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Caroline's hands shook as she held a glass of bourbon. Isabella sat beside her, gently rubbing her arms to keep her warm. "It's okay," Isabella whispered, her voice soothing. "We'll get through this together."
"Are you alright?" Was the first question that fell from Stefan's lips as he hurried into the parlor once Damon had called him. "What happened?"
"Go ahead, tell him." Damon gently encouraged the blonde after she had taken a sip of her drink. The oldest of the two brothers gazed toward Stefan, with a smirk. "You're gonna love this."
Caroline looked up to Stefan, whose eyes were filled with worry for his friend. "Katherine cornered me today," she said, her voice trembling. Beside her, Isabella's hands never stopped their gentle motion, rubbing Caroline's arms in a continuous effort to provide warmth and comfort.
"Where?" Stefan immediately retorted.
"The Grill. I just stopped by to gawk and...quasi-stalk Matt." Caroline explained slowly. "I obviously thought that she was Elena at first, but then when I tried to leave, she stopped me. She wanted me to deliver you guys a message. She wants the moonstone tonight at the masquerade ball or she's gonna rip this town apart until it rains blood."
Stefan's fury had risen the moment that he learned about Katherine cornering his friend. "She wants to do it in public. Killing Mason threw her off guard."
"She's running scared. What she did to Jenna was desperate." Damon confidently spoke. "She's out of tricks."
Isabella nodded thoughtfully, her brow furrowing with concern. "Maybe, but we can't underestimate her. Desperation can make people unpredictable." She glanced at Caroline, her expression softening.
"Isa is right." Stefan sighed once he looked toward Damon, who clearly didn't care. "We have to play this smarter than her."
"Can we just give her the moonstone so she'll leave?" Caroline offered up the suggestion but immediately shut her mouth when she heard Damon scoff.
"No. Katherine's not getting dick." The raven-haired Salvatore instantly snapped. "I've had it. I'm gonna go to the masquerade ball, and I'm gonna kill her. Tonight."
Stefan pondered for a moment as if he were thinking about his options. He let a sigh finally escape his lips. "You're not gonna kill her."
"Oh, don't give me that goody-goody crap."
"You're not going to kill her." Stefan stepped closer to Damon once more. "Because I am."
Isabella interjected firmly, her voice cutting through the tension. "You also won't kill her." She stood between the two brothers, meeting Damon's intense gaze with unwavering resolve. "Because I will."
Stefan looked at Isabella but then nodded slowly. Damon's expression softened slightly, acknowledging Isabella's determination. "Fine," he conceded reluctantly. "But we do it together."
