4:

Memory Lane

Caroline was frozen for a long time after Katherine left, staying in the bathroom. She was so scared. She wasn't used to this. She shouldn't be doing this to Elena and Stefan. They were friends. But she was so scared. Katherine had killed her! She'd made her a monster! After mildly panicking, she opened the bathroom door and jumped.

Aaron watched her with a strange expression. "It's alright. Katerina left. She can't risk others seeing her around Elena."

Caroline sighed heavily and actually hit him. "You scared me!" she said finally. "Don't do that! What are you doing here?"

Aaron frowned. "What are you doing?" Caroline looked confused and he shook his head. "I came to make sure you could do this properly, especially after Katerina's little visit."

Caroline smiled. "You were worried about me? You're not as bad as you let on, you know." Aaron gave her a look. "You're not."

Aaron rolled his eyes and walked away, knowing she was following him. He stopped by a booth and motioned for her to go past him and sit. When Caroline moved in front of him, he put an arm around her waist and pulled her close to him so her back was to his chest. He moved a hand over her neck.

Caroline closed her eyes. It felt like her entire body was on fire. Apparently all her senses were heightened, not just her sight, hearing and sense of smell. It came back to her where she was: the Grill, where Matt was. But she couldn't make herself move away. "You…. You have to stop. Matt may be here."

Aaron turned her to him, one arm still around her waist. He moved his other hand over her cheek, neck, shoulder and then down her arm slowly. "I know." She opened her eyes and looked at him. He leaned closer to her as if about to kiss her before whispering against her lips, "Don't ever assume that I'm not a bad guy."

He released her abruptly and she fell backward onto the seat of the booth, looking at him in shock. Aaron sat down across from her.

XXX

Caroline was still sitting with Aaron in the booth when Elena and Stefan entered the Grill. She was immediately nervous. She couldn't do this. They were her friends. And besides, since when was she good at something like this. But Katherine had threatened her, and threatened Matt. She had to.

Aaron saw Elena and Stefan as well. "Showtime," he said in a tone only Caroline would hear. He looked at Caroline and noticed her discomfort. He hesitated. "It'll be alright."

Caroline smiled weakly and nodded. "Elena," she said when Elena and Stefan were going past her.

Elena and Stefan stopped, looking at them. "Hey," Elena said to Caroline, glancing at Aaron. She frowned and looked at Stefan.

Stefan was also frowning at Aaron. "Who are you?" he asked Aaron.

"Aaron," he replied. "And you're Stefan Salvatore." He smiled. "John says hi."

Stefan frowned. "You know John." Aaron smirked. "What are you doing with Caroline? Or do you just like her? You did torture my brother for her." Caroline looked at Aaron in shock.

Aaron clenched his jaw. "I'm not that nice. I just didn't like him. Don't like you either."

Elena's eyes widened and she looked at Stefan quickly. "Stefan…." Stefan just scoffed and walked away, sitting at another table.

Caroline took the chance then. "Elena. I am so sorry about earlier today. I don't know what came over me."

Elena seemed to reluctantly nod. "It's okay, Caroline…. Everything that you were saying was right…. It's just hard for me to hear, you know?"

Caroline was silent a moment, frowning. "So… you're not… mad at me?"

Elena sighed. "You were just being a good friend…. in your own way."

Caroline sighed in relief, smiling. She shook her head. "My own… head case, horrible way." She looked at Elena seriously. "Elena… I really am sorry."

Elena smiled a little before rejoining Stefan at his table, sitting beside him. Aaron looked at Caroline, giving her a slight nod, before they both started listening in on Stefan and Elena's conversation closely. Aaron was only interested as whatever Katerina was planning had to do with them apparently. They made sure not to look at them.

I'm starving," Stefan said, seemingly out of nowhere. It sounded strange to Aaron. Either that was a random conversation starter, or he was attempting to get Elena's mind off of things.

"Well, spending the day with your jealous ex will do that to you," Elena said testily. Understandable response.

"Listen…. I know… you're upset, but we have to take her seriously. Today was all about the lengths she would go to," Stefan said back. Appeasing, but also warning. He did know what to say. That gave him credit.

"If she was going to hurt me, she would have. I was standing right in front of her," Elena argued. Or maybe he didn't know what to say.

"Elena, you caught her off guard. It doesn't mean that you're safe," Stefan insisted.

"I'm not afraid of her," Elena persisted.

"Well, you should be," Stefan replied.

"If Katherine had her way, we'd be breaking up right now," Elena said to Stefan, sounding annoyed at the turn of the conversation.

Aaron shook his head. Their fight seemed staged. He didn't think Caroline noticed. He wondered if he should tell her. But then she'd have to tell Katherine, which would hurt her friends more, which would hurt her. He wouldn't tell her. But why in hell did he care how Caroline felt?

"If today taught me anything, it's that Katherine is used to getting her way," Stefan responded to Elena.

"You're not actually saying that we should actually do what she says?" Elena asked. This was all definitely staged.

"Listen. She's sadistic, okay? She threatened you. She threatened everyone," Stefan continued to insist.

"Yeah, no, I get it…. She's dangerous. But every day that we're together? It's dangerous. Why are you giving her so much power over our relationship?" Elena asked Stefan.

"This is the reality of our situation," Stefan answered. Wow, they were obviously running out of things to say now.

"Well, reality sucks," Elena said back. "This is what she wants. She wants us to fight. she wants to get between us."

"She already has, Elena," Stefan told her with a sense of finality.

Aaron waited until both Elena and Stefan left to speak up. "Tell Katerina everything you heard. They broke up. There's no reason to hurt anyone now, if this is really what she's after."

Caroline nodded, seeming near tears. "I'm sorry, I…. I have to go." She got up and walked out of the Grill.

After all this was done, Katerina was dead. Not just for Caroline either, but for his brothers.

XXX

Elena went into her bedroom and closed the door, going to her bed. She felt someone behind her and turned around, jumping slightly. It was so weird, how she could just… feel him now. It was like he'd become a part of her, and he had.

Stefan went to her with a concerned frown. "Are you okay?"

Elena smiled weakly and hugged, holding onto him. Katherine wasn't winning here. She was going to be with Stefan forever, no matter what anyone said. He was hers and she was his. She couldn't lose him. "I hated that fight."

Stefan nodded, holding her close. "I know." He kissed her head. "Me too." He pulled back to look at her. "It felt too real."

She kisses him before pulling back. "Did you see Caroline and Aaron?"

Stefan nodded. "Yeah."

Elena sighed heavily. "We were right. Katherine got to her. She was hanging on to every single word." She frowned. "But why was Aaron interested? I doubt he cares one way or another that we're together. And he's older than Katherine if he's one of these Originals, so I doubt he'd be working for her. And if he's working with her, I doubt he'd do an errand like this one."

Stefan thought about that and shook his head. "I have no idea. It won't be long before Katherine gets a play-by-play though."

Elena shook her head, sighing. "I wish I had been wrong, but I know Caroline too well. It was so obvious that something was up today."

Stefan nodded, licking his lips, seeming to be holding off some emotion. "You weren't wrong. It's pure Katherine. She's always finding somebody to do her dirty work."

Elena: I think Damon was listening to us fight too. Are you gonna tell him that it wasn't real?

Stefan: The only way Katherine is gonna believe it is if everybody believes it. That's the best way to make her think she's getting what she wants.

Elena shook her head, irritated. "All this, just to get you back."

Stefan shook his head quickly. "That's not why she's here, okay? No matter what she says. I know her. Katherine doesn't care about anybody but herself. She never has. She's incapable of love. She's here for another reason."