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Jack Garratt - Surprise Yourself
"Lover, if you only knew
The times that train has fooled me too
And tears me from a place I know
It helps me to surprise yourself."
STORM WAS COMING UP IN MYSTIC FALLS AS HOLDEN WALKED INTO HIS HOME AFTER FEEDING. He closed the door and saw Damon trying to fix a clock. "Hey," Stefan approached Holden as he was about to leave.
"Going hunting?" Holden asked him as he took his jacket off and threw it on the couch.
Stefan nodded his head. "That girl did a number on me last night when she attacked us. I gotta get my strength back up," he answered and then Damon laughed, turning to them.
"I've got two liters of soccer mom in the fridge," he joked and Stefan looked at him, unamused. "No?"
Stefan turned to Holden. "We'll talk when I get back?" he asked then glanced at Damon.
"Okay," Holden nodded sitting down on the couch.
"All right," Damon smirked and Stefan opened the door. "Give my regards to the squirrels," he shouted after and Stefan left.
Holden looked back at his older brother and smirked. "What are you so smiley about?" Damon grimaced, feeling weird.
"How does it feel knowing that mostly everyone in this town can't stand you? Aren't you tired of that?" Holden questioned curiously. He didn't mean to be this snarky, but it still came out.
Damon rolled his eyes. "Bye," he waved him off with a huge snarl on his face. Holden sighed, shook his head and walked out of the room.
HOLDEN WALKED BACK INTO THE PARLOR TO FIND DAMON CALLING SOMEONE. He then hung up and groaned. "What? The soccer mom doesn't want to donate blood?" Holden joked dryly causing Damon to glare at him.
"I was calling Elena," he answered, moving his phone in his hand with a sarcastic smile. "To find if Stefan's with her."
"Why? What happened?" Holden asked getting serious.
Damon sighed as he walked to his drinks. "Do a little math, Holdie. Do you think it takes Stefan three hours to hunt?" he asked and Holden rolled his eyes. "And Elena decided to ignore my calls, because, apparently, she can't stand me."
"I'll call her," Holden mused then took his phone out. After a few beeps, she answered. "Hello?"
Holden smirked at Damon, who looked away with pursed lips. "Elena, is Stefan with you?" he asked casually, glancing at Damon.
"No, why are you asking?" she asked alarmed and he heard her stand up from something she was sitting on.
Holden grew worried, because the tomb vampires were free, and that could've meant a lot of things. "Don't panic. I'm coming, okay?" he asked her softly. He then hung up the phone.
"Hmm, interesting," Damon mused with a bitter smile. "You go to Elena's," he said and Holden nodded. "While I'll go and see for myself what these vampires are worth for."
"Alone?" Holden asked a little too concerned for his liking and Damon shrugged. "Okay, fine, I'll meet you somewhere. Call me."
Damon nodded and the two left to find their little brother.
ELENA WAS PANICKING WHEN HOLDEN WALKED IN. "Do you know where he is? Is he okay?" she attacked him with questions and Holden closed the door and looked around.
"It's okay, Elena. Damon's out talking to them," Holden answered and she nodded her head, sighing. Holden saw the deep worry and smiled slightly.
"What happened? How did Stefan just disappeared?" she asked Holden, and he gazed down at the smaller human with glazed eyes.
He felt something so much more for Elena than he wanted to admit. She was beautiful, and smart, and an amazing human being. So much more than Katherine ever was.
It happened so unexpectedly. But Holden couldn't change the fact that Elena was with his brother, and she made him happy. Stefan has never been more at peace than with Elena. And Holden knew he deserved it.
Elena noticed his look and furrowed her eyebrows. "Holden?" she questioned slowly and he loved the way she said his name. So sweet and soft.
"He went out in the woods and didn't come back. He's not answering his phone. I thought he was with you," he finally spoke, breaking eye contact. Elena frowned deeply then hugged her body. "Hey, it's gonna be fine. Damon's out there, and I know that I should be there too, but I didn't want to leave you worried..."
Elena nodded her head then suppressed a smile. "Thank you."
"I'm gonna meet Damon in the woods," he then started walking towards the door but Elena grabbed his hand and it made him stop and face her.
"Wait! I wanna go too," she nodded her head and Holden shook his head quickly. Elena then tilted her head and nodded.
"It's dangerous. They are vampires. A lot of them," he mused, hating the idea of bringing Elena with him. "The best for you today is to stay here and wait for my call."
Holden wanted to go, but she shut the door. "No! If Stefan's out there I want to see him, Holden." she argued sternly.
"Elena, please," he snapped and she pursed her lips from anger. "Stop being so stubborn. Do you know what Stefan will say if I bring you there? He'll tell me that I'm an idiot, and I'll be one if I listen to you and what you want."
"Oh, so I'm stubborn now?" she scoffed shaking her head. Holden raised his eyebrow up, telling her that she knew that too. "Can you at least let me meet you and Damon? Please," she sighed, giving up.
Holden looked up somewhere, with a clenched jaw, and Elena knew he was arguing with himself. Eventually, Holden opened the door and motioned for Elena to go.
She smiled slightly and grabbed her jacket before leaving the house with Holden following right after.
ELENA GLANCED AT HOLDEN AS THEY WERE SITTING IN HIS CAR. "You're awfully quiet," she started and his look went to her. "Are you angry at me?"
"I wish," he grumbled and she raised her eyebrow at him. "I mean, I could if I wanted, but it's impossible to talk you out of doing things."
Elena then smirked proudly. "I hear that a lot from you," she said and he looked away with a laugh. Elena's smile lingered for a moment. "Jenna told me she liked you. She said you're not as proud as Damon."
"She doesn't know I'm a vampire," he answered glancing back at her.
Elena frowned slightly. "You know, sometimes I forget about you being a vampire. You just seem so... normal," she commented and Holden feigned a surprised face. "Even that time when Bonnie got attacked by Damon, you... You just gave her your blood, not even noticing hers. It's like it doesn't affect you at all."
"Well, I'm a one advanced vampire," he commented dully and Elena laughed. "Where is he already?" he then sighed.
"I don't know," she whispered sadly then looked back at the woods around them.
Then Damon started approaching their car and the two quickly got out. "What happened? Where is he?" Elena attacked Damon with questions.
Damon stopped walking with an angry look as he looked at Holden. "They have him. I can't get in," he answered.
"Why not?" Elena asked him in confusion and fear.
Damon groaned lowly. He didn't want to tell Elena everything. "Because the woman who owns the house is compelled to not let me in," he answered in annoyance causing Holden to give him a look to control his temper.
"I can get in," Elena nodded and instantly Holden shook his head.
"No. No way," he told her strictly and Elena rolled her eyes.
"I'm going!"
"Elena, what did I tell you one hour ago?" Holden snapped, his green eyes boring into her brown ones as Damon narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You are not going in there ever."
Elena let out a deep breath then looked at Damon. "Why are they doing this? What do they want with him?"
"Revenge," Damon glanced at his younger brother, who clenched his jaw. From the looks on Holden's face, he was ready to go and fight everyone, who decided to harm his little brother. "They want revenge."
"We gotta do something," Elena mused looking in between the brothers.
Damon rolled his eyes. "I know," he sassed and she glared at him angrily.
"We can't let them hurt him," she said, turning her face to Holden. "We gotta get him out of there."
"I know, Elena, we all know," Holden gave her a pleading look to stop and she nodded her head.
"Yeah, but I don't know how to get him out, Bonnie and Clyde," Damon interrupted and they both shot him annoyed looks.
Holden then thought about one person and looked at Damon with a small smirk. "I think I do."
ALARIC WAS WALKING DOWN THE HALLWAY IN SCHOOL WHEN DAMON APPEARED IN HIS SIGHT. The teacher stopped in his tracks. "Well, don't you look... alive?" Damon taunted.
"You can't hurt me," Alaric shook his head and then Holden and Elena walked over to Damon with serious faces.
"Oh, I can hurt you, all right," Damon sassed and Holden rolled his eyes, feeling fed up with Damon's antics.
"Mr. Saltzman," Elena began with a sad look on her face. "We need your help."
Ric sighed and the four of them walked into his classroom, as Elena explained the situation. "Stefan's in the house. Holden and Damon are vampires, they can't get in. We need you. I would go, but..."
"... But your life is valuable, Holden's words," Damon cut her off then shot a smirk towards his annoyed brother. "Yours, on the other hand...," he glanced at the teacher.
"Shut up, Damon," Holden said as he crossed his hands over his chest then stared at the teacher with one of his serious faces.
"Stefan told me about your ring," Elena told Alaric, who raised his eyebrow.
"What about it?"
"Let me recap..." Damon smirked and Holden growled lowly from next to Elena. Their brother was in danger and all they did was try and reminisce about the past. "You tried to kill me. I defended myself. You died. Then according to my brothers, your ring brought you back to life. Am I leaving anything out?"
"Yeah," Alaric nodded incredulously. "The part where I try and kill you again. Only this time, I don't miss," he sneered and Holden smirked slightly at the man's courage.
"Mr. Saltzman," Elena looked at him with desperate eyes. "Please. It's Stefan."
He looked down at her and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Elena. But it's not my problem."
"Too bad, isn't it?" Holden questioned and everyone looked at him. He walked closer to the teacher, who gulped slightly. He was afraid of Holden probably more than Damon. "You come here, looking for your wife, end up dying once. You don't learn, do you? The woman who's in charge can tell you where your wife is."
"You're lying," Alaric sneered with wide eyes an Damon smirked at the man.
"Is he?" the older vampire asked curiously. "Why don't you ask her for yourself?" Alaric looked at Elena but didn't say anything.
"Coward," Holden mused then softened his look on Elena.
"Let's just go, you two," Damon then started walking with Elena following.
Holden didn't move from his spot as he stared at Alaric lowly. "All right!" he snapped and the two stopped. "Wait. I'll go."
THEY WERE LOOKING AT ALARIC PULLING OUT HIS ARSENAL OF VAMPIRE WEAPONS ONTO THE TABLE. "Teacher by day, vampire hunter by night," Damon commented with a dramatic smile.
"I've you to thank for that," Alaric snapped and Holden smirked again. He found their bickering quite amusing.
Elena looked down at the weapons with furrowed eyebrows. "What are these?" she asked curiously.
"Those are tranquilizer darts filled with vervain," he answered and the brothers exchanged an impressed looks.
"Just get us in," Damon then told the teacher. "We'll get Stefan out."
"That's your plan?" Elena asked bitterly. "You're just gonna take them all on you two?" she then looked at Holden, who shrugged slightly.
"Holden's pretty good at killing," Damon commented and Holden glared at him, telling him that it wasn't cool to talk about such things near Elena. "Well, we'll be a little stealthier than that, hopefully."
Elena took one of the vervain darts. "Whoa. What are you doing?" Alaric asked her in confusion.
"I'm going with you guys," she stated with a 'duh' tone and Holden laughed dryly. She glared at him.
"Not happening," he then snapped and she clenched her beautiful little jaw. "Elena..."
"You need me. I'll get in," she sighed pleadingly as the two stared at each other. "Damon can distract them, and then you and I will get Stefan out."
"You forget the part, where it's gonna be me, who's fighting with probably five vampires at the same time, leaving you unprotected and in their hands," he argued angrily. "You'll get yourself killed. You're not going in there."
"I'm going," she snapped. It was the first time she was this angry at Holden, and vice versa.
Damon turned to Alaric. "So, when you get us in, get out as quickly as you can. I know how to sneak around where they can't hear me. You'll basically just be in the way."
"Damon, now is not the time to be the lone ranger," Elena snapped then turned back to Holden. "If you didn't want me involved, you would've already told me to to stay home. But you didn't. So, please just trust me."
Damon smirked. "Elena, you can drive the getaway car, because Holden's right. Who will look after you inside? Definitely not me."
"Shut up, Damon," Holden snapped at him with a fed up face then glanced down at Elena.
"You can't stop me, Holden," she shook her head with a saddened face. "It's Stefan we're talking about here. You don't understand."
"Oh, we understand," Damon cut in with a teasing smirk. "We do... He's the reason you live. His love lifts you up where you belong. We get it."
Elena snapped her head at Damon furiously. "Can you just not joke around for 2 seconds and stop cutting in to other's conversation."
"Elena, I can't protect you," Holden finally admitted and she looked at him with glazed eyes. "We have no idea how many vampires are in there. You can step inside and get your head ripped off of your shoulders. Damon and I have to get in somehow. And I don't want to get distracted by your safety, because that matters to me." he explained and she frowned. "Maybe none of us will come out by the end of this day. And if that happens, at least, you'll be alive and safe. I know how you feel, but please understand me too."
At that point, everyone in the room became quiet as Elena stared at Holden with different series of emotions before she nodded her head. "If we're gonna go, let's go," Alaric cut off the longing looks and everyone left.
ALARIC WAS A GOOD USE WHEN TRICKING OTHER VAMPIRES IN THE HOUSE. Not only did he walk in, he managed to stake a vampire named Billy and open up the door for Holden and Damon.
Miss Gibbons looked at Damon. "Oh, I'm sorry. He's not allowed in the house," she exclaimed.
"Well, maybe you can invite me in?" Holden asked her curiously.
"You gotta make an exception," Alaric told the compelled woman, but she doubted even that choice.
"Just get her out of the damn house," Holden snapped and Alaric did so. Holden caught Miss Gibbons by her shoulders. "Miss Gibbons, are you married?" he asked her.
"No," she shook her head and Holden looked at Damon.
"Parents, children, anyone else who lives on this property?" he asked again and she shook her head.
"No. It's just me," she smiled sadly. Holden smiled back before snapping her neck while Damon widened his eyes in surprise.
"Let's just get inside," Holden mused and the two were able to cross the door. Alaric was staring at them.
It was an unusual thing for Holden to kill humans, and it caused Damon to appear still shocked, which was very rear. "You were supposed to compel her to let you in," Alaric snapped at Holden, who didn't even look back.
"She was too damaged already," Holden answered dully and looked around.
"She is human--"
"And we're not!" Damon snapped, defending his brother. "Now, get out of here. And get rid of the body!"
Alaric left so Damon and Holden moved to action. They saw one vampire enter the kitchen and turn off the sink and blender that Alaric had turned on.
The vampire approached the pantry and then Damon opened the door and staked him quickly. "Aah!" the man yelled before dying.
Holden heard someone come in so he vamp sped there and pushed the intruder to the wall. Before he could stake them, he saw that it was Elena, staring at him with wide terrified eyes. "Are you insane, Elena," he snapped lowly, pulling away from her.
Another vampire rushed in, but Holden easily staked him and he fell to the ground. Elena gasped as she stared at Holden. "What are you doing here?" Damon asked her dully as he walked in.
"She couldn't stay in the car, apparently," Holden snapped then grabbed her by her wrist. "You stay close to me, got it?" he asked angrily and she nodded her head quickly.
Elena knew that she angered Holden and felt guilty for doing so.
They all moved to the cellar. Holden was the first to enter and Elena quickly got free of Holden's hold as she rushed towards a weak looking Stefan. "Elena... You shouldn't be here..." Stefan told her.
"She had to stay in the car," Holden grumbled as he watched Damon about to stake another vampire that was locked near Stefan.
"Uhh! No, no," Stefan shook his head quickly, trying to move and stop Damon. "No. Not him."
"Whatever," Damon rolled his eyes and went to help Holden, who burned his hands from vervain on the ropes. He sneered and pulled away.
"Elena, pull that," Holden said through gritted teeth as he watched his hands heal.
"Uhh," Stefan groaned from pain and she removed the ropes as quickly as she could.
"All right," Damon began to move. "Let's go. Clothes on."
"Wait," Stefan stopped him as Elena and Holden helped him stand up. Stefan moved to help Harper.
"What?" Damon asked then saw the view and groaned. "Guys, come on. We have to get out of here."
Stefan and Elena started to pull the stakes out of Harper's legs. "Uhh," Stefan struggled as he was still very weak.
"Come on, we gotta go," Damon ushered so Holden went to help them to get the process quicker.
They were done. "Can you get him in the car?" Damon questioned Elena as Holden collected the stakes that were in Harper's legs before.
"Yeah," she nodded with determination in her voice. Holden stood up.
"All right, go," he told her with a nod and Elena looked at Holden while trying to hold Stefan from falling.
"What about you?" she asked in worry then glanced at Damon discretely.
"You rescue, we distract," Holden nodded his head. "I'll be behind, okay?" he asked her calmly and Elena frowned. She felt worried for Holden and didn't want to leave him. "Go."
He watched the couple leave and turned back to Damon. "Let's kill these idiots," Damon smirked and Holden smirked back darkly.
A VAMPIRE WAS SLOWLY WALKING AROUND WHEN SUDDENLY HE WAS PUSHED BY HOLDEN TO A WALL. "Who are you?" the vampire asked, gasping for air as Holden pressed his hand more.
"The one that kills you," he sneered before ripping his heart out. He rushed back into the living room to see Alaric with a gun and Damon standing up. "I'm going after Frederick!" Damon sneered.
They were still inside as Alaric reloaded his dart gun. A vampire attacked him and they both wrestled to the ground. Alaric sneered and stabbed him with a vervain syringe.
Damon and Holden came back into the hallway. "Frederick's gone," Holden informed the teacher.
"I'm going after Elena and Stefan," Holden then told Damon, who nodded his head. "You got this?" he asked mostly Damon.
"You're being too concerned, brother," Damon smirked smugly and Holden gave him a look. "Go. I'll be fine."
He then nodded and quickly fled the house in search of Elena and his brother.
ELENA WAS SHAKING STEFAN, TRYING TO GET HIM UP, BECAUSE HE GOT STAKED BY FREDERICK. "Stefan, please. Stefan!" she begged, tears welling down her face. "Oh, Stefan, please get up. Get up, Stefan. Stefan!"
Elena then saw Frederick getting up. She panicked then noticed a cut on her hand and an idea popped in her mind. "Here," she said putting her hand up to Stefan's mouth for him to drink.
"Elena, please run," he begged weakly, denying her offer to drink her blood.
"No," she shook her head, stubbornly.
"Please," he begged, staring at her, his eyes dark and hungry.
"Stefan. My wrist. Here," she nodded her head, looking down at him. "Take my wrist. You need more blood."
Then Holden appeared next to them and saw Elena give Stefan her blood. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and worry.
Frederick punched Holden in the face at that moment, sending the Salvatore to the tree. "Holden!" Elena shouted loudly with horrified eyes.
Holden stood up, and wiped his bloody mouth. He then sneered and pinned Frederick to the tree, punching him in the face a couple of times before grabbing him by the face. He stared at the man with dark eyes and clenched his jaw.
Frederick smirked weakly and Holden threw him to the ground. But before Holden could kill him, Stefan stood up and pinned Frederick to the tree again.
He took the branch from Frederick and started to stab him repeatedly in the heart. "Argh! Ahh!" Stefan sneered as he kept stabbing over and over again.
Holden stared at his brother in shock then went to help Elena stand up. She gripped onto his arm. "Stefan," she whispered but he didn't stop. "Stefan!"
"Stefan, enough, he's dead!" Holden rushed and pulled Stefan away from Frederick. Stefan turned around and his face still held grey veins and fangs.
Elena became frightened by him and Holden slowly let go of Stefan as he couldn't understand why Elena's blood caused such reaction.
Stefan let go of the branch as he looked back at his brother and girlfriend, horrified.
THEY CAME BACK HOME. Stefan went straight to his room, leaving Elena and Holden alone in the living room. "Is your hand okay?" Holden asked as he took a huge sip of his bourbon.
Elena watched him do that and nodded her head. "Yeah, uh, are you okay?" she questioned back and he shrugged.
"You saw the look on Stefan's face," he told her quietly. "You know who caused that, and I don't think that's very okay."
"It's my fault, I know," she sighed deeply and Holden walked over to her before making her look at him.
"It's not. Stop blaming yourself for once, Elena," he told her genuinely and she smiled slightly.
She then looked back at him with a gentle look. "You came back to check on us."
"I did," he agreed, then finished his drink. "Go. He's waiting for you."
Elena saw the look on his face and slowly backed away. "Thank you," she then said and he furrowed his eyebrows, not understanding. "For believing in me." she said and left the room as he stared to space.
VICKI DONOVAN WAS FOUND DEAD AND THAT MADE THINGS MUCH WORSE. Holden looked at Damon angrily. "What? These are old news..." he rolled his eyes. "Where's Stefan?"
"I don't know. Elena left long ago," he sighed then motioned for Damon to follow.
They entered Stefan's bedroom with Damon following shortly after. A smell of blood hit their noses as Damon noticed empty bloodbags scattered on the floor. "What the--" Holden started then stopped when he saw his brother.
Stefan was sitting on the floor, drinking from another bloodbag, his mouth all bloody.
Damon looked at Holden with wide eyes as they saw their brother like they have never seen him before.
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