EDITED OCT22
"It's not enough!" Brea panicked as Elena stuck some more streamers onto Caroline's locker.
"Brea, chill, it's fine," Elena laughed.
"Hey, sorry I'm late," Bonnie said running up to them.
"Where were you!?" Brea squeaked, stressed to the max.
"I, uh, got held up," Bonnie said looking at Brea confused.
"It's ok. We just got here too," Elena reassured and Brea snorted, they'd been there for half an hour already. "Can you pass me the balloons?" Elena asked Bonnie. "Thanks," Elena said as Bonnie handed her the balloons and she and Brea leaned forward to stick them to Caroline's locker. "What got you running late?" Elena asked and Brea caught Bonnie looking at her nervously for a second, so she pulled back from the locker to face Bonnie, in case she had an issue she needed help with.
"I, uh, was working on some new spells," Bonnie stuttered.
"Hopefully this will be enough," Brea sighed as Elena took the sign to stick to the locker.
"So, uh, we have something we need to tell you," Elena said. "And you're not going to like it."
"What happened?" Bonnie asked.
"Jeremy's going to be leaving town for a while," Elena said. "He'll be staying with some old family friends in Denver until this whole Klaus thing blows over."
"Jeremy wouldn't just leave you two to deal with Klaus on your own," Bonnie said confused.
Elena looked down guiltily, "I know. I asked Damon to compel him."
"You what?" Bonnie asked.
"I know, Bonnie, but it's not safe for him here anymore," Elena defended. "Leaving will give him a better life. The only reason I'm telling you is that I know that you two haven't really worked out your stuff. And I thought maybe you'd want to say goodbye."
"Are you ok with this?" Bonnie asked turning to Brea.
"Yes. No. I don't know. I need him to be safe. I can't have my brother in danger. I care about him too much. We can save him," Brea sighed. "If there's a way to guarantee his safety I need to do that."
"I'll go talk to him," Bonnie sighed walking off.
"Where is Caroline!" Brea said pulling her hair.
"Brea, Brea, relax," Elena laughed grabbing Brea's hands and loosening them from her hair.
"She's not coming. She's not coming," Brea said pacing in front of Caroline's locker. She, Elena, Bonnie and Matt had been waiting there for ages, class started 30 minutes ago and she still wasn't there. "I'm calling Tyler, maybe his hybrid master ordered him to kidnap Caroline for the day," Brea snarled whipping out her phone and scrolling down to the contact name 'Traitor no.1' and dialling.
"Hey Brea, I'm so glad you called."
"Shut up. Where's Caroline?"
"I saw her this morning."
"Where?"
"At school, I gave her a present and then I saw her drive off," he didn't get to finish his sentence, because Brea promptly hung up on him.
"She's gone home," Brea said to the group. "Grab the decorations people we need to move!" Brea yelled ripping the sign off of the locker. "She's headed home we have to beat her there. She's clearly in a hating Tyler mood as well so she might drive around for a bit. We've got time but we've got to hurry," she said turning around to see no one had moved. "Move!" she screamed and they all hopped into gear and started hurrying to grab the decorations.
The four of them heard Caroline enter her house, Brea had a key to sneak them all in. Brea held up her hand and began to count down. When she reached zero they all jumped out and yelled "Surprise!" Caroline jumped in shock, she was clearly in her own head and hadn't noticed 4 people had snuck into her house.
"Happy Birthday," Matt said.
Brea nudged his ribs. "More enthusiasm."
"What are you guys doing here?" Caroline asked.
"Well you blew off school and missed Brea's work of birthday art," Elena said talking off a purple tiara she was wearing and walked over to place it on Caroline's head.
"Change into warmer clothes, we're going to the falls," Bonnie said. "S'mores, campfire."
"Cake," Elena said.
"Like when we were little," Bonnie smiled.
"Except with tequila," Matt smirked and Brea blew her party blower throwing her hands in the air.
Caroline chuckled sadly before saying. "Thanks, guys, really, um, I'm just not really feeling my birthday this year," Caroline explained.
Brea walked forward cautiously and pressed her hand to Caroline's forehead. "Are you sick?" she whispered.
"No," Caroline laughed grabbing Brea and hugging her.
"You've already claimed your birthday as everyone's favourite day of the year," Bonnie said equally confused.
"Yeah, and now it's just a reminder that technically I'm dead," Caroline said releasing Brea.
"Ah," Brea sighed.
"Look, I didn't even like 17. The only point to 17 was to get to 18. It's a filler year. I am stuck in a filler year," Caroline ranted.
"You're not stuck, Caroline," Elena said trying to help.
"Yeah, I am," Caroline argued. "But it's ok. You know, it's all good. I will be fine. But I just need some time to wallow in it."
"Ok," Elena said. "Well I think I have another idea," she said and Brea smirked, twin intuition she knew Elena's idea was a good one.
"Oh, there it is," Elena sighed in relief as she spotted the Salvatore mausoleum.
"Creepy, Lena. This is much more Jeremy's style," Brea said as she directed her torch so she could look around.
"Keep the torch straight so we can see please, Brea," Elena said.
"Right, sorry," Brea said straightening the torch as they walked up to the entrance.
They opened up the doors and stepped through. "Yep," Bonnie said, "this is creepy. Even for us," she laughed.
Brea suck up behind Matt and grabbed his shoulder. "Boo!" she screamed in his ears.
Matt proceeded to scream like a girl as Brea cackled. "What the hell Brea!" he yelled
"No, Caroline was right," Elena said as she and the others ignored Brea and Matt as they walked in and put down the cake. "Technically, she's dead."
"Way to make a good party Lena," Brea said awkwardly as Bonnie grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Matt.
"Sorry," Elena said. "But you don't need a birthday. You need a funeral. You need to say goodbye to your old life so that you can move on with your new one," Elena smiled.
Caroline laughed and took off her tiara and placed it down. "Ok," she agreed. "Here lies Caroline Forbes," Caroline started.
"Cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, third-grade hopscotch champion," Elena said making Caroline giggle.
"Bestie," Brea said, as she raised her drink. "Neurotic control freak, a counsellor at times, make-up artist."
"Daughter," Bonnie said continuing, "overachiever."
"Mean girl," Matt said and Brea nudged him gently in the ribs and he laughed. "Sometimes, no offence."
Caroline laughed, "none taken."
"She was 17 and she had a really good life. So rest in peace, so that you can move forward," Elena said as she lifted the cake out of the box now that she'd finished putting candles on it. "It's what you really need. It's what we all really need," Elena said glancing at Brea. "Amen, or cheers, or whatever," she said and everyone laughed.
"Bon, time to teach these candles a lesson," Brea winked and Bonnie rolled her eyes before she lit up all the candles on the cake making everyone chuckle.
"Nice," Elena nodded with respect. "Okay," she said turning to Caroline. "Make a wish."
"Yes!" Brea cheered. "Now time to drink," Brea smiled taking the bottle of tequila from Matt and holding it out to Caroline who grabbed it and took a big swig. "Elena if you would be so kind as to cut the cake."
"Ok guys it's ready," Elena said and everyone came over to grab a bit of the cake. As Matt grabbed his slice, he swooped down and took the bottle of tequila from Bonnie.
"Ah ah," Elena chided taking the bottle from Matt. "I need it more than you do. Trust me," Elena said.
"I've had to live with your twin all summer, so I'd say we're in close competition," Matt smirked sitting down next to Brea, making her jaw drop and she bumped him playfully with her shoulder.
"Caroline, what are you doing?" Elena demanded as she noticed Caroline fixated on her phone.
"Huh? Hmm? Nothing," Caroline stuttered.
"Huh?" Elena challenged.
"Hmm?" Caroline sounded back nervously.
"Ok, you're a bad sober liar, you're an even worse drunk liar," Elena snarked and Brea scrunched her face knowing this was about to turn so she grabbed the bottle from Elena and took a swig.
"Tip," Brea whispered to Matt. "Whatever happens, we need to stay silent."
"I might have texted Tyler," Caroline admitted.
"Caroline," Elena scolded.
"What? I'm delicate," Caroline defended.
"Give her a break. You can't control what everyone does all the time," Bonnie snapped at Elena.
"Totally didn't see her butting in," Matt whispered to Brea and she shook her head as they both took another drink.
"Wow," Elena said shocked.
"Ouch, Bon," Matt spoke up.
Brea tapped his ribs. "Silence, or we'll get dragged into this," she warned, drinking from the bottle again. Matt grabbed Brea's arm and they tried to sneak off to the other side of the mausoleum, hoping to stay out of the way of this argument.
"I'm sorry," Bonnie apologised to everyone, "I know it's Caroline's birthday, funeral or whatever, but I just feel it's really wrong that you compelled Jeremy to leave town."
"We're doing it to protect him, Bonnie," Elena said. "We want to give him a chance at a halfway normal life."
Brea groaned. "She said we, she said we," she whispered to Matt, "I'm so getting dragged in here."
"He should be able to choose how he wants to live it. You're taking his choices away," Bonnie snapped. "How are you ok with this Brea?"
"Told you," she hissed to Matt. "Umm," Brea stuttered not sure what to say. "I don't love it," she admitted.
"See!" Bonnie exclaimed and Elena spun around to look at Brea shocked.
"Wait," Brea said. "I don't love it, but I'd rather not love the situation and have my brother safe and alive, than have him here constantly in danger of dying and being used as a pawn in vampire's games."
"Bonnie, you can't tell him," Elena warned.
"Why?" Bonnie asked. "You going to compel me not to?"
Brea got annoyed and snapped. "You're not his family, Bon. He's our family. No offence but it's not exactly your concern. You two broke up. His welfare is for Elena, Ric and me to worry about. Not you."
Matt put his hands on Brea's shoulders to try to calm her down. "You know, you guys are ruining a perfectly good funeral," he tried to reason.
Bonnie sighed, "I'm sorry. I'm just going to go sleep it off or something. Happy birthday," Bonnie said getting up and leaving.
"Drink," Brea said and Matt nodded handing her the bottle and she took a swig. "Lena," Brea said holding out the bottle. Elena got up off the ground and grabbed the bottle. "Now, are we going to have some fun?" Brea asked smiling at Caroline who nodded.
Brea was lying across Matt and using the light on her phone to reflect onto the wall and she was drunkenly making animal shadows with her hands, making them all giggle when the door to the mausoleum opened and Tyler walked in. Brea immediately turned off her torch. "Animal shadows are only for friends," she slurred sitting up.
"Sorry," Tyler said. "I didn't mean to crash the party."
"So don't," Matt snarled. Brea held her hand up and he high-fived it.
Caroline immediately stood up. "No, it's, uh… it's ok. Hi," she said.
"Can I talk to you for a sec?" Tyler asked Caroline. "It's kind of important." After a moment she nodded and left with Tyler.
"Are you ok?" Elena asked Matt when they left.
"Yeah," Matt answered. "I want her to be happy, you know?" he said taking a drink from the bottle before handing it to Brea. "It's what I want for all of you guys, in the middle of this crazy life you got stuck living."
"Is that how you see it?" Elena asked. "That we're stuck?"
"Yeah," Brea said sadly, taking a drink. "We are so stuck."
Matt wrapped his arm around Brea's shoulder, "I'd say it's attached itself to all of you pretty tight, yeah." Brea held out the bottle for Elena and she took it and stared at it.
"Bonnie's right you know," Elena said looking up at the two of them. "We have no business messing in Jeremy's head. I just don't know what else to do. He's in danger here. I can't lose anyone else that I love."
"Drink up," Brea smiled at her sister.
"Should we go find Care?" Brea asked after they realised their friend had been gone for a long time.
"Yeah," Elena said getting up and stumbling into the wall laughing.
"Piggyback!" Brea yelled jumping onto Matt's back laughing.
"Off we go!" he cheered and they ventured out to look for their friend. "Caroline!" he called.
"Caroline," Brea sang in a high-pitched voice.
"Great," Elena sighed. "We've been abandoned," she said as Matt held onto Brea with one hand and swooped the torch around with the other. "We're going on a search party. I don't trust that she won't get back together with him."
"Yeah, Tyler's a dick," Brea snarled. "Screw you, Lockwood," Brea yelled into the woods.
"Caroline," Matt yelled.
"Come on, Caroline," Elena groaned. "We don't have any more drinks."
"Carebear!" Brea sang loudly.
"How are you so much drunker than me?" Elena asked.
"Matty and I had a secret bottle, don't tell anyone," Brea whispered loudly.
"Matt's being haunted by the Fell ghosts. Woo!" Elena said mimicking a ghost as she gave Matt a light shove.
"Umm, Lena, precious cargo here," Brea said gesturing to herself. "Careful who you're pushing punk!" Matt laughed and turned around, and before Brea could blink, Stefan appeared in front of them, shoving Matt into the wall, causing Brea to fall off and hit her head on the ground and everything went black.
"What are you doing Stefan?" Brea heard Elena snarl as she began to come to. "Is she ok?" Elena asked.
"She's fine," Stefan snapped.
"Lena," Brea whimpered.
"Brea!" Elena said and Brea opened her eyes to see she was in the back seat of Stefan's car and Elena was in the front with her body twisted around so that she could see her twin in the back. "What happened?" Brea asked groggily sitting up.
"She's bleeding Stefan, we need to get her to the hospital," Elena pleaded and Brea lifted her hand to feel blood on her head.
"Woah," Brea said feeling dizzy again. "You dick," she groaned as she slumped into her seat.
"Stay awake Brea, I need you to stay awake ok?" Elena begged and Brea nodded. Elena's cell phone then rang and she pulled it out only to have Stefan snatch it from her.
"Hello, Damon. She's a little busy right now," Stefan said into the phone. "Making my next move. Let me ask you something. What's Klaus going to do if he can't make any more hybrids and he loses his only friend?" Stefan asked and Brea suddenly became very aware of her surroundings.
"What?" Elena asked shocked.
Stefan then took a sharp turn and Brea flew around the backseat. "Seat belt, seat belt, seat belt," Brea said as her hands ran around the back seat looking for a seatbelt. "Where are your seat belts, Stefan? This is a safety hazard."
"I wouldn't worry too much about it," Stefan said nonchalantly.
"I'm worried!" she yelled back.
"Hold onto my seat," Elena instructed and Brea slid behind Elena's seat and held onto the headrest. Stefan then threw Elena's phone out of the window. "What are you doing?" Elena yelled angrily. "Stefan, let us out of this car. Do you hear me? Let us out of the car!" Elena yelled turning back to make sure Brea was ok. Realising her words were having no effect, she sighed and slammed her head back against the headrest. "So what's the plan, Stefan? What's the big move you're making?"
"I'd quite like to know as well," Brea said, her voice trembling.
"I took Klaus' family to make him suffer. I'm not going to let him make himself a new one."
"Yeah, well done on that," Brea said sarcastically as she glared at Stefan. "You realise he made these hybrids to get his actual family back right? Give us the coffins back, and maybe he'll get rid of the hybrids?"
"I'm not going to do that," Stefan said. "The coffins are part of my leverage."
"So then what are you going to do, huh? Are you going to lock us in some cage and keep us hostage?" Elena asked angrily.
"Maybe I'll just turn you into a vampire," Stefan said and both the twin's eyes went wide.
"Stop the car, Stefan!" Elena yelled.
"STOP THE CAR, STEFAN!" both Brea and Elena screamed at him, but he didn't even flinch.
Stefan pulled out his phone and dialled, and then put the phone on loudspeaker. "Stefan, how nice to hear your voice," Klaus greeted as he answered the call.
"Tell your hybrids to get out of town Klaus," Stefan ordered.
"Well, that's not going to happen until I get my coffins back."
"Ok. Well, I'm going to drive your blood source off Wickery Bridge," Stefan said and Brea's eyes went wider than they ever had before and her heart started racing a million miles an hour. That was where the accident with their parents happened.
"Not a big deal," Klaus said. "I already have enough hybrids to suffice," Klaus said.
"Well, then how about the girl you love?" Stefan asked and Brea frowned. "I've got her right here. She'll go down as well."
Brea noticed Klaus hesitate for a moment, "I don't believe you, Stefan. You won't kill either of them." In retaliation Stefan then bit into his wrist and slammed it into Elena's mouth, forcing her to drink his blood.
He then turned to Brea to do the same and Elena screamed. "No, no, Stefan leave her alone!" and he frowned before turning back to the wheel. "What are you doing?" Elena asked choking. "Please don't do this, you know Brea can't turn, please Stefan. Stop!"
"What's going on? Answer me!" Klaus yelled.
"I just fed Elena my blood," Stefan answered. "No more hybrids if she's a vampire, Brea will be reborn if I drive them off the bridge, but I don't think she'll forgive you if you let me do it. Why don't you say hello Brea, huh?" Stefan suggested. "Let him know just how serious I am." Brea frowned, she was Stefan's main leverage here and he knew it, so she stayed silent in defiance. "Come on, Brea," he snarled and she said nothing, so he reached one hand over and pulled her hair, making her cry out in pain. "I can do whatever I want to her Klaus."
"Stop!" Klaus yelled. "Stop it!" Stefan smirked and let go of Brea's hair.
"Brea," Elena said spinning around and placing a hand on the spot Stefan pulled as Brea rubbed it to try to ease the pain.
"You won't do it," Klaus snarled.
"Really? Try me?" Stefan challenged. "Because your coffins are next to go."
"Stefan please, this doesn't involve her, let her out. Take me," Elena begged.
"I need her here more than you!" Stefan shouted and Elena flinch and shrunk back into her seat slightly. "Say goodbye to Brenna, Klaus," Stefan yelled as they rounded the corner and the Wickery Bridge came into sight.
"No, no, no," Brea said under her breath. Stefan then slammed on the speed and Brea screamed in fear and reached her hand around and grabbed Elena's, holding onto it for dear life. "Stefan slow down! Please" Brea screamed.
"Stefan, slow down!" Elena yelled.
"Stefan! Stefan!" Brea screamed in pure fear.
"Stefan! Stop it!" Elena screamed.
"Stop!" Brea screamed.
This seemed to be the final straw for Klaus. "Fine. I'll send them away. You win."
Stefan kept accelerating and Elena looked desperately back at Brea, knowing she was the only one whose cries would save them. "Nik please!" Brea screamed.
"Stop the car, Stefan!" Klaus bellowed and Stefan slammed on the breaks. The girls screamed in fright and Brea was flung around the back seat from the impact of the breaks. Elena and Brea were frozen in place for a second panting, trying to get their heartbeats down from the pure fear coursing through their bodies. Brea opened the door closest to her and threw herself out onto the road. Elena followed not long after, getting out of the car, and wiping away the blood from her mouth. She closed the door and bent down, helping Brea up off the ground before grabbing her twin's hand and they both walked as fast as they could away from the car.
"Get back in the car," Stefan snapped getting out after them.
"Stay away from us," Elena yelled back as they kept on moving.
"Elena, get in the car," Stefan said forcefully.
"How could you?" Elena screamed spinning around to yell at Stefan while keeping Brea hugged to her body. "Our parents died going over this bridge. We almost died. You knew that. You're the one who saved us," Elena cried.
Stefan looked around, trying to stop the guilt from creeping into his face. "He had to believe I would do it, all right? It was yours and Brea's fear that sold it."
"What if he hadn't?" Elena asked.
"He did," Stefan assured.
"Well, what if he hadn't?" Elena yelled letting go of Brea.
"He did, Elena! He backed down! I had to spend all summer listening to him talk about Brea, never in a million years was he going to let her go over that bridge! It was never an issue," Stefan yelled back at her. "She's his weakness. If I know his weakness, I can destroy him."
"After everything?" Elena asked shocked. "That's what mattered? Destroying Klaus? Using my twin to destroy Klaus?" Elena cried turning away and walking a few steps towards Brea.
"Destroying Klaus is all I have left," Stefan tried to reason.
"You had me," Elena cried turning back around.
Stefan shook his head, "I lost you the minute I left town with him. You just haven't let yourself admit that yet."
"You're an idiot," Brea snarled shooting daggers at Stefan.
"Is that what you're doing?" Elena asked. "Trying to make me hate you?"
"I don't really care what you think about me anymore, Elena," Stefan said walking back to the car and getting in and driving off. As soon as he was gone the twins let out a cry of relief and grabbed each other in a hug.
Brea shakily let go and pulled her phone out of her pocket and handed it to Elena. "Call Damon. I have to go," Brea said voice trembling and Elena nodded. Their coping mechanisms were different. Brea walked off into the woods and made her way down to her favourite spot on the river.
She sat there, head on her knees, for what felt like hours, but was only a few minutes when she felt a gust and wind and hands grab her shoulders. "Are you ok, love?" Nik asked. Brea said nothing, merely lifted her head slightly to look forward as he let go of her shoulders and moved to sit next to her. "I looked, and you were gone from the bridge. I figured this is the only other place you would have gone. Love," he said grabbing her chin and turning her tear-streaked face to look at him. "Are you ok?"
Brea's lip trembled and she shook her head no. Klaus nodded, moving closer and wrapping her body in a hug, he held her to him and she let her tears flow. "Do you know about that bridge? Wickery Bridge?" Brea asked.
"What about it? That's the one they're restoring."
"They should destroy it," Brea said shakily. "My parents died on that bridge. Elena and I were in the car with them when it went over. Stefan pulled us both out. But it was too late for them. We almost died, they did die on that bridge, the one Stefan just tried to kill us on."
"I'm sorry," Klaus said resting his chin on the top of her head. "I promise, I will protect you. As long as I have control, nothing like this will ever happen to you again. I promise. I'm sorry love, for everything. For your aunt, your brother, for your teacher and for Caroline."
"Caroline?" Brea asked pulling out of the hug and wiping her eyes.
Klaus looked at her guiltily. "I may have acted a little rashly."
"What happened?"
"I'm going to fix it, Brenna, I promise," he said looking her in the eyes. "I got Tyler to bite her."
"What?" Brea asked standing up. "Oh my god, oh my god."
"Relax love, relax, we're going to fix this. You and I. I'll heal her," he promised. "I've done awful things, but I promise. You can trust me now," he said and she looked into his eyes and seeing the sincerity, she nodded. He held out his arms and she moved towards him, holding on tight as she felt the wind gush, and they were running.
"This is it," Brea said once they'd arrived at Caroline's house. Klaus nodded and walked up and knocked on the door, Brea stood behind him, trying to wipe the remaining tears from her eyes when she heard the front door open.
"Tyler came to see me," Klaus said. "Poor boy seemed quite distressed. He said Caroline had a terrible accident."
"You made him do this to her, he would never have done something like this," Matt snarled from the other side and Brea sighed quietly. At least she knew he was ok.
"I am here to help, Matt," Klaus said. "My blood will hear her. Please, ask the sheriff to invite me inside."
"I know how this game works," Liz said. "You want something in return.
"Just your support."
"Come in," Liz said and Klaus stepped over the threshold to reveal Brea standing behind him.
"Brea, thank god," Matt sighed moving outside and grabbing her in a hug. "I was so worried when you and Elena were both gone," he said hugging her and she let out a small sob and he pulled away. "Your head," he said leading her inside and sitting her down on the couch. "Hold on," he said running off before coming back with a first aid cloth and holding it to her head. "Brea, are you ok?" he asked.
"No," Brea breathed. "No, I'm not. Stefan tried to drive Elena and me off of the Wickery Bridge."
"Oh my god," Matt said pulling her to him as he held the bandage to her head to soak up the little bit of blood that was still coming out of her cut.
"Sweetheart," Klaus spoke up eventually, pulling her out of the haze of sleep she almost fell into.
"I'll drive her home," Matt said. Klaus looked at her and she nodded.
"Caroline is fine," Klaus said.
"It was your fault, but thank you," Brea whispered.
"Anytime," he smiled at her before leaving.
"Let me check this," Matt said as all the blood was cleaned off her head, he knelt down and had a look at her cut before placing a plaster on it. "I think you'll be ok, probably just a bit of a concussion. I could take you to the hospital if you want. Or do you want to go to mine? Or home?"
"Home please, I have to be there for Jeremy in the morning," she whispered.
"Ok," he said and he scooped her up and carried her out, as soon as he placed her in his truck she fell asleep and he drove her home and carried her into her room.
"Seriously man? I can't believe you fell off Matt's back on a piggyback ride," Jeremy laughed, Brea didn't want to tell him what actually had happened last night.
"Yeah well you should see him, he knocked himself out a bit as well."
"Does he have a cut on his head that was bleeding?"
"Well… no. His is more of a nice shiner."
"You two are idiots," Jeremy laughed. "I swear you both won't survive without me. One of you is going to die jumping off a roof or something."
"Someway a mortal would die," Brea laughed. "You're right. If Matt or I die, it's going to be doing something epic and dumb, these vampires won't get us."
"I like your confidence. Don't know if I share it, but I like it."
"Jer," Elena said coming into the living room, "it's time," she smiled sadly and Brea's face dropped as she and Jeremy stood up off the couch and walked into the hallway.
Elena sighed and turned to her siblings. "Hug?" Brea suggested and Elena nodded pulling them all together for one last sibling hug.
"You're going to have to let me go eventually," Jeremy laughed.
"Never," Brea moaned. "You're going to die in this hug."
Elena laughed and let go, pulling Brea off their brother in the process. "Be safe ok?" Elena demanded.
"Yeah, ok. All right," Jeremy agreed.
"Rebel, have fun," Brea said with a smile and he winked and pointed at her while Elena rolled her eyes.
"Look, Alaric's waiting," Jeremy said as he tried to edge his way out of the house.
"He's trying to sneak off," Brea said to Elena.
"Should we punish him?" Elena asked.
"Keep him here forever?" Brea suggested with a smirk at Jeremy, whose eyes widened.
"I'm joking," Elena smiled at him. "But she might not be, so you should probably run," Elena laughed.
"Good," Bonnie puffed as she ran up the steps to the house. "You haven't left yet." The twins both froze, not sure of what she was going to say to Jeremy.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Jeremy asked.
"I came to say goodbye," Bonnie said and the twins breathed a sigh of relief as Bonnie and Jeremy hugged.
"I wanted the last hug!" Brea whined as she grabbed Jeremy before he could pick up his bags.
"Urgh," Jeremy groaned.
"Ok, you're good," Brea said letting him go after a few seconds. He smiled and bent down and picked up his bags before walking out of the house and towards the car. "Wait!" Brea called out running after him.
"Brea," Elena called out worried Brea was about to ruin the whole plan.
"Jeremy! Stop right there!" she yelled and Jeremy turned around with a smirk on his face. "Give it back."
"Give what back?"
"Give it back, I know you took it."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Bambi. I know you, you sly, cunning, mischievous fool."
"Ouch," Jeremy laughed.
"Is it in here," Brea said running around to his backpack.
"Woah, personal belongings, back off," Jeremy panicked as he spun back around.
"Ah uh!" Brea cheered triumphantly. "Give it back!" she said yelling as she chased his backpack around and the two of them ran in circles as she tried to get it. Eventually, she tripped and fell, but Jeremy grabbed her arm, stopping her from hitting the ground and he pulled her up.
"I swear to god you'll be dead by the end of the day."
"You know we've talked about my death a lot today and now I'm kind of worried you spiked my tea," Brea said narrowing her eyes and Jeremy shrugged with a smirk. "Wait, did you? If I let you keep Bambi will you tell me?"
"Your tea is not spiked."
"All right, you tricked me. Give me the Bambi DVD," Brea ordered.
"Deal's a deal," Jeremy said running off to Ric's car and throwing his backpack in.
Brea scowled before making her way back to the house. "I'm certainly not going to miss that," Elena laughed as Brea got back inside, "you two are weird," she laughed and Brea rolled her eyes before making her way back upstairs to her room. As she got upstairs she noticed something sitting on the outside of her window ledge so she carefully opened the window and grabbed it, bringing it inside. It was a gift, with a card attached from Klaus, she frowned and opened it up to see a beautiful hand-painted picture of her walking through a meadow of sunflowers. It was beautiful and was signed by Klaus, he'd painted it for her. She smiled as she looked at it and placed it front and centre on her dresser.
"Hey bestie," Brea cheered as Matt approached her and Elena on Wickery Bridge.
"You're a lot more chipper than last night," Matt smirked.
"Thanks for getting me home," Brea smiled at him, wrapping an arm around his waist as he stood next to her.
"This isn't a jumping thing is it?" Matt asked the girls jokingly.
"Thanks for coming," Elena smiled. "We were just thinking about what you said. About us being stuck."
"I was buzzed, Elena," Matt said and Brea snorted. "Fine, I was drunk, but so were you," he teased. "I can't be held responsible for being judgmental."
"We do feel stuck, Matt," Brea smiled.
"I feel like, we've both been holding onto the girls who were supposed to die here with their parents," Elena said taking Brea's free hand.
"The girls that had a normal life," Brea sighed.
"And didn't fall in love with vampires," Elena said.
"Touche," Brea smiled.
"Neither of you are those girls anymore," Matt said. "It's ok if you both want to let them go."
"Is it?" the twins asked at the same time.
"Because I feel like I've disappointed her a little," Elena said sadly.
"I feel like we've disappointed them," Brea said looking down at the water, thinking about her parents.
"Our parents," Elena breathed.
Matt took a deep breath as he calculated what to say. "My two cents, as a guy who knew those other girls, one more than the other."
"Ew," Brea groaned.
Matt smiled. "You're doing a lot better than you think. Both of you. I promise." Matt then let go of Brea and let down and picked some weeds that looked like flowers out of the cracks in the pavement and handed one each to Brea and Elena. "Here lies Brenna and Elena Gilbert. A fun girlfriend, an insane best friend, both amazing friends," he said and they all let their flowers go, watching them float into the water.