ALMOST IS NEVER ENOUGH | TVD [4]

XXVIII • DETOURED ON SOME RANDOM BACKWOODS PATH TO HELL

twenty-eight. detoured on some random backwoods path to hell

Forbes Residence (Saltzman Residence)

An undeniably anxious Isaac walks in through the wide open front door and meets up with Caroline in the living room, "Hey. I compelled the sheriff to make this case a priority. Should bypass some red tape. Where to first?"

"That's a question for Alaric. He's on the phone with Matt."

Isaac attempts to take her heavy luggage for her, "I'll go put this in the car."

"No. Stop." Caroline grabs her heavy luggage back, "You're not coming."

The young man frowns, truly puzzled by her statement, "What?"

The blonde nods in confirmation, "Ric and I can handle it from here. And if you really want to help, then just stay with Matt and work with the police."

Her boyfriend scoffs in disbelief, "Caroline, you can't be serious. The twins have been abducted by two sirens, and you expect me to just hang back?"

"Damon is with them." The young woman reminded him, firmly.

"Right. Which is exactly why I should come with you. Stefan's already on his way." The twenty-seven-year-old vampire informed her for reassurance.

"Let me be perfectly clear, Isaac. If Damon gets in between me and my girls, I am going to kill him. So no, you cannot come with me, and tell Stefan so. Just don't say anything." The protective mother sighs in a tired manner, "Just listen. Until this is all over, there is no us. There's only me and my kids and their father. They're all depending on me. I can't afford any distractions or compromises, especially when it comes to your best friend's brother."

Alaric walks back inside from the urgent phone call, "Matt has a, uh...a partial trace on Seline's cell. They're near Oakwood."

"Let's go." Caroline and the missing twins' protective father leave out the front door, leaving Isaac alone to contemplate what she just said.

****

The Armory Headquarters

"Shouldn't there be more chatter from your cop friends?" Stefan mentioned, holding a big map as he walks past Matt in the living room.

"I'm not exactly in the loop anymore, but don't worry, tips are about to start flying." The twenty-four-year-old blonde deputy retorted.

Stefan sighs in a tired manner as he and Isaac are staring down at the big old map on the oak wooden study table, "Where the hell are they going?"

His vampire frenemy scoffs, "You tell me. He's your idiot of a brother."

Bonnie and Enzo just arrived through the main front door, the poor latter looking extremely weak, so suddenly, as the sympathetically panicked former is helping him to stand up and walk straight, "I need help."

"Oh my God. Come on. Lie down." Minerva advised and helps Bonnie to lie Enzo down on the couch gently as he painfully groans, "What happened?"

"It was Sybil. She sang. She--she-she's wormed her way back into my head. God, the pain is moving, and it feels like I'm being cut open."

"Can you see her? Can you talk to her?" Bonnie asked him anxiously.

"No."

"Sybil told me she was able to manipulate Damon by invading his subconscious. If you can't see or feel her, she must be in yours." Stefan said.