Quiet. In fact it was eerily silent in the abandoned, rundown mansion they have acquired near the border of Mystic Falls. The absence of screaming and crying can no longer be heard from the locked and guarded room. She only hears a very faint, tell-tale beat of the human heart that lets her know the doppelganger is still alive albeit barely.

This was never part of the plan. They were only supposed to locate and report back.

So engrossed in her thoughts and her fretful pacing, she fails to hear the tiny squeak of the door swinging open, allowing the harsh afternoon sunlight rays to stream inside. A portion of her body sizzles as a ray of blinding sunlight touches her skin and tiny smoke wisps appear. She hisses in pain and scrambles for cover in the shadows while her head snaps towards the open front door.

A lean silhouette male, roughly six feet tall, with short brown hair perfectly combed to one side stands at the doorway of blinding sunlight, surveying the interior contents of the house with disinterest. He was immaculately well-dressed in a tailored black dress jacket over a white shirt, matching dress pants and polished dress shoes. He takes a small step forward once his hazel brown eyes fall upon her.

He addresses her finally, "Rose-Marie, is there somewhere we can talk?"

She nods but remains where she is, safe from the sunlight. Unlike him, she had no daylight ring to protect her from the sun; she could only venture out when darkness took the skies. She replies, "Yes, in here. You'll have to forgive the house."

The man in the suit brushes a little dirt from his fingers and shuts the door. "Oh no, what's a little dirt. I completely understand." He walks past her and into a smaller corridor. She follows him until they reach a smaller room. He settles into the armchair and leans back elegantly before questioning her, "So tell me, what gives you the courage to call me?"

Rose stalls for a minute before replying, wondering how best to explain it without getting her killed in the process. "We found the Petrova Doppelganger in a quaint little town called Mystic Falls. Trevor has had other ludicrous ideas on the girl. I'm afraid he has gone mad during the years of constant searching. I should have contacted you long before he became delirious in exacting his revenge."

He puts a hand up and she quietens immediately. A cold shiver creeps up her neck as she watches him narrow his eyes at her coldly and then he leans forwards in his seat. They had failed to uphold their end of the debt. He is going to kill them. There will be no pardons, just quick deaths. His head then tilts slightly to the left as if he was straining to focus onto something. A soft beat thumps faintly and then another beat, followed by another two beats thumping too quickly. It was then she realized he heard the doppelganger's heartbeat.

"You have the doppelganger. Did you not understand my orders? I believed they were to only locate the doppelganger if she exists and then inform me," his voice takes on a more gravel, serious tone.

Visibly, she gulps and forces herself not to step backwards when he begins to rise from the chair. "I'm so sorry, Elijah. I tried to stop him but he's devious. He had a human compelled to do his bidding."

He moves forward towards her and she stands rooted to the spot, paralyzed by her own fear and foolishness. A loud scream coming from the one of the many hidden rooms of the mansion halts his advances and he blurs past her, not before muttering in her ear.

"We shall continue this discussion once I deal with your little pet. What is his name these days? Trevor?"

She blinks once, unable to comprehend the girl's scream had prolonged her life expectancy, and follows shortly.

By the time she arrives, the school teacher is lying sprawled on his stomach ahead, his empty eyes staring blankly and head twisted at a horrible angle. Behind him, the bolted, locked door from inside has been ripped apart by the hinges and thrown carelessly across the corridor. From her perceptive, Elijah has spun her best friend around, gripping the vampire's windpipe callously.

"What is the meaning of this… despicable activity you are holding with the doppelganger?" His seriousness in his tone spoke volumes in the cramped windowless room.

Rose looks past the men to find the doppelganger bound in a demeaning position. She is stripped from her clothes, arms tied over her head by a rope attached to the ceiling and pulled tautly, her legs are spread apart, depicting a well-illustrated, upside-down Y. Her head lolls to one side. Rose doubts the human is even aware that she has an audience.

"My L-lord," Trevor stutters in fright, "We weren't ex-expecting you un-until n-next week." He struggles to breathe as Elijah begins to crush his windpipe inch by inch, lifting him up into the air in such a way that only the tips of his shoes scrape the dirt-crusted floor.

"Did I not give specific instructions to you and Rose? Or has the dirt you constantly surround yourself with begun to clog your hearing?" Elijah speaks casually, as though they were exchanging mere pleasantries. He continues, boring holes into Trevor. "My instructions were simple; even a kindergarten child could understand. I specifically ordered you to remain out of sight, to only locate the doppelganger, and then return your findings to me. You were instructed to leave the girl unharmed. Had I known you were too inadequate for the job in which you expressly begged me to assign you…"

Trevor's hands claw for purchase as he attempts to seek some breathing room. "I'm sorry, Elijah. I-I got carried away. Please forgive my transgression. I'm truly am," Trevor chokes out, his frantic desperate hands fruitlessly grapple the elder vampire's grip from the steely choke-hold.

"Oh yes, you are the guilty one," Elijah replies dismissively and turns around slightly to face her as he mentions her name, "Rose aided you because she was loyal to you, that I will honor." He focuses his attention back to the struggling vampire and yanks him closer, his tone dropping to a whisper.

"Where was your loyalty?"

"I beg for your forgiveness. I swear this will not happened again," Trevor gasps.

A long moment of silence descends upon the small room that Rose could only hear the girl's shallow breathing. At long last the strained tension in the air begins to dissipate as Elijah replies pleasantly, "So granted." His tone is carefully modulated that both Trevor and Rose release a sigh of relief that no bloodshed would bestow upon them.

Elijah sets Trevor gently down on his feet and smoothes his jacket of any wrinkles. She sends a fleeting, encouraging smile to her best friend - her brother. They had managed to escape death once again. Maybe someone up there is protecting them, keeping them together. She would make it up to him for her betrayal by getting him the help he needs.

Rose could see the disbelief in Trevor's blue eyes that he had been forgiven. Somewhere deep down in her heart, she knows it is too good to be true. They have been indebted to Elijah for five hundred years. Klaus had wanted to execute them for their treacherous mistake which was underestimating the Petrova Doppelganger, Katerina. However, Elijah had intervened and allowed them to live, under the condition that they find the doppelganger in exchange for their miserable lives.

They had lost Katerina during the late 16th century; it was if she had disappeared off the face of the earth, or perhaps the cunning newborn vampire had seeked protection from a powerful witch or an enemy of Klaus. Her name was mentioned once in passing through another town during the late 19th century about a massacre of vampires who died in the fire caused by the humans.

They had spent their remainder of their lives slumming in back roads, dingy hole of bars drowning in their sorrows of the doppelganger getting the best of them once again. Whether it had been fate or just pure coincidence that Alaric Saltzman happened to frequent the same random bar, who was at that time also down on his luck, searching for a missing clue to his wife's disappearance.

Rose had sympathized with the human and they had listened to his story. Trevor had initially wanted to eat him for brunch but she had stopped him because the tale had begun to intrigue her. His wife had spent four years of her life researching supernatural creatures; mainly vampires. She felt reminded of her sire, Mary Porter who had been a Klaus fanatic worshiper. This Isobel had sounded like a vampire fanatic too.

They hadn't thought it was remotely possible for another doppelganger to exist when the school teacher had contacted Trevor. They had initially been skeptical and she had requested for proof. The human had provided a photograph of the young doppelganger and from there led them to this inevitable situation, their lives in Elijah Mikaelson's hands.

"Thank you Elijah. I promise I'll make good on my word this will never happen again," Trevor gushes his gratitude ceaselessly.

"Yes you will," the Original replies and in a decisive move, his hand thrusts straight into Trevor's chest and rips his heart out, leaving a gaping hole.

Rose flings herself into the cemented wall flabbergasted, her hand reaching to cover the horror of Trevor's lifeless body falling onto the ground, his pale skin transforming into ashen, his organ lay discarded beside him. He had been her best friend, her brother, her family. He may not have had the best qualities of a friend or a brother but he was all she'd had for five hundred years and now, she was all alone.

Her legs fail to support her weight and she collapses to the ground.

"Why?" She barely recognizes herself whispering the question aloud. She watches Elijah pull out a clean white handkerchief from his suit jacket pocket and wipes Trevor's blood off his bloodied hand.

"Don't. Rose. I do not condone failure. Now that you are free, there is just one last thing I need you to do and then you are free to roam wherever you please," Elijah tells her before moving towards the covered furniture. He removes the white drape and strides towards the bound half-conscious doppelganger.

In one swift tug, he pulls the restraints holding the girl and wraps the white cloth over her naked body. The doppelganger collapses immediately, having no strength to hold herself up. Elijah catches her frail body easily and carries her to the uncovered couch, depositing her in a gentle manner as he kneels on one bended knee.

The girl is too weak and tired that she barely responds. Rose catches the dryness in the girl's cracked voice as she pleads, "N-n-no... more... please... be... good..."

Elijah pulls his dress jacket sleeve away from his wrist and brings it up to his lips, a pair of fangs peek out from under. They pierce into his skin and he brings his wrist down onto the doppelganger's dry cracked lips. As he feeds her some of his blood, he murmurs softly "Forget the last twenty-four hours of your time spent here." He caresses her cheek and pulls his wrist back, giving her just enough to replenish some of her energy. He continues speaking, "I apologize for what that vile creature has done to you. You need not fret, little one. He will never lay a hand on you again."

Elijah rises to his full height and addresses her. "Let the doppelganger rest for a bit. Find her clothes, dress her and drop her off at the edge of the town border."

He casts one more glance at the now covered girl resting on the couch and his voice drops so low that even she has to strain to hear him whisper "Amazing. She looks exactly like her."

It makes Rose wonder if the Original was speaking of Katerina or perhaps of the original Petrova Doppelganger herself. Elijah then fastens the top button on his suit jacket and proceeds to make his exit, daintily stepping over the dead school teacher.

-A-

John Gilbert hears plenty of people screaming and a lot of gunfire coming from the living room. Did someone forget to switch the television off? He walks down the stairs while adjusting his black tie and pops his head into the room to discover his nephew still in his sweats and engrossed in a game. His face scrunches with determination as his thumbs fly nimbly all over the controller.

Why is Jeremy not dressed yet?

The Founder's Day Party was due to start in an hour. All the founding families were required to attend as it was tradition for centuries.

"Jeremy," John calls and frowns when the teenager doesn't acknowledge him. He repeats again and gradually increases the volume.

Jeremy finally turns his head towards him and greets him, "Hey Uncle John. You're looking good."

"Why haven't you changed?" He asks Jeremy who has turned his attention back to the television screen but has turned the volume down.

"Oh I'm not going," Jeremy replies.

"Nonsense. You're a Gilbert and its tradition," he states stubbornly and then turns around to see Jenna walking down the stairs, all dressed up and ready to go. "Can you please talk sense into him?"

Surprisingly she nods and steps into the living room. Jeremy, upon seeing Jenna, whines petulantly, "Oh don't make me go please Aunt Jenna. It's boring every year."

Jenna just chuckles and ruffles Jeremy's hair. She replies, "Make sure you're in bed before 11pm. I don't want to come back to see you still gaming away."

John yells at her with annoyance, "You're supposed to get him to change. We're one of the founding families and with that distinction comes certain obligations including going to the party. One day-"

She turns back, interrupting his petty tirade with a roll of her eyes. "It will be our role to break the tradition. Besides,he's fifteen. He can't drink. There's absolutely no reason to force a teenager to go when the party is full of to-be drunks anyways."

He feels Jenna pushing him past the front door while handing over her car key before she continues speaking, "When he hits eighteen, you can enforce the mandatory Gilbert rule. I won't try to stop you nor assist you. I'm not a Gilbert so I was never cool enough." She smirks at him half-amused and gets into the car. He follows and enters the driver's side. John slides the car key into the ignition and switches the gears to drive.

The SUV rolls out of the driveway and begins to head towards the direction of the Lockwood mansion where the party was to be held.

-A-

At the edge of the town border in which a wide signage states "Welcome to Mystic Falls!" A black vehicle has parked along the roadside; the driver's head turns to the side to find the passenger asleep in the seat and then refocuses back to the road. Rose peers at the thick dark canvass above her. With the moon out, it was easier to notice thick clouds gathering and she could smell the rain in the night air. A storm is coming.

This won't do. She won't make it.

A long sigh escapes and she shifts the gear shift back into drive. She will drop the girl off a few lanes away from her house despite having orders not to enter town. She would have followed his instructions to the letter if she hadn't seen the aftermath after she had found the girl's clothes bunched in the corner of the room. She had peeled the white cloth covering the girl's modesty to discover the sheer amount of red marks all over the girl's body. He had been torturing her. It was abhorrent.

Twenty minutes later, the brunette wakes the doppelganger up who stares back in confusion. "Get out," she hears herself command the human. "This is the nearest I can go."

Patiently, Rose waits in the vehicle as the doppelganger clumsily unfastens her seat belt and opens the door. She doesn't peel out of the curbside immediately; instead she watches the girl amble her way down the lane. A thick fat blob of water splashes onto her windshield followed by a couple more.

Walk home, the woman in the SUV says. Her movements feel lethargic as if she has just woken; her body aches as though it had when she had gone through freshmen summer boot camp. Her teeth chatters from the cold harsh night. Her head feels fuzzy.

Who was that woman and what was she doing there?

Her parents told her never to take a ride from strangers. The wind howls loudly into her ears and presses against her back as she tries to walk against the current. Her hands pull the sleeves of her dark turtleneck to hide them while her arms cross each other in an attempt to keep any leftover body heat. She is startled when droplets of water fall onto her shivering body and seep into the thin material of her clothes.

She quickens her speed until she spots a familiar-looking house with a bench swing on the porch. By the time she reaches the porch, she is drenched from head to her converse sneakers. She can't stop chattering as she bends down to pick up the key under the welcome mat. Her fingers close around the metallic house key and she grips it tightly as she can.

So cold. Need to get inside, her dull mind orders her trembling fingers to work the key into the keyhole but they keep missing its goal. A half sob turns into a series of sneezes escape past her quivering pale lips during the same time her head knocks against the front door.

She's so exhausted that she loses her footing at the exact moment the door opens. She feels gravity pulling her to the ground but a pair of arms catch her and help her inside. She hears a loud yet distant shouting around her but she can't make out the words. The arms settle her down on an elevated level; she doesn't know how but it doesn't matter.

She's inside. Safe from the cold. Her head leans against the solid wall and she peers tiredly when a pair of arms swim into her vision and cover her drenched body with a thick towel. A fuzzy image of a teenager with short brown hair is kneeling before her and moving his lips rapidly enters her vision.

She blinks confusedly at him and doesn't say a word. They stay like that for a long moment and very slowly, her senses begin to return. Her vision begins to sharpen on this male teenager pulling out his phone with his free hand and presses against his ear while the other holds her hand tightly.

He gives her a relieved, watery smile and then he speaks into the phone. She doesn't know who is on the other end of the line but she recognizes him to be her brother.

"Jer," she whispers and her head begins to throb and she closes her eyes. His grip tightens and her ears pick out his rambling over the phone.

"Hey, it's me. Elena… She's back. Where are you?"

A/N: So who wants to guess who Jeremy called? Drum roll….