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Birdy - Without A Word
"Stand there and look into my eyes
And tell me that all we had were lies."
"ELENA IS MISSING," Stefan exclaimed quickly as he rushed into Holden's room. "Anna took her."
"Wait, what?" Holden questioned angrily, looking up from his reading. "That weird chick?"
"Yes, and Damon refuses to help me--"
Holden was angry as he stood up and gaped at Stefan. "Are you telling me that you went to Damon before coming to me?" he asked, feeling quite offended, because he would've done anything to save Elena.
Stefan didn't speak as he gave away his answer. "Oh, I get it," Holden snapped and Stefan looked away. "You don't want my help, because Damon's words got stuck in your head last night. And for some odd reason you believe in it," he sneered.
"That's not true," Stefan argued stressfully as he sighed.
Holden saw the doubt and scoffed. "You're lying. And you do. But let me tell you something, Stefan. I'm not Damon, and I would never try to take her away from you. Now let's go. I'll help. I know how."
Stefan just nodded appreciative and the two left, not talking to each other at all.
IN A MOTEL, ELENA WAS SEATED ON THE BED NEXT TO BONNIE AS THEY WATCHED A VAMPIRE NAMED BEN PACE IN FRONT OF THEM. "Witches don't have eternal life, right?" he asked Bonnie, who stared at him in hatred. He tricked her into coming on a date with him, actually making her believe that he liked her. "So you guys can die."
"Yep," she mused sarcastically. "We can die."
"Ah," Ben smirked excitedly. "That sucks."
All of a sudden, Stefan kicked the door in. Ben began to scream as the sun started burning his skin.
Holden marched in and noticed the girls, before grabbing them both by their hands and leading them out. "Go go," he ushered as Stefan ripped the curtains open, allowing more sun to pour in.
Ben quickly hid between two beds as his skin healed. Holden let the girls run out first as he stood at the doorway.
Stefan nodded to him and walked over to Ben. "When the sun goes down, leave town," he threatened lowly. "If I ever see you again, I will kill you," he said then the two vampire brothers left.
Later on, Holden was sitting at a table with Bonnie and her grandma Sheila as they conversed. "How did you know where we were?" Bonnie asked her grandmother, who did a tracking spell.
"Many things can fuel a witches power. Worry. Anger," she explained then glanced at Holden that she had met in the late 60's. He was her only friend in that time, and felt weird staring at the same looking man she knew about 50 years ago. "When Holden and Stefan told me they had taken you, I had a lot of both. Simple locator spell was easy after that," she smiled and Bonnie took her hand in hers.
"I'm sorry," the witch apologized. "About all of this."
Sheila smirked as she looked at Holden. "Not as sorry as they're gonna be," she commented and then Elena and Stefan entered the room.
Elena glanced at Holden then stopped behind Bonnie. "So what do we do now?" Elena asked.
"For now, you need to stay here," Holden answered to all the woman here, who all looked back at him.
"A prisoner, in my own house?" Sheila questioned then shook her head. "I don't think so."
Holden moved in his chair as he looked at the oldest woman in the building. "We can't protect you if you leave the house," he argued causing Stefan to furrow his eyebrows in confusion.
"We'll protect ourselves," Sheila answered with a determined face and Holden sighed.
"We need to let him have Katherine back," Elena spoke up with a serious face and Holden glanced at her. "He's not going to stop until he gets her. If we help him, maybe that ends it..."
"No!" Bonnie argued too angered. "He doesn't deserve to get what he wants."
Holden smiled a little at the witches tone. It's been so little, and Damon was already on many people's bad side. "What other choice do we have?" Elena looked up at Stefan.
"Witches being pulled down by vampire problems," Sheila sighed while shaking her head. "As much as we tried to do to stay out of it. I'll open the tomb. You get your brother's girl and destroy the rest with fire. Then this will be all over," he nodded as Holden frowned slightly.
"We still have to get Damon to agree," Stefan mused and looked at Holden.
"He already agreed once," Elena answered with a shrug.
"And then we double crossed him, Elena," Holden told her and she looked down at him with a sigh. "He's angry. And hurt...." he then realized something.
"What?" Elena asked him quietly and he stood up before grabbing her by her arm softly.
"I need your help," he shot Stefan an apologetic look and the two left the house.
HOLDEN WALKED INTO THE ROOM WITH ELENA IN TOW. Damon turned around to see them stand in his room and smirked. "I'm gonna have to change the locks. You stage a jailbreak?"
Damon then picked up the grimoire. "We convinced Bonnie to help you," Holden told his brother dully.
Damon just mused with a smile and Elena glanced up at Holden. "I doubt that," he commented and Elena sighed before she moved to walk over to Damon, but Holden stopped her with his arm.
He shook his head at her. "Look, no one's gonna say sorry to you," he said angrily, but Damon didn't turn around.
"Well, at least you're honest," Damon commented dully and Holden clenched his jaw slightly.
"Damon, I was protecting the people I love. But so were you, in your own, twisted way. And as hard as it is to figure, we're all on the same side, after the same thing," Elena mused sadly.
"I'm not interested in what any of you have to say," Damon snapped then started to leave, but Holden blocked his way with a pleading face.
"Yes you are, because you decided to work with us yesterday. Even if we lied, you still tried to work with us," he said honestly and Damon rolled his blue eyes.
"Fool me once, shame on you."
"Okay," Holden nodded and Damon left the room. He turned to Elena with a sigh and smiled. "Well, what do you know. Good team work."
"Can we talk about Atlanta?" Elena sighed and Holden furrowed his eyebrows before shrugging. "About how you just ignored the fact that Damon saw you get hurt and didn't do anything..."
"As I told you I'm used to it," he lied and wanted to walk away, but Elena grabbed his hand and made him look back at her.
Holden felt this weird wave of warmth radiating through his body every time Elena touched him, or every time she attempted to comfort him. He wanted to shut that off, because last time he felt that way was with Melanie. "No you're not. I know you're not," the Gilbert girl shook her head, her eyes softening to a man in front of her. "I know this because... you and I-- we have this understanding, Holden, and I know when you're hurt or sad. I see the way you look at Damon, and want to hate him for it, but you can't."
"Why are you telling me all of this?" he asked curiously, and she slowly let go of his hand, feeling like she had lost a battle.
"Because you're my friend," she admitted and Holden looked at her with an unreadable expression. "And friends care for each other."
Holden then smiled. "You're very intractable when trying to prove something, Elena," he commented and Elena tilted her head, studying Holden's face. "Let's go. We can talk about my feelings later."
"That's the problem," she said with a shrug. "You don't want to talk about that."
Holden groaned lowly and gave her a look. "Since--" he then laughed looking down. "Since when are we able to talk about our feelings?"
Elena moved closer to him as she exhaled loudly. "Since Atlanta. Since I started to trust you fully enough to tell you the truth. We had fun, I had fun! I'm trusting you. Please, trust me too." and with those words Elena left the room.
Holden growled lowly at her stubbornness and followed right after.
ELANA AND HOLDEN MET UP WITH DAMON AT THE PARTY IN THE WOODS AND SAW A BUNCH OF STUDENTS DRINKING AND CHATTING. "There's a party going on?" Holden asked in annoyance as the three stopped.
"The Duke party. I forgot," Elena sighed looking around. "I hope they stay clear of the church."
"What an amazing night to chose and open up that tomb," Holden commented in clear anger and Damon just smirked.
"Your hope, not mine," he said as Matt and Caroline approached the trio excitedly.
"Elena, hey!" Matt shouted with a wide grin causing Elena to smile slightly. "Holden!" Holden just nodded his head.
"Elena! Oh my God, where have you been?" Caroline exclaimed and intertwined her fingers with Matt's. Elena acknowledged that action and so did the brothers.
"Long story, no time to tell it," Damon mused dully.
Caroline shot him a dirty look. "I wasn't talking to you," she snapped and Damon smirked bitterly causing Holden to laugh under his breath.
"Sure you were," Damon commented quietly and Matt held out his hand for Damon to shake.
"We haven't met. I'm Matt," he said dully and Damon looked down at the hand.
"Matt, there's a reason we haven't met," he said and wanted to go, but Holden stopped him with a look.
"Don't be rude, Damon. Say hi," he said lowly with narrowed eyes as Elena watched with wide eyes. "Come on..."
Damon seemed torn at this leaving everyone else confused, and finally shook Matt's hand, causing Holden to smirk and Elena to let out a laugh. It was such an out of character move for Damon, but somehow Holden managed to get it done. "You two and I are going that way," he snapped and started leaving.
Holden smirked at the couple and motioned for Elena to go first. "Ah, I'm sorry, guys," she gave then an apologetic smile and the three walked away. "How did you do that?" Elena whispered to Holden as they watched Damon march in the front.
Holden looked down at her with a wicked smirk. "He feels guilty, I guess," he shrugged and Elena bumped him to the side with dazed eyes and a playful smirk.
The Bennet witches and Stefan were waiting for Holden, Elena and Damon to arrive near the tomb.
Stefan climbed up from the tomb with a shovel in hand. "Cleared the debris away. Set the torches like you asked. We can get down now," he said placing the shovel against a rock.
Bonnie noticed the cans of gasoline lie nearby and she furrowed her eyebrows. "What is that?"
"It's everything we need to destroy them," Stefan answered then handed Sheila a flashlight.
"Are you sure that Damon will come back with them?" Sheila asked curiously and then Damon whistled on cue. Everyone turned to look at them.
"Another brother. Witches," Damon greeted as Holden rolled his eyes and went towards Sheila with a small smile.
Damon strode past them with the grimoire in his hands, Elena trudging along behind him. The oldest Salvatore descended down the stairs into the tomb as Elena approached Stefan.
"Everything okay?" he asked softly then glanced at Holden, who shrugged while keeping his hands in his jacket's pockets.
Elena nodded her head with a tired face. "I just want to get this over with. Are we ready?"
Bonnie shrugged angrily. "I guess so."
THEY ALL STOOD AROUND THE CHURCH RUINS, WATCHING SHEILA LIGHT THE TORCHES AT THE TOMB. Bonnie was standing next to her as Stefan, Damon, Elena and Holden watched. "Air," Sheila began. "Earth. Fire..."
"Water," Bonnie added, holding up a water bottle and Sheila took it, sprinkling the water on the floor.
"That's it?" Elena questioned in confusion. "Just water from the tap?"
"As opposed to what?" Sheila questioned back with a look.
Elena shrugged slightly. "I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something."
Sheila smirked at Elena. Holden's eyes wandered from the Gilbert girl to Damon, who pulled out a blood bag and unraveled it. "What is that?" Stefan asked noticing it as well.
Damon made a dumb face, telling them that it was too obvious to ask. "It's for Katherine," he then answered. "Gotta have something to get her going. Unless Elena's offering a vein to tap," he looked at Elena, who looked back at him, unamused. Stefan sighed and Damon leaned to them before speaking in a whisper. "Admit it -- you both can't wait to get rid of me."
Stefan chuckled, while Holden smirked. "You're so right," Holden commented with a bitter smile.
Damon mused a 'Hmm' and then Bonnie looked up at them from the ground. "We're ready," she nodded her head and everyone became serious.
Bonnie and Sheila were reciting a spell at the tomb, their eyes shut and hands interlocked. "What are they saying?" Damon, being Damon, had to ask quietly with a grimace.
"Sounds Latin," Stefan mused, looking at them.
Holden shook his head with pursed lips. "It's not. Trust me."
He was worried for the witches, because everything they were doing was dangerous. Opening a tomb, then letting Katherine out. Holden knew he couldn't look at her, or at least, would try to kill her, even if that meant Damon's hate forever.
Also, he couldn't help but think about Elena, and how she'd react to her look alike. After a few more seconds of chanting the spell, the torches flared up. "What's happening?" Elena grabbed onto Stefan's arm, a bit afraid.
The door to the tomb creaked open and all of them widened their eyes at that. Sheila and Bonnie stopped chanting and looked up at the three vampires and Elena. "It worked!" Bonnie exclaimed, proud of herself.
"Of course it worked," Sheila smiled, feeling pain cross her body, but she kept quiet.
Damon turned to his brothers, overly excited. "We have some fires to build," he said. Holden rolled his eyes, not happy at all, and went up to get some gasoline with Stefan following.
"I hate the idea of her getting out," Holden told Stefan honestly and Stefan looked at him with a sympathetic look. If Katherine did come out, that would mean that Damon got his love back. Stefan had Elena, and Holden had no one. At least, not anymore.
"Dark down there?" suddenly someone spoke up behind them. They both looked to the place, where the voice came from. Ben was standing there with an unconscious Jeremy lying at his feet.
Stefan clenched his jaw, noticing Elena's brother. "Thought I told you to leave," he snapped but Ben just shrugged.
"I considered it," he nodded with a smirk. "Then I thought, screw you."
"Then you haven't met me," Holden sneered and Ben looked at the older brother.
Before anyone could do anything further, Anna appeared. "Hey, heroes," she said and everyone looked at her. Holden had seen her before. Near Katherine and Melanie. "I'm going down there to get my mother."
"We can't let you do that," Stefan said seriously as Holden glanced at Ben, who was looking at them. He rolled his eyes.
"Well, Ben's about to make a main course out of Elena's little brother," Anna said and Holden could sense that she didn't like it herself too. "So, you can stop me or him. Your choice," she then vamp sped into the tomb.
Holden chuckled as he looked back to Ben. "You're whipped, man. She doesn't care about you. You're a boy toy," he teased darkly.
Ben answered differently. "I don't care," no emotions were shown. "She already gave me what I want."
"Ugh, please don't say 'eternal life'. It's so twilightty," Holden commented with a grimace. "You're stupid if you think you stand a chance against us."
Ben, with no fear that he was up against two older vampires, moved closer to them. "You know, I've heard about the both of you. How you don't feed," he told Stefan then glanced at Holden. "How you're the saint vampire, hating to kill. You're not strong, and not willed to kill me," he snapped causing Holden to laugh at his face again and Stefan to look down with a smile.
Ben, disliking their mocking laughs, rushed to Holden, who easily thrusted his arm, breaking every single bone in his arm. Ben screamed and Holden pushed him to the ground. "You think I'd let you live?" Holden raised his arms up.
Stefan picked up the hose connected to the gasoline can. Ben got up and looked at them with a teasing smirk. "Is that all you got?" he asked as his arm healed.
Holden then rushed to him and broke his other arm, causing Ben to yell loudly. "We got this," Stefan said as he ignited the torch and set Ben on fire.
He began to scream and flail around as he burned. "And he doesn't even need sun," Holden joked darkly as he watched Ben fall to the ground, dead. "When will they learn?"
Stefan sighed and the two quickly came back to the tomb. "Where's Elena?" Stefan asked looking around and Holden furrowed his eyebrows.
"Damon took her inside," Bonnie answered angrily and Holden widened his eyes, glancing at his brother.
"What?!" he snapped before trying to run into the tomb, but Sheila grabbed bis arm.
"Stefan!" she shouted as Holden looked at Bonnie, not believing that Damon actually took Elena. Worry took over his body, and he hated it. "If you go in there, you won't come out."
Holden approached them and grabbed onto Sheila's arm gently, causing her to turn around. "What did you do?" he asked staring at her.
Sheila hesitated to speak, but quickly gave up. "Opening the door didn't remove the seal, it just opened the door," she explained as Holden realized it.
"Elena's human," he said looking down. "She can leave. Anna and Katherine can't. Damon can't," he said and Stefan snapped his head at Sheila. "You were never planning on breaking the spell, were you?"
Sheila looked at Holden with eyes that held no guilt. "I told you. I will protect my own. Elena can get out. That's all that matters."
They heard Elena's scream in the distance so Stefan dashed into the tomb. "Stefan!" Holden yelled then hit the wall with his hands angrily. "Damn it!" he shouted before following his brother.
"Holden, no!" Bonnie yelled, but it was too late. He was already inside, looking around the vampires, who looked like mummies.
They reached Anna, who fed Elena's blood to her mother Pearl. "Let her go!" Stefan shouted and pushed Anna aside.
"No!" she yelled back desperately. Stefan grabbed Elena and pulled her up, pushing her towards the exit.
"Go," he said but she didn't move. "Go! I'm right behind you," he nodded to her as Holden blocked Anna's way from following Elena.
Anna glared at him. "Anna," Pearl weakly spoke causing Anna to push past Holden and run to her. She started caressing her face in her hands and cry happily. "Annabelle..."
"I'll find Damon," Holden told Stefan. "Make sure Elena's fine. Vampires smell blood."
Stefan nodded his head quickly and left in search of Elena. Holden started walking around until he heard Damon kick dirt on the floor angrily. "She's not here," he mused in shock and devastation.
"Damon!" Holden finally found him and approached his brother quickly. Damon turned around with murderous and betrayed face.
"She's not here," he repeated causing Holden to furrow his eyebrows.
"What do you mean?" Holden asked carefully, focusing only on Damon, because Stefan also arrived.
Holden could hear Stefan ushering them to leave, but didn't acknowledge his younger brother. Damon pulled out the blood bag. "She's not here!" she roared then threw the blood bag at the wall. Blood splattered across it.
Damon looked at Holden in pure anguish as they stared back at him in sympathy. "Okay, uh..." Holden began. He wasn't good with comforting Damon. "I know you're hurt, Damon, but we need to leave."
"It doesn't make sense," Damon spoke to himself, still in denial, that he wanted to get to a woman he loved since the moment they sealed her off, only to find out that she lied. "They locked her inside."
"If we don't leave now, we're not getting out," Stefan rushed them to leave.
Holden turned back to Stefan. "Go. I got this," he said but Stefan just shook his head, telling Holden that he wasn't gonna run away.
"How could she not be in there?" Damon asked them, his face held so much hurt.
Holden clenched his jaw firmly as he grabbed Damon by his shoulders. "It's not worth spending all eternity here, Damon. She is not worth it!"
"No!" Damon roared pushing Holden away.
"Listen, you didn't save me in Atlanta, and for that I shouldn't be saving you," Holden started and Damon raised his watery eyes at him. "But I am! So, after everything that you've done, after all the pain you suffered, let's go."
Damon eventually just nodded and the three brothers finally left the tomb as the Bennett's still chanted. Damon was first to exit the tomb, with Stefan following, so Elena embraced him.
Holden was last to come out and the tomb door closed and the torches died out, as Holden looked at Damon.
THE TRUTH WAS HARD TO ACCEPT. Damon was miserable. He felt so bad, knowing that after all these years Katherine didn't care. That she never came back to see him.
"Elena called. Jeremy's fine," Stefan mused walking into Holden's room, still holding his phone. "What you said to Damon was very kind of you." Holden didn't answer just shrugged. "We could've just left him there, but he's our brother."
"He needs us," Holden finally spoke up and shook his head. "As much as he hates us... He just found out that the love of his life never loved him. He needs us..."
Stefan frowned deeply before the two walked into the parlor. Damon was sitting down, staring blankly at the fire.
They both sat down from both of his sides, but didn't say anything. Sometimes silence was the best treatment.
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