Turn Back Time (Live. Die. Repeat)

Chapter 3 - Tuesday Again

Stefan stalked through the woods, rage in his every step. He was taking no prisoners today. Every single person holding Enzo at that cabin was going to die today, no exceptions. He had watched Caroline die twice already, he would not make it a third time.

Things were about to get bloody.

He had no gun, no stakes, no knifes, no weapon of any kind. He was the only weapon he needed. He would take great pleasure in taking each one of their lives. Caroline would live.


Stefan reached the cabin, hiding in the shadows of the trees as he spied the two boys he knocked out with the tranquilizer gun yesterday. Today they would not be so lucky. He silently made his way to the back of the cabin, listening intently for how many people surrounded him. There was Enzo and Tripp in the cabin, and the two boys on guard out front.

He made his way around the cabin, watching from around the corner for both guys to look away before he vamped over to them, grabbing hold of the first one by the head and savagely tearing it from his neck. The other guy turned around at the sound of a strangely wet noise, his eyes widening in horror at the sight that greeted him, looking up at death in front of him in fear, not even getting the chance to make a noise before Stefan was on him.

Stefan placed his hand over his mouth to silence any sound he might make, his other grabbing his neck and he twisted his hands breaking his neck instantly. He let the body fall to the floor to join his friend on the ground.

Two down, one to go.

He kicked the door of the cabin open, speeding over to Tripp he punched his hand clear through his chest, destroying his heart and killing him instantly. He took his time yesterday, now he just needed to get to Caroline as soon as possible so that he could protect her for the rest of the day.

Caroline would make it to Wednesday.

He took his hand back from Tripp's chest, his body falling with a thud to the ground now that Stefan's arm wasn't holding him up. He didn't even bother attempting to wipe the blood off, as he was covered in the red substance already.

Enzo raised his eyebrows, the only sign of his shock, and addressed the blood soaked Stefan, "Not that I don't appreciate the dramatic rescue, because I do, but... why?" He wrinkled his forehead in confusion, never in a thousand years expecting Stefan to be the one to rescue him, "Especially seeing as you are the reason I'm locked up again."

"Caroline." Stefan answered, the only answer he could and was willing to give to Enzo. Everything he's done, what lengths he's willing to go to, it was all for Caroline.

"Ah!" Enzo smirked, a knowing glint appearing in his eyes, "You finally realized what's been under your nose this whole time."

"Huh?" Stefan frowned, not knowing what Enzo was talking about it, "What are you talking about?"

Enzo stared at Stefan for a beat, searching his face for any signs he was trying to avoid answering. He wasn't. Stefan appeared to have genuinely no clue as to what he was referring to. Enzo chuckled to himself, "Idiots, the both of you."

Stefan crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head as he rolled his eyes in exasperation, "I don't have time for whatever you think you know. I have more important things to do today."

"Like Caroline?" Enzo snorted.

Stefan stared at Enzo with his mouth wide open, the shock of his statement rendering him speechless. He could not even think of a response, his power of speech stolen by the images brought up in his head.

Enzo actually laughed at the deer in the headlights look Stefan was wearing. He was as oblivious as Caroline was in denial. Not that Stefan deserved her after the way he's treated her in the months since Damon died.

Stefan glared at Enzo, forcibly removing the thought from his head. He didn't think of her in that way, Caroline was his friend. He needed to save her life because he couldn't live without his best friend. There was nothing more to his feelings than saving a friend.

Enzo held out his chained wrists, "Are you going to untie me?"

Stefan continued to glare at Enzo for another few moments just to let him sweat before he crouched down and searched Tripp for the key. He threw it in Enzo's direction before he stood up and made his way to the door.

"Where are you going?" Enzo called after Stefan, waiting for him to turn around before gesturing to Tripp's body, "Are you not going to clean up your mess?"

"I have a far more important task for today than digging graves." Stefan replied before walking out of the cabin and making his way back to Whitmore and Caroline.

Enzo narrowed his eyes at Stefan's retreating back. There was something off about him but he couldn't put his finger on it. He walked out of the cabin, tasting his first breath of freedom for days, when he noticed the blood in the air. He looked down and raised his eyebrow in surprise. Two of Tripp's men were at his feet, one broken neck, the other head ripped clean off.

What could they have possibly done to set Stefan off like this? He didn't think this was over Ivy, while Stefan was angry that Enzo had killed her, once he found out that she was a vampire he couldn't get rid of her quick enough.

He dragged the bodies into the cabin, searching around until he found a lighter and conveniently a can of gas. He spread the gas around the cabin until the can was empty which he threw in. He sparked the lighter and threw it through the door, a moment later the cabin was consumed in flames.

He walked away.


Stefan was thankful that he had a spare shirt in his car to replace his bloodstained one. He didn't want to waste anymore time than he had to so that he could get to Caroline as soon as possible.

He didn't think he'd ever driven as fast as he was right now. Even though he'd eliminated the threat to her he was still on edge, his veins filled with an icy cold dread, and that wouldn't go away until the clock ticked past midnight and Tuesday finally became Wednesday.

The hard part now was trying to convince Caroline to not leave his side and somehow stay indoors. He was not sure how he would convince her of that but he had to. Her life depended on her not putting herself in danger, which at the moment was whenever she stepped outside.

He finally reached Whitmore and parked his car in the first spot he found. He got out and locked the car. He all but ran up to her dorm room, frantically knocking on her door as he waited for her to answer. He held his breath as the door opened and he released it in a disappointed sigh as Elena stood before him. His heart picked up speed as he asked with a touch of desperation in his voice, "Where's Caroline?"

Elena furrowed her brow at Stefan's frantic expression, "Um, she's in class, I think."

"You think?" Stefan grabbed hold of her arm, his eyes wide as he asked again, "Are you positive that she's in class?"

"I don't know, Stefan." Elena shrugged her arm out of his tightening grip, "I haven't seen her since she told me that... Damon's back."

Stefan rubbed his hands over his face, frustration and fear warring for dominance inside of him. He couldn't protect her if he didn't know where she was. He turned to go when Elena grabbed hold of his arm to stop him, he turned back to her with a raised eyebrow, hoping that whatever she had to say she would be quick about it. He had to find Caroline.

"Is that blood?" Elena asked, looking down at the smears of blood on the back of his hand, "Stefan, what happened?"

Stefan pulled his arm away from her, sticking his hand into the pocket of his jeans, dismissing her question with a shrug, "I took care of a problem."

"What problem?" Elena asked, trying to reach for him again when he stepped away from her. She winced in hurt at his actions.

"None of your concern." Stefan snapped back, really needing to go and not having the patience to tell Elena everything like she always demanded. For once, this had absolutely nothing to do with her, and he wouldn't waste precious time explaining to her when he could be looking for Caroline.

"Stefan." Elena's voice was wounded, eyes wide with hurt at his tone. She asked again, sure that he would give into her and tell her what she wanted to know when she used her doe eyes to look vulnerable, "What problem?"

"I don't have time for this." Stefan narrowed his eyes at Elena, not moved at all by the way she was looking at him, he knew that she was only trying to manipulate him into giving into her. He wouldn't. He wasn't in love with her anymore so it wouldn't work on him now. He was well and truly moved on from Elena Gilbert.

He didn't stick around to see what she would do or say to try and get him to stay. He just walked away, ignoring Elena's calls of his name.

He pulled out his phone and called Caroline. He tapped his fingers against his thigh as he waited for her to pick up. After a few torturously long moments he finally heard her voice. He didn't even wait for her for say anything he just jumped in, "Where are you?"

Caroline balked at his tone and couldn't help but snap, "You haven't cared where I've been in the last four months so why do you suddenly want to know now?"

"Caroline, this is important." Stefan's voice was a plead, needing her to just forget her anger for the moment and let him know where she is, "I need to know where you are right now."

"Why?" Caroline asked, not willing to just give into Stefan now that he appeared to want to know her again. She'd been fooled by him once, and she would not let herself be fooled by him again, "I'm not with Enzo nor do I know where he is."

"I know where he is and this has nothing to do with him." Stefan replied instantly, hating the fact that he'd been a complete and utter jerk these past few months. Once she wouldn't have even hesitated in telling him, once he would have known what her damn school schedule was, not now, now he had no idea what was going on in her life and he hated it.

"If that's not the reason than why?" Caroline clutched the phone tighter, her voice cracking as she repeated, "Just tell me why?"

"Caroline..." Stefan swallowed back the lump in his throat at her tone, his heart aching at the pain he had put her through. He would do anything, anything, to take away the hurt he'd caused her. He just wanted his best friend back. But he also needed to make sure she would be alive to continue hating him.

"No, Stefan." Caroline snapped, anger and hurt raising the tone of her voice, "Tell me why, after months of pretending that I don't exist you suddenly demand to know where I am."

"Can't we speak about this in person?" Stefan pleaded, if they spoke face to face then he could be with her and protect her.

"We can." Caroline agreed.

Stefan's hopes were raised, only to be dashed a moment later.

Caroline's voice was firm as she added, "But first you have to tell me why this is so urgent."

Stefan opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. He wanted to tell her so bad, but he didn't know whether he should or not.

Caroline sighed in disappointment, "I'm hanging up now."

"No!" Stefan gripped his phone, his voice shaking with fear, "Please don't hang up, Caroline." All he could hear was the sound of her breathing, and he listened for a moment before admitting to her, "You're in danger."

"From who?" Caroline asked.

Stefan couldn't really answer that seeing as he killed Tripp and two of his men to keep her safe. He took a deep breath before repeating, "You are in danger, Caroline."

"From who, Stefan?" Caroline echoed her words, not telling Stefan anything until he told her who wanted to harm her.

Stefan hesitated for a few more moments before reluctantly telling her, "Tripp and his men."

"Because of Ivy?" Caroline asked in confusion. She was sure she had done nothing to throw suspicion on herself despite the fact that she couldn't enter Mystic Falls.

"Yeah..." Stefan didn't sound very convincing to his own ears and he was sure that it didn't to Caroline either as she knew him better than anyone else.

Caroline knew that Stefan wasn't telling her the whole truth, but instead of demanding that he tell her right now she would just wait for their face to face conversation. She blew out an annoyed breath before finally telling him where she was, "I'm at the border waiting to see my mom."

That was way too close to potential danger for Stefan. He all but ran the rest of the way to his car, telling Caroline in his most demanding voice, "Get away from the border, Caroline. It's not safe."

"Don't you think you're being a little over-dramatic?" Caroline asked, never expecting to say those words to Stefan of all people; Damon yes, Stefan no.

"No." Stefan replied instantly, his voice turning pleading as he begged her, "Get away from the border, Caroline."

"Fine. I'm walking away." Caroline told him as she took several steps away from the invisible border, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of her actions, "Happy now?"

"Not until I'm there with you." Stefan replied, pushing his foot down on the gas a little harder as he sped his way to her.

"See you when you get here." Caroline then disconnects their call.


Caroline wrapped her arms around her middle, a frown creasing her brow as she looked over at her home town that she could no longer enter. She just wanted to go back home, sleep in her own bed, and walk through the town that meant so much to her.

She had so many worries piling on top of other worries. She constantly worried about her mom despite her living in a town that no supernatural creature could enter. She worried about her friends, and how they were slowly but surely drifting apart from each other. Despite everything, she was worried about Stefan. He sounded really concerned over the phone and like he was truly afraid that something would happen to her.

She still wanted to know why he was so convinced that she was in danger. She hadn't heard that level of caring in his voice for such a long time that it brought a warmth to her. Perhaps Stefan still cared about her after all.

She heard the sound of a car engine nearby. She walked over to the side of the road, waiting for Stefan to come to her, which would be any moment now. Within minutes he came speeding towards her, his car screeching to a halt next to her.

Stefan jumped out of his car and ran over to Caroline. He pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her neck. He breathed her in, sliding his fingertips through her hair as he reassured himself that she was alive and in his embrace.

She was here.

She was safe.

She was with him.

That was all he cared about right at this moment. He would not be leaving her side for the rest of the day, he would be making sure that she stayed safe, and what better way to protect her then right by her side.

Caroline was shocked by the way Stefan clutched her so close to him, she was unsure where to place her hands so she ended up awkwardly rubbing her palm against his back. Before he left he was not exactly one for spontaneous hugs of affections, she always pulled him into one and he hardly ever initiated one.

Stefan held her for as long as he could, needing the chance to touch her and breathe in her scent to reassure himself. He had lost her twice in the last couple of days and both times she died they had been fighting. He just wanted to relish in the feel of Caroline Forbes in his arms for as long as possible.

Caroline finally relaxed in his embrace now that it seemed that he was unwilling to let her go. She rest her head against his and soaked in the feeling of being wrapped in Stefan Salvatore again. It was wonderful to feel close to him again but they had issues they needed to talk through. She slid her hand up his back to cup his neck, stroking her fingers against him as she reminded him in a low murmur, "We need to talk, Stefan."

Stefan tightened his hold on her, releasing a shaky breath onto her neck, "I know."

Caroline pulled away from him, her blue eyes wide and searching, her hands dragging down from his neck to rest on his chest, "I deserve to have some answers."

Stefan furrowed his brow, his green eyes pained at the hurt he could so easily read in her gaze, "You do, Caroline." He moved his hand to curl around her forearm, brushing her skin with his thumb as his gaze turned sincere, "You deserve so much more than just answers. I owe you the biggest apology." He raised his other hand to cup her cheek, "You are my best friend... and I abandoned you when we both needed each other the most."

"I agree with you there." Caroline blinked back the tears in her eyes, clutching her fingers into the material of his shirt, her eyes imploring his to tell her the truth, "What I want to know is why! Why did you feel the need to leave without so much as a goodbye? Why did you ignore my existence and never even bother listening to my messages?"

"Because if I had listened to even one of your messages," Stefan admitted to her quietly, keeping his thumb brushing against her cheek as his eyes locked with her tearful blue ones, "I would have come straight back to you."

"Why is that such a bad thing?" Caroline cried, not understanding what the problem was. She would have loved to have had him by her side for those months that she felt so alone.

"Caroline..." Stefan hated that he appeared to be causing her more pain, but he also knew that they needed to have this talk. He just hoped that there would be a tomorrow so that he would never have to repeat this conversation again.

"Just tell me!" Caroline cried out, a pleading look on her face, her fingers clutching desperately at his shirt, pulling him even closer to her.

Stefan swallowed as he gazed into her hauntingly beautiful blue eyes, "Caroline, um, look. When Damon was gone, I, um... I pushed you away."

"Yeah, I know, Stefan." Caroline clenched her jaw, her eyes hardening as she felt the pain of his abandonment again, "You pushed everyone away. It's kind of what you do."

"But I pushed you away the most." Stefan took a step closer to her, barely any room left between them now, "I knew that you were the one person who would sit with me and let me cry, and I didn't want to cry anymore, so I had to push you away... the most."

Caroline sucked in a breath, finally having the reason he left her behind. It still hurt, that kind of pain doesn't go away easily, but she understood the why now, "Thank you for saying that."

Stefan shifts awkwardly, realizing just how close he is to Caroline. He opened his mouth to say something, but seeing the small smile on her lips and the sparkle returning to her eyes, he found himself lost for words.

Caroline's eye's dropped to his lips, and as a desire to kiss him filled her she decided to step out of his arms. She tucked a curl behind her ear, licking her lips as she searched for something to say. She heard her phone beep with a text so she checked it, "Well, my mom's not coming."

Stefan shook himself out of the daze she'd put him in, and tried to focus on the task at hand. He still needed to keep Caroline safe as it wasn't the end of Tuesday yet.

He held his hand out for her to take, smiling at the small hesitation she had before slipping her hand into his, "I'll drive you back to Whitmore and we can go and have a coffee." Seeing the amused look on her face he couldn't help but grin, "Or, you know, it's you and me, so alcohol."

Caroline shook her head and giggled, tugging him over to his car, "You're lucky that I didn't bring my car because I needed the walk."

"Me and my car are at your service." Stefan grinned down at Caroline, his heart skipping at the sweet giggles coming from her, a sound he thought she would never have in his presence again.

"Shut up." Caroline laughed as she got in the passenger side.

Stefan couldn't help the width of his grin. He had saved Caroline, he hoped and prayed, and she appeared to have thawed towards him after their little talk.


Stefan's eyes fluttered open, his eyes stinging from the sweat or blood in them. His chest was tight from where the seat belt held him in the upturned car. He turned to the side, expecting to see Caroline hanging upside down beside him, but his eyes opened wide in terror at the empty space next to him.

"Caroline!" Stefan called out her name, his fingers ripping his seat belt in two making him fall to the glass covered ground. He noticed that the windscreen was completely shattered, she must have gone through it. He scrambled out of the car, uncaring of the cuts the glass left in his skin, frantically screaming her name over and over again, his heart ripping to shreds at the silence that answered him.

He looked all around for any sign of Caroline, thankful that it was still light out so that he could see her easier. He saw in the grass to the left of him a flash of blonde hair, so he vamped over, stopping short at the invisible barrier as the gunshot wound his father gave him appeared. His eyes widened in horror as he took a step back, his mind in overdrive. How long has she been there? Oh god she's over the border. I need to get to her.

Stefan braced himself before stepping over the border, crying out as his wound opened once again. He didn't care, he just needed to get to Caroline. He pushed through the pain to reach her as quick as he possibly could, each step feeling torturously close to his own death as the magic was sucked from his body.

He fell to his knees beside her, ready to put his arm around her waist to carry her when he noticed her flawless skin and unmoving chest. He had been relieved that her skin wasn't grey, but it suddenly occurred to him that she wasn't a vampire anymore. She's crossed the border so she's human, and human Caroline was smothered to death by Katherine.

He reached for her eyelid, pushing it up slightly so that he could see her eyes, he cried out in despair at the petechial hemorrhaging in her eyes. She was gone. He collapsed against her, sobbing brokenly on her chest, clutching her body to him as he lost himself to his grief.

Stefan completely forget about his own wound. All he could see and feel was Caroline's dead body, nothing else could penetrate his heart ache. He had lost her again.

It didn't even occur to him that he would be joining her soon.


"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 cried out as he sat up, clutching his chest and the lingering pain of the gunshot wound. His face was wet with tears, and he couldn't bare to turn his head to the alarm clock and see those damning letters mocking him. He and Caroline should both be dead. He followed her over the border and he was too heartbroken to move from her side. They had both died on that particular Tuesday.

But the day still started over. Caroline died and he died and the day still repeated. Just what the hell did he have to do to keep her safe and stop repeating this freaking day.

He buried his face in his hands as he sobbed out, "I really wish Bonnie was here."

She would know what to do, she would steer him in the right direction, and do anything in her power to help him. There had to be a reason he kept repeating the same day and yet no matter how he had changed it Caroline still died.

He was going to go crazy having to watch Caroline die, over and over again.

He needed to make it stop.

It had to stop.

But... how?

TBC

What do you guys think? Caroline and Stefan both died this time. The mystery continues... ;)