A/N: I still don't own TVD or anything related to it except this plot. This saddens me greatly. Oblivion
I've been exceptionally nervous about the next 2 chapters so please do be kind and review.
In my story Katherine is a vampire. I know she technically died as a human (I think although I AM a little hazy on the whole passenger/traveller business) but for the purposes of my story she's a vamp.
On with the show!
"When oblivion, is calling out your name"
Elena sat on the edge of her bed waiting for answers. For her part Katherine seemed to be contemplating her response so Elena took the opportunity to reach out and touch Katherine on the shoulder. She pulled her fingers back immediately as if she'd been burned. 'She's really..real' Elena thought to herself incredulously.
"O-kay" Katherine said with a roll of her eyes.
"It's not exactly an easy story and I think it will go a lot better for me in the long run if I start by telling you that I've been with Damon and Bonnie for the past few days." Katherine paused to allow that information to sink in.
Elena sucked in a deep breath as she registered the words Katherine had said. Part of her wouldn't allow herself to fully believe it, but a bigger part of her was filled with love, anxiety, nervousness, excitement and a myriad of other emotions that she couldn't quite pinpoint. Trying to focus on her breathing Elena asked the question she'd been dreading for 3 months.
"Is he ok?" she said it so softly that even Katherine had to strain to hear properly.
Katherine sighed, she truly did feel sorry for Elena and even Damon, and clearly I am changing she thought to herself dryly.
"He's ok, Elena. I mean, he's not exactly in a great place right now, literally and figuratively speaking, but really I think he's more concerned about you than anything else. We all are...to an extent" she added quickly seeing Elena's shocked expression flit across her face again. Elena narrowed her eyes briefly and then nodded once, decisively. "Okay" she said "Let's get on with the story then" she prompted.
"Well let's see" Katherine began, "Stefan stabbed me..you..with the traveller knife and I died" Katherine scrunched up her face in disgust before continuing, "I wasn't 'allowed' into the other side and then I got sucked into oblivion...It was terrifying Elena." She added quietly.
Elena was surprised by Katherine's honesty. It wasn't exactly usual for Katherine to be honest about anything, particularly her feelings.
"Oblivion?" she asked out loud.
"That's what it felt like" Katherine responded desolately. "It was so black, it seemed never-ending, and it felt like I was being pulled through nothingness forever. Eventually it ended." Katherine stopped abruptly and remained silent for a few minutes before going on; "the Dark Dimension" she whispered.
Elena was looking at Katherine with a mixture of sadness and disbelief. As far as she knew the Dark Dimension was like purgatory for the supernatural. "How did you get here?" she asked.
Quick as a flash Katherine's face returned to its usual display of haughty arrogance and indifference. "Please, Elena" she barked "I'm Katherine Pierce. I survive, remember? Not even hell can keep me." Katherine smirked.
Elena didn't respond, she just sat silently waiting for Katherine to continue.
"It was hell, Elena. It was the worst experience of my life and that's saying something considering I spent over 500 years on the run" Katherine smirked. "I knew I needed a plan, I was going to get out of there somehow but it was hard. In the beginning...all I could see were the memories of my life, everything I'd done, all the truly horrendous decisions I've made in my life. They played like a tape on a loop, over and over again in my mind until I felt like I was going to go insane." Katherine paused inhaling a deep breath before going on.
"After weeks I finally made my way through the darkness, I found a group of witches, sucked in from the other side, and I spent time with them until they finally agreed to help me. I made a deal, Elena. That's why I'm here." Katherine stopped and looked at Elena expectantly.
"Well...that's a little vague" Elena finally responded. "I mean...what do you wantKatherine?" she huffed out.
Katherine considered her response thoughtfully for a moment.
"I want redemption, Elena. I want forgiveness. In order to return to the land of the...undead living, I have to be forgiven. If not then I'll never find peace, I'll never be able to move on, they will keep me there, stuck for eternity, a slave to darkness and misery" Katherine replied wretchedly.
Elena barked out a laugh and looked at Katherine incredulously. "So you came to ME?" she asked.
"Well it's not quite that simple" Katherine responded ignoring Elena's obvious disdain. "I had to make a choice, I mean; it was either you or Stefan. I figured I'd have more of a shot at it with you because of your insane capacity for forgiveness" Katherine smiled a small smile at Elena "and also because I'm fairly sure there's nothing you won't do to get Damon back. I'm not sure if I could have made Stefan believe me in time" she finished.
Elena sat looking more confused than she had before. "Katherine this is all a bit..confusing; I'm going to need you to break this down for me. What does this have to do with Damon? And what do you mean 'in time'?" Elena demanded urgently.
"All right fine" Katherine huffed feeling a little exasperated. "I made a deal with the witches, you got that part right?" Katherine looked at Elena and she nodded.
"I want redemption Elena; this isn't some trick or game just so I can rejoin the real world. I truly want your forgiveness, and I want to help you. I know that must be incredibly difficult for you to believe but I need you to believe it. I have one week, to make you believe me. One week for you to grant me forgiveness and by my count we're on night 4. I came to you because, as I mentioned, you're capacity for forgiveness is unrivalled and because I want to give you something in return. If you can find it in yourself to believe me, to forgive me, I will stay and help you find a way to bring back Damon and Bonnie." Katherine looked at Elena once more before adding "I think that basically sums it up."
Thanks especially to my reviewers LissaSalvatore and Haileybug – reviews feed my motivation.
