Turn Back Time (Live. Die. Repeat)

Chapter 1 – The First Tuesday

"If I could turn back time, If I could find a way, I'd take back those words that hurt you, and you'd stay."

Stefan opened his eyes as the song coming from the alarm clock woke him up, he reached his hand over to the end table and turned it off. He sat up and rubbed his hands over his face as he yawned. He pushed himself off the bed, walked over to the drawer and picked himself out some clean clothes and then went into the bathroom to have a shower.

He came out less than ten minutes later, fully dressed, running the towel through his hair as he dried it. He felt more like himself than he had for the months he'd been away trying to start over, like he'd said last night in the Salvatore crypt he couldn't get anywhere because he was lost. And then his big brother appeared before him like a wonderful hallucination, and then when he touched Damon reality hit him and he had never clutched his brother harder or had been so grateful that he was alive.

Damon was alive. The best news he'd ever had.

It felt like he'd just woken up from a nightmare, and now he had to face the reality of what his life had become. He'd hurt Caroline, just remembering the tears in her eyes when he walked away from her after she had begged him to stay was the worst feeling he'd felt in a long time. She was his best friend, and he had completely ignored her for months. Then when he had come back he did everything he could to leave her and everything else behind him.

He was the worst friend ever. He didn't deserve her forgiveness but he was damn well going to do all he could to get it back. To get Caroline back because he didn't want to carry on without her by his side.

It had been 'Caroline and Stefan' for so long that he didn't want to go back to just being 'Stefan'. They had been there for each other through all the good times and the bad, and it was his own fault for pushing her away when he needed her most, but he couldn't stay here and be reminded of Damon wherever he went.

He needed to fix them.

Caroline stormed out of Ric's office, her arms folded around herself as she tried to get as far away from Stefan as possible. She couldn't believe that he had turned in Enzo to be tortured and killed by Tripp. Enzo may not be the most moral of vampires but he had proven himself a friend to her, and he didn't deserve to be killed the way that Tripp did it. Just as Ivy hadn't deserved to die, no matter the jealousy she felt, she had been murdered for no good reason besides being a vampire.

"Caroline!" Stefan yelled after Caroline's retreating form, quickening his steps and practically running to catch up with her, "Caroline, wait!"

"Nope. Not gonna happen." Caroline marched on, whipping her head to the side to growl at Stefan, "I can't stop because I have a friend to rescue." Not waiting for a response she took a quick look around and then vamped off.

Stefan placed his hands on his hips and growled in annoyance. He was not going to let her go on her own and get herself killed trying to rescue Enzo of all people. He followed after Caroline, knowing that she was going to Tripp's cabin, and couldn't help but grumble to himself.

"When the hell did they become so friendly?" He kicked a rock in anger as he continued to vent to himself, "I knew they had chemistry when they went to Atlanta together."

He refused to acknowledge that the itchy burning feeling in his veins was jealousy. Just as he hadn't given it a name when Caroline went off with Enzo at the Traveller camp. He was just concerned for a friend, that was all.

He gritted his teeth and chased after Caroline.

Caroline was fuming as she walked through the woods. She still couldn't get over the fact that Stefan had just handed one of them over to be killed like it was nothing, and she wondered whether he had told Tripp about Ivy too so that she wouldn't be a problem any more. She hated thinking like that, especially about Stefan, who until around four months ago had been one of the best people that she knew, and her best friend. She would have never thought he would be capable of that, but the Stefan she'd found in Savannah was a completely different person than the Stefan Salvatore she used to know and she wasn't sure if he was someone that she wanted to know.

Her heart screamed a different answer but she resolutely ignored it.

Her phone broke the silence of the woods. She took it out of her pocket, and seeing Stefan's name on the screen made her want to ignore it like he'd ignored her all summer, but she pushed that urge aside – for now – and answered with an irritated, "Yes?"

"Caroline, I need you to wait for me." Stefan's voice was tight with concern.

"Why?" Caroline huffed out a breath, before replying angrily, "So you can hand me over to Tripp yourself?"

Stefan felt like a dagger had pierced his heart at her accusation. His voice was low with hurt as he asked, "Do you really think I could do that to you?"

"You did it to Enzo. Why not me too?"

Stefan shut his eyes tightly, stomach aching at how far he'd fallen in her eyes. He tried to justify his actions to her, "Look, Enzo wasn't being careful. Tripp would've caught him eventually, and that meant danger for all of us."

"Right." Caroline replied sarcastically, not believing Stefan's lame excuse for a moment, "So, you handed Enzo over so that we wouldn't be targeted, and now you're rescuing him so we won't be targeted." She shook her head, throwing her hand out in annoyance, "Way to go."

"Well, I thought Tripp was gonna kill him. I didn't think he was going to keep him alive for information." Stefan replied without thinking, wincing at how that would sound to Caroline.

"Oh!" Caroline let the sarcasm coat her voice once more, not realising just how loud her voice was becoming, "Well, in that case, sounds like you were just being practical." She didn't want to ask this but she felt like she had to, "So, did you rat out Ivy, too?"

"What?" Stefan was confused.

"Well, you didn't want to deal with her any more. You wanted her gone, and now she is." Caroline voice grew louder, not paying attention to where she was as she was more concerned with her fight with Stefan, "You know what, you really should write Tripp a thank you note."

Stefan was about to reply, offended that Caroline could even suggest that he would do such a thing, when there was the sound of her pained gasp over the line and a thud. He gripped his hand on the steering wheel tighter as he said her name, "Caroline?"

No answer.

"Caroline?" He called out more desperately. Still nothing. He repeated her name once more with deep fear colouring his tone, "Caroline?!"

All he could hear was the sounds of boots crunching leaves and a body being dragged along the floor. His heart plummeted into his stomach, his breathing quickening with his fear. Obviously Tripp's men had captured Caroline while she was distracted.

He put his foot down on the gas and floored it. He needed to get to Caroline before anything happened to her.

He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her because of him turning Enzo in.

Caroline groaned as she came around, her eyes fluttering open, her vision blurred from the vervain they'd used to subdue her. She tested her hands which were of course bound in chains. She was tied to a chair. She rolled her head to the side, and of course the first thing she saw was a bound Enzo huddled against the wall.

"Hello, gorgeous." Enzo smiled at her, dark amusement in his tone, "Fancy meeting you here."

Caroline was so relieved to see that Enzo was alive that she chuckled, "All of the creepy cabins and I just happen to find yours."

"Thank you." Enzo gazed at her in all seriousness, grateful for what he knew she'd done for him, "I have never had anyone come for me before."

"Yeah well, you are an idiot." Caroline's smile turned tremulous, her eyes filling with tears, her voice broken, "But, you're my idiot friend."

"Love you too, gorgeous." Enzo replied, his own throat tightening with repressed emotion, a bad feeling curling in his gut making him fill with dread.

They were interrupted by the sound of the door opening and Tripp walked in. He looked at Caroline with disgust, "I wonder if the sheriff knows that her daughter is a vampire."

"Leave my mom alone!" Caroline hissed, the veins rippling beneath her eyes in her rage.

Tripp casually leaned against the wall as he crossed his arms over his chest, "Now it makes more sense why the sheriff didn't want to investigate the supposed animal attacks." He took a vial out of his pocket and threw it over Caroline, satisfied at the way she screamed, "She was protecting her daughter."

Caroline gritted her teeth as her skin sizzled and burned because of the vervain. She took deep breaths, trying to push the pain to the back of her mind, levelling a glare on Tripp as she hissed, "Stay. Away. From. My. Mom."

Tripp chuckled, pushing himself away from the wall to walk over to the two vampires. He grinned at them, his voice smug as he told them, "You'll be much too dead to wonder about what I'm going to do to your mom."

Caroline struggled against her restraints, flashing her fangs at him, wanting more than anything to tear into his carotid to protect her mom from him.

Enzo recognised the glint in Tripp's eyes, having seen it on many of the doctors at Whitmore when he was their test subject. The pleasure they derived from hurting and torturing vampires; whether they were guilty or not. He needed to get Tripp's attention, "She's not the one you want, mate. I know the locations of all the vampires in this town."

Caroline whipped her head to gaze tearfully at Enzo, her stomach tightening with fear at the thought of her friends being in danger, "Enzo!"

Enzo sent her a reassuring look, trying to tell her without words that he had a plan, "There is a professor at Whitmore, Alaric Saltzman. He's a vampire."

Caroline tried to hide her relief. Ric was an Original vampire that could more than take care of himself as he was unkillable. She found a glimmer of hope to cling onto. She played her part though, not wanting to raise any suspicions if she had no reaction, "No! How could you sell us out?"

Enzo wanted to applaud at Caroline's impeccable acting skills. She had just the right amount of riotous fury mixed with a hint of the dramatic. Tripp seemed to be buying it.

"I'll have my boys check it out." Tripp responded before leaving them alone again.

Caroline stared after the door he just left and declared seriously, "I am gonna kill him when I get out of here."

"Right behind you, gorgeous." Enzo agreed, hoping that someone would come for Caroline at least so that they could get out of here.

Stefan was calling Damon as he skidded his car into a stop at the edge of the woods, throwing the door open he leapt out and started running. The moment his brother picked up he barked into the phone, "The hunter, Tripp, has Caroline in his cabin in the woods. Get everyone and meet me there." He hung up without waiting for a reply.

He needed to reach Caroline and save her. Nothing else mattered to him but saving her.

He neared the cabin, hiding in the trees as he spotted several of Tripp's men getting into his van and driving off. That left less people guarding Caroline, but he doubted that it would be easy to get to her. He silently made his way over to the door, listening attentively for the sound of other people, he could hear breathing but he had no clue how many were in there. He could wait for Damon and the others, or he could rush in.

He didn't want to wait so he rushed in. It was unlike him but this was Caroline.

He pushed the door open carefully, releasing a breath of relief as he saw Caroline tied to the chair; alive. He let a smile curl his lips as he walked all the way into the room, "Caroline."

Caroline couldn't help the smile from turning her lips at the sight of Stefan, no matter how mad at him she was, he actually came for her, and that made her damn right giddy. Perhaps there was a part of the Stefan she knew buried in there somewhere, "Stefan."

Stefan rushed over to her, easily breaking her chains as he wasn't weakened with vervain. He slid his arm around her back and wrapped her arm around his neck as he lifted her up. He was surprised she was alone in the room so he asked, "I'm surprised that Enzo's not here with you."

"He was." Caroline answered, taking small steps as she let Stefan shoulder her weight, "Tripp took Enzo with him, and just left me here."

She and Stefan were about to cross the threshold when her eyes looked up directly into Tripp's. Before she could say a word she felt a punch to the chest and her world narrowed down to the piece of wood sticking out of her chest. A gasp of horrified disbelief left her, and a tear slipped down her rapidly greying cheek.

"I left you on your own so that your vampire friends could come to me for their deaths." Tripp smirked, pulling his hand back taking the stake from her chest.

Stefan cried out as Caroline became a dead weight in his arms, her arm slackening around his neck so that she was no longer holding onto him. It hadn't clicked yet, his brain trying to protect him from the truth just a little bit longer, his voice shaky as he said her name, praying that she would respond, "Caroline?"

A deafening silence was his only reply.

"Did you know that she was a vampire? Or were you only interested in handing Enzo over?" Tripp asked, still under the impression that Stefan was a human so he didn't see the danger coming.

Stefan's eyes finally fell to her face, and he released a heartbroken cry at the sight of her darkened veins and grey skin colour. Caroline was dead. He acted before thinking, his free hand shooting out to clutch at Tripp's throat, lifting him off the ground as he yelled brokenly, "You killed her!"

"She's a vampire." Tripp choked out around the hand on his throat, his fingers digging uselessly into Stefan's steel-like lock on his neck.

Stefan pulled Tripp close to his face, letting the veins ripple beneath his eyes as he growled, "So am I!" He tightened his fingers on his throat, tears pouring down his face as he sobbed, "You killed the kindest person I've ever met."

He wrenched his wrist to the side, breaking Tripp's neck in an instant – a death that was too good for him; he should have suffered more – then dropped him to the ground in a crumpled mass of arms and legs.

He fell to his knees, cradling her body close to him, his head resting on hers as he cried. His best friend, who he had treated like shit for the past few months, was dead in his arms. She had been staked with him by her side.

He broke his promise.

He hadn't protected her.

He let her be staked right in his arms.

She died thinking that he didn't care about her.

He closed his eyes in despair and released a cry of her name, "Caroline!"

Tears slid unchecked down his cheeks as he sobbed his heart out.

He felt broken.

He'd lost Caroline.

He let out another howl of heartbreak, the birds scattering from the trees at his sound of grief.

"If I could turn back time, If I could find a way, I'd take back those words that hurt you, and you'd stay."

Stefan opened his eyes as the song coming from the alarm clock woke him up, a cry of his best friend's name falling from his lips as he sat up, "Caroline!"

His breathing was laboured, his eyes wide with fear, his heart racing in his chest as the grief hit him all over again. Caroline was dead. She had died in his arms last night. He couldn't even remember how he got to his motel room. His last memory was holding Caroline to him as he cried over her.

He reached his hand over to the end table to turn the annoying alarm clock off when he read the LCD display; 8:00 Tuesday. He had to do a double take, rubbing his hands over his eyes before looking again. It didn't change.

8:00. Tuesday.

Tuesday.

TUESDAY.

It should be Wednesday. Caroline died on a Tuesday, yesterday, so today should have been Wednesday.

He opened his drawer with a shaky hand, pulling his cell out and dialling her number before he even thought about it. He clenched his eyes shut as he hoped and prayed to hear the voice that he thought he would never hear again.

He heard a click, and then a beautifully annoyed voice answered, "Why are you calling me at eight in the morning, Stefan?"

Stefan released a shuddering breath, the cries of relief stuck in his throat, the beautiful lilt of her voice soothing his soul.

Caroline was alive.

He got a chance to redo that horrible day and make sure that Caroline would be nowhere near Tripp or his stake.

He was going to save her.

"Stefan?" Caroline's voice grew quiet with concern, "Is everything okay?"

He swallowed down the lump in his throat, and answered her with a voice full of determination, "Everything is going to be just fine, Caroline."

TBC

AN – So what do you all think? I hope you all liked it.