A/N: Hi everyone, so sorry for the lack of updates, I had to fill in as ocean king for a year or so. Thank you for all the comments, I really appreciate it.

Chapter Seven:

Five days. Five days since they were fed. This part might've hurt but the majority of them were just glad they weren't being tortured in these five days. Nothing but silence from Mr Sanders was the most peace some of them had felt in here.

Caroline had her back pressed against a cold stone wall. She was trying breathing exercises to battle the unending hunger pangs. She liked to think it was working but she had been doing this for hours now and nothing was drastically changing.

"Is that working?" Damon questioned from two cells down with his eyebrow raised. He looked as famished as the rest of them, but they had learnt that Damon wasn't really one to back down from a fight, serious or not.

"If you didn't ask me that every few hours and get in my head about it then hmm, let me see," Caroline retorted sarcastically, with an obviously fake pondering look on her face. "Maybe."

Damon rolled his eyes and used the bars to turn himself around, it was obvious he was losing his strength like the rest of them but it was clear he was being stubborn about it. Stefan was similarly acting just as stubborn to his suffering. Caroline had a theory that it was because they weren't used to the harshness of this place, yet she hadn't shared this theory with the group as she had a feeling that wouldn't be something they would like to discuss.

As a group, they had shared theory after theory on what might have happened. The theories had only seemed to get more ridiculous as the days went on until finally they were burnt out from the constant confusion and theorising. Until Enzo yet again spoke up, looking to spark another discussion.

"Okay, hear me out," Enzo said with his hands and eyebrows raised.

Rebekah turned to him with tired eyes. "Will this 'theory' get us anywhere, dear Enzo?" Rebekah mused.

"I agree with Bex," Bonnie agreed raising her arm the most she could be bothered with to point in Rebekah's direction. Enzo just scoffed in disbelief as he looked at Bonnie.

"Love," he said with utmost passion. "You wound me." Bonnies own response only being an unsurprised eye roll at Enzo's response.

"I personally think we should hear him out," Elena let out hopefully. Damon looked at her and pointed.

"What she said," he added in.

Rebekah let out a callous laugh. "Oh, come on Damon. We all know you agree with her because of your little attraction to her, we are not silly fools," she announced to the group.

Damon just let out a smirk, as he always seems to, and nodded along to what she said. "So, what if I do bekah," he said smarmily. Elena looked rather sheepish, but she appeared to be happier than anything. After being in here for so long it was exciting to find yourself in such a predicament.

Rebekah raised her eyebrows in slight shock. "Okay, feeling bold are w-"

"Let's hear the theory!" Caroline let out. Everyone was seemingly a bit shocked by this outburst and turned to look at her. Caroline's face started to go a bit red at all the attention, which Stefan thought was adorable. "Sorry guys," she said nervously. "But seriously! Can we please hear the theory, we can't let go of hope."

Stefan nodded at her as she said the last part. "Of course, care, you're right, we should have some hope and hear Enzo out," he stated as he nodded his head at Enzo who clasped his hands together and looked at the blonde and brunette duo pleased with himself.

"Oh, shut up, don't look so pleased with yourself," Bonnie said with a glare, but Enzo noticed the smile peeking through only feeling more pleased with himself.

Enzo nodded with a smirk and looked at the group. More specifically Caroline and Stefan. "Okay so, you two apparently have a friend who's looking into Augustine, right?" he questioned suggestively.

Stefan was only left perplexed. What could Lexi have to do with this?

"Oh! Lexi, yes!" Caroline exclaimed excitedly. "You're saying she might be behind this?" as Enzo nodded at her suggestion. The puzzle pieces seemed to be clicking into place for everyone. It dawned on Stefan and he felt like an idiot for questioning her.

"Of course Lexi is involved," he let out looking towards Caroline. "How did we not think of this before?" he asked perplexed with himself. Caroline looked just as disappointed in herself and her faith in her close friend, basically sister.

"Okay, okay, if this theory is true," Damon started. "Why only take one of us? And why Matt out of us all?" he questioned looking almost disgusted.

"Hey!" Rebekah said in defence of Matt. Damon just shrugged his shoulders in response as Rebekah appeared to think deeper. "Actually, seriously though, why Matt?" she pondered. Everyone appeared to be lost for words at this question.

Stefan looked over at Caroline because he trusted her opinion, but she looked just as stumped as the rest of them leaving his thoughts just as lost as before. He was feeling so lost here as a whole but he was so lucky to have met Caroline here. He could tell there was something special to her, or at least to him there was.

Caroline felt someone gaze on her and looked over to see Stefan looking at her with a perplexed face. She looked in his direction "Hey! You, okay?" she questioned him. He seemed caught off guard but just nodded at her hurriedly with a slight smile on his face. She was intrigued by Stefan Salvatore. She was most curious to learn about his adventures with Lexi, his stories with his rogue brother, simply what made him tick. Yet she was struggling to see a world where she could have all that while she was stuck in this torturous place, this only deemed to make her feel more down than before.

Caroline's attention was snagged by Rebekah's loud announcement. "I call bedtime," she said loudly and pointedly at Damon and Elena who were giggling together between their cells, causing Damon to blow out air.

"Fine yes, everyone get some rest," he said looking at everyone in the room. "Especially you Lena," he said with a different look in his eyes when he turned to Elena. Damon and Elena had been getting a lot closer over the last few days, it was such a relief to Elena finding that comfort from someone in here. Even though she had her friends in here that she loved and cared for so dearly, it was nice to have someone look at her that way again.

Everyone got comfortable in their cells, well at least as comfortable as they could get on stone walls, stone floors and metal bars.

Caroline jolted awake to the sound of a key turning in the lock. She noticed she was holding Stefan's hand feeling surprised that they had managed to grab each other's hands through cells. She pulled on his arm trying to wake him up as someone stepped into the room.

"Everyone UP!" a loud voice shouted, sounding very angry. All throughout the room people jumped up in surprise, well at least jumped up as much as they could do in their states. Damon rubbed his head where he had knocked it on the bars between him and Elena's cells.

Turning around to look at Mr Sanders came as a shock when everyone saw the bruises lining his jaw and the cast on his right arm. It appeared from the way he was walking there was very possibly more injuries that were hidden by his clothes. Damon let out a laugh and everyone turned to look at him like he should be in a mental hospital. Stefan even tried to shush him, being worried that his brother was going to find himself in bother, but Damon just waved a hand in his direction dismissing him.

"No, seriously," Damon started through what was basically giggles at this point. "This man who thinks he's some 'master torturer' just got beat up by some vampire thieves. Is that not funny?"

Enzo, Bonnie and Rebekah appeared to be holding back their laughter as the other three vampires in the room found it hard to let go of their concern. All the laughs being squashed when Mr Sanders righted himself and walked up to Damon's cell without a word. Damon being Damon still did not look concerned or scared at all and seemed to laugh and point at Mr Sanders. Bonnie in the background, realising the severity is the situation now, just scoffed and put her hand on her forehead matching the similar moods of the other vampires in the room.

"I love when you monsters volunteer for me," Mr Sanders snarled as he opened the cell and dragged Damon through the room. When he got to the end of the room he turned around and looked at them with a glare so heated Caroline was surprised the metal bars didn't melt. "If I hear anyone, and I mean ANYONE discussing the events that occurred last week I will not be feeding you for another week," he practically growled at him as Damon hanging by his arm was trying to get him off. The metal door slammed shut as they passed through and the vampires turned to look as each other in confusion.

Did this run deeper than some simple thief?

Unknown POV:

She had her back to me as I spoke to her.

"You understand right?" I said desperately. "This two timing is getting really hard for me to keep up."

"Of course I understand," she said reassuringly putting her hands on the window ledge in front of her. It was almost scary how calm she could stay, but I knew not to be relaxed around her. "But I also need you to remember who you made a deal with. I was willing to help you with this but only if you help me too."

I clenched my jaw. I knew it was risky getting involved in this business but I was willing to do anything to save the people I care for, especially from a place like Augustine. "You know I keep my promises, you can trust me with that," I say hopefully sounding more confident than I feel, things were starting to close in on me at every side.

"Good," she drawled. "Well then, keep me updated on what you can find out from him then maybe I can help you with what you have planned next," she uttered, dismissing me by turning to some papers to her side. I sighed and got up from the uncomfortable chair, quickly making my way outside and into my car.

I had a vampire that hadn't been in civilisation for too long to deal with.