Heading back

Silence filled the car for a minute or two as we absorbed what had just been said…"so what's the plan? How do we stop one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful person we know? He…he wants me dead…I don't get it, is he crazy? Is he trying to kill all the doppelgangers?" Caroline said in quick succession, "whoa…take a breath hun, it's gonna be ok. That's why I'm here, to help you. He is most likely going to try and kill everyone eventually, he has kind of…well…lost his way, in a big way…too big of a way to be ignored any longer by the powers that be. Now together, we are going to find a way to destroy him". Melissa stated in a very determined way. "Are we missing something?" Said Stefan, looking directly at Melissa. "No…what do you mean? Look we don't have a lot of time to get ready so let's all just concentrate on that".

Caroline and Stefan shared a moment glancing across at one another but agreed they needed to get back to Bonnie. Stefan whispered to Caroline "do you trust her? Do you really know what it is to be a Chanul? " "Yes and no, to both questions, in that order" she shrugged at Stefan, with her hands palm up and fingers splayed. "Do we really have a choice?"

"You can trust me, Melissa said from the back of the car. "I know what all this must look like and I know you two have been through a lot, I also know there is no real way for me to prove it but Caroline, if you concentrate on the bond we have right now you will feel the truth". Caroline closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She focused on the feeling she had and thought about Melissa. A flood of images and events flashed in her mind, she gasped and startled Stefan. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine, it's ok" she looked across at Stefan, whose wide eyes told her that he was concerned, "wow, that was incredible…and terrifying. It's all ok Stefan, we can trust her" Caroline almost sounded convincing but there was still something in her voice that had Stefan worried.

Stefan wanted some more direct answers and so he addressed Melissa directly. "What is with this bond? Why do you still have it with Caroline?" "I need it to keep her safe, that's all". Melissa could see that being so evasive wasn't going to get her what she wanted and so she turned to Stefan and said, "I have more of a history with Silas than I said, I WANT to stop him and I'm glad for the opportunity. This isn't just another job for me, although I do enjoy my work (she smiled), Silas took something from me, something very precious and I have a chance to get it back now. It's complicated…she sighed, before he decided to go after Caroline I was powerless to act. As a Chanul I am bound by certain rules, I cannot enact a course of action for personal gain or to exact any type of retribution no matter how much I want to, however, if something happens that activates my involvement that just happens to also give me what I want this is just luck…and hunny, I just hit the jackpot. We have to work together; we must have trust for it to work…if there is any doubt or sign of weakness Silas can and will exploit it. Once he knows we are together and where we are going, he may well figure out what we are going to do."

"Really?! Because I'm sitting right here and I still have no clue what we are going to do". Melissa smiled warmly at Stefan and said calmly and quietly, "we are going to raise the dead".

"Is that a figure of speech? Or am I about to reunite with somebody that left this realm literally..?

"We must raise all the fallen doppelgangers; it's the only way to stop Silas".

"Ok, so we are raising the dead… Not our first rodeo there…how will we do it, it seems that Bonnie has gone off the reservation a little right now so I don't think she will be able to help us".

"That's why we need to find her quick. Silas has somehow formed a link with Bonnie, but she is strong and very powerful so his link is just like a whisper, or a presence, that's why she described it to you as someone listening. She is aware of him and that makes him weaker and her in more danger".

"How did you know that's what she said to me?" Caroline uttered a little warily.

"The link" Melissa said flippantly, "we are quite connected, you and I".

"Yeah well, now it's getting a little weird".

"I'm sorry…I realise this must be difficult, hopefully not for long".

"So…we find Bonnie, break the link completely between her and Silas and then bring back three people from the dead. Of course the moment we break the link he will probably guess you're involved Caroline, it might be a bit like sending up a beacon advertising where you are. Once we get Bonnie we will need to move fast to get to somewhere safer so that we can begin".

"Do you know what you are doing"? Asked Stefan," I mean, I should probably call Damon"

"I do and we will need Damon but not until later… first we go here" she said pointing to a spot on the map. "Chicago? What do we need in Chicago"?

"Tom, we need Tom". He will be the first to return.

Caroline's facial expression changed suddenly to one filled with sadness and hurt. Her brow wrinkled as though her head hurt and she turned away from the others for a moment. Melissa slowly looked towards her and offered comfort with words that told Caroline everything would be ok, she didn't need to feel regret or sadness any longer. "I know that you tried to save Tom, Caroline and I feel every bit of your sorrow at failing to do that, but it really wasn't your fault. Our bond is strengthened because of that act",

A single tear ran down Caroline's face as she remembered Tom…Stefan took her hand across the car seat and squeezed it softly.

"Are you sure we can do it? We can bring him back"?

"Oh yes, and not just him, we can bring them all back, and when we do Silas' days will be numbered.