT THREE OF THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT US!

How was this act? Did you like it or did you hate it?

What were your favorite moments of this act? What were your least favorite moments of this act?

Any predictions on what Caroline and Brayden are going to go through next act? Anything specific you guys want to happen next act?

Now, back to the chapter! How was it?

Thoughts on Brayden finally choosing Caroline?

Thoughts on Kaitlynn's call to Damon?

Thoughts on Brayden's call to Caroline?

Thoughts on Klaus inhabiting Brayden's body?