Chapter 5

"What kind of idiot takes out the spare tire?" Damon snapped at the two girls who look as guilty as sin.

"How was I supposed to know we would need it?" Rebekah snapped back as she folded her arms.

"That's the point of a spare tire, dear sister! You don't need it until you do!" Kol yelled at her, as he couldn't believe they are taken the tire out to make room for their whole wardrobe.

"Sorry" Caroline said as she saw all the upset and annoyed faced as everyone realized they were stranded on a quiet road and who knew how far the next town was.

Elena was leaning against the van with Stefan, Alaric and Jenna while looking around at the wooded area that surround them and wondered what was out there. They stood there while Damon and Kol were taking turns yelling about the stupidity of the spoiled brats. A part of Elena felt bad for Caroline and believe it or not even Rebekah for the way Damon was laying into them but she also was pissed that they were stuck here unable go anywhere.

"How far are we from the next town?" Stefan asked knowing that it would be getting dark soon.

Damon shrugged his shoulders as he tried to remember the last sign he had seen on the road. "By car it was about half an hour but walking, could be five or six hours," he told them.

"So what now?" Bonnie asked as she was sitting in the van with on of her textbooks open as she decided to take this time to study rather then join in on the fight.

"Well I guess some of us should go and maybe see what is up ahead or if there is anything up ahead" Damon told them.

"How far do we have to walk?" Rebekah asked as if it was such a hassle that she was going to have to walk. "These aren't the best shoes for walking," she added.

Damon gave a vicious laugh and then shook his head, "You're not coming," he told her as he started to walk away. "Kol and I will see what we can find," he told them as the two started to walk away from the group and then broken down van.

"Damon!" Rebekah called out not wanting him to leave her.

"Save it" Kol yelled back as they continued on walking and a little bit faster from what Rebekah could tell.

Alaric looked around at the miserable faces around him including Caroline and Rebekah who had now turned on each other and were blaming the other. Looking over and Damon and Kol walking away he tried to decide on the lesser of two evils. Stay behind with whiny blonds or walk along the road with Damon and his snarky comments. "Sorry ladies but I think I will tag along make sure they don't leave us stranded" Alaric told them and then took off running after Damon and Kol.

"Wait what about me?" Stefan yelled and then saw Damon turn around with a smile as he was left with all the girls.

"You get to play referee" Damon teased and got a laugh out of Kol while Carline and Rebekah continued to complain about each other.

Stefan gritted his teeth and while scratching his head he took a seat on the edge of the open door of the van and put his head down. Elena was standing beside him rolling her eyes as Caroline and Rebekah continued to fight while Damon and the other quickly got away.

"How long are you going to be?" Elena yelled not wanting to be left standing here for hours on end. She got no answer from any of them as they were too far away at this point and they were all left here to do nothing but wait.

"So much for a relaxing spring break" Jenna stated sadly as it looked like they weren't going to be making it to West Palm Beach today. Checking her watched Jenna knew it was going to get dark soon and if they didn't find shelter soon they would be stuck sleeping in the van on the side of the road. "Elena how about we take a walk see what we can find" Jenna asked her as she started to head into the woods.

"Wait where are you going?" Stefan asked nervously.

"Don't worry we're just going to check the surroundings" Jenna told him. Both her and Elena started to walk towards the woods and Bonnie decided to join them on their walk while Stefan was now truly left alone with Caroline and Rebekah.

"What are you hoping to find?" Elena asked Jenna as the three were walking through the woods.

"I saw a lot of signs for cottages not to long ago so hopefully we can find some kind of shelter if the guys don't come up with anything."

"That or we will be stuck in that van and I don't think we would all survive it at this point" Bonnie stated as the tension in the van was getting worse instead of better.

"I'm starting to think it's a sign," Elena said with a sad sigh as she hopped over a log and waited on the other side for Bonnie and Jenna to do the same.

"Sign for what?" Bonnie asked her friend curiously.

Elena bit her bottom lip and looked over at Jenna who knew exactly what she as talking about. "I wouldn't blame a popped tire on that," Jenna told her with a smile.

"Well what was suppose to be a trip to save our relationship is getting off to a very bad start so much so that the trip itself may not even happen" Elena told her.

"Your too superstitious" Jenna answered as she shook her head. "Besides a trip can't save a relationship, only the two of you can" Jenna explained.

"You're not thinking about breaking up with Stefan are you?" Bonnie asked in shock. She knew the two were having issues of their relationship becoming a little bit sour but she just thought they need a change of scenery and they would be back to their adorable selves soon enough but by the sound of Elena's tone and the fact she wasn't denying possible breaking up with Stefan she couldn't believe it. "But Elena its you and Stefan" Bonnie told her.

"I don't know what I'm going to do" Elena assured her, the last thing she needed was people blabbering and it getting back to Stefan before they had a chance to really talk. She loved Stefan, she really did but the problem was she didn't think she was still in love with Stefan any more. Some say "Distance makes the heart grow fonder" so maybe she needed to space to see if that made any difference but at the same time if they did grow apart they may not find their way back to each other.

"You know I was hoping for a nice spring break that didn't involved fighting and having to stick around with people I don't like" Damon said as him and he guys were walking down the street hoping to find something.

"You don't like anyone" Alaric clarified.

"Which is why I wanted to spend spring break in a bunch of strangers I could abandon at anytime I want. As always I'm stuck with you people until I leave that boring small town for good. Especially girls who think taking out the spare tire so there is more room for their crap is a good idea" he called back as he shook his head.

Damon couldn't believe that this was actually happening, that they were all stuck in the middle of nowhere stranded. This wouldn't have happened if they hadn't invited half the town to join them on this trip. Rebekah may be fun in bed but her personality otherwise was selfish and annoying. The Mikaelson's came from money and while Kol and the brothers all seemed a bit more down to earth, Rebekah seem to think she was the center on everyone's world. Anything she wanted she got and her prices and expectation were getting ridiculously high but her doting parents couldn't say no to her and she always got her way.

"This would be so much better if it was just us, no whiney women on our backs" Damon stated. "Maybe Jenna, she is able handle herself and her alcohol," he added with a laugh. "But women like Rebekah and Caroline don't mix well with machinery."

"I once had a girlfriend who backed my convertible into a fire hydrant, car was wet for a week!" Alaric told as he shook his head remembering the moment.

"Well then it's no wonder you date women on the other side of the country!" Damon laughed as he pulled out a flask and took a drink.

"And its no wonder you packed alcohol for the walk" Alaric chimed back as Damon passed him the flask as the two laughed about spoiled women and machinery. Kol was walking along side them and he found himself having to pinch himself to see if it was really true. Damon and Alaric seemed to be bonding, what was happening on this trip?

Checking his phone Stefan was walking in circles around the van as he tried to get a signal hoping to call someone for assistance but he wasn't having much luck. With a sigh Stefan walked slowly back over to the van and took a seat and checked the time. It would be getting dark in a couple hours so he hoped that Elena and the others would be back soon.

Rebekah was kicking the gravel road while pacing back and forth and checking down the road to see if the others were coming back. She was never one for sitting back and waiting around. Being the only daughter in the family she always got the attentions she wanted and always got her way. Patients was never Rebekah's best quality and in this case having to sit around in an old van waiting for the others to come back was not something she wanted to be doing. In fact she wanted to be on the beach right now not stuck in the middle of nowhere on her week off from school. "How much longer are they going to be?" she complained to Stefan.

"Not long hopefully" he told her with a forced smile before looking away from her and down at his feet as he mumbled, "For my sake."

"There has to be something out there," Caroline stated as she came to sit next to Stefan. "There has to be something nearby" she added.

"There better be because I can't sleep in that van" Rebekah stated as she shook her head.

"Good you can sleep outside then" Caroline chimed back with a smirk.

Rebekah glared at Caroline for a moment and was about to say something back but Stefan put an end to it before she could. He was stuck babysitting them for who knew how long by himself and he wasn't about to listen to the two of them fight over every little damn thing. Licking his lips Stefan pulled out his phone once again to give it another shot and see if he could possibly get a signal. Yet it was no good he couldn't even manage to get a single bar on his phone.

Leaving Rebekah to huff and pout in the van Caroline got up and followed Stefan into the middle of the road while he held out his phone not getting any luck at all. She could tell that something was obviously bothering him and had been for quiet sometime. "Hey, you okay?" she asked him as she tucked a piece of her curly blond hair behind her ear.

Stefan turned to look at Caroline and tried to force a smile but considering him and Caroline had known each other since they were three and playing in the sandbox she could see right through it. "It's Elena," he told her sadly with a sigh.

Caroline gave a nod knowing that the two had been having problems lately and how this trip was hopefully help them rekindle what they may of lost. For the last six years Caroline considered their love epic and one that was going to make it through anything but she had notice the change in their relationship but she refused to believe they couldn't make it through because if their love couldn't last how was she suppose to believe she could find love.

"Look I know things have been difficult for you guys lately but it's just a rough patch, things will get better" Caroline assured him with a smile. "Once summer gets here and you don't have to stress of school you guys will be okay."

"You have more faith in our relationship then we do" Stefan told her with a sad laugh.

"I guess I could be your personal cheerleader" Caroline told him with a giggle.

He gave a nod while looking towards the woods where Elena had wondered off with her aunt and possibly an excuse to get away from him. "I'm not even sure you cheering us on could stop me from losing her," he told her sadly.

"You'll be fine, we have hit a bit of a bump but this time tomorrow you two will be lying on the beach getting ready to watch the sunset. It will be romantic and this whole talk about a rough patch will be a distant memory," she told him and he wished he could be as sure about it as Caroline was.

"Things haven't really be the same since her parents died," he told her honestly and while he wished he could deny they were having trouble that far back it was true. "I'm losing her, we are growing part and as much as I love her and god I do love her… but it seems like we are both giving up and walking away. We're not fighting for each other and at this point I think if we actually fought and had an argument it would be an improvement."

Wondering a little further the girls kept an eye on the their time knowing that they would have to be turning around soon as it would be getting dark soon and they didn't want getting lost in the woods. Looking around Elena and the girls had pretty much stayed quiet after the conversation about Elena and Stefan and the silence was actually a blessing to Elena.

"We should turn back soon" Bonnie finally said to break the silence as the girls continued walking around.

"Yeah your… oh wait!" Jenna called out and then picked up the pace. Both Elena and Bonnie looked over at Jenna as she ran through the woods and came to a small narrow road. Not that far from it they saw what looked to be a small cabin and they were all relieved to see it. Running over to the cabin the girls took a look around and found that it seemed to be abandoned and had been for quite some time. The front steps were broken and a thick layer of dust covered the windows like frost.

Walking around the property before making their way to the front door it seemed that no one ever came up here and at least for tonight it would give the gang some shelter so they wouldn't have to squeeze into the van. Jenna tried to door and it was unlock so they made their way inside. It was nothing fancy, just a room with a small fireplace and kitchenette. There was an old couch that hadn't been touched in years probably but there was enough floor space for them to have their sleeping bags out.

"I guess this will have to do if they guys don't come up with anything" Bonnie said with a nodded liking the idea of them all sleeping in here instead in the van on the side of the road.

As the girls headed back and made their way to the van they saw the guys walking down the road and they seemed like their adventure wasn't as successful in finding anything. Elena and the girls filled Stefan, Caroline and Rebekah in on the plan for shelter and started to unpack their things.

"You can't be serious" Rebekah complained as she listened to Jenna telling them all about the old cabin. Being use to what five star style living she was definitely not a fan of spending the nigh in some dusty old cabin. "I… I can't sleep on the floor!" she snapped at them.

"Then you'll sleep in the broken down van" Kol yelled as him, Damon and Alaric arrive back.

"Shut up Kol" Rebekah yelled at her brother.

"Please give it a rest," Bonnie moaned. She had spent a good 30 min away from Rebekah and yet she had done nothing but whine since they came back.

"Damon please tell me there is something other then an old cabin we can stay in" Rebekah asked a she tried to sweet talk Damon into standing up for her.

Unfortunately for her Damon wasn't the mood to deal with her and rolled his eyes. "Sleep in the van for all I care!"

"I think the rest of us would appreciate that," Alaric stated.

"Trust me after a few drinks, her whining is white noise" Damon whispered to Alaric although it was loud enough that he heard.

"So rude" Rebekah stated as she started to carry her suitcase thought the woods and towards the cabin.

Damon, Alaric and Kol started to laugh and it didn't go unnoticed by the others that once mortal enemies Damon and Alaric now seemed to be best buds. Especially when it came to making sure they brought all the alcohol. "We will be stuck in a cabin with her all night, we will need these."

"You think getting drunk is the best idea?" Stefan asked.

Damon shrugged his shoulders and then pulled on his backpack and grabbed two bottles of bourbon along with Alaric. "There will be two things bourbon can help us with, one being that sexy Bex won't be such a annoyance and two you can pass out anywhere and sleep" he joked.

"That or get her drunk and she can maybe be a lot more fun" Alaric joked back with Damon.

"You guys are SO rude!" Rebekah cried out as she carried her suitcases to the old cabin that was beneath what she was use to. She didn't understand why they all seemed to think it was such a great idea to stay here but that just showed Rebekah that she may have more class that them she thought.

Elena was eyeing the two as her and Stefan walked through the woods towards the cabin behind Damon and Alaric. Seeing them getting along was such a foreign thing for Elena and she wondered what could of happen that had these two getting along so well. "When did that happen?" Elena asked Stefan.

"Apparently they bonded over how spoiled women shouldn't handle machinery or vehicles, while drinking their bourbon" Stefan told her as he shook his head at his brother.

"Well seems we will be in for a very interesting night" Elena stated as they all arrive at the cabin that would be their home for a least a night.