Elena Gilbert scrubbed tirelessly at the wall-length mirror mounted in the bathroom. Her fingers were stained a deep shade of crimson, one which she attempted in vain to ignore. KILLER! The word echoed in the hollow depths of her mind, in parts of herself that she had thought to be buried away under lock and key for the remainder of time.
KILLER, KILLER, KILLER!
She dropped the sopping, wet rag into the sink as hot tears burned within her eyes. "I'm not a killer," She said aloud, hoping that making the statement would somehow change the past.
Merely hours ago, she had snapped the neck of Connor Jordan, and promptly proceeded to bury him within the confines of the forestry surrounding Mystic Falls. The action was justifiable. This man had threatened all she had ever loved. Matt Donovan, her first true love. April Young, a girl who Elena liked to think she held partial responsibility into shaping into the girl she was today. Jeremy Gilbert, her beloved brother and the bind that tethered her to sanity. Stefan Salvatore, her future.
Or, at least Stefan would be a part of her future. Her lips seemed to burn with the ghost of Damon's lips, as she recalled the few kisses they'd shared over the past few months, some of which Stefan wasn't aware had occurred.
It would stay that way.
Along with the night of dirty dancing and heavy drinking she'd shared with Damon, and the secret part of her that was eagerly looking forward to their next rendezvous. It wasn't like it was bad, anyway. It had gone no farther than a kiss, and her conscience was Windex clean in that regard. Nobody had to know, right? It would be Elena's dirty little secret.
"Hey, Elena? You in here?" Jeremy's voice sliced through her thoughts, and she began to furiously rub at the mirror again.
"Yeah, Jer?" Elena called, biting down on her lip. Please don't come in. Please don't come in. Please don't come in.
The knob started to turn, and panic shot through her. He couldn't see this. Jeremy didn't have to know about this. Just like the secrets of her relationship with Damon, this would stay her own secret, too.
"I'm not decent!"
The room went silent, and the knob was frozen half-turned. Finally, Jeremy exhaled. "Fine, whatever. Just hurry up so I can get in there, okay?"
"There's more than one bathroom in here, Jer."
"God, Elena. What are you doing in there anyway?"
"What kind of question is that?!" She cried defensively, giving the door a rough shove so that he would let go of the doorknob. In no part to her new striking cobra fast vampire reflexes, she locked it.
"Jesus, calm down. Sheesh, I'll go find another bathroom," Jeremy groaned.
"Thanks, Jer!" Elena called, sighing in relief as she resumed her ministrations.
Jeremy rubbed at the hunter's mark on his hand with disdain as he dragged himself down the stairs. Maybe with just a little soap and hot water, it would go away. Fervently, he started to scratch at it, hoping that, like a temporary tattoo, its richly inked lines would begin to peel away.
All he got in return was a rash.
This wasn't what he wanted. Jeremy wanted to live a normal life. He wanted to grow up, draw his heart out, and marry a nice girl. Was that too much to ask? But, instead, he'd gotten stuck with a supernatural magnet for a sister.
Denver had been wonderful. He hadn't known that Kol was a vampire, and he'd spent long afternoons chatting with him at the batting cages. He'd taken some classes at a nearby art college, and even gone out with a sweet, normal human girl named Taylor a few times.
Yet, of course, his sister and Damon had shown up in hopes that he would channel his abilities to connect with the dead yet again for them.
He breathed a sigh of relief as he found the downstairs bathroom unoccupied. Tossing a towel on the sink, he locked the door, examining the tattoo yet again. Maybe Bonnie would know something. Though she was probably sleeping, and that would have to wait until morning.
With a huff, he started to work away at the hunter's mark.
"I did everything you asked me to," Mona whispered, meeting Katherine's eyes.
"I know you did," Katherine responded, rolling her eyes at the idea that Mona could possibly think she was already done with her. "And because you did such a good job, I need your help again." She rooted through her purse, before finding a tube of cherry red lipstick and offering it to Mona to inspect.
Mona took the tube of lipstick, rolling it in the palm of her hand. "What's this?"
"Lipstick. God, Mona, how hard did you hit your head when you fell? I thought you'd at least be able to recognize this." Katherine snatched the tube out of her hands, waving it in front of Mona's face.
Mona opened her mouth to shoot a sarcastic remark Katherine's way, but the piercing look she earned from the Petrova doppelgänger silenced her immediately. "I meant, why are you showing it to me?" She asked, opting for a much less confrontational comment than the one she'd had in mind.
"Because, I need you to destroy it. And quickly."
"Why? Can't you just do it yourself, or are you too afraid that you won't be able to find the right color of nail polish in your shrine to Sephora?"
"As if you can talk, Vanderwaal. Your makeup collection isn't too shabby either." Katherine sauntered over to an end table - drilled into the linoleum tiled floors - and lifted a Cosmopolitan that Hanna had left behind from her most recent visit. "Speaking of makeup, what were you doing with Hanna Marin the other day? I saw her having a one-sided conversation with you in here the other day." She dropped the flimsy magazine back onto the table, and tilted her head slightly. "You didn't tell her anything, did you?"
"No, Katherine, of course not!" Mona cried, her eyes pleading with Katherine's. "You know I don't have a choice in the matter of who comes and goes. I promise, Katherine, I didn't say a word."
"Good. You better not have."
Mona bit into her bottom lip, watching as Katherine paced her cell. It wasn't Hanna's fault. In fact, although Hanna hadn't gotten so much as a single word out of her, Mona had been enjoying her visits. It was nice to feel pretty again, even if just for the few hours before she'd have to wash the mascara and blush away. In fact, it was Katherine's fault that Mona had ended up taking residence in the Rosewood Asylum. She had been dragged here by the authorities after she had tried to carry out Katherine's wishes. She'd only the joined the A Team to get what she wanted most - a spot reserved especially for her on the A List. It didn't hurt that her first target was Spencer Hastings, either. She'd never liked Rosewood's goody two-shoes twins in the first place. That was what Katherine had promised her, yet, here she sat, rotting the 'best years of her life' away in a hospital gown. So not glamorous. Movie stars didn't check into asylums; they checked into rehabilitation centers that could easily double as five-star resorts. Being committed wasn't very stylish at all. It was the opposite, actually, and when and if Mona was allowed to resume her normal life, it would take plenty of damage control on her part.
"So...how do you expect me to destroy the lipstick?" Mona asked, eager to change the subject to anything but her former best friend.
Katherine eased herself into one of the two beige armchairs Mona had been lucky enough to receive, and her crossed her ankles. "This is a nuthouse, isn't it?" She responded, though her tone made it quite clear that the question was rhetorical. Hanna Marin wasn't the only one with the inability to be subtle; Katherine tended to deal her worst blows without even trying, constantly exploiting the weaknesses of others. She knew very well that 'nuthouse' tugged at the weakening walls of Mona's emotions. Mona wasn't truly crazy, but as someone who was going through what she was, the term was still offensive.
"I want you to take this tube of lipstick," Katherine began, running a perfectly manicured finger over the contoured tip of the tube. "And jab into that little redhead's shoulder when her back is turned."
"Camilla?!" Mona cried, shaking her head fervently.
"Is she the one with the braids?"
"No, I can't hurt Camilla! You're crazy if you think I would! She's my - "
"Shut up." Katherine's gaze locked onto Mona's, and as both of their pupils dilated, Mona lapsed into a compliant silence.
"You're going to stab Camilla with this tube of lipstick. When security drags you off to a more appropriate holding place, you're going to fight. Scream. Kick. I don't care. And when they ask where this came from, tell them that Hanna left it behind. You won't speak a single word about me, and you will cry and beg them not to cast her away."
"I'm going to stab Camilla. When security takes me away, I'm going fight, and tell them that Hanna left the lipstick for me."
"Good girl," Katherine purred, getting to her feet in one suave, fluid movement. Mona let out an exasperated huff as she was released from the influence of Katherine's compulsion. The tube of lipstick, resting besides her on the sheets, seemed so menacing.
As she turned to leave, stiletto heels tapping on the tiled floor, she pawed through her Michael Kors purse for her cell phone. Her hand closed around something cylindrical, and she plucked it from her bag.
"Oh, Mona. I almost forget," She called, swiveling on her heel to face the other girl. "I brought something for you. Consider it a little 'thank you' gift from me." She placed a thin, beige tube of chapstick in Mona's open palm, and closed each finger over it. Slowly, Mona lifted it to eye level, reading the pretty purple script on the label. Toffee Tango. Mona's favorite.
"You're a smart girl," Katherine said, already standing in the doorway. It wasn't meant as a compliment. "I'm sure you'll figure out some means of hiding it." She ducked into the hallway, and Mona watched through the little glass window in the door as Katherine's figure became smaller and smaller, until it disappeared completely at the intersection of two passageways.
And then, she was alone again.
Squares of light checkered on Caroline Forbes' back as she sneaked through the forest. I'm so bad, She thought guiltily. Then, she recalled Hayley, the dog who was most likely currently lounging on Tyler's couch, drinking his 'fancy rich people Scotch'.
Bitch.
If Tyler wanted to choose trashy over classy, then fine. He could have Hayley; they deserved each other. Two could play at that game.
"You're late, love," A certain hybrid's to-die-for accent was carried by the wind into Caroline's ear. It was the sweetest sound she'd heard all day.
"Klaus," She breathed, her entire face brightening as she took in the tall, suave man before her. Everything about him was sinfully gorgeous, from the delicious curl of his sandy blonde hair, to the way his jeans hung low on his strongly contoured hips.
"Why did you ask me to meet you here, of all places?" He grumbled, swallowing down his surprise as she threw her arms around him, deeply inhaling the scent of him. It wasn't any cologne of any sort; it was just his natural, masculine scent.
She adored it.
"Oh, Klaus." She breathed, pulling away from him. He folded his arms over his chest, leaning back against the trunk of a tree. He would be more suited against a column of the Parthenon.
"Have I ever told you how gorgeous you are?"
"Caroline, love, are you drunk?"
Caroline ignored his question, sauntering closer. "You said you wanted me to take a chance a get to know you, didn't you? No, you dared me, didn't you? And you also promised to take me to Paris."
"Rome, and Tokyo," He added, watching her with guarded eyes. She couldn't blame him for being cautious; she had played a part in his temporary death. For all he knew, she could be setting him up. "Why do you ask? Love, I do love to spend time near you, but...I am a bit occupied for the remainder of the day."
"You can clear your schedule for me, can't you?" She whispered, eyes glimmering.
"I'm sorry?"
She didn't say anything, watching him for a moment. They stood in silence.
Finally, she whispered, "Challenge accepted."
And her lips met his.
Oh my, aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves here, Caroline?
But I'll save you for later.
Poor, poor Elena. The girl doesn't even know what hit her - or what's to come. If there's anything she should have learned, it's that keeping secrets aren't the best idea. And, unfortunately for our golden girl, I know all of them.
Jeremy might want to watch his back, too. His marks might be invisible to the naked eye, but I see everything around here.
And Mona. Sweet, unsuspecting Mona. Maybe her behavior in the past hasn't been so sweet, but she certainly doesn't deserve what I have planned for her. You might be a little miffed with Katherine, but trust me - she doesn't deserve what she's going to get, either, even though she's been so cruel and manipulative. That's the name of the game, though, isn't it? The innocent get hurt, and the not-so-innocent don't just get hurt...they get backed over by a pick-up truck.
And don't worry, Caroline. I promised I would get to you. Don't you think revenge sex is a little 2009? We're playing a big girl's game here, Miss Mystic Falls. We all know you can be ruthless - now let's put that mean girl swagger to the test. You'll may be able to hide your intentions from Mr. Mikaelson, but not me. You should be careful - if you keep this up, somebody's going to get hurt.
This is just the beginning. There a whole two towns I have to get to. I'm going to be a busy little bitch, aren't I?
You know you love me...
Wait, wrong catchphrase.
xox
- A
A/N: Wow, I kind of sprung this one on you, didn't I? To all those who read these, please, tell me what you think! I was really inspired after watching 'The Killer' (4x05) and seeing the blood on Elena's mirror. I took some creative liberties with real events - clearly, this is a bit of an AU. I've been wanting to merge Pretty Little Liars and The Vampire Diaries for a while now...and I finally did it! I know, some of you may not be happy with how I portrayed Caroline. Trust me, she'll be back to her sweet, bubbly, badass self soon enough. These aren't all the characters I'll be working with. There will be Alison, of course, (how can I write a PLL fic without her?) Jenna, Spencer, Stefan, Aria, Ezra, Rebekah, Matt, April and the whole lot of them. Please keep reading! (Also, by the way, Klaroline is going to be the main ship for Caroline here. There will be Forwood moments, but A is going to extiniguish them quickly. And even the A Team themselves aren't immune to A's wrath.) Love you all! And He Will Not Be Denied will be updated tomorrow, my lovelies!