The Owl Gilbert

4:15: Burning Down the House

We walk inside after returning from the island as Elena opens the door to see Caroline standing up as she has cleaning supplies and decided to do some cleaning while Stefan is carrying Jeremy's wrapped up body. "Hey, you're home. I decided to do some cleaning and that burn mark of the whole phoenix.." Caroline says as she walks to the front of the house and stops talking once she sees Jeremy's wrapped up body. "I couldn't get the spot out." She says as Elena sets her bag down and Stefan and I both shake our hands while Elena looks at Caroline. "Come on. Let's get him upstairs." Elena says, looking at Stefan and they head up the stairs and I lead Caroline into the kitchen and turn the faucet on so Elena can't hear us. "What happened?" She whispers. "Katherine happened. She pretended to be Elena, gave Silas to Jeremy, who killed him by snapping his neck while she stole the Cure. I couldn't help and Bonnie was dying.." I say, letting a few tears flow and she hugs me gently and we see Stefan walk into the kitchen as Caroline goes to get the bucket and cleaning supplies. "How long has she been like that?" She asks, putting the bucket in the sink. "Ever since we found his body. She hasn't said anything except that she's waiting for him to wake up." Stefan says. "I never got the chance to tell him I forgive him." I say, sighing and wash my hands with the hot water and soap. "But he's not going to wake up. She knows that, right?" Caroline asks as I dry my hands off onto my pants and Stefan sighs. "Look. Deep down, I think she has to, but we're talking about Elena here. She feels grief more powerfully than anyone else. I think her denial is the one thing protecting her from letting it all in." He says. "She can't stay like that forever." Caroline says, shaking her head. "I know, but I don't want to be the one to break her out of it, not until we know that Bonnie is safe, not until we get Damon over here to, you know.." Stefan says, referring to the Sire Bond. "Use the sire bond to convince her that everything is okay?" I ask and they both look at me as Stefan nods and we see Elena walk in as we look at her. "I'm not in denial." She says and I hear the water turn off. "I know that he was supernatural, but did you see?" She asks, walking over to us. "His tattoo is gone. The tattoo had the spell that opened Silas' chamber. Maybe it being gone means that he's fulfilled his supernatural destiny. Maybe he's back to normal. It's possible, right?" She asks. "Elena.." Caroline says. "It's possible, Caroline. There's a chance. It may be miniscule, but it's hope and I'm gonna hold on to that hope with everything that I've got because there's no way that my.." Elena says and pauses. "There's absolutely no way that my brother is dead." She says, nodding and then shakes her head. "I'm not in denial." She says and walks off and the three of us look at each other.

I'm outside with Caroline as she's leaving a voicemail for Tyler. "Hey. I know that I'm not supposed to be calling, but something happened, and I need to talk to you, Tyler. So please call me." She says and hangs up and we see Stefan walk in with mugs of coffee. "Kol was right. We never should have awakened Silas. Jeremy's gone because we didn't listen to him." I say as Stefan rubs my back gently and I sip on my coffee. "Do you know where Tyler is?" He asks Caroline. "As far away from Klaus as he can get. Klaus said he wouldn't stop until he found him." She says. "Well, Katherine's been running from Klaus for 500 years. It's not easy, but it's possible. It's probably why she stole the Cure. She wants to bargain for her freedom." Stefan says. "I just can't believe after all that, the Cure is just gone." She says. "Oh, when I meet the bitch again, I'm driving a stake straight through her heart for what she did to Jeremy." I say, sighing. "I mean, talk about denial. In my head, I was thinking there was no way Elena was gonna stay a vampire forever.. and now without any family except for you." Stefan says, looking at me. "Well, we can't think about that right now. We need to make plans, lists. We need a funeral or a cover story, or a funeral and a cover story. I should go tell my mom. I guess she'll know what to do." Caroline says. "We should get Matt over here." I say. "You're right. I will do that. I will call Matt, and then I will go tell my mom, and then I will make a list or a casserole or.. I don't know.. whatever people are supposed to do or make in these situations.." Caroline says and stops talking to put her mug down. "What's the smell?" She asks. "What smell? I don't smell anything." I say. "It's his body. He's starting to decompose. Tell your Mom to get Dr. Fell over here." Stefan says as we look at Caroline. "I'm gonna undagger Kol. I don't think I'll be able to survive today without him." I say.