Mystic Falls

April 2010

Damon Salvator strutted across the parking lot of the Mystic Falls high school. Cars were parked in spaces and shouts could be heard echoing from inside the gym. Sports. Even in a town littered with the supernatural, pastimes such as high school sports were still cultivated as a religion. In the century that Damon had been alive, it made him smirk that such things had not changed. However, what has changed was the fact that Katherine fucking Pierce was now locked in the tomb that Damon once sought to free her from.

Irony really could be a bitch.

Damon couldn't lie and say that he wasn't enjoying these turn of events. He despised that bitch. Spending a hundred and forty-six years in love with her just to learn that she wasn't in that tomb at all, really felt like a gut punch. The moment he realized that she was gone and he had been lied to for the entirety of his vampiric existence was hard to swallow. Damon was proud and Katherine wounded that pride, so now she was stuck in that tomb and he had the mind to let her rot down there for the rest of her eternity.

What was it exactly that Anna had said? That Katherine had known exactly where he was the entire time? Did she know that where he was in the fifties? Did she know that he was imprisoned at Whitmore? A wave of fresh hot anger shot through him. If he wouldn't be trapped inside the tomb alongside her, Damon had the mind to spend the rest of the time torturing her just like he had been during those times. He might have forgiven her lies, if she had strolled in and let him out of that cell. Maybe he could have even saved Enzo. Maybe things would have been different.

"I must say, that was really impressive." Damon paused and turned. A tall woman leaned against a dark Ford Escape with her arms crossed. She had short brown hair that flared out at her chin and light hazel eyes. She wore a reddish brown leather jacket with tight jeans and boots that went up to her knees. Damon couldn't help but admit that she was attractive despite the fact that she was clearly a vampire; and a very old one. Older than him and older than Katherine; so old that Damon didn't even sense her at first. "Imprisoning Katerina Petrova in the tomb."

"I don't know what your talking about." If Damon hadn't been on his guard before, he was now. Only few people called Katherine by her given name and those who did, were around when she was first turned. He learned of it briefly when he was human and called her that once-it didn't end well for him. She left him and went straight to his brother's bed. She hated that name and therefore, Damon never called her it again. However, if this vampire would willing call Katherine by her given name, then this vampire was far more dangerous than the one he just imprisoned. "And who are you?"

"Rose-Marie, but my friends call me Rose."

"Well Rose-"

"We're not friends." Rose cut him off with a smile. She pushed off the Ford Escape and strolled over to him slowly. Cheers echoed in the background as one of the teams scored something, causing the crowd to go wild. Rose stood in front of him directly and his first thought was to attack; but he knew he couldn't win. Perhaps if Stefan was there, the two of them together could take her down but the closer she got, he could feel the age vibrating off of her. That was the thing with vampires, the young ones could always tell who their elders were. "I'm here to offer a warning. He is coming and it would be best if you stayed out of his way. He may even give you a gold star if you leave the first doppelganger in the tomb."

Suddenly Damon felt himself panic. Elena. His brother's girl. The girl who he couldn't help but feel something for. She was everything he wished Katherine had been and wanted her to be. However, just like the rotting bitch, Elena preferred his perfect saint of a brother. He wondered if Elena would like Stefan if she knew what he was really like when he lost control. Damon didn't know what answer he wanted because neither would be good for him. Either way, he wanted nothing to happen to her. He wanted Elena alive.

"Who is coming?"

"Klaus." Rose flashed off before Damon could ask who in the hell was Klaus. He stood there completely frozen, unsure exactly what he should do. All he knew was that he was going to have to discover who Klaus was and what he could possibly want with Katherine; and how that related to Elena.

He didn't hear where Rose flashed off to; not over the screams of the crowd. He didn't see her enter the gym or weave through the crowd and leave at the other side of the building. It wasn't until she reached the town square that she slowed to a human pace. She closed her eyes and came to a standstill. It was on a whim that Trever wanted to come here. She was hesitant because it was Klaus's birth place; but she would never second guess Trever again. After five hundred years of running, it was about to end. Rose reached into her bag, pulled out her cellphone and dialed one of her contacts. Perhaps one day soon she would be able to see her friend again.

New Orleans

April 2010

Klaus stood over the balcony watching the endless parade flow past. Some celebration that Klaus didn't care enough to participate in. Once upon a time he relished in the flow and life that always was present in the city; his city. He built this town from the ground up and he built it for her. After shoving the white oak stake into the heart of his father, they were free. They no longer had to run and they decided to settle. She always wanted a home so he built her a city.

She loved Paris; so he ensured that the french were prevalent here. She loved color and life and exotic foods. She loved magic and the raw darkness of it. This was everything she could have ever wanted. Klaus would have laid the world at her feet if she had asked. She never did, only ever wanting him but he always knew that he could never be enough for her. And now he was alone. Living nothing more than a shadow of a life for the last one hundred and forty six years.

Klaus continued to listen to the cheering of the party goers below. He could smell the alcohol and the spices from the creole dishes. This had been his home and now he only came back once a year; except that time in the fifties and sixties where he secluded himself from the world. This was a time that he cherished and would lavish the most important person of his existence with gifts and his affections. An anniversary of when he became hers. Now, he came to mourn her. To allow that hallow hole in his chest to take center. He allowed himself to fully feel it.

He gripped the railing of the balcony that overlooked the street until his knuckles turned white. His eyes closed and he breathed deeply. He let the pain flow through him and he tried to imagine her smile; how she laughed and the very first moment he laid eyes upon her-over a thousand years ago.

That memory burned inside of him.

"This isn't healthy." Klaus turned and saw the figure of his protégé leaning against the doorway. His arms were crossed and his shoulder rested upon the wood. Normally, vampires congregated to his home for the lavish and fantastic parties he threw. But the supernatural community knew by now that this week, the manor was draped in black and no one was to enter. "The whole of New Orleans knows why you're here. Some of them are afraid that you are going to go off the deep end like you did last year."

"Marcel, those witches-"

"Did nothing more than simply be witches." Marcel argued. "They practiced magic. Now, you know I have that rule that witches cannot practice magic without my permission. They did wrong but to massacre their entire coven?"

"It wouldn't be the first time I annihilated an entire coven."

"I know. I was there in 1914. I helped you and watched you dagger Kol when he was collecting those dark objects." Marcel replied but shook his head. "Look, you're more than welcome here. You know that. This is your city. You built it and I will keep it standing until you are able to take the keys back. But know this, I don't do it for you Klaus. You are not the only one who misses her." Klaus flashed to him and gripped his throat.

"Do not for one second compare your pain to mine. She was my reason for breathing. If there wasn't a mere chance that I knew that she could come back to me, I would have ended my life a century ago." He threw Marcel backwards and the vampire hit the wall. A dent was formed in the brick and the dark vampire looked up at the man who raised him.

"She was my mother. She made me into the man I am today. Don't forget that." Marcel fired back. Klaus was all but ready to attack him again but his phone buzzed. He saw his sister's name flash on the screen and he scowled. She knew not to call him here. She knew that he was unreachable during this time. He ignored it; but before he could continue his assault on Marcel, she called right back. Klaus felt his temper flare but he pressed the answer button.

"What Freya?" He hissed into the receiver with clenched teeth.

"They found her. Mystic Falls."

"What?"

"Mystic Falls. I'm in New York. I'll be there tomorrow around mid day."

"Are you certain?"

"A contact called me. I'm positive. She is there."

"Who was it?"

"Rose-Marie."

"I gather she wants her freedom then?"

"And that vampire friend of her's."

"I see." If this was real, if this was finally happening, Rose could have whatever she desired. He would gift that pathetic friend of hers an entire country if she wished if it brought her back to him. He had been searching for over a century for this and here it was, all but being handed to him; and so close to their anniversary. "If she is really there, tell Rose-Marie that she is free. Call me when you arrive, I'll be there shortly."

"Oh and Klaus. Katerina is buried in a tomb beneath the town." Klaus smiled and ended the calls and Marcel was on him with wide eyes. With his vampire hearing, he heard everything. He was searching Klaus's face for any sign of breaking. Marcel wanted nothing more than to break this curse but he wasn't sure if this would break Klaus. If this didn't work, Marcel wasn't sure if Klaus would keep his humanity on this time. Klaus was dangerous but without his humanity, Marcel wasn't sure if New Orleans, Mystic Falls and the world as a whole would be left standing.

"They found her?"

"Yes." Klaus wasn't looking at him but Marcel could see the wheels turning in his head. "I'm leaving at first light for Mystic Falls. I'll meet Freya there. Would you make arrangements and bring the coffins?" Marcel nodded. "Leave the daggers in tact if you would. At least for right now." Marcel nodded but in the back of his mind, he was shocked. He never thought that Klaus would consider ever removing those daggers for all of eternity.

"Well, Rebekah and I are still on the outs so that one is safe and Kol hate me so trust me when I say that one will stay put." Marcel joked and Klaus smirked at him. It was the first smirk that Marcel has seen since that fateful night. Klaus didn't say anything but instead flashed to the chamber he used when he was in residence. The master suite still remained untouched.

Mystic Falls

April 2010

Elena and Bonnie stumbled through the woods towards the old Fell Church. Bonnie trailed behind Elena, not completely sure that this was a wise idea but Elena was determined. She wanted to speak with Katherine and no matter how much Bonnie tried to convince her otherwise, she wouldn't change her mind. Once they reached the edge of the tomb, Elena looked towards Bonnie who nodded and magically maneuvered her into the tomb.

When Elena touched down on the bottom, she put the black duffle back that she had been carrying on the ground and called out for the vampire. Slowly, she could hear something rustling and moving towards her. It sounded like a horror movie and that moment when she felt as though she should run but she stood her ground. Soon enough, the pale and boney figure of Katherine appeared at the entrance of the tomb.

"Hello Elena." Her voice was raspy and horse. It sounded as though she had not spoken for days. "You come to watch me wither away?" Elena couldn't look away from her. It was as though she was looking into a mirror. They were identical but it was as though she was looking into a mirror and hating what she saw. Looking at Katherine made her feel a sense of self loathing Elena only felt when she thought of her parents. "Stefan know you're here?"

"I brought you some things."

"You can't bribe me. What is it that you want?" Elena pulled out a blanket and a pillow and tossed them into the tomb. Katherine didn't even look at them but kept her gaze on her doppelganger.

"I want you tell me about Klaus and what he could possibly want with me." This surprised Katherine and for the first time since entering that tomb, she seemed amused. Elena pulled a thermos out of the black bag and sat it down onto the ground. Katherine could smell the blood but refused to move or break. She would not grovel for a drop of blood. She was Katherine Pierce. She was stronger than that.

"You've been busy."

"I also brought you this." It was a thick leather bound book and suddenly Katherine forgot about the thermos sitting on the cave floor. "Its your family history. It says in here that the family line ended with you. Obviously that is not true."

"You think that if you brought me some family keepsake that I'd open up?" Elena reached down and cracked open the thermos full of blood. Katherine's instinct took over and she lunged forward, only to be stopped by an invisible barrier separating her from Elena. Elena poured a tiny bit of blood into the cup and pushed it towards Katherine, who greedily took the cup and drank.

"More blood? Start talking."

"You have the Petrova fire." Elena said nothing. "It is a long story. Klaus and I. Goes all the way back to 1492 in England after I left Bulgaria...or I was thrown out." Katherine took another sip of blood and Elena tossed her a questioning look. "I had a child out of wedlock. My family, your ancestors disowned me. My baby, my daughter was given away."

Elena wanted to say that she was sorry but found that she couldn't say anything at all. She didn't want to feel sorry for Katherine. She wasn't willing to show pity for the woman who tormented both Stefan and Damon for almost a century and a half. "I caught the eye of a nobleman named Klaus. I was taken with him at first until I learned what he was and what he wanted from me. Then I ran like hell."

"What did he want?"

"Klaus is one of the first seven vampires to walk this earth. We are all descended from one of those vampires, but Klaus was more. He had the werewolf gene that was locked away for centuries. The blood of the doppelganger unlocked that curse. He wanted to sacrifice me on an alter to lift his curse." Elena froze. "So I ran. I killed myself, became a vampire and infuriated him. He then massacred my entire family in revenge."

"Is that what he wants with me? To drain my blood."

"No. He killed one of my decedents, another doppelganger, in 1702. The same night she gave birth to her son. Klaus was always one for a backup plan and it was best to keep the Petrova line alive. His wolf side has been unlocked for centuries and then he killed his father shortly after that." She gave a merciless laugh. In truth, Katherine never cared for her descendants and cared even less for the one standing in front of her. They only made her bitter. It proved that her daughter had a full life that she was never apart of. "He is coming here because another curse haunts him now. He wants back what I took from him."

"What did you take?" Elena asked in a whisper. Confusion filled her. There was so much she didn't know and so many questions she wished to ask.

"He massacred my entire family because I disobeyed him. He took them from me so I took the one person that meant everything to him." Katherine smirked and Elena could tell that Katherine thought this was her one greatest achievement. "Did you ever ask yourself why I was in Mystic Falls in 1864? It wasn't because of Damon and Stefan. They were nothing more than a distraction."

"Katherine, what did you do?"

"I took his wife."

"What?"

"I took Caroline."

England

April, 1492

The garden only bloomed at night. The flowers that were all closed during the day and it made many of the servants wonder why Lady Caroline wanted the flowers that could only be seen by the moon. It was a request she made of her husband and Klaus was nothing more than obliging to Caroline's whims. Truth was that Caroline cared deeply for those she deemed worthy enough, and Rose was one of her friends that she held close.

Early in their friendship, Rose had stated that she missed seeing the flowers bloom. Since Rose became someone she cared for, but didn't trust enough to give a daylight ring too, she asked Klaus to have an entire garden planted with just flowers that bloomed at night. The two strolled with linked arms as the moon was high in the sky. It was just over a week away before the full moon and Caroline could could stop pretending.

"How long will the doppelganger be your guest?" Rose asked and she could see Caroline scowl. She hated the doppelganger and Rose knew that it wasn't just because of the girl herself. Truthfully, Caroline hadn't actually met her in person yet. She was less than pleased when Klaus suggested that Katerina stay at their home. She was was even less pleased when Klaus told her they shouldn't flaunt their marriage. The row that followed had been one of their worst in the five hundred years they had been married, only surpassed by the fight of epic proportions they had when they turned the very first vampires only a few years after they were turned themselves. There was so much more to the story of the doppelganger and the Mikelsons but Rose knew better than to pry. She adored Caroline. She was giving and bright and had this light that was rare from vampires who were as old as they were. However, that light could go out just as quickly as her husband's temper turned.

"Just another week. Then Klaus will drain her and I will never have to suffer seeing that face again." Caroline replied as she picked an evening primrose. She turned towards Rose and smiled. She pushed Rose's dark curls behind her ear and placed the yellow flower in her hair. "There, you look beautiful. Now tell me, has Trever professed his undying love for you yet?" Rose laughed. Caroline always tried to convince the two of them that they were made for one another when neither Rose nor Trever saw anything romantic in one another.

"No. Not at all. You know that he is nothing more than a brother to me." Rose chuckled and Caroline laughed with her. Caroline had this laughed that was musical and Rose couldn't help but feel uplifted when she heard it.

"Of course. Then again he is far to busying bedding the doppelganger." Rose froze with wide eyes. She wasn't sure if Caroline knew and if Caroline knew then Klaus did as well. "I do hope that his habits won't become a distraction." Rose nodded negatively. Caroline gave another wide smile. "Good. I would hate for my husband to be forced to end him. If you tried to stop it, Nik would kill you too and I would hate to lose one of my best friends."

Rose couldn't respond. Laughter could be heard in the gardens. The two turned their heads and saw Katerina running towards them. Her long dark brown curls bounced behind her and she turned her head towards the man who was chasing her. Elijah. Caroline rolled her eyes and looked at the pair. She turned to Rose but muttering.

"Another reason Trever shouldn't become too attached is the fact that Elijah will probably take her to bed before the full moon." Caroline hissed. The dark haired girl stopped in front of them and Elijah was quickly on her heels. If Katerina was paying attention, she might have noticed that Elijah caught up to her far to quickly for a mere human.

"Hello." Katerina said as she looked between the two. It was clear that she wasn't sure who they were but intended to find out.

"Katerina, may I introduce my sister, Caroline and her friend, Rose."

"Oh! I was so hoping to meet you. Is Rebekah with you?" Caroline plastered a fake smile on her lips and her ice blue eyes traveled over the girl. Clearly Elijah has been speaking of the family, which was fine as long as they kept the important parts a secret. Apparently her marriage to Klaus was one of them; much to her distain.

"No. Rebekah is away for the time being." In a coffin. With a dagger in her chest. Because she sided with Caroline on Klaus's idea of hiding their marriage. While Klaus would never dare dagger Caroline, Rebekah was fair game to him and her displeasing him in such a manner was enough for Klaus to put her to sleep. "But she will be back soon, I am sure."

"Oh, that is a pity. I was hoping to get to know both of my new sisters." Katerina smiled at her and it took every ounce of control Caroline had to not rip out her throat. While the doppelganger may not realize how violent Caroline's thoughts were, she could tell that the blonde did not like her very much. Elijah had stated that Caroline and Klaus were close and that she was protective towards him. She could only hope that over time the blonde would grow to accept her as Klaus's wife because it was clear that he was going to offer for her.

"Rose." Caroline turned. "Would you mind stalling our stroll to another time? I would like some time to get to know Katerina." Rose nodded and bowed slightly. She turned to walk away at a human speed but Caroline called out to her again. "Do think on what we discussed. It would mean a great deal to me if you do." Caroline smiled when Rose nodded. She turned back towards Katerina and linked their arms together. "Do not fret Elijah, she will be perfectly safe with me." Elijah looked at her wearily and turned. He knew that Caroline would not harm her because she was important to Klaus and that was all that mattered to his wife.

The two strolled a little while, admiring the flowers and making small comments about them. Caroline wanted to ensure that Elijah was far enough away that he could not hear them. That last thing she needed was her brother to be gaining too much attachment with the doppelganger, as she was soon to die anyway.

"Tell me Katerina, how are you finding England?"

"Very well. It is much different than Bulgaria certainly but it has its charms." The girl smiled, trying hard to get the other to like her. Katerina was never a people pleaser but she needed to at least try and form a friendship with her.

"Charms? Like Niklaus?"

"Yes. He is quite charming." Caroline stopped and rolled her eyes and Katerina stopped, shocked at the reaction. Caroline had enough of her after only a few words. She turned and bent down slightly since she was a bit taller than her. Her eyes dilated and Katerina became entranced.

"What do you really think of Niklaus?"

"He is handsome but he doesn't pay me any mind but everyone says he will make me offer of marriage. It is as though he doesn't notice me or want me at all, only to do what is expected of him. Elijah is much more pleasing." That made Caroline smile. She wouldn't lie and say that she had some worry over Klaus and the doppelganger. It was clear that Katerina would sleep with anyone that would let her but Klaus was hers. No other woman was to touch him. Ever. There was that small rough patch in France a few hundred years ago but they had grown since then. Yet, she had been worried. While this wasn't Tatia, she looked like her. Klaus had been infatuated with her once, and here she was in the flesh again. The narcotic part of her brain couldn't help but be jealous.

"Anything else?"

"He scares me. I don't know what he would do to me if he found out."

"Found out what?"

"That I allowed Trever to bed me and that I had a child out of wedlock." That made Caroline pause.

"A child? Where is it?"

"She was taken from me. My father took her from my arms just has I had given birth to her. I have no idea where she is or whom she was given too. She would be two years old now." Even in the mist of compulsion, Caroline could tell that she thought of her daughter often. Caroline felt a pang of sympathy in her heart as she thought of the child she never got to know. The one that never even had the chance grow inside of her but that she so desperately wanted to give Klaus.

And then that pang was gone.

"You will go to bed and sleep until the sun comes up. We spent most of the night strolling through the gardens, getting to know one another. You heard me laugh and believe that we have become great friends. You never told me of your daughter or your relationship with Trever." Katerina repeated her instructions and turned on her heels, making her way back towards the castle. Caroline stood there, watching as Katerina fled back into the castle.