Book Two: Aquiver (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Caroline is inside waiting for her turn, she sees Matt with Sarah and Tyler. He stops, looks at her and leaves with them. She receives a text from Jeremy reading 'Your turn'. She walks through an empty part of the manor and goes to open a door but Katherine arrives, grabs Caroline's wrist and pushes her against the wall.

"What are Stefan and Damon up to?" Katherine asks her.

"What do you mean?"

"I've got Jeremy Gilbert luring me out to the lake. What's going on?"

"I don't know...nothing." She chokes her.

"Don't lie to me, Caroline. They're up to something, what is it?"

"I..." Katherine chokes her harder. "Wait, no, no, no! Okay! They're trying to kill you."

"I figured as much. Where is the moonstone?"

"Bonnie has it."

"And where is Bonnie right now?"

"I don't know." Caroline states, Katherine chokes her again, raising her off the ground. "Okay. She's upstairs, she's upstairs!" Katherine releases her.

.............

Elena is with Diana, Alaric, Jeremy and Bonnie outside of the mansion having just listened to them explain their plan to take out Katherine. Diana and Alaric share a look, she rolls her eyes slightly knowing Elena is about to have a small freak out, and most definitely has something to say about not being involved in this.

"You guys are trying to kill her here?" Elena asks them.

"We saw an opportunity and we knew we had to take it." Jeremy answers.

"Okay, stop with the 'we', are you guys crazy?" Elena asks.

"According to Damon...yes" Diana reminds her.

"You're gonna get yourselves killed."

"We do know what we're doing, Elena." Diana defends.

"And how am I supposed to feel if one of you guys gets hurt because of me?" Elena asks them.

"It's not just you anymore." Jeremy answers.

"That bitch has messed with all of us, she has to be stopped." Diana reminds her, Alaric and Bonnie nod in agreement.

................

Inside, Katherine is dragging a sobbing Caroline upstairs.

"Why do you keep dragging me into this? I don't want any part of it." Caroline whines at Katherine.

"Shut up!" They stop in the hall and Katherine looks at all the doors in front of them. "Which room is it?"

"It's that one." Caroline points to a door, Katherine lets herself into the room, and Caroline stays outside.

"Where is she?" Katherine asks. Caroline's sobbing turns into a chuckle.

"I did it! I really didn't think that I'd be able to fool you but I did it!" Katherine rushes over but she can't leave the room. She's trapped.

"What the...?" Katherine asks and then turns around hearing footsteps as Stefan steps out of hiding. "Stefan?" He adjusts the stake in his hand.

"Hello, Katherine." He greets.

"Goodbye Katherine." Caroline counters and then walks away.

"You don't really think that you can kill me with that now, do you?" Katherine asks Stefan.

"No, but he can." Damon walks out the closet holding the compressed air weapon. He shoots Katherine. The stake goes in her back.

.................