No Way Out

When the Salvatore brothers lunged at the werewolves - and vice versa, Tyler ran for it. No way was he risking his life in a battle he still didn't understand anything about. He also had no idea whose side to be on anymore. The trailer seemed like a good hiding place, for now. But as soon as he'd locked the door he regretted it.

He just stood there, staring, nailed to the ground.

It was Caroline. Her eyes were closed but shot open the second he'd come in. She was locked up. In a... cage. What the hell was going on?

"Tyler! Tyler, there's a latch but I can't get to it. I can't reach it - Tyler. Help me. Please." Her voice pleaded, sensing his hesitation.

He doubted for a second. He didn't understand why. But on the other hand, maybe he did. She had lied to his face all this time. About Mason, about the Salvatores, who knew about what else.

Without thinking further, his instinct kicked in, screaming at him to help her. It was Caroline. He saw what she looked like. Her pink t-shirt had blood on it, as had her hair and cheek. He lost his breath for a moment taking this all in. The cage door was heavy, he had to apply all the strength he possessed at that moment, even with all the adrenaline rushing through his veins.

Caroline crawled out and headed towards the door, only to be yanked around when Tyler grabbed her wrist.

"Caroline, I..." He didn't finish his sentence. What was he going to say to her?

It didn't matter anyway, because just outside the trailer, a voice called out. The fight was still going on, he could hear it, they both could, but somehow she'd managed to escape from it.

"Tyler! Where the hell are you? Open this door right now! We need you out here! Don't tell me the vampire is still breathing in there."

This pushed Caroline over the edge. In a flash she had Tyler locked in a grip so tight he could've sworn it was as if she holding onto him for dear life.

But she wasn't. He understood that when she spoke.

"Well, Jules, sucks for you, but I am. I don't go down without a fight, and now you've given me something to really be pissed about. You better watch it."

Caroline had never sounded so malicious, so vengeful in her life. At least not whenever he had been near her. Which he supposed was a good thing.

"Tyler, you need to come out. You can't trust her, remember? She'll hurt you. The moment she comes at you, you stake her." she spit out the words clearly and Tyler felt Caroline flinch behind him. "A werewolf never betrays his pack."

"Don't worry. She won't get out." he said calmly. Could she just leave already?

There was no response after that. Not from Jules anyway. Caroline's grip on him instantly loosened as she stepped away from him. She squeezed her eyes shut and sighed. "Right."

There it was. The betrayal etched on her face.

"Caroline, I would -"

"No. Don't say anything. You have to help them. Kill your enemies. Finish your buddies' work."

He started to protest, but she wouldn't let him. She started ranting, looking hurt and furious at the same time.

"Here, use this." She moved towards the cage and picked something up, putting it in his hands. However, he didn't pay attention to that. He'd followed her movement and that's when he saw it. Inside of the cage, the ground lay full with splinters and bullets and there was blood everywhere. Her blood. He felt his throat close up quickly.

"This is what Jules' boy toy used to shoot me with. After a while I didn't even count anymore. He got my arm, my leg, my hip, my stomach, my head..." Her voice broke ultimately and she had to stop for a second. They were both biting back tears.

"He shot me in the forehead and then enjoyed watching me take the bullet out. But not once did he aim to kill me."

"So you do it." He looked down to his hands and saw a gun. "Aim right here." Her hand hovered over her heart. "You might recognize it, my heart. It's where you used to be."

That just didn't sting, it felt like a punch in the gut. Why he still didn't react was beyond him at this point.

He was frozen in place and that angered her even more. She sped to a nearby chair and ripped one of the legs off, thrusting it in his hands and gesturing the tip at herself.

"End it. You have to prove yourself to them, Tyler. What way's better than to kill the vampire who betrayed you?"

"I am not going to stake you, Caroline -"

"It's the only way. You probably wanted to do this since you found out I lied. I don't want this anymore. Do it."

"No."

"Do it!"

"Don't push me, Caroline." He felt the anger rising the way it had done the days after he had triggered the curse.

"If you ever cared even the tiniest bit about me, you'll do it."

The next thing she knew, Tyler had pushed her up against the wall, rage practically bouncing off him, the stake still only inches away from her heart. Caroline's eyes filled with tears again as she continued to look at him, straight into his eyes. He stared right back.

Even though the fear in her eyes was apparent, she kept the emotion out of her voice.

"I'm not scared anymore."

That's what got to him. She had been scared. Of him. She didn't trust him anymore. She held him responsible for what had happened to her, and for that he couldn't blame her. If he hadn't talked to Jules, they would've never known about his blond vampire friend.

He threw the chair piece away as hard as he could before slowly brushing her bangs away from her forehead, his eyes focused on the bullet wound that had partially healed. She gasped a little when he cupped her cheeks with his hands and brought his lips up to kiss her forehead.

"I could never kill you, Caroline. Ever. So don't you dare ask me that."

Caroline closed her eyes for a second as a single tear rolled down her face.

But Tyler never saw her response coming.

She ran to pick up the stake and she let it hover over her. "I'm sorry." she told him before plunging it in her chest.

Tyler yelled out her name and fell down on his knees next to her. Air was completely gone for him as he watched her gasp for it.

Outside, the fight had ended but Tyler didn't notice until he was slammed against the wall he had pushed Caroline against. Damon Salvatore punched him hard in the face and held him up by his collar.

"What the hell did you do, Lockwood? That was a bad move. You really don't want to get on my bad side. Ask your wolf friends out there. And your uncle." His tone was vicious in a way that actually scared Tyler, despite the hint of amusement in his last two sentences.

"I didn't do anything! It was... her." he said defeated while slumping a bit, but Damon's hold didn't falter. Tyler's gaze was fixed on the blond vampire as Stefan contemplated what to do to help her.

"Stefan?" Damon then asked, leaving out the 'how is she?' that usually followed when using that tone.

Stefan didn't answer (although that was already an answer - one that nor Damon nor Tyler liked) but leaned closer to Caroline and took her hand in his. "Caroline, this will hurt, but trust me, okay? I'm going to help you."

"Stefan?" Damon spoke again, sounding irritated. However, he didn't turn his head towards them. It seemed as though both Salvatores really cared for the girl. As well, he added mentally.

Stefan sighed and squeezed Caroline's hand before replying, making sure he kept his eyes locked with Tyler's, silently telling him what he'd caused. Tyler already knew.

"I need to get this wood out first, only then I can see if I can help her." His voice was soft, and only Damon understood what that meant.

"You better hope she doesn't die." was all that the oldest Salvatore brother said before a blood curdling scream filled the trailer as Stefan pulled the stake out.

Tyler tried to shut the sound out, but he couldn't. He was forced to hear it, this was his fault. He couldn't deny that anymore.

"You need to leave now, Salvatores. They won't be unconscious much longer."

The voice came from the outside, a voice Tyler didn't recognize but moved Stefan to his feet immediately. "Damon, you heard Jonas. We have to go, before they wake up. Otherwise it might be too late."

He lifted Caroline up in his arms and stepped outside without sparing Tyler a second glance. Damon shoved him one last time, saying "You'll hear from us, Lockwood." before going after his brother.

Damon was startled when he heard his brother groan and walked out to find Stefan on the ground clutching his neck where he had apparently been stabbed. Without analyzing the situation further he rushed to Caroline, who was lying at a short distance of Stefan. The impact of the fall had knocked her out and Damon sincerely hoped she'd wake up, if only to not face the wrath of Elena and Bonnie.

Jules had kept quiet until she took in a hurt Salvatore and a preoccupied one. She would get her way after all; all three vampires that had caused Mason's death to die themselves. She aimed her stake at Damon before speaking.

"I really hope she's not already dead, that would've been the easy way out. I'm going to finish what Brady-" She was at a momentary loss of words as her head hit the nearest tree, then looking straight in the eyes of one very angry Lockwood.

"Not as long as I can help it. Go, now. Get Care and your brother out of here now." he said to Damon, trying his best to hold back Jules and the rising panicky feeling that prevented him from peeking at the blond now lying limp in Damon's arms.

Stefan was already up and healing. He gave Tyler a short nod before the two left with their vampire speed.

This is my first story for the Vampire Diaries. I'm just in love with this show and I hate what's happened to Forwood recently. Plus, there aren't nearly enough T/C fics so I thought I'd write one myself! This isn't going to be a long story, maybe a two or three-parter. We'll see ;) If you liked this first chapter, please review!

- Elien