I sat down at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in my hands as I watched Jenna rush around for a meeting she had. Me and Elena had told her we stopped at Bonnie's when she asked where we disappeared off to. Sadly I was back to school today but I couldn't get my mind off of what those vampire's had said. I needed to find out more information. I needed to know who exactly who Elijah was. Yeah I knew he was an original but I needed to know more but the only person who could tell me those things was… Katherine. I wouldn't be able to open that tomb door on my own; I was only human after all. Stefan and Damon would kill me for even thinking about the idea. Bonnie had her witchy powers that could open the door but even if she would consider it she'd tell Elena who would tell Stefan who would probably tell Damon who would kill me. Which left Caroline. She would defiantly help me and I could swear her to secrecy so she wouldn't tell anyone. Jenna came running back in then. "Late again Jenna?" I laughed.

"Yes, now will you promise me you'll go to school?"

"Yes." She stopped rushing and turned to glare at me. I huffed. "Fine, I promise."

"Good." She smiled before grabbing her keys and running out the door.

I sipped the rest of my coffee in silence before Elena joined me. "Sup twin." I greeted.

"Are you not coming to Stefan's?" She asked as she slung he bag over her shoulder.

"Why would i?" I asked in confusion.

"Stefan said something about needing to speak with us, I just presumed Damon had told you."

"My phone's upstairs I haven't checked it yet but give me two minutes and you can drive." I placed my cup in the sink and turned to walk up the stairs but I stopped half way and peered over the banister to look at Elena. "And I'm sorry for the way I spoke yesterday; I had a bad day which of cause you know about but that was no reason to take it out on you."

"No, you have nothing to apologise for, I was out of order. I know you can take care of yourself and if anyone can straighten Damon out it's you."

"You were just looking out for me and in return I was a bitch to you, so I'm sorry." I ran up the stairs quickly brushed my teeth and grabbed my phone of my bed. No messages no nothing. I frowned in confusion. Damon would of text me at the least to tell me right? I shook the thought away and ran back down the stairs and met Elena in the car.

We knocked on the door to the boarding house and Damon opened the door. A grin spread across my face as I saw him. "Ladies." He smirked gesturing to come inside the house. He glanced at me briefly then averted his gaze and then walked off back in to the house.

Stefan stepped out from one of the doorways and smiled at Elena. "Hey."

Elena looked down at her feet awkwardly. "Hi, what's this about, you said it was important?" Another figure stepped out from behind Stefan. "You." Elena gasped as she finally lifted her head.

"You tried to have us killed. What, have you come back to finish the job yourself?" I spat.

"I'm sorry." She replied.

"Sorry." I hissed. "You kidnapped us, tried to trade us to a pissed off original who wanted us dead, not to mention your 'friend' made me his own personal chew toy but that's okay because you're sorry." I took a step forward but then I felt a masculine hand wrap around my upper arms restraining me from moving any further. "How is Trevor by the way?" I smirked. Rose's calm expression turned to anger then and she took a step towards me. But Damon let go of my arm and stood in front of me.

"Don't even think about it." He warned.

"He got exactly what he deserved I think."

"Danielle." Stefan cautioned.

"No, she's right." Elena agreed. "So we want to know now why the hell she is here?"

"She has information that could help us." Stefan answered.

"Then start talking." I ordered.

"Let's move somewhere a little more comfortable." Stefan offered before walking in to the parlour. We followed after him and while Elena sat down on the sofa I stood behind her and leant against the back of it. Rose paced up and down at the front of the room and Stefan and Damon stood at each side of the room.

Rose took a deep breath before she started. "You'll have to understand I only know what I've picked up over the years and I don't know what's true or not true. That's the problem with all this vampire crap. But Klaus I know is real."

"You're going to have to rewind here, who's Klaus?" I questioned confused.

"One of the originals, he's a legend." Damon stated still not looking at me.

"From the first generation of vampire's." Stefan added.

"Like Elijah?" Elena asked.

"No, Elijah's the Easter bunny compared to Klaus." Rose replied. "He's a foot soldier Klaus is the real deal."

"Klaus is known to be the oldest." Stefan explained.

"So you're saying that the oldest vampire in the history of time is coming after us?" I asked sceptically.

"No." Stefan said at the same time rose said "Yes."

"What she's saying, if it's true" Damon started.

"Which it is."

"And she's not saying just so we don't kill her."

"Which I'm not."

"Then we're looking at a solid maybe." He finished glancing at me briefly before turning away again.

Elena tilted her head to look up at me and I think my expression mirrored hers; mouth agape and eyes wide. "But look Elijah's dead so no one else knows you exist." Stefan reasoned.

"That you know of." Rose added.

"Not helping." Damon scolded.

"I've never even met anyone who's laid eyes on him; I mean we're talking centuries of truth mixed in with fiction." Stefan said as he walked over and sat beside Elena. "For all we know he could be some stupid bed time story."

"He's real." Rose argued. "And he doesn't give up, if he wants something he gets it. If you're not scared of him then you're stupid."

"Right so we're shaking." Damon replied sarcastically. "You made your point."

Elena stood up and slung her bag over her shoulder she nodded at me so I slowly made my way to the door, all of the new information still processing. "Where are you going?" Stefan asked.

"To school, we're already late." Elena replied in a monotone voice.

"Let me just get my stuff and I'll go with you."

"That's okay I know where it is." I raised my eyebrows at her but she just shook her head and mouthed 'later'. Stefan nodded as he looked at Elena with a hurt puppy dog face. Elena grabbed my arm and practically dragged me out of the house and in to the car.

"So you wanna tell me what's up with you and Stefan? Katherine's gone shouldn't you two be the lovey dovey couple again?" I questioned.

She sighed. "It's… Complicated. I love him but with all this going on." She took a deep breath. "Well it's hard to explain."

"You don't need to explain I understand."

"So any way, how are you and Damon?"

"Well first things first there is no me and Damon and secondly I don't know, we were fine yesterday and then today he just seems to be ignoring me."

"Men." Elena muttered.

"Can't live with em but can't live without em." I added causing us both to explode in to giggles. We pulled in to the car parking lot and I turned to Elena before she got out. "Look I know you're going to think this is completely stupid, irresponsible and crazy but I need to find out more information on Klaus and Elijah and the only way I can do that is to speak to Katherine."

She gave me a weak smile. "I was thinking the same thing."

"Good now all I have to do is call Caroline and get her to agree to help us."


"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this." Caroline muttered as we traipsed through the woods. "I'm a terrible liar."

"Just keep Stefan busy I don't want him knowing about this." Elena said.

"I'm even worse at duplicity and you both know this, Stefan's going to see straight through me."

"You managed to keep Elena occupied when Katherine wanted to spend time with Stefan." I replied.

"Only because she threatened me."

"If you don't help us we will never speak to you again." I said sternly.

She huffed. "Fine I'll help and I'll keep Stefan occupied too."

"Thank you Caroline you're the bestest friend ever." I said as I smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes but walked down the stairs ahead of us down to the tomb. "So why don't you want Stefan to know?" She asked.

"Because he would never be okay with us doing this." Elena answered.

Caroline approached the door then. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Just open the door." I replied annoyed.

But Caroline hesitated. "Please." Elena begged. Caroline gripped the door then and pulled it open with little effort. "Katherine." Elena called in to the darkness.

"Vampire bitch!" I shouted. Elena and Caroline both to turned to glare at me.

"Don't antagonise her." Caroline warned.

"What's the worst she can do? There's a very nice barrier between me and her, she can't touch me." I retorted.

"We can take it from here." Elena said smiling reassuringly at Care. Caroline nodded and then walked back up the tomb steps and disappeared from sight.

After a few moment of silence shuffling could be heard. In the distance bare feet appeared out of the darkness and then her full body. Her back was hunched forward, her skin was deadly pale, her hair was all knotty and in disarray and she was still wearing the black dress she'd worn to the masquerade ball. She stumbled forwards and then fell against the side of the tomb door propping herself up against it. "Hello Elena, Danielle." She croaked. "Come to watch me wither away?"

"Sadly no." I replied. "We need some answers."

"We bought you some things." Elena said as she opened her bag and threw a blanket in to the tomb.

She smirked. "So you're going to bribe me? Let me ask you a question do Stefan and Damon know you're here?"

"We want to know about Klaus." I stated ignoring her questions.

Elena rifled through the bag and pulled out a big book. "We bought you this." Katherine's smirk dropped. "It's your family history, it's says the line ended with you but clearly that's not true."

"You thought because you brought me some family keep sake I'd open up."

"Oh please we're not that stupid." I retorted.

"We also bought this." Elena held up a plastic bottle filled with blood. Katherine leapt forward but ran smack in to the barrier. Elena jumped back but I held my ground.

"You don't look so good. How long will it take for your body to shut down 10, 20 years? That must be painful." I smirked. "So do you feel like talking now?" She moved backwards away from the barrier and slowly slid down the wall. I nodded towards Elena who filled a plastic cup with a spot of blood and placed it on the floor. I grabbed a stick of the floor and used it to push the cup towards Katherine.

She picked it up weakly and downed it in one. "You have the Petrova fire." She smirked at me before sliding the cup back. Elena filled the cup back up but I made no move to give it back to Katherine. She glared at me before she spoke. "It's a long story, Klaus and I, it goes all the way back to England 1492 after I left Bulgaria."

"Wow you are old." I smirked.

She glared at me but it was Elena who spoke. "Why did you leave Bulgaria?"

"I was thrown out." She answered. "My parents, your ancestors, they disowned me. My indiscretions were not tolerated at that time. I had a baby out of wedlock, the shame." She mocked.

"It was kept a secret." I stated.

She nodded. "My baby was given away, I was banished to England and had to learn to adjust, so I quickly became English. It was there that I caught the eye of an English man names Klaus. I was taken with him at first." She said honestly. "Until I found out what he was and what he wanted from me and then I ran like hell. I ran through the woods but of course they followed. But one of the vampire's was taken with me, he led Elijah and them down the wrong trail."

"Trevor." I stated.

She nodded. "Once he'd led them far enough away he came back to me and told me to run to a cottage a little while away, he told me I'd be safe there that his friend would help me until he could return." I pushed the blood back to her and she gulped it down before chucking it back.

"So what did Klaus want?" Elena asked.

"The same thing he wants with you, to break the curse."

"By sacrificing the Petrova doppelganger."

"But the question is which one of you is willing to give their lives up to save the other one."

"Me." I answered without hesitation.

She smirked at me. "He wanted to drain every single drop of blood from my body, will you be willing to let him do the same for yours?"

"Yes, if it'll save my sister."

"You're not throwing your life away for me." Elena said sternly.

I rolled my eyes as I sat down on the floor and crossed my legs. "Danielle's much like me, when she's determined to do something, nothing will stop her." I motioned for Elena to fill the cup up again and then I pushed it back over to Katherine.

"What does the Petrova bloodline have to do with Klaus?" I asked.

"It's really tedious but the curse was bound by the sacrifice of Petrova blood." She answered. "Witches are crafty with their spells, the doppelganger was created as a way to undo the spell. Once the doppelganger reappears the curse can be broken."

"So you ran before he killed you?" Elena asked.

"Something like that." Katherine muttered as she passed the cup back. "I ran throughout the night looking for the cottage but eventually I found it. It was an elderly women who answered the door, I told Trevor had sent me and then another woman came to the door."

"Rose." I stated.

She nodded. "She reluctantly let me in but when I showed her I had the moonstone she locked me in a room and said that at night fall she would bring me back to Klaus."

"But rose never ended up bringing you back to Klaus did she?" I questioned.

"No, but not because she had a change of heart. I stabbed myself. I would of rather died than of had to have gone back to Klaus. But she couldn't allow that so she fed me her blood to heal me. But then Trevor returned. Him and rose started to argue in the next rose so I took my chance. Rose had left some ropes in the room on the bed to I took them. I tied a knot around my neck and then stood on a chair so I could tie the other end around the ceiling beams and then I kicked the chair away."

"You killed yourself." Elena gasped.

"Klaus needed a human doppelganger as a vampire I was no longer any use to him."

"But it didn't really work, you didn't really escape because you've been running ever since."

"I underestimated his spirit for vengeance but living out of a suit case is better than dying and having your blood spilled over some silly little rock." She paused as she eyed me curiously. "What's wrong? Scared to die? There's another way out you know." She used her nail to scratch her wrist and then she held it out to me as far as the barrier would allow her. "Better hurry your opportunity going, going, going and gone." She pulled her wrist back as she cut healed. "I made the other choice." I handed her over the cup that Elena had refilled and she drank deeply before continuing her story. "When I awoke Trevor was there asking what I'd done and why I'd done it. Rose walked back in then and explained how I'd used his to my own gain, which of cause I had. She tried to stake me but my reactions were quicker, I saw it coming I moved out of the way and pushed the elderly women forward. The smell of the blood was too strong and I fed off her wound. And then before rose or Trevor could stop me I took off.

"So rose and Trevor spent the last 500 years running because you used them. Trevor just got killed."

"I never thought he would of lasted that long." Katherine smirked.

"Me either." I stated.

"You don't even care that you ruined their lives." Elena exclaimed.

"I was looking out for myself, I will always look out for myself. If you're smart you'll do the same."

"So how much of your little story is true?" Elena asked.

"I have no reason to lie Elena." She retorted as she flicked through her family's book. "Just ask your sister she believes me." I could tell Elena was looking at me but I didn't bother to answer her.

"So say if it's even partly true that's the reason you came back isn't it, you wanted to hand me over to Klaus?"

Katherine groaned as she shut the book and slowly stood up slowly using the wall as a guide. "I figured 500 years on the run he would be willing to strike a deal."

"So you got mason Lockwood to get you the moonstone?" I asked, she nodded.

"What else is needed to break the curse?" Elena questioned.

"Hmmm look who's getting smarter." Katherine smirked.

"It's not just me, or the moonstone is it?" I asked. "Otherwise there would have been no reason to trigger Tyler's werewolf curse."

"Witches and theirs spells, so many ingredients so many people to sacrifice."

"So you need a werewolf." Elena stated.

"Believe it or not they're hard to come by."

"What else?" I questioned as I pulled myself to my feet.

"A witch to do the spell, mine bailed but little bonnie will do just fine." She answered.

"What else?" I ordered as I took a step closer to the barrier.

"A vampire."

"Caroline." I gasped.

"It could have been anyone I suppose but I like the poetry of Caroline."

I gulped. "So you were going to just hand us all over to be killed?" I spat. I glanced briefly at Elena and noticed she was trying her hardest to blink back tears without much success.

"Better you die then i." Katherine said before walking off in to the darkness. I leant back against the wall and let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Elena." Stefan shouted as he bombarded down the stairs. As soon as he saw Elena with tears running down her face he said. "Look whatever she said to you is a lie do not listen to her she's a liar."

"And what if she isn't Stefan?" I asked.

"You didn't hear what she said." Elena added more softly.

"You don't have to worry we won't let anything happen to you two."

"That's the problem, you won't, but you'll die trying. How is that any different?"

"There's nothing you can do Stefan." Katherine said as she reappeared in the doorway again. "and I haven't even told you the best part yet. I returned to Bulgaria shortly after I escaped to find all my family dead, he killed them all my entire family just to get back at me for running. Whatever you do to try and escape he'll get his revenge some other way, on your friends, your family on anyone you've ever loved."

"Don't listen to her." Stefan said sternly.

"Always the protector but even you must realise they're doomed, there's nothing you can do to stop it." She replied. "Unless of course you have this." She said as she held up the moonstone.

"There it is, the ultimate lie you twisted this whole thing so we would have to get the stone from you."

"I didn't twist anything Stefan it's the truth."

"Let me guess you want to trade your freedom for the moonstone you manipulative psychotic bitch."

"That's where you're wrong Stefan, I don't want my freedom because if Klaus comes, which he will, I'll be stuck in a tomb where vampires can't enter, I'll be the safest psychotic bitch in town." Katherine smirked before disappearing in to the tomb again.


Two bottles of vodka later and I was lying on my back on a bench in the middle of the street. It was pitch black except for the dim light coming from the street lamp above me. My head was buzzing and if I stood up I doubted I would be able to walk but it was making me feel better. My head was spinning and Katherine's words kept repeating in my head. The more I drank the less they seemed to replay so that's what I was going to do I was going to drink until I was numb and couldn't even form a single thought in my brain. Stefan drove Elena home but I reassured him I wanted to walk and that I needed to clear my head. But my head wouldn't clear and even I it did the outcome would still be the same there was no way out of it. I was going to die. Tears slipped from my eyes then and rolled down my cheeks but I didn't bother to wipe then only raised the bottle to my lips and gulped it down until there was nothing left and dropped it to the ground. "Dani? What are you doing?"

I lifted my head and sat up so my back was pressed against the back of the bench. "Hey Ty."

"What's wrong with you? You're crying. Are you okay?" Tyler questioned worriedly. I nodded my head and then started to shake it. A sob escaped my throat and I couldn't stop the tears that streamed down my face. Tyler sat down next to me then and pulled me against his chest. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and rubbed my arm soothingly. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"I can't tell you Ty." I sobbed.

"Of course you can." He reassured.

"No I can't because it's not my secret to tell and even if I could tell you, you wouldn't believe me. But my life is so messed up and confusing. Sometimes I just wish I'd never have left. I would of known all about this crap and I would have been able to deal with it better. I regret it you know leaving. I regret leaving Elena and Jeremy but most of all I regret leaving you." I slurred.

"Then why did you leave?" He whispered softly.

"Because I had to, wherever I looked it reminded me of my parents. I just needed to get away."

"I would have gone with you."

"I know but I couldn't let you do that. Mystic falls was you home and you had family here. I didn't want to be the one to ruin your life."

"My home was with you I didn't care about anything else, I loved you I would have followed you anywhere all you had to do was ask."

"I loved you too, I still do and a part of me always will. This might sound stupid and cheesy but I used to imagine my life with you, us getting married and having kids."

He chuckled. "I used to think about that too."

"I was an idiot for leaving and maybe if I hadn't of left we'd still be together."

"I still love you too." He said softly.

I smiled as I leant forward and pressed my lips against his briefly before pulling back. "But it doesn't matter." The tears came faster now and sobbed rocked my body. "Because I'm going to die."

"Hey, where's all this coming from? You have years ahead of you." He soothed as he rocked me back and forth gently. "You're just drunk you're not thinking clearly."

"No, I'm going to die and i-I'm t-trying to put on a b-brave f-face but I'm scared because the t-truth is I don't want to die, but I h-have to be strong for e-Elena because I c-can't let her die. But I'm so s-scared." I sobbed.

He pulled my phone out of my jacket pocket and scrolled through my contacts. "You need to calm down okay, I'm gonna call Elena to come and get you."

"NO!" I screamed as I jumped up off the bench stumbling in the process but Tyler reached out to steady me.

"Okay I'll call Jenna."

"NO!" I shouted again.

"What about Damon you were with him at the masquerade ball right?"

"I just want to be on my own Ty. Just leave me alone and just forget we had this conversation."

"But you said you loved me." He said as he jumped to his feet and stood in front of me.

"And I do but I think I love someone else more. But I will always love you Ty but more like a brother or an amazing best friend. But I just have to go." I didn't wait to hear him reply I just took off down the street stumbling every so often and falling down. I don't know why but I found myself outside the mystic grill I staggered through the door and fell in to a booth.

"Can I get you a drink?" A man with blonde hair and brown eyes asked. "You look like you could use one."

"I could use more than one." I slurred.

"A round of shots it is." He laughed as he walked off to the bar before returning minutes later with a tray full of them. "So what's your name?"

"She's not interested so you should just leave." Tyler said as he entered the grill. The blonde guy scowled but reluctantly left the table and returned to his mates. I ignored Ty as he sat down opposite me and just started to take each of the shots. "You need to stop drinking." He warned.

"And you need to leave me alone." I retorted.

"No, you need to leave because I'm here to drive you home." A velvety voice said from beside me.

I groaned. "I told you not to call anyone."

"Well it was either him or Jenna and Jenna would probably kill you seems as you didn't go to school today either."

Damon raised his eyebrows at me. "You what?" I groaned and placed my head in my hands as I leant my elbows on the table. "I've got it from here." Damon said to Tyler. Tyler nodded dropped my phone in Damon's hand and then left. "Come on." Damon said as he held out his hand for me to take. I ignored him and continued to down the shots. It might have been the alcohol talking but he'd been ignoring me all day so I was going to return the favour. As soon as I downed the last shot I pushed past him and made my way outside. I fell down the curb when I stepped in to the road but then I felt my self being lifted in to Damon's arm. He opened the door to his car and placed me down gently in to the passenger seat. He blurred back around to the other side and started the car within minutes. "Are you going to speak to me now?" He asked.

"You've been ignoring me." I stated as I leant my head against the window and closed my eyes. "Did I do something because I really can't remember?"

"I haven't been ignoring you I've been busy." He lied. I sighed. "So are you going to tell me what you did today?"

"I can't blame anything anymore." I slurred. "It's not because I came back to town or because I met you or even because I left in the first place it's all because of me. And now Caroline, Tyler and bonnie are all in danger because of me." I said as tears slowly rolled down my eyes again. "And when Klaus comes I'm going to die."

"No, you're not. I won't let that happen."

"You can't stop it. At the end of the day it's either me or Elena and we both know you'll pick Elena." He frowned but stayed silent so I turned my body round in the seat to stare at him. "But it's okay because I'd choose Elena too. She has a whole future ahead of her but I have nothing."

"Listen to me and listen carefully." He said sternly as he turned to look at me and I got the full force of his ice blue gaze. "I will not let Klaus lay a hand on you because I will die before he even touches you." He turned back to the road then and I leant my head against the window again.

I closed my eyes and could feel the alcohol slowly taking its effect on me as my eye lids grew heavy. "But I don't want you to die." I whispered before I finally allowed sleep to take over.


Sorry for the late update I'm back at school now and I was given lots of homework to do but thank you to tinydancer365, brown eyed girls, lissylee and marina164509 for reviewing you guys are great.

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