She knocked at the door. She still didn't know why she decided to go, but somehow she thought the only person who could understand was there. Even if they despised each other. In a few seconds the door opened.

"Never thought I'd see you here."

"Never thought I'd come here."

"Do you need an invitation to come in or what? Cause if you do, I can't really help the situation."

Elena walked past Katherine and went to sit in the very same chair where Katherine sat when Klaus compelled her to stab herself over and over again. The vampire examined her doppelganger's expression and thought it looked like she had been stabbed over and over again. Metaphorically.

"So, you are here completely human. Which means that a) somehow you got to kill Klaus before the sacrifice which I highly doubt; b) you stopped the ritual which is even more unlikely cause otherwise Klaus would've killed your whole Scooby gang and taken you; c)… I have no idea. So, which one is it?"

"The ritual happened. The curse is broken. Jenna died. Klaus is still alive, because Elijah spared him. And I am human because John gave up his life for me."

Surprisingly, Katherine felt sympathetic for the girl in front of her. After all, Klaus ruined her life, too.

"Stefan and Damon?"

"They are fine." Elena said, still uneasy about why the elder Salvatore was MIA after the funeral and Stefan seemed distant.

Katherine realized Elena had no idea about Damon's werewolf bite. She thought about dropping the bomb, but she was too curious why the girl was there in the first place.

"And why are you here, Elena?"

The young girl looked at the much older woman in front of her. For the first time, she thought they really had more in common than the obvious.

"I lost Jenna, John and Isobel now. I lost my parents 2 years ago. And all of them died because of me, in some way. I came here to ask you how I get past it. How do I get past all the pain and the guilt that are suffocating me?"

Katherine sighed.

"You don't. It never goes away. It is always with you, in the back of your mind, even in your most glorious hour. You have three options. One - let it consume you till the point you are alive but no longer really living. Two – kill yourself to just escape it. Three – learn how to live with it and find some purpose – your brother, your lover, your friends, revenge…"

Elena didn't know what to say anymore. So she just went to the table and poured herself a glass of whiskey, then drowned it. She poured a second one and sat again. Katherine spoke again then.

"When I found them all… my siblings, my parents, I thought about going out in the sun and ending it. Me, who would do anything to stay alive. Back then, I wanted to die. I thought it would be my salvation. After I buried my family, I decided to take a walk around my village for the last time. And I walked past the house of the family my father gave my daughter to. And I saw her. I knew it was her, not one of the other children from the family, I just knew it. She was smiling and she was the most beautiful thing I've ever laid my eyes on. And then I knew that I had to stay alive to make sure he doesn't get her too. I watched over her secretly till the day she died giving birth to her third son. It was the second time I wanted to die. But I decided to keep an eye on my grandkids. And so on, till the point I decided I should live for myself. "

"And became a heartless bitch."

Katherine just smiled.

"Maybe, maybe not. The point is – what will your choice be?"

Honestly, that's what Elena went there to find out – what she should do. But Katherine was right – it was up to her.

"Why did you tell me all those things? You hate me, the man you love loves me, you wanted me dead. Why share things I bet no one, human or vampire, has ever known, with me?"

Katherine sighed. Wasn't that the million dollar question? Not really, though. She knew the answer.

"You remind me of me. And I don't mean your face or the fact that both Salvatores are in love with you. You remind me of the person I used to be. Before my child was taken away, before I was sent to the other side of the word against my will, before falling for the man who'd ruin my life, before learning about my fate and doing everything to escape it, before seeing my family killed because of that, before hearing my daughter's agony in her final moments, before running for 500 years, before losing and hurting the only man I've ever truly loved, before losing the love of the only man who has ever really loved me. Before all of that, I was very much like you. And now, you are going through so many things I went, too. Loving Stefan, but caring a little bit too much about Damon, so you can't let him go. Check. Being means to an end in Klaus' plans. Check. Losing your family. Check. I guess history does repeat itself."

Elena looked carefully at Katherine as the vampire followed her doppelganger's example and poured herself a drink. Suddenly, the younger woman felt a need to share her secrets as well. Things she had never told anyone. Somehow, in that moment, Elena felt like telling Katherine was inevitable.

"We have another thing in common, you and me. And Isobel, too. I guess it runs in the family."

Katherine turned around and looked at Elena, smiling curiously.

"Really? What is it? Our taste in men?"

Elena sighed. She couldn't believe what she was about to do. No one knew. Not her parents when they were alive, nor Bonnie, Caroline, Matt, Stefan or anyone else.

"It was 2008 and life was simple and great. I had the perfect family, I was cheerleader, dating the football captain, I had my friends and we had fun all the time. Until one day I realized I was 3 weeks late and I panicked. I took all kind of pregnancy test that existed and they were all positive. I was in shock; I had no idea what to do. Matt's mom had just left again and Vicki had started the drugs, so he had a lot to deal with already. I couldn't bring myself to tell mom and dad, or any of my friends for that matter. Then I started thinking about what I should do. I decided to go for abortion. But when I set my foot in the clinic I changed my mind. I may have not wanted this baby at that point, but I couldn't do it. So I decided I'd keep it and give it up for adoption. Still, I didn't want to tell anyone, so I made a plan. By the time school ended, I was 21 weeks along, but because of the baby's position, I wasn't showing that much, so I had managed to hide it with the right clothes. Then I left for the summer. I convinced mom and dad to let me go to a camp school organized for the summer. Only that I left the camp after just a week. I went to Richmond. I had some money saved, and I got a job, and I managed to support myself. I found an amazing family who wanted to adopt my baby, Melanie and Jason. Everything was going perfectly. On August 15th, I went into premature labor. I was only 34 weeks and that terrified me. The doctor promised it would be okay, but I was still scared. I prayed for the first time in my life. After hours of labor, my son was born. He was small, but really healthy. The nurses said they haven't seen a baby born at 34 weeks that well developed and that strong. I felt so proud. He was perfect. During the 3 days in the NICU, I didn't leave his side. He would squeeze my finger with his tiny hands, and smile. And, God, his smile was the most amazing thing I've seen in my life. I called him Alexander. I always thought this name was perfect, and my baby deserved the perfect name. But when he was ready to be discharged, the family came to take him. All I wanted was to never let him go, to hold him in my arms forever. But I knew I couldn't give him a good life. I was just a kid myself. So, I had to give him to Melanie while he was sleeping. I could tell she and Jason already loved him more than life itself, and it made me smile. They said that when he's old enough they'd tell him he was adopted, and that if after that he and I decided to get to know each other, connect, the door would always be open. They send me pictures every now and then. He's gotten so big, he's almost 3 now. And he is so absolutely perfect. There is not a day that passes that I don't think about him. There is not a day that I don't want to go to Richmond and see him. But I can't. Before, I couldn't because of mom and dad. Then, after their death, there were numerous times when I got into the car and was about to go there. But every time I stopped, because I thought that after losing him once, losing mom and dad, I couldn't let him go again. Then I met Stefan and got involved in all the supernatural drama, and I can't drag him into this. I can't risk him. Not him. When Klaus came, as terrified as I was, I was so grateful in that moment that Alex wasn't here. The one thing that gave me peace was that he was safe. The only thing that still keeps me going is that yesterday I received email, telling me he's healthy and happy. Cause if I didn't have this, I… "

"You'd have nothing."

The two women looked at each other, and they saw understanding, one that they couldn't have with anyone else than each other. For a few moments, they stayed quiet and finished their drinks, then Elena got up and started walking to the door when Katherine called her name and she turned around.

"For what is worth, I am sorry you had to go through this."

Elena smiled faintly.

"I'm sorry you had to go through it, too."

Elena was about to leave again when she was interrupted once more.

"Wait… There is something you need to know. It's not my place to tell, but… Damon's dying, Elena. He was bitten when he saved Caroline and Tyler. That's why Klaus used Jenna and not him. Damon was willing to be sacrificed, but he couldn't be used."

Elena's jaw tensed. This couldn't be true… But looking at Katherine, she knew she was telling the truth.

"I… I gotta see him. Now."

"That you do. Tell Stefan. I am not sure if Damon would tell him. And… in case I don't make it out of this god-damn flat before… Tell him… Tell him I am sorry for not loving him the way he wanted me to. "

Elena nodded, and Katherine knew she was grateful. Now it was time for Elena to go and try not to lose one more person she cared about, and Katherine really hoped she'd be successful.

Katherine stayed still after the door shut closed. Then, she sighed.

"Damn life!"