Liv and Luke eyed each other for what felt like hours but could have easily been seconds as they debated. Eventually, Liv rolled her eyes and turned back to the group at large. They might as well cooperate. Enzo dragged them here for a reason. This was the part Enzo decided to hold back from the beginning. There was a reason they were there. There was a reason he chose them instead of some other witch without the volatile history that Liv and Luke shared with the Mystic Falls Gang. No, it had to be them.

"The thing Enzo has so craftily left out is that the crazy old lady was a Parker witch," she said. "She was a relative of ours, and before she got taken by the oblivion or whatever, she told him to find our coven. Well, he found us, saw us, and picked us two to drag out here. Now, we're here to share a bit of family history with you all."

Liv looked at Luke for him to continue. Luke rolled his eyes. He couldn't understand why they let themselves get roped back into this group again. It cost him his life, almost permanently. It almost cost Liv hers. He really wasn't at all the least bit sympathetic. He was irritated. They shouldn't have to help them anymore! Too bad he didn't have a choice.

"She was our grandmother's twin sister and left the coven when she was eighteen," he began. "She wanted to travel the world and learn more. So the story goes anyway. Basically, few years before she comes back she learns about this alternate world and a legend that magic can be drawn from the plane. This world she learned of fascinated her, so when she finally came back at age fourty, she wouldn't stop raving about it. She died five years ago, trying to access that power source. She was eighty and a complete nutjob."

"Or so the rest of the coven thought," Liv added. "However, Enzo came and found us, relaying her message and we did some digging. Apparently, our great-aunt had been there herself or at the very least, helped someone come back from it. My grandmother even witnessed it because she told us everything and even gave us her sister's grimoire, marking the pages we would need."

Stefan listened to this all in total silence. He didn't know what to think. On the one hand, he didn't trust any of them. Liv was ruthless. Luke was decent up until the point where he helped his sister try to kill him and Elena. Then there was Enzo. He didn't even know where to begin with him. He never liked Enzo. At first, it was because he was helping Wes. Then, he started hanging out with Damon, encouraging his brother's spiral to self-destruction instead of being a real friend and actually dissuading him. Stefan could see the impact that he had on his brother, and the more they seemed to be together the more twisted Damon seemed to become. Even when Enzo used Stefan as the weapon to his own demise, they hadn't been rid of him.

"Here's something I can't wrap my head around," Stefan finally said, his voice thick with the emotions he was trying to keep down. "You did nothing for my brother except let him spiral so you could get your twisted jollies on revenge. He got stuck with Wes's damn ripper concoction, because of you. Then, you find out he killed your girl - not knowing who she was til that day - and shut off your humanity then used me to kill yourself hoping he'd hate me for it."

Enzo turned to look at Stefan, slightly surprised. This was the first time he spoke directly to him since they met up at the bar. Up until then, he was quiet and civil. Obviously, it was an act and he was losing his patience. Enzo grinned. This was going to be fun. He just knew it as he watched Stefan get up from where he sat and approached him, the surviving Salvatore's gaze smoldering with barely contained rage.

"It doesn't look like your switch is back on," he said, grabbing Enzo by the throat. "You're still the dick I killed. So why does No-Humanity-Enzo give a flying rat's rear end about bringing his so-called friend back when he doesn't actually seem to give a shit? And why the hell should we trust you?"

Instead of answering, Enzo threw him in the air and watched as he landed in a heap on the ground a good distance away. He saw Ric tense up and take a step forward. Elena stopped him immediately by placing a hand on his arm. Enzo grinned again.

"I have my reasons for helping, Stefan," he said, once noticing the Salvatore getting to his feet. "I guess you're just going to have to trust me a little while longer."

With that said, Enzo left. He knew when he overstayed his welcome. There was absolutely nothing wrong with retreating for the moment, leaving it at it's stalemate where neither party was willing to trust the other.

. . .

Once Enzo left, Liv and Luke found it stupid to stay so they left too. Caroline was certain it was because they figured if they stayed their precious little lives would end faster than they could blink. The thought made her smile slyly. She wouldn't kill them this time, but she couldn't vouch for anyone else in the group. She couldn't say that she would stop any of them either or mind it. They caused her and her friends more trouble than they were worth in her opinion and she didn't like it. Sighing at her devious and careless pathway of thoughts, she got out of the shower and dressed in her pajamas.

She planned on going to bed early tonight. The witch twins promised to be back before noon to discuss their plan of action, and Caroline was inclined to wake up long before then for several reasons. For one thing, someone had to make sure that everyone was going to be there and attentive. For another, she didn't know long it would take so they needed food and drinks. No one could concentrate and scheme on empty stomachs while dehydrating. They wouldn't get anything done so she would need to make sure there was plenty to fuel them as well as curb the bloodlust for the vampies. A bloodbath would be bad too. Then she had to make sure that everyone in the gang were in positive vibes. So the not-so-morning people would need to be woken up with enough time to get their coffee and bad moods out of their systems. She had lots to do and no time to make an exact schedule to do it.

"You have your control freak face on," a voice jarred her from her mental to do list. "What are scheming up?"

She blinked to find Stefan in the hallway as she walked down it to her room. She hadn't even realized she left the bathroom. She looked at him with a slightly embarassed smile. She really hadn't expected to bump into him, though she was considering checking on him before officially calling it a night.

"Well someone's gotta play JFK and prevent World War III tomorrow," she said indignantly. "I mean if it goes like it went today we might end up with a metaphorical nuclear war on our hands. You saw Ric, Stefan. If Elena hadn't taken hold of his arm, I think Enzo would be in pieces."

"No war is going to break out tomorrow," he said with a laugh.

"Need I remind you that you actually charged the snarky Brit and got thrown into a wall," she countered, raising an eyebrow.

Stefan laughed again. He couldn't help it. Caroline's nature to take control of any and every situation she could, amused him to no end. That controlling trait made things a little more entertaining. He didn't have any problem with her control freakiness. It was just who she was, and most of the time, her heart was in the right place. In the end, that was all that mattered.

"Caroline, no one is going to die tomorrow," he said with a smile. "Damon's not here to deliberately piss you off."

Caroline froze and looked up at him, making him realize what he said. He winced and looked down at his feet. Five months and talking about his brother had gotten a little easier. That was up until today and the prospect of possibly getting his brother back resurfaced. Now, he kept reliving the day Damon died. He kept reliving the pain of it, as if it were fresh. The thing was, he was scared. He didn't want to allow himself to hope only to lose Damon all over again. He didn't think his humanity would survive the disappointment.

"Look, Caroline, I know you don't like my brother," he said much more serious now. "I know it wasn't your first choice, but thank you for speaking up on his behalf today."

"He's more than capable of sticking up for himself and his actions, but he's not here to do it," she said, shrugging like it was no big deal despite the fact that both of them knew it was. "Everyone likes Bonnie so I know the Parker twins weren't going to jump at her. Damon, on the other hand, only you and Elena usually like him. Still, he was part of the gang, and even though I hate is methods, I won't let any outsider think for one minute that they can bad mouth or dismiss his somewhat less diabolically evil but ultimately affective schemes to save our butts. Only we can dog on him. It's the right way. It's how it's supposed to be, and I can be a grown up and admit he was a little better before the incident. Plus, you're my friend and he's your brother. I can't really be incentive when he's dead and it obviously still hurts you. That would be mean of me."

"Caroline Forbes, when did you stop being a mean girl?" he teased.

"Shut up!" she shrieked, whacking him on the shoulder.

Stefan laughed and inched away from her reach. It wasn't a normal carefree laugh. It was hollow and broken. He still couldn't bring himself to be completely happy - not when his brother got happiness only to have it all brutally taken from him. Still, Caroline did get him to let it out somewhat. He was able to laugh with her.

"You never answered my question," he said as he walked with her down the hall - toward her room and the staircase. He had yet to feed that day and had been heading down from his room when he bumped into his blonde friend.

"Brunch," she said, rolling her eyes. "It's plotting day tomorrow, I wanted to make sure we had brain fuel just in case it's going to be an all day thing. And I have to make sure the grumpy risers are in good moods before Enzo and the Parkers come back. It won't help any if all we accomplish tomorrow is picking fights. Anyway, I'm off to bed. Lots to do tomorrow. Night Stefan."

. . .

Enzo was sitting on the couch of his newly acquired house and stared up at the ceiling. He had to admit Stefan had a point. Then again, Enzo was nothing if not a man of his word. Most days. Damon was supposed to come back with the rest of them. He knew that. He couldn't particular say he cared, but he was a soldier. Some codes stuck with you even when there was no emotional ties to them. That being said, he liked that little blonde vampire that Damon complained about on occasion. Spending some time with her didn't hurt. He did tell her he'd see her around.

He looked up at the front door as it was knocked on and smirked. It was about time. He thought they'd never get there. Getting to his feet, he opened the door to let the Parker twins inside.

"Finally," he said. "I didn't realize that I enlisted the help of Grandma and Grandpa."

Liv rolled her eyes, and Luke ignored him as they headed over to the couch. Enzo glanced outside and shut the door before following them into the living room. It was time for them to discuss the finer points in their little arrangement.

Woo. Another chapter. Hope you all like this one. Anyone else wonder if Caroline will succeed in her little 'no WWIII' campaign? We'll have to wait for chapter five. No Bonnie and Damon this chapter, but don't worry. We'll see them again. And still looking for species you would like to see introduced as some O.C's. Especially chicas for Ric and Ty (when there's a tie on a werewolf OC one needs a breaker or compromise so yeah keep hitting me up with what you would like to see). They need love.