A guilt-ridden Valencia opened the front door of the Gilbert House for a hobbled Jenna being helped by Matt, Elena, and Jeremy. After Valencia stabbed Jenna, Katherine's compulsion ended and she was met with the sight of a bleeding Jenna. She was horrified when she looked down and saw a bloody knife in her hand. The realization that she was the one that stabbed Jenna hit her hard.
When Elena told her that Katherine compelled her and Jenna to spy on the younger Gilbert twin and Stefan, she was pissed. Even more so when Elena told her Katherine compelled her to stab Jenna. She hadn't even noticed that the vervain bracelet Elena gave her was no longer on her wrist. Till she got a new one, Valencia had been drinking some of Jenna's tea that Elena had mixed vervain into.
Valencia walked into the kitchen with to get some food and avoid having to look Jenna in the eyes. She was in there for a minute before Jeremy and Elena walked in.
"So what are we gonna do?" Jeremy asked Elena.
"Make lunch," Elena said as she got the food they picked up on the way home out of the to-go bag.
Jeremy shook his head. "No, about Katherine."
Elena sighed. "We're not gonna do anything, Jeremy."
"She compelled Valencia to kill Jenna. We can't let her get away with that."
Valencia tensed at Jeremy's words and felt sick to her stomach from the guilt. Elena looked at her twin sympathetically and put her hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her. The brunette twin looked at Jeremy and said, "Yes, we can. If it keeps us safe then we can."
"And what if she tries something else?" Valencia asked, speaking for the first time since they got home.
"She won't. Katherine hurt Jenna because I didn't do what she said. I'm not doing it now, me and Stefan are over. She wins, the end."
"You are being naïve and you know it," Jeremy spat and turned to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Elena asked him.
"Out. I'll be back." With that, Jeremy walked out of the kitchen and then the front door.
"He's not wrong. This time we got lucky that Jenna survived. What if the next thing she does has a worse outcome? We need to take Katherine down," Valencia said angrily. Ever since the Pierce vampire came to town she's done nothing but wreak havoc and Valencia was tired of it.
"Like I told Jeremy, I did what she wanted. Everything will be fine now."
Valencia rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Yeah, until she wants something else from you or Stefan. You honestly can't believe that she'll just leave you alone."
"Yeah, I do. I'm done talking about this." Elena ended the conversation and focused on getting the food ready for Jenna.
"Whatever." Valencia walked out of the kitchen and then the house just like Jeremy had done. Except she didn't answer Elena when she asked her where she was going. The blonde slammed the front door shut behind her before she walked to her car and got in it. She started her car and turned to her right where Jeremy sat in the passenger seat. "You ready?"
"To finally be rid of Katherine? Hell yeah."
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The oldest and youngest Gilbert walked into the Salvatore Boarding House and into one of the many living rooms. In the room were Caroline, Stefan, Damon, Alaric, and Bonnie. As they walked in they heard Bonnie's voice.
"What's going on?" Bonnie asked, having no idea why Stefan texted her and asked her to come over and bring her grimoire.
"We're gonna kill Katherine," Jeremy said bluntly.
Bonnie's eyes widened at his words and she looked at Stefan with a shocked expression. Stefan sighed at Jeremy's bluntness and told Bonnie, "I can explain."
"Please," Bonnie pleaded with him.
Stefan took a deep breath and instead of explaining he did the same as Jeremy and bluntly said, "We're gonna kill Katherine."
"What they mean is, Katherine's gone too far and when we saw the opportunity to get rid of her once and for all, we decided to take it," Valencia explained to the witch. Bonnie smiled at her grateful for the explanation.
Alaric stood at a table that had his vampire-hunting weapons on it. He picked up a weapon and showed everybody. "This works with compressed air. The trigger mechanism is up here. I have two of these in a different size."He set the weapon down and picked up another before he looked at Stefan. "For you, I recommend this. It fits nicely under the jacket sleeve. You use the trigger when you're ready."
He used the trigger and a stake shot out into his hand. He made the gesture of killing a vampire causing Stefan and Damon to look at each other wearily. Alaric saw the exchange between the two and said, "You wanted me to show you how to kill a vampire."
"That was cool," Valencia said with an impressed expression on her face. "Can you teach me?"
Alaric smiled at her and nodded. It wasn't a bad idea for her to learn how to defend herself and he would be happy to teach her. After Alaric explained all his weapons, everybody went over the plan to make sure they all knew their parts in it.
"Are you sure you guys don't want me there tonight?" Alaric asked.
"No, I need you to stay with Elena. I don't want her to know about this," Stefan explained the reason behind Alaric's part in the plan.
Alaric nodded. "Okay. Well, I'll make sure she doesn't leave my sight."
Stefan looked around the room and said, "Alright, if anybody wants to back out, I'll understand."
"Yeah. Cold feet speak now. I don't want this going wrong if someone chicken's out," Damon said then looked at the newbie vampire. "Caroline."
"I won't. Look, she killed me. Fair's fair. As long as there's no werewolf running around," Caroline told him.
Damon smirked. "Oh, I took care of Mason."
"What do you mean you took care of Mason?" Valencia asked the raven-haired vampire causing everybody to tense. No one had told her that Damon killed Mason for fear that she would tell Tyler.
When no one answered, she looked at all of them with a raised brow. Damon rolled his eyes as everyone avoided looking at her. He decided to be blunt about it. "I killed him. He was a threat to all of us so I ripped his heart out."
The group watched Valencia scared of what her reaction would be. They weren't expecting the one they got. "Ok."
"Ok?" Caroline questioned her in shock at the nonchalant answer Valencia gave.
"Yeah. He tried to kill them and then threatened to snap my neck."
When they got over their shock, Jeremy got them back on track. "As long as Tyler doesn't kill anyone, he won't turn."
Stefan looked at the Bennett witch. "Bonnie? Are you with us?"
Bonnie didn't answer right away as she seemed to think about if she really wanted to play a part in their plan. She sighed and nodded her head. "But no one gets hurt."
"Except Katherine. Tonight Katherine gets a stake through her heart." Damon smirked at the thought of a dead Katherine. After all, she ruined his life and he was finally getting revenge.
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The masquerade ball was in full swing. Everybody was in place and waiting for Katherine to show her face so that their plan could take motion. Stefan and Damon stood in the backyard of the Lockwood Mansion as they watched out for Katherine.
"Do you see her?" Damon asked his younger brother.
Stefan shook his head. "Nope. You're sure you can do this?"
Damon scoffed at the question. "Who are you talking to?"
"Oh, I had the chance to kill her and I hesitated."
"Well, that is the fork in the road between you and me my friend. I don't hesitate."
Stefan was still skeptical despite Damon's words. "You spent 145 years loving her, it could happen."
"I won't hesitate."
"Okay." Stefan left it at that not wanting to piss his brother off. He went back to looking for Katherine when he stopped dead in his tracks. Stefan's eyes widened at the sight in front of him. Valencia walked down the stairs that led to the dance floor, looking drop-dead gorgeous.
(Valencia's Outfit, Mask, and Makeup⬆️)
When Valencia made it to the bottom of the steps, she was in front of the brothers. A beaming smile graced her lips when her eyes landed on Stefan. He wore a white button-up shirt with a black tie and a black suit. A black and red masquerade mask adorned his face and contrasted against his green eyes making them stand out. He looked handsome and Valencia couldn't help but notice that.
Damon raised an eyebrow at his brother's reaction to Valencia. Stefan looked in complete awe of her which was not the way a guy that was in love with someone else should look like.
(A/N - Please pretend she's wearing her masquerade mask in the gif)
Damon couldn't help the smirk that took over. He would definitely be teasing his brother about this.
Valencia tucked her hair behind her ear and looked up at Stefan sheepishly. "Hey."
"Hey," Stefan greeted breathlessly.
"Have you seen Katherine yet?" Valencia asked as she looked around the Lockwoods' backyard.
Her question snapped Stefan out of the trance she put him in. He cleared his throat and shook his head. "No, we haven't."
"She'll be here," Damon declared making his presence known to Valencia. When she walked down the stairs the only thing she could see was Stefan not noticing that Damon was next to him. She mentally scolded herself, this was the guy her sister was in love with.
"Everything is set up. Bonnie spelled the room and Caroline and Jeremy are waiting for your go-ahead. What do you want me to do?"
"Just make sure that everything goes as planned and if something goes wrong text one of us," Damon directed her. He turned to his brother. "I'm gonna go look out for Katherine inside."
Stefan nodded at his brother and watched him walk away before all of his attention went back to Valencia. He knew he shouldn't be thinking it but she was breathtaking from her head to her heels. The masquerade mask she wore made her blue eyes pop and Stefan found himself getting lost in them once again.
"Dance with me?" Stefan held his hand out for her to take.
Valencia looked at his hand then back up to his face. She bit her lip as she debated if it was a good idea to dance with him. The smile painted on his lips made up her mind for her and she placed her hand in his.
Stefan led her to the middle of the dance floor and snaked one hand around her waist then rested it on her lower back. His other hand clasped one of her own. Her free hand rested on his shoulder and the two began to sway along to the song, 'Certain Things' by James Arthur featuring Chasing Grace.
"You look beautiful," Stefan complimented causing Valencia to blush.
"Thank you. You look handsome," Valencia complimented him back.
"Thank you." Stefan smiled down at her and the two of them locked gazes. As Stefan looked into her blue eyes, butterflies swarmed his stomach. He suddenly became aware of how nice she felt in his arms. Sparks shot up his arm that was wrapped around her waist. His hand that held hers tingled in a good way and they fit perfectly together.
Something about you
It's like an addiction hit me with your best shot, honey
I've got no reason to doubt you (doubt you)
'Cause certain things hurt and you're my only virtue
Valencia's body was reacting to him as well. Shivers ran down her spine when he put his arm around her and sparks erupted from her hand that was clasped in his. It was a foreign feeling for Valencia and even though she knew it was wrong, she found herself enjoying it. She had never felt this way before even with her ex.
"How are you doing?" Stefan asked her, trying to distract himself from what he was feeling. When he earned a questioning look from Valencia he elaborated, "With everything that happened with Jenna?"
"I'm fine." At the disbelieving look on Stefan's face, Valencia sighed. How could he see right through her? There were only a handful of people that could and they've known her forever. "I feel guilty. I stabbed my aunt and people telling me that it wasn't my fault, that Katherine compelled me to do it doesn't make me feel better."
"I get that. No matter what anyone says it won't change the fact that you did what you did. You just have to come to terms with it on your own."
"Exactly," Valencia said softly as she looked into his eyes. She was shocked that he knew and understood what she felt. It was refreshing.
The two were brought out of the bubble they were in by someone clearing their throat to get their attention. The two stepped away from each other, their bodies instantly missing the other's touch and the warmth the other provided. They turned and came face to face with Katherine.
Valencia's eyes widened at the sight of the doppelganger. Even though she had met Katherine before when the vampire compelled her, Valencia didn't remember it so to her, it was the first time she met her. It was weird and creepy just how much Katherine looked like Elena.
"Stefan," Katherine greeted him with a smirk. She turned to Valencia and sneered, "Valencia." She had watched the two dance together and did not like it one bit. She looked back at Stefan. "Dance with me."
"No," Stefan said. He wasn't in the mood for her games.
"Fine then tell me who I should kill. Him? Hmm, she looks delicious," Katherine said then seductively took a bite out of a strawberry.
Stefan rolled his eyes and held out his arm for Katherine to take which she did with a smirk. Valencia got off the dance floor and went to find Damon. She walked into the Lockwood Mansion and spotted Damon by the bar with a drink in his hand.
Valencia walked up to him. "Katherine's here. She's out back dancing with Stefan."
Damon nodded at her and set his drink down before he made his way outside to his brother and Katherine.
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So far the plan to kill Katherine was going off without a hitch. Well, unless you call Katherine killing Aimee Bradley a hitch. Jeremy and Caroline played their parts well and Katherine was stuck in a room with Stefan and Damon. Bonnie spelled the room so no vampire could leave until she broke the spell.
Valencia was with Caroline on the main floor of the Lockwood Mansion. They were guarding the stairs to make sure no one went upstairs and interrupted Stefan and Damon while they killed Katherine.
"Do you hear that?" Caroline asked Valencia out of the blue.
"I only hear the music from outside. But I also don't hear half of the things that you do."
"Come on." Caroline took hold of Valencia's wrist and dragged her to where she heard the noises of a fight happening.
Caroline stopped in front of the closed door that the fight was happening behind. Valencia's looked at the door in confusion. It was Tyler's dad's old office and no one was allowed in there. Valencia opened the door and was met with Matt and Tyler fighting.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Valencia groaned loudly at her two best friends fighting. Again.
"What is going on? Stop!" Caroline yelled as she put herself between the two guys. She pushed Matt on the floor when he wouldn't stop trying to charge at Tyler.
Matt got up and continued to try to get to Tyler. "I can't! Let me go, I have to finish!"
Valencia looked at him strangely. What the hell did he mean by 'I have to finish'? She shook her thoughts off and took hold of Tyler's arm to hold him back when he took a step toward Caroline and Matt. Tyler looked at Valencia and visibly calmed down some as her touch grounded him. He was still pissed though and yelled at Matt, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"Let me go!" Matt yelled at Caroline when she wouldn't move out of his way so he could get to Tyler. Caroline had enough and elbowed Matt in the face as he kept trying to go around her and push her out of the way. Matt fell to the floor, unconscious.
Caroline realized what she'd done and worriedly rushed over to him. "Matt?"
"Damn, Caroline! Did you have to hit him that hard?" Valencia asked, worried for her unconscious best friend.
Tyler looked at the blonde vampire confused about how she did that to Matt, who was bigger and stronger than her. "How did you...?"
"Matt failed." Valencia turned at the sound of a girl's voice and saw a girl from her grade named Sarah. She glared at Tyler and said, "If Matt fails, I can't."
Sarah ran over to Tyler with her arm raised and a knife in her hand. Valencia's eyes widened in fear as Caroline yelled, "Tyler, Via, look out!"
The crazy brunette brought her hand down and was about to stab Valencia when Tyler pushed the blonde to the side. Valencia fell to the floor and when she looked up at Tyler, she saw the knife go into his chest. Tyler shoved Sarah harder than he did Valencia and the girl hit her head on the corner of Richard Lockwood's old desk.
"No, no, no!" Tyler yelled as he ran up to an unmoving Sarah and dropped to his knees next to her. "Come on, wake up! Sarah, open your eyes, wake up! This can't happen, oh no, this can't happen. This can't be happening! Sarah! Sarah, get up! Sarah! Open your eyes! This can't be happening! Not like this!"
Valencia's heart broke at the distress her best friend was in. Worry and fear filled her as Caroline walked over to Sarah and checked her pulse. Caroline's eyes met Valencia's and she shook her head. Sarah was dead and Tyler was the one who killed her. Out of nowhere, Tyler grabbed his head and screamed.
"Tyler? Tyler?! Tyler, what's happening?" Caroline asked Tyler as Valencia watched her distraught friend in pity. She knew what was wrong. He had just activated the werewolf curse his family had in their genes.
"Get away!" Tyler yelled at the blondes when they tried to approach him.
"What's happening?!" Caroline asked, forgetting what Jeremy told them about how a werewolf curse was activated.
Tyler raised his head and his eyes snapped open, revealing that they were now a glowing amber color instead of the usual brown. Caroline gasped in shock while Valencia was taken back to the night Mason was in werewolf form and jumped over her and Stefan.
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After Tyler calmed down and his eyes went back to normal, Caroline took Matt to her car so his drunk ass could sleep it off. She then went and got Tyler's mom while Valencia stayed with him. The two best friends stood outside of the old Mayor's office, no words being spoken by either of them.
What was there to say though? From what Tyler knew, Valencia had no idea about his werewolf gene. There was nothing Valencia could've said or done to make him feel better. He just killed one of their classmates. He took someone's life and that would haunt him forever.
They watched as Caroline walked into the office with Carol Lockwood behind her. They could hear the gasp that left Carol's lips when she saw Sarah's body laying on the floor next to the desk.
Caroline's voice could be heard as she explained what happened to Carol. "Matt and I were fighting, we broke up you know, and Sarah was drunk and dancing and she just tripped. And then she wasn't breathing."
Tyler was confused by the time Caroline was done explaining what happened. He didn't know why she would lie for him it's not like they were friends or anything. A light jab to his stomach knocked him out of his thoughts. He looked at Valencia and was about to glare at her when he saw her pointing at something. He looked to where she was pointing and saw Sheriff Forbes.
The duo walked into the office and Valencia told Carol, "Mrs. C, the sheriff's here."
Carol nodded at Valencia before she said, "I'll go prepare her, just don't leave. Just stay here okay? She's going to want to hear the story from you."
"Matt's in the car, sleeping it off. I'll deal with him; I don't want him involved in any of this," Caroline told Tyler after Carol left the room.
"What are you doing?" Tyler asked the blonde vampire.
"I'm fixing a very bad situation."
"Why? I did this. I killed her."
Caroline shook her head. "No, you didn't mean to and I think it's best for everyone..."
Tyler cut her off and yelled, "But she's dead! You don't know what that means."
"Ty," Valencia said softly and grabbed his hand. She squeezed it, trying to comfort him. "We do know."
"No, you don't, Via. Neither of you does. How could you?"
"Has your wound healed?" Caroline asked knowingly causing Tyler to check where Sarah stabbed him.
Tyler's eyes widened in shock when he saw his wound was completely healed. He looked from Caroline to Valencia, the two of them looked at him with knowing expressions. "How did you...?"
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After Sheriff Forbes took their statements of what happened with Sarah, Valencia went upstairs to check on the Salvatore brothers and Katherine only to find the room they were in empty. She decided she would text Stefan when she got home to see if they succeeded in killing Katherine.
She made her way out of the Lockwood house and to her car only to find Stefan standing next to it. He looked upset and Valencia found herself frowning at that. "Hey, what's up?"
"I just wanted to let you know what happened with Katherine and when I saw your car was still here, I thought I'd wait for you," Stefan explained.
"Well, here I am. How about you tell me while on the drive to your house?" Valencia asked as she unlocked her car and put her mask in the backseat along with her pink clutch.
Stefan smiled and nodded. "Sounds good to me."
Valencia smiled and at that moment everything that went wrong for Stefan tonight faded away. Katherine being alive still didn't matter and Elena not wanting to get back together with him left his mind. All he could think about was Valencia and the comfort her smile and presence brought him. It was at that moment that Stefan realized he was beginning to feel something for Valencia. Something more than friendship.