💫

Rory woke up with Stefan brushing light kisses onto her neck
"Good morning." She smiled as she reached for a pack of gum, put a piece in her mouth and kissed him
"I could get used to this." He murmured against her lips.

"Rise and shine, sleepyheads." They hear then turned to see Damon at the edge of the bed
"Perv!" She groaned, throwing a pillow at him which he easily caught
"What are you doing?" Stefan said and placed the covers up to Rory's neck.

"Oh, stop being smutty." He smirked at them both
"Seriously, get out of here." Stefan said
"If I see something I haven't seen before, I'll throw a dollar at it." He winked at Rory.

"Now listen, we have some very important business to discuss." He said
"And it has to be right now?" Rory asked
"Well, we have lots to do, now that we're all friends and working toward a common goal." He said.

"So, in order to open the tomb, we need to find the journal to get the grimoire to undo the spells. First things first you, Rory Sommers, you're on journal duty." He told her
"Yes sir." She saluted at him
"Good girl." He smirked at her leaving her to register what just happened.

"How do we know that this journal will hold the location of the grimoire? We're really going to take the word of this vampire? He seemed like a bit of a dimwit." Stefan said
"In lieu of any other options." He shot back
"What about our mystery vampire? Dimwit obviously wasn't working alone, so whoever's out there knows who we are." Stefan told him then Damon stood up.

"And I don't like that disadvantage, so... Chop, chop." He clapped his hands then turned to them
"You know, I really like this whole menage a threesome team thing. It's got a bit of a kink to it. Don't screw it up." He sang as he left the room.

Rory leaned her head on Stefan's shoulder
"This is gonna be a long day." She groaned and he kissed her head
"Yes it is." He agreed, she lifted her head and kissed him.

Stefan deepened the kiss making Rory pull away but he just continued to kiss her neck
"Stefan, your brother has supernatural hearing." She pointed out
"So?" He asked
"So I don't really want to be audio porn for your brother." She said and he pulled away.

"I'm gonna take a shower." He said
"A cold one?" She asked as he got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom
"Yep."

💫
Rory's outfit

💫

Rory was looking through the boxes full of memorabilia as Stefan watches her with a worried expression on his face
"Are you sure this is a good idea? Helping Damon?" Stefan asked
"I mean Damon truly believes in us helping. Why shouldn't we help him?" She asked
"I don't think Damon knows what to believe. Trust isn't something that comes naturally to him." He admitted.

"You know...I really think that Damon believes that everything he's done, every move that he's made, he's done for love. It's twisted, but kind of sad with a hint of romantic-ish." Rory tried to justify, but it wasn't for Stefan, it for her.

"There are other ways to get what you want. You don't have to kill people. Damon has no regard for human life. He enjoys inflicting pain on others. For 145 years, every single time that I have let my guard down and let Damon back into my life, he's done something to make me regret that. I'm not going to make that mistake again." He shook his head.

"So what do you think will happen when the tomb gets opened and Damon gets Katherine back?" She asked
"I think that no matter what Damon promises, a lot of people will die." Stefan said. Rory then sighed and picked up a photo from the box, Stefan got up then walked behind her looking at the photo.

"That's Johnathan Gilbert." He said and Rory looked at the box and saw something
"What's this?" She opened a wooden box and saw what appeared to be a muzzle in it
"Oh this is vile." She looked down at it when suddenly Jeremy walked in.

"What are you guys doing?" He asked
"Hey. Just going through some stuff, feeling sentimental. Your Dad had this old family journal from years ago. I thought I'd dig it up. For the love of history and sentimentality." Rory said and Jeremy sat down on the kitchen counter.

"Johnathan Gilbert's journal?" He asked
"Yeah, what do you know about it?" Rory asked
"I just did a history report on it." He nodded.

"Oh I really want to know about how you got on but I will ask later but for now. Do you know where it is?" Rory asked
"I gave it to Mr. Saltzman. He wanted to see it." Jeremy said and Rory then looked at Stefan.

"Well I gotta go. Gotta see my favourite gal." Rory said.

💫

Rory entered Shelia's house with a bag full of food from the grill, she used her employee discount but she wasn't going to tell her that since she would insist on paying.

"Right. Here you go." She served her a plate and then unpacked the rest of the stuff
"I'm gonna put these in the fridge so you have something tomorrow."
"You really don't have to do this." Shelia insisted.

"Nonsense I love doing this," Rory replied, "it also gets me away from all the crazy." She murmured.
"Hectic at your place?" She asks
"Yes. And of course relationship stuff." Rory said.

"So there's a relationship?" Shelia asked
"He asked me to be his girlfriend at the decade dance." Rory blushed
"That's good." Rory nodded in agreement when her mind slipped to the conversation she had with Damon the night before.

"Is everything okay, sweetheart?" Shelia asked and Rory stood there for a minute in silence before finally speaking, she needed to get this off her chest, she needed to know she wasn't crazy.

"Do you believe in the invisible string theory?" Rory asked
"Yes, I believe we are all intertwined some more than others." Shelia responded
"What about soulmates?" Rory asked and something changed in Shelia's demeanour.

"I like to believe we are meant to be with whoever is our perfect match."
"I love you so I'm going to say this in the nicest way." Rory said and leaned in
"Cut the crap. Are there soulmates in the supernatural or not?" She asked.

"So you know about the supernatural." Shelia relaxed
"Considering I stabbed a vampire last night who was trying to attack me, yeah I know about the supernatural." Rory nodded and Shelia remained silent.

"So is there soulmates or not?" Rory asked
"What are the symptoms you're experiencing just so I know what to look for." Shelia said
"Dreams." Rory said.

"What type of dreams?"
"Hyperrealistic ones." Rory said
"About..."

"Sex! I'm having hyperrealistic dreams. The latest one was I was in the shower and I had these marks on my wrist of initials." Rory rambled on
"I see." Shelia nodded as Rory looked at her with a flustered expression.

"I'll look into it, see if anything about soulmates come up."
"Thank you." Rory hugged her before she got a message from her mom
"I'll see you tomorrow." She walked out of the house and then drove back.

"I'm home!" Rory announced and then walked into the kitchen to see Damon and her mom talking.

"What the actual fuck is going on?" Rory asked
"We are making dinner. Well Damon is, I'm drinking." Jenna replied and held out her glass to Rory who took a sip
"Not bad."

"Is Stefan with you?" Damon asked
"Nope, he's dealing with something I just came back from Shelia's." Rory said
"How is she?" Jenna asked.

"She's good. She was helping with something."
"Did you get the answer you were looking for?" Damon asked
"Not yet." Rory replied.

💫

Rory and Damon were setting the table when Damon deliberately bumped into Rory
"Whoa." He hummed and Rory rolled her eyes before placing the plates onto the table
"Watch it." Rory warned
"Watch what?" He asked innocently.

"You know what. That move was deliberate." Rory said
"Well, yeah, I was deliberately trying to get to the sink." He told her and Rory gave him a look before silently scoffing as he stirs a pot of sauce.

"Speaking of Stefan, where is he? He's missing family night, which I am enjoying immensely." Damon said and Rory walked back into the kitchen to get silverware while Damon pauses for a moment before speaking.

"Is it real?" Damon questioned
"Is what real?" Rory turned to him
"This renewed sense of brotherhood. Can I trust him?" Damon said as he tried the sauce from the pot.

"Yes, you can trust him." Rory said as she placed napkins and silverware onto the table when suddenly Damon speeds to her and places his hand on her jaw to make her look up at him.

"Can I trust him?" He asked
"You've tried, Damon. Compulsion doesn't work on me." Rory said
"I'm not compelling you. I just want you to answer me. Honestly." He admitted.

"Of course you can. Because you can trust me." She said and he let go of her as he still looked into her eyes.

💫

"You know, there was a time when I trusted him more than anyone." Damon said as Rory ate a pistachio
"Trust is earned by trust. You have to give it to get it." She said to him
"Are you lecturing me?" He asked.

"Do you need to be lectured?" Rory gave him a look
"I just want her back. I'm sure you can understand that." He said
"I can understand that you would do anything for her." Rory said then turned to put them away when she felt his presence behind her.

"I would also do anything for you." He whispered in her ear before leaving the room as shivers run down Rory's spine.

💫

It was later and Rory stood in the kitchen while she watched Damon and Jeremy play video games.
"He is ridiculously hot!" Jenna whispered to her daughter
"Okay ew. Also he's an ass." Rory said and then sat down to continue going through the box of stuff.

"What are you doing with all this stuff?" Jenna gave her daughter a look
"I like history. Leave me alone." Rory said as Jenna laughed then the doorbell rings
"That's Stefan." Damon quickly got up from the couch and went over to the door.

"Dude!" Jeremy exclaimed and Rory opened the door to see Stefan.

"Well?" Damon asked.

💫

Rory sat down on the steps as she looked up at the brother's talking
"Who took it?" Damon asked
"I don't know." Stefan shrugged.

"You know what, it's that teacher. There's something really off about him." Damon said
"No, he doesn't know anything. Somebody got to it right before me." Stefan excused
"Who else knew it was there?" Damon asked and then Stefan looked through the window at Jeremy while keeping quiet. Damon however connects the dots.

"No. Damon, I swear, leave him out of it!" Rory said
"Why, what's the big deal?" He asked
"Damon. I will speak to him." Rory said.

"We'll see about that." He said and rushed into the house then sits next to Jeremy.
"So....I heard you found a really cool journal from back in the day. Who else did you show it to?" Damon asked
"Huh?"
"Don't ask questions, just spill." Damon instructed.

"You're kidding me, right?" Jeremy asked
"Jer, did you tell anyone other than Mr. Saltzman about Johnathan Gilbert's journal?" Rory asked nicely
"Why is everybody so obsessed with that thing?" Jeremy asked.

"Who else did you tell?" Damon persisted
"Just that girl Anna." Jeremy said
"The hot, weird one?" He asked.

"Yeah." Jeremy nodded
"Wait, who is Anna?" Stefan asked
"That's what I want to find out." Damon said.

"I'm gonna go quickly see Elena." Rory said and went upstairs to see her on the phone
"Hey." Rory said
"Hi." Elena replied.

"Who are you on the phone to?" Rory asked
"Bonnie, she had her first date."
"Cute, I will leave you to it." She said and walked back into her room.

Then Stefan walked into her room
"Where's Damon?" Rory asked
"He left to track down Jeremy's friend Anna, see if there was anything there." He said
"Aren't you going to go with him? If he gets to the journal before we do, then..." Before she could finish Stefan pulled out a stack of papers.

"Doesn't matter." He said and Rory flicked through the pages
"Is this what I think it is?" She asked
"It's a copy of it." He confirmed.

"How did you get it?" She asked
"Well, Mr. Saltzman made a copy and was kind enough to loan it to me." He said
"He did?" She gave him a look.

"Not exactly, but I got it." He said
"Wait, shouldn't we tell Damon about this?" She asked
"No, it's fine. Damon would want us to do the hard work and basically hand him the journal."

"Okay..."

💫

Stefan and Rory looked through the pages of the journal
"Here's a reference that he wrote about Emily." Rory pointed out.

"'The Fell family believed it should be I, not them, who protected the witch's spell book. But I feared she would haunt me from the hereafter. They mocked my fear, but it was Giuseppe Salvatore who-' That's your father, I'm guessing?" She asked.

"Yeah." He nodded then took the pages and continued to read
"'It was Giuseppe Salvatore who removed my fear. He told me he would protect the secret of the spell book. He said he would carry it to his grave.'" He said then went into deep thought
"I know where it is." He said.

Stefan then started to walk out the room,
"Wait. Shouldn't we call Damon." She said
"No, it's fine also I'm going alone." He said.

"Why?"
"Because it's dark and there's a vampire we know nothing about. I don't want you getting hurt." He said and she nodded
"Okay. Let me know how you'll get on." She said and he kissed her forehead and left.

Rory then picked up her phone
"I have news. I need you to get here ASAP."

💫

Rory and Damon walk through the woods as they see Stefan and someone else dig through the grave then find the grimoire as a fire strikes

"Well, what do you know?" Damon disrupted them and the person next to Stefan was Elena
"This is an interesting turn of events." He said
"I can't let you bring her back. I'm sorry." Stefan said.

"So am I. For thinking for even a second that I could trust you." Damon said
"Oh. You're not capable of trust. The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself." Stefan fired back
"Of course I was going to do it by myself, because the only one I can count on is me! You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan." Rory could hear the hurt in his voice.

"So what are you going to do now? Because if you try and destroy that, I'll rip her heart out." Damon's domineer changed as he looked to Elena
"You won't kill her." Stefan said.

"You know Rory was the one who called me. I trust her because unlike you I can count on her actually, which this is gonna hurt." Rory then felt her back clash with Damon's chest as he put her into a chokehold.

"I can do one better." He said and bit his wrist then forces his blood down Rory's throat as she clawed at his arm
"Give me the book, Stefan, or I'm snapping her neck. And you and I will have a vampire girlfriend." He threatened.

"Let her go first." Stefan said
"Stefan!" Elena called out
"The book!" Damon shouted.

"I'm not going to give this to you until she is standing next to me." Stefan said
"Problem is, I no longer trust that you'll give it back!" He shouted back
"You just did the one thing that ensures that I will." Stefan said then Damon looked down at Rory then nodded at his brother.

"Okay." Stefan then slowly placed the book down onto the ground and reached out for Rory. Rory felt Damon's grip loosen when she felt a small kiss on the top of her hair and let's her go. Rory slowly walked over and Stefan pulled her into her arms which she immediately pulled away.

"No." Was all she said and walked past them all as tears ran down her face as she didn't walk home but somewhere else.

💫

Shelia walked to her front door then opened it to reveal Rory with tears in her eyes and blood down her face
"Aw sweetheart." She opened her arms to her and Rory quickly gripped onto the woman as she sobbed into her shoulder.

"Let's get you inside." She said and they both walked inside.
"I'm sorry."
"Honey, there is nothing to be sorry for." Shelia wiped a few tears.

"Life is just so messed up." Rory said
"I mean I just lived with my mom literally the beginning of this year, I don't understand stuff like relationships except how it ends. I hate that I forgive so easily because I am scared of not having anyone." Tears feel down her face.

"What happened?"
"There was an argument and I just happened to be there." She said
"Stefan lied to me and went to Elena for help because I disagreed."

"I don't know how to feel." She curled her knees to her chest
"I'm just emotionally overwhelmed." She sighed
"Use the spare bed in the back. I'll call your mom and help you clean up." Shelia said and Rory nodded.

She went into the bathroom and looked at her face. Damon's blood traced across her face as tears dried on her face
"Right she's agreed. Now to clean you up." She said and took some makeup wipes for her mascara then took normal wipes for the blood.

"This is to help it out of your system." She handed her a small glass of liquid and Rory downed it
"What is it?" Rory asked
"Whiskey. It will help you sweat it out as well." Rory chuckled.

💫
Rory's outfit

💫

Shelia once again walked to her door and opened only this time be greeted by Stefan this time instead of the other one
"What do you want?" She asked
"I heard Rory was here." Stefan said
"Yes she is. What do you want?" Shelia asked.

"To talk to her." He said
"No." She crossed her arms
"Did she tell you about last night?" Stefan asked.

"She didn't tell much about the blood on her face but she did tell me how she felt and when I tell you that you're lucky to still be standing here I mean it." She said
"I admit I messed up-"

"You did more than that."
"But Elena has been taken and she needs to know."
"No she doesn't. She is hurt, she needs time."

"But-"
"You're a vampire. Figure it out." She slammed the door in his face
"They took Bonnie." Stefan said and she opened the door.

"Come in." She said and he walked into the house

"Whats wrong?" Rory asked as Shelia walked into the kitchen with Stefan
"I am going to tell you something and I need you to not freak out."
"Yes?" Rory asked.

"Elena and was kidnapped and Stefan is going to get them back so he's here because I need to do a locator spell." Shelia said
"Okay." Rory nodded and Shelia turned to Stefan
"Not a single word to her." She said and went into the other room.

Rory stood there looking at the counter, she couldn't look at him, she didn't want to. Stefan looked at her, he waited for her to look up at him so he could apologise.

"Rory-" Before he could finish Shelia walked in with all the stuff she needed.

"Right, lets find them."

💫

Bonnie was sat on the couch laying her back against Rory's chest as she looked at her grandmother
"How did you know where we were?" Bonnie asked
"Many things can fuel a witches power. Worry. Anger. After Stefan told me they had taken you, I had a lot of both. Simple locater spell was easy after that." Shelia shrugged.

"I'm sorry. About all of this." Bonnie said
"Not as sorry as they're gonna be." Rory whispered into Bonnie's ear as Stefan and Elena entered the room.

"So what do we do now?" Elena asked
"Well, for now, you need to stay here as well as you." Stefan said to Rory and Elena
"A prisoner, in my own home? I don't think so." Shelia shook her head.

"I can't protect you if you leave the house." Stefan said
"We'll protect ourselves." Shelia replied back
"We need to let him have Katherine back. He's not going to stop until he gets her. If we help him, maybe that ends it." Rory said.

"No! He doesn't deserve to get what he wants." Bonnie said lifting her body from Rory
"What other choice do we have?" Elena said and she looked at them all.

"Witches being pulled down by vampire problems. 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." Shelia planned out
"We still have to get Damon to agree." Stefan said
"He already agreed once." Elena said.

"Yeah, and then we double crossed him. So now he's angry." Stefan said and looked at Elena and Rory once again
"There's no 'we' you double crossed him and brought Elena into it while going behind my back leading me to nearly becoming a vampire." Rory said.

"I will speak to Damon. He trusts me." Rory said and stood up then proceeded to walk out of the house.

"Well I'm not saying that was deserved but..." Shelia looked at them.

💫

Rory walked into the Salavtore house and saw Damon sitting on the couch
"I'm guessing Elena was saved?" He asked and she nodded
"They're both safe."

"So, me being nearly killed for a spell book with no witch to preform it, planned out everything have you." Rory crossed her arms
"I meant what I said last night. It did hurt to do that to you."
"And yet you still did it." Rory said.

"Why are you here?" He asked
"Because you said last night that you trusted me and counted on me. I hope that's true because there's a plan for you to get Katherine." She explained.

"Really who's gonna help me?" He asked
"Me."
"You're not a witch."

"No but Shelia loves me and the amount of convincing I had to do because she is pissed about last night." Rory looked at Damon's expression
"Moving on... she and Bonnie are willing to help with the spell."

"What's the catch?" He asked
"Only Katherine. You only have Katherine all the other vampires get burned."
"Burned? Bit extreme."

"I mean you probably wouldn't of had objections if Katherine wasn't in there." Rory shrugged
"Sorry." She whispered as she saw his expression.

Damon then stood up and walked to her
"Why are you helping me?" He asked
"Because I think if you're going through all of these extremes that you must really love her and the worst pain imaginable is not being with the one you're destined to be with." She looked up at him.

They both felt it. The tug on their heart as they looked at each other. The urge they both felt to have their lips touch each other's.

"I'm sorry." He said
"For what happened last night, you don't have to forgive me, but I promise I will protect you through out anything. Even when I have Katherine."

Katherine.

Him saying her name felt like a stab in the heart for both of them.

"Thank you. She's lucky to have someone like you." She said.

They both thought the same thing.

What if their lips were to touch.

They both craved it like a drug.

In the end Damon just nodded.

"When does this plan happen?"

💫

Rory and Damon were walking to the old church when they see a bunch of teenagers drinking and talking
"Oh underage drinking. That's a must." Rory picked up a bottle of beer
"Nope." He took it away from her
"What the fuck?" She asked.

"We need you sober if we are dealing with fire and vampires."
"Buzzkill." She muttered
"That's right." He smiled. They walked further to see the group and Damon whistles.

"Brother. Witches. Look a like." He acknowledged and then walked past them and into the tomb as Stefan approached Rory
"Everything okay?" He asked
"Are we ready?" She asked.

The betrayal hit hard. She didn't know what to believe, she didn't know if Stefan was going to let Katherine out with Damon but she had to believe for Damon.

"I guess so." He said and they all walked down into the tomb.

💫

Sheila lit the torches at the tomb as Bonnie stands next to her and the rest of them watch from the entrance
"Air. Earth. Fire." Shelia started
"Water." Bonnie finished with holding up a bottle of water, Shelia then takes it and sprinkles it onto the floor.

"That's it? Just water from the tap?" Elena asked
"As opposed to what?" Shelia asked
"I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something." She guessed.

"What's that?" Stefan asked as Damon held out a bag of blood
"It's for Katherine. Gotta have something to get her going. Unless your girl's offering a vein to tap." He glanced at Rory.

"Admit it - you can't wait to get rid of me." Damon said
"I can't wait to get rid of you." Stefan replied and Damon hummed
"We're ready." Bonnie said.

"Rory, come here please." Shelia said
"Why?" She asked
"Please." Rory then stepped forward and Shelia brought out a small knife,

"What the fuck?" Rory said
"Trust me." She said and poked a small hole in her skin that went next to the water which lead the flames to flare up
"Again... what the fuck?" Rory asked but she goes ignored.

Then, Bonnie and Shelia begin to recite the spell with their eyes shut holding, each other's hands.
"What are they saying?" Damon asked
"Sounds Latin." Stefan said
"I don't think it's Latin." Elena said.

The flames start to flare and Elena holds on to Rory
"What's happening?" She asked and the door to the tomb creaked open. Shelia and Bonnie stop chanting and looked up
"It worked." Bonnie said.

"Of course it worked." Shelia replied
"Don't you have some fires to build." Damon asked Stefan
"I'm gonna go get the gasoline, I'll be right back." Stefan said and left the tomb.

"You ready?" Damon turned to Rory
"What?" Elena asked
"You think I'm gonna go in there by myself so you can seal me in?" Damon asked and helped out his hand to Rory.

"Don't take her in. I'll bring the walls down." Shelia threatened
"You'll bring the walls down if I don't. You think I trust you?" Damon asked
"As much as I trust you." She fired back.

"It's fine, I understand, I'll go." Rory grabbed Damon's hand as he grabbed one of the torches from the circle
"May I?" He asked and then he walked himself and Rory into the tomb.

💫

The pair were searching for Katherine when they heard whispers throughout the tomb
"What in the satanic shit is that?!" She whispered to him, gripping onto his hand
"They can sense you. Now, where is she?" He asked letting go of her hand.

"Damon!" She shouted.

💫

Flashback from 11 years ago

"Please I'm sorry." 7 year old Aurora sobbed as she was dragged to a dark room
"I can't go in there! Please!" She screamed as she was practically thrown in there with her head knocking on the ground.

"Let me out!" She screamed,
"I don't like the dark!" She sobbed. She tried to ram into the door, trying to open it but it wasn't any use.

She slid down the door as tears stream down her face and down her neck.

"I'm sorry." She curled her knees to her chest as she cried.

The truth was. She didn't even know what she had done.

💫

"Damon? Damon!" Rory called out as the whispering was still around her, then she ended up tripping and her flashlight ended up landing on one of the mummified vampires. Her blood ran cold as she looked beside her to see a vampire staring at her. She let out a scream as she stood up and looked around to see them all around her.

💫

Flashback from 13 years ago

"Mommy!" 5 year old Aurora shouted as tried to look around the dark room. She didn't know where she was or how long she had been there. She remembered going to sleep in her bed then having a nightmare and woke up.

She stood up and saw the what looked like a door with light underneath it, she walked straight to it when she bumped into it then managed to walk around it.

"Mommy!" She shouted and then made it to the door. It was locked.

She looked back at the object in the middle of the room and noticed it had a lid. She used all of her strength to open it and when she did the moon started to shine through the place finally letting her see what was inside.

Then, she let out a bloodcurdling scream at the sight.

A dead body laid there staring right back at her.

"Let me out!" She screamed and banged on the door but ended up sliding down the door and back into the corner with her knees to her chest as she cried.

💫

Rory felt a presence behind her and she turned around to see Anna
"You must be Anna. I've heard so much about you from Jeremy." Rory said and Anna stepped closer to her
"Aw, that's cute. It's a shame of what I have to do." She said and Rory walked backwards and bumped into someone.

"Sorry." She whispered to them and Anna immediately goes to her
"Mother! Mother. Your boyfriend did this, you know." Anna turned to Rory
"His father did." Anna stood up.

"And Johnathan Gilbert. I made a choice a long time ago that it would be Gilbert blood that brought her back to life. I had Jeremy all ready to go but...."
"I'm not a Gilbert. I'm adopted." Rory said
"No, but you're so much more." Anna then sped over to Rory and bites her wrist leaving Rory to scream.

Anna then pushed Rory to the ground and held out Rory's wrist to her mother and she began to drink
"Let her go!" Stefan pushed Anna away and then pulled Rory to him then away to the exit.

"Go. Go. I'm right behind you." He said and Rory ran out to see Bonnie, Shelia and Elena
"Rory, Stefan..." Bonnie began
"He's right behind me." She said then turned to the entrance to see Stefan standing there.

"Whats happening?" Rory asked
"It's gonna be okay. We'll fix it." Bonnie promised
"Fix what?" She asked
"I can't." He said.

"No. No." Rory shook her head in denial
"You went in there not knowing if you could come back out!?" She shouted at him
"I heard you scream." He said
"Oh my god." Rory took a deep breath.

"We can't leave him in there. We promised him. Both of us. We can't leave you either." Rory said
"I know." Stefan said
"Even if we're able to break through the seal, we won't be able to hold it for long." Shelia said.

"We need more of your blood as well." Shelia said
"Okay." Rory nodded and held out her arm where the wound from Anna was and blood began to drip down as Shelia and Bonnie recite the spell.

"I think it's working." Elena said and Anna exits the tomb with her mother
"I just wanted my mother back. Jeremy's fine. He's outside. I won't touch him." She said and left the tomb then the fire begins to dim
"Bonnie, keep going! They better hurry." Shelia said to Elena.

"Stefan, they can't hold it much longer!" Elena shouted and the fire extinguished as Bonnie and Shelia look like their about to faint as Rory continues to bleed. Elena then ran into the tomb to see Damon pushing away Stefan.
"Damon! Rory is in trouble." She said and they all rush out of the tomb as the Bennet witches keep on chanting.

"Oh my God. I can't!" Bonnie gasped for air
"Yes, you can." Shelia encouraged and the tomb door closed and they all stop.

Stefan rushed over to Rory and gave her his blood to help the wound and then help her up, she gripped onto his shoulder as she hugged him. She then looked over at Damon and walked to him and hugged him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and kissed his shoulder.

💫

They all went to Shelia's house and it was surprising to them all when she invited Damon inside, Rory, Stefan and Damon all walked into Shelia's room
"Bonnie said you wanted to see us." Rory kneeled down beside her bed
"Yes. I need to tell you all something."

"Remember when you told me about the dreams you were having." She started off and Rory cleared her throat and looked over at the brothers
"Can we forget that?" She asked and Shelia weakly chuckled.

"It was happening for a reason." She grabbed her hand
"Soulmates exist. Remember that story I told you about the Aliena Reginae?" She asked and the Salvatore Brothers look confused
"It means Mad Queen."

"Well, she was a very powerful queen and there was a folklore about how someday she will bless someone with as many lovers as she had but they were destined to be together. Soulmates."

"And that was me?" Rory asked and Shelia nodded
"You have 9 soulmates. You've already found the first two." Rory turned to them
"So you're saying, I am destined to be with both of them." She said.

"Until the world bursts into flames." She said
"There's a book in my drawer about soulmates for you." She said and Rory nodded
"Also-" Shelia began to wheeze.

"Bonnie!" Rory shouted
"I can help. I've done it before." Rory whispered as she remembered what happened to Lexi but Shelia shook her head.

"Grams." Bonnie kneeled next to Rory as she held her hand and they both felt the moment it went limp.

Tears welled in both of their eyes and both hugged each other as the Salvatore brothers watched their soulmate break down with her best friend.